WO1999020160A1

WO1999020160A1 - Folding bed, in particular cot, with quick folding system

Info

Publication number: WO1999020160A1
Application number: PCT/FR1998/002220
Authority: WO
Inventors: Louis Lefranc
Original assignee: Ampafrance
Priority date: 1997-10-21
Filing date: 1998-10-15
Publication date: 1999-04-29
Also published as: EP0961567A1; FR2769815A1; AU9546098A; FR2769815B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a folding bed, in particular a cot, capable of being folded, thereby reducing space requirement, and unfolded for providing sleeping accommodation, said bed comprising a folding bedstead bearing a sleeping body, said body including at least three substantially parallel vertical members (111 to 114), connected in pairs by at least two mutually mobile cross-brace assemblies (1241 to 1244). In unfolded position, said cross-brace assemblies (1241 to 1244) form substantially horizontal crosspieces (121 to 124) so as to define an upper supporting frame for said body.

Description

Folding bed, especially for children, quick folding.

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.

Most recent systems include four cross members forming the upper frame of the bed, four feet, and a lower part forming a four-pointed star, each of the branches being connected to one of the legs. To allow folding, each cross member is itself folding. Locking means are provided to keep each crosspiece in its horizontal position when the bed is unfolded.

Many techniques are known for producing these locking and unlocking means. Some systems allow automatic locking, unlocking being permitted by action on a handle mounted at the joint. The applicant of this patent application also uses a locking / unlocking system by rotary handle.

The branches of the star in the lower part are articulated on the central element of this star.

Consequently, to fold such a bed, it is necessary to carry out several successive operations. It is first of all necessary to unlock each of the crosspieces, one by one, then pull up the center element of the star. This movement results in the complete folding of the bed.

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. In addition, it is necessary to go around the bed, or bend over it, to reach each of the release handles.

Furthermore, 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.

The invention particularly aims to overcome these various drawbacks of the state of the art. Thus, a first objective of the invention is to provide a folding bed, in particular for children, whose folding is simplified, compared to known techniques. In particular, 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).

These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved according to the invention using 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.

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.

Thus, untimely folding of the bed is avoided, and the locking means on the crosspieces are no longer necessary. As will be seen later, the operations for folding and unfolding are particularly simple and direct.

Most often, 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.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, 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. This structure proves to be particularly suitable for the bed frame of the invention.

In this case, advantageously, 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.

So that the movements of each cross member are completely synchronized, it is preferably provided that 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. For security, one can provide that at least one of said sliding elements is equipped with locking means in the unfolded position. Thus, it is impossible to fold the bed without acting on the locking means.

However, it should be noted that, a priori, such locking means are not necessary, due to the very structure of the chassis.

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.

In this case, 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. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the folding bed advantageously comprises return means, facilitating folding and / or unfolding. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear clearly on reading the description of a preferred embodiment, given by way of simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and of the appended drawings, among which: 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. As explained above, 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.

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. According to a main characteristic of the invention, the four uprights, or feet,

1 1 _! to 11 ₄ remain parallel, or practically parallel, permanently (that is to say conventionally in the unfolded position (FIG. 1), but also during folding / unfolding (FIG. 2), and in the folded position (FIG. 3) ).

To obtain this result, 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 fact that 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.

In other words, the child, simply by its weight, ensures the locking of the chassis. No mechanical locking element is required. The crosspieces 12] to 12 ₄ are produced using the cross-pieces.

For the lateral crosspieces 12 ₂ and 12 ₄ , 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 braces 124 _j and 124 ₂ on the one hand, and 124 ₃ and 124 ₄ on the other hand, form two deformable crosses, the braces being secured by rivets 125 ₂ (or equivalent means).

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 operation (folding and unfolding) is then as follows. We first consider the unfolded bed (Figure 1). By raising the center the star 13 ₅ (secured to a handle, when the cradle is mounted), we act on the four branches 13 _] to 13 ₄ (figure

2). This leads to the simultaneous approximation of the four uprights 11 _] to 11 ₄ (which remain substantially parallel).

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. At the end of folding (FIG. 3), 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. .

To unfold the bed again, it suffices to move aside two of the uprights, for example by taking them by their vertices 122. The crosspieces unfold, the sliders go up, and the center of the lower star (in the event that a such a star is present) is put in place (figure 2), to arrive, without other manipulation, in the unfolded position of figure 1.

Thus, 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. Of course, 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.

Furthermore, 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. For the short sides, comprising a single set of braces, 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. One can also provide locking means integral with one (or more) of the slides. It may for example be a pin cooperating with an opening in the upright.

The pin, under the effect of a restoring force, engages in the opening, when the chassis is unfolded.

Furthermore, it is possible to provide return means (not shown) which facilitate the folding and / or unfolding operations. Thus, for example, one or more springs can be provided to completely unfold the bed, as soon as two of the uprights are moved aside. Conversely, return means can assist folding, as soon as one acts on the locking means and / or when two amounts are brought closer.

Claims

1. Folding bed, especially for children, which can take a folded position (Figure 3), in which its size is reduced, and an unfolded position (Figure 1), in which it allows sleeping, said bed comprising a folding frame supporting a carrycot sleeping, said chassis comprising at least three uprights (11 _] to 11 ₄ ) substantially parallel, connected in pairs by at least one set of two crosspieces (124 _j to 124) movable relative to each other, characterized in that, in the unfolded position, said sets of braces (124 _] to 124 ₄ ) form cross-pieces (12] to 12 ₄ ) substantially horizontal, so as to define an upper support frame for said nacelle.

2. Folding bed according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said uprights (ll _j to 11 ₄ ) comprises means (123 _] to 123 ₄ ) allowing the displacement, along at least a portion of said upright, of one end at least one of the crosspieces forming said crosspieces.

3. Folding bed according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each of the ends of each of said cross-member means (12 _] to 12 ₄ ) is secured to one of said uprights (11 _d to 11 ₄ ) by: one end of a first cross-member hingedly mounted on an axis placed in the vicinity of the top (122) of said upright; one end of a second spider mounted in an articulated manner on an axis integral with a sliding element (123 _j to 123 ₄ ) along at least a part of said upright.

4. Folding bed according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said sliding elements (123 _d to 123 ₄ ) is integral with two cross-pieces belonging respectively to each of the two cross-member means connected to the upright carrying said sliding element.

5. Folding bed according to any one of claims 2 to 4, of the type comprising four uprights (11 _d to 11 ₄ ), characterized in that it comprises: two lateral crosspieces (12 ₂ , 12 ₄ ), each formed by a set of two cross-pieces; two longitudinal crosspieces (12 _d , 12 ₃ ), each formed by two sets of two cross-pieces, secured to one another by means of articulation.

6. Folding bed according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that at least one of said sliding elements (123 _] to 123 ₄ ) is equipped with locking means in the unfolded position.

7. Folding bed according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a lower locking device forming a star, in the unfolded position, and comprising a central element secured (13 ₅ ), in an articulated manner, to a first end of four branches (13 d to 13), the second ends of which are joined, in an articulated manner, respectively to the lower part of each of said uprights (11 d to 11 ₄ ).

8. Folding bed according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the said cross-pieces are essentially straight.

9. Folding bed according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least some of the said cross-pieces have a general shape: - in "L" shape, their central parts being essentially straight, and one of their ends being curved ; and / or "S" shaped, their central parts being essentially straight, and their ends being curved.

10. Folding bed according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises return means, facilitating folding and / or unfolding.