Patent Application
20210022516
The present invention relates to beds with multiple bed parts and, in particular, to a bed with multiple bed parts that can be folded or laid to each other to reduce the bed thickness for storage or transportation.
A bed includes a platform for supporting a load such as a human body, and a support assembly mounted below the platform. The bed is often folded to reduce size before packaged into a carton for transportation. During bed folding, two parts of the platform are folded to each other, with parts of the support assembly located on opposite outer surfaces of the folded platform. However, the folded bed may have a large overall thickness, which may lead to a high transportation cost.
Accordingly, a fed with multiple bed parts that can have a reduced thickness for transportation or storage is provided.
In one aspect, a bed with multiple bed parts is provided which includes a first bed part and a second bed part connected to the first bed part. The first bed part includes a first platform section and a first support bracket mounted at an underside of the first platform section. The second bed part includes a second platform section and a second support bracket mounted at an underside of the second platform section. The second platform section and the first platform section cooperatively form a platform of the bed for supporting a load, the platform defining a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the first platform section and the second platform section arranged in the longitudinal direction. The first support bracket and the second support bracket are offset-arranged in the lateral direction to avoid interferences between the first support bracket and the second bracket when the first bed part and the second bed part are laid to each other, with the first support bracket and the second support bracket being laid into each other and sandwiched between the first platform section and the second platform section.
In one embodiment, a rotatable connection is formed between the first bed part and the second bed part, so that the first bed part and the second bed part are capable of rotating to a state where the first bed part and the second bed part are laid to each other, with the first support bracket and the second support bracket being laid into each other and sandwiched between the first platform section and the second platform section.
In one embodiment, the rotatable connection is formed between the first support bracket and the second support bracket.
In one embodiment, the first bed part and the second bed part are connected by at least one connecting bar extending in the longitudinal direction, and the at least one connecting bar includes a first bar portion detachably connected to the first support bracket and a second bar portion detachably connected to the second support bracket.
In one embodiment, the first support bracket includes at least one first longitudinal beam extending in the longitudinal direction, the second support bracket includes at least one second longitudinal beam extending in the longitudinal direction, and each first longitudinal beam has a first end rotatably connected to a second end of one corresponding second longitudinal beam, the first end being misaligned with the second end in the longitudinal direction.
In one embodiment, the at last one first longitudinal beam includes two first longitudinal beams spaced along the lateral direction, the at least one second longitudinal beam includes two second longitudinal beams spaced along the lateral direction, and a lateral distance between the two first longitudinal beams is less than a lateral distance between the two second longitudinal beams so that the first ends are respectively connected at inner sides of the second ends.
In one embodiment, a lateral beam is connected between the two spaced second longitudinal beams, each first longitudinal beam defines an avoidance cutout, and the lateral beam between the two spaced second longitudinal beams is received in the avoidance cutout when the first support bracket and the second support bracket are laid into each other.
In one embodiment, the first support bracket includes a plurality of first lateral beams connected between the two first longitudinal beams, the lateral beam connected between the two spaced second longitudinal beams is a second lateral beam, wherein the second longitudinal beam has a longitudinal length less than that of the first longitudinal beam, and an outmost one of the plurality of first lateral beams is located outside the second lateral beam in the longitudinal direction after the first support bracket and the second support bracket are laid into each other.
In one embodiment, a first actuator is connected between the first platform section and the first support bracket, for driving the first platform section to move relative to the first support bracket, a second actuator is connected between the second platform section and the second support bracket, for driving the second platform section to move relative to the second support bracket, and the first actuator and the second actuator are offset-arranged in the lateral direction.
In one embodiment, the first support bracket includes two spaced first longitudinal beams and a plurality of first lateral beams connected between the two first longitudinal beams, the second support bracket includes two spaced second longitudinal beams and a second lateral beam connected between the two second longitudinal beams, each first longitudinal beam has a first end rotatably connected to a second end of one corresponding second longitudinal beam, the first end connected at an inner side of the second end. The first platform section includes a first flat plate portion adjacent the second platform section and a backrest portion rotatably connected with the first flat plate portion and away from the second platform section, and the first actuator has one end rotatably connected to one of the first lateral beams and another opposite end rotatably connected to the backrest portion. The second platform section includes a second flat plate portion adjacent the first flat plate portion, a thigh support portion rotatably connected to the second flat plate portion, and a crus support portion rotatably connected to the thigh support portion, and the second actuator has one end rotatably connected to the second lateral beam and another opposite end rotatably connected to the thigh support portion.
In one embodiment, the first support bracket includes two spaced first longitudinal beams extending in the longitudinal direction, the second support bracket includes two spaced second longitudinal beams extending in the longitudinal direction, and the two first longitudinal beams are entirely offset-arranged with respect to the two second longitudinal beams in the lateral direction.
In one embodiment, the overall thickness of the bed after the first bed part and the second bed part are laid to each other is approximately equal to a sum of a thickness of the first platform section, a thickness of second platform section, and a thickness of one of the first support bracket and the second support bracket.
In another aspect, a bed with multiple bed parts is provided. The bed defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The bed includes a first bed part and a second bed part laid to the first bed part. The first bed part includes a first platform section and a first support bracket mounted to the first platform section. The second bed part includes a second platform section laid substantially parallel to the first platform section and a second support bracket mounted to the second platform section and laid to the first support bracket, the first support bracket and the second support bracket being sandwiched between the first platform section and the second platform section. The first support bracket and the second support bracket are offset-arranged in the lateral direction to avoid interferences between the first support bracket and the second bracket. The first bed part is connectable to the second bed part to form a complete bed, and the second platform section and the first platform section cooperatively form a platform of the bed for supporting a load when the first bed part is connected to the second bed part to form the complete bed.
In one embodiment, a rotatable connection is formed between the first support bracket and the second support bracket.
In one embodiment, the bed comprises at least one connecting bar for connecting the first bed part and the second bed part, the at least one connecting bar includes a first bar portion configured to be detachably connected to the first support bracket and a second bar portion configured to be detachably connected to the second support bracket.
In one embodiment, the first support bracket includes two first longitudinal beams extending in the longitudinal direction, the second support bracket includes two second longitudinal beams extending in the longitudinal direction, and each first longitudinal beam has a first end rotatably connected to a second end of one corresponding second longitudinal beam, the first end being misaligned with the second end in the longitudinal direction, a lateral distance between the two first longitudinal beams is less than a lateral distance between the two second longitudinal beams so that the first ends are respectively connected at inner sides of the second ends.
In one embodiment, a lateral beam is connected between the two spaced second longitudinal beams, each first longitudinal beam defines an avoidance cutout, and the lateral beam between the two spaced second longitudinal beams is received in the avoidance cutout.
In one embodiment, a first actuator is connected between the first platform section and the first support bracket, for driving the first platform section to move relative to the first support bracket, a second actuator is connected between the second platform section and the second support bracket, for driving the second platform section to move relative to the second support bracket, and the first actuator and the second actuator are offset-arranged in the lateral direction and are sandwiched between the first platform section and the second platform section.
In one embodiment, the first support bracket includes two spaced first longitudinal beams extending in the longitudinal direction, the second support bracket includes two spaced second longitudinal beams extending in the longitudinal direction, and the two first longitudinal beams are entirely offset-arranged with respect to the two second longitudinal beams in the lateral direction.
In summary, the present invention provides a bed with multiple bed parts that can be connected to cooperatively form a complete bed. The multiple bed parts can be rotatably connected to each other, or connected using another connecting system, such as using at least one connecting bar. By offset-arranging the first support bracket and the second support bracket in the lateral direction, the first support bracket and the second support bracket do not interference with each other when the first and second bed parts are folded or laid into each other. Therefore, the bed thickness after the first and second bed parts are folded or laid into each other can be greatly reduced, thus reducing the packaging size of the bed and hence reducing the cost in transportation of the bed.
Other independent aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description, claims and accompanying drawings.
Before any independent embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other independent embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Use of “consisting of” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “upward” and “downward”, etc., are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.
The present invention provides a bed with multiple bed parts. The multiple bed parts are configured to be connected to cooperatively form a complete bed. For storage or transportation purposes, the multiple bed parts can be folded or laid to each other to reduce the bed thickness. Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in connection with a bed with two bed parts. It is to be understood that the present invention may be equally applied in a bed with more than two bed parts.
In the illustrated embodiment, the bed 10 includes a first bed part and a second bed part. The first bed part and the second bed part are arranged in the longitudinal direction and rotatably connected to each other in the illustrated embodiment of
The first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14 cooperatively form the platform of the bed 10. The first support bracket 16, the second support bracket 18, and the support legs 20 cooperatively form the support assembly of the bed 10. In other words, the bed 10 is exemplarily split into two bed parts, i.e. the first bed part and the second bed part; the first bed part includes the first platform section 12, the first support bracket 16 and some legs 20 mounted to the first support bracket 16; the second bed part includes the second platform section 14, the second support bracket 18 and some legs 20 mounted to the second support bracket 18.
The legs 20 are used as a support structure to support the platform at a level relative to a ground on which the bed 10 is placed. In other embodiments unillustrated, another type of support structure, such as a support bracket with height adjustment function (e.g. a cissor-type lifting bracket) may be used. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two additional legs 20 mounted at a middle of the platform. Specifically, the two legs 20 are mounted to the first support bracket 16 at the middle of the platform.
After the legs 20 are detached from the first and second support brackets 16, 18, the first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14 are capable of rotation relative to each other between a first or folded state and a second or unfolded state. In the unfolded state, the first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14 cooperatively form the platform for supporting the load. In the folded state, the first and second platform sections 12, 14 are folded to each other, with the first support bracket 16 and second support bracket 18 folded and sandwiched between the first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14. In this case, the overall thickness of the folded bed 10 is defined by the distance between outer surfaces of the folded first and second platform sections 12, 14. In order to minimize this overall thickness, in this embodiment, the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18 are offset-arranged in the lateral direction of the bed 10, such that the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18 do not interference with each other when the first and second platform sections 12, 14 are folded, making it possible to completely fold the first support bracket 16 and second support bracket 18 into each other. As a result, the distance between inner surfaces (which are bottom surfaces of the first and second platform sections 12, 14 when unfolded) of the folded first and second platform sections 12, 14 is approximately equal to a thickness of the first support bracket 16 or the second support bracket 18. The overall thickness of the folded bed 10 is therefore approximately equal to a sum of a thickness of the first platform section 12, a thickness of second platform section 14, and a thickness of the first support bracket 16 or second support bracket 18. The first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14 when folded are substantially parallel to each other. As used herein, the term “thickness” refers to the size perpendicular to the platform.
In the illustrated embodiment, parts of the bed 10 may be lifted up to accomplish more comfortable positioning to users. For example,
In the illustrated embodiment, the first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14 are not directly connected to each other. Rather, the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18 are hinged to each other, i.e. rotatable connection is only formed between the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18. The first flat plate portion 24 is fixed to the first support bracket 16, and the second flat plate portion 26 is fixed to the second support bracket 18. Therefore, as the second support bracket 18 rotates relative to the first support bracket 16, it will bring the second flat plate portion 26 to rotate relative to the first flat plate portion 24, thus achieving the folding operation between the first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14.
In some other embodiments, the first platform section 12 can be hinged to the second platform section 14. In this case, no direction connection is needed between the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18. It should be understood that, for purposes of folding operation, rotatable connection can be formed between the first platform section 12/second platform section 14 and/or the first support bracket 16/second support bracket 18.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first support bracket 16 includes two spaced, parallel first longitudinal beams 36 and a plurality of first lateral beams 38 connected between the two first longitudinal beams 36. The two first longitudinal beams 36 extend in the longitudinal direction of the foldable bed 10 and are arranged and spaced in the lateral direction. The second support bracket 18 includes two spaced, parallel second longitudinal beams 40 and at least one second lateral beam 42 connected between the two second longitudinal beams 40. The two second longitudinal beams 40 extend in the longitudinal direction of the foldable bed 10 and are arranged and spaced in the lateral direction. In the illustrated embodiment, a lateral distance between the two first longitudinal beams 36 is less than a lateral distance between the two second longitudinal beams 40, such that the second support bracket 18 goes around the first support bracket 16 when the first and second bed parts are folded, and the first and second support brackets 16, 18 are completely folded into each other. Alternatively, the first support bracket 16 may include a single first longitudinal beam 36 or more than two first longitudinal beams 36, and the second support bracket 18 may include a single second longitudinal beam 40 or more than two second longitudinal beams 40.
Each first longitudinal beam 36 has a first end, and one corresponding second longitudinal beam 40 has a second end, the first end and the second end rotatably connected to each other. The first end of each first longitudinal beam 36 is misaligned with the second end of the corresponding second longitudinal beam 40 along the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the first end each first longitudinal beam 36 is positioned at and connected to an inner side of the second end of the corresponding second longitudinal beam 40. As such, when the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18 are folded into each other, the two first longitudinal beams 36 are both positioned at the inner sides of the second longitudinal beams 40, which avoids the interferences between the first longitudinal beams 36 and the second longitudinal beams 40, making the overall thickness of the folded bed as small as possible. The rotatable connection between the first end and the second end can be achieved in various ways. For example, each of the first end and the second end forms a pivot hole, and a connection pin is inserted through the pivot holes of the first end and second end to pivotably connect the first end and the second end. The pin-hole connection can be easy to implement for the beam elements of the first and second support brackets 16, 18. If the rotary connection is formed between the first platform section 12 and the second platform section 14, a separate hinge would be needed. From this perspective, it may be preferred to form the rotary connection between the first and second support brackets 16, 18.
Referring to
The number of the linking rods 31 is two. Each linking rod 31 has one end pivotably connected to the crus support portion 30 of the second platform section 14, and another opposite end pivotably connected to an outer side of one corresponding second longitudinal beam 40.
In the illustrated embodiment, the second longitudinal beam 40 has a longitudinal length less than that of the first longitudinal beam 36, and the first lateral beam 38a is located outside the second lateral beam 42 in the longitudinal direction. Each first longitudinal beam 36 defines an avoidance cutout 44 at a location adjacent the first lateral beam 38a, corresponding to the second lateral beam 42. When the second support bracket 18 and the first support bracket 16 are folded, the second lateral beam 42 is just received in the avoidance cutout 44, and the first lateral beam 38a is located at an outer side of the second lateral beam 42 in the longitudinal direction, which avoid the interferences between the first longitudinal beams 36 and the second lateral beam 42, and between first lateral beam 38a and the second lateral beam 42.
In some other embodiments not illustrated, the longitudinal length of the second longitudinal beam 40 may be greater than that of the first longitudinal beam 36. In this case, another second lateral beam may be connected between the two ends of the two second longitudinal beams 40. The another second lateral beam may be spaced from the second lateral beam 42 by a gap in the longitudinal direction. When the second support bracket 18 and the first support bracket 16 are folded, the another second lateral beam is located at an outer side of the distal ends of the first support bracket 16 in the longitudinal direction, with the first lateral beam 38a located in the gap between the two second lateral beams, which can likewise avoid the interferences between the first support bracket 16 and the second support bracket 18.
Referring to
Referring to
In the embodiments illustrated above, the first flat plate portion 24 and the second flat plate portion 26 cooperatively form a hip support portion, which is stationary relative to the support assembly during lift operations of the backrest portion 22 and the thigh and crus support portions 28, 30. In some other embodiments not illustrated, the hip support portion can be entirely included in the first platform section 12, or entirely included in the second platform section 14. In this case, the hinging connection locations between the various portions of the platform will be modified accordingly.
In summary, the present invention provides a bed with multiple bed parts that can be connected to cooperatively form a complete bed. The multiple bed parts can be rotatably connected to each other, or connected using another connecting system, such as using at least one connecting bar. By offset-arranging the first support bracket and the second support bracket in the lateral direction, the first support bracket and the second support bracket do not interference with each other when the first and second bed parts are folded or laid into each other. Therefore, the bed thickness after the first and second bed parts are folded or laid into each other can be greatly reduced, thus reducing the packaging size of the bed and hence reducing the cost in transportation of the bed.
Although the invention is described with reference to one or more embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed structure without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
