Patent Application
20240349898
The present invention relates to furniture, and more specifically to a frame assembly used for a cabinet pull-out bed.
Furniture is often used in environments (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) to support or otherwise aid in various human activities, such as seating, eating, sleeping, storage, and the like. Some pieces of furniture may be non-adjustable, while others may be adjustable or foldable to varying degrees. For example, foldable chairs that are used for providing temporary seating at events typically have a collapsible seat and legs that can pivot to fold under the seat. Foldable beds, such as sofa beds and murphy beds are also known wherein a bed frame and mattress can be folded into a couch or pivoted up into a wall or tall cabinet.
Foldable furniture allows users to take advantage of the space that traditional furniture would otherwise take up when not in use. Such foldable furniture appeals to users with restricted living space, as well as users who wish to enjoy the benefit of having more options to arrange the furniture in their living space. Space-saving furniture may also improve the ease of portability and transportation.
Traditional beds take up a large footprint in a room or other space. Fold-out beds, or pull-out beds, in particular are known for their ability to allow a bed to be stored in a small space and then pulled out for use when needed. Murphy beds and pull-out couches (or sofa beds) are well known examples of this. A murphy bed has a high profile to fit an unfolded mattress and is secured to a wall for safety purposes. A pull-out couch may not be desirable in a room for aesthetic or other reasons and does not necessarily make the mattress as compact as possible for space saving.
Cabinet beds allow for a small footprint when not folded out and may also include other storage drawers. Cabinet beds may be decorative by designs on the exterior of the cabinet and also typically allow for objects to be placed on top of the cabinet. Additionally, a cabinet bed is relatively moveable, so that the bed can be moved from one location to another with relatively less effort.
Canadian Patent No. 2,577,377 discloses a folding cabinet bed with a telescoping slide-out support platform which requires that part of the cabinet be used for the pull-out bed. Canadian Patent Application No. 3,004,105 discloses a multifunctional modular storage unit in which a bed is stored in its horizontal position in the bottom of the cabinet requiring that the cabinet be at least as large as the footprint of a mattress that is not folded up. The space above the bed is used for a variety of other purposes such as shelving, closets, cupboards, drawers, etc.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0191889 A1 discloses a cabinet bed with a moveable spacer attached to a moveable drawer for supporting a moveable sleeping section, such that parts of the cabinet itself form a part of the bed frame. In this cabinet bed, a bottom drawer of a cabinet is pulled out from the cabinet to form a base for part of the sleeping surface and the front cabinet doors are lowered onto the top of the bottom drawer and an inside front panel of the front cabinet doors is pivoted down to form another part of the sleeping surface. Legs are lowered down from the inside front panel to hold up this part of the sleeping surface. This cabinet bed requires a specially manufactured cabinet so that parts of the cabinet can be used to form part of the frame of the bed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,468,305 and 10,413,076 disclose a folding bed for storage within a cabinet in which extension panels are hingedly attached to the rear face of a drawer so that in the closed cabinet position the rear extension panels are parallel to the rear drawer face and moveable when in the open bed position to be parallel with the side drawer faces. The cabinet is transformed into a bed by pulling out a base drawer causing the unfolding of panels to form a platform that can be used to hold a mattress that is unfolded from within the apparatus onto the platform. These cabinet beds also require a specially manufactured cabinet so that parts of the cabinet can be used to form part of the frame of the bed.
The prior art requires parts of the cabinet to form a part of the pull-out bed, including its frame. What is needed is a pull-out bed frame that allows a cabinet to function as a housing for a pull-out bed such that an existing cabinet can be converted into a pull-out bed, or a cabinet can be manufactured with the pull-out bed frame inside.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bi-fold frame assembly for use as a pull-out bed comprising a back frame with two back frame ends, a front frame having two front frame ends, two slot joints each having a slot joint first end and a slot joint second end, a front support leg pivotally connected to the front frame, a center support leg pivotally connected to the back frame, and two top frame hinges each comprising a small top frame hinge with a small top frame hinge first end and a small top frame hinge second end, and a large top frame hinge with a large top frame hinge first end and a large top frame hinge second end, wherein the small top frame hinge second end is pivotally connected to the top frame hinge first end. The two back frame ends are each pivotally connected to the slot joint first end and both of the slot joint second ends are pivotally connected to the front frame ends. The small top frame hinge first end is pivotally connected to the back frame and the large top frame hinge second end is pivotally attached to the front support leg. The back frame can also be made up of two straight side frames and the front frame can be made up of two curve side frames. One or more mounting plates can be used for attaching to an interior surface of a cabinet, wherein the one or more mounting plates are pivotally connected to the back frame. In an embodiment of the present invention, the mounting plate has a mounting plate ear that is pivotally connected to the back frame.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the two straight side frames curve before joining the back frame. Further, a support leg connecting bar may be provided having a first connecting bar end and a second connecting bar end, wherein the first connecting bar end is pivotally connected to the mounting plate ear and the second connecting bar end is connected to the center support leg. The support leg connecting bar is substantially parallel to the straight side frame.
The center support leg and front support leg are substantially U-shaped and may be curved at a bottom of the U-shape. The center support leg has two center support leg ends that are tiled away from the center support legs where they attach to the back frame.
The bi-fold frame assembly may also comprise a mattress connected to the frame. In an embodiment of the present invention springs are used to connect the mattress base to the frame. In a further embodiment, one or more stretcher wires connected to, and extending between, the front frame. The stretcher wires are removeably connected to the curve side frames to form an X-shape.
The present invention also provides for a pull-out cabinet bed comprising a back frame comprising two straight side frames, each straight side framing having a straight side frame end, a front frame comprising two curve side frames, each curve side frame having a curve side frame end, two slot joints, each slot joint having a slot joint first end and a slot joint second end, a front support leg pivotally connected to the curve side frames, a center support leg pivotally connected to the straight side frames, and two top frame hinges each comprising a small top frame hinge with a small top frame hinge first end and a small top frame hinge second end, and a large top frame hinge with a large top frame hinge first end and a large top frame hinge second end, wherein the small top frame hinge second end is pivotally connected to the top frame hinge first end. Each straight side frame end is pivotally connected to the slot joint first end and both of the slot joint second ends are pivotally connected to the curve side frame end. The small top frame hinge first end is pivotally connected to the straight side frame and the large top frame hinge second end is pivotally attached to the front support leg. Additionally, one or more mounting plates are pivotally connected to the back frame and attached attaching to an interior surface of the cabinet.
There is further provided a pull-out cabinet bed comprising a bi-fold frame assembly pivotally mounted in a cabinet that is movable from a vertical folded position in the cabinet to a horizontal extended position ready to be used as a bed by pulling down on the frame in the vertical folded position until it reaches a horizontal folded position and unfolding the frame until it is in the horizontal extended position.
The present invention also provides a method of opening a bi-fold bed frame mounted to the interior of an opened cabinet, comprising the steps of: grasping the bi-fold frame assembly comprising a front frame having a front support leg and a back frame having a back support leg from a folded position that is substantially perpendicular to the floor inside the cabinet; pulling down the bi-fold frame assembly such that the frame pivots around two mounting plates that are pivotally connected to the bi-fold frame assembly and also secured to interior surfaces of the cabinet, until the bi-fold frame is in the folded position, and substantially parallel to the floor; unfolding a center support leg so that it comes to rest on the floor; and pulling the front frame of the bi-fold frame assembly away from the cabinet so that the front frame pivots from a folded position resting on the back frame to being substantially planar with the back frame, in an unfolded position, while the front support leg simultaneously unfolds and comes to rest on the floor.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the brief description of the drawings and the following detailed description in which:
In an embodiment of the present invention as shown in
The back frame 220 is U-shaped and each end is joined to a straight side frame 260. In an embodiment of the present invention, the back frame 220 is tilted away from the planar surface of the back frame ends and straight side frames 260 to help prevent a mattress from dropping off of the bi-fold assembly and into the cabinet when the mattress is being stored in the cabinet. However, it is understood that the bi-fold frame mechanism will still work if the back length is not tilted.
Each end of the back frame 220 is connected to a first end of a straight side frame 260 using a bolted joint. It is understood that the back frame 220 and the straight side frames 260 may be a single construct or they may be three separate pieces attached together. The second end of the straight side frame is connected to a slot joint 270 at a first slot joint end. A second end of the slot joint 270 is pivotally connected to the curve side frame 280 at a first curve side frame end. The second end of the curve side frames 280 are joined to the front frame 240. In this embodiment, the front frame 240 is contiguous with the curve side frames 280 to from a U-shape. In an alternate embodiment, each end of the curve side frame 280 is connected to the front frame using a bolted joint. It is understood that the front frame 240 and the curve side frames 280 may be a single construct or they may be 3 separate pieces attached together.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a front support bar 350 is attached to the front frame 240 to help hold a mattress M in place on the frame 200.
In an embodiment of the invention, the back frame 220, front frame 240, straight side frames 260, curve side frames 280, front support leg 320, centre support leg 300, and front support bar 350 are substantially hollow.
A center support leg 300 is pivotally connected to each of the straight side frames 260 and a front support leg 320 is pivotally connected to each of the curve side frames 280.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the center support leg 300 and front support leg 320 are substantially U-shaped. The center support leg 300 extends down a first center support leg side, across a center support leg middle, and up the other second center support leg side. The center support leg 300 is pivotally joined to the straight side frames 280 at the ends of the center support leg sides. In this embodiment, the ends of the center support leg sides are tilted in the direction of the back frame 220. The center support leg middle may be curved so that when the center support leg is in an open position supporting the frame of the bed to hold a mattress, the center support leg middle touches the ground where it meets the center support leg sides and curves away from the ground to help balance the center support leg.
The front support leg 320 extends from one curve side frame to the curve side frame. The front support leg 320 has two front support leg sides connected by a front support leg middle. The front support leg 320 is pivotally joined to the curve side frames 280 at the ends of the front support leg sides. The front support leg middle may be curved so that when the front support leg is in an open position supporting the frame of the bed to hold a mattress, the front support leg middle touches the ground where it meets the front support leg sides and curves away from the ground to help balance the front support leg.
An embodiment of the bifold frame assembly 200 of the present invention also comprises two mounting plates 380, as is seen in
The mounting plate 380 may have predrilled holes through which bolts may be used to secure the mounting plate, and therefore the bi-fold assembly frame 200, to the cabinet 50. The mounting plate car 390 is pivotally attached to the support leg connecting bar 440 and the back frame 220.
The cabinet walls to which the mounting plate 380 is secured must be of sufficient thickness to support the bi-fold frame assembly, and preferably so that the bolts do not extend through the cabinet wall. The cabinet wall may be reinforced using, for example, pieces of wood, that provides added thickness and reinforcement to the cabinet walls and to which the mounting plates are attached. It will be understood that many various means may be used to attach the mounting plate 380 to the cabinet 50.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a support leg connecting bar 440 adds structural support to the frame 200. The support connecting bar 440 has a first connecting bar end and a second connecting bar end. The first connecting bar end is pivotally connected to the mounting plate 380 and the second connecting bar end is pivotally connected to the center support leg side of the center support leg 300 so that the support connecting bar 440 is substantially parallel to the straight side frame 260.
As shown in
As seen in
In an embodiment of the present invention, the pivot connection between the small top frame hinge 402 and the large top frame hinge 404 allows the small top frame hinge 402 to move from an acute angle relative to the large top frame hinge 404, to a substantially 180-degree angle (or straight line) between the small top frame hinge 402 and the large top frame hinge 404, and vice versa. This in turn allows the frame to be folded and unfolded.
The movement of the top frame hinge 400 from an open position in which the frame 200 is fully opened to a closed position in which the frame is fully closed and located inside a cabinet can be seen in
In a further embodiment of the present invention shown in
In operation, to move the bifold assembly of the present invention from a fully folded retracted first position (as seen in
In an embodiment of the present invention seen in
To fold up the bi-fold frame assembly 200 from an extended open (fourth) position such that it may be used as a bed frame to a fully retracted (first) position stored inside a cabinet 50, the front frame 240 (or front support bar 350) is pushed up, away from the floor or ground surface so that the small top hinge 402 and the large top hinge 404 move from substantially 180ยบ relative to one another to an acute angle relative to one another, causing the front frame 240, the curve side frame 280 and the front support leg 320 to pivot in towards the straight side frame 260 until the curve side frame 280 is adjacent to the straight side frame 260 separated by the length of the slot joint 270. Effectively, the frame is folded in half. Next the front support leg 320 is pushed down so that it is also resting near the curve side frame 280. The partially folded frame is then pushed up so that it pivots upwards around mounting plate car 480 and into the cabinet 50. The center support leg 300 is simultaneously pushed down so that it is adjacent to the straight side frame 260 and the support leg connecting bar 440. Once the bifold assembly is in the cabinet, the doors of the cabinet may be closed.
In an embodiment of bifold frame assembly 200 of the present invention, the mechanism allows the assembly to pivot upwards, as compared to existing assemblies used for sofa beds, etc. See prior art
While embodiments of the invention have been described in the detailed description, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
