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This invention relates to beds, especially to those having a lower portion adapted for use as a storage compartment.
Beds having storage areas therewithin are well known in the art. Typically, such beds comprise an upper portion supporting thereon a mattress or other arrangement of cushioning articles, and a lower portion (often referred to as ‘bed box’) to support the upper portion. The lower portion has a hollow interior which is used for the storage. The interior may be accessed by providing a set of slideable drawers accessible from the outside. Alternatively, the upper portion may be moveable, such as being pivotable, allowing access to the hollow interior (‘storage compartment’) of the lower portion.
It will be appreciated that the general term “bed,” as used in the present specification and claims, should be taken in its broadest sense, including daybeds, sofas, loveseats, chairs, benches, etc.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a bed box designed as a storage/linen compartment formed with an external shell-like panel covering one or more outside faces of the bed box, said panel made of a plastic material.
The arrangement is such that the plastic panel can either be spaced from a sidewall of the bed box, thus forming a confined space extending therebetween, or it can extend adjoining an out side surface of the sidewall.
According to the invention there is a bed frame having a base portion and a mattress support portion articulated thereto and pivotable about an axis between an open position and a closed position, the base portion having exterior sidewalls and being adapted for use as a storage compartment, wherein, at least two sidewalls are covered with a rigid plastic panel attached thereto.
Each plastic panel may comprise a side face being spaced from the sidewalls, and may further comprise a support element in the space between the sidewall and the ornamental element.
The side walls of the bed may be made of wood, e.g. bare, unfinished wood, wherein the plastic panel covers the side walls.
A bed according to the present invention may comprise one or more of the following features:
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plastic-molded or vacuum-formed plastic panel for fixedly applying over an external surface of a sidewall of a bed box.
The plastic panel may comprise one or more of the following features:
According to still an aspect of the present invention there is a provided a method for manufacturing a bed, the method comprising the steps of assembling a bed box and a mattress support portion articulated thereto, and attaching, at any stage, a plastic-molded or vacuum-formed plastic panel to an outside surface of at least two side walls of the bed box. The plastic panels being fixed to the side walls such that a space extends there between, or adjoining the outside surface of the sidewall.
In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, several embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed frame according to the present invention, in an open position;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along line II-II in FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is a cross-section view similar to that of FIG. 2, illustrating a different embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a seam cover provided to cover a seam between adjacent panels; and
FIG. 5 is an exploded view, partially sectioned, of a bed according to an embodiment of the present invention, fitted with an illumination assembly.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, there is provided a bed frame, generally indicated at 10. The bed frame 10 comprises a base portion (‘bed box’), generally indicated at 12, and a mattress support panel 14.
It should however be noted that the mattress support panel 14 may be a uniform panel as illustrated in FIG. 1 or constructed of two or more panels (not shown), pivotally articulated to one another so as to support a mattress in different inclinations and positions, as known in the art.
The interior of the base portion 12 is hollow, allowing for its secondary use as a storage compartment, which is accessed by raising the mattress support panel 14. To facilitate this use, the mattress support panel 14 is hingedly articulated to the base portion 12 at a rear end, about hinges 15. In addition, a pair of pistons 16 may be provided in order to prevent slamming of the mattress support panel 14 upon its release, and to assist in elevation thereof into the open position, so as to facilitate access to the storage compartment.
The base portion 12 is constructed of rigid sidewalls 17, e.g. made of wood (often bare and unfinished) fixedly articulated and formed into a rectangle. Rigid shell-like plastic panels 18 are attached on outside surfaces of sidewalls 17 of the base portion 12, defining a space 13 (seen in FIG. 2) between each sidewall and its corresponding panel. The panels 18 may be made from plastic-molded or a vacuum-formed plastic material (e.g. ABS-Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), the panel being light weight and sufficiently rigid to maintain its imparted shape.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the shell-like plastic panels impart the bed with decorative features. The plastic panels may be translucent, opaque, or transparent, or with combinations thereof. Furthermore, different coloring and or patterns may be applied thereto as well as ornamental patterns such as depressions 22 formed on at least some of the panels 18, at regular irregular intervals. In addition, the panels may comprise some other features, such as indentation 24 at the front panel 25, which serves to permit a user to grip a portion of the mattress support panel 14, facilitating its lifting. Alternatively, or in addition to depressions, the panels may be formed with protuberances projecting from the outer surface of the panel (not shown).
The plastic panels 18 may be of any shape and construction. According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, they are of substantially C-shaped cross-section, having upper and lower horizontal surfaces 26 and 28, extending substantially parallel to one another, and a vertical plank 30, constituting a side face, therebetween. The substantially horizontal edges 27 and 29 of horizontal surfaces 26 and 28, respectively, are fastened to top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of each sidewall 17. However, according to another embodiment, the panels adjoin an outside surface of the sidewalls.
It is to be appreciated that the edges of the top and bottom surfaces of the plastic panels 18 my comprise a corresponding configuration as of the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the sidewalls 17, so as to provide an eye-pleasing integration and a rigid fastening arrangement therebetween. Accordingly, these surfaces may extend otherwise than horizontal, e.g. they may be correspondingly inclined, etc.
Fastening the plastic panels 18 to the sidewalls 17 may be done by any practical arrangement, such as using upholstery tacks 33, staples, screws, nails, or an adhesive.
Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a support element 38 may be provided in the space 13 between the sidewall 17 and the plastic panel 18. The support element 38 comprises a base portion 38a and two support walls 38b projecting perpendicularly therefrom. The base portion 38a may be fastened to the sidewall 17 using several screws 39. The support walls 38b project such that they extend the entire width of the space 13 between the sidewall 17 and the plastic panel 18, bearing against the panel when it is fastened to the sidewall. They are spaced apart so as to allow for ornamental depressions 22 to be positioned therebetween.
A strip of decorative tape or a concealing element 34 (seen in FIG. 1) may be provided to conceal the upper horizontal ledge 29 of each plastic panel. In the event that the fastening is accomplished using means which are not entirely concealed by the panel, such as tacks and the like, a tape may also be used to conceal them.
Reverting to FIG. 1, and in particular to the area indicated as ‘A’, plastic panels 18 may wrap around corners of the base portion 12. A seam cover 35 may be provided to cover the seam between adjacent plastic panels 18.
As seen in FIG. 4, the seam cover 35 may be constructed with an outer facade 40 and an elongate gripping element 42, defining an interstice 44 therebetween. The seam cover 35 is made from a flexible material, such as PVC. Before installation, it is provided as shown in FIG. 3 as a straight strip with the gripping element 42 projecting therefrom. In order to allow the seam cover 35 to be bent at a sharp angle, so that it can conform to the profile of the plastic panels 18, 25, a gap 46 is provided in the elongate gripping element 42. If the profile of the panel comprises several sharp angles, a gap may be provided to correspond to each one.
During assembly, the plastic panels 18, 25 are secured to the sidewalls 17 by any desired method, leaving a gap between adjacent panels. The gripping element 42 of the seam cover 35 is threaded under one of the plastic panels 18, 25, such that the edge of the panel is gripped within the interstice 44. In addition, a small amount of an adhesive may be applied to secure the seam cover 35. The seam cover 35 is bent before or during assembly in order to conform to the profile of the panel. It is noted that the plastic panels 18 may be secured to the side walls 17 at any stage however, for practical reasons it would be easier to do so after the bed box 12 is assembled.
As already mentioned above, the scope of the present invention shall not be limited to any particular shape of bed, nor to any type of mattress. As such, the mattress support panel 14 may be suitable for use with any type of mattress, such as that used in an articulated elevatable bed or the like.
According to an embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the plastic panel 18 is illuminated from the inside, i.e. within the space 13 there is an illumination arrangement comprising one or more illuminating elements 27 which in the present example are LED neon flex elements. These LEDs may be designed to emit any color as known per se, or there may be a light control box 29, coupled to a power supply, for controlling the light intensity and the light color (which may also be a ‘light organ’ altering the light color according to some selected pattern).
Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention mutatis mutandis.