AU2011100786A4 - Bed support - Google Patents

Abstract

A bed assembly (10) includes a base frame (12) for supporting a mattress. The base frame (12) includes at least two side beams (14,16) and a support rail (32) for supporting at least one end of the base frame (12) above a support surface. The support rail (32) includes a transverse 5 member (34) extending between the two side beams (14, 16). Each end of the transverse member (34) has an attachment means (36) for securing each end of the transverse member (34) to a respective side beam (14, 16). The support rail (32) further includes one or more legs (44) for supporting the transverse member (34) above the support surface. The one or more legs (44) are spaced from the outer ends of the transverse member (34) such that the base frame (12) appears, 10 at least from some viewing angles, to float above the support surface. The support rail (32) comprising the transverse member (34), the attachment means (36) and the one or more legs (44) is a one piece metal unit. ||T )

Description

P100101 1 Regulaton 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Bed support The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 Bed Support Field of the invention The present invention relates to a bed assembly of the type referred to as a "floating bed". The invention also relates to a support rail for a bed base, in particular for bed of the floating 5 type. Background of the invention "Floating beds" are generally of the form having a bed base which is supported, at least at the lower end, in such a way that it appears to float above the floor or other support surface on which the bed is supported. The floating bed may have a traditional bed head but could also be 10 floatingly supported at the head end of the bed. In such floating supports, the bed base is supported by support posts resting on the support surface, but these support posts are generally disposed inwardly from the sides and the foot of the bed. Therefore, when the bed base is generally spaced close to the floor, e.g. about 20 to 30cm from the floor, then the bed base appears to float above the support surface. [5 Typically the bed base comprises a peripheral frame, made up of at least two side beams and a foot beam. The structure therebetween is for supporting a mattress e.g. by way of a slat arrangement. Such a structure will generally not support point loads. Thus, there is a difficulty in supporting the bed base by the support legs which are spaced inwardly from the main structural elements of the bed base. Prior art arrangements have been typically made up of 20 multiple pieces and brackets which need to be assembled on site, adding to the complexity and time for the assembly process. Additionally, the provision of multiple pieces leads to the greater likelihood that pieces will become lost during transit, when a bed is moved from one location to another. Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an 25 acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art.

3 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bed assembly and a support rail for a bed base which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages. Summary of the invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support rail 5 for a bed base, the support rail comprising: a transverse member, each end of which has an attachment means for securing each end of the transverse member to the bed base; and one or more legs for supporting the transverse member above a support surface, wherein the one or more legs are set in from the outer ends of the transverse member such that in 10 assembled configuration, the bed base appears, at least from some viewing angles, to float above the support surface; wherein the support rail comprising the transverse member, the attachment means and the one or more legs is a one piece metal unit. The attachment means are suitably integral with the transverse member at each end 15 thereof. By "integral", it is meant that each attachment means is non-detachably fixed to the transverse member. For example, each attachment means may be welded to the transverse member. Alternatively, each attachment means might be integrally formed with the transverse member e.g., the transverse member with the two integral attachment means may be cast as a single piece. However, welding is by far the preferred means. The attachment means may be in 20 the form of one or more flanged portions. Alternatively, the attachment means may be in the form of a plate which is welded onto the end of the transverse member. Whether a plate or flanges, the attachment means may be secured to the bed base through the use of fasteners. Thus, apertures may be provided in the flanges or plates for this purpose. Likewise, the one or more legs are also suitably integral with the transverse member. By 25 "integral", it is meant that the legs are preferably non-detachably fixed to the transverse member e.g. by welding. The legs are preferably in the form of two spaced posts or feet which are spaced apart from each other and also set in from the ends of the transverse member.

4 In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a bed assembly including: a base frame for supporting a mattress, the base frame including at least two side beams; and a support rail for supporting at least one end of the base frame above a support surface, the 5 support rail including a transverse member extending between the two side beams, each end of the transverse member having attachment means for securing each end of the transverse member to a respective side beam, the support rail further including one or more legs for supporting the transverse member above the support surface, wherein the one or more legs are set in from the outer ends of the transverse member such that the base frame appears, at least from some t0 viewing angles, to float above the support surface, and wherein the support rail comprising the transverse member, the attachment means and the one or more legs is a one piece metal unit. Preferably, the base frame is of the type which supports the mattress through a slat configuration, as will be well appreciated by those skilled in the art. The base frame may also t5 include a foot beam and optionally a head beam. Alternatively, in place of the head beam, a bed head may support the head of the two side beams. In another form of the invention, the base frame may be supported by a second support rail, of the same type as the first support rail discussed above and spaced from the head of the bed. Preferably the support rail is spaced from the foot of the bed, towards the head, about one 20 sixth along the length of the bed in the direction from the foot to the head of the bed. The second support rail may also be disposed about one sixth along the length of the bed from the head of the bed towards the foot of the bed. The support rail of the second aspect of the invention may have any of the features described above in connection with the first aspect of the invention. 25 As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or steps. It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident 5 from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way 5 of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief description of the drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the figures in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a bed assembly with a support rail according to 10 a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a detailed view of A of Figure 1, except omitting details of the bed assembly and other hidden lines; Figure 3 is a detail of A of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bed illustrated in Figure 1, omitting hidden lines; 15 Figure 5 is a side view of the bed of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is an end view of the bed of Figure 1. Preferred embodiment Figures 1 and 4 illustrate the preferred form of the bed assembly 10. The bed assembly 10 includes a base frame 12 which includes two side beams 14, 16 and a foot beam 18. Each of 20 the side beams 14, 16 has a side rail 20, 22. In each case, the side rail 22 extends along the inside of the associated side beam 14, 16, projecting inwardly therefrom a short distance and extending in the longitudinal direction of the associated side beam 14, 16 for approximately the full length of the side beams 14, 16. Each side rail 20, 22 therefore forms a ledge extending along the inside of each side beam 14, 16, spaced approximately half way from the top of the 25 side beam 14, 16. These two space ledges defined by the side rails 20, 22 provide the necessary support surface for the slat bed arrangement.

6 The bed frame 12 is supported at the head of the bed by the headboard assembly 24. The headboard assembly comprises a headboard 26 extending in a generally upright manner across the head of the bed and supported by two head posts 28. The head ends of the side beams 14, 16 are secured to respective head posts 28. 5 The foot end of the base frame 12 is supported by a support rail 32. The support rail 32 comprises a transverse member 34. The transverse member 34 is generally in the form of a hollow rectangular or square metal section (e.g. 40 x 40mm). The transverse member 34 has integral attachment means 36. Each integral attachment means 36 is in the form of a rectangular metal plate 36 welded to a respective end of the transverse member 34. Thus, the metal plate 36 10 closes the end of the hollow rectangular section forming the transverse member 34. The rectangular metal plate 36 is of a length which exceeds the corresponding dimension of the transverse member 34, so that two flanged portions 38 (see Figure 2) are arranged at each end of the transverse member 34. Each flanged portion 38 has an aperture 40 extending therethrough. Appropriate fasteners may be inserted through the apertures 40 to secure each end of the 15 transverse member 34 to a respective side beam 14, 16. In the preferred form of the invention, each side beam 14, 16 has two skein nuts mounted therein at appropriate spacings. Each skein nut is externally threaded to mount into the side beam 14, 16. The skein nut also has a threaded blind bore. Thus, an appropriate complimentary screw can be inserted through each hole 40 into the blind bore of the skien nut to assemble the support rail 32 as part of the bed assembly. The 20 use of skein nuts means that the support rail 32 can be assembled to the inside of the side beams 14, 16, without marring the external appearance of the side rails 14, 16. The support rail also has integral legs 44 in the form of two support posts 44. Each support post 44 is made of a hollow rectangular or square metal section which is welded to the transverse member 34. The hollow section of the support posts 44 may be the same as that of the 25 transverse member 34. The support posts 44 are spaced from each other and are also spaced from the ends of the transverse member 34, at a spacing of about 1/6th the width of the bed. Thus, the support posts 44 are spaced inwardly from the sides of the bed assembly 10. Additionally, the support rail 32 is spaced from the foot of the bed assembly 10. Thus, the support posts 44 will be spaced from 30 both the sides and the foot of the bed. Thus, when the bed frame 12 is spaced sufficiently close 7 to the ground e.g. 20 to 30cm and the bed is viewed from a normal viewing angle of a person standing, then for most viewing angles, the support posts 44 will not be visible, giving the impression that the bed frame 12 is floating above the support surface. The foregoing relates to only one preferred embodiment of the present invention and 5 modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. A support rail for a bed base, the support rail comprising: a transverse member, each end of which has an attachment means for securing each end of the transverse member to the bed base; and 5 one or more legs for supporting the transverse member above a support surface, wherein the one or more legs are set in from the outer ends of the transverse member such that in assembled configuration, the bed base appears, at least from some viewing angles, to float above the support surface, wherein the support rail comprising the transverse member, the attachment means and the 10 one or more legs is a one piece metal unit.

2. The support rail as claimed in claim I wherein the attachment means are welded to each end of the transverse member.

3. The support rail as claimed in claim I or 2 wherein the one or more legs are welded to the transverse member. 15

4. A bed assembly including: a base frame for supporting a mattress, the base frame including at least two side beams; and a support rail for supporting at least one end of the base frame above a support surface, the support rail including a transverse member extending between the two side beams, each end of the transverse member having attachment means for securing each end of the transverse member 20 to a respective side beam, the support rail further including one or more legs for supporting the transverse member above the support surface, wherein the one or more legs are set in from the outer ends of the transverse member such that the base frame appears, at least from some viewing angles, to float above the support surface, and wherein the support rail comprising the transverse member, the attachment means and the 25 one or more legs is a one piece metal unit. 9

5 The bed assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the tranverse member, the attachment means and the one or more legs are welded to form a one piece support rail.