GB2172798A - Convertible article of furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

An article of furniture which can be used as a desk or bed has at least two sections (10, 12) which are hinged together and which are aligned vertically, to support a horizontal working top (20), in the desk mode. The two sections are pivoted outwardly, and arranged horizontally, to form a bed, and are then at least partly supported by the working top. Intermediate section (14) is pivotally secured to section 5 (10, 12). In another embodiment, the sections (10, 12) and working top are surrounded by a wall unit and in a third embodiment two sections are pivotal relative to each other about a vertical axis and are thereafter movable together through 90 DEG to the position in which they form a bed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Article of furniture This invention relates to an article of furniture.

In keeping with modern trends the cost of living space is becoming increasingly expensive. It is therefore highly desirable to be able to make maximum use of available space. This means for example that certain articles of furniture in a dwelling should have more than one use.

The invention provides an article of furniture which includes a working top, first and second base sections which are pivotal relatively to each other and which are movable between a first position at which the sections are upright and support the working top in a horizontal orientation and a second position at which the sections are horizontal and form at least part of a sleeping surface which is at least partly supported by the working top.

In a preferred form of the invention the article of furniture includes first and second base sections, an intermediate base section which is pivotally secured to the first and second base sections, and means which defines a working top with the base sections in a first position, the base sections being adjustable to a second position to provide a sleeping surface.

At the second position the means forms a support for the sleeping surface.

Additional support may be provided for the sleeping surface for example by means of legs secured to at least one of the base sections.

The first base section may be pivotal relatively to a support. The support may be secured to an article of furniture for example a wall unit or the like or may be provided on a stand.

In the said first position the first and second base sections may be substantially vertical with the intermediate section being substantially horizontal.

The base sections, in the first position, may form a cavity for a mattress.

The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side view of an article of furniture according to a first form of the invention in a mode in which it forms a writing desk, Figure 2 is a similar view of the article of Figure 1 but folded out to form a bed, and Figures 3 and 4, and Figures 5 and 6, are respectively views corresponding to Figures 1 and 2 of articles of furniture according to second and third forms of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an article of furniture according to a first form of the invention. In Figure 1 the article forms a writing desk while in Figure 2 it forms a bed. The article of furniture includes a first base section 10, a second base section 12, an intermediate base section 14 which is pivotally secured to the sections 10 and 12 by means of concealed hinges 16 and 18 respectively, a member 20 which in the Figure 1 position forms a writing surface or working top and which is secured to the first base section 10, a stand 22 which is mounted on castors 24 and which includes a cross bar 26 engaged with the base section 10 by means of brackets 28, and folding legs 30, see Figure 2, which are-secured to the second base section and which are manually movable between folded and extended positions.

The base sections 10 and 12 have side walls 34 secured to them. In the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 the base sections 10 and 12 and the side walls define a cavity which accommodates a two part mattress 36 shown in Figure 2.

The article of the invention, in the Figure 1 mode, defines a writing desk. The base sections are preferably fixed to the stand 22 by means of a releasable catch, not shown, to prevent inadvertent rotation of the sections about the cross bar 36. The article of furniture is readily converted to the Figure 2 mode by releasing the catch and pivoting the assembly about the cross bar 26 in the direction of an arrow 38 shown in Figure 1. In so doing the outer edge of the working top 20 is brought into contact with the ground and together with the stand 22 provides dual support for the first base section 10. This is evident from Figure 2.

The intermediate section 14 pivots about the hinge 16 and is brought into alignment with the base section 10. The second base section 12 pivots about the hinge 18 and is also brought into alignment with the base section 10. As the section 12 is rotated, and before it strikes the ground, the legs 30 are extended to support the section. A continuous horizontal sleeping surface is therefore provided which supports the mattress 36.

The operation described is readily effected for the cross bar 26 provides a pivot point which is fairly close to the centre of gravity of the bed as it rotates.

It is therefore easy to rotate the bed. In addition as the bed is opened out first the writing top 20 and then the legs 30 provide supportforthe bed. The mattress 36 is also automatically in position.

Similarly when the bed is folded back to the mode shown in Figure 1 the legs 30 are manually slowed and the mattress 36 is automatically encased between the various base sections.

A linkage can be provided to extend and retract the legs 30 automatically as the desk is folded into a bed, and vice versa. The linkage can take on many different forms and positions and preferably is located so that it is not visible with the article in the desk mode. It is also possible to conceal the cross bar 26. It should be pointed out though that the cross bar provides supportforthe bed and it is therefore desirable for the cross bar to underlie the base sections.

Figure 3 illustrates a different embodiment 40 of the article of furniture according to the invention. In this case the article is surrounded by a wall unit 42.

The article is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 but the stand 22 is omitted. Support is instead provided by means of a bar 44 which is mounted on the wall unit 42. When the article is folded out to form a bed it rotates about the bar 44 which therefore serves the same pivoting and support function as the cross bar 26. The folded out bed is shown in Figure 4 but the upper portion of the wall unit has been omitted to show a variation of the second embodiment of the invention.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention which is of simpler construction than the first two embodiments but which on the other hand is slightly more complex to use. The article includes a first base section 50 with fixed legs 52 and 54 respectively, a second base section 56 which is secured to the section 50 by means of hinges 58, and a working top 60 which is fixed to the base section 50.

With the article in the Figure 5 mode the two base sections 50 and 56 form a cavity for an enclosed mattress. The article is converted from the desk mode to the bed mode shown in Figure 6 by rotating the article in the direction of an arrow 62 so that the free edge of the working top 60 and the extremities of the legs 52 and 54 support the first base section 50 horizontally. The second section 56 is then pivoted about the hinges 58 to a horizontal position and legs 64 which are held in a folded state alongside the second base section 56 are moved out to form supportsforthis section.

The article offurniture of the invention can clearly take on many different forms. It is important howeverto bear in mind that certain constraints must be complied with. For example the normal height of a working or desktop is approximately 74 cm. Similarly the length of the bed is approximately 1,8 m. Since the folded bed forms a support for the working top it is necessary to ensure that the design is such that the working top height is not excessive. In the first two embodiments of the invention this is achieved through the use of the intermediate base section. In the third embodiment of the invention the correct height of the working top is achieved by effectively using the bed on its side to provide support for the working top.

Claims (7)

1. An article of furniture which includes a working top, first and second base sections which are pivotal relatively to each other and which are movable between a first position at which the sections are upright and support the working top in a horizontal orientation and a second position at which the sections are horizontal and form at least part of a sleeping surface which is at least partly supported by the working top.

2. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the first and second base sections form between them a cavity for a mattress.

3. An article offurniture according to claim 1 or2 which includes an intermediate base section which is pivotally secured to the first and second base sections, which forms part of the working top when the first and second base sections are at the first position, and which forms part of the sleeping surface when the first and second base sections are at the second position.

4. An article offurniture according to claim 3 which includes support means, the first base section being secured to, and being pivotal about, the support means.

5. An article offurniture according to claim 4 wherein the first base section is pivotal about the support means about a horizontal axis, the intermediate base section is pivotal relatively to the first base section about a horizontal axis, and the second base section is pivotal relatively to the intermediate base section about a horizontal axis.

6. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the first and second base sections, at the first position, are pivotal relatively to each other about a vertical axis, and thereafter are movable together through 90" to the second position.

7. An article of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with'reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, or Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.