Patent Application
20210204704
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments relate to a convertible furniture, i.e. a piece of furniture which can be changed into another piece of furniture. The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are especially related to a furniture which can be converted from a bed to a table and vice versa.
Patent publications U.S. Pat. No. 60,339 A, HU 195416 B, FR 1420300 A, U.S. Pat. Nos. 277,637 A and 4,277,856 A show pieces of furniture that can be arranged either as a table or as a bed. The prior art solutions are complex and difficult to use.
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are directed to to reduce or even eliminate the abovementioned problems appearing in prior art.
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide an easy and reliable way to secure furniture parts immovable when needed and to allow their movement when needed.
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments enable an easy and reliable movement of furniture parts when converting the furniture from a bed to a table and vice versa.
Among others, in order to realize the aspects of the disclosed embodiments mentioned above, a convertible furniture and other objects according to the present disclosure are characterized by what is presented in the enclosed independent claims. The dependent claims present some embodiments of the present disclosure.
The embodiments, examples and advantages mentioned in this text relate, where applicable, as well to convertible furniture or any methods when using it, as to any other aspect of the disclosed embodiments, even though it is not always specifically mentioned.
A simple way to describe the basic idea of the present disclosure is, that a convertible furniture comprises
The inventiveness of this basic idea can be enhanced e.g. by adding to it one or more of the following technical ideas:
The listed technical ideas and many more embodiments are explained in detail below, also in reference to the drawings. All the ideas are combinable with each other, also in ways not separately mentioned.
An embodiment of a typical convertible furniture according to the present disclosure comprises
The actuator is an elongated shaft connected to the table lock. The shaft is:
In an embodiment the elongated shaft is connected to the first or second locking member. This makes it easy to move one or more of the locking members between the locked position and the open position, even with a small gesture or movement a distance away from the actual locking mechanism.
The table lock may be manually or automatically operable. In an embodiment, the lock is a is a simple latch. A latch can be opened and closed with a simple movement, e.g. manually with a lever.
The first and second table parts are in their general form more or less planar. The plane of the first or second table part is the general plane's direction. In table position that plane would normally be the direction of the table surface, i.e. horizontal.
In an embodiment, in the table position:
In an embodiment the table parts comprise at least mainly parallel first and second edges. The first edges are in the table position against each other at the middle of the table surface, and in bed position arranged as upper edges of the sides of the beds. The second edges are in the table position arranged as outer edges of the table surface, and in bed position arranged as lower edges of the sides of the beds. In an embodiment the first and second locking members are situated at the first edges of the table parts. This way in the table position they are against each other at the middle of the table and in bed position they are arranged on top edges of the sides of the beds.
The elongated shaft may be supported on an inner surface of the first or second table parts, i.e. in table position on the lower surface of the table part. This way it stays mostly hidden during normal use of the furniture.
The elongated shaft may be movably arranged in a space between the table part and the bed of the furniture part. This makes it possible for a user to easily reach the shaft from outside the table.
In an embodiment a first end of the elongated shaft is connected to the first and/or second locking member. The shaft then extends from there past the first or second bed and towards the second edge of the table part. There the second end of the elongated shaft is arranged to be manually and easily engaged by a user situated by the second edge.
The elongated shaft may be made of different materials and in different sizes and forms. Metals, such as aluminium or steel, plastics, wood are some examples of possible materials. The length of the shaft may vary depending on the situation, e.g. more than 20 cm, more than 30 cm, 20 to 40 cm, 20 to 50 cm are possible. Suitable shaft length is decided especially by the width of the table part it is mounted on.
The elongated shaft is a way to transmit power to be used at the lock from near the outer edges of the table. The shaft may be formed as a rod or another kind of rigid component. It is also possible that the shaft comprises an outer core or shell and a wire or another flexible shaft or belt inside it for power transmission.
In an embodiment each table part is arranged perpendicularly to its end supports. Each end support functions in table position as a vertical support against a floor and in bed position as a vertical bed end. If the table part and end supports are fixed together firmly, simply and immovably relative to each other, the frame becomes robust and easy to arrange to withstand the movements of the furniture.
Some possible dimensions for the furniture are as follows. In table position:
Some possible materials for the different plate-like parts or panels in the furniture, such as table parts and end supports, are wood, plastic, honeycomb panels or other cellular panels. Panel surfaces may be coated, e.g. with thin wood or plastic layer.
In an embodiment the furniture comprises two at least almost similar furniture parts. The furniture parts maybe near mirror images. The furniture parts each comprise a frame, which comprises two end supports, such as generally planar vertical panels and a generally planar table part, forming half of the whole table surface supported between the end supports. A bed is supported on the frame, possibly immovably. The two frames are attached to each other pivotably, to be turned around a turning axle, defined e.g. by hinges. The turning axle of the pivoting movement is horizontally at the bottom of the furniture, near or at its centre line. The frames can be turned against each other in the table position where the table parts are horizontally on the top, supported by vertical end supports and the bed is vertically under the table part. From there the both frames can be turned 90 degrees, into the bed position. In bed position the two frames, i.e. the end supports and the table parts form vertical sides for the now horizontal beds. There is no need to have a fourth side for the bed in a frame, because in bed position the two frames lie side by side, forming a double bed with panels around it, but without a panel between the two beds.
One way to define the inventive conversion movement of the furniture between the table and bed positions is to define what happens to the edges of the mainly planar end supports in the two furniture positions. Each end support comprises an outer and inner larger surface parallel to each other and vertical during normal use of the furniture. The outer and inner surfaces are connected by edges, as follows:
An embodiment of a typical convertible furniture according to the present disclosure comprises
The pivoting means between the furniture parts may be constructed in such a way that in bed position, every part or every movable part of the pivoting means is arranged under the upper edges of the end supports. This makes the use of the furniture safe and comfortable.
In an embodiment, in table position, every part or every movable part of the pivoting means is arranged over the lower edges of the end supports. This makes the use of the furniture safe and comfortable and protects the floor or any support under the furniture.
In an embodiment every part or every movable part of the pivoting means is arranged both under the upper edges of the end supports and over the lower edges of the end supports during the whole movement between the bed and table positions. In an embodiment every part or every moving part of the pivoting means is arranged to stay between the edges of the end supports during the whole movement between the bed and table positions.
One aspect of the present disclosure is a method with the convertible furniture according to the present disclosure. In an embodiment the method comprises
In an embodiment the pivoting means are turnably supported to the end supports of the furniture parts. Turnably supported means that the pivoting means allows turning or moving of the furniture parts between the table and bed positions. In an embodiment, e.g. in case of a hinge arm or a gas spring, one end of the pivoting means is supported on an end support of one furniture part and the other end of the pivoting means is supported on an end support of a second furniture part. In an embodiment the pivoting means is attached at or near an edge of the end support. In an embodiment in table position the pivoting means is attached on or near the edge that is the mainly horizontal lower edge of the end support.
One way to achieve the above-mentioned smooth movement of the furniture parts and the pivoting means is to arrange the pivot point or the point of rotation of the hinge structure slightly outside the end supports of the furniture parts. With this kind of a virtual pivot point arrangement no physical parts are needed at the pivot point P, i.e. situated outside the furniture parts. Now, no part of the pivoting means interferes with the floor or protrudes up from the table surface. This can be achieved e.g. with a hinge structure comprising two hinge arms on both ends of the furniture with fastening points of the hinge arms located symmetrically on the furniture part.
In an embodiment in table position, the hinge arms are arranged crossed with each other, i.e. one arm is attached at an upper position in the first furniture part and at a lower position in the second furniture part, whereas the other arm is attached at an upper position in the second furniture part and at a lower position in the first furniture part. In an embodiment in bed position, the hinge arms are arranged horizontally, at the same level with each other, i.e. the fastening or pivot points of the two hinge arms are at same level.
The hinge structure is an important if not the main support structure between the two halves of the furniture when they are moved between the table and bed positions. Strength and robustness of the hinge arms is important. They may be made e.g. of a metal such as steel, plastic or some other suitable material.
All the pivoting means, such as the hinges or gas springs, as well as the wheels need to be robust enough to support movement of the furniture parts. Also, the supporting of these parts to the furniture parts needs to similarly robust. One good possibility is to arrange them supported on one or more relatively large support plates, which are easy to attach e.g. on the end supports of the furniture parts. The support plate may be made of e.g. metal, such as steel or aluminium plate or any suitable plastic or composite material. Every piece of pivoting means, e.g. hinges or gas springs may have their own support plates on each furniture part. Also, each wheel may be supported on its own support plate.
The support plate structure gives the furniture robust structure, high strength, easy assembly and increased accuracy in its movements. In an embodiment each support plate supports a wheel and pivoting means. Attaching all pivoting means and wheels of one end support to one large support plate enhances the benefits.
In an embodiment the support plate is attached at and along an edge of the end support. This strengthens the edge and simplifies the structure. In an embodiment in table position the support plates are at the mainly horizontal lower edges of the end supports. This strengthens the lower edge and makes it easy to arrange wheels on the support plate. In an embodiment the support plates are of the same length and form as edges of the end supports they are attached to. This further strengthens and simplifies the structure.
In an embodiment one or more wheels are attached to the end supports. In an embodiment the wheels are partly hidden in the end supports. The wheels may be supported and arranged between the inner and outer faces of the end support. In an embodiment the wheels are situated so that in the table position they are at the lower outer corner of the end supports. In an embodiment in table position the wheels protrude only over vertical end support edges. In an embodiment in table position the wheels protrude over both vertical and horizontal end support edges. In an embodiment the wheels are arranged as the point of contact between the furniture and a floor or other support it is situated on, at any given stage of the movement between bed and table positions. The wheels ease the movement of the furniture against a floor or other support beneath it.
In an embodiment the wheels are attached to support plates which are attached to the end supports of the furniture parts. In an embodiment the wheels are simple castors, i.e. rollers mounted to an axle pin. One end of the axle pin may be firmly attached, e.g. by welding, on the support plate.
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are described in more detail below with reference to the enclosed schematic drawing, in which
For the sake of clarity, in different embodiments same reference numerals are used for parts corresponding to each other. For the sake of clarity, every part and feature has not been numbered in every Figure.
A convertible furniture 1 comprises a first and a second furniture part 2a and 2b. Each of these comprises a frame 11a, 11b and thereto supported a bed 3a, 3b and a table part 4a, 4b. The depicted furniture parts 2a and 2b are almost mirror images of each other. In some embodiments there might be bigger differences between the furniture parts.
Pivoting means, i.e. hinges 5a and gas springs 5b are arranged between the first and second furniture parts 2a and 2b. They guide and assist the movement of the furniture parts between a table position and a bed position. The pivoting means 5a and 5b are attached to the first and second end supports, i.e. end panels 12a, 12b of the first and second furniture part.
In the table position, shown e.g. in
When moving from the table position to the bed position, the tops of the furniture parts 2a and 2b are turned away from each other, see
The table parts 4a, 4b comprise first edges 7a, 7b and second edges 8a, 8b parallel to each other, on the opposite sides of the table parts. The first edges 7a, 7b are in the table position against each other at the middle of the table surface 4. In bed position the first edges are arranged as upper edges of the sides of the beds. The second edges 8a, 8b are in the table position arranged as outer edges of the table surface 4, and in bed position they are arranged as lower edges of the sides of the beds.
Each frame 11a, 11b comprises a first and a second end panel 12a, 12b.
Each table part 4a, 4b is arranged perpendicularly between its end panels, whereby each end panel 12a, 12b functions in table position as a vertical support against a floor and in bed position as a vertical bed end. In the depicted embodiment, each end panel 12a, 12b comprises four edges. A first end panel edge 131 is in table position mainly vertical and situated towards the other frame. In bed position the first end panel edge 131 is a mainly horizontal upper edge of the bed end. A second end panel edge 132 is in table position mainly vertical and situated facing away from the other frame. In bed position second end panel edge 132 is a mainly horizontal lower edge of the bed end. A third end panel edge 133 is in table position a mainly horizontal lower edge of the vertical support against a floor. In bed position third end panel edge 133 is mainly vertical and situated towards the other frame. A fourth end panel edge 134 is in table position a mainly horizontal upper edge of the vertical support, supporting the table part 4a or 4b on top of it. In bed position the fourth end panel edge 134 is mainly vertical and situated away from the other frame. In this example the first and second panel edges are substantially parallel to each other. Similarly, the third and fourth panel edges are substantially parallel to each other, but perpendicular against the first and second. This means that in the depicted embodiment the end panels 12a, 12b are formed as a substantial rectangle, with rounded corners. This needs not to be the case; the furniture can be designed in many forms.
To keep the furniture parts 2a, 2b safely in the table position, an easily operated table lock 6 is arranged between the frames 11a, 11b. In a locked position, the table lock secures the furniture parts together. In an open position the table lock allows the movement of the furniture parts 2a, 2b towards the bed position. The table lock 6, seen e.g. in
In the depicted embodiments the table lock is a simple latch, with a steel arc 6a, i.e. an arc-shaped steel form, as the first locking member and a pin 6b as the second locking member. The steel arc 6a can be turned in the direction of the plane of the first table part 4a it is arranged on. When the two table parts 4a and 4b are in contact with each other, the steel arc 6a may be turned to reach around and behind the pin 6b, thereby interlocking the steel arc 6a and the pin 6b with each other. This means the table lock 6 is in locking position and the furniture parts 2a, 2b are secured in the table position. When turning the arc 6a so, that the opening in the arc 6a is towards the pin 6b the table lock 6 is in open position. Now the furniture parts 2a, 2b may be turned away from each other.
To ease the functioning of the table lock 6, a lock actuator, i.e. an elongated shaft 6c is connected at its first end 9a to the steel arc 6a. The shaft 6c is a lever adapted to be turned in the direction of the plane of the first table part 4a. Turning the shaft 6c moves the steel arc 6a and thus the table lock 6 between the locked and open positions. That means that in table position the table lock is opened and secured by turning the shaft 6c horizontally near and under the first table part 4a. The shaft 6c is supported on the inner surface 10a of the first table part 4a with a pivot point 13. The second end 9b of the elongated shaft 6c is arranged towards the second edge 8a of the first table part 4a. The shaft 6c extends, from the table lock 6 past the bed 3a, which is arranged under the table part 4a, towards the second edge 8a of the table part. The second end 9b of the shaft may comprise a handle, where it can be manually engaged by a user, simply by reaching her/his arm under the second edge 8a of the table part. The shaft 6c is adapted to move close to the inner surface 10a. This way it is freely movable in the small gap between the first table part 4a and the first bed 3a situated under the table part. A recess may be formed in the side of the bed to make more space for the shaft to move. One possibility is to arrange the elongated shaft at least partly inside the table part. This may be done e.g. by forming a suitable open recess on the inner surface 10a of the table part 4a. The shaft 6c may also be situated totally or almost totally inside the table part 4a, so that only the second end of it, e.g. a handle is visible and ready to be engaged with a hand.
In order to ease movement of the furniture against a floor beneath it during the conversion between the table position and the bed position, one or more partly hidden wheels 14a and 14b can be attached to the end panels 12a, 12b. The wheels may e.g. be arranged mostly or partly inside the end panels 12a, 12b so that just a part of each wheel 14a, 14b is protruding over an edge of the end panel. It may be advantageous to arrange the one or more wheels 14a, 14b at the corners which are the outer and lower corners in the table position. That is, the corners where the second and third end panel edges 132 and 133 meet. A wheel may protrude over only the vertical or both the vertical and horizontal panel edges 132 and 133. In
In
Figures show embodiments with two elongated support plates 16a and 16b on each end of the furniture. First support plates 16a are attached to the end support plates 12a and 12b of the first furniture part 2a. Second support plates 16b are attached to the end supports 12a and 12b of the second furniture part 2b. Each support plate 16a and 16b supports a wheel 14a or 14b, one end of the hinge arms 5a and 5a′ and one end of the gas spring 5b. The support plates 16a, 16b are attached to the end panels 12a, 12b with screws or bolts 17.
The support plates are attached at and along the third end panel edges 133, on the inside face of the end supports 12a, 12b. Thus, in table position the support plates 16a, 16b are at the mainly horizontal lower edge of the vertical support against a floor. And in bed position the support plates 16a, 16b are mainly vertical and situated towards the other frame, and against the support plate on the other frame. The support plates 16a, 16b are of the same length and form as the panel edges 133 they are attached to. As a matter of fact, they can be thought to form part of the panel edges 133.
The wheels 14a, 14b may be simple castors, i.e. pivoting rollers mounted to an axle pin 19 on the support plate. The design of the support plate16a, 16b, the diameter of the wheel 14a, 14b and the position of the axle pin 19 can is chosen so that the wheels will be the outermost point, i.e. the point of contact at any given stage of the transition between bed and table positions.
One end of the axle pin 19 of the wheel is firmly attached, e.g. by welding, on the support plate 16. The other end of the axle pin 19 may be supported e.g. on the end panel 12a, 12b. However, the axle pin 19 can be dimensioned thicker and of a sufficiently strong material so that it would not bend even without a support on its other end.
The gas spring 5b aids the transition between the table and bed positions.
When moving the furniture between the two positions, the user normally needs most power when starting the movement from the bed position toward the table position. Therefore, the gas springs 5b may be arranged so that they provide some or maximum force, i.e. aid for the user when starting from bed position. The gas springs 5b may provide some or minimum force, i.e. smaller aid for the user when starting from table position. This would help in avoiding unintentional opening from the table position.
For a smooth movement of the furniture parts, a pivot point P or the point of rotation of the hinge structure may by arranged slightly outside the end supports 12a, 12b of the furniture parts 2a, 2b. An example of an approximate position of the pivot point P is shown with an arrow in
The shown hinge structure with two hinge arms 5a and 5a′ and four hinge arm pivot points 18 ensures that turning motion is always the same.
The hinge arms 5a and 5a′ are located on opposite sides of the plates 16a, 16b to avoid collision with each other. The arms 5a, 5b may be mounted with bearings at their fastening points to avoid wear. If the support plate 16a, 16b is attached at an inner side face of the end support 12a, 12b, at least some of the movable pivoting means, e.g. one of the hinge arms, may need a cavity inside the end support 12a, 12b, to provide space for its moving. Also the wheels 14a, 14b need a cavity inside the end support 12a, 12b.
The hinge structure is an important if not the main support structure between the two halves of the furniture when they are moved between the table and bed positions. Strength and robustness of the hinge arms 5a and 5a′ is therefore important. They may be made of a metal such as steel, plastic or some other suitable material.
Feet or other supports may be arranged in panel edges so that they contact the floor in table and bed positions. These feet or other supports may give extra friction between the furniture and the floor in order to prevent the furniture from unwanted rolling.
The figures show only a few preferred embodiments according to the present disclosure. Facts of secondary importance with regards to the main idea of the present disclosure, facts known as such or evident for a person skilled in the art, such as support structures possibly required by the present disclosure, are not necessarily separately shown in the figures. It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited exclusively to the examples described above, but that the present disclosure can vary within the scope of the claims presented below. The dependent claims are not to be considered to restrict the scope of protection of the present disclosure as such.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20187077 | May 2018 | FI | national |
| 20197059 | Apr 2019 | FI | national |
| 20197060 | Apr 2019 | FI | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FI2019/050420 | 5/31/2019 | WO | 00 |
