Patent Application
20090133191
Any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents, hard copy or electronic, cited or referred to in this application are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application.
The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.
“Rectangular” includes square.
This background discussion is not intended to be an admission of prior art.
Bed frames are common devices used to support a bed comprising, for example, a boxspring and a mattress positioned on top of the boxspring. These bed frames are typically made of steel angle irons that are welded or connected together by various types of connecting devices. One type of connecting device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/725,165, filed Mar. 16, 2007, entitled SUPPORT FRAME FOR A BED & LOCKING MECHANISM THEREFOR, where the cross-arms of a bed frame have their ends attached by a joint assembly that has an arm mounted on a frame member to rotate between a locked and unlocked position. Another type of connecting device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,268. It also has an arm mounted on a frame member to rotate between a locked and unlocked position.
The bed frames come in a number of sizes to accommodate different size beds, for example, twin, full size, queen, California king, Eastern king beds. The component parts of these bed frames may be assembled into the desired size using an extender bar connected between the cross-arms of the bed frames. It would be highly desirable to reduce the costs, for example, by reducing the number of components used to form the bed frame or to simplifying and reducing the time to assemble the bed frame's components or both.
My center support for a bed frame, bed frame, and assembly method have one or more of the features depicted in the embodiments discussed in the section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS.” The claims that follow define my center support for a bed frame, bed frame, and assembly method, distinguishing them from the prior art; however, without limiting the scope of my center support for a bed frame, bed frame, and assembly method as expressed by these claims, in general terms, one or more, but not necessarily all, of their features are:
One, my bed frame comprises a plurality of components that upon assembly form the bed frame. These components include (a) a pair of rail members, each having a pair of cross-arms, (b) a pair of extender bars, and (c) my center support. My center support has opposed ends with a pair of notches in each end. The notches interact with a pair of connector elements of another bed frame component, for example, the extender bars. Each connector element may include a head member on a stem member extending outwardly and downwardly upon assembly of my bed frame. There may be projections and slots in predetermined positions relative to each other in overlapping ends of the cross-arms and extender bars to be engaged selectively to control the distance between the rail members to accommodate beds of different sizes. My center support is used when the bed frame being assembled is for a large size bed. A locking mechanism may be employed that detachably locks together overlapping ends of extender bars and cross-arms.
Two, my center support comprises an elongated, rigid member. The dimensional and positional relationship between the notches in the opposed ends of my center support and their interactive connector elements enables the center support's ends to be connected and disconnected to a bed frame component such as, for example, the extender bars quite easily and manually without using any tools. One notch of each pair is along a side edge of the center support and the other notch of each pair is at an end edge of the center support. Depending on the cross-sectional shape of the body of the rigid member, the notches along a side edge will be on the same side edge or one notch on each of opposed side edges. The distance between centers of the notches and the distance between centers of a corresponding interactive pair of connector elements is the same. When the center support and extender bars are connected, the centers of each pair of notches are in registration with the centers of the notches' corresponding interactive pair of connector elements being engaged. One notch of each pair has a terminal open end along a side edge of the center support and the other notch of this same pair has a terminal open end along an adjacent end edge of the center support. Each notch terminates within the body of the center support in a rounded bottom. The notches of an individual pair of notches are substantially at a right angle with respect to each other. An enlarged head member of each connector element is a predetermined distance from an underlying portion of the bed frame component to which the center support is being attached to provide a gap. Each end of the center support has a predetermined thickness substantially equal to this predetermined distance so each end segment of the center support can be wedged into the gap upon connection to bed frame component to which the center support is being attached.
Three, because of the dimensional and positional relationship between a pair of notches and the corresponding interactive pair of connector elements being engaged, my method provides a tool-free way to assemble a plurality of bed frame components to form a portion of a bed frame. With both notches in essentially the same plane as the stems of the pair of connector elements being engaged and the center support and bed frame component to which the center support is being attached initially at an acute angle with respect to each other, an installer aligns the terminal open end of a notch along a side edge (side notch) of the center support with the stem member of one of the connector elements in the bed frame component to which the center support is being attached. This one stem member is advanced into the side notch until it contacts the rounded bottom of the side notch. This wedges a part of an end segment of the center support between the enlarged head member of this one connector element and an underlying portion of the bed frame component to which the center support is being attached. The stem member, which usually is circular and has a diameter essentially equal to the diameter of the rounded bottom of the notch, now acts as a pivot or center of rotation. With the stem member contacting the rounded bottom of this one connector element, the installer manually rotates in one direction the center support and bed frame component to which the center support is being attached until they are perpendicular. Such relative rotation brings the terminal open end of the other notch of the pair that is along the end edge (end notch) into alignment with the stem of other connector element of the pair being engaged. As the installer continues to rotate the center and extender bars relative to each other, the stem of this other connector element is moved into the end notch. When the center and extender bars are perpendicular, the remaining part of the end segment of the center support is wedged between the enlarged head member of this other connector element and the underlying portion of the bed frame component to which the center support is being attached. In other words the entire end segment of the center support is wedged between the heads of both stems of the pair of connector elements being engaged. Rotation in the opposite direction dislodges the end segment of the center support from the connector elements so the center and an attached bed frame components can be easily disengaged.
These features are not listed in any rank order nor is this list intended to be exhaustive.
Some embodiments of my center support, bed frame and assembly method are discussed in detail in connection with the accompanying drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only. This drawing includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numerals indicating like parts:
One embodiment of my bed frame is generally designated by the numeral 10 and comprises a number of rigid, metal bed frame components that are assembled manually without the use of tools into the substantially rectangular bed frame shown in
In
In the one pair of cross-arms 14a, 14b, each cross-arm has a row of spaced apart projections P1, a free end FE, and another end attached by a hinge member HM to the side rail 12a. In the other pair of cross-arms 14a′, 14b′, each cross-arm has a row of spaced apart key hole shaped slots SL1, a free end FE, and another end attached by a hinge member HM to the side rail 12b. Each extender bar 16a and 16b has opposed end portions E1 and E2 where the one end portion E1 includes a row of spaced apart keyhole shaped slots SL2, and the other end portion E2 includes a row of spaced apart projections P2. As best shown in
Each pair of connector elements 22a and 22b is substantially centrally positioned along each one of the extender bars 16a and 16b. One pair of connector elements 22a and 22b is between the row of projections P2 and the row of slots S2 in the extender bar 16a, and the other pair of connector elements 22a′ and 22b′ is between the row of projections P2 and the row of slots SL2 in the extender bar 16b. Upon assembly of the components, the end portions E1 and E2 of the individual extender bars 16a and 16b overlap the ends of the pairs of cross-arms 14a, 14b and 14a′, 14b′ being connected thereto, the projections P1 in the cross-arms are received in the slots SL2 in the extender bars and the projections P2 in the extender bars are received in the slots SL1 in the cross-arms, and the pair of connector elements 22a and 22b are aligned with the pair of connector elements 22a′ and 22b′. The projections P1 and P2 and slots SL1 and SL2 in the cross-arms and extender bars are in predetermined positions relative to each other. Thus, they may be engaged selectively to control the distance between the rail members 12a and 12b to accommodate beds of different sizes.
Each individual connector element 22a, 22b, 22a′, and 22b′ includes a head member H on a stem member S having a portion passing through and extending outwardly and downwardly substantially at a right angle with respect to a leg of the extender member to which an individual connector element is attached upon assembly of my bed frame 10. The stem members S of each pair of connector elements 22a, 22b and 22a′, and 22b′ are in parallel. A base 23 of the stem member S is substantially flush against the exterior of the leg of the extender member through which the stem member S passes. The head member H on the stem member S has a greater diameter d1 then the diameter d2 of its stem member S. As best illustrated in
Each notch N2 is in an end edge (only end edge ED1 shown in
As best shown in
The dimensions and orientation of the pair of notches at the opposed ends 20a and 20b of the center support 20 are important for the notches N1 and N2 to properly engage the connector elements 22a and 22b upon assembly of the center support and an extender bar 16a or 16b, as the case may be. Specifically, the notches N1 and N2 have centers a and b, respectively, lying along a common reference line RL1. A second reference line RL2 is substantially at a right angle with respect to the reference line RL1 and passes through the center b of notch N2. Stated otherwise, the notches N1 and N2 are substantially at a right angle with respect to each other. The distance d4 between the centers c and d of a pair of connector elements, connector elements 22a and 22b or 22a′ and 22b′, as the case may be, is the same and is equal to the distance d3 between the centers a and b of the notches N1 and N2. In most cases the distance d3 and the distance d4 is substantially from ½ to 3 inch. Moreover, the notches N1 and N2 are precisely positioned at the ends 20a and 20b of the center support 20, and the connector elements 22a and 22b are located a sufficient distance from the legs L1 of the extender bars 16a and 16b, so with the notches N1 and N2 engaging a pair of connector elements, the center support and one extender bar 16a or 16b, as the case may be, can be rotated relative to each other. For the notches N1 and N2 to lodge in the stem members S as, for example, depicted in
The ends 20a and 20b each have a predetermined thickness t substantially equal to the width of the gap G. Thus, the end 20a of the center support 20 can be wedged into the narrow gap G provided by the connector elements 22a and 22b in the extender bar 16a, and the end 20b of the center support 20 can be wedged into the narrow gap G provided by the connector elements 22a′ and 22b′ in the extender bar 16b. Specifically, as depicted in
In both instances, the pairs of connector elements 22a, 22b and 22a′, 22b′ on each of the extender bars 16a and 16b and the pairs of notches N1 and N2 are connected by inserting a stem member S of one connector element of a pair of the connector elements into one notch and then rotating in a first direction to insert the other stem member of the adjacent connector element of the pair into the second notch. Rotating in a second opposite direction dislodges at least one of the stem members S from the notches to enable an end of the center support to be detached from an extender bar.
A locking mechanism may be employed to detachably lock together the overlapping ends portions E1 and E2 of extender bars 16a and 16b and the cross-arms 14a, 14b, and 14a′, 14b′.
My method comprises assembling manually a plurality of bed frame components to form at least a portion of a bed frame without the use of any tools. Central to my method is the use of a bed frame component having a pair of notches N1 and N2 at an end to attach to another bed frame component having a pair of interactive, corresponding, adjacent connector elements. Although I illustrate my center support 20 or 20′ being connected to the extender bars 16a and 16b, my method may be used to connected any two bed frame component where one component has a pair of notches N1 and N2 in an end as discussed above and the other bed frame component has a pair of interactive, corresponding, adjacent connector elements as discussed above. For example, to form the bed frame 10 from its components, the center support 20 is first connected to one extender bar (either bar 16a or bar 16b) and then to the other extender bar. After so connecting both extender bars 16a and bar 16b to the center support 20, the cross-arms are positioned to overlap with the ends of the extender bars and locked in position as discussed above.
In accordance with my method as shown
Due to the unique configuration of the center support's ends 20a and 20b, including the notches N1 and N2, and the dimensional and positional relationship between these ends and the connector elements 22a and 22b and their stem members S, the center support's ends are easily manually connected and disconnected to the extender bars without using any tools.
The above presents a description of the best mode I contemplate of carrying out my bed frame and assembly method and of the manner and process of making and using them, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which they pertains to make and use my bed frame and assembly method. My bed frame and assembly method is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from the illustrative embodiment discussed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit my bed frame and assembly method to the particular embodiment disclosed. On the contrary, my intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of my bed frame and assembly method as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of my invention:
