GB2381445A

GB2381445A - Furniture support member

Info

Publication number: GB2381445A
Application number: GB0121392A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Paul Morris
Original assignee: SLEEPEEZEE Ltd
Current assignee: SLEEPEEZEE Ltd
Priority date: 2001-09-04
Filing date: 2001-09-04
Publication date: 2003-05-07
Also published as: GB0121392D0

Abstract

A furniture support member (1) comprises a leg (11) and a mounting (3) to which the leg is pivotally mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the leg into and out of an operating position in which in use, the leg can support an article of furniture. The mounting is provided with retaining means for retaining the leg in the operating and preferably non-operating position. Preferably, the leg is mounted in a pivotal pin (14) and is held in holes (19 and 29) in its end positions and moved therefrom against spring pressure to allow the said pivotal movement. Preferably end stops (9, 9') and (18) limit the pivotal movement. A curved guide surface (26) can be provided to aid pivoting. The leg (11) can mount a castor and the furniture is preferably a bed.

Description

FURNITURE SUPPORT MEMBER The present invention relates to a furniture support member.

The attachment of support members, for example castors, to articles of furniture is well known. Castors, for example, are extremely useful for facilitating movement of furniture from one location to another, by simply pushing the furniture across the surface of the floor. This is desirable when, for example, cleaning the area of floor underneath the furniture, transporting the furniture when moving property, or rearranging the position of furniture within a room.

However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with conventional support members such as castors. For example, at present articles of furniture are generally manufactured without support members pre-attached; instead, furniture manufacturers tend to provide a set of support members, particularly castors, separately for home-attachment by the customer. Articles of furniture without support members take up less storage space, are easier to stack and transport, and the problem of unwanted movement of the article of furniture in transit is avoided. Further, support members have a tendency to protrude and can easily be lost or damaged in transit.

However, the attachment of a set of support members to furniture can in turn be problematic for the customer. The article of furniture may be heavy and unwieldy, requiring physical strength in order to manoeuvre it into a position suitable for attaching the support members. Moreover, the customer may require specialist tools to attach the support members to the furniture, in addition to which the furniture

manufacturer should provide adequate instructions and any necessary screws or the like for attachment of the support members to the furniture.

It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a furniture support member comprising: a leg; a mounting to which the leg is pivotally mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the leg into and out of an operating position in which in use the leg can support an article of furniture; wherein the mounting is provided with retaining means for retaining the leg in the operating position.

It is to be understood that a plurality of furniture support members of the present invention will typically be used together to support an article of furniture. For example, for supporting a bed, four support members of the present invention would typically be used, with for example a support member attached to the underside of the bed at each corner.

Preferably, the furniture support member further comprises wheel means attached to the leg to enable movement of the article of furniture across a floor. More conveniently, the wheel means is a castor, wheel, or low friction pad.

The leg is preferably further pivotable into and out of a retracted position in which in use the leg cannot support an article of furniture. When the leg is in the retracted position, the article of furniture rests directly on the

floor, which may be useful, for example, when movement of the article of furniture is undesirable, for example, when in transit. When in the retracted position, the axis of the leg preferably lies substantially perpendicular to the axis of the leg when in the operating position. The mounting is preferably provided with retaining means for retaining the leg in the retracted position.

Conveniently, the operating position and/or retracted position retaining means comprises a locating hole for receiving and retaining the leg. The retaining means thus effectively releasably locks the leg in the operating and/or retracted position to retain the leg in that position.

The leg is preferably further provided with a stopping means to limit the extent to which the leg can penetrate the, or each, locating hole. The stopping means may comprise a laterally extending skirt which can engage with the mounting adjacent the locating hole to limit the extent to which the leg penetrates the locating hole.

The mounting preferably further comprises a mounting pin rotatably attached thereto, the mounting pin being provided with a bore there through which receives the leg. In this arrangement, the mounting pin thereby provides the means by which the leg is rotatable into and out of the operating position.

The furniture support member preferably further includes biassing means for urging the leg into the operating position and/or retracted position. In those preferred embodiments in which the operating means and/or retaining means comprises a locating hole, the leg may be disengaged from the locating

hole by pulling against the force of the biassing means. Preferably, the biassing means comprises a spring. For example, in those preferred embodiments having stopping means comprising a skirt, and a rotatable mounting pin through which the leg is received, as described herein above, the spring may conveniently be located around the portion of the leg between the mounting pin and the skirt.

The mounting is preferably provided with a guiding ramp for guiding the leg into and out of the operating position. The guiding ramp is preferably curved to define an arc between operating and retracted position locating holes. The guiding ramp can thus provide a smooth passage for the leg between the operating and retracted positions.

The mounting and/or mounting pin is preferably also provided with at least one pivot stop to limit the angle through which the leg can pivot. In a preferred embodiment, both the mounting and the mounting pin are provided with at least one pivot stop to limit the angle through which the leg can pivot.

The mounting pivot stop conveniently comprises a flange extending from the mounting. More conveniently, the mounting pin pivot stop comprises a projection extending laterally from the mounting pin which can engage with the mounting pivot stop to limit the angle through which the leg can pivot.

The mounting is conveniently provided with a bracket for attaching the support member to an article of furniture. The bracket is preferably positioned on the mounting such that when the support member is attached to the underside of an article of furniture and the leg is not in the operating position, the leg is positionable so as not to extend below the plane of the bracket. The bracket is conveniently

positioned on the mounting so as to be attachable to the underside of an article of furniture.

The furniture support member of the present invention is particularly suited for supporting a bed, although it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it may also be used for supporting any suitable article of furniture. As discussed herein above, in use a plurality of support members of the present invention will typically be used together. For example, for supporting a bed, four support members may be used, a support member attached to the underside of a bed at each corner.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an oblique perspective view of a support member of the present invention from below and from the front; Figure 2 is an oblique perspective view of the support member of Figure 1 from above and from the front; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view from the side of the support member of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an oblique perspective view of the support member of Figure 1 from below and from the rear; Figure 5 is an oblique perspective view of the support member of Figure 1 from above and the rear; Figure 6A is an oblique perspective view of the mounting pin shown in Figures 1 to 4; Figure 6B is an oblique perspective view of the mounting pin from the opposite direction to Figure 6A; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the support member of Figure 1 from the side and above attached to the underside of

a strut of a bed.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a support member 1 of the present invention is shown comprising a leg 11, pivoting means 13, a mounting 3 and a bracket 7. The leg is attachable to a standard castor (not shown). The support member can be made from any suitable materials, for example a plastics mounting and steel leg. The bracket 7 is provided with a hole 8 there through to receive a screw or other suitable fastening device, for attaching the support member to an article of furniture.

The mounting comprises a back plate 5, a top plate 17, and two side plates 2,16. The side plates 2,16 extend from the top plate 17 down to the plane defined by the bracket 7. The outer edges of the side plates 2,16 are provided with strengthening ribs 10. The strengthening ribs extend along the underside of the bracket 27 (see Figure 4).

The side plates 2,16 are further each provided with a hole 6 through which a mounting pin 14 is located. The mounting pin can rotate freely about its longitudinal axis within the holes 6. The mounting pin is provided with a bore 12 substantially through its centre along and perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. The leg 11 is located through the bore 12, and can thereby pivot within the mounting 3.

The top plate 17 of the mounting 3 has a first locating hole 19 into which an end of the leg 11 is slidably received, for retaining the leg 11 in a operating position. Towards the end of the leg 11 there is provided a skirt 22 extending laterally such that when the leg 11 is in the operating position, the end of the leg 11 adjacent the skirt 22 penetrates the locating hole 19 only as far as the skirt 22. The skirt 22

is located such that upon engagement of the end of the leg 11 within the locating hole 19, the top surface 23 of the end of the leg 11 lies flush with the upper surface 24 of the top plate 17 of the mounting 3.

The leg 11 is longitudinally biassed along its axis away from its end for attachment to a castor by a spring 21 located around the portion of the leg 11 between the mounting pin 14 and the skirt 22. A second locating hole 31 is provided in the back plate 5 of the mounting 3 for receiving an end of the leg 11, and retaining the leg 11 in a retracted position.

The mounting 3 is provided with two mounting pivot stops 9,9' extending from the mounting and provided at substantially 90 degrees to each other, one extending from the top plate 17 and one extending from the back plate 5. The mounting pin 14 is provided with a mounting pin pivot stop 18 in the form of a laterally extending projection. The leg 11 may thus pivot between the operating position and the retracted position, until contact is made between the mounting pin pivot stop 18 and either of mounting pivot stops 9, 9', thereby limiting the total angle through which the leg may pivot to substantially 90 degrees.

A curved guiding ramp 26 is provided between the inner surfaces of the top plate and the back plate of the mounting.

The guiding ramp 26 guides the leg 11 when pivoting between the operating and retracted positions and helps prevent the end of the leg 11 catching in the corner 25 of the mounting 2 defined by the back plate and the top plate. In addition, two fastening holes 28,30 are provided in the back plate 5 to receive a screw or other suitable fastening device for attaching the support member 1 to an article of furniture.

Figures 6A and 6B show the mounting pin 14 to comprise the mounting pin pivot stop 18 and the bore 12.

Figure 7 shows the support member 1 of Figures 1 to 5 attached to the underside of a strut of a bed 32 having a castor 31 attached to the leg 11.

Referring again to Figure 1, the support member 1 (castor not shown) is shown with leg 11 in the operating position. To move the leg 11 from the operating position to the retracted position, the user pulls the leg 11 longitudinally against the force of the spring 21, removes the end of the leg 11 from the first locating hole 19, and pivots the leg 11. The end of the leg 11 follows the guiding ramp 26 until arriving at the second locating hole 29, whereupon the biassing force of the spring 21 forces the end of the leg 11 into the second locating hole 29 as far as the skirt 22. The leg 11 is thus located and retained in the retracted position.

As mentioned herein above, although the support member of the present invention described with reference to the accompanying drawings is directed to use for supporting a bed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it may also be used for supporting any other suitable article of furntiure, for example chairs, sofas, wardrobes, and the like.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A furniture support member comprising: a leg; a mounting to which the leg is pivotally mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the leg into and out of an operating position in which in use the leg can support an article of furniture; wherein the mounting is provided with retaining means for retaining the leg in the operating position.
2. A furniture support member according to claim 1 which further comprises a castor attached to the leg.
3. A furniture support member according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the leg is pivotable into and out of a retracted position in which in use the leg cannot support an article of furniture.
4. A furniture support member according to claim 2 or 3 wherein axis of the leg when in the retracted position is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the leg when in the operating position.
5. A furniture support member according to claim 2,3 or 4 wherein the mounting is further provided with retaining means for retaining the leg in the retracted position.
6. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining means of the operating position and/or the retracted position comprises a locating hole for receiving and retaining the leg.

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7. A furniture support member according to claim 6 wherein the leg is provided with stopping means to limit the extent to which the leg can penetrate the or each locating hole.
8. A furniture support member according to claim 7 wherein the stopping means comprises a laterally extending skirt which can engage with the mounting adjacent the locating hole to limit the extent to which the leg penetrates the locating hole.
9. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim wherein the mounting further comprises a mounting pin rotatably attached thereto, the mounting pin having a bore there through which receives the leg.
10. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim further including biassing means for urging the leg into the operating position and/or retracted position.
11. A furniture support member according to claim 10 wherein the biassing means comprises a spring.
12. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim wherein the mounting is provided with a guiding ramp for guiding the leg into and out of the operating position.
13. A furniture support member according to claim 12 wherein the guiding ramp is curved to define an arc between operating and retracted position locating holes.
14. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim wherein the mounting and/or mounting pin is provided with at least one pivot stop to limit the angle through which

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the leg can pivot.
15. A furniture support member according to claim 14 wherein both the mounting and mounting pin are provided with at least one pivot stop to limit the angle through which the leg can pivot.
16. A furniture support member according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the mounting pivot stop comprises a flange extending from the mounting.
17. A furniture support member according to claim 14,15 or 16 wherein the mounting pin pivot stop comprises a projection extending laterally from the mounting pin which can engage with the mounting pivot stop to limit the angle through which the leg can pivot.
18. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim wherein the mounting is provided with a bracket for attaching the support member to an article of furniture.
19. A furniture support member according to claim 16 wherein the bracket is positioned on the mounting such that when the support member is attached to the underside of an article of furniture and the leg is not in the operating position, the leg is positionable so as not to extend below the plane of the bracket.
20. A furniture support member according to any preceding claim wherein the article of furniture is a bed.
21. A furniture support member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.