WO2014191854A1

WO2014191854A1 - A collapsible bed base

Info

Publication number: WO2014191854A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/061081
Authority: WO
Inventors: Athanasios Bitzounis; Ebrahim SAHIB; Ismail SAHIB
Original assignee: DEMETRIADES, Xenophon
Priority date: 2013-05-29
Filing date: 2014-04-29
Publication date: 2014-12-04

Abstract

A collapsible bed base includes a body of cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting comprised of a plurality of connected elements movable between a contracted position and an expanded position sized to receive a mattress thereon. Two supporting end members are each located on opposing ends of the body and a plurality of frame members are connectable to one another and to the body to hold the body in the expanded position. Thus, the body is movable between a storage/transport position in which it is in a relatively compact form and an expanded position in which it is sized to receive a mattress thereon.

Description

A COLLAPSIBLE BED BASE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to a collapsible bed base.

There are many sorts of portable mattresses which can be used in various scenarios. However, there are not portable bed bases which can be easily used with these mattresses.

The present invention addresses this and provides a collapsible bed base. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one example embodiment, a collapsible bed base includes: a body of sheet material comprised of a plurality of connected elements movable between a contracted position where the plurality of elements lie adjacent one another and an expanded position where the plurality of elements are spaced further apart from one another, wherein when the body is in the expanded position it is sized to receive a mattress thereon; two supporting end members each located on opposing ends of the body and connected to the body so that in the contracted position the two supporting end members are relatively closer together than when the body is in the expanded position; and a plurality of frame members connectable to one another and to the body to hold the body in the expanded position

The body preferably includes a top side, a bottom side, front and back ends and two side ends.

In one example embodiment, the front and back ends are shorter than the two side ends and the body is rectangular in shape.

Each of the two supporting end members are connected to one of the front and back ends.

The base further includes a cover formed from material and sized to cover the body, supporting end members and plurality of frame members.

The base may also include a plurality of feet connectable to the base to hold the base above the ground when in use. The body may be formed from cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting.

Each of the connected elements of the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting may be connected to a plurality of other elements by a fold formed in the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting which thereby allow the cardboard to be moved between the contracted position and the expanded position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a collapsible bed base according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a contracted position in which it is easily movable and storable;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the body of the collapsible bed base in an expanded position with frame members attached;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the body of the collapsible bed base in an expanded position with frame members attached and showing the feet exploded away from the base;

Figure 4 is a top view of the collapsible bed base of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a top view of the frame members arranged

positions they will be connected to the bed base;

Figure 6 is a top view of the frame members of Figure 5 connected to one another;

Figure 7 are partial perspective views showing how the frame

and8 members connect to one another;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the assembled collapsible bed base with a mattress being located thereon; Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a collapsible bed base; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the collapsible bed base in an expanded position with frame members attached.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the accompanying Figures, a collapsible bed base 10 includes a body 12 of sheet material comprised of a plurality of connected elements 14. Bed bases are also known internationally as a "box spring".

Furthermore, the illustrated embodiments below will describe a bed base to receive a so-called single mattress thereon but it will be appreciated that the base could be made larger to accommodate other sized mattresses.

In any event, the connected elements 14 are movable between a contracted position (Figure 1) where the plurality of elements 14 lie adjacent one another and an expanded position (Figures 2-3) where the plurality of elements are spaced further apart from one another 14.

It will be appreciated that when the body 12 is in the expanded position it is sized to receive a mattress thereon as can be seen in Figure 9.

In a prototype of the present invention the body 12 was formed from cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting. It will be appreciated that any other suitable material can be used.

Each of the connected elements 14 of the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting are connected to a plurality of other elements 14 by folds formed in the cardboard which thereby allow the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting to be moved between the contracted position and the expanded position,

In one example embodiment, each of the elements 14 is rectangular in shape as can be seen in the accompanying drawings.

Each of the elements 14 includes two planar faces and four edges, two of the edges being relatively shorter and the other two edges being relatively longer.

In the illustrated example embodiment, the folds formed in the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting are formed along the relatively longer edges so that at least a majority of the cardboard elements 14 are connected to two other cardboard elements 14 along their longer edges.

It will be appreciated that the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting elements 14 form a sort of honeycomb structure. It will also be appreciated that the geometry of such honeycomb structures can vary widely but the common feature of these structures is an array of hollow cells formed between thin vertical walls. The cells are often columnar and in the illustrated embodiment are quadrilaterals but these could be any other suitable shape such as pentagonal or hexagonal to name but two examples.

Two supporting end members 16 are each located on opposing ends of the body 12 and connected to the body 12 so that in the contracted position the two supporting end members 16 are relatively closer together than when the body is 12 in the expanded position.

In the example embodiment, the two supporting end members 16 were made of wood and sized to be substantially the same size as the opposing ends of the body 12 to which they are connected. The end members 16 function is to provide further stability to the base 10 when in the expanded position and to provide an anchor point for frame members which will be described in detail below.

In addition, the end members 16 provide a protective outer shell for the cardboard portion of the body 12 when in the contracted position as the base will be moved from location to location in the contracted position and the end members 6 will protect the cardboard during transport.

It will be appreciated that the body 12 includes a top side 12a, a bottom side 12b, a front end 12c and a back end 12d and two side ends 12e and 12f respectively.

In the illustrated example embodiment, the front and back ends are shorter than the two side ends and the body is rectangular in shape.

In addition, each of the two supporting end members 16 are connected to one of the front and back ends.

A plurality of frame members 18 are connectab!e to one another and to the body 12 to hold the body in the expanded position.

The frame members 18 include frame members that are designed to be connected along the length of the body 12 and frame members that are designed to be connected along the width of the body 12.

The frame members are designed to be interlocking as will be described in more detail below.

Referring to Figures 4-8, in the illustrated example embodiment, the frame members that are connected along the length of the body 12 are formed from two parts which connect together. One of the parts includes a tongue 20 which is inserted into a slot 22 in the other part to lock the two together. In this manner a single long frame member is formed for each side.

Another frame member is then connected across the width of the base between the two long frame members.

A connecting formation 24 is inserted into a slot 26 to hold the shorter frame members to the longer frame members.

The base further includes a cover 28 formed from material and sized to cover the body, supporting end members and plurality of frame members.

The base also includes a plurality of feet 30 connectable to the base to hold the base above the ground when in use. It will be appreciated that whilst four feet are shown in the accompanying drawings, any number of feet could be used to stabilize the bed base. In one example embodiment, feet were connected to the frame members 18 including the shorter frame members connected across the width of the base for added stability.

Referring now to Figures 10 and 11 , in a second embodiment, the frame members 18 are connected to one another in a different manner via connecting members 32 and 34.

In this embodiment, the frame members 18 are shaped to slide into slots formed in the connecting members 32 and 34 which thereby hold the frame members together.

Thus, referring to the connecting member 32, this connecting member is a corner connecting member and has slots 36 and 38 each having an L- shaped profile.

The slot 36 is shaped to receive the frame members 18 securely therein and the slot 38 is shaped to receive an edge of the supporting end members 16 securely therein and to hold the two securely together. Connecting member 34 holds together the two parts of the long frame member 18a together with the shorter frame member 18b thereby to hold the longer frame members securely to the shorter frame member.

The connecting member 34 includes slots 40 on either side thereof to receive the two parts of the long frame member 18a and also includes a slot 42 to receive one end of the shorter frame member 8b.

In addition, the connecting member 34 has a slot to receive a further vertical frame member 18c which assists in securing the body 12 in position.

The connecting members 32 and 34 also include holes 44 to receive projections on the feet 30.

In this regard, the frame members 18 have holes 46 therein which line up with one of the holes 44 where the long frame member is inserted into the connecting member 34. The projections on the feet 30 will then pass through both of the holes 44 and 46 thereby holding the frame members to the connecting members.

For the frame members 18 and connecting members 32 and 34 that will lie on top of the body 12, other securing means can be passed through the aligned holes 44 and 46 to secure these together such as a nut and bolt type arrangement or a push in plug.

A vertical holding member 48 has at its ends a threaded screw which screws into a complimentary threaded hole in the shorter frame members 18b that will lie below and above the body 12.

The vertical holding member 48 will pass through one of the openings in the body 12 to prevent the body 12 from shifting relative to the frame members 18 and end members 16. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of horizontal support members 50 are sized to fit between the longer frame members 18a to provide further support for the body 12.

These horizontal support members 50 may also include holes therein through which the projections on the feet 30 can pass thereby to secure the horizontal support members 50 to the longer frame members 18a.

In use, the collapsible bed base operates as follows. Firstly, the collapsible base is stored and transported in the contracted position illustrated in Figure 1.

When the base 10 is in a position in which a user wishes to erect the base, the user firstly pulls apart the two supporting end members 16 thereby pulling apart the connected elements 14 and expanding the body 12 into the expanded position.

Next the frame members 18 are located and interconnected connected and locked in position.

The cover 28 is placed over these and the feet 30 connected to the bottom.

The base is now able to receive a mattress as shown in Figure 8.

It will be appreciated that the collapsible bed base provides a base that is easily collapsed into a storage/transport form and can be moved around as required by a user or stored more easily taking up less room than traditional bed bases.

Furthermore, no tools are required to assemble the bed base.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A collapsible bed base includes: a body of sheet material comprised of a plurality of connected elements movable between a contracted position where the plurality of elements lie adjacent one another and an expanded position where the plurality of elements are spaced further apart from one another, wherein when the body is in the expanded position it is sized to receive a mattress thereon; two supporting end members each located on opposing ends of the body and connected to the body so that in the contracted position the two supporting end members are relatively closer together than when the body is in the expanded position; and a plurality of frame members connectable to one another and to the body to hold the body in the expanded position

2. A collapsible bed base according to claim 1 wherein the body includes a top side, a bottom side, front and back ends and two side ends.

3. A collapsible bed base according to claim 2 wherein the front and back ends are shorter than the two side ends and the body is rectangular in shape.

4. A collapsible bed base according to claim 2or claim 3 wherein each of the two supporting end members are connected to one of the front and back ends.

5. A collapsible bed base according to any preceding claim further including a cover formed from material and sized to cover the body, supporting end members and plurality of frame members.

6. A collapsible bed base according to any preceding claim further including a plurality of feet connectabie to the base to hold the base above the ground when in use.

7. A collapsible bed base according to any preceding claim wherein the body is formed from cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting.

8. A collapsibie bed base according to claim 7 wherein each of the connected elements of the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting are connected to a plurality of other elements by a fold formed in the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting which thereby allow the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheeting to be moved between the contracted position and the expanded position.

9. A collapsible bed base according to any preceding claim further including a plurality of connecting members to connect adjacent ones of the plurality of frame members to one another.

10. A collapsibie bed base according to any preceding claim wherein the plurality of frame members include relatively longer frame members to extend along a length of the body and relatively shorter frame members to extend across a width of the body.