Ambulance cot and loading and unloading system
An ambulance cot loading and unloading system for an emergency vehicle includes a base for mounting in the emergency vehicle and an arm mounted for linear movement along the base, wherein the arm configured to support a cot while the cot is being loaded into or unloaded from the emergency vehicle. The ambulance cot loading and unloading system further includes an indicator mounted relative to the arm and a control system, which is in communication with the indicator and configured to generate a status indication of the cot loading and unloading system at the indicator.
1 . An ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system for an emergency vehicle, the emergency vehicle having a deck, said ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system comprising:
an ambulance cot;
a cot loading and unloading apparatus configured to mount to the deck of the emergency vehicle; and
a control system having a primary control board, a primary user interface in communication with said primary control board, a secondary control board carried by said cot loading and unloading apparatus, and a secondary user interface in communication with said secondary control board and carried by said cot loading and unloading apparatus, said primary user interface being at a location different from said secondary user interface,
said cot loading and unloading apparatus including a drive mechanism, said secondary control board configured to control said drive mechanism, and said primary control board being configured to control said drive mechanism to thereby allow an attendant to control said drive mechanism from more than one location using said primary user interface or said secondary user interface.
2 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said primary control board includes at least one of a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for wireless communications.
3 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said secondary control board includes at least one of a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for wireless communications.
4 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein cabling is provided between said primary control board and said secondary control board.
5 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said primary control board and said primary user interface are disposed on said ambulance cot.
6 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said secondary control board and said secondary user interface are disposed on said cot loading and unloading apparatus.
7 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , said cot loading and unloading apparatus comprising an arm configured to selectively support said ambulance cot, and said drive mechanism to selectively move said arm, wherein an attendant can control moving said arm from said cot or said cot loading and unloading apparatus using said primary user interface or said secondary user interface.
8 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 7 , wherein said arm is configured to move from a first position where said arm supports said ambulance cot outside the emergency vehicle to a second position where said cot is loaded into the emergency vehicle, and said drive mechanism configured to move said arm between said first position and said second position, wherein the attendant can control moving said arm from said first position to said second position from said cot or said cot loading and unloading apparatus using said primary user interface or said secondary user interface.
9 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 7 , wherein said arm is configured to lift said cot, wherein said drive mechanism is configured to lift said arm to thereby lift said cot, and wherein the attendant can control lifting of said cot from said cot or said cot loading and unloading apparatus using said primary user interface or said secondary user interface.
10 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 9 , wherein said drive mechanism is configured to lift said arm at a selected lifting speed, and wherein said control system is configured to control a speed of said drive mechanism to thereby control a lifting speed of said arm.
11 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 10 , said control system including a sensor, and said control system configured to control the speed of said drive mechanism based on input from said sensor to thereby move said arm based on input from said sensor.
12 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 11 , wherein said sensor senses a position of said arm or a load on said arm.
13 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 7 , said control system including a sensor, and said control system configured to control said drive mechanism based on input from said sensor.
14 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 13 , wherein said sensor senses a position of said arm or a load on said arm.
15 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said secondary control board includes a slave control board to said primary control board.
16 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said cot includes a head end and a foot end, and said primary user interface is located at or adjacent said foot end of said cot.
17 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 7 , wherein said cot loading and unloading apparatus includes a track, and wherein said arm is mounted for linear movement along said track.
18 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 1 , wherein said cot loading and unloading apparatus includes a latch for engaging said ambulance cot, and wherein said primary control board is configured for controlling said latch.
19 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system according to claim 1 , comprising:
an arm configured to mount to the deck of the emergency vehicle and configured to selectively support said ambulance cot;
said drive mechanism configured to selectively move said arm; and
said control system including a sensor, and said control system configured to control said drive mechanism to thereby move said arm based on input from said sensor.
20 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 19 , wherein said sensor senses a position of the arm or a load on the arm.
21 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 20 , wherein said drive mechanism is configured to raise or lower said arm, and wherein said control system is configured to control said drive mechanism to raise or lower said arm based on input from said sensor.
22 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 21 , wherein said sensor senses a load on said arm, when said sensor senses the presence of a load with a first magnitude on said arm, said control system is configured to move said arm at a first speed, and when said sensor senses the presence of a load on said arm with a second magnitude greater than said first magnitude, said control system is configured to move said arm at another speed or speeds lower than said first speed.
23 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 19 , further comprising a base for mounting to the deck, and wherein said arm is mounted for linear movement along said base.
24 . The ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system of claim 23 , further comprising a track mounted for linear movement along said base, and wherein said arm is mounted for linear movement along said track.