Patient support

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a base having a foot end and a head end;
• a first elevation assembly positioned at the head end of said base;
• a second elevation assembly positioned at the foot end of said base;
• a support deck adapted to support a patient, said first and second elevation assemblies being coupled to said support deck such that said first and second elevation assemblies can raise and lower said support deck with respect to said base;
• said support deck including a first rail extending from said first elevation assembly to an intermediate location between said foot end and said head end of said base, said first rail having a head end pivotably coupled to said first elevation assembly;
• said support deck further including a second rail extending from said second elevation assembly to said intermediate location, said second rail being pivotably coupled to said first rail, and said second rail having a foot end pivotably coupled to said second elevation assembly;
• at least one of said first and second rails including a beam and a sleeve, said beam and said sleeve each having longitudinal extents that are parallel to each other, said beam and said sleeve adapted to move with respect to each other such that a length of said at least one of said first and second rails can be extended and shortened;
• an actuator adapted to pivot said first rail with respect to said second rail such that said beam and said sleeve move with respect to each other and a horizontal distance between said head end of said first rail and said foot end of said second rail remains constant while said first rail pivots with respect to said second rail;
• and
• a sleep surface having a foot end, a head end, and a pair of sides, said sleep surface being positioned on top of said support deck and including a strip along at least one of said sides, said strip being foldable between a folded position and an unfolded position, wherein when said strip is in the unfolded position, said sleep surface has a distance between said pair of sides greater than the distance between said pair of sides when said strip is in the folded position.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a base having a foot end and a head end;
• a first elevation assembly positioned at the head end of said base;
• a second elevation assembly positioned at the foot end of said base;
• a support deck adapted to support a patient, said first and second elevation assemblies being coupled to said support deck such that said first and second elevation assemblies can raise and lower said support deck with respect to said base, wherein said support deck defines a footprint w both said first elevation assembly and said second elevation assembly are positioned outside of said footprint;
• said support deck including a first rail extending from said first elevation assembly to an intermediate location between said foot end and said head end of said base, said first rail having a head end pivotably coupled to said first elevation assembly;
• said support deck further including a second rail extending from said second elevation assembly to said intermediate location, said second rail being pivotably coupled to said first rail, and said second rail having a foot end pivotably coupled to said second elevation assembly;
• at least one of said first and second rails including a beam and a sleeve, said beam and said sleeve each having longitudinal extents that are parallel to each other, said beam and said sleeve adapted to move with respect to each other such that a length of said at least one of said first and second rails can be extended and shortened;
• an actuator adapted to pivot said first rail with respect to said second rail such that said beam and said sleeve move with respect to each other and a horizontal distance between said head end of said first rail and said foot end of said second rail remains constant while said first rail pivots with respect to said second rail;
• a plurality of generally planar side rails, each said side rail being pivotably supported by one of said first and second rails such that said side rails are pivotable between a first orientation and a second orientation wherein said first orientation is perpendicular to said second orientation;
• wherein each of said side rails further includes an extension, said extension being supported by one of said first and second rails and movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said side rails being positioned closer to a longitudinal center line of said support deck when in said retracted position than when in said extended position.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a base having a foot end and a head end;
• a first elevation assembly positioned at the head end of said base;
• a second elevation assembly positioned at the foot end of said base;
• a support deck adapted to support a patient, said first and second elevation assemblies being coupled to said support deck such that said first and second elevation assemblies can raise and lower said support deck with respect to said base;
• said support deck including a first rail extending from said first elevation assembly to an intermediate location between said foot end and said head end of said base, said first rail having a head end pivotably coupled to said first elevation assembly;
• said support deck further including a second rail extending from said second elevation assembly to said intermediate location, said second rail being pivotably coupled to said first rail, and said second rail having a foot end pivotably coupled to said second elevation assembly;
• at least one of said first and second rails including a beam and a sleeve, said beam and said sleeve each having longitudinal extents that are parallel to each other, said beam and said sleeve adapted to move with respect to each other such that a length of said at least one of said first and second rails can be extended and shortened;
• an actuator adapted to pivot said first rail with respect to said second rail such that said beam and said sleeve move with respect to each other and a horizontal distance between said head end of said first rail and said foot end of said second rail remains constant while said first rail pivots with respect to said second rail;
• wherein said actuator includes:
• a threaded, horizontal shaft oriented perpendicular to an imaginary line running from said head end of said base to said foot end of said base;
• a first set of arms, each of the arms in said first set of arms including a first end threadingly mated to said horizontal shaft and a second end pivotably coupled to an underside of said foot section;
• and
• a second set of arms, each of said arms in said second set of arms including a first end threadingly mated to said horizontal shaft and a second end pivotably coupled to said support deck at a location under said seat section.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a base having a foot end and a head end;
• a first elevation assembly positioned at the head end of said base;
• a second elevation assembly positioned at the foot end of said base;
• a support deck adapted to support a patient, said first and second elevation assemblies being coupled to said support deck such that said first and second elevation assemblies can raise and lower said support deck with respect to said base;
• said support deck including a first rail extending from said first elevation assembly to an intermediate location between said foot end and said head end of said base, said first rail having a head end pivotably coupled to said first elevation assembly;
• said support deck further including a second rail extending from said second elevation assembly to said intermediate location, said second rail being pivotably coupled to said first rail, and said second rail having a foot end pivotably coupled to said second elevation assembly;
• at least one of said first and second rails including a beam and a sleeve, said beam and said sleeve each having longitudinal extents that are parallel to each other, said beam and said sleeve adapted to move with respect to each other such that a length of said at least one of said first and second rails can be extended and shortened;
• and
• an actuator adapted to pivot said first rail with respect to said second rail such that said beam and said sleeve move with respect to each other and a horizontal distance between said head end of said first rail and said foot end of said second rail remains constant while said first rail pivots with respect to said second rail;
• and
• wherein said support deck further includes a length extender movingly coupled to said foot section, said length extender movable between a retracted position in which a length of said support deck has a first value, and an extended position in which a length of said support deck has a second value greater than said first value.

A patient support apparatus comprising:

• a base having a head end and a foot end;
• a support deck adapted to support a patient and having an outer perimeter, said support deck including a foot section, a seat section, and a head section, both said seat section and said head section pivotable between generally horizontal orientations and raised orientations;
• a first elevation assembly positioned at the head end of said base;
• a second elevation assembly positioned at the foot end of said base, said first and second elevation assemblies being coupled to said support deck such that said first and second elevation assemblies can raise and lower said support deck with respect to said base, said first and second elevation assemblies being positioned outside a footprint of said support deck wherein said footprint is defined by a vertical downward projection of said perimeter onto said base;
• and
• a shear reduction assembly adapted to increase a distance between said head section and said seat section when said head section and said seat section are pivoted from their respective generally horizontal orientations to their respective raised orientations.