Transfer chair

1. A transfer chair comprising:

a base frame;

a seat frame;

a seat having a front edge and a back edge, the seat being supported by the seat frame;

a vertical lift mechanism coupling the base frame to the seat frame, the vertical lift mechanism configured to vertically translate the seat from a first height to a second height;

a seatback having first and second configurations, wherein the seatback in the first configuration extends upwardly from the back edge of the seat and the seatback in the second configuration extends downwardly from the back edge of the seat such that a patient may slide over the back edge of the seat; and

a transition mechanism for moving the seatback between the first and second configurations.

2. The transfer chair of claim 1 , wherein the base frame includes a plurality of wheels.

3. The transfer chair of claim 1 , wherein the vertical lift mechanism includes one or more hydraulic cylinders or scissor lift mechanisms.

4. The transfer chair of claim 1 further comprising:

a hydraulic pump configured to actuate the vertical lift mechanism.

5. The transfer chair of claim 1 , wherein the transition mechanism includes a pivot point positioned near the back edge of the seat such that the seatback rotates between the first and second configurations about the pivot point.

6. The transfer chair of claim 5 , wherein the transition mechanism includes at least one aperture and further comprising:

a seatback frame with at least one aperture in the seatback frame, the at least one aperture in the seatback frame configured to be aligned with the at least one aperture in the transition mechanism; and

a pin configured to extend through the aligned apertures and resist rotation of the seatback.

7. The transfer chair of claim 5 further comprising:

a seatback frame;

a shaft having one end extending from the seatback frame;

a lift-bar coupled to the shaft and operable to move the one end of the shaft into the seatback frame; and

an annular stop within the seat frame configured to receive the one end of the shaft,

wherein the shaft resists rotation of the seatback when the one end extends into the annular stop.

8. The transfer chair of claim 1 further comprising:

a rigid sleeve coupled to the transition mechanism,

wherein the seatback is received by the rigid sleeve and slidable relative to the rigid sleeve.

9. The transfer chair of claim 1 wherein the transition mechanism includes a door hinge on a first side of the seatback for moving the seatback between the first and second configurations.

10. The transfer chair of claim 1 further comprising:

a transfer mat having a generally planar surface with a front end and a back end, at least one front grip coupled to the front end of the transfer mat, and at least one back grip coupled to the back end of the transfer mat, the transfer mat being positioned beneath the posterior of the patient and operable to slide the patent between the transfer chair and another platform.

11. The transfer chair of claim 1 further comprising:

a cross-bar extending transversely across the seat frame and having a lengthwise central axis and a rotating pad surrounding the cross-bar wherein the cross-bar, the rotating pad, or both rotate about the lengthwise central axis.

12. The transfer chair of claim 11 , wherein the cross-bar with the rotating pad is located near the back edge of the seat.

13. A transfer chair comprising:

a base frame;

a seat frame;

a seat having a front edge and a back edge, the seat being supported by the seat frame;

a vertical lift mechanism coupling the base frame to the seat, whereby the vertical lift mechanism is configured to vertically translate the seat from a first height to a second height; and

a moveable seatback extending substantially perpendicular from the back edge of the seat;

the moveable seatback configured to move away from the substantially perpendicular position such that a patient may be transferred between the seat and another platform.

14. The transfer chair of claim 13 , wherein a hydraulic pump actuates the vertical lift mechanism.

15. The transfer chair of claim 13 , wherein the moveable seatback includes a pivot point positioned near the back edge of the seat such that the seatback rotates about the pivot point away from the substantially perpendicular position.

16. The transfer chair of claim 13 further comprising:

a rigid sleeve coupled with the seat frame such that the moveable seatback may slide relative to the rigid sleeve away from the substantially perpendicular position.

17. A method of transferring a patient between a transfer chair and a platform, the method comprising:

elevating a seat of the transfer chair to a height that is similar to a height of the platform;

positioning the transfer chair such that a back edge of the seat is adjacent an edge of the platform;

moving a seatback from an upright position to a downward-directed position and transferring the patient between the transfer chair and the platform by sliding the patient over the back edge of the seat.

18. The method accordingly to claim 17 , wherein moving the seatback includes rotating or sliding the seatback relative to the seat.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein positioning the transfer chair includes rolling the transfer chair on a plurality of wheels coupled to the transfer chair.

20. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

pulling on a transfer mat that is positioned beneath the patient when sliding the patient.

21. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the patient slides into the seat and method further comprises:

lowering the seat; and

moving a seatback in an upright position for transporting the patient to another location.