Patent Application
20080229509
The present disclosure relates generally to a foldable mattress and convertible bed apparatus. It is more particularly concerned with a system for readily and easily providing a range of different sleeping accommodations for guests in hotels, inns, resorts and the like.
In the hotel industry it is often necessary to equip rooms with a variety of different sized beds to accommodate the preferences and numbers of guests. Large groups seeking overnight accommodations, such as sports teams or wedding parties, often require a specific room arrangement and/or a large number of beds of a particular size. Sometimes, the needs of large groups can be met through the use of portable or roll-away beds or cots. But temporary bedding has special requirements such as a smaller size and lighter frames for mobility and must be stored somewhere when not in use. Moreover, the time and personnel necessary to reconfigure rooms and set-up portable and/or roll-away bedding is substantial, which makes lodging sizeable groups costly and inefficient. However, it is not only large groups of guests that present the problem of insufficient and/or inefficient use of hotel facilities. Corporate clients desiring a room with a single king or larger sized bed must often settle for a room with two smaller-sized double beds. In this scenario, the customer is left feeling dissatisfied having paid for an extra bed that he didn't need or want.
Smaller hotel establishments face special challenges when servicing the needs of large groups. First, smaller hotels often do not have the appropriate numbers of beds in the desired configuration to service large parties. Second, smaller hotels usually lack adequate space to store a large number of roll-away beds or cots when not in use. As a result, the small hotel owner is largely unable to capitalize on the potential revenue generated by large group bookings/reservations.
Thus, there is a need for a convertible bedding system that will offer the hotel industry increased flexibility and convenience to better meet the demand for special sleeping arrangements by “large group” and other specialty niche consumers.
There is provided a convertible mattress and bedding system comprising first and second bed frames and first and second mattresses. At least one of the bed frames is laterally moveable relative to the other of the bed frames from a one bed configuration to a two bed configuration. Each mattress includes first and second longitudinally extending mattress halves. The first mattress half is connected to the second mattress half by a longitudinally extending hinge and is movable from a folded condition, with the first mattress half disposed above the second mattress half, to an open condition, with the first mattress half disposed laterally adjacent the second mattress half. The first mattress is disposed on the first bed frame in a folded condition and the second mattress is disposed on the second bed frame in a folded condition when the bed frames are in the two bed configuration. The first and second mattress are each disposed on the first and second bed frames in an open condition when the bed frames are in the one bed configuration.
Each mattress includes a cover material forming the hinge between a longitudinally extending edge of the first mattress half and a longitudinally extending edge of the second mattress half. Each of the mattress halves includes a supportive inner core, with the cover material of the mattress surrounding the inner core of each mattress half.
The convertible mattress and bedding system further comprises a rail system, where each of the bed frames is connected to the rail system and is laterally moveable therealong between the one bed and two bed configurations. Each of the bed frames may also include a headboard mounted to the rail system.
The rail system comprises first and second rail assemblies, each of the rail assemblies. Each of the rail assemblies includes an outer mounting bracket. An extension member is slidably mounted within the outer mounting bracket, whereby the extension member is laterally extendable and retractable with respect to the outer mounting bracket. An inner mounting bracket is slidably mounted within the extension member, whereby the inner mounting bracket is laterally extendable and retractable with respect to the extension member. The first and second bed frames are mounted to one of the outer mounting bracket or inner mounting bracket of the first and second rail assemblies, respectively. The other of the outer mounting bracket or inner mounting bracket of the first and second rail assemblies is mounted to a wall of the room. The rail system may include a locking mechanism to selectively lock the bed frames in either the two bed configuration or the one bed configuration.
The convertible mattress and bedding system may further comprise a retaining mechanism to secure the first and second bed frames together. The retaining mechanism includes a flexible metal strip having a first end mounted to the first bed frame. A pin mounted on the second bed frame is receivable in an opening in the second end of the metal strip to secure the first bed frame to the second bed frame.
The present disclosure may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
With reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like elements throughout the various views, a convertible mattress and bedding system in accordance with the present disclosure is generally designated by the number 10. The convertible mattress and bedding system 10, 10′, shown diagrammatically in
In a first embodiment, shown in
Either system 10, 10′ may also include a retaining mechanism 28 located at or near the foot of the bed frames 12, 12′. If present, the retaining mechanism 28 may be located on the footboards (not shown). The structure of the retaining mechanism 28 is explained in greater detail below.
Each mattress 20, 20′ includes two mattress halves 30, 30′ that each have an inner supportive core 32 formed from springs, foam or any such material or combination of materials known in the bedding art. The cover material 34 of the mattress 20, 20′ extends from the first mattress half 30 to the second mattress half 30′, forming a longitudinally extending hinge 36 connecting the two mattress halves 30, 30′ along one of the longitudinal edges of each mattress half 30, 30′. As shown in
One aspect of the mattress and bedding system 10, 10′ is the formation of a plus-sized king bed by locking together two standard sized double bed frames 12, 12′. It should be understood that both the rail system 22 and the retaining mechanism 28 facilitate the conversion from two standard sized double beds to a plus-size king bed and maintain the plus-sized king configuration once the conversion is completed. The casters 16 further aid the movement of the bed frames 12, 12′ along the floor surface. Once the bed frames 12, 12′ have been secured in the plus-sized king configuration, the mattresses 20, 20′ can then be converted to plus-sized king bedding.
One or more rail system 22 may be located at any point along the bed frame 12, 12′. Alternatively, the rail system 22 may located at one or more points of the headboard 24, 24′ that are adjacent the wall surface.
The rail system 22 allows the bed frames 12,12′ or bed frame 12,12′ and headboards 24, 24′ to be moved a pre-determined distance relative to each other. The rail system 22 may optionally include a rail locking mechanism 26 that locks the outer mounting bracket 38, the inner mounting bracket 40 and the extension member 44 of the rail system 22 in either the extended position (i.e. when the bed frames are apart,
The convertible mattress and bedding system 10, 10′ may also provide for an additional retaining mechanism 28 to secure the two bed frames 12, 12′ together. In one embodiment, the retaining mechanism 28 (best seen in
It should be understood that the rail system 22 and retaining mechanism 28 are not limited to two standard double bed frames 12, 12′ but are suitable for use with any size bed frame and mattress combination.
Overall, the present system 10, 10′ encompasses a mattress and bedding system that can be converted from two standard sized double beds into a plus-sized king bed and locked into place until such time when the double bed configuration is desired. According to the present disclosure, the process of converting the mattress 20, 20′ and bedding system is achieved quickly, with minimal effort, and without the need for extra equipment. Moreover, the convertible mattress and bedding system of the system can simultaneously meet the needs of niche consumers such as large groups and singles without compromising comfort or check in time. The present system offers hoteliers greater flexibility for servicing clients with very different needs and eliminates the scenario where customers pay for a room with an extra bed that will go unused.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
