Patent ID: 7395564

Claim:
A patient support apparatus comprising: a base having a plurality of wheels, said wheels facilitating movement of said base over a floor; a frame having a head end, a foot end, a first side, and a second side, said frame being positioned above said base; a first hydraulic jack attached to said base and said frame; a second hydraulic jack attached to said base and said frame, said first and second hydraulic jacks adapted to raise and lower said frame relative to said base; a deck supported by said frame, said deck including a head section, a seat section, a thigh section, and a foot section, said head section oriented adjacent the head end of said frame, said foot section oriented adjacent the foot end of said frame, said thigh section positioned between said head and foot sections, and said seat section positioned between said head and thigh sections; a first pivot support mounted on said frame and oriented at a foot end of said head section, said first pivot support defining a first pivot axis about which said head section can pivot between a generally horizontal position and a raised position, said first pivot axis remaining stationary with respect to said frame as said head section pivots between the generally horizontal position and the raised position, and said head section defining a horizontal plane when said head section is in said generally horizontal position; a second pivot support mounted on said frame and oriented at a foot end of said thigh section, said second pivot support defining a second pivot axis; at least two straight arms oriented generally parallel to the first and second sides of said frame, each of said straight arms having a head end and a foot end, said foot end of said straight arms pivotably coupled to said second pivot support such that said straight arms are pivotable about said second pivot axis, said head end of said straight arms extending at least as far as the head end of said seat section, said straight arms being configured such that said head end of said straight arms and said head end of said seat section both pivot downwardly toward said base when said head section is pivoted from said generally horizontal position toward said raised position, and said straight arms further being configured such that said head end of said straight arms and said head end of said seat section both pivot upwardly away from said base when said head section is pivoted from said raised position toward said generally horizontal position; and a third pivot axis oriented at a head end of said thigh section, said foot end of said thigh section being able to pivot about said third pivot axis between a raised and a lowered position, said foot end of said thigh section being spaced vertically away from said foot end of said straight arms when said foot end of said thigh section is pivoted to the raised position.