Patent Application
20240081546
In these days of overpopulated cities and increasingly smaller living and work spaces, the movement toward multipurpose furniture and spatial economy, without sacrificing floor space, has become more and more prevalent. Well over a century of inventors have tried to design the perfect hidden bed and many have made considerable inroads. There have been dozens, if not hundreds, of hidden beds that have been patented over the years.
It has been suggested that William L. Murphy hid a bed in a closet because in the late 19th Century it was uncouth to entertain a lady with a bed in the room. A century ago he was known more for a bed that lifted and spun into a closet, rather than the wardrobe type of hidden bed to which we associate his name.
The wardrobe style of hidden bed is likely the most common variety and they date well before Murphy was born. The main characteristics of these designs are a wall-mounted exterior frame which receives the bed and is pivotally attached to the bed. The bottom of the bed is designed to look like a cabinet, so when closed, appears to be a wardrobe or other piece of furniture.
In 1879, when Murphy was a toddler, a man in Boston named Dupre, offered a wardrobe style bed (US219078). Like many of that era it was fixed pivot and overcame its counterbalance issue with weights and pulleys. In 1885, Laskey offered the Mantel Bed (US314032). It was unique in that its fixed pivot was more centrally located to give it a mechanical advantage and on the rearward sides of the bed, projections followed tracks which steered it into its frame. Oliva Baigne's design of 1908 (US892348), used a fixed pivot and a torsion spring to lift his bed. In recent years, the mechanical advantage of choice has been the piston as Burchett showed in 1991 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,134).
In order to offer more functionality than just a bed, some creators added peripherals like abutting bookcases and shelves. Potter, (U.S. Pat. No. 2,671,230) in 1954, added a hinged panel to the face of his wardrobe bed to be used as a desktop and some magazine racks. It was a nice attempt toward functionality but you had to clear the desk to use the bed. A slight improvement to this were devices that had shelves or desktops which lowered to the floor by way of linkage, as the bed was rotated to its horizontal, extended position. Some such devices were offered in 2013 by Huanguang (CN203088189), and in 2014 by Darong (CN203646799), and Fuxiao (CN203987048). These shelves do not appear to be very well designed, but they will carry items to the floor.
Of course, not all of the hidden bed inventors designed wardrobes with false facades. Two examples actually appear to be desks at first glance. Monestier (U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,052) in 2006, and Xingbiao (CN203137689) in 2013, offered these designs. They used pivots and linkage to lower their devices beds as their desktops dropped to the floor. And then Martens' (CA2484910) bedframe was mounted inside a wallbox with linkage that looked like some components would break during rotation. Another desk/bed was by Reppas (U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,715) in 1978. It was an oversized device with a large amount of space dedicated to its mechanics. Ernest (U.S. Pat. No. 1,400,534) in 1921, and Thomas (U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,625) in 1941 each offered hidden bed cabinets with extra storage. Ernests self-leveling effect was largely due to suspension of his cabinets from a top center point and allowing gravity to take over. One of these cabinets was fitted with a slanted bottom, depreciating its usability, in order for it to clear the other one during rotation. Thomas' unit also had several upper cabinets. They also had angled floors which would induce their contents to fall out once you opened the door. Thomas' cabinets were hinged to the bottom of the bed and used parallel linkage for self-leveling similar to the trays of a tackle box as Shriver (U.S. Pat. No. 1,893,526) showed in 1929. Another good example of this parallel linkage system is with Gao in 2011 (CN201700827).
As far as counterbalance goes, there are many ways to overcome it. The previously cited designers and others have offered weights and pulleys, cables, springs, torsion springs, helical springs, pistons, gravity, and brute force. Stoniers 2005 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,487) discloses variable tensioning spring device as a sample of one of the better counterbalance mechanisms. It is fitted with up to 9 springs depending on what size of load you need to lift and holds the load at midpoints along the way.
The related art has various disadvantages. When it comes to world congestion and tiny spaces, furniture is going to trend toward multifunctionality. A place to sleep and a desk as a separate function would be desirable and the prior art solutions cited above require dead space in order to function properly. It is desirable to provide a hidden bed that includes storage, which may not have been successfully addressed in the prior art.
The present disclosure provides a bed frame that can lever off of the sides of a floor cabinet, clear the front edge of that cabinet, and land squarely on top of that cabinet. In one embodiment, a full-size version would fit inside of a 7′ cube.
In one embodiment, a base 2 is provided. The length of the base 2 will vary depending on the size of the bed. The height and depth of the base 2 and other dimensions can vary depending on the builder's end goal. The base 2 is to be comprised with a left end and a right end connected together and held vertical and plumb by a framework or plurality of panels of sufficient length to create storage or other purposes. A kneehole can be included if a desktop 40 is to be installed. Doors may also be desirable.
Pivotally attached to the base 2 is the bedstead 4. The bedstead 4 is comprised of an interior rail 42, an exterior rail 44, a left swingarm 6 with left leg 10 attached, a right swingarm 8 with right leg 12 attached, a bed support panel 46, and webbing 20 or other means to retain the bed and bedding in place when apparatus is in its horizontal position. The left swingarm 6 is connected to the right swingarm 8 by an interior rail 42, and an exterior rail 44 which form a rectangular frame that receives the bed support panel 46. The interior rail 42 and exterior rail 44 are to be of sufficient width to house the bed on the top, and, on the underside have sufficient space for a support framework, and electrical outlets 24 and their races 26, and other components such as televisions, monitors, and other visual displays. This underside space is also necessary, in another embodiment, for the rear of the modules to swing during rotation. These five items, 6, 8, 42, 44, and 46, will be of sufficient size to form a framed compartment where the bed resides. The left swingarm 6 and the right swingarm 8 are overreaching boards which extend beyond the beds framed compartment over to and reach alongside each end of the base 2 and are pivotally attached to the base's corresponding left end and right end at the base pivots 22. Now the bedstead 4 can rotate down from its vertical and plumb, resting position atop the base 2 to its horizontal and level, extended position in front of the base 2. The base 2 is the fulcrum. The bedstead 4 is the lever.
In one embodiment, an L-shaped desktop 40 is hinged to the bottom of the bedstead 4. This top has a left and a right end with a frontal post of sufficient length which, when rotated with the top, would line up under the corresponding left and right swingarms, supplying additional support for the bedstead in its horizontal mode. A length of cable 30 is attached to one side of the desktop near the front edge 36. The cable is run through a sheave or pulley 34 near the hinges 18 then through another eyehook or sheave near the end of the interior rail 42. An anchor point 38 is included on the floor cabinet, above and behind the cabinet pivot 22. The length of cable 30 and the anchor points are selected to coincide.
In another embodiment, swinging components, or modules, suspended between the swingarms, and held level by tie-rods are provided.
In such an embodiment, the swingarms are made wider and capable of suspending the new modules adjacent to and parallel to the underside of the bed compartment. The base pivots 22 remain in the same position, and the new modular pivots are located in line with the base pivots and parallel to the bed support panel 46 in both the horizontal and the vertical positions. The bed support panel 46 is positioned as it was in the previous embodiment. A linkage rod is pivotally attached to each end of the base 2 at base linkage pivots as well as to each module at modular linkage pivots. This linkage follows along the inside of the swingarms and along the structure under the bed support panel 46, but not so close to the bed support panel 46 and its corresponding structure as to interfere with the linkage's rotation.
A leg module is the uppermost module and is necessary to limit the bedstead's downward rotation and provide support for the bedstead 4 in its horizontal position. The leg module has a right and a left end panel connected to each other by a framework or at least one panel. A light valance could be added to this module. An upper cabinet module would also function here. Some necessary dimensions can be obtained while the bedstead 4 is in its horizontal and level position. In this position the height of the uppermost/outermost module will need to fill the gap between the floor and, in this case, the exterior rail 44. The plumb line created by the front of my original base cabinet 2 can be used that to determine the front of the upper modules. Thus, the rotation of the uppermost cabinet created its own axis or modular pivot point where it will be pivotally attached on the swingarms.
The linkage is pivotally attached to base 2 at base linkage pivot point and uppermost module at modular linkage pivot point. These linkage pivot points are at a stable and unobtrusive location about half way in between the modular pivots and the bed support panel 46 structure. These points are equally distanced above and rearward of the main axis pivots forming a parallelogram. These points will also work if they are equally distanced below and frontward of the main pivots.
Other possible modules would include the aforementioned upper cabinet module. This could be a basic box such as a bookcase. This module has a right end and a left end equipped with modular pivots and linkage pivots, just like every module. A top, rear, and back panel are generally needed. A face frame and doors are nice options and a narrow apron hinged to the bottom of each that collapsed away when the bedstead 4 is horizontally extended.
The shelf, a bottom panel with a short back and module ends, as previously described, could be used for a unit where the user wanted a more open underside affixed with a monitor/tv mount or other visuals such as art.
Another module, and a popular one, would be the desktop module. It would need the module ends, as previously described, a deeper bottom panel and a back.
If desired, other modules can be added in between the base and the uppermost module. Their size should be slightly smaller than the uppermost module so they do not contact the floor. In the case of a smaller sized bedstead 4, one more similar-sized module is possible. A larger sized bedstead can support a total of three. The length of the modules will depend on the distance between the swingarms. One can also add electrical outlets in an outlet bar to the underside of the bedstead. The power cord 28 would be attached to the swingarm and exit in the rear.
The bedstead is at rest on top of the base when in its upright position. In one embodiment, the swingarms can have a large gear attached to them, surrounding the base pivot. This large gear engages a small gear located at the lower rear base ends. This small gear is connected to a torsion spring and/or actuator motor. As the bedstead rotates down to its extended position, the bed is revealed and the small gear is wound, storing mechanical energy. This dampens the load gaining a mechanical advantage. The related art section offers a variety of ways to deal with counterbalance, any of which would work with the present apparatus. A spring system in between the base cabinet and the swingarm is provided in one embodiment. An actuator or motor is provided in another embodiment.
There are various alternatives. The base cabinet can be of various sizes and dimensions. It can have a knee hole in order to accommodate a desk. The foot of the cabinet can extend frontward giving it the ability to be freestanding or on casters.
The upper section can basically transform into whatever is desired out of a cabinet. One could decrease the modules and adorn the underside with art, a television, an interactive whiteboard, or a video gaming center. The bed compartment could also be of various sizes.
Linking these units end-to-end could be done in a barracks or other similar environment.
Wood products could be used when building such furniture. Tin, steel, aluminum, or other metallic alloys could also be used. Various plastics, vinyl, and other rigid products might also be considered. Canvas, or other fabric, stretched across a frame could also be used in places.
The present hidden bed design has several advantages over previously created designs. Undisturbed storage is provided by the base cabinets. The base cabinets provides for drawer space, plain shelving or concealing old radiators or other eyesores or obstructions.
It also conserves space by taking up a small footprint. Its efficient use of floor space could be very useful in dormitories and professor's offices; military posts and prisons; factories, manufacturing and technology centers and startups; children's rooms; spare walk-in closets; just about anywhere that people need to work and live in small spaces.
The versatility of its modular design and self-leveling components are also great assets. The presently disclosed devices could potentially surround an entire room. The hidden beds described could encompass an entertainment center, a desk; a bookcase or two; a display cabinet; a wardrobe; a pantry; and a guncase to name a few.
All of the wallbed designers that have been listed previously, and the present disclosure, builds a bed that was hidden when not in use, and that was not a pain to stow away. The present device adds superior versatility to the previous designs. It is superior in storage, utility and function to all previously conceived products of this type.
The present application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 15/998,129 filed Jul. 6, 2018, which is a continuation-in-part of International Application PCT/US2016/000005 filed on Jan. 6, 2016 by the present inventor. All of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15998129 | Jul 2018 | US |
| Child | 17300582 | US |
