Patent ID: 7950080

Claim:
A patient-transfer mechanism comprising: a horizontal frame positionable along the side of a bed; a support plate substantially coextensive with and fixedly mounted to the frame; and a movable transfer shelf nominally resting on the support plate during a stowage phase of operation, and being capable during a deployment phase of operation of being extended and retracted therealong and further along a top surface of a bed; the transfer shelf being covered throughout its movement by an adjustable length of fabric extending therearound, the length of fabric being adjusted proportional to and in synchronism with movement of the transfer shelf, the length of fabric along a lower horizontal extent thereof being positioned by the support plate to contact the upper surface of a bed during the deployment phase, with the only intervening structure between the transfer shelf and the upper surface of a bed being the adjustable length of fabric extending therebetween. the movable transfer shelf and the adjustable length of fabric extending therearound having no underlying patient-transfer mechanism structure, the movable transfer shelf and the adjustable length of fabric extending therearound without underlying structure being collectively configured to transfer a patient from or to the bed.