Hospital chair beds with drop foot section

1. A hospital bed, comprising:

a base comprising opposite end portions;

a foot board secured to an end portion of the base;

a lifting mechanism secured to the base between the end portions;

a rotating frame mounted on the lifting mechanism, wherein the frame is configured to rotate about an axis that is substantially orthogonal to the base;

a patient support surface pivotally secured to the rotating frame, wherein the patient support surface comprises a back panel, a seat panel, and leg panel configured to articulate relative to each other from a co-planar configuration to a chair configuration, wherein the leg panel comprises a first section pivotally connected to the seat panel and a second section that disconnects from the leg panel first section when the back panel, seat panel, and leg panel articulate relative to each other from the co-planar configuration, and wherein the leg panel second section is movably coupled to the foot board and pivots downwardly away from the leg panel first section when the leg panel second section disconnects from the leg panel first section.

2. The hospital bed of claim 1 , wherein the support surface when articulated is configured to translate rotate to a side-egress chair configuration.

3. The hospital bed of claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to raise and lower the patient support surface relative to the base.

4. The hospital bed of claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a scissors lift.

5. The hospital bed of claim 1 , wherein the leg panel first and second sections have respective first and second lengths, and wherein the first length is less than the second length.

6. The hospital bed of claim 1 , wherein the leg panel first and second sections have respective first and second lengths, and wherein the first length is greater than or equal to the second length.

7. The hospital bed of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side rails, each side rail movably mounted to a respective side portion of the back panel, wherein each side rail is movable between raised and lowered positions relative to the back panel.

8. The hospital bed of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side rails, each side rail movably mounted to a respective side portion of the leg panel first section, wherein each side rail is movable between raised and lowered positions relative to the leg panel first section.

9. The hospital bed of claim 1 , further comprising a first pair of side rails and a second pair of side rails longitudinally spaced apart from the first pair of side rails, wherein each side rail is movably mounted to the bed with the first pair residing on opposing sides of the back panel and the second pair residing on opposing sides of the leg section, with the second pair configured to reside substantially vertically when the bed is in the side-egress chair configuration.

10. The hospital bed of claim 1 , wherein the articulated support surface is configured to translate to a stand-assist configuration whereby the seat panel is tilted downward at about 30 degrees while the back panel is substantially vertical.

11. A hospital bed, comprising:

a base comprising opposite end portions;

a foot board secured to an end portion of the base;

a lifting mechanism secured to the base between the end portions;

a rotating frame mounted on the lifting mechanism, wherein the frame is configured to rotate about an axis that is substantially orthogonal to the base;

a patient support surface pivotally secured to the rotating frame, wherein the patient support surface comprises a back panel, a seat panel, and leg panel configured to articulate relative to each other from a co-planar configuration to a chair configuration, wherein the leg panel comprises a first section pivotally connected to the seat panel and a second section that disconnects from the leg panel first section when the back panel, seat panel, and leg panel articulate relative to each other from the co-planar configuration, wherein the leg panel second section is movably coupled to the foot board and pivots downwardly way from the leg panel first wherein when the leg panel second section disconnects from the leg panel first section, and wherein the articulated support surface is configured to rotate to a side-egress chair configuration; and

a first pair of side rails and a second pair of side rails longitudinally spaced apart from the first pair of side rails, wherein each side rail is movably mounted to the bed with the first pair residing on opposing sides of the back panel and the second pair residing on opposing sides of the leg panel first section, with the second pair configured to reside substantially vertically when the bed is in the side-egress chair configuration.

12. The hospital bed of claim 11 , further comprising a foot board secured to an end portion of the base, and wherein the leg panel second section is movably coupled to the foot board and is configured to pivot downwardly away from the leg panel first section.

13. The hospital bed of claim 11 , wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to raise and lower the patient support surface relative to the base.

14. The hospital bed of claim 11 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a scissors lift.

15. The hospital bed of claim 11 , wherein the leg panel first and second sections have respective first and second lengths, and wherein the first length is less than the second length.

16. The hospital bed of claim 11 , wherein the leg panel first and second sections have respective first and second lengths, and wherein the first length is greater than or equal to the second length.

17. The hospital bed of claim 11 , wherein the articulated support surface is configured to translate to a stand-assist configuration whereby the seat panel is tilted downward at about 30 degrees while the back panel is substantially vertical.