Patent ID: 7290836

Claim:
A back for a patient chair in which a patient may be moved from a generally upright sitting position to a generally supine position, said back comprising: a back shell having a front surface, back surface, top, bottom, opposed first and second outer sides, a central section extending longitudinally from a region adjacent said top to a region adjacent said bottom and opposed side sections extending laterally outwardly from said central section toward said first and second outer sides, said side sections being of sufficient rigidity to support portions of a patient in a supine position and being sufficiently flexible to allow deflection of a side section in the direction of said front surface from a selected normal position by application of force imposed on the side section in such direction and to return said side section to said normal position on release of such force; and a cushion overlying the face of said back shell; wherein said central section is substantially rigid and comprises a plurality of stiffener ribs, and wherein said ribs extend longitudinally of said back shell.