WO2008133496A1

WO2008133496A1 - Piece of bedroom furniture

Info

Publication number: WO2008133496A1
Application number: PCT/NL2007/050190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Wilhelmus Rinkens
Original assignee: Providence Generale Holding S.A.
Priority date: 2005-12-23
Filing date: 2007-04-28
Publication date: 2008-11-06
Also published as: NL1030768C2; EP2152123B1; EP2152123A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an integrated piece of bedroom furniture, comprising a bed unit (3), a toilet unit (4) and a shower unit (5). These units (3,4,5) are assembled into an integral unit by means of mutually connected columns and beams. In a preferred embodiment the piece of bedroom furniture has a general rectangular block shape which is defined by said vertical columns and horizontal beams.

Description

PIECE OF BEDROOM FURNITtJRE

The invention relates to a piece of bedroom furniture, comprising: a bed unit in which a bed space is defined, comprising: a rectangular carrier with an at least more or less flat upper surface, which carrier has dimensions and is disposed at a height such that it is adapted to bear a mattress; a vertical headboard; and a vertical footboard.

A toilet and a shower are usually situated in the vicinity of a bedroom. These are units which are usually incorporated in the building construction as separate functional spaces . It is an object of the invention to embody a piece of bedroom furniture such that the sleep function, the toilet function and the shower function are combined with each other in very practical and inexpensive manner. It is a further object of the invention to realize this object with a piece of bedroom furniture which is suitable for use in spaces with limited floor area and in cases in which the budget for realizing said functionalities is limited, as in the case of a holiday bungalow, a student room, a space in the context of low- cost housing, and a simple hotel room.

With a view to the above, the invention provides a piece of bedroom furniture which is characterized by a toilet space, comprising: a toilet with a water supply, flushing means and a water discharge; and a washbasin with at least one tap with a water supply and a water discharge; a shower space, comprising: a mixer tap which can be connected to a connection for hot water and to a connection for cold water; a shower head connected to the outlet of the mixer tap; and a shower tray with a water outlet; a first block-shaped space frame, comprising: four first vertical columns extending on the corner zones of the carriers; a first support construction which supports the first columns and rests on the floor; and a first rectangular upper framework comprising four horizontal upper beams which mutually connect the top end zones of the first columns; a second block-shaped space frame, comprising: four second vertical columns situated on the corner zones of the block-shaped first space formed by the toilet space and the shower space; a second support construction which supports the second columns and rests on the floor; and a second rectangular upper framework comprising four second horizontal upper beams which mutually connect the top end zones of the second columns; which piece of bedroom furniture is assembled into one unit.

Although the bed space and the first space can be integrated with each other, they can be constructed separately of each other. For the purpose of a uniform and attractive appearance and a reduction in the construction costs, the embodiment is recommended in which two first columns are integrated with two correspondingly placed second columns; the first support construction and the second support construction are integrated with each other; and the first upper framework and the second upper framework are integrated with each other. According to a determined aspect of the invention, the piece of bedroom furniture has the special feature that the first upper framework bears a first ceiling.

According to yet another aspect, the piece of bedroom furniture has the special feature that the second upper framework bears a second ceiling. An embodiment in which the first and the second ceiling are integrated with each other is of simpler construction and thereby cheaper to produce.

The piece of furniture is preferably embodied such that the first support construction comprises: a first rectangular lower framework, comprising four first horizontal lower beams which mutually connect the bottom end zones of the first columns.

For the same reason the embodiment is recommended in which the second support construction comprises: a second rectangular lower framework, comprising four second horizontal lower beams which mutually connect the bottom end zones of the second columns.

A further degree of integration, and thereby cost- saving, is realized with an embodiment in which a first lower beam is integrated with a correspondingly placed second lower beam.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has the special feature that the footboard is at least a part of an inner wall which forms a boundary of the first space, and the headboard extends to a maximum height of (1.0 ± 0.2) m.

In the above described embodiment the piece of bedroom furniture according to the invention can - optionally be provided with a horizontal tabletop extending on the upper zone of the headboard on the outer side relative to the carrier.

Depending on the desired load-bearing capacity of the tabletop, it can support on the ground with one or more legs. The tabletop can be disposed fixedly but can also fold up or fold down by means of a hinge construction. When one or more legs are used, these legs can occupy a vertical position under their own weight in both the supporting position of use and in the non- supporting folded-away position, whereby the space taken up by the table with leg or legs is minimal in the folded-away position. The legs can also be folded in and out in other known ways.

The piece of furniture according to the invention can be provided with a monitor, a screen or the like, with which the user can either see the screen from the outside of the piece of furniture or can see the screen when preferably sitting in bed. According to this latter preferred embodiment, the piece of furniture can preferably have the feature that a flat screen is arranged on the inner wall on the side of the carrier.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the piece of bedroom furniture comprises an outer wall which forms a boundary of the first space.

According to a significant aspect of the invention, the piece of bedroom furniture preferably has the special feature that the inner wall or the outer wall carries a toilet bowl and a flush operating button in the toilet space; the inner wall or the outer wall is hollow and accommodates a water reservoir for the toilet bowl, a water supply conduit for this water reservoir and a water discharge conduit for the toilet bowl.

In the case of a screen arranged on the inner wall and of a hollow outer wall, the invention can advantageously be embodied such that the inner wall accommodates electrical cabling for the screen.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the piece of bedroom furniture can have the special feature that the inner wall or the outer wall carries on its inner side a wash-basin with at least one tap; and the outer wall is hollow and accommodates at least one water conduit.

Very practical is an embodiment in which a mirror is arranged above the wash-basin on the relevant wall. According to yet another aspect, the piece of furniture according to the invention has the special feature that a tabletop arranged on a wall is present in the toilet space.

Very practical and inexpensive to manufacture is an embodiment in which the tabletop is integrated with the wash-basin.

An important optional aspect of the invention lies in the fact that all electrical cables and water conduits are provided with connecting means on the underside of the piece of furniture such that they can be coupled to complementary connecting means which are present on the floor and to which are connected corresponding electrical cables and water conduits present in the floor. It is however necessary for this purpose that the electric power supply cables, the information cables (also including glass fibre cables), the water supply conduits and the water discharge conduits are received in the floor of the space where the piece of bedroom furniture is disposed and are accessible by a technician such that said connecting means of the piece of furniture according to the invention can be coupled to the complementary connecting means, for instance using plug connections and rapid- action couplings. This aspect of the invention provides an attractive appearance because the integrated piece of bedroom furniture according to the invention is as it were disposed in the space like an island without any visible connection to the surrounding area. The bed space in particular, which is preferably wholly open on two sides and at least partly open at the head end, i.e. the space above the headboard, hereby gives a visual impression of a large, light space.

The piece of furniture can further comprise: lighting means which are arranged on the first upper beams. Small halogen spotlights can for instance be placed spaced-apart and oriented such that the light intensity can be concentrated locally as desired, for instance to realize the function of a reading lamp in bed.

According to another aspect in respect of these lighting means, the invention can have the special feature that the lighting means emit at least a part of the light upward such that the ceiling of the space in which the piece of furniture is situated can act as secondary or indirect light source. The indirect light can have various colours or can be generated such that a user has a choice of different colours . It has been found that, depending on the mood or the desired mode of a user, different colours have a differing effect. In this respect it is also important that the lighting means comprise lamps which the user can set to a desired lighting intensity with dimmers. This is the case for both the direct lights, such as the halogen lamps, and the indirect light sources that are optionally present.

These indirect light sources in particular can be embodied such that the lighting means comprise fluorescent lamps.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the piece of bedroom furniture comprises selection means for connecting the screen as desired to a television receiver, a personal computer, a WiFi installation, a game computer, a DVD player or the like.

The carrier can be a flat plate which is provided with sufficient support to carry one or more persons.

An embodiment is recommended in which the carrier comprises a slatted base, or more preferably a box- spring unit.

A substantial embellishment of the appearance of the piece of furniture is realized with an embodiment in which the piece of furniture has the external spatial main shape of a rectangular block with ribs, each with the form of a quarter cylinder; and the eight corner zones have the general shape of an eighth part of a sphere with the same radius of curvature as said cylinder. This embodiment can preferably have a form such that the radius of the sphere amounts to (270 ± 150) mm.

The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of the accompanying drawings of several exemplary embodiments. In the drawings: Fig_* 1 shows a top view with removed ceilings of the integrated piece of bedroom furniture according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows the cross section II - II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the front view of the piece of bedroom furniture;

Fig. 4 shows the left-hand side view of the piece of bedroom furniture;

Fig. 5 shows the right-hand side view of the piece of bedroom furniture; Fig. 6 shows the top view of the piece of bedroom furniture; Fig. 7 shows the rear view of the piece of bedroom furniture;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the piece of bedroom furniture in another embodiment; Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the piece of bedroom furniture as according to Fig. 1 - 7, as seen from front right;

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the piece of bedroom furniture, with a specific view of the entrance to the toilet and the shower, respectively the bed space;

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the interior of the toilet and the shower; and

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of the piece of bedroom furniture from right rear;

Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12 show a piece of bedroom furniture 1, all eight corner zones of which are rounded in the form of an eighth part of a sphere . Fig. 8 shows a piece of bedroom furniture 2 in which the corner zones are not rounded, but defined by the three relevant ribs connecting to each other at perpendicular angles.

The piece of bedroom furniture 1 comprises three parts, i.e. a bed unit 3, a toilet unit 4 and a shower unit 5, which are functionally separated from each other but which, according to the invention, are integrated into a unit.

Anticipating the detailed description of the components and their mutual relation following hereinbelow it is noted that, in the configuration according to Fig. 1, shower unit 5 is situated on the left-hand side and toilet unit 4 is situated on the right-hand side. Depending on the conditions of placing of the article of bedroom furniture, the positions of the toilet unit and the shower unit can also be mutually switched. Reference is made in this respect to Fig. 10, in which toilet unit 4 is situated on the left-hand side and shower unit 5 on the right-hand side of the article of bedroom furniture 1. A plurality of components can thus be positioned in suitable manner relative to other components in accordance with design requirements.

Bed unit 3, in which a bed space 6 is defined, comprises : a substantially rectangular carrier 7 (see Fig- 2) with a substantially flat upper surface (for instance a flat plate or a slatted base) , which carrier is disposed at a low height such that it is adapted and intended to bear a mattress 8 (see Fig. 2), a vertical . headboard 9 and a vertical footboard 10.

Toilet unit 4 comprises a toilet bowl 11 with associated facilities, an associated water reservoir 12, a flush operating button 13 (see Fig. 10 and 11) , a wash-basin 14 with a mixer tap 15 and a table 16 situated at the level of the upper edge of wash-basin 14 and integrated therewith. A tap 15 is arranged in a corner zone of the edge of wash-basin 14. A storage cabinet 18 is situated below table 16. Placed in the floor is a drain 19 whereby the floor can be easily cleaned. Toilet unit 4 can be accessed via an optional, hingedly disposed, non-transparent door 20. For the sake of clarity this door is not shown in the other figures. Shower unit 5 comprises a mixer tap 21 connectable to a connection (not drawn) for hot water and a - connection for cold water, a shower head 22 which is connected to the outlet of the mixer tap via a water conduit and which can be placed at any desired position. The shower head can be arranged fixedly on a wall or on the ceiling, and also be connected to a fixed connection via a flexible hose. The shower further comprises a shower tray 23 with upright walls and a water drain 24. Toilet unit 4 and shower unit 5 are mutually separated by means of a sliding door 25. This door can for instance have a matt translucent form. Situated on the other side of shower unit 5 is a matt translucent panel 26.

The floor of the shower space is moulded as one monolithic unit with the floor of the toilet. The article of bedroom furniture 1 comprises a number of frames integrated into a unit. These frames comprise columns which are defined by plate-like elements of suitable material, for instance wood fibre board, MDF, reinforced plastic or the like, mutually connected in corner zones. A first frame 27 comprises: four first vertical columns 28, 29, 30, 31, which extend on the corner zones of carrier 7; a first support construction 32 which supports the first columns and rests on the floor, comprising four first horizontal lower beams 33, 34, 35, 36, which mutually connect the bottom end zones of the first columns 28, 29, 30, 31 and support on the floor; and a correspondingly formed first rectangular upper framework, comprising four first horizontal upper beams 38, 39, 40, 41 (see in particular Fig. 6) . The piece of furniture further comprises a second, block-shaped space frame 42, comprising: four second vertical columns 43, 44, 45, 46, which are situated at the corner zones of the block-shaped first space 47 bounded by toilet unit 4 and shower unit 5; a second support construction comprising a second rectangular lower framework, comprising four second horizontal lower beams 6€_f 67, 68, 69, which mutually connect the bottom end zones of second columns 43, 44, 45, 46. The second lower beam 69 is integrated with the first lower beam 35.

First column 30 is integrated with second column 46 and first column 31 is integrated with second column 43. Footboard 10 forms part of a hollow inner wall 48 which forms a separation of bed unit 3 on one side and toilet unit 4 and shower unit 5 on the other. As Fig. 3 shows, headboard 9 extends to a height of about I m.

Footboard 10 carries a flat display screen 49. Arranged on the outer side of headboard 9 is a tabletop 49, which is supported by two legs 50, 51 in the zone of its outward protruding free edge.

Like inner wall 48, outer wall 51 takes a hollow form and is thus able to accommodate water reservoir 12, water conduits (not drawn) and electrical cables. The hollow inner wall 48 accommodates, among other components, electrical cables for power supply to flat screen 59, signal lines intended therefor, water supply conduits and water discharge conduits for tap 47 and wash-basin 14 and, like hollow outer wall 51, electrical cables for lighting provisions.

As shown particularly clearly in Fig. 1, the washstand, comprising wash-basin 14 and table 16, is partly accommodated in an alcove recessed into hollow inner wall 48.

Light sources are arranged in all three spaces, respectively bed unit 3, toilet unit 4 and shower unit 5. The top view according to Fig. 6, drawn in partially transparent view, shows this aspect particularly clearly. Three lamps 52, 53, 54 are situated in the area of headboard 9. Lamps 55, 56 are situated adjacently of side beams 41, 37, a lamp 57 is situated above the shower space, a lamp 58 is situated above the toilet space, and lamps 58, 60 are situated above wash-basin 14, 16.

Not drawn are fluorescent lamps accommodated in beams and/or the ceiling, which radiate substantially upward toward the ceiling and thus indirectly light the space in which the article of bedroom furniture 1 is located.

The article of bedroom furniture 2 according to Fig. 8 has a general rectangular block shape. Conversely, the article of bedroom furniture 1 has quarter cylinder-shaped, rounded ribs and corner zones which have a shape corresponding therewith of an eighth of a sphere with the same radius of curvature as the cylinder. In this embodiment the relevant cylinder and the sphere have a radius of 270 mm. In the figures the radius of curvature of the ribs of the piece of bedroom furniture 1 is designated with R. This radius of curvature R corresponds with the radius of curvature of the quarter sphere on the eight corner zones of the integrated piece of bedroom furniture 1.

Fig. 6 shows that the ceiling comprises a transparent panel 62 in the area of the centre of bed unit 3. Fig. 7 shows that a fuse box 63 can be placed on the outer side of outer wall 51. Situated here in the embodiment shown in Fig. 12 are clothes hooks 64, 65 for hanging clothing.

Claims

CIAIHS

1. Piece of bedroom furniture, comprising: a bed unit in which a bed space is defined, comprising: a rectangular carrier with an at least more or less flat upper surface, which carrier has dimensions and is disposed at a height such that it is adapted to bear a mattress; a vertical headboard; and a vertical footboard; characterized by a toilet space, comprising: a toilet with a water supply, flushing means and a water discharge; and a washbasin with at least one tap with a water supply and a water discharge; a shower space, comprising: a mixer tap which can be connected to a connection for hot water and to a connection for cold water; a shower head connected to the outlet of the mixer tap; and a shower tray with a water outlet; a first block-shaped space frame, comprising: four first vertical columns extending on the corner zones of the carriers; a first support construction which supports the first columns and rests on the floor; and a first rectangular upper framework comprising four horizontal upper beams which mutually connect the top end zones of the first columns; a second block-shaped space frame, comprising: four second vertical columns situated on the corner zones of the block-shaped first space formed by the toilet space and the shower space; a second support construction which supports the second columns and rests on the floor; and a second rectangular upper framework comprising four second horizontal upper beams which mutually connect the top end zones of the second columns; which piece of bedroom furniture is assembled into one unit.

2. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein two first columns are integrated with two correspondingly placed second columns; the first support construction and the second support construction are integrated with each other; and the first upper framework and the second upper framework are integrated with each other.

3. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first upper framework bears a first ceiling.

4. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim

1, wherein the second upper framework bears a second ceiling.

5. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claims

2, 3 and A, wherein the first and the second ceiling are integrated with each other.

6. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first support construction comprises: a first rectangular lower framework, comprising four first horizontal lower beams which mutually connect the bottom end zones of the first columns .

7. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second support construction comprises: a second rectangular lower framework, comprising four second horizontal lower beams which mutually connect the bottom end zones of the second columns.

8. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claims 6 and 7, wherein a first lower beam is integrated with a correspondingly placed second lower beam.

9. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the footboard is at least a part of an inner wall which forms a boundary of the first space, and the headboard extends to a maximum height of (1.0 ± 0.2) m.

10. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 9, comprising a horizontal tabletop extending on the upper zone of the headboard on the outer side relative to the carrier.

11. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1/ wherein a flat screen is arranged on the inner wall on the side of the carrier.

12. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, comprising an outer wall which forms a boundary of the first space.

13. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 9 or 12, wherein the inner wall or the outer wall carries a toilet bowl and a flush operating button in the toilet space; the inner wall or the outer wall is hollow and accommodates a water reservoir for the toilet bowl, a water supply conduit for this water reservoir and a water discharge conduit for the toilet bowl.

14. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claims 11 and 13, wherein the inner wall accommodates electrical cabling for the screen.

15. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 14, wherein the inner wall or the outer wall carries on its inner side a wash-basin with at least one tap; and the outer wall is hollow and accommodates at least one water conduit.

16- Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 14, wherein a mirror is arranged above the wash-basin on the relevant wall.

17. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 14, wherein a tabletop arranged on a wall is present in the toilet space.

18. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tabletop is integrated with the washbasin.

19. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein all electrical cables and water conduits are provided with connecting means on the underside of the piece of furniture such that they can be coupled to complementary connecting means which are present on the floor and to which are connected corresponding electrical cables and water conduits present in the floor.

20. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim

I, comprising lighting means which are arranged on the first upper beams.

21. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lighting means emit at least a part of the light upward such that the ceiling of the space in which the piece of furniture is situated can act as secondary or indirect light source.

22. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lighting means comprise fluorescent lamps .

23. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim

II, comprising selection means for connecting the screen as desired to a television receiver, a personal computer, a WiFi installation, a game computer, a DVD player or the like.

24. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a slatted base.

25. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a box-spring unit.

26. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the piece of furniture has the external spatial main shape of a rectangular block with ribs, each with the form of a quarter cylinder; and the eight corner zones have the general shape of an eighth part of a sphere with the same radius of curvature as said cylinder.

27. Piece of bedroom furniture as claimed in claim 26, wherein the radius of the sphere amounts to (270 ± 150) mm.