Beds – Sofa bed – Bed element
Patent
1993-03-16
1994-10-11
Grosz, Alexander
Beds
Sofa bed
Bed element
5634, A47C 2004
Patent
active
053534506
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention is concerned with headboards for beds.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, a bed headboard comprises a vertical board or panel disposed at the head of the bed, for aesthetic reasons and with a view to minimising draughts, preventing the displacement of pillows and providing support for a person sitting up in the bed.
Various proposals have been made to provide a tilting headboard which gives improved support for a user, see for example GB patent specification No. 739,389 of Percival Lawrence Way and GB patent specification No. 879,720 of Dunlop Rubber Company Limited.
The Percival Lawrence Way specification provides a headboard/back support which is supported on a pair of upright telescopic struts which are hinged at their top ends to the headboard. It is to be expected that the telescopic struts would be subjected to bending stresses in use and would need to be substantially constructed.
In the case of the Dunlop specification a headboard/back support is hinged near its top edge on a pair of support posts fixed to the bed frame and inclination of the headboard is limited by hinged links fixed to the headboard and to the support posts. The support posts project above the headboard when it is in its inclined position and are thus visible. The posts directly absorb the forces imposed by the user at the level of the hinges i.e. at considerably above the level of the bed. Here again the support posts will need to be substantially constructed.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a tilting headboard which is secure in upright and inclined positions and which is readily adjustable between those positions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive tilting mechanism for supporting the headboard which is hidden by the headboard during use.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the invention, a bed headboard comprises a headboard panel and means supporting the panel in a substantially vertical position and in at least one inclined position, the supporting means comprising mounting means adapted to be secured at the end of a bed, characterised in that the upper end of the mounting means is adapted for disposition substantially at the level of the bed surface, and strut means is pivotally connected at a lower end to the upper end of the mounting means and at an upper end to the panel at a position distant from the top and bottom of the panel, the strut means being arranged to extend substantially at right angles to the panel when the panel is in the said one inclined position and further characterised in that the panel is supported when inclined by contact between its lower edge and the bed surface. In this position the lower edge of the panel tends to dig into the mattress on the bed when the user's weight is placed on the panel, so that the panel is retained firmly in its inclined position. It has been found that, surprisingly, this arrangement provides very firm support for the panel in its inclined position and avoids the necessity of parts of the supporting means projecting above the top of the panel in both of its positions. To assist in maintaining the panel in its inclined position, a part of the strut means may abut against the rear of the panel to limit or prevent pivotal movement of the strut means relative to the panel.
Preferably the bed headboard comprises means preventing or limiting pivotal movement of the strut means in at least one direction relative to the panel to maintain the panel in an inclined position and the lower edge of the panel is adapted to contact and rest on the bed whereby it is further stabilised by the weight of the user. The means for preventing or limiting pivotal movement of the strut means relative to the panel may comprise an abutment on the strut means and which engages the panel. Alternatively, the means for preventing or limiting pivotal movement of the strut means relative to the panel may comprise a secondary strut fixed between the panel and the strut means. Preferably the position of the atta
REFERENCES:
patent: 532850 (1895-01-01), Wangersheim et al.
patent: 586674 (1897-07-01), Stretch
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