Beds – Sofa bed – Bed element
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-25
2003-05-20
Trettel, Michael F. (Department: 3673)
Beds
Sofa bed
Bed element
C005S132000, C005S238000, C005S304000, C005S282100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06564401
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional beds, including adjustable beds, come in a variety of sizes, such as single, queen, king, etc. Such conventional beds are of standard sizes, as are the frames, box springs and mattresses therefor. Headboards and footboards are also of widths which correspond to the beds, be they single, queen, king or the like. A variety of different types of mechanisms have been utilized in the past for securing headboards, as well as footboards, to bed frames.
Insofar as a manufacturer of beds of different widths is concerned, it would be highly advantageous to utilize a single headboard/foot board attaching mechanism or bracket to secure a respective headboard/footboard to a bed frame of a particular width, be it single, queen, king or the like. A variety of headboard brackets for securing headboards to bed frames are represented in the following patents:
2,697,233
Christenson
3,644,948
Fredman
3,740,776
Lazarus
3,748,668
Rudin
4,160,296
Fogel
4,354,287
Fredman
4,467,486
Schatz
4,501,033
Kessel et al.
4,942,633
Thomas et al.
5,163,968
Lafferty
5,261,507
Williams et al.
5,645,258
Flowers
6,089,651
Carmen
All of the foregoing brackets for securing headboards to bed frames possess inherent disadvantages and, thus, an objection of this invention is to provide a novel and unobvious bracket for securing headboards of different widths to respective bed frames of such corresponding widths in a relatively quick, easy and fool-proof manner and manufacture such bracket at a reasonable cost.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A novel bracket constructed in accordance with this invention for securing a headboard to a bed frame includes a first bracket assembly, a second bracket assembly and a connector assembly which selectively variably connects the first and second bracket assemblies to each other. The first bracket assembly includes first and second bracket members which are pivoted relative to each other, as does the second bracket assembly with the pivots preferably being in substantially parallel relationship to each other in the assembled condition. The connector assembly includes a first connector member connected to the first bracket assembly and a second connector member connected to the second bracket assembly with the first and second connector members being in slidable relationship to each other.
Two brackets constructed in the manner aforesaid are connected one each to opposite lateral sides of a headboard and to opposite lateral sides of the head end of an associated bed. A first bracket member of the first bracket assembly of each bracket is secured to the bed frame and a third bracket member of the second bracket assembly of each bracket is secured to an associated headboard. The two brackets are so connected between the bed frame and the headboard so as to substantially align the headboard with the bed frame, as is conventional. Furthermore, due to the two vertical connecting pivots and the sliding connection of the connector members, the distance between the headboard and the head of the bed frame can be readily adjusted and, more importantly, the lateral or width distance between the first bracket assemblies of the two brackets and the lateral or width distance between the second bracket assemblies of the brackets can be selectively lengthened or shortened, again due to the slidable connection between the connector members of the connector assembly. A connector member of each of the connector assemblies is relatively long and this allows the first and second bracket assemblies of each bracket member to be moved closer toward each other to accommodate narrow width beds, such as a single bed, whereas extending the connector assemblies relative to each other increases the distances between the first and second bracket assemblies to allow the same brackets to be utilized for connecting wider headboards (king) to correspondingly wide beds.
A bracket so constructed is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, particularly when constructed from sheet metal and/or extruded metal tubes, and/or tough, high strength polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material. The two connector members of the connector assembly are preferably of a generally polygonal cross-sectional configuration which prevents relative rotation therebetween, and the latter prevents inadvertent/accidental tilting or “cocking” of the headboard and its associated bed frame.
Each of the first and second bracket assemblies are also of an identical interchangeable construction with each bracket assembly being formed of two substantially shallow U-shaped bracket members defined by a bight or central portion and two legs or leg portions with the leg portions of the first and second bracket members of each bracket assembly being connected by an associated pivot pin. The latter interchangability of the bracket members also reduces the cost of construction and eases repairs. Stockpiling of parts is also appreciably reduced.
The first and second connector members of the connector assembly are also preferably secured in any position of relatively telescopic adjustment to assure that once in place the headboard and bed frame will maintain such spacing indefinitely. Preferably, the securing means between the first and second connector members is a set screw which threads into the first connector member and bites into an external surface of the second connector member to rigidly unite the two members to each other.
All of the bracket assembly members have at least one pair of elongated slots through which fasteners, such as bolts and/or nuts and/or screws, can be fastened for securing the bracket assemblies to an associated headboard and bed frame. The vertical orientation and elongation of the openings or apertures in the bracket members are preferably located in the bight portions or central portions thereof and achieve limited relative vertical movement between the bracket assemblies and the bed frame and headboard to assure proper vertical orientation therebetween.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2523987 (1950-09-01), Fox
patent: 2697233 (1954-12-01), Christenson
patent: 2745116 (1956-05-01), Jackson
patent: 2784421 (1957-03-01), Fredman
patent: 2845636 (1958-08-01), Iaquinta et al.
patent: 3008176 (1961-11-01), Paine et al.
patent: 3329975 (1967-07-01), Hooker
patent: 3644948 (1972-02-01), Fredman
patent: 3740776 (1973-06-01), Lazarus
patent: 3748668 (1973-07-01), Rudin
patent: 4160296 (1979-07-01), Fogel
patent: 4354287 (1982-10-01), Fredman
patent: 4467486 (1984-08-01), Schatz
patent: 4501033 (1985-02-01), Kessel et al.
patent: 4942633 (1990-07-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5163968 (1992-11-01), Lafferty
patent: 5261507 (1993-11-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5645258 (1997-07-01), Flowers
patent: 6089651 (2000-07-01), Carmen
American Bedding Industries, Inc.
Diller Ramik & Wight
Trettel Michael F.
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