GB2460827A

GB2460827A - Separable and collapsible bunk bed

Info

Publication number: GB2460827A
Application number: GB0810472A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daren Miles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-06-09
Filing date: 2008-06-09
Publication date: 2009-12-16
Also published as: GB0810472D0

Abstract

A bunk bed assembly comprises a first bed framework 10 and a second bed framework 12 arranged to sit upon and connect to the first bed framework 10. The assembly is rigid when the first and second bed frameworks 10, 12 are connected together. The first and second bed frameworks 10, 12 may be individually collapsible when the frames are apart. Each frame may have end rails 18, 24, 34, 40 and side rails 26, 28, 42, 44. The top of the first framework uprights 14, 16, 20, 22 may be engaged with those of the second framework by insertion into a socket. Transverse hinges prevent the structure from collapsing in the assembled position. There may be a tensioner 50 for cable 48 to support the assembled structure, and means to prevent an occupier falling out.

Description

COLLAPSIBLE BUNK BEDS

This invention concerns bunk beds that can be collapsed for storage or for transportation.

Bunk beds are commonly used for children. They comprise two beds assembled one on top of the other to take up only so much floor space as would be occupied by one of the beds. They commonly have two ends that is, head and foot -carrying two bed frames between them. Such bunk beds can of course be dismantled for storage or transportation, but this is generally inconvenient, especially when the beds are to be used for repeated short periods, for instance when the users are travelling. There is therefore a demand for collapsible bunk beds.

This gives rise to two main considerations. First, for safety, collapsible bunk beds must be so arranged that they do not collapse unintentionally while in use.

And second, to gain proper benefit from collapsing the beds, they must be in their collapsed form substantially smaller and more easily handled than in their assembled form.

It is an object of the present invention to provide bunk beds that are both handy when collapsed and secure when assembled.

Thus according to the invention there is provided a bunk bed assembly comprising a first bed framework configured and arranged to sit upon a floor and a second bed framework configured and arranged to sit upon the first bed framework and be connected thereto, characterised in that the first and second bed frameworks are each individually collapsible when apart and the assembly is substantially rigid when the first and second bed frameworks are connected together.

Because the two bed frameworks collapse separately, each can be compact and easy to handle when collapsed. Yet their mutual support when connected together provides security to users without an overly complex structure. Thus bunk beds embodying the invention can be relatively inexpensive.

Preferably each bed framework comprises two end frames joined by two side rails, each end frame having two uprights joined by an end rail.

Each upright of the first bed framework may have has a floor-engaging foot at its lower end, and the feet may be vertically adjustable on the uprights to level the assembly in use.

Each upright of the first bed framework is preferably formed at its upper end for mating engagement with the second bed framework, whereby the first and second bed frameworks are connected together. Preferably also each upright of the first bed framework is formed at its upper end with a shoulder to support the second bed framework in use.

Each rail of the assembly may comprise two sections each having a pivotal connection with the upright at each end of the rail, said two sections being joined by a hinge arranged transverse of the rail to permit each section to pivot upwards about its pivotal connection when the beds are being collapsed. Preferably in this arrangement each hinge is a locking hinge, which may have a release mechanism whereby it can be unlocked.

A cable may extend around corners of the first bed framework, which cable is tensioned in use to hold the first bed framework substantially rigid.

Each bed framework preferably has a guard extending around the uprights thereof to retain sleeping users, said guard of the first bed framework having a vertical dimension substantially less than that of the uprights thereof. Such guards may be formed of flexible material drawn taut around the uprights.

The first bed framework may have a mesh panel extending across at least one on its sides and its ends.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which is made by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which -Figure 1 is an isometric view of a bunk bed assembly embodying the invention and comprising first and second bed frameworks connected together; Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the bunk beds complete; Figure 3 is an isometric view of the second bed framework; and Figure 4 is an isometric view of the first bed framework.

The figures use common reference numbers.

Referring first to Figure 1, this shows a bunk bed assembly comprising a first bed framework generally indicated at 10 and a second bed framework generally indicated at 12. Each of the first and second bed frameworks 10 and 12 is generally rectangular and is made of rectangular cross-section tubing of a light metal such as aluminium alloy.

At one end (the head) of the assembly, the first bed framework 10 has an end frame comprising two uprights 14, 16 joined by an end rail 18. At the other end (the foot) of the assembly, the first bed framework 10 has an end frame comprising two uprights 20, 22 joined by an end rail 24. The two end frames of the first bed framework 10 are joined by two side rails 26, 28.

At the head of the assembly, the second bed framework 12 has an end frame comprising two uprights 30, 32 joined by an end rail 34. At the foot of the assembly, the second bed framework 12 has an end frame comprising two uprights 36, 38 joined by an end rail 40. The two end frames of the second bed framework 12 are joined by two side rails 42, 44.

The first bed framework has four feet 46 whereby in use it sits upon a floor.

Each foot 46 is moulded from synthetic plastics material and is adjustable (by means of a screw-thread connection, not detailed) on a corresponding one of the uprights 14, 16, 20, 22, whereby the assembly is levelled on the floor and made

stable,

A cable 48 extends around the first bed framework 10 by way of all eight of its corners and is tensioned adjustably by means of a tensioning device 50. When properly adjusted, the cable 48 becomes tight and the whole assembly substantially -.5-rigid when the second bed framework 12 is connected to the first bed framework 10.

With the first and second bed frameworks 10 and 12 connected together as shown in Figure 1, the bunk beds are completed as shown in Figure 2. As completed, the first bed assembly 10 has a strip 52 of flexible material drawn taut around its four uprights 14, 16, 20, 22 and the second bed assembly 12 has a strip 54 of flexible material tensioned around its four uprights 30, 32, 36, 38. The strips 52, 54 help to keep the assembly stiff, but also serve to retain sleeping users safely on the beds. As shown in Figure 2, there is a mesh panel 56 at the head of the first bed framework 10. Figure 2 shows only this one panel, for simplicity of illustration, but similar panels may extend across the sides and the foot of the first bed framework 10, to keep infants safely within the bed.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, these show the second bed framework 12 apart from the first bed framework 10. As can be seen in Figure 4, the uprights 14, 16, 20, 22 of the first bed framework 10 have at their upper ends sections 14a, 16a, 20a, 22a of reduced cross-section which in use have mating engagement -in spigot and socket fashion -with the uprights 30, 32, 36, 38 of the second bed framework 12. With the first and second bed frameworks 10, 12 so connected together, the second bed framework 12 is supported on shoulders 14b, 16b, 20b, 22b on the uprights 14, 16, 20, 22 of the first bed framework 10.

Returning now to Figure 3, the end rail 34 of the second bed framework 12 comprises two sections 34a, 34b with their proximal ends joined by a transverse hinge 34c and their distal ends pivotally mounted with respect to the uprights 14, 16 by means of pivots 34d, 34e. This permits the two sections 34a, 34b to pivot upwards in a folding movement about their respective pivots 34d, 34e as indicated by arrow A. The other end rail 40 and the side rails 42, 44 of the second bed framework have similar binge and pivot arrangements (which it is not considered necessary to enumerate in Figure 3) permitting each of them to fold upwards as indicated by arrows B, C and D. This allows the second bed framework 12 to be collapsed when apart from the first bed framework 10.

The hinge 34c (and similarly the other hinges) is a locking hinge, which is to say it locks the two sections 34a, 34b when they are in a straight-line extended (or "open") configuration. Such locking hinges are widely available and will be well known to those skilled in the art, wherefore it is not considered necessary to detail their construction in the drawings. However each binge will typically be formed with cooperative projections that mate when the hinged sections are open and a spring-biased cam or pin that locks the projections together when so mated, the cam or pin being movable (eg by simple thumb pressure) against the spring bias to unlock the hinge when required.

The first bed framework 10 has hinge and pivot arrangements similar to those of the second bed framework 12 and can similarly be collapsed when apart from the second bed framework 12 as indicated by arrows E, F, G, H in Figure 4.

It will be understood that the arrangement of locking binges and tensioned cable provides a bunk bed assembly in which the two bed frameworks 10 and 12 support one another when connected together. The first and second frameworks are individually collapsible when apart but when connected together provide an assembly which is substantially rigid.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that each of the first and second bed frameworks 10, 12 can be collapsed to a small volume by drawing the uprights thereof close together. When so collapsed, each may easily be stored and transported, for instance in a canvas bag or the like.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A bunk bed assembly comprising a first bed framework configured and arranged to sit upon a floor and a second bed framework configured and arranged to sit upon the first bed framework and be connected thereto, characterised in that the first and second bed frameworks are each individually collapsible when apart and the assembly is substantially rigid when the first and second bed frameworks are connected together.
2 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that each bed framework comprises two end frames joined by two side rails, each end frame having two uprights joined by an end rail.
3 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that each upright of the first bed framework has a floor-engaging foot at its lower end.
4 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that the feet are vertically adjustable on the uprights to level the assembly in use.
A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 characterised in that each upright of the first bed framework is formed at its upper end for mating engagement with the second bed framework, whereby the first and second bed frameworks are connected together.
6 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 5 characterised in that each upright of the first bed framework is formed at its upper end with a shoulder to support the second bed framework in use.
7 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 6 charactensed in that each said rail comprises two sections each having a pivotal connection with the upright at each end of the rail, said two sections being joined by a hinge arranged transverse of the rail to permit each section to pivot upwards about its pivotal connection when the beds are being collapsed.
8 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 7 characterised in that each hinge is a locking hinge.
9 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 8 characterised in that each hinge has a release mechanism whereby it can be unlocked.
10 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 9 characterised in that a cable extends around corners of the first bed framework, which cable is tensioned in use to hold the first bed framework substantially rigid.
11 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 10 characterised in that each bed framework has a strip extending around the uprights thereof to retain sleeping users, said strip of the first bed framework having a vertical dimension substantially less than that of the uprights thereof.
12 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in Claim 11 charactensed in that each strip is formed of flexible material drawn taut around the uprights.
13 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 12 characterised in that the first bed framework has a mesh panel extending across at least one of the sides and the ends thereof.-10 - 14 A bunk bed assembly as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 13 charactensed in that the uprights and the rails comprise rectangular section tubing of lightweight metal alloy.A bunk bed assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.