Patent Application
20070079437
A bed can serve the basic utilitarian function of providing a sleeping surface. Hopefully, the bed is comfortable and typically includes a frame that supports a mattress. The mattress typically contains cotton, air, foam, or other suitable filling.
In the hotel industry, beds can present a number of challenges. Hotel rooms offer limited space which can frequently support a number of occupants. The occupants can each use their own bed or share a bed. Frequently, a hotel can be called on to add a bed to accommodate an additional occupant or provide additional sleeping accommodations. This can require the hotel to move an extra bed into the room, which can be expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming.
Another approach to increasing sleeping accommodations is to provide a pull-out bed in the room. The pull-out bed may be a sofa component. However, the frame on such a pull-out bed can be uncomfortable and become damaged with repeated uses. Current attempts to make a satisfactory sofa bed have been largely unsuccessful. There remains a long-felt need for a suitable means of creating a satisfactory sofa bed.
Preliminarily, it should be noted that certain terms used herein, such as for example above, below, upper, lower left and right, are used to facilitate the description of the invention. Unless otherwise specified or made apparent by the context of the discussion, such terms and other directional terms should be interpreted with reference to the figure(s) under discussion. Such terms are not intended as a limitation on the position in which the invention or components may be used. Indeed, it is contemplated that the components of the invention may be easily positioned in any desired orientation for use. Likewise, numerical terms such as for example “first”, and “second” are not intended as a limitation or to imply a sequence, unless otherwise specified or made apparent by the context of the discussion. The term “operatively connected” may be understood to include a linking together of the portions under consideration and may include a physical engagement and/or a functional or operational connection.
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
The illustrated bearing portion 44 includes a first support 48, a first mattress 52, and a plurality of seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c. Three seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c are shown. Any suitable number or type of cushions may be employed. The illustrated first support 48 is a first platform. The first support 48 supports the first mattress 52. The illustrated first support 48 is a first platform. The term “support” may be understood to include one or more structures adapted to generally hold up, serve as a foundation for, and/or a prop for something—such as for example a mattress.
The first mattress 52 and the first support 48 are operatively connected. The first support 48 is positioned generally beneath the first mattress 52. The illustrated first mattress 52 has a first length L1. The illustrated first support 48 has a second length L2. The illustrated first mattress 52 has a first width W1. The illustrated first support 48 has a second width W2. The first support 48 may be generally longer and generally wider than the first mattress 52.
The illustrated movable bed 28 includes a plurality of wheels—two wheels 58, 60 being shown. The wheels allow the movable bed 28 to be selectively removed from under the couch 24 and replaced back underneath. The wheels likewise allow the movable bed 28 to be selectively positioned in any suitable location relative to the couch 24. For example, in a hotel room, the movable bed 28 may be moved to another side of the hotel room or out of the hotel room all together. It will be appreciated that the movable bed 28 is infinitely positionable. Each wheel may be a suitable caster. The term “caster” is understood to include a wheel, generally on a mount, that allows the wheel to turn in more than one direction. The caster may be attached to the movable bed 28 in any suitable fashion.
It will be appreciated that the user(s) of the movable bed 28 can move the movable bed 28 in any direction, along any suitable axis/axes, and/or in any distance as desired—as indicated by the arrows 64. Similarly, the user(s) can lay generally horizontally on the movable bed 28, the couch 24 or both as desired. Likewise the user(s) can also sit on the seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c on the couch 24 while the movable bed 28 is generally underneath the couch 24 or not.
The illustrated movable bed 28 includes a second mattress 68 operatively connected to a second support 72. The illustrated second support 72 is a second platform. The second support 72 supports the second mattress 68.
The illustrated second mattress 68 has a third length L3. The illustrated second mattress 68 has a third width W3. The illustrated second support 72 has a fourth length L4. The illustrated second support 72 has a fourth width W4. The second support 72 may be generally longer and generally wider than the second mattress 68. The first length L1 of the first mattress 52 may be about equal to the third length L3 of the second mattress 68—or any other suitable dimension. The second length L2 of the first support 48 may be about equal to the fourth length L4 of the second mattress 68—or any other suitable dimension.
The illustrated sleep-a-way couch 20 includes seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c which define seating portions. It will be appreciated that the seating portions are those portions of the seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c that are generally exposed, not covered by the back cushions 76a, 76b, 76c. The seating portions are those areas of the sleep-a-way couch 20 that are available for the users 80a, 80b, 80c to sit on—whether there are seat cushions employed or not. The illustrated seating portions of the illustrated seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c include a seating width W5. In a preferred embodiment, the seating width W5 is within the range of from about 18 inches to about 22 inches.
The illustrated sleep-a-way couch 20 includes a seating height H1. The illustrated seating height H1 is about the distance from the floor to the top of the seating portions and/or seat cushions 56a, 56b, 56c. The term “floor” may be understood to include the surface on which the sleep-a-way couch 20 rests. In a preferred embodiment, the seating height H1 is within the range of from about 18 inches to about 22 inches. In a preferred embodiment the ratio of the seating width W5 to the seating height H1 is within the range of from about 0.8 to about 1.3. Any suitable ratio of the seating width W5 to the seating height H1 may be employed.
The present invention offers a number of advantages. No longer is the extra bed in the hotel room uncomfortable and provided merely because there is limited space in the hotel room and for the convenience of the hotel. Children, or even adults, do not have to sleep together just because there are only two beds (regular bed and a sofa bed) in the hotel room. A sleep-a-way couch can be a bed and a couch at the same time. Just because someone wants to sleep, doesn't mean all the sitting locations must be used. Fewer, or preferably no, back strains or worker's compensation claims are caused by a fold-up mechanism that gets bent and hung up. Two comfortable beds can be made from one piece of furniture—and the cushions can also placed on the ground to provide a separate sleeping or sitting surface. Buyers and users may expect fewer replacement and repair expenses from folding mechanisms in order to maintain functionality. Families with small children might find the movable bed 28 safer to sleep on than a conventional bed or crib.
In the home context, the invention may be employed when guests stay over night—each guest can have a separate bed. Crumbs can be easily swept and removed from under the couch 24 and the movable bed 28. In the hotel context, the movable bed 28 can be moved anywhere in the room to separate sleepers. Children of opposite genders do not have to sleep together without the purchase of an additional rollaway.
The invention may be made from any suitable material and by any suitable method. The invention may be adapted to fit a wide variety of uses. It will be appreciated that the components of the invention may be easily modified as needed to accommodate varying sizes and shapes. The invention offers couch seating in a limited seating area, such as a hotel room, college dorm room, family room, and/or living room.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the accompanying description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The disclosure may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including equivalent constructions. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract and disclosure are neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor are they intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
