Beds – Sofa bed – Extension
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2002-08-06
Santos, Robert G. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Sofa bed
Extension
C005S037100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06427261
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to furniture frames, such as futon frames, that are movable between sofa and bed configurations.
2. Description of Related Art
The futon industry is enjoying tremendous growth across the United States and elsewhere. Futons, futon frames, and similar convertible furniture products are offered in a wealth of styles and options, offering multi-use functionality and practicality at a reasonable price. As with any growing industry, a producer that can improve the reliability, durability, and attractiveness of its products, make its products more comfortable and easier to use, and reduce its own manufacturing costs and complexity, stands to reap a substantial reward. The futon industry is no exception. Embodiments of the invention provide these advantages and offer significant improvements over the prior art.
FIGS. 1-3
show conventional futon frame
10
. Substantially rectangular pivoting member
15
, which can also be bell-shaped, is pivotally coupled to and hangs down from seat panel
20
. Pivoting member
15
engages kicker attachment
25
to backrest panel
30
. Kicker attachment
25
defines substantially L-shaped notch
35
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, pivoting member
15
engages kicker attachment
25
at L-shaped notch
35
to lift backrest
30
to the sofa configuration of FIG.
1
. Ultimately, futon frame
10
can be returned to a bed configuration like that shown in FIG.
3
.
Embodiments of the present invention offer improvements over futon frames like those shown in
FIGS. 1-3
. Creating L-shaped notch
35
in kicker attachment
25
is quite labor-intensive, and thus expensive. Moreover, kicker attachment
25
is quite prone to breakage, e.g. along the grain and/or along a line extending through pivot pin
40
, which connects backrest
30
and seat panel
20
. Substantial stress is also exerted on pivoting member
15
, especially at the point of its pivotal connection to seat panel
20
. It can also be difficult to tell when pivoting member
15
has moved to a position of proper engagement with kicker attachment
25
.
Aside from these mechanical issues, futon frame
10
also presents a disadvantage in that a substantial gap
45
is created between seat panel
20
and backrest panel
30
when futon frame
10
is in the bed configuration of FIG.
3
. Gap
45
typically is 2-3 inches wide and can create unevenness in a futon or pad placed over frame
10
. An uneven sleep surface causes general discomfort, especially for a single user of the futon in the bed configuration. Another problem arises in that gap
45
is bordered by two cross rails
50
, which run entirely across the length of frame
10
. Unless precisely aligned, each cross rail
50
can create a ridge or other uneven surface with respect to slats
55
. This ridge-gap-ridge profile down the center of frame
10
adds to the discomfort potentially experienced by a user of frame
10
.
Finally, frame
10
includes not only cross rails
50
but also two additional cross rails
60
, for a total of four cross rails. These long boards are relatively expensive, increasing manufacturing costs. Further, the cross rail
50
at the back of seat panel
20
tends to break, e.g. when a user sits down hard or jumps on frame
10
in its sofa configuration. Therefore, a number of such futon frames include one or more additional short support boards to reinforce the long boards, which again increase labor and material costs.
A number of prior art futon designs are illustrated and described in e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,634,893, 4,538,308, 4,642,823, 4,829,611, 4,875,244, 4,996,730, 5,146,640, 5,153,952, 5,303,432, 5,315,722, 5,327,591, 5,509,151, 5,513,398, 5,519,902, 5,628,076, 5,664,268, 5,722,101, 5,790,993, 5,815,858, all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the invention overcome the above and/or other disadvantages. Embodiments of the invention reduce labor, material and other furniture manufacturing costs, improve comfort for the user of furniture items, increase reliability and longevity of furniture items, and provide other advantages.
More specifically, for example, a topple member according to an embodiment of the invention engages the top of a depending backrest side and does not put pressure on a hole accommodating a pivot pin connecting the backrest panel and seat panel. Further, a working end of the depending backrest side can be produced with a single cut, eliminating the need for multiple cuts and/or attachment of separate pieces, thereby lowering manufacturing costs. The depending backrest side according to embodiments of the invention increases the lever arm between the pivot pin and the point of engagement with the topple member, providing greater torque and decreasing the amount of pushing force the operator is required to exert.
Additionally, embodiments of the invention provide a more level, continuous and secure sleep surface than available with many current futon frames. The central gap present in many futon frames, for example, is eliminated. Manufacturing costs are reduced, and reliability is improved.
Certain embodiments described and illustrated herein are “wall-hugging” embodiments, that is, the backrest panel can be placed substantially against a wall when the furniture frame is in the sofa configuration, and remain against the wall even when the furniture frame is shifted to a bed configuration. Further, a user can change the frame from the bed configuration to the sofa configuration and vice versa solely from the front of the frame.
Other advantages and features according to the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill upon reading this application.
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Dicke, Billig & Czaja P.A.
Santos Robert G.
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