Patent ID: 8104123

Claim:
Supporting apparatus for supporting a user in a selected position including a horizontal position, a reclining position, and a substantially vertical position to facilitate exiting from the apparatus, said supporting apparatus comprising: a base for supporting the apparatus on a flat horizontal surface; a tiltable frame assembly tiltably supported on said base in said selected position, and including a head section and a foot section at its opposite ends; and a body supporting member supported on said tiltable frame assembly and having a head end and foot end proximal to said head section and foot section, respectively, of said tiltable frame assembly; characterized in that said foot section of the tiltable frame assembly includes a feet-engaging member engageable with the bottom surfaces of the user's feet, when the user is supported on said body supporting member, and in that said feet-engaging member is fixed to said foot section of the tiltable frame assembly by a pair of arms straddling the body supporting member so as to define an aperture therewith; and wherein said body supporting member is movable along the length of the tiltable frame assembly through said aperture; and further characterized in that said body supporting member is moveable with respect to said tiltable frame assembly such that: (a) in the horizontal position of the tiltable frame assembly, the body supporting member supports the user's body with the feet-engaging member longitudinally spaced from the bottom surfaces of the user's feet; and (b) when the tiltable frame assembly is to be tilted to the vertical position, the body supporting member moves longitudinally on the tiltable frame assembly to cause the bottom surfaces of the user's feet to engage the feet-engaging member of the tiltable frame assembly and thereby to prevent sliding of the user's body with respect to the tiltable frame assembly.