Patient transfer and transport bed

1. An apparatus for moving a patient between a patient support surface and the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a frame supported by a wheeled base;

a patient support platform supported by the frame and extendable away from the frame in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the frame, the patient support platform having a plurality of rollers configured to form a conveying surface; and

a base stability extension comprising a pivotally extendable arm extendable away from the wheeled base in a direction perpendicular to a vertical plane extending through the longitudinal centerline of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinally extending edge of the patient support platform, when fully extended from the frame, is perpendicularly offset from the vertical plane by a distance of X, and the free end of the base stability extension, when in a fully extended position, is perpendicularly offset from the vertical plane by a distance of approximately X.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arm pivotally extends in a horizontal plane.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the base stability extension and the patient support platform are interlocked such that the platform will not extend away from the frame without the stability extension being extended.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conveying surface further comprises a continuous belt configured to ride on the plurality of rollers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the patient support platform further comprises a drive roller.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the patient support platform further comprises a tension roller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the patient support platform further comprises a tapered edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rollers includes an inclinable roller bank and a stationary roller bank.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the patient support platform further comprises a first drive roller associated with the inclinable roller bank and a second drive roller associated with the stationary roller bank.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the patient support platform further comprises a first tension roller associated with the inclinable roller bank and a second tension roller associated with the stationary roller bank.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the patient support platform further comprises a tapered edge.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the conveying surface further comprises a first continuous belt associated with the inclinable roller bank and a second continuous belt associated with the stationary roller bank.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the conveying surface further comprises a continuous belt encompassing both the inclinable roller bank and the stationary roller bank.

15. An apparatus for moving a patient between a patient support surface and the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a frame supported by a wheeled base;

a patient support platform supported by the frame and extendable away from the frame in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the frame; and

a base stability extension, comprising a pivotally extendable arm, extendable away from the wheeled base in a direction perpendicular to a vertical plane extending through the longitudinal centerline of the apparatus, wherein the arm pivotally extends in a vertical plane.

16. An apparatus for moving a patient between a patient support surface and the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a frame supported by a wheeled base;

a patient support platform supported by the frame and extendable away from the frame in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the frame; and

a base stability extension, comprising a pivotally extendable arm, extendable away from the wheeled base in a direction perpendicular to a vertical plane extending through the longitudinal centerline of the apparatus, wherein the arm pivotally extends in a plane oblique to a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.

17. A method for transferring a patient between a first patient support surface in a medical environment and a second patient support surface, wherein the second patient support surface is a transfer platform of a patient transfer and transport device, and the transfer platform is equipped with rollers configured to form a conveying surface and further is laterally displaceable relative to a frame coupled to a base including a wheel, the method comprising:

positioning the patient transfer and transport device along side the first patient support surface;

expanding the width of the base;

log rolling the patient away from the transfer platform;

displacing the transfer platform relative to the frame;

reversibly rolling the patient to lay the patient on the conveying surface of the transfer platform;

conveying the patient to the center of the transfer platform; and

reversing the displacement of the transfer platform.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the width of the base is expanded by extending an arm away from a longitudinal center of the base, wherein a portion of the arm contacts a floor surface.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the arm is extended by pivoting the arm.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the arm is telescopically extended.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the width of the base must be expanded before the transfer platform can displace relative to the frame.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the conveying surface further comprises a continuous belt configured to ride on the plurality of rollers.

23. An apparatus for moving a patient between a patient support surface and the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a frame supported by a wheeled base;

a patient support platform supported by the frame and extendable away from the frame in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal dimension of the frame; and

a base stability extension, comprising a pivotally extendable arm, extendable away from the wheeled base in a direction perpendicular to a vertical plane extending through the longitudinal centerline of the apparatus, wherein the arm is pivotally extended via a powered actuator.