WO2004023940A1

WO2004023940A1 - Retractable bed assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2004023940A1
Application number: PCT/FR2002/003083
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raoul Parienti; Bernard Dias
Original assignee: Raoul Parienti; Bernard Dias
Priority date: 2002-09-11
Filing date: 2002-09-11
Publication date: 2004-03-25
Also published as: AU2002350793A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a retractable bed assembly of at least one bed, comprising a mount (16) fixed to the wall and a frame (10) whereof the horizontal parts (28, 32) supporting the bed mattress pivot about a horizontal shaft (36 or 38) integral with the mount so as to enable the bed to be retracted after pivoting by 90°, the vertical supports (18, 20) of the frame being adapted to be urged into vertical juxtaposition with the horizontal parts inside the mount after having pivoted about the horizontal shaft when the assembly is in retracted position such that the retracted assembly is almost flush with the wall. Said bed assembly is characterized in that the mattress is a thin flexible mattress made of high density polyurethane foam or the like.

Description

Set of retractable ties

Technical area

The present invention relates to sets of bed (s) which fold up against a wall when they are not in use, and relates in particular to a set of foldaway bed (s) occupying a very small thickness when it is in position retracted.

State of the art

Foldable beds have long been designed so as to have the space of the room occupied by the bed when it becomes useless, for example during the day. A mechanism generally allows the bed to pivot around a horizontal axis and come to stand in a vertical position against the wall. In this position, the bed is similar to a piece of furniture placed against the wall, such as a tall cabinet.

We sought to improve this principle by providing two beds as is the case of the set of retractable bunk beds in a vertical frame described in patent application 2,647,323. However, the described mechanism which makes it possible to put the beds in the retracted position is complex in that it forces, when moving to the folded position, the lower bed to come to be placed in front of the upper bed. Furthermore, the document CH 591.833 describes a set of two beds comprising a frame fixed to the wall and a frame, the horizontal parts of which support the mattress of each bed pivot about a horizontal axis integral with the frame so as to allow the retraction of the bed after swiveling 90 °. But the major drawback of the systems described in these documents as of all current systems of foldable beds lies in the fact that the whole of the bed or beds, once folded against the wall, retains a relatively large thickness due mainly to the mechanism of folding. Statement of the invention

This is why the object of the invention is to provide a set of retractable bed (s) occupying only a very small thickness when it is folded against the wall.

The invention therefore relates to a set of retractable bed (s) of at least one bed, comprising a frame fixed to the wall and a frame whose horizontal parts supporting the mattress of the bed pivot around at least one horizontal axis integral with the frame so as to allow the retraction of the bed after pivoting by 90 °, the vertical supports of the frame being adapted to come to juxtapose vertically to the horizontal parts inside the frame at the end of pivoting around the horizontal axis when the the assembly is in the retracted position so that the retracted assembly has a very small thickness against the wall. An essential characteristic of this set of bed (s) is that the mattress is a flexible thin mattress made of high density polyurethane foam or equivalent material.

Brief description of the figures

The aims, objects and characteristics will become clearer on reading the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of the set of beds according to the present invention in open position, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the set of beds illustrated in Figure 1, in the retracted position, hidden by a table, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the set according to the invention comprising two superimposed single beds, Figure 4 is a top view of the upper bed showing the guardrails folded up according to a specific embodiment, Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the set of bed (s) showing the guardrail of Figure 4 in unfolded position and a simplified embodiment of the ladder, FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the upper bed having a cable railing according to a sophisticated embodiment, FIG. 6A is a magnification of the retractable rod mechanism allowing the installation of the railing shown in Figure 6, Figure 7 shows a partial sectional view of the box spring and the mattress of the set of beds illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 8 shows a side view of the set of beds according to the invention showing the ladder according to a particular embodiment used for the upper bed, FIG. 9 represents a view of the ladder illustrated in FIG. 8 showing the evi the vertical support of the bed assembly into which the ladder is introduced in the retracted position, FIG. 10 represents a sectional view of the vertical support in which the ladder illustrated in FIG. 8 and its steps have been introduced in the retracted position, and FIG. 11 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of the assembly according to the invention comprising a single bed for 2 people.

Detailed description of the invention

A set of two retractable bunk beds according to the invention in the open position is shown in perspective in Figure 1. The frame 10 having a lower mattress 12 and an upper mattress 14 can pivot around two horizontal axes integral with a frame 16 fixed to the wall. In the open position, the horizontal parts of the frame acting as box springs and supporting the mattresses are supported, on the one hand by the frame 16, and on the other hand by vertical supports 18 and 20.

When the assembly according to the invention has been retracted, it has a very small thickness of less than about 10 cm which therefore does not cause the bulk of a piece of furniture as is the case with conventional retractable bed sets, and which can consequently be masked by a decoration 22 as illustrated in FIG. 2. It should be noted that this decoration can be constituted by the front of the assembly itself, in the retracted position. In particular, it can consist of a poster or wallpaper glued to the back of the elements of the frame and the assembly of the different parts of which constitutes a painting when the assembly is in the retracted position. These various parts can also be fixed by clipping onto the elements of the assembly so as to allow the decoration to be changed. Finally, the decoration can also be constituted by printed stretched fabric which, if it is sufficiently solid, can act as a mattress support base. According to a variant using stretched fabric, the mattress could be slightly curved so as to compensate for the deformation of the fabric under the weight of the sleeper. The advantage of the stretched fabric is on the one hand to improve the solidity and on the other hand to reduce the thickness of the bed.

Note that a space of about 2cm can be provided between the fold-away bed and the wall, so as to allow ventilation of the mattress if the bed remains in the folded position for a long time. This can be obtained by means of spacers which can also make it possible to make up for the flatness of the wall. Note also that hooks can be provided to lock the bed in the retracted position. These hooks must be installed at a height to prevent opening by a young child. Referring to Figure 3 which shows the set of beds without the presence of box springs and mattresses, the frame 16 is presented as a frame fixed to the wall, terminated downwards by two base plates 24 and 26, the thickness of the frame corresponding to the thickness of the set of beds in the retracted position.

The frame 10 is formed of a lower frame 28 supported on the wall side by the lower horizontal portion 30 of the frame 16, and an upper frame 32 supported on the wall side by a horizontal intermediate spar 34 fixed to the wall. The frames 28 and 32 can pivot 90 ° anticlockwise around axes 36 and 38 located respectively in the upper parts of the horizontal portion 30 and of the intermediate spar 34.

In the unfolded position, the bed frame is supported by the vertical supports 18 and 20 as mentioned above. As illustrated in FIG. 3 by the dotted arrows, the lower end of the support 18 comes, after pivoting of the frame around the axes 36 and 38, to be placed on a shoulder 40 of the left vertical upright 15 of the frame 16 while the the lower end of the support 20 is placed on a shoulder 42 of the right vertical upright 17 of the frame 16. The two vertical uprights 15 and 17 of the frame 16 are hollowed out from the shoulders 40 and 42, which allows the vertical supports 18 and 20 to be placed in the retracted position, inside the frame 16, on either side of the intermediate spar 34. Similarly, the horizontal frames are placed vertically inside the frame in the position juxtaposed relative to the supports vertical 18 and 20, the frame 28 being housed between the lower horizontal portion 30 of the frame and the spar intermediate 34 and the frame 32 being housed between the beam 34 and the upper horizontal portion 31 of the frame. Removable pins can be provided to lock the feet of the bed and prevent it from folding in the event of an impact (broom, vacuum cleaner, etc.).

It is wise to provide railings 44 on the outer edge of the bed. According to a simple and robust embodiment, it can be provided that these railings are fixed by interlocking on the vertical uprights of the frame when the bed assembly (s) is unfolded and are disengaged and then stored under the mattress when proceeding to the retraction of the bed assembly (s).

It can also be provided that the railings are retractable. In an embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, there are three independent railings 44-1, 44-2 and 44-3 which, when the bed is folded away, are folded over the mattress as shown in the figure 4. Each of the railings has a stable vertical position by locking at an angle of 90 ° when it has been rotated by 90 ° as shown in Figure 5.

One can also make the guardrail 44 by means of one or more tensioned cables unwinding as a car seat belt. In the retracted position, the cable is wound up. To stabilize it in the railing position, two articulated rods retractable at the two corners of the bed must be provided, which must be placed in the locked vertical position. Then, the cable is unwound to go around the bed by passing it at the top of the two rods (holes provided for this purpose).

According to a more sophisticated embodiment, two cables are provided as shown in FIG. 6, a high cable 45 playing the role of the railing and a low cable 47. The cable 45 is fixed to the frame 16 by its ends at the two points 49-1 and 49-2 located at the height of the cable in the railing position. The cable 47 is fixed to the frame 16 by its ends at the two points 57-1 and 57-2 being at a height lower than the fixing points 49-1 and 49-2 of the cable 45. The high railing 45 is tensioned by two retractable rods 51 and 53 when they are in position stable vertical. For this, the cable 45 passes through a hole in the upper part of the rod 51 and in a hole in the upper part of the rod 53. The low cable 47 is retained around the entire periphery of the bed in a recess in the pivoting part 33 and the horizontal part 32 of the frame, except near the wall where it passes through a hole to come out on the upper face of the pivoting part 33 and be fixed on the frame at the fixing point 49-1 (or 49- 2). As illustrated by the magnification shown in FIG. 6A, the rod 51 is fixed by an axis 55 on the bed frame.

When the bed is in the retracted position, no tension is exerted on the cable 47 and the rods 51 and 53 are in the horizontal position folded over the mattress. When the bed is unfolded, the length of the cable 47 is such that in the unfolded position, it is fully stretched between the two fixing points 49-1 and 49-2. Consequently, when it tightens, it causes the rotation of the rod 51 (and also of the rod 53) around the axis 55 from the horizontal position to the vertical position. Therefore, the high cable 45 also stretches (its length has been determined to be equal to the periphery of the bed) and therefore constitutes the railing of the bed. Inside each of the frames 28 and 32 is placed a generally dimpled box spring 48 shown in section in FIG. 7 and with a thickness of less than 4 cm. Above the bed base is a flexible mattress 50 of small thickness, preferably less than 6 cm, made of foam such as high density polyurethane foam or equivalent material.

An important, but not essential, feature of the invention is to provide a ladder so as to allow the occupant of the upper bed to reach his bed easily. According to a simple and robust embodiment, the scale is simply fitted onto the uprights of the bed assembly (s) when it is unfolded, and disengaged and then stored under the mattress when the assembly is retracted.

In a more sophisticated embodiment illustrated in Figure 8, the ladder is on the side of the bed. When the set of beds according to the invention is retracted, the ladder 46 is automatically retracted as mentioned above. The pivoting parts 29 of the frame 28 and 33 of the frame 32 pass from the horizontal position to the vertical position. During pivoting, the stringer 56 of the ladder remains vertical like the vertical support 18. The two rungs of the ladder 58 and 60 articulated on the uprights 56 and 18, then pass from the horizontal position to the vertical position in s' embedding in the vertical support 18. The detail of the introduction of steps 58 and 60 in the vertical support 18 is illustrated in FIG. 9. The vertical support 18 is hollowed out in the vertical direction, which allows the introduction into said support steps 56 and 60 which have previously penetrated into the stringer 56 hollowed out in the vertical direction, the axis 62 of rotation of the stringer 56 relative to the frame 28 also penetrating into the support 18 by virtue of a lateral recess of the latter as illustrated by the end of the dotted arrow in Figure 9.

When the set of beds is in the retracted position, the ladder 46 is therefore completely retracted in the support 18 as shown in FIG. 10, each rung 58 or 60 being in a vertical position inside the stringer 56, itself in a vertical position inside the vertical support 18.

According to another simpler embodiment, the front railing 44-2 is shortened to make room for the ladder 57 shown in FIG. 5. The ladder is articulated on the horizontal part 28 of the lower bed and is folded down in the retracted position on the mattress when the bed set (s) is in the retracted position. The ladder 57 is telescopic and has a rim 59 at the upper end of the telescopic part. When the bed assembly (s) is unfolded, the telescopic part is pulled upwards so that the edge comes to hang and bear on the horizontal part 32 of the upper bed.

Although in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the set of beds which has just been described comprises two bunk beds, it is possible to design a set with a single bed for one or two people. One can thus imagine a set of beds according to the invention comprising only a single lower bed of the sofa type, the upper part of the frame being able to be retracted when the assembly is in the open position, so that it constitutes a file.

In the embodiment of a set with a single bed for 2 people illustrated in FIG. 11, the folded bed occupying a lesser width than two superimposed single beds, the uprights 15 and 17 of the frame 16 each have a slide 70 or 72 in which slides a telescopic upright 74 or 76 making it possible to slide the bed assembly downwards when it is desired to unfold it. At the end of the race, when the horizontal portion 30 of the frame 16 is in the low position, the two legs 78 and 80 of the rear of the bed which are arranged in a groove in the horizontal portion 30 when the bed is folded, are then released and are brought into vertical position by a rotation of 90 ° so as to rest on the ground. It should be noted that the frame of the bed is kept in the retracted position in the frame 16 by means of a locking means which it is necessary to release when the frame is to be lowered in order to unfold the bed. Then, as for the assembly with 2 bunk beds described above, the bed frame 10 which is arranged inside the frame 16 in the retracted position, is brought into the horizontal position by a rotation of 90 °. The two front legs 82 and 84 arranged, in the retracted position, in a groove 86 or 88 of the frame, are brought into a vertical position to rest on the ground. It should be noted that the sides of the bed frame 30 have unlocking studs 90 or 92 which hold the bed frame in the retracted position in the frame 16 and which must be actuated when it is desired to put the frame in horizontal position.

Many modifications can be made to the bed assembly (s) which has just been described without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, according to a variant of the invention, it is possible to provide return springs working under tension or gas cylinders on each side of the frame fixed to the frame at one of its ends and to the lower horizontal frame 28 at the another end and intended to exert a force reducing the weight of the bed and therefore to compensate for the effort that the user must exert to put the bed in the retracted position. In addition, these springs or cylinders exerting a force even when the bed is folded, have the advantage of preventing the untimely opening of the bed.

Claims

1. Set of retractable bed (s) of at least one bed, comprising a frame (16) fixed to the wall and a frame (10) whose horizontal parts (28, 32) supporting the mattress of the bed pivot around at at least one horizontal axis (36 or 38) integral with said frame so as to allow retraction of said bed after pivoting through 90 °, the vertical supports

(18, 20) of said frame being adapted to come juxtaposed vertically to said horizontal parts inside said frame at the end of pivoting around said horizontal axis when the assembly is in the retracted position so that the retracted assembly has very thin against the wall; said assembly being characterized in that said mattress is a flexible mattress of low thickness of high density polyurethane foam or equivalent material.

2. Bed assembly according to claim 1, in which said frame (16) comprises a left vertical upright (15) and a right vertical upright (17) each having a shoulder (40 or 42) extended by a hollowed out part, the lower ends of the vertical supports (18, 20) being placed respectively on said shoulders allowing said supports to be placed respectively in the hollowed out parts of the left and right vertical uprights when the assembly is put in the retracted position.

3. Set of bed (s) according to one of claims 1 or 2, comprising two superimposed single beds when the assembly is in the open position.

4. bed assembly (s) according to claim 3, wherein said frame (16) has a horizontal intermediate spar (34), the horizontal parts of said frame being made up of two frames (28, 32) for supporting the two beds respectively, said frames pivoting by 90 ° respectively about a horizontal axis (36) located in the horizontal portion (30) of said frame and a horizontal axis ( 38) located in said intermediate beam when the assembly passes from the open position to the retracted position.

5. A set of bed (s) according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a retractable ladder (46 or 57) located on one of the sides or on the front of the set of bed (s) so as to allow the occupant of the upper bed can reach the bed easily.

6. bed assembly (s) according to claim 5, wherein said ladder fits on the uprights of the frame of the bed assembly (s) when the latter is in the unfolded position, said ladder being disengaged and then stored under the mattress when the bed assembly (s) is retracted.

7. bed assembly (s) according to claim 5, wherein said ladder (57) is a retracted telescopic ladder and in horizontal position when the assembly is in the retracted position and the ladder being placed in the vertical position when the assembly is in the unfolded position, the telescopic part being pulled upwards so that a flange (59) located at the upper end of the telescopic part of the ladder can hang on the horizontal part of the upper bed.

8. A set of bed (s) according to claim 5, wherein said ladder (46) is located on one side of the set of bed (s) and comprises a vertical stringer (56) and steps (58, 60 ) connecting said stringer to the vertical support (18) of said frame (10), said stringer comprising a vertical recess in which said steps are placed said vertical support also comprising a vertical recess in which is placed said stringer simultaneously with the introduction of said steps in said stringer when the set of beds is put in the retracted position.

9. Bed assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a railing (44) on the upper bed in one or more parts, each part of said railing being folded in horizontal position when the bed assembly (s) is in the retracted position.

10. bed assembly (s) according to one of claims 6, 7 or 8, further comprising a bodyguard s' fitting on the uprights of the frame of the assembly when the latter is in the unfolded position, said guard -body being disengaged and then stored under the mattress when the bed assembly (s) is retracted.

11. Bed assembly according to one of claims 5 to 8, further comprising a railing formed by a cable (45) stretched above the upper bed by two retractable rods (51, 53) placed at the corners of the upper bed, the two rods normally in the horizontal position when the assembly is in the retracted position being brought into vertical position by rotation about an axis

(55) fixed to the upper bed frame when the assembly is unfolded using a low cable (47) located in a recess in the horizontal parts (32, 33) of the upper bed and fixed at each of its ends to a fixing point situated above said upper bed, said low cable tensing when the assembly is put in the unfolded position and thus causing said retractable rods to pass from the horizontal position to the vertical position.

12. Set of bed (s) according to one of the preceding claims in which the rear of the various elements constituting said frame comprises a decoration consisting of a poster, decorative wallpaper or stretched fabric printed so as to form a table when the set of bed (s) is in the retracted position.

13. bed assembly (s) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising two jacks or two springs placed on either side of the frame (10) and intended to exert a force reducing the weight of the set of bed (s) and therefore compensating for the effort that the user must exert to move the whole from the unfolded position to the retracted position.

14. Set of bed (s) according to claim 1, comprising a single double bed.

15. Bed assembly (s) according to claim 14, wherein said vertical uprights (15 and 17) of the frame (16) each comprise a slide (70 and 72) in which slides a telescopic upright (74 and 76) making it possible to slide said bed frame (10) into the folded down position when the bed is to be unfolded.