Patent Application
20050246839
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bed support or foundation having a perimeter formed of structural foam, and more particularly to a structural foam perimeter which utilizes mechanical interlocking to attach the various structural foam portions to each other and/or to a box spring set carried therewithin.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most beds available today employ a form of a bed support. With the use of a standard mattress, this bed support typically comes in the form of a set of box springs. In the case of a waterbed, this bed support is generally designed to enclose a waterbed bladder carried therewithin. Other bed supports may incorporate another type of interior support member such as an air bladder or a foam insert.
When the bed support is a standard set of box springs, there are certain associated drawbacks therewith. Such drawbacks include, but are not limited to, the “edge roll” that occurs as consumers sit or lay on or very near the edge of the bed. This edge roll effect is the tendency of the consumer to feel as though he/she is rolling/leaning off of the edge of the bed. This edge roll effect occurs due to springs along the perimeter of the box spring becoming loosened from the interior springs within the box-spring array and actually leaning outward toward the edges of the box springs. While there have been some attempts in the art to correct this “edge roll” the results have been less than ideal and have been generally labor intensive (as an example, the use of twist ties to attempt to attach the perimeter springs with adjacent interior springs within the box-spring array).
Other shortcomings are generally associated with the standard set of box springs. One drawback is the spring noise which can be associated therewith. Additionally, the standard set of box springs generally requires the employment of a significant amount of wood and carpentry expertise, thereby contributing to the expense thereof.
In an attempt to counteract some of the problems associated with bed supports and especially box spring sets, polyurethane foam products have been developed as bed support perimeters. However, such polyurethane perimeters have generally required a gluing step for their attachment to one another. There are several problems associated with such gluing. Gluing is a labor intensive process; gluing creates emissions of gas that may potentially be noxious to those working with and around them; and such glue requires a certain period in which to set, thereby necessitating a large number of premade supports taking up a large area of factory space and thereby decreasing the potential throughput of bed supports created during a production cycle.
What is needed in the art is a bed support unit incorporating a structural foam perimeter which avoids the need for gluing to attach the portions thereof together and which, even more ideally, provides a means to decrease “edge roll” associated with standard bed foundation units.
The present invention generally relates to a perimeter for a bed support that is made of structural foam and provides for mechanical interlocking portions as part of the sections of the perimeter. Such interlocking members are structured and arranged to selectively facilitate the interconnection of the perimeter members to one another, to couple the perimeter members with the outlying perimeter springs within the array of box springs to reduce “edge roll”, and/or to ease the joinder between the perimeter members and a top and/or bottom structural foam piece, (e.g., the topper or bottom, respectively).
The present invention, in one particular form thereof, relates to a bed foundation including a first bed frame member and a second bed frame member. The first bed frame member is composed of a structural foam and has a pair of first frame member ends. At least one first frame member end has a first mechanical interconnect portion associated therewith. The second frame member is composed of a structural foam and has a pair of second frame member ends. At least one second frame member end has a second mechanical interconnect portion associated therewith. One of the first mechanical interconnect portion and the second mechanical interconnect portion is preferably one of slidably received and snap-fit within the other of the first mechanical interconnect portion and the second mechanical interconnect portion. The first mechanical interconnect portion and the second mechanical interconnect portion thereby form an interlocking connection.
The present invention, in another form thereof, sets forth a bed foundation including a sidewall frame, a box-spring array, and at least one spring interconnect mechanism. The sidewall frame defines a frame interior, and the box-spring array is received with such a frame interior. The box-spring array includes a plurality of perimeter springs, each being adjacent the sidewall frame. The at least one frame interconnect mechanism extends from the sidewall frame and into the frame interior. At least one spring interconnect mechanism interacts with at least one perimeter spring to thereby aid in retaining the at least one perimeter spring in place relative to the sidewall frame.
The present invention, in another form thereof, sets forth a bed foundation including a sidewall frame and a first structural foam layer. The sidewall frame has a frame top and a frame bottom. The first structural foam layer is mechanically interlocked with the sidewall frame and extends across one of the frame top and the frame bottom.
The present invention, in still another form thereof, sets forth a bed foundation including a sidewall frame, a box-spring array, at least one spring interconnection mechanism, and at least a first structural foam layer. The first sidewall frame is made up of a plurality of mechanically interlocking frame members. The sidewall frame has a frame interior, a frame top, and a frame bottom. The box-spring array is received within the frame interior, and such an array includes a plurality of springs. The at least one spring interconnect mechanism extends from the sidewall frame and into the frame interior. At least one spring interconnect mechanism interacts with at least one spring to thereby aid in retaining the at least one spring in place relative to the sidewall frame. The at least first structural foam layer is mechanically interlocked with the sidewall frame at one of the frame top and the frame bottom and correspondingly extends thereacross.
An advantage of the present invention is that the cost of manufacturing such a bed foundation, utilizing the mechanically interconnecting members of the present invention, is reduced over the cost associated with supports using standard box springs and with those using structural foam members attached via a resin, glue, or other adhesive, due to cost savings related to both assembly and parts.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the ability of the foam perimeter to interlock at least with a portion of the perimeter springs within the box-spring array helps to reduce the occurrence of “edge roll”.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it permits the creation of a tub/box that is capable of supporting/containing any one of a foam support insert, a box-spring array, an air bladder, a water bed bladder, or other interior support mechanism/system.
A series of advantages are associated with the use of a foam tub/box is that such a tub or box has an inherently cushiony feeling and is reasonably durable, sufficiently supportive, and inexpensive to produce.
An even further advantage of the present invention is that structural foam pieces can be cut to shape using computer controlled machinery (e.g., die cutting machines), thereby increasing the efficiency and accuracy possible with their production.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that the foam members will aid in dampening spring noise associated with a standard set of box springs.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of various embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGS. 1A-H are schematic, top views of sidewall frames according to the first aspect of the present invention, incorporating various types of mechanical interlocks for attaching adjoining frame member ends;
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
The first aspect of the present invention is illustrated in
As illustrated, any of a variety of connection configurations may be employed with respect to the interconnecting portions, so long as a sufficient interlocking is achieved between the two portions. By creating interlocking portions, it is possible to avoid the need to further glue such portions together in order to maintain a connection therebetween. However, it is conceivable that some sort of adhesive may be used in connection with such a mechanical interlock to achieve even further stability. Frame members 12a-12h and 14a-14h are advantageously made of a structural foam material such as polyurethane. For optimal performance the foam type should be high ILD 40-200 <<units??>> and have a density in the range of 1.5 to 6.0 <<units??>>. It is further contemplated that the interconnect provided between the portions 16a-16h and corresponding portions 18a-18h will preferably resist disconnection upon joining thereof.
Advantageously, male connection members 16a-16h can be integrally formed as part of first frame members 12a-12h, and likewise female connector portions 18a-18h can be integrally formed as a portion of second frame members 14a-14h, respectively. Such formation of structural foam is highly suitable to die cut operations and/or computer control for the formation thereof. It is, however, contemplated that male members 16a-16h could be co-formed or otherwise attached to respective members 12a-12h. Any such co-forming or attachment step would ideally lend itself to an automated process which would take an amount of time similar to that offered by die cutting and which would create a similar connective strength between male members 16a-16h and respective first members 12a-12h, as is possible when such male members 16a-16h are formed integrally therewith.
It is to be understood that third and fourth frame members (not shown in
A second aspect of the present invention is illustrated in
Sidewall frame 32 defines a frame interior 38 for a receiving box-spring array 34. Ideally, sidewall frame 32 is divided into multiple sections or members to allow for frame assembly at the end of the production cycle to minimize the storage space needed for the bed frame 32 until the full frame is required. Such frame members are ideally made of a structural foam such as polyurethane. Additionally, such frame members are advantageously provided with the interlock system illustrated in
Box-spring array 34 includes perimeter springs 42 and interior springs 44. It is the perimeter springs 42 that are the primary subject of the second aspect of the invention, as such perimeter springs are prone to rollover and/or exhibit edge roll. Interior springs 44 are not as prone to rollover problems as they have springs on each side thereof to help support and maintain the positioning of these individual springs. However, perimeter springs 42 each have one side, i.e., the side they are facing toward sidewall frame 32, thereby making them prone to rollover problems.
To counteract and minimize such rollover/edge roll, spring interconnect mechanisms 36 are provided in this second aspect of the invention. Such spring interconnect mechanisms 36 promote the positional stability of sidewall frame 32 with respect to at least select perimeter springs 42. Spring interconnect mechanisms 36 are able to at least partially surround such chosen perimeter springs 42 to help maintain the positioning thereof relative both to the other springs within the box-spring array 34 and with respect to sidewall frame 32.
Each spring interconnect mechanism 36 extends from sidewall frame 32 and, more specifically, from a given frame member 40. Such spring interconnect mechanisms 36 are preferably integrally formed as part of a sidewall frame or co-formed therewith. The integral formation of interconnect spring mechanisms 36 can be achieved by die cutting a given frame member so as to include one or a series of spring interconnect mechanism 36 as part of the finally formed frame member 40.
Each spring interconnect mechanism 36 includes an extension portion 46 and a retainer portion 48. The extension portion 46 is connected to a respective frame member 40, while retainer portion 48 resides at a distal end of the extension portion 46, opposite the given frame member 40. The length of the extension portion 46 needs to be chosen so as to permit the spring interconnect mechanism 36 to be able to extend at least slightly beyond the first perimeter springs 42 and into the interior of box-spring array 34 upon assembly of bed foundation 30. Meanwhile, retainer portion 48, upon assembly, must be configured to help maintain at least one perimeter spring 42 in position relative to extension portion 36 and a given frame member 40. In one advantageous embodiment for extension portion 46, as shown in
It is to be understood that extension portion 36 could have a length which would allow spring interconnect mechanism 36 to extend beyond the row of perimeter springs 42 and into one or more rows of interior springs 44 for greater holding power and stability. The only limitation on the distance of insertion is that the spring interconnect mechanism 36 must still be able to satisfy its function of reducing rollover. As such, the mechanism must be able to help maintain the perimeter spring or springs 42 with which it is associated in place relative to box-spring array 34 and sidewall frame 32.
When two or more such spring interconnect mechanisms 36 are positioned adjacent one another (as per
The frame subassembly 60, as shown in
Frame member 80 (
Bed foundation 100 displayed in
As further indicated in
Spring interconnect mechanism 120 represents a further alternate embodiment of the present invention. This spring interconnect mechanism 120 for stabilizing the position of a particular perimeter edge coil or spring 122 includes a cylinder insert 124, a hook member 172, and an extension portion 174. Cylinder insert 124 is configured for insertion into a particular edge coil 122. This cylinder insert can be then held in place upon the attaching of hook member 172 around a bed foundation and frame portion (not shown). While this particular spring interconnect mechanism 120 can be potentially incorporated with other embodiments of the present invention, a potential particular use as such a spring interconnect mechanism 120 is that it would allow for retrofitting of current box-spring bed foundations with such a mechanism 120 to thereby help reduce edge rollover that occurs in such foundations.
It is to be understood that any of the components of the three various aspects described herein can be used in conjunction with one another and be within the scope of the present invention.
While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
