Method and apparatus for moving a hospital bed or another wheeled object

摘要

A wheeled object, such as a bed (26), is moved by means of a separate driving device (10). The total driving device (10) including a motor driven driving wheel (15) has such dimensions that it may be substantially fully housed in the space defined between lower surface of the bed and the floor surface and is moved into such space. Thereafter an upper surface (21) of the driving device is moved into force transmitting engagement with the lower surface of the bed or object and the driving wheel (15) is moved into driving engagement with the supporting surface or floor. A separate control unit (24) communicating with the motor driven driving wheel may then be operated so as to energize the driving means and move said object. Because the driving device does not extend substantially beyond the outlines of the bed (26) or object, a highly increased manoeuverability is obtained.