Claims
- 1. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable supporting means coupled to said base assembly for supporting furniture components;
- at least one generally horizontal self-standing support means fixedly attached to said base assembly that independently extends from said base assembly for stabilizing said convertible furniture assembly;
- at least one two-bar torsion system wherein a first bar cantilevers from said retractable supporting means and a second bar cantilevers from said stationary base assembly generally parallel and adjacent to said first bar;
- at least one clamping means for fixedly attaching said first and second bars to one another;
- a self-energizing latching means for automatically latching said retractable supporting means in a lowered position; and
- a retaining means for holding loose articles on said furniture components as the retractable supporting means is retracted.
- 2. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said self-standing support means projects outwardly from the base assembly in generally the same direction that the retractable supporting means projects from the base assembly when said retractable supporting means is in the lowered position.
- 3. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retractable supporting means lowers to a position generally over the self-standing support means.
- 4. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said two-bar torsion system cantilevers within said stationary base assembly generally perpendicular to a plane that the retractable support means is retracted in.
- 5. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said clamping means clamps a cantilevered portion of said first bar to an adjacent cantilevered portion of said second bar.
- 6. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 5, wherein said clamping means slidingly engages with said bars, thereby allowing said clamping means to be adjustably positioned along said cantilevered bars before fixedly clamping said bars to one another.
- 7. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said self-energizing latching means has a latch that activates automatically when the retractable supporting means is fully lowered by coupling said retractable supporting means to said stationary base assembly.
- 8. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 7, wherein said self-energizing latching means is deactivated by depressing a foot pedal, thereby allowing said retractable supporting means to be retracted into a raised position.
- 9. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said self-energizing latching means has a means for initiating a lowering motion of said furniture components that is activated by depressing a foot pedal.
- 10. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retaining means spans from a lower portion of the retractable supporting means to a generally higher portion of the stationary base assembly.
- 11. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said retaining means spans laterally, generally from one edge of the retractable supporting means to the other.
- 12. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable support frame coupled to said base assembly that supports furniture components;
- at least one generally horizontal, self-standing outrigger, fixedly attached to said base assembly that independently extends from said base assembly for stabilizing said convertible furniture assembly;
- at least one, two-bar torsion system wherein a first bar cantilevers from said retractable support frame and a second bar cantilevers from said stationary base assembly generally parallel and adjacent to said first bar;
- at least one adjustable clamp for fixedly clamping cantilevered portions of said first and second bars to one another;
- at least one torsion bar locking assembly that rigidly attaches said first bar to the retractable support frame and additionally couples said retractable support frame to the second bar, thereby pivotably coupling said retractable support frame to the stationary base assembly;
- a self-energizing latch that automatically latches the retractable support frame to the base assembly when said retractable support frame reaches a lowered position; and
- a retaining member that spans from a lower portion of the retractable support frame to a generally higher portion of the stationary base assembly, thereby holding loose articles on said furniture components as the retractable support frame is retracted.
- 13. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said self-standing outrigger projects from the base assembly in generally the same direction that the retractable support frame projects from said base assembly when said retractable support frame is in the lowered position.
- 14. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said retractable support frame lowers to a position generally over said self-standing outrigger.
- 15. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said convertible furniture utilizes two of said two-bar torsion systems.
- 16. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said two-bar torsion system cantilevers within said stationary base assembly generally perpendicular to a plane that the retractable support frame is retracted in.
- 17. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 13, wherein said two bar torsion system cantilevers only across a portion of said stationary base assembly.
- 18. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said torsion bar locking assembly fixedly attaches said first cantilevered bar to said retractable support frame by utilizing a two-piece construction that traps said first bar between two L-shaped members bolted to one another, one of which is welded to the retractable support frame.
- 19. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 18, wherein said torsion bar locking assembly further has a bore passing through it such that said second bar passes through the bore, thereby allowing said second bar to attach to the base assembly and act as a pivot member for the retractable support as it is raised and lowered.
- 20. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 19, wherein said bore is fitted with a bushing, thereby allowing the locking assembly to rotate easily and without wearing on the bore.
- 21. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 20, wherein said second bar passing through said bushing and fixedly attaching to the stationary base assembly, indirectly couples the stationary base assembly to the retractable support frame thereby allowing said support frame to pivot about said second bar with respect to the stationary base assembly.
- 22. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said clamp fixedly clamps a cantilevered portion of said first bar to an adjacent cantilevered portion of said second bar.
- 23. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 22, wherein said clamp slidingly engages with said bars to permit the clamping of any two adjacent cantilevered portions of said bars, thereby allowing said two-bar torsion system to be adjustable and capable of storing a predetermined amount of energy in said bars.
- 24. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said self-energizing latch is activated automatically when the retractable support frame is fully lowered by coupling said retractable support frame to said stationary base assembly.
- 25. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 24, wherein said self-energizing latch couples the retractable support frame in its lowered position to said stationary base assembly by engaging a pin like means on the retractable support frame with a wedging angle surface.
- 26. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said self-energizing latch is deactivated by depressing a foot pedal, thereby allowing said retractable support frame to be retracted into a raised position.
- 27. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said retaining member spans laterally across said retractable support frame, generally from one edge to the other.
- 28. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 27, wherein said retaining member in one embodiment comprises an industrial shade that unwinds and rewinds as the furniture components are retracted.
- 29. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 27, wherein said retaining member in an alternate embodiment comprises a rigid member that slidingly engages with the base assembly as the furniture components are retracted.
- 30. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 29, wherein said rigid member serves the dual purpose of retaining loose articles on the furniture components during retraction, and acting as a head board.
- 31. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 12, wherein said rigid member retains both inadvertently left articles such as wallets, coins etc., and purposely left items such as pillows, bedding etc., from sliding into the base assembly during retraction of the furniture components.
- 32. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable supporting means coupled to said base assembly for supporting furniture components;
- at least one generally horizontal self-standing support means fixedly attached to said base assembly that independently extends from said base assembly for stabilizing said convertible assembly; and
- a torsion system wherein a first bar extends from said retractable supporting means and a second bar extends from said stationary base assembly generally parallel and adjacent to said first bar with one of said bars having a free end.
- 33. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 32, wherein said self-standing support means projects outwardly from the base assembly in generally the same direction that the retractable supporting means projects from the base assembly when said retractable supporting means is in a lowered position.
- 34. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 32, wherein said retractable supporting means lowers to a position generally over the self-standing support means.
- 35. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable supporting means coupled to said base assembly for supporting furniture components;
- at least one two-bar torsion system wherein a first bar cantilevers from said retractable supporting means and a second bar cantilevers from said stationary base assembly generally parallel and adjacent to said first bar; and
- at least one clamping means for fixedly attaching said first and second bars to one another.
- 36. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 35, wherein said two-bar torsion system cantilevers within said stationary base assembly generally perpendicular to a plane that the retractable support means is retracted in.
- 37. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 35, wherein said clamping means clamps a cantilevered portion of said first bar to an adjacent cantilevered portion of said second bar.
- 38. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 37, wherein said clamping means slidingly engages with said bars, thereby allowing said clamping means to be adjustably positioned along said cantilevered bars before fixedly clamping said bars to one another.
- 39. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable supporting means coupled to said base assembly for supporting furniture components; and
- a self-energizing latching means for automatically latching said retractable supporting means in a lowered position, wherein said self-energizing latching means is deactivated by depressing a foot pedal, thereby allowing said retractable supporting means to be retracted into a raised position.
- 40. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 39, wherein said self energizing latching means has a latch that activates automatically when the retractable supporting means is fully lowered by coupling said retractable supporting means to said stationary base assembly.
- 41. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 39, wherein said self-energizing latching means has a means for initiating a lowering motion of said furniture components that is activated by depressing a foot pedal.
- 42. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable supporting means coupled to said base assembly for supporting furniture components; and
- a retaining means for holding loose articles on said furniture components as the retractable supporting means is retracted, said retaining means includes a pliable sheet stored on a self-winding roller.
- 43. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 42, wherein said retaining means spans from a lower portion of the retractable supporting means to a generally higher portion of the stationary base assembly.
- 44. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 42, wherein said retaining means spans laterally, generally from one edge of the retractable supporting means to the other.
- 45. The convertible furniture frame assembly according to claim 42, wherein said retaining means is an industrial shade.
- 46. A convertible furniture frame assembly comprising:
- a stationary base assembly;
- at least one retractable supporting means coupled to said base assembly for supporting furniture components;
- a torsion system wherein a first bar extends from said retractable supporting means and a second bar extends from said stationary base assembly generally parallel and adjacent to said first bar with one of said bars having a free end; and
- at least one clamping means for fixedly attaching said first and second bars to one another.
- 47. The convertible furniture assembly of claim 46 wherein said first bar extends across a width of the convertible furniture frame assembly between portions of the base assembly.
- 48. The convertible furniture assembly of claim 46 wherein said first bar extends across a width of the convertible furniture frame assembly between portions of the retractable supporting means.
- 49. The convertible furniture assembly of claim 46 wherein said second bar cantilevers from a portion of said base assembly.
- 50. The convertible furniture assembly of claim 46 wherein said second bar cantilevers from a portion of said retractable supporting means.
Parent Case Info
This application is a 371 of PCT/US92/03817, filed May 7, 1992, which is a Continuation In Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/593,665, filed Oct. 5, 1990 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,737.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
102e Date |
371c Date |
PCT/US92/03817 |
5/7/1992 |
|
|
12/13/1994 |
12/13/1994 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO93/21801 |
11/11/1993 |
|
|
US Referenced Citations (11)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
593665 |
Oct 1990 |
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