Patent Application
20090293193
This invention relates generally to bedding foundations and more particularly to a bedding foundation which is collapsible for storage and shipment.
Conventional bedding foundations such as box springs typically include an array or matrix of springs, a wooden base and an upper grid including a generally rectangular border wire. The springs may be coil springs or modular springs. The components are commonly shipped from a spring manufacturer to a box spring manufacturer separately. Once the components arrive at the box spring manufacturer's facility, the box spring manufacturer attaches the lower ends of the springs which extend downwardly from an upper wire grid assembly to a base. Padding and a cover are applied by the box spring manufacturer as desired. Such conventional bedding foundations are large and cumbersome to handle in storage, transportation, or shipment which, of course, increases the ultimate cost.
Moreover, it is not uncommon for a coil spring manufacturer to compress or deform coil springs units layered one on top of the other into condensed or compacted multilayered packs for shipment to a box spring manufacturer. The aforementioned step is performed by means of a press machine enabling the foundation units to be compressed to reduce their height dimension. The coil spring units of each pack are held in their compacted state against return to their normal or unstressed condition by means of strapping applied about the unit. The spring units of each pack being compressed, the strapping is under a great amount of tension. When the packs arrive at the place of the manufacturer, it is, of course, necessary to sever the strapping around the packs in order to release the spring units for installation into box springs or mattresses. This, of course, is difficult because of the high degree of tension to which the strapping is subjected by the compression of the coil springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,279 discloses a wire foundation unit for a box spring which may be shipped to a box spring manufacturer in a collapsed condition. The manufacturer would erect the foundation wires and then fix by staples, rigid struts between the wire unit and base to permanently secure the wire unit in the erected position. The box spring manufacturing process is completed by providing the conventional layer of padding on the top of the wire foundation and a sheet covering or casing about the entire unit. However, once the manufacture is completed, the box spring is no longer collapsible and thus must be shipped in its expanded or full-size state to the point of retail or use whereby the same storage and shipment costs result at this point as with conventional box springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,905 discloses another collapsible bedding foundation for a box spring which can be shipped to a box spring manufacturer in a collapsed condition. The box spring manufacturer would erect the collapsed bedding foundation before applying padding on the top of the erected bedding foundation and covering or casing the entire unit. The collapsible bedding foundation disclosed in this patent utilizes a hinge to connect two sections of the bedding foundation so that when collapsed one section may overlay the other section. One drawback to this bedding foundation is that the hinge is expensive, thereby adding substantial cost to the manufacturer of the collapsible bedding foundation which is in turn passed on to the manufacturer of the box spring.
Therefore, there is a need for a collapsible box spring which is less expensive to manufacture than known collapsible box springs. There is further a need for an affordable box spring which may be collapsed after being upholstered.
The bedding foundation of the present invention includes first and second sections that include first and second bases, which are hingedly secured together with a connector, such as a hinge or hinges. The first and second sections also include first and second wire grids, respectively, which are connected to one another via a third wire grid. The first and second wire grids are each independently movable relative to the third wire grid. In particular, the third wire grid may be pivotally connected to each of the first and second wire grids. The bedding foundation also includes at least one locking wire member movably secured to the third upper wire grid. The at least one locking wire member is movable between a first position wherein at least a portion of the wire member engages the first and second bases, and a second position wherein the wire member disengages the first base or second base. In one embodiment, in the first position, the wire member may be substantially perpendicular to the third wire grid, and in the second position, the wire member may be other than substantially perpendicular to the third wire grid, such as substantially parallel to the third wire grid.
Each of the first and second sections includes a plurality of wire support members movable between a retracted position (wherein the bedding foundation is collapsed, such as by being folded, for example) and an extended position (wherein the bedding foundation is erected for use). In their retracted positions, the wire support members are generally unstressed and lie in generally horizontal planes (i.e., planes that are generally parallel to the first and second wire grids and first and second bases). Thus, the bedding foundation may be substantially reduced in its depth dimension, thereby facilitating storage handling and/or shipment at reduced unit cost. In this position, the at least one locking wire member lies in the second position (i.e., in a plane other than substantially perpendicular to the third wire grid). In their extended positions, the support members are erect in generally vertical planes (i.e., generally perpendicular relative to the first and second bases and first and second wire grids), and thus, the bedding foundation is ready for use. In this position, the at least one locking wire member lies in the first position (i.e., in a plane substantially perpendicular to the third wire grid). After use, the bedding foundation may be collapsed to its storage position and then later expanded to its use or erected position. This process may be repeated as often as desired.
In one aspect, the bedding foundation is foldable or collapsible upon itself into two overlying sections, thus reducing the length approximately in half for storage or shipment. Unfolding of the bedding foundation (to a usable position) places the first and second sections in a generally coplanar position, moves the wire support members from their retracted position to their erect position, and moves the at least one locking member from the second position to the first position, for providing support for the body when in use. The at least one locking wire member may pivot due to gravity, and so setting the bedding foundation on one side can be used to cause the locking wire member to move from the first position (a locking position generally perpendicular to the third wire grid), to the second position (a folding position other than generally perpendicular to the third wire grid). The subsequent folding actuates the wire support members from their erected positions into their retracted positions.
The first and second sections of the bedding foundation may be joined at the first and second bases with at least one connector, such as a hinge, as mentioned above. In particular, one or more hinge may be secured to the first and second bases of the first and second sections and extend(s) therebetween. In one embodiment, each connector is generally rectangular and has a living hinge built therein so that when the bedding foundation is collapsed, each connector assumes a generally U-shaped configuration and when the bedding foundation is erected, each connector is generally planar. One type of connector that may be used in accordance with the present invention has a stop built therein which separates the end rails of the first and second bases when the bedding foundation is collapsed. Such connectors are preferably made of plastic, but may be made of any desirable material. Other types or configurations of connectors comprising one or more components may be used in accordance with the present invention.
Each of the first wire grid and the second wire grid includes (1) an outer frame of a general quadrilateral shape, (2) a plurality of longitudinal wires parallel to and spaced from one another, and positioned within the outer frame, and (3) a plurality of transverse wires parallel to and spaced from one another, and positioned within the outer frame, each of the transverse wires being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal wires. A first plurality of the wire support members contacts and confronts the first wire grid and the first base. And a second plurality of wire support members contacts and confronts the second wire grid and the second base. Further, each wire support member includes at least one curved portion adapted to receive a portion of a transverse wire and at least one hook portion adapted to receive a portion of a longitudinal wire. Thus, with this configuration, each wire support member braces and holds at least one transverse wire and at least one longitudinal wire such that the first and second upper wire grids cannot shift laterally relative to the first and second bases, respectively.
Finally, the bedding foundation is configured such that when in a folded position, the first and second bases are adjacent one another along their length. In this position, the first and second bases lie in separate but generally parallel planes. Thus, when the bedding foundation is unfolded to an extended or erect user position, the weight of an individual on top of the bedding foundation does not cause the bedding foundation to fold.
Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying figures in which like characters represent like parts throughout the figures, wherein:
Referring to the drawings, and particularly to
Referring to
The first section 16 of the bedding foundation 10 further comprises a first wire grid 44 comprising a plurality of spaced, parallel longitudinal grid wires 46 and a plurality of spaced, parallel transverse grid wires 48 intersecting with the longitudinal grid wires 46 at intersections 50. Further, the transverse grid wires 48 may be secured to the longitudinal grid wires 46 at intersections 50. An outer frame 52 of a generally quadrilateral shape includes a border wire 54 that surrounds the longitudinal grid wires 46 and transverse grid wires 48, and forms a part of the first wire grid 44. The ends of the longitudinal grid wires 46 and transverse grid wires 48 are wrapped around, welded, or otherwise secured to the border wire 54, as is conventional.
As best seen in
Referring to
The second section 18 of the bedding foundation 10 further comprises a second wire grid 74 comprising a plurality of spaced, parallel longitudinal grid wires 76 and a plurality of spaced, parallel transverse grid wires 78 intersecting with the longitudinal grid wires 76 at intersections 80. Further, the transverse grid wires 78 may be secured to the longitudinal grid wires 76 at intersections 80. An outer frame 82 of a generally quadrilateral shape includes a border wire 84 that surrounds the longitudinal grid wires 76 and transverse grid wires 78, and forms a part of the second wire grid 74. The ends of the longitudinal grid wires 76 and transverse grid wires 78 are wrapped around, welded, or otherwise secured to the border wire 84, as is conventional.
The configuration of the second wire support members 66 is identical to that of the first wire support members 34, shown in
As best illustrated in
The first and second wire grids 44, 74 are connected to one another via a third wire grid 90. The first and second wire grids 44, 74 are each independently movable relative to the third wire grid 90. In particular, the third wire grid 90 is pivotally connected to each of the first and second wire grids 44, 74.
The bedding foundation 10 also includes at least one locking wire member 92 movably secured to the third wire grid 90. The at least one locking wire member 92 is movable between a first position substantially perpendicular to the third wire grid 90, and a second position not substantially perpendicular to the third wire grid 90. In particular, the at least one locking wire member 92 may pivot between the first position where the locking wire member 92 engages both the first base 24 and the second base 26, and a second position wherein the locking wire member 92 disengages the first base 24 or second base 26. In the second position, the locking wire member 92 may lie adjacent to the third upper wire grid 90. This allows for folding of the bedding foundation 10. Each of the locking wire members 92 includes horizontal portions 94 and vertical portions 96, the two vertical portions 96 each having first and second ends 98, 100 with their first ends 98 associated with one of the horizontal portions 94 and their second ends 100 associated with another of the horizontal portions 94. The first horizontal portion 94 of the at least one locking member 92 is pivotally associated with the third wire grid 90. Thus, as the at least one locking member 92 pivots between first and second positions, the second horizontal portion 94 of the at least one locking member 92 may confront and contact the first and second bases 24, 26. In one embodiment, the at least one locking wire member 92 may be pivoted or activated due to gravity.
Referring now to
The bedding foundation 10 is configured such that when in a folded position (seen in
Referring to
In particular, and as described above, each of the first wire support members 34 includes connecting portions 42, which are substantially vertical and parallel to one another, and include upper and lower portions 40, 38, which are substantially horizontal and parallel to one another. The upper portion 40 is associated with the longitudinal and transverse wire members 46, 48 of the first wire grid 44, and the lower portion 38 is associated with the end rails 28 or cross rails 32 of the first base 24. The lower portion 38 is affixed to the end rails 28 or cross rails 32 by staples 36, in the illustrated embodiment. The upper portion 40, as can best be seen in
The embodiments of the invention shown and described are for illustrative purposes only. The drawings and the description shall not limit in any way the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. While those skilled in the art may make various changes to, or additional embodiments of, the invention, none of those changes/embodiments shall be deemed to depart from the spirit of the invention. Thus, all such changes/embodiments shall be embraced by the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
