OFFSET FLEXIBLE HINGE FOR A FOLDABLE BED, A FOLDABLE BED HAVING AN OFFSET FLEXIBLE HINGE, AND A FURNITURE APPARATUS INCLUDING A FOLDABLE BED HAVING AN OFFSET FLEXIBLE HINGE

Abstract

An offset hinge for a foldable bed, including a flexible connector connected between a first section and a second section of the foldable bed with the flexible connector being connected to the second section at a connection point on a surface of the second section that is offset a distance from an edge of the second section.

Claims

1. An offset hinge for a foldable bed, comprising: a flexible connector connected between a first section and a second section of the foldable bed with the flexible connector being connected to the second section at a connection point on a surface of the second section that is offset a distance from an edge of the second section, wherein a width of the flexible connector is approximately equal to one or more of i) half a thickness of the first section or ii) the distance of the offset from the edge of the second section.

2. The offset hinge of claim 1, wherein the foldable bed is configured to transition between a first position and a second position.

3. The offset hinge of claim 2, wherein, the first section forms a backrest and the second section forms a seating surface, when the foldable bed is in the first position, and the first and second sections form a sleeping surface, when the foldable bed is in the second position.

4. The offset hinge of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the second section extends underneath the first section when the foldable bed is in the first position such that a depth of the seating surface is less than a width thickness of the second section.

5. The offset hinge of claim 3, wherein the flexible connector extends from the connection point towards a front of the second section when the foldable bed is in the first position, and the flexible connector extends from the connection point away from the front of the second section when the foldable bed is in the second position.

6. The offset hinge of claim 5, wherein, when the foldable bed is in the second position, the flexible connector is parallel with a top surface of the first section and a top surface of the second section such that the offset of the connection point pulls the first section towards the second section to form the sleeping surface.

7. The offset hinge of claim 2, wherein the width of the flexible connector is approximately equal to the distance of the offset from the edge of the second section.

8. The offset hinge of claim 2, wherein the width of the flexible connector and the distance of the offset from the edge of the second section are each approximately half the thickness of the first section such that the first section rests entirely on the second section when the foldable bed is in the first position.

9. The offset hinge of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector is made of fabric.

10. The offset hinge of claim 9, wherein the flexible connector is a dual-layer of the fabric each connected between the first section and the second section of the foldable bed.

11. A foldable bed, comprising: a first section; a second section; and an offset hinge including a flexible connector connected between the first section and the second section with the flexible connector being connected to the second section at a connection point on a surface of the second section that is offset a distance from an edge of the second section, wherein a width of the flexible connector is approximately equal to one or more of i) half a thickness of the first section or ii) the distance of the offset from the edge of the second section.

12. The foldable bed of claim 11, wherein the foldable bed is configured to transition between a first position and a second position.

13. The foldable bed of claim 12, wherein, the first section forms a backrest and the second section forms a seating surface, when the foldable bed is in the first position, and the first and second sections form a sleeping surface, when the foldable bed is in the second position.

14. The foldable bed of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the second section extends underneath the first section when the foldable bed is in the first position such that a depth of the seating surface is less than a width thickness of the second section.

15. The foldable bed of claim 13, wherein the flexible connector extends from the connection point towards a front of the second section when the foldable bed is in the first position, and the flexible connector extends from the connection point away from the front of the second section when the foldable bed is in the second position.

16. The foldable bed of claim 15, wherein, when the foldable bed is in the second position, the flexible connector is parallel with a top surface of the first section and a top surface of the second section such that the offset of the connection point pulls the first section towards the second section to form the sleeping surface.

17. The foldable bed of claim 12, wherein a length of the flexible connector is equal to the distance of the offset.

18. The foldable bed of claim 17, wherein the length of the flexible connector and the distance of the offset are each approximately half a depth of the first section such that the first section rests entirely on the second section when the foldable bed is in the first position.

19. The foldable bed of claim 11, wherein the flexible connector is made of fabric.

20. The foldable bed of claim 19, wherein the flexible connector is a dual-layer of the fabric each connected between the first section and the second section of the foldable bed.

21. The offset hinge of claim 2, wherein the width of the flexible connector is approximately equal to one or more of i) half the thickness of the first section or ii) the distance of the offset from the edge of the second section such that the flexible connector is configured to limit the first section to rotating up to approximately 90 degrees when transitioning from the first position to the second position with a same surface of the first section forming a backrest in the first position and a portion of a sleeping surface in the second position.

22. The offset hinge of claim 2, wherein the width of the flexible connector is approximately equal to half the thickness of the first section.

23. The offset hinge of claim 2, wherein the width of the flexible connector is approximately equal to one or more of i) half the thickness of the first section or ii) the distance of the offset from the edge of the second section such that the flexible connector is configured to restrict further forward movement of the first section with respect to the second section when the foldable bed is in the first position and limit the first section to rotating up to approximately 90 degrees when transitioning from the first position to the second position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a furniture apparatus having a foldable bed according to example embodiments.

[0030] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an enlarged view of a foldable bed having an offset flexible hinge according to example embodiments.

[0031] FIGS. 7 to 18 illustrate various views of a foldable bed according to example embodiments.

[0032] FIGS. 19 to 21 illustrate an example of a conventional foldable bed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0034] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being connected or coupled to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being directly connected or directly coupled to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., between versus directly between, adjacent versus directly adjacent, etc.).

[0035] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises, comprising, includes and/or including, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0036] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, portions, and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, portions, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, portion, or section from another element, component, region, portion, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, portion, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, portion, or section without departing from the scope of the example embodiments.

[0037] Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as upper, lower, above, below, top, bottom, upward, downward, upwardly, downwardly, forward, rearward, and the like refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as front, back, rear, bottom, side, and the like describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms first, second, and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context.

[0038] In some embodiments, substantially extending in a particular direction may indicate that an element extends in a direction that is approximately along the identified plane, with a permissible margin of deviation of, for example, 0-20%. Additionally, approximately equal may indicate that the identified quantities, measurements, or values are close enough to each other to be considered nearly the same, taking into account a reasonable margin of error or tolerance, for example, 0-20%, that would be acceptable in the given context.

[0039] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0040] Example embodiments relate to a foldable bed having an offset flexible hinge, and a furniture object including same. Example embodiments provide that the foldable bed may be a mattress or any other type of foldable bed, and that the furniture object may be a futon or any other type of furniture object that utilizes a foldable bed such as a rollaway bed, a sofa sleeper, etc. The furniture object described herein may be constructed, manufactured, or otherwise built in a variety of shapes including any rectangular shape, square shape, and/or any other like shape. The furniture objects described herein may be constructed, manufactured, or otherwise built using a variety of materials, such as wood, plastic, metal, minerals and/or any combination thereof.

[0041] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a furniture apparatus having a foldable bed according to example embodiments.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a furniture apparatus 10 may include a support frame 20, a back frame 30, and a seat frame 40, where a foldable bed 100 may be placed upon the back frame 30 and the seat frame 40. The furniture apparatus 10 may further include a hinge mechanism (not shown) connecting the seat frame and the back frame, and a locking mechanism (not shown) that locks the hinge mechanism in either a position associated with setting the foldable bed 100 in a first position (or, alternatively, a couch position) or the second position (or alternatively, a bed position). Further, the furniture apparatus 10 may also include legs, armrests and support bars that extend parallel along the seat frame and back frame to elevate and reinforce the foldable bed 100.

[0043] The foldable bed 100 may include an outer ticking and a batting, made from one or more materials, such as cotton, wool, down feathers, mattress springs and/or foam, which is encased by the outer ticking. The outer ticking may include an upper piece of fabric and a lower piece of fabric sown together to form an oblong shaped box into which the batting is stuffed.

[0044] The foldable bed 100 may be divided into two sections including a first section (or, alternatively, a backrest) 120 and a second section (or, alternatively, a seat) 130. The foldable bed 100 may further include an offset flexible hinge 150 including a flexible connector configured to connect, for example by way of the outer ticking, the first section 120 and the second section 130. However, as discussed in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 5-18, example embodiments are not limited thereto and the offset flexible hinge 150 may be connected between the first section 120 and the second section 130 by various means.

[0045] FIGS. 19 to 21 illustrate an example of a conventional foldable bed.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 19 to 21, a conventional foldable bed 100 may include a first section (or, alternatively, a backrest) 120 and a second section (or, alternatively, a seat) 130 connected together at an edge thereof, by for, example, sharing a common outer ticking or each having a separate outer ticking sewn together to form a hinge between the edge of the first section 120 and the edge of the second section 130.

[0047] The first section 120 may have a height A that extends substantially in the Y direction and the second section 130 may have a width B that extends substantially in the X direction when the conventional foldable bed 100 is in the first (or, alternatively, the couch) position with the first section 120 and the second section 130 supported by the back frame 30 and the seat frame 40, respectively.

[0048] When unfolded to the bed position, the width B of the seat 130 and the height A of the backrest 120 extend jointly in the X direction, together defining a width W of the sleeping surface such that the width of the sleeping surface W is defined by the following Equation:

[00001]$WA+B$

[0049] Beds come in various standard sizes and widths that are established by various industry bodies and organizations to maintain consistency across the furniture and mattress industry. In the United States, the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) is one such organization that helps define these standards. The ISPA works with manufacturers, retailers, and other stakeholders to ensure that bed sizes are standardized, allowing consumers to find compatible bedding and accessories regardless of the brand or retailer. Similar organizations exist in other countries, ensuring that standard bed sizes are recognized and adhered to globally.

[0050] A sleeping surface of a full size bed, also known as a double bed, has a width W that typically measures 54 inches wide, a sleeping surface of a queen size bed has a width W that typically measures 60 inches wide, and a sleeping surface of a king size bed has a width W that typically measures 76 inches wide.

[0051] It may be desirable to limit a depth D of the seating surface, defined as the length of the seat 130 between the edge of the seat 130 and the front surface of the backrest 120 when in the first (or, alternatively, the couch) position, irrespective of the overall width W of the sleeping surface to allow enough clearance for an average-sized person's knees to bend at a 90-degree angle and allow their feet to comfortably touch the floor when seated down on the conventional foldable bed 100 in the couch position with their back against the first section 120.

[0052] In terms of the conventional foldable bed 100, as discussed above, the backrest 120 and the seat 130 are connected at edges thereof such that the depth D of the seating surface may equal the width B of the seat 130. Thus, as shown in FIG. 19, when the conventional foldable bed 100 is in the first (or, alternatively, the couch) position with the backrest 120 and the seat 130 substantially forming a right angle, a void V is created at the junction of the backrest 120 and the seat 130. This void V is essentially a cube, with each side having the same width as a depth Y of the sleeping surface (e.g., a depth of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130) in a direction perpendicular to both the length and a width W of the sleeping surface.

[0053] Accordingly, since the additional width needed beyond the depth D of the seating surface to form a sleeping surface having a desired width W is provided entirely by the height A of the backrest 120, the height A of the backrest 120 must be large in such a conventional design to form the sleeping surface having the desired width W.

[0054] For example, when the depth D of the seating surface, and thus, also the width B of the seat 130, is set to 22 inches, to form the sleeping surface having the desired width W, the height A of the backrest 120 may be:

[00002]$A=W-22$

[0055] Accordingly, due to the truncated width B of the seat 130 with the empty void V, to form a sleeping surface with the dimensions of full-size bed, the height A of the backrest 120 would need to be 32 inches in order to obtain a width W of the sleeping surface of 54 inches. Likewise, to form a sleeping surface with the dimensions of a queen size bed, the height A of the backrest 120 would need to be 38 inches in order to obtain a width W of 60 inches, and to form a sleeping surface with the dimensions of a king size bed, the height A of the backrest 120 would need to be 54 inches.

[0056] Such an extended height A of the conventional backrest 120 may be undesirable in terms of aesthetics and functionality. For example, it may be desirable for the furniture apparatus 10 to look similar to a conventional sofa or chair when placed in the first (or, alternatively, the couch) position, and it may be awkward when the backrest 120 extends above the height of a typical backrest. Further, such an extended backrest 120 may extend above the shoulders of a person and may restrict the user's ability to tilt their head backwards when sitting on the conventional foldable bed 100 in the couch position.

[0057] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 21, when the foldable bed is in the couch position, the backrest 120 may be vertically offset in the negative X direction from the seat 130 and above the seat 130 in the Y direction such that the backrest 120 may be positioned at an angle above the seat 130 with a pivot point therebetween acting as a fulcrum. Gravity may pull the backrest 120 downward, and because the backrest 120 is not perfectly vertical, this gravitational force may create a rotational effect around the fulcrum. This gravitational force, which may increase as the height A of the backrest 120 increases, is partially transferred to the seat 130, which may cause the conventional foldable bed 100 to naturally tend to fall back into the bed position.

[0058] Accordingly, the frame may need to include a stopping mechanism 45 to properly secure the conventional foldable bed 100 to the frame. However, the stopping mechanism 45 can wear out over time, become misaligned, or fail to engage properly, leading to the conventional foldable bed 100 unexpectedly shifting into the bed position. This issue can cause inconvenience and discomfort, as users may find themselves suddenly reclined when they intended to sit upright, necessitating frequent adjustments and potentially even repairs to ensure the conventional foldable bed 100 remains functional as, for example, a couch.

[0059] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an enlarged view of a foldable bed having an offset flexible hinge according to example embodiments.

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, in order to address the above issues, in one or more example embodiments, the foldable bed 100 may include an offset flexible hinge 150 that includes a flexible connector configured to connect the backrest 120 and the seat 130.

[0061] In some example embodiments, the flexible connector of the offset flexible hinge 150 may be made of a flexible fabric material, such as a same fabric used to form the outer ticking of the foldable bed 100. For example, the offset flexible hinge 150 may be a continuous part of the outer ticking of the backrest 120. However, example embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, in some example embodiments, the offset flexible hinge 150 may be made of a heavier duty piece of fabric. Further, the offset flexible hinge 150 may be made of other flexible material, such as rubber, nylon or polyester webbing, or leather. Further, rather than being continuous in the length direction of the foldable bed 100, the offset flexible hinge 150 may instead include a plurality of discrete flexible connectors spaced apart from each other along the length of the foldable bed with each flexible connectors being a strip connecting the backrest 120 and the seat 130.

[0062] In some example embodiments, the offset flexible hinge 150 may be constructed with a weave pattern that provides flexibility in the x, y, and z directions. Reinforced edges ensure secure attachment to the backrest 120 and seat 130 through adhesive, sewing, or mechanical fasteners. The fabric is engineered to withstand repeated flexing.

[0063] In some example embodiments, the offset flexible hinge 150 may be a dual-layer structure that provides a stronger connection between the backrest 120 and the seat 130.

[0064] In some example embodiments, the offset flexible hinge 150 may include zippers along one or more of the long sides thereof so that the backrest 120 and seat 130 may be separated from each other, for example, for moving or cleaning purposes.

[0065] FIGS. 7-18 illustrate a foldable bed according to example embodiments.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 7-18, the offset flexible hinge 150 includes a flexible connector configured to connect the backrest 120 and the seat 130 such that a connection point between the offset flexible hinge 150 and the seat 130 is offset on an upper surface of the seat 130 a distance O in the X direction from the edge of the seat 130. Therefore, as shown in the figures, at least a portion of the seat 130 may extend underneath the backrest 120 when the foldable bed 100 is in the first (or, alternatively, the couch) position. Accordingly, the width B of the seat 130 may be greater than the depth D of the seating surface such that a greater portion of the sleeping surface is formed by the seat 130 than the backrest 120 as compared to the conventional foldable bed 100.

[0067] In some example embodiments, the offset O of the offset flexible hinge 150 from the edge of the seat 130 may be set such that the sum of the offset O of the flexible hinge 150 and a width Z of the flexible connector of the offset flexible hinge 150 is greater than or equal to the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130:

[00003]$O+ZY$

[0068] However, example embodiments are not limited thereto and, in other example embodiments, the offset O of the offset flexible hinge 150 from the edge of the seat 130 may be set such that the sum of the offset O of the flexible hinge 150 and a width Z of the flexible connector of the offset flexible hinge 150 is less than or equal to the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130:

[00004]$O+ZY$

[0069] When the sum of the offset O of the offset flexible hinge 150 and the width of the offset flexible hinge 150 is greater than or equal to the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130, the backrest 120 may rest entirely on top of the seat 130 when the foldable bed 100 is in the first position (or, alternatively, the couch position) such that the rear end of the seat 130 is extended to align with the back side of the backrest 120 and the void V is eliminated.

[0070] In some example embodiments, the sum of the offset O of the offset flexible hinge 150 and the width Z of the offset flexible hinge 150 may be approximately equal to the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130 (e.g., O+ZY) such that, in addition to eliminating the void V, when the foldable bed 100 transitions into the sleeping surface, the offset flexible hinge 150 pulls the backrest 120 and the seat 130 together tightly to reduce any gaps in the sleeping surface. As such, if the width Z of the offset flexible hinge 150 is approximately equal to half of the depth Y of each of the backrest and the seat 130, then the distance O that the offset flexible hinge 150 is offset may also be approximately one half the depth Y of each of the backrest and the seat 130 such that O+ZY and the backrest 120 and the seat 130 are pulled together tightly in the bed position.

[0071] By having the backrest 120 rest entirely on top of the seat 130, the width B of the seat 130 may be extended by an amount equal to the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130 while the depth D of the seating surface remains the same, and, thus to form the sleeping surface having the desired width W, the height A of the backrest 120:

[00005]$AW-D+Y$

[0072] Accordingly, if length of the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130 is 8 inches, the width B of the seat 130 may be extended from 22 inches to 30 inches while the depth D of the seating surface may remain 22 inches, and, thus to form the sleeping surface having the desired width W, the height A of the backrest 120 is:

[00006]$AW-30$

[0073] Accordingly, due to the width B of the seat 130 being extended by a length equal to the depth Y of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130 that fills the empty void V, to form a sleeping surface with the dimensions of full-size bed, the height A of the backrest 120 would only need to be 24 inches in order to obtain a width W of the sleeping surface of 54 inches. Likewise, to form a sleeping surface with the dimensions of a queen size bed, the height A of the backrest 120 would only need to be 30 inches in order to obtain a width W of 60 inches, and to form a sleeping surface with the dimensions of a king size bed, the height A of the backrest 120 would only need to be 46 inches.

[0074] In some example embodiments, the offset flexible hinge 150 may extend from the connection point in a direction leaning towards a front of the seat 130 when the foldable bed 100 is in the first (or, alternatively, the couch) position, and may extend from the connection point away from the front edge of the seat 130 when the foldable bed 100 is in the second (or, alternatively, the bed) position. More specifically, when the foldable bed 100 is in the second (or, alternatively, the bed) position, the offset flexible hinge 150 may be parallel with a top surface of each of the backrest 120 and the seat 130 such that the offset of the connection point pulls the backrest 120 towards the seat 130 to form the sleeping surface.

[0075] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 17, when the foldable bed 100 is in the couch position, the backrest 120 is positioned directly above the seat 130. Therefore, gravity may push the backrest 120 into the seat 130 rather than create a rotational effect around the fulcrum.

[0076] Accordingly, the frame may not need to include the stopping mechanism 45 to properly secure the conventional foldable bed 100 to the frame, and, thus, may not suffer from the problems associated with failure of the stopping mechanism 45 that may lead to an unexpectedly shift into the bed position.