A convertible wheelchair is provided along with a separable lift module for engaging and elevating the convertible wheelchair to a selected elevation. A coupling assembly is operative associated with the lift module and adapted to extend therefrom to where the coupling assembly attaches to the convertible wheelchair. In one embodiment, the coupling assembly comprises a three-point attachment that results in the wheelchair being connected to the coupling assembly and hence the separable lift system at three points. Once coupled to the lift system, the convertible wheelchair, with a patient supported therein, can be raised to a selected elevation. Thereafter, the wheelchair can be converted from a chair configuration to any one of several examination configurations.

A gardening chair 10 is provided for supporting a user 12 thereon. The gardening chair 10 is provided with a base support member 14, and a seat 52 aligned with and coupled to upper portions of the base support member for supporting a user's lower body thereon. A diagonally extending chest support member 72 is provided for supporting a user's chest 12 and upper body thereon. A pair of elongated upwardly biasing members 86 and 88 are coupled between the diagonally extending chest support member 72 and the base support member 14 to support the member for movement to a plurality of predetermined diagonal positions.

A stretcher capable of transforming into a stretcher configuration and a wheelchair configuration, which increases the rigidity of its frame structure to facilitate retention of a posture of a patient, enhancing safety and is superior in the operability such that transformation is enabled by one operation. A frame of the stretcher is divided into at least four portions, i.e., an above knee portion (4) constituting a seat portion supporting a femoral region of a patient, a lumbar portion (3) included in a backrest supporting an upper portion of a body of the patient, an armrest portion (6) constituting an armrest, and a below knee portion (5) capable of supporting a lower limb region. The frames constituting the above knee portion (4), the lumbar portion (3), the armrest portion (6) and the below knee portion (5) are rotatably coupled with each other, and the positional relationship between these portions is changed to enable transformation into a stretcher configuration in which a flat mat surface area including the armrest is formed and a wheelchair configuration in which the mat is bent and the armrest is raised up. The patient can be mounted to be moved in either posture of the stretcher configuration or the wheelchair configuration.

A lift-assisted device having a patient support structure, a base, and an undercarriage. The device can be powered by a pneumatic cylinder and a compressed gas source. The undercarriage can be a scissors linkage having at least one first member being slidably connected to the patient support structure an upper end of the first member and pivotally connected to the base at a lower end of the first member, and at least one second scissors linkage member, the second scissors linkage member being pivotally connected to the first scissors linkage member. An upper end of the second member is pivotally connected to the patient support structure, and a lower end of the second member is pivotally connected to the base. The pneumatic cylinder is arranged for moving the upper end of the first member and the lower end of the second member with respect to the patient support structure.

A support structure for supporting a portion of a body, the support structure including a support member having a support surface, wherein said support surface is divided into a plurality of pieces; and a mechanism configured to couple said plurality of pieces to each other, said flexible mechanism including: a fixed side member having a first plurality of overlapping plates which are arranged in parallel at intervals; a tilted side member having a second plurality of overlapping plates which alternately overlap on said first overlapping plates of said fixed side member; a coupling shaft which pierces an overlapping position of said first plurality of overlapping plates and said second plurality of overlapping plates to fasten said first plurality of overlapping plates and said second plurality of overlapping plates together, wherein said tilted side member is adapted to rotate around said coupling shaft to impart an angle on the support member.