Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47D—FURNITURE SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN
  • A47D13/00—Other nursery furniture
  • A47D13/06—Children's play- pens
  • A47D13/061—Children's play- pens foldable
  • A47D13/063—Children's play- pens foldable with soft walls
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47D—FURNITURE SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN
  • A47D7/00—Children's beds
  • A47D7/002—Children's beds foldable

Definitions

• the field of the invention is that of folding beds, in particular for the sleeping of children. More specifically, the invention relates to a new type of folding bed, allowing easy folding and unfolding. Folding beds for children have been used for a long time, in particular as an extra bed, for example when moving outside the main dwelling, and more generally in cases where the space available is limited, and where it is desirable that the bed be folded when not in use.
• Such folding beds must respond in particular to two constraints: - a minimum size, when folded; simple and risk-free handling for folding and unfolding. Indeed, when folded, the bed must be able to be easily stored, for example in a cupboard or a car trunk. It is also desirable that it can be easily moved and transported by a single person. Such a bed can be folded and unfolded often, and sometimes several times a day. It is therefore also necessary that this operation be quick and simple.
• the branches of the star in the lower part are articulated on the central element of this star.
• the main difficulty therefore lies in the locking and unlocking of the sleepers.
• the operation must be repeated four times, and is not always easy or intuitive.
• it is necessary to go around the bed, or bend over it, to reach each of the release handles.
• locking systems are relatively complex elements to build and assemble. They indeed include several moving parts relative to each other. Finally, whatever care is taken with these locking systems, there is most of the time a risk of untimely unlocking which can cause the folding of the crosspieces while the child is in his bed.
• a first objective of the invention is to provide a folding bed, in particular for children, whose folding is simplified, compared to known techniques.
• the invention aims to provide such a folding bed, which can be folded in a single operation, without any particular constraint, such as unlocking sleepers.
• Another object of the invention is to provide such a folding bed which is very safe, and in particular which guarantees the impossibility of inadvertent folding, in particular when a child is in the bed. More generally, the invention aims to offer maximum security for the child, against all possible risks.
• Yet another objective of the invention is to provide such a folding bed, which is simple and inexpensive to assemble, and in particular which does not include sets of small parts with complex assembly (in particular locking means).
• a folding bed in particular for a child, which can take a folded position, in which its bulk is reduced, and a position unfolded, in which it allows sleeping, said bed comprising a folding frame supporting a sleeping basket, said sets of cross-pieces forming, in the unfolded position, sleepers substantially horizontal, so as to define an upper support frame for said nacelle.
• said uprights When passing from said folded position to said unfolded position and from said unfolded position to said folded position, said uprights remain permanently substantially parallel.
• the beds will have four uprights, and will be of generally essentially parallelepiped shape. However, beds with three sides, five sides, or more are possible.
• each of said uprights comprises means allowing the displacement, along at least a portion of said upright, of an end of at least one of the braces forming said crosspieces.
• each of said means forming a cross-member is secured to one of said uprights by: one end of a first spider mounted in an articulated fashion on an axis placed in the vicinity of the top of said upright; one end of a second spider mounted in an articulated fashion on an axis integral with a sliding element along at least a part of said upright.
• each of said sliding elements are secured to two cross-pieces belonging respectively to each of the two cross-member means connected to the upright carrying said sliding member.
• the folding bed of the invention comprises, for example, in the case of a bed with four uprights: - two lateral crosspieces, each formed by a set of two cross-pieces; two longitudinal crosspieces, each formed by two sets of two crosspieces, secured to one another by means of articulation.
• at least one of said sliding elements is equipped with locking means in the unfolded position.
• Locking can also be ensured by a locking device (known per se) forming a star, in the unfolded position, and comprising a central element secured, in an articulated manner, to a first end of four branches, the second ends of which are secured, so articulated, respectively at the lower part of each of said uprights.
• a locking device known per se
• the presence of a child in the bed prevents the lifting of the device, which keeps the uprights apart, and therefore prevents any folding.
• the star device also allows, conventionally, easy folding.
• the braces can have various shapes. In particular, at least some of them can be: essentially straight; and / or of general "L" shape, their central parts being essentially straight, and one of their ends being curved; and / or generally "S" shaped, their central parts being essentially straight, and their ends being curved.
• the folding bed advantageously comprises return means, facilitating folding and / or unfolding.
• FIG. 1 illustrates the frame of a folding bed according to the invention, in the unfolded position
• - Figure 2 shows the bed of Figure 1, during folding, or unfolding
• Figure 3 shows the bed of Figures 1 and 2, in the folded position
• FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a crosspiece, in "L" shape, for the bed of the invention.
• the invention relates to folding beds, in particular for children. These beds include a folding frame, which carries a cradle, or cradle, for example of plastic or fabric. This cradle is secured to the chassis, and marries as much as possible the positions that the latter imposes on it, whether in the folded position or in the unfolded position.
• FIGS. 1 and 3 In the following description, only the chassis, illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 3, is discussed. Different types of nacelle, known or not, can be adapted to it. An advantageous example of a cradle is described in a joint patent application, in the name of the same applicant.
• the embodiment described relates to a four-sided bed, but this characteristic is in no way limiting.
• the four uprights, or feet According to a main characteristic of the invention, the four uprights, or feet,
• the crosspieces 12j to 12 4 forming the upper frame of the chassis, on which the cradle (or nacelle) is supported, forming and deforming simultaneously and proportionally, during folding and unfolding.
• the uprights 11 d to 11 4 remain parallel is important, since it allows in particular to simply secure the bed. It suffices that at least two of the uprights are kept apart, at any location, so that the chassis can no longer fold. This can for example be achieved using the lower device 13, star, conventional in itself.
• the center of the star 13 5 is hinged, and can be pulled up to control folding.
• Four elements 13 d to 13 4 connect each of the uprights to the center of the star. We can easily see that, as soon as a child is present in the bed, the center of the star 13 5 cannot be raised. As a result, the uprights remain apart, and the chassis cannot fold.
• the crosspieces 12] to 12 4 are produced using the cross-pieces.
• two cross-pieces 12 j and 12 2 are used , one of the ends of which is integral with the top 122 of one of the uprights 11 2 , and the other end of which is mounted on a slide 123, moving along the other upright 11 3 .
• These two cross pieces 121 j and 121 2 are joined in their midst by a rivet (or an equivalent means) 125 ] .
• the longitudinal crosspieces 12 j and 12 3 are formed in turn by four cross-pieces 124 ] to 124 4 , organized as follows: two cross-pieces 124 ] and 124 3 are connected by one of their ends respectively to the vertices 122 of the two uprights 11 j and 11 2 defining the side considered. Their other ends are joined by an element 125 j forming a hinge; the other two braces 124 2 and 124 4 are connected by one of their ends respectively to slides 123 2 movable along the uprights. Their other ends are also joined by an element 126 2 forming a hinge;
• the elements 126 j and 126 2 forming a hinge may for example comprise a chappe in the general shape of a U, to which the ends of the braces are joined, in an articulated manner on axes provided for this purpose.
• the joint can of course be reduced to a single point of articulation.
• Similar axes are provided at the ends of the cross pieces integral with the slides and the tops of the uprights.
• the slides 123 ] to 123 4 are integral on the one hand with a crosspiece of a longitudinal cross member and a lateral cross member. Thus, all the crosspieces are integral, and their movements are joined.
• the cross-pieces which were (FIG. 1) practically horizontal (the slides 123 ] to 123 4 then being located near the vertices 122), gradually move away from each other.
• the slides 123 j to 123 4 are moved progressively (FIG. 2) to the bottom of the uprights.
• the slides 123 ] to 123 4 are close to the elements forming feet 127.
• the cross-pieces are practically vertical, and the uprights very close to each other, so that the space requirement is very reduced. .
• the folding bed frame of the invention has many advantages, and in particular: - great ease of handling, whether it is folding or unfolding; absence of locking / unlocking means, hence: reduction in manufacturing and labor costs; reduced risk of breakage or malfunction (seizure, for example); simplification of use; safety of the child, any untimely folding being impossible in his presence.
• the chassis as described can be adapted and modified in many ways. It is in particular possible to act on the number of crosspieces, both on the lateral crosspieces and on the longitudinal crosspieces.
• the general shape of the braces can be modified. It is not necessarily straight. It can for example have the appearance of an elongated "L” (especially for the long sides of the frame), as illustrated in FIG. 4. This shape makes it possible to obtain a practically horizontal crosspiece, in the unfolded position. In this case, the curved part is connected to the upright.
• the shape of the braces may then have the appearance of an elongated "S" (the central part of which is essentially straight, and the ends are curved).
• Locking by the star device is not compulsory.
• the pin under the effect of a restoring force, engages in the opening, when the chassis is unfolded.
• return means (not shown) which facilitate the folding and / or unfolding operations.
• one or more springs can be provided to completely unfold the bed, as soon as two of the uprights are moved aside.
• return means can assist folding, as soon as one acts on the locking means and / or when two amounts are brought closer.

Landscapes

• Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9512657

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (11)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1997
  • 1997-10-21 FR FR9713411A patent/FR2769815B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1998
  • 1998-10-15 WO PCT/FR1998/002220 patent/WO1999020160A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1998-10-15 AU AU95460/98A patent/AU9546098A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-10-15 EP EP98949068A patent/EP0961567A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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