ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE

Abstract

The invention provides an adjustable bed comprising a frame (20) and at least one adjustable body support section including at least an adjustable backrest support section (12) pivotally mounted for angular adjustment with respect to the frame. The frame comprises at least two hinged sections (20a, 20b) including a head end sub-assembly configured as an upper body supporting section on which the backrest support section is mounted, and a separate toe end sub-assembly configured as a lower body supporting section hinged with respect to the upper body supporting section. Actuator means (40) is disposed within at least the upper body section for angular adjustment of the adjustable body support section. The head end sub-assembly and the toe end sub-assembly are capable of being folded together to reduce the length dimension of the bed for transportation and/or storage purposes and subsequently unfolded to provide a full length adjustable bed.

Claims

1. An adjustable bed comprising a frame and at least one adjustable body support section including at least an adjustable backrest support section pivotally mounted for angular movement with respect to the frame, characterized in that the frame comprises at least two hinged sections including a head end sub-assembly configured as an upper body supporting section on which the backrest support section is mounted, and a separate toe end sub-assembly configured as a lower body supporting section hinged with respect to the upper body supporting section, and actuator means disposed within at least the upper body section for angular adjustment of said at least one adjustable body support section, wherein the head end sub-assembly and the toe end sub-assembly are capable of being folded together to reduce the length dimension of the bed for transportation and/or storage purposes and subsequently unfolded to provide a full length adjustable bed.

2. An adjustable bed as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper body section further comprises a fixed support section adjacent to the backrest support section, the fixed support section being fixed in relation to the frame adjacent the hinged end of the backrest section to provide at least part of a fixed seat section of the bed.

3. An adjustable bed as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lower body section further comprises a lower body fixed support section adjacent to the upper body section.

4. An adjustable bed as claimed in claim 3 wherein the upper body fixed support section is hingedly connected to the lower body fixed support section.

5. An adjustable bed as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower body section of the frame is non-adjustable.

6. An adjustable bed as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper and lower hinged body sections of the frame comprise two separate hinged half sections of the frame.

7. An adjustable bed as claimed in claim 1 further comprising locking means for locking the respective upper and lower hinged body sections of the frame together when the bed is unfolded for use.

Description

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above and the rear, left hand side rear quarter, of a frame and operating mechanism of an adjustable bed according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the bed in a semi-upright configuration for supporting an occupant in a seated position;

[0019] FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 2 with the mattress support deck shown in ghost outline;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bed of FIG. 1 with the bed viewed from below;

[0021] FIG. 4 a side elevation view of the bed of FIG. 1, with the bed in the semi-upright adjusted position of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the bed in a fully upright adjusted position, with the mattress support deck also shown in ghost outline;

[0023] FIG. 6 a side elevation view of the bed similar to FIG. 4, with the bed in the fully upright adjusted position of FIG. 5;

[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the bed in a fully lowered position, with the mattress support deck also shown in ghost outline;

[0025] FIG. 8 a side elevation view of the bed, with the bed in the fully lowered position of FIG. 7;

[0026] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the bed of FIG. 1 with the bed viewed from above with the frame folded along a transverse hinge line;

[0027] FIG. 10 a side elevation view of the bed of Figure in the folded configuration of FIG. 9.

[0028] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 10 schematically show an adjustable bed 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The bed 10 comprises a mattress support deck 11 having three adjacent planar mattress support panels, including an adjustable back, neck and head (upper body) support section panel 12, a non-adjustable intermediate support section panel 14 and a non-adjustable lower body support section panel 16. Throughout the drawings of FIGS. 2, 5, and 7 the panels 12, 14, and 16 are shown in ghost outline in order to reveal the detailed construction of the adjustable bed 10.

[0029] The panels 12, 14 and 16 are mounted on a support frame 20. The upper body support panel 12 is adjustably mounted on the support frame 20. The intermediate and lower body panels 14 and 16 are fixed in relation to the frame 20.

[0030] The frame 20 comprises two half sections hinged together at their respective adjacent ends. The two half sections include a head end sub-assembly 20a and a toe end sub-assembly 20b. The two half sections 20a, 20b are hinged together at their respective adjacent ends by hinges 24 fixed to the upward facing surface of the panels 14 and 16 at their respective adjacent edges, as can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 10. The hinge arrangement is such that the two half sub-assemblies provide a full length structural support frame when hinged apart and locked into position, as shown in the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 8. The hinged sub-assemblies 20a, 20b allow the upper and lower halves of bed to be folded onto one another, as will be described in greater details below, for transportation, storage, distribution and delivery purposes.

[0031] The upper body support panel 12 is adjustably mounted on the head end support frame sub-assembly 20a. The intermediate support panel 14 is fixedly mounted on the head end support frame sub-assembly 20a, adjacent to the upper body support panel 14. The lower body panel 16 is fixed in relation to the toe end support frame sub-assembly 20b adjacent to the intermediate panel 14.

[0032] In FIGS. 5 and 6 the bed 10 is shown in a fully articulated configuration, adjusted for supporting an occupant in a raised upright seated position. In this position the upper body support section panel 12 is raised about, and inclined with respect to, the fixed intermediate support section panel 14 about a pivot axis defined by a plurality of hinges 22. Hinges 22 pivotally connect the upper body support section panel 12 to the fixed intermediate support section panel 16 along the respective adjacent edges of the panels.

[0033] Hinges 22 may be conventional pin bracket type hinges or, in other embodiments, constructed of a fatigue resistant plastics material as a so called “living hinge”. Other types of hinge are also contemplated including extruded metal tubes, for example extruded aluminium or aluminium alloy, having a d or p shape cross-section, including a longitudinal mounting flange as an integral part of the extrusion, where a hinge pin passes through the extruded tube in a known manner and optionally mounted on bearings (ball bearing type) located at the respective ends of the tube to support the hinge pin in a low friction manner. In preferred embodiments the hinges 22 are provided with limited angular adjustment so that the adjustable panel has a limited angular adjustment. The hinges may, for example, be provided with an adjustment stop so that the panel 12 may be raised by a pre-determined maximum amount about their respective pivot axis during adjustment of the bed, for example 60 degrees from the horizontal plane as defined by the other panels 14 and 16.

[0034] The present invention also contemplates embodiments (not shown) where the lower body support section 16 is also adjustable, that is to say, articulated with respect to the frame 20. Embodiments of the present invention may therefore provide a bed having an adjustable upper body section only so that the backrest may be raised to lift the occupant to a seated position, or a bed additionally having an adjustable lower body support section 16, which may comprise one or more adjustable and non-adjustable mattress support panels as is well known in the art.

[0035] In the lowered position (FIGS. 7 and 8) the adjustable support panel 12 combines with the fixed panels 14 and 16 to define a substantially flat planar horizontal mattress support platform or deck. The various support panels 12-16 may each have a mattress support cushion (not shown) of pre-determined thickness, which combine to provide a mattress foundation for supporting a suitable mattress. Alternatively, a mattress may be positioned directly on top of the panels 12-16. The panels 12-16 may be upholstered, with or without support cushions. The present invention also contemplates arrangements where the frame 10 is configured to be placed within the internal space of a bed surround, for example of the type common in North America, or integrated in a divan type bed foundation structure, more typically found in the United Kingdom. In the illustrated embodiment the bed frame 20 is provided with floor standing legs 28 and is thus self-supporting. Thus, the present invention also contemplates arrangements where the frame 10 is arranged to be positioned within a separate surrounding structure, for example a decorative wood or upholstered surround including head and toe boards and lateral side panels between the head and toe boards. The dimensions of the bed are such that the bed has the size of a double bed, but the present invention contemplates beds of many different widths including standard single size beds to much larger doubles.

[0036] The half frame sub-assemblies 20a and 20b each comprises a generally rectangular structural support frame, preferably constructed of metal but other materials may be used for various component parts, in addition to or instead of metal, including board type material, for example engineering plastic, MDF, timber or other fibre type board for example.

[0037] The two half sections 20a and 20b each comprise a pair of elongate parallel lateral side frame members in the form of respective side rails 30a, 30b. The side frame members extend longitudinally along the length of the bed on both sides thereof and are joined together at their respective ends by metal, preferably steel, cross-members 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b to form rectangular box type structural support frames 20a, 20b.

[0038] The side frame members 30a, 30b are constructed of suitably dimensioned box section metal tube, preferably steel, and the cross-members 31a and 32b of similar rectangular box section metal tube. The frame 20 is provided with legs 28 towards each of the corners of the rectangular frame structure and at an intermediate position at the end of the toe end sub-assembly 20b. The side members 30a, 30b and respective cross-members 31a, 31b and 32a, 32b are joined together by welding or alternatively by fixing means such as screws, bolts, fasteners or the like. In preferred embodiments the legs are attachably/detachably fixed to the frame by suitable reversible fixing means as are well known in the art, for example screw thread fittings.

[0039] The two half sub-assemblies 20a and 20b are provided with locking means for locking the frame members 30a, 30b together when the frame 20 is unfolded. The locking means comprises a metal plate 33 secured on the underside of the respective side frame members 30b in the region of the hinged connection 24. The metal plate extends over the underside of the adjacent side frame member 30a and is attachably/detachably fixed thereto by suitable reversible fixing means, as are well known in the art, for example screw thread fittings, such as a butterfly or winged nut/bolt connection 35 as in the illustrated embodiment.

[0040] The unfolded and locked support frame 20 constitutes a floor standing base of the bed 10. The frame 20 may stand directly on legs 28 or alternatively be provided with castors, feet or the like at the end of the legs, as is well known in the art.

[0041] Movement of the adjustable panel 12 is effected by means of a powered actuation mechanism comprising a linear actuator 40 and a pivotal “H-frame” 42. The H-frame 42 comprises a pair of arms 44 and a cross-member 46 extending between and connecting the arms 44 approximately midway along their length. The H-frame is pivotally mounted on the underside of the head end sub-assembly frame 20a at pivot points 48 at the apex of triangular shaped brackets 50 depending from the underside of the frame 20a in the region of hinges 22. The arms 44 are generally straight but curve upwards at their distal end where a roller in the form of a bearing 52 is rotatably mounted. The bearings 52 contact the underside of the panel 12 along wear resistant strips 54 which may be of metal, nylon or the like, along which the bearings 52 run when the panel 12 is lowered and raised.

[0042] Actuator 40 is a linear actuator of the Delta-drive type as produced by Dewert-Okin GmbH, having a first end (motor and gear box end) pivotally mounted to the cross-member 32b and a second end (rod) pivotally connected to a bracket 56 secured to the cross-member 46. The bracket 56 is configured such that the connection between the output rod of the actuator and the bracket 56 is in the plane of the panel 12. This is achieved by means of a cut-out 58 in the panel 12 through which the bracket 56 and end of the output rod of the actuator extend. The gearbox and motor end of the actuator 40 is connected to the cross-member 32b at a position midway along its length. The cross-member 32b is located in a plane lower than the general or notional plane of the frame 20 due to the downwardly canted end of the frame 20a. The side members 30a are inclined downwards along the final third of their length from a position immediately rearward of the legs 28 attached to the frame 20a. The side members are inclined downwards approximately 20 degrees or so, so that the connection point between the actuator 40 and the frame 20a is below and offset from the notional plane of the frame 20. This arrangement ensures the actuator is also inclined with respect to the notional plane of the frame and the plane of the panel 12 when the panel 12 is in its lowered position (FIGS. 7 and 8). In combination with the other end of the actuator being in the plane of the panel 12, by means of the bracket 56 and cut out 58, the actuator is able to apply a significant initial force to the panel 12 when the panel is to be raised from is lowered position of FIGS. 7 and 8. It is to be understood that the force component acting on the panel 12 when movement is initiated from its lowered position is dependent on the angular orientation of the actuator force vector with respect to the panel 12. In arrangements where the actuator 12 is oriented more or less horizontal with respect to the panel significant initial force is required to move the panel and any load supported by the panel from its lowered position due to poor leverage, compared with the arrangement of the illustrated embodiment where the component of the actuator force initially acting on the panel is greater due to its relative inclination to the panel 12.

[0043] Rotational movement of the panel 12 is thus effected by activation of linear electrical actuator 40 positioned on the underside of the bed within the space envelope of the frame. Thus, panel 12 is raised and lowered by respective extension and retraction of actuator 40. In operation, in the fully lowered configuration of the bed, the adjustable panel 12 lies flat on the side rails 30a, with the output rod of actuator 40 fully retracted towards the respective gearbox end of the actuator. This position is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In order to raise the panel 12, the output rod of the actuator 40 is extended away from the gearbox end of the actuator.

[0044] The frame 20 is manually folded and unfolded about the traverse hinge axis defined by the hinge elements 24. Either the head end or toe end frame is moved so that the two half sections of the frame are brought together by relative movement about the hinge axis as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 where the panels 12 and 14 lie flat on top of the panel 16. As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10 when the legs 28 are unattached the adjustable bed 10 has a very small space envelope, with half the length dimension of the unfolded bed in exchange for a modest increase in depth, approximately the additional depth of the toe end half frame.

[0045] It will be understood that while the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 10 concerns a bed having an adjustable upper body support, the present invention also contemplates embodiments wherein the bed comprises additional adjustable panels for different adjustment configurations, for example including lower body/leg support adjustment for supporting the occupant in a recumbent position.