Abstract: A brake system for a medical device, such as a cot, stretcher, bed, wheeled chair, or other medical device, includes a pin and toothed wheel arrangement wherein the selective insertion of a pin between teeth on the toothed wheel brakes the system, while the removal of the pin from between the teeth unbrakes the system. Multiple pins may be used with a single toothed wheel wherein the pins are offset from each other relative to the teeth so that, when one pin is inserted between teeth, the other pin is at least partially blocked from being inserted between the teeth. This effectively increases the resolution of the toothed wheel. The toothed wheel may be axially spaced from wheel(s) that roll on the ground. When so spaced, the toothed wheel, and all of the braking components associated therewith, may be enclosed within a housing separate from the rolling wheel(s).

Abstract: A wheeled chair for transporting patients includes a plurality of footrests for supporting a patient's feet thereon. Each footrest is pivotable between an up position and a down position, and includes a biasing mechanism for biasing the footrest toward the up position, or the down position, or whichever of the two positions the footrest is currently closer to. A swing mechanism swings the footrests from a use position in front of the seat to a stowed position alongside the seat. A trigger, such as a button, automatically activates the swinging. The swinging may take place about a vertical axis that is common to the axis about which the front caster wheels swivel. Pivot extensions may be included on the footrests that provide a tool for enabling a caregiver to manually pivot the footrest between the up and down positions with his or her foot.

Abstract: A wheeled chair for transporting patients includes a frame, a seat, a plurality of wheels, and a plurality of armrests. The armrests are pivotable about a common pivot axis that is oriented generally horizontally and that is positioned underneath the seat and forward of a back support. Each armrest may include a locking mechanism for holding the armrests in a use position. When locked in the use position, a user may apply an upward force on the armrests to lift the chair upwardly that does not cause pivoting of the armrests. The chair is designed to allow nesting with other chairs of similar design. The front wheels may be positioned laterally apart a greater distance than the rear wheels to allow a first chair to nestingly receive a rear portion of a second chair. Foley hooks may also be included on the chair for hanging a Foley catheter bag.

Abstract: A leg rest for a patient transport device, such as a wheeled chair, bed, stretcher, cot, or the like, is movable between a stowed position underneath a seat and a use position extending forwardly from the seat. The leg rest includes a latch and a handle for releasing the latch. The latch is adapted to automatically retain the leg rest in whichever of the use and stowed positions it currently is in. Pulling on the handle releases the latch and allows the leg rest to be moved between the use and stowed positions. The leg rest includes a pad that is positioned, when the leg rest is in the use position, to contact a patient's calf. The leg rest is configured to both pivot about a pivot axis and to have two different sections that translate with respect to each other.

Abstract: A surgical sagittal saw for use with a complementary blade assembly that includes a static bar. The saw includes a head over which the blade assembly bar is seated. A biasing member mounted to the saw head normally places a force of the blade assembly bar that urges the bar away from the blade head. A coupling assembly releasably holds the blade assembly bar in the static state to the saw head. When the coupling assembly is in the run state, holding the blade assembly to the saw head, the coupling assembly does so in opposition to the force the biasing assembly exerts against the blade assembly bar. During the process of removing the blade assembly from the saw, the force of the biasing assembly assists in the removal of the blade assembly bar from the saw head.

Abstract: A patient support includes a patient support surface, a barrier adjacent the patient support surface, with a portion of the barrier or patient support surface including at least one material suspended therein, applied thereto, or embedded therein having an antimicrobial property, and an energy generation system directing energy to the portion or another portion of the barrier or patient support surface, the energy comprising a current, a field, heat, sound waves, or light to provide antimicrobial treatment to the portion or the other portion.

Abstract: A cleaning system includes a housing with a reservoir for holding waste, with the reservoir in fluid communication with a suction line, a pumping station for receiving waste from the reservoir, and a cleaning component for cleaning one or more surfaces on the housing or the station either automatically or based on an actuation signal input by a user.

Abstract: A force sensing array includes multiple layers of material that are arranged to define an elastically stretchable sensing sheet. The sensing sheet may be placed underneath a patient to detect interface forces or pressures between the patient and the support structure that the patient is positioned on. The force sensing array includes a plurality of force sensors. The force sensors are defined where a row conductor and a column conductor approach each other on opposite sides of a force sensing material, such as a piezoresistive material. In order to reduce electrical cross talk between the plurality of sensors, a semiconductive material is included adjacent the force sensing material to create a PN junction with the force sensing material. This PN junction acts as a diode, limiting current flow to essentially one direction, which, in turn, reduces cross talk between the multiple sensors.

Abstract: An elongate medical device having a longitudinal axis and a surface; and a continuous, helical bi-component fiber wound around at least a portion of the surface of the medical device along its longitudinal axis, wherein the bi-component fiber has a cross-section with a generally flattened side and an inner core encased in a sheath, and wherein the inner core is aligned about the medical device.

Abstract: A pressure sensing sheet includes at least first, second, and third layers wherein the first and third layers each have conductive paths defined therein that are separated by nonconductive spacers. The orientation of the conductive paths of the first layer are transverse to the orientation of the conductive paths of the third layer. The second layer is made of material that has an electrical characteristic that changes with applied pressure, such as, but not limited to, piezoresistive or piezoelectric material. The first and/or third layers are made from multi-material sheets wherein a first type of material will repel conductive particles when subjected to an autocatalytic coating process, while the second type of material will bond with the conductive particles during the autocatalytic coating process. The use of different materials in the first and/or third layers facilitates the manufacturing of the conductive paths and nonconductive spacers.

Abstract: A delivery gun for discharging bone cement from a cartridge that includes a piston. The gun has a casing from which a drive rod and a disk extend. A drive assembly advances the drive rod and disk so that disk displaces the piston causing the discharge of cement. The drive assembly includes plural links that are pivotally connected to a trigger. The links are displaced in response to the manual displacement of a trigger. One of the links is configured to selectively engage the drive rod. When this particular link is engaged with the drive rod and displaced, the drive rod the drive rod is advanced at a first speed. When this link does not is not engaged with the drive rod, the drive rod is advanced by another link at a second speed.

Abstract: A bone mill including a base and a mill head that is removably attached to the base. A cutting disc is moveably disposed in the mill head. A motor is disposed in the base. A spindle attached to the motor releasably engages the cutting disk. The spindle is also capable of movement towards and away from the motor. A spring holds the mill head away from the motor. In some versions of the invention, the spring urges the spindle towards the cutting disc. The biasing force exerted by the spring urges the spindle into engagement with the cutting disc. A locking assembly releasably holds the mill head to the base in opposition of the force exerted by the spring.

Abstract: A system implantable components (32, 36, 38, 40) for providing therapy to or monitoring the physiologic state of living tissue. The components exchange signals over implanted bus (34). The bus includes a trunk (84) and at least one branch (14) The at least one branch is connected to and able to move relative to the trunk. Signals are inductively exchanged between the branch and the one or more trunks.