Patient support systems with a chair configuration and a stowable foot section

A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient above a floor surface, said patient support apparatus comprising:

• a litter having a patient support surface for supporting the patient;
• a footboard operatively attached to said litter;
• a base supporting said litter;
• and
• a lift system comprising first and second lift members, said first and second lift members extending from said base to said litter, with said first lift member being arranged on a first side of said patient support apparatus and said second lift member being arranged on a second side opposite said first side, and coupling said litter to said base, said lift system being configured to move said litter relative to said base,
• said litter comprising a seat section and a foot section extending continuously and longitudinally from said seat section to a foot section end, having no rotationally articulating joints disposed between a top of the foot section adjacent to and directly attached to said seat section and said foot section end, with said footboard operatively attached to said foot section end,
• wherein said patient support surface comprises a foot section patient support surface defined by said foot section,
• wherein said litter has a first configuration in which said seat and foot sections are aligned generally horizontally above the floor surface such that said foot section patient support surface faces away from said base and a second configuration in which said foot section patient support surface faces toward said base with said foot section extending continuously and longitudinally from said seat section to said footboard, said foot section being configured to articulate between said first and second lift members such that said foot section is stowed in the second configuration beneath said seat section, between said seat section and said base, and between said first and second lift members;
• wherein said footboard is movably coupled to said foot section with said foot section disposed longitudinally between said seat section and said footboard;
• wherein said footboard is movable relative to said foot section between a deployed position and a collapsed position, with said footboard being biased into said deployed position by a biasing device;
• and
• wherein said base comprises an actuation surface, with said footboard configured to abut said actuation surface when said foot section is moved to said second configuration such that an actuation force is applied by said actuation surface on said footboard against a biasing force from said biasing device to move said footboard from said deployed position to said collapsed position.