Patent ID: 7386899

Claim:
A medical examination table, comprising: table structure including a patient support surface adapted to support a patient thereon; a bay defined in said table structure for receiving a stowable step therein; a step operatively coupled to said table, proximate said bay, for movement between a first position wherein said step is received within said bay, and a second position wherein said step extends outwardly from said bay; said step comprising: a step housing including a top side, a bottom side opposite said top side, first and second oppositely disposed lateral sides extending between said top side and said bottom side, and oppositely disposed front and rear sides extending between said top side, said bottom side and said first and second lateral sides, and at least one aperture formed into said step housing and providing access to an interior of said step housing; and at least one slide member operatively coupled between said step housing and said table structure; at least a portion of said slide member slidably movable into and out of said step housing interior through said aperture to at least partially support said step in said first and second positions; said aperture spaced inboard from said first and second lateral sides such that said slide member is enclosed within said step housing or said bay when said step is in said second position.