WO2020049297A1

WO2020049297A1 - A slat zonal support system

Info

Publication number: WO2020049297A1
Application number: PCT/GB2019/052465
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Massey MCCLEMENTS; Jane WAUGH
Original assignee: Jwamm Ltd.
Priority date: 2018-09-07
Filing date: 2019-09-04
Publication date: 2020-03-12
Also published as: GB2576939A; GB201814609D0

Abstract

A bed frame (1) is provided, which provides a user with zonal support. The bed frame (1) comprises a base (2) which, in use, supports a mattress. The base (2) is provided with a plurality of support members in the form of slats (8; 9), which, in use, support the mattress. The slats (8; 9) are arranged into at least a plurality of zones within the base (2), the zones including at least a first slat zone (10) wherein the slats (8) within that zone have a first width; and a second slat zone (11) wherein the slats (9) within that zone have a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width. The bed frame (1) therefore provides a second slat zone (11) which is firmer, and a first slat zone (10) which is more flexible, thus providing the user with zonal support.

Description

A SLAT ZONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a support system for use with a piece of furniture or the like, such as a bed, and which comprises a plurality of support members in the form of slats which provide zonal support relative to a person using the piece of furniture. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a bed frame or bedstead, and in particular to a bed frame which provides zonal support via the use of slats of differing width and/or thickness. There is also provided a method of converting a piece of furniture or the like, such as a bed, to the support system of the present invention. There is also provided a kit for use in a method of converting a piece of furniture or the like, such as a bed, to comprise the support system of the present invention.

Background of the Invention

It is important that a bed provides appropriate support for the user. Appropriate support increases the comfort of the user and reduces back and neck pain, whilst helping the user to feel suitably rested after a night’s sleep.

However, beds which provide improved comfort and support for the user are typically more expensive to produce. Therefore, consumers must compromise between comfort and economy.

Conventional beds comprise a mattress which is supported by the base of a bed frame or bedstead.

The bed frame usually comprises a base which, in some instances, comprises a series of parallel slats, which may be either straight (solid) or sprung, and which span the width of the bed frame. In the case of a double bed, it will be appreciated that each side of the bed frame is provided with a respective set of slats, with each set spanning half the width of the bed frame such that each set of slats support a separate individual.

As will be appreciated, sprung slats, when viewed from the side, are upwardly curved, or bowed, and flatten slightly under the weight of a mattress.

Bed frames with sprung slats can provide increased comfort due to the flexibility of the slats, as the slats will also flex under the weight of the user. It is known that varying the firmness of sprung slats can improve comfort for the user. In one known embodiment, the base is provided with pairs of adjustable slats, which are held together with pairs of sliders. As will be appreciated, adjusting the distance between the sliders along the length of the pairs of slats varies the combined firmness of the slats and hence, the support being offered by these slats. One disadvantage associated with this type of“dual” slat system is that a bed frame comprising same is more expensive to produce than conventional bed frames, due to the need for additional components, such as the sliders, and the more complex manufacturing process.

The body when lying in a sleeping position does not exert equal weight throughout its length. That is, different parts of the body exert more weight and pressure on the bed. For example, the hips typically exert the most weight, then the shoulders, and then the feet. The intermediate portions of the body generally exert less weight on the bed than the hips, shoulders and feet.

With a view to increasing the comfort for the user, it is therefore desirable that the bed is designed to take into account the body’s weight distribution while sleeping, by providing different firmness at different parts of the bed.

In particular, it is desirable to provide firmer section(s) at the point(s) where the body exerts more pressure, and less firm section(s) at the point(s) where the body exerts less pressure. This varying firmness is generally known in the industry as zonal firmness or zonal support.

It is known that zonal support can be provided by mattresses which include different firmness in different zones. These different zones may be provided by using different gauge wires in sprung mattresses, or different holes made in foam mattresses.

However, both of these solutions for providing zonal support in a mattress are significantly more expensive to produce than conventional mattresses, due to the more complicated manufacturing processes.

In the light of the above, there is a need for a support system for use with a piece of furniture or the like, such as a bed, which provides zonal support but which, at the same time, is relatively simple and cheap to manufacture such that the user does not have to compromise between comfort and economy.

Summary of the Invention

In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a piece of furniture which includes a support surface, the support surface being provided with a plurality of support members in the form of slats, characterised in that the slats are arranged into at least a plurality of zones within the support surface, the zones including at least a first slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a first width and/or thickness; and a second slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a second width and/or thickness; wherein the second width and/or thickness is greater than the first width and/or thickness.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bed frame comprising a base which, in use, supports a mattress; the base being provided with a plurality of support members in the form of slats, which, in use, support the mattress, characterised in that the slats are arranged into at least a plurality of zones within the base, the zones including at least a first slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a first width and/or thickness; and a second slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a second width and/or thickness; wherein the second width and/or thickness is greater than the first width and/or thickness.

By way of arranging the slats into zones based on their width and/or thickness, the support offered by the slats can be varied, as required, along the supporting surface of the base thereby providing a zonal support system.

Put another way, because the second width and/or thickness is greater than the first width and/or thickness, the slats of the first slat zone will flex more under weight than the slats of the second slat zone. This provides zonal support through the provision of a firmer slat zone and a more flexible slat zone.

Preferably, the second slat zone may be positioned such that, in use, the second slat zone supports a part of the body which exerts more weight whilst sleeping. For example, the second slat zone may be positioned towards the centre of the bed frame such that, in use, the hips of the user are supported by the slats of the second slat zone.

Additionally or alternatively, the bed frame may be provided with a second slat zone towards an end of the base. Therefore, the second slat zone could be positioned such that, in use, it provides additional support for the head and shoulders, or the feet of the user.

Preferably, the bed frame may be provided with a plurality of first slat zones within the base which each comprise at least one slat having the first width and/or thickness.

Preferably, the bed frame may be provided with a plurality of second slat zones within the base which each comprise at least one slat having the second width and/or thickness. The bed frame may be provided with a plurality of first slat zones and a plurality of second slat zones. For example, the base of the bed frame may be provided with two first slat zones and three second slat zones, the second slat zones being positioned such that, in use, they support the hips, shoulders and feet of the user.

It is envisioned that alternative arrangements of the first slat zones and the second slat zones may be beneficial for different sleeping positions, or for users of different heights.

It is preferable that the second slat zones are positioned under the parts of the body which exert more weight while sleeping, and the first slat zones are positioned under the parts of the body which exert less weight while sleeping, to account for the weight distribution of the user.

Advantageously, the bed frame may be provided with a third slat zone within the base whereby the width and/or thickness of the slats in the third slat zone differ from the widths and/or thicknesses of the slats in the first and second slat zones.

Preferably, the base may further comprise a central support. Further preferably, the central support may be positioned parallel to, and equidistant from, the sides of the base.

Further preferably, the base may comprise two sets of slats. Each set of slats may span approximately half of the width of the bed frame, and may be attached to, or releaseably engageable with, the central support at one end, and to one side of the base at the opposite end. For example, the first set of slats may have a first end transversely connected to the first side of the base and a second end transversely connected to the central support. The second set of slats may have a first end transversely connected to the central support and a second end transversely connected to the second side of the base. This embodiment may be particularly suitable in bed frames for double, queen, or king sized beds, since the central support provides support for the slats. The use of a central support also allows each half of the bed to be separately sprung, thus reducing partner disturbance.

Preferably, the first slat zones and second slat zones may be arranged symmetrically across the two sets of slats.

Alternatively, each set of slats may have differently positioned slat zones. In this way, each side of the bed frame may be adapted to support each individual user, thus providing a bespoke sleeping surface for each one of the bed’s occupants.

Alternatively, the base may comprise no central support, and each slat may span the full width of the bed frame. The first end of each slat may be attached to, or releasably engageable with, a first side of the base, and the second end of each slat may be attached to, or releasably engageable with, a second side of the base. It is envisioned that this embodiment would be particularly suitable for smaller beds, for example single beds and bunk beds, where the slats do not require additional support, and do not need to be separately sprung for two users.

Preferably, the base may further comprise a plurality of slat caps for receiving the ends of the slats.

Further preferably, the slat caps may be attachable to the sides of the base and the central support.

Each end of each slat may be received in a cavity in a slat cap. The slat cap may be provided with attachment means for attaching to the sides of the base and to the central support. The sides of the base and the central support may comprise a plurality of complementary attachment means, to which the slat caps are attachable.

For example, the slat caps may comprise one or more protrusions which are received in complementary depressions in the base.

Preferably, the slat caps into which the wider slats are inserted and the slat caps into which the narrower slats are inserted may be the same size. In this way, the bed frame is simple and cheap to produce, since only one size of slat cap is required.

Alternatively, the bed frame may be provided with more than one size of slat cap. In particular, the wider slats may be received in a slat cap with a larger cavity, and the narrower slats may be received in a slat cap with a smaller cavity. It is envisioned that this embodiment may be particularly suitable when the slats vary greatly in width, to ensure that all of the slats are secured.

It is envisioned that the slats can be attached to the base using any suitable attachment means.

Alternatively, the slats may be attached to the base without the use of attachment means. In this way, each end of the slat may be directly inserted into a cavity formed in a side of the base or in the central support.

The base may comprise beams or rails of any suitable cross section. It is envisioned that the base may, for example, be formed of metal, wood, or a suitably rigid plastic. Preferably, the second width may be either 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%,

1 1%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%,

27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%,

43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%,

59%, or 60% greater than the first width.

For example, in one embodiment, the slats of the first slat zone could have a width of between 45mm and 65mm, and the slats of the second slat zone could have a width of between 65mm and 100mm.

Since the flexibility of the slats varies depending on the material used, it should be appreciated that any suitable width of slats could be used without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention, provided that the slats of the second zone are wider than the slats of the first zone.

Preferably, the second thickness may be either 1 %, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 1 1%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41 %,

42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%,

58%, 59%, or 60% greater than the first thickness. It is to be understood that in the context of the present application, the term thickness is referring to the depth of the slat when viewed from the side, that is, in its supporting orientation.

Preferably, the slats may be sprung slats, that is, the slats may curve upwardly from the plane of the base towards their centre. Sprung slats flatten slightly under weight to give a more even sleep surface and provide increased comfort for the user. However, it is also envisioned that the slats could be straight, or solid, slats without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention.

The present invention also provides a method of converting a bed frame to the bed frame of the present invention, the method comprising providing a bed frame with a plurality of support members in the form of slats, characterised in that the slats are arranged into at least a plurality of zones within the base, the zones including at least a first slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a first width and/or thickness; and a second slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a second width and/or thickness; wherein the second width and/or thickness is greater than the first width and/or thickness.

The present invention also provides a kit for use in a method of converting a bed frame to the bed frame of the present invention, the kit comprising a plurality of support members in the form of slats, including at least a first slat having a first width and/or thickness and a second slat having a second width and/or thickness; wherein the second width and/or thickness is greater than the first width and/or thickness.

Although the present invention is described above in relation to a bed frame, it should be appreciated that the present invention could be applied to any piece of furniture, or the like, which comprises a surface for supporting a user, the surface provided by a number of support members in the form of slats or like members.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows a top view of an embodiment of a bed frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

In one aspect, the present invention provides a zonal support system, in the form of a bed frame or bedstead which provides zonal support.

As illustrated in Figure 1 , a bed frame 1 is provided with a supporting base 2.

The base 2 is provided with two sides 3 and 4, and two ends 5 and 6.

The illustrated bed frame 1 is for a double bed. Therefore, the supporting base 2 also comprises a central support 7 which extends between the two ends, substantially parallel to, and equidistant from, the two sides 3 and 4.

The base 2 further comprises a plurality of slats 8, 9, each having a first end and a second end.

The illustrated base for use with a double bed comprises two sets of slats, with each set of slats spanning approximately half of the width of the bed frame 1. Each slat is attached to, or releasably engageable with, the central support 7 at one end, and to one side 3; 4 of the base 2 at the opposite end.

It should be appreciated that the base 2 could comprise no central support 7, and each slat could span the full width of the bed frame 1 , for example if the bed frame is for a single bed. Each slat could therefore be attached to, or releasably engageable with, the first side 3 of the base 2 at one end, and the second side 4 of the base 2 at the opposite end.

The base 2 further comprises a first slat zone 10 comprising at least one slat 8 having a first width, and a second slat zone 1 1 comprising at least one slat 9 having a second width.

As illustrated, the second width is greater than the first width. In this way, the slats 8 of the first slat zone 10 will flex more under weight than the slats 9 of the second slat zone 1 1. This provides zonal support, through the provision of a firmer slat zone 1 1 and a more flexible slat zone 10.

Each half of the illustrative bed frame 1 comprises two first slat zones 10 and one second slat zone 1 1. The second slat zone 1 1 is positioned towards the centre of the bed frame 1 such that, in use, it supports the hips of the user. The first slat zones 10 are positioned close to the ends 5 and 6 of the base 2, to support the head, torso, legs and feet of the user.

However, it should be appreciated that the slat zones could be provided at any suitable position on the supporting base 2. For example, the second slat zone could be positioned towards the end of the base such that, in use, it supports the shoulders or feet of the user.

It is envisioned that the base could also be provided with a plurality of second slat zones and a plurality of first slat zones. For example, the base could be provided with two first slat zones and three second slat zones, the second slat zones being positioned such that, in use, they support the hips, shoulders and feet of the user.

It should be appreciated that any arrangement of the first and second slat zones could be used.

The illustrative slat zones are arranged symmetrically across the two sets of slats, with a second slat zone at the centre of each set of slats. However, it should be appreciated that each set of slats may have differently positioned slat zones, such that the bed frame is adapted to support each individual user. This provides a bespoke sleeping surface for each one of the bed’s occupants.

The slats curve upwardly from the plane of the base 2 towards their centre. This forms sprung slats, which flatten slightly under weight to give a more even sleep surface. However, it is also envisioned that the slats could alternatively be straight, or solid, slats.

The slats 8 and 9 are attached to the side 3 of the base and to the central support 7 using slat caps 12. Each end of each slat is received in a cavity in a slat cap 12. The slat cap 12 is provided with attachment means for attaching to the side of the base and the central support.

Each side 3 and 4 of the base 2, and the central support 7, comprises a plurality of complementary attachment means, to which the slat caps 12 are attachable. The slat caps into which the wider slats are inserted and the slat caps into which the narrower slats are inserted are the same size. In this way, the bed frame is simple and cheap to produce, since only one size of slat cap 12 is required.

However, it should be envisioned that the bed frame could alternatively be provided with more than one size of slat cap 12. In particular, the wider slats 9 may be received in a slat cap with a larger cavity, and the narrower slats 8 may be received in a slat cap with a smaller cavity. This feature may be particularly suitable when the slats vary greatly in width, to ensure that all of the slats are secured.

It should also be appreciated that the slats could be attached to the sides 3 and 4 of the base 2 and to the central support 7 without the use of slat caps. In this way, each end of the slat may be directly inserted into a cavity formed in the side of the base or the central support.

Claims

1. A bed frame comprising: a base which, in use, supports a mattress; the base being provided with a plurality of support members in the form of slats, which, in use, support the mattress, characterised in that the slats are arranged into at least a plurality of zones within the base, the zones including at least a first slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a first width; and a second slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a second width; wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

2. The bed frame of claim 1 , wherein the second slat zone is positioned within the frame such that, in use, the second slat zone supports a part of the body which exerts more weight whilst sleeping.

3. The bed frame of any one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising a plurality of first slat zones within the base which each comprise at least one slat having the first width.

4. The bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of second slat zones within the base which each comprise at least one slat having the second width.

5. The bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first end of each of the slats is transversely connected to a first side of the base, and the second end of each of the slats is transversely connected to a second side of the base.

6. The bed frame of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base further comprises a central support which is positioned parallel to, and equidistant from, the sides of the base.

7. The bed frame of claim 6, wherein the plurality of slats comprises a first set of slats and a second set of slats; wherein the first set of slats has a first end transversely connected to the first side of the base and a second end transversely connected to the central support; and wherein the second set of slats has a first end transversely connected to the central support and a second end transversely connected to the second side of the base.

8. The bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base further comprises a plurality of slat caps for receiving the ends of the slats.

9. The bed frame of claim 8, wherein the slat caps are attachable to the sides of the base and the central support.

10. The bed frame of any one of claims 8 or 9, wherein all of the slat caps are the same size.

1 1 . The bed frame of any one of claims 8 or 9, comprising at least one slat cap of a first size for receiving a slat of the first width, and at least one slat cap of a second size for receiving a slat of the second width.

12. The bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second width is up to 60% greater than the first width.

13. The bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slats curve upwardly from the plane of the base.

14. The bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bed frame is for a double bed.

15. A method of converting a bed frame to the bed frame of any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising providing a bed frame with: a plurality of support members in the form of slats, characterised in that the slats are arranged into at least a plurality of zones within the base, the zones including at least a first slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a first width; and a second slat zone wherein the slats within that zone have a second width; wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

16. A kit for use in the method of claim 15, the kit comprising: a plurality of support members in the form of slats, including at least a first slat having a first width and a second slat having a second width; wherein the second width is greater than the first width.