EP1732415A1

EP1732415A1 - Footstool or armchair bed and its folding mechanism

Info

Publication number: EP1732415A1
Application number: EP05718333A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Patella
Original assignee: Gruppo Industriale Styling Srl
Current assignee: Gruppo Industriale Styling Srl
Priority date: 2004-04-08
Filing date: 2005-03-30
Publication date: 2006-12-20
Also published as: ITBA20040013A1; WO2005096894A1

Abstract

Footstool or armchair bed comprising a base structure (4') of quite parallelepiped shape, a number of frames (1'), (2'), (3'), bound together, moved by roto-translation from a closing position, wherein they are folded one over the other, to an opening position, wherein the movable frames are (1'), (2'), (3'), consecutively aligned and a mechanism to move said frames (1'), (2'), (3'), such a mechanism characterized by a first lever system (7') which moves, according to a specified kinematics, two of the three frames (2'), (3'), and by a second lever system (8'), which automatically moves two legs (5', 6') so that, in the close position, the legs (5', 6') are lodged in room between the two frames (2', 3').

Description

Title: Footstool or armchair bed and its folding mechanism

Technical field

The present invention relates to a footstool or armchair bed and its folding mechanism.

As known, a footstool (an armchair as well), which transforms into a bed, comprises a base frame of nearly parallelepiped shaped, which forms an internal containment area for bedding storage, and a number of movable frames, bound together. These frames move according to roto-translating motions from the close to open position. In the close position, the frames fold up to keep the mattress folded in a number of pieces and stored in the area created by the fixed structure; in the open position, the movable frames are consecutively aligned, outside of said volume and define a rest surface. These movements are made possible thanks to one or more mechanisms interposed between the fixed structure and the movable frames.

Sofas, armchairs or footstools, which transform into a bed, are known and widespread; they employ particular folding mechanisms. The difference between the several embodiments on the market lies in the kinematics, which makes the opening and closing operation more or less handy. The research in this technical field is aimed at the manufacture of more and more perfect mechanisms; which allow the reduction of the overall dimensions and very easy open-close operations, in terms of safety and effort required.

Disclosure of the invention

Aim of the present invention is to disclose a new footstool or armchair bed and its very compact mechanism. Said invention comprises a base structure (4') of quite parallelepiped shape, a number of frames (1'), (2') and (3'), bound together consecutively, moving by roto-translation from a closing position, where they fold one over the other, to an opening position, where they are aligned consecutively; two legs (5') and (6'), supporting two of the three frames at the same level of the third one, and a mechanism to move said frames, such a mechanism characterized by a first lever system which, thanks to a specified kinematics, moves two of the three frames, and by a second lever system which automatically moves the two legs, so that, in the close position, the legs are lodged in the room between the two frames.

These and other advantages will be pointed out in the detailed description of the invention that will refer to the figures of the tables 1/4 , 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 in which a preferred scheme, in axonometric (Fig. 1) and in frontal view (Figs. 2-7), is shown. Both are examplifying and not restrictive. Way of carrying out the invention In particular:

• Fig. 1 shows the axonometric projection of the invention in the bed position; • Fig. 2 shows the configuration for the preparation of the footstool closure;

• Fig. 3 shows a front view of a first intermediate position, during the closure;

• Fig. 4 shows a second intermediate position, during the closure;

• Fig. 5 shows a third intermediate position, during the closure;

• Fig. 6 shows the front view of the footstool in close position;

• Fig. 7 also shows the cushions arrangement.

With reference to the above mentioned figures, the footstool or armchair comprises a base structure (4') of quite parallelepiped shape, which acts as a container when the invention is in its closing position, a number of movable frames, three (1'), (2') and (3') according to a preferred embodiment, two legs (5') and (6'), supporting two of the three frames (2') and (3') at the same level of the third one (1'). Moreover the footstool comprises a first lever system (7'), which moves, thanks to a specified kinematics, two frames: (2'), which rotates 180°, and (3'), which translate parallel to its axis following an end of (2'); and a second lever system (8'), which automatically moves the two legs, so that, in the close position, the legs are lodged in the room between the two frames.

Said first lever system (7') is composed of a first quadrilateral 1- 2-4-3, which produces the translation of frame (3'), according to a circular trajectory, whose length is π times the length of segment 1-2; and a second quadrilateral 3-4-5-6, redundant to the quadrilateral 1-2-3-4. When the latter has all hinges aligned, the former does not have aligned hinges and vice versa. This allows a univocal series of configurations. The two quadrilaterals are designed with identical opposing segments: 1- 2=4-3, 1-4=2-3, 4-5=6-3, 3-4=6-5.

Said second lever system (8') is composed of a quadrilateral 7-8- 9-2, moving the central leg (5') according to the following identical segments: 9-8=7-8 and 7-2=9-2. With such layout, in every configuration, the segment 2-8 is the bisection of the angle between the frames (2') e (3'). Moreover, the second lever system comprises a second quadrilateral 9-10-11-12, which transmits the motion from the leg (5') to the external leg (6'); due to the geometry of the quadrilateral 9-10-11-12, the rotation direction of the external leg (6') is opposed to the central leg (5') one. On axis 1, a torsion spring is placed, not shown in the figures, which is at rest position when the frame 2' is vertical. Said spring has a double effect, supporting the mechanism both in open and in close position. The working principle of the mechanism is the following: starting from the open position (bed), the frame (1 ') is lifted at a 90 degree angle to the rest plane (Fig. 2); the closing procedure is achieved lift the external leg (6') so that the entire structure assumes the positions shown in the Figs. 3-5, allowed by the two lever systems. Finally, the frame (1 ') reaches closing configurations, as in Fig. 6. Three small separate mattresses (9'), (10') and (11 ') are applied to the frame. In the open position said mattress are continuous and form the rest plane, while in the close position (Fig. 7), the first one remains in the same position, the second and the third are lodged in the base structure, together with the folded frames.

Claims

1) Footstool or armchair bed, comprising a base structure (4'), of quite parallelepiped shape, a number of frames (T), (2') and (3'), bound together consecutively, moving by roto- translation from a closing position, where they fold one over the other, to an opening position, where they are aligned consecutively; two legs (5') and (6'), supporting two of the three frames at the same level of the third one, and a mechanism to move said frames; a number of small separate mattresses (9'), (10') e (11 ') and a mechanism to move said frames; such a mechanism characterized by a first lever system (7'), forming articulated quadrilateral, which moves according to a specified kinematics two of the three frames (5') e (6'), and by a second lever system (8'), also forming one or more articulated quadrilateral, which automatically moves the two legs (5') e (6'), so that, in close position, the legs are lodged in the room between the two frames.

2) Footstool or armchair bed according to the claim 1 wherein said, first lever system (7') moves, according to a specified kinematics, two frames: (2'), which rotates of 180°, and (3'), which translate parallel to its axis.

3) Lever system according to the claim 2 comprising a quadrilateral 1-2-4-3 which produces the translation of frame (3'), according to a circular trajectory, whose length is π times the length of segment 1-2; and a second quadrilateral 3-4-5-6.

4) Lever system according to the claim 3 wherein the quadrilateral 1-2-3-4 has all hinges aligned, when the quadrilateral 3-4-5-6 does not have them aligned and vice versa.

5) Lever system according to the claim 3 or 4 wherein the two quadrilaterals are designed with the opposed segments being identical: 1-2=4-3, 1-4=2-3, 4-5=6-3, 3-4=6-5.

6) Footstool or armchair bed according to one of the claims from 1 to 5, wherein said second lever system (8') is composed of a quadrilateral 7-8-9-2, moving the central leg (5') and a second quadrilateral 9-10-11-12, which transmits the motion from the leg (5') to the external leg (6') .

7) Lever system according to the claim 6 wherein the quadrilateral 7-8-9-2 has the following equalities between the segments: 9-8=7-8 and 7-2=9-2.

8) Lever system according to the claim 7 wherein the segment 2-8 is the bisection of the angle between the frames (2') e (3').

9) Lever system according to the claim 7 or 8 wherein the rotation verse of the external leg (6') is opposed to the central leg (5') one. 10) Footstool or armchair bed according to one of the claims from 1 to 9, wherein on the axis 1 a torsion spring is lodged, which is at rest position when the frame 2' is vertical.

11) Footstool or armchair bed according to one of the previous claims, wherein the function principle is the following: starting from the open position (bed), the frame (1 ') is lifted up, at a 90 degree angle to the rest plane; then, the external leg (6') is lifted until the structure assumes the positions shown in the Figs. 3-5, allowed by the two lever systems. Finally, the frame (1') reaches closing configurations, as in Fig. 6, when the frame (1') is in the horizontal position.

12) Footstool or armchair bed according to one of the previous claims, wherein said three small separate mattresses (9'), (10') and (I T), in the open position, are continuous and form the rest plane, while in the close position (Fig. 7), the first one remains in the same position, the second and the third are lodged in the base structure, together with the folded frames.