Beds – Bedsteads – Having bottom
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-14
2003-01-28
Santos, Robert G. (Department: 3673)
Beds
Bedsteads
Having bottom
C005S200100, C005S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06510571
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to bedding supports, and more particularly to a modular support for an oversized queen mattress.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bedding is generally available in standard sizes, such as twin, full, queen, and king sizes. While some consumers may prefer to have a large bed, they are often limited to smaller sizes due to the size of existing bed frames or the dimensions of their dwelling rooms or entryways. In an effort to provide consumers with more choices, bedding manufacturers have developed products to accommodate consumer preference for larger bedding. One example is the modular box spring for use with queen or king mattresses, wherein a two-piece box spring comprised of smaller box spring units is able to fit through doors and stairways that are too small to accommodate conventional, one-piece queen or king-size box springs.
Following a trend of consumer preference for larger bedding, a new development in the bedding industry has emerged for an oversized queen mattress. This oversized queen mattress has a width greater than that of conventional queen mattresses, thus providing a bed size between conventional queen and king sizes. In particular, a conventional queen-size mattress measures 80 inches in length and 60 inches in width. An oversized queen mattress measures 80 inches in length, but measures 66 inches in width. A convention king-size mattress measures 80 inches in length and 76 inches in width.
The oversized queen mattress may thus be desirable to consumers who prefer to have larger bedding but cannot either afford or accommodate a king-size bed. However, the oversized queen mattress also presents problems for manufacturers and consumers with regard to providing an adequate support for the larger size. In one aspect, conventional queen bed frames are too small, and conventional king bed frames are too large to accommodate a matching oversized, unitary construction queen box spring. In another aspect, the greater width of a matching unitary construction queen box spring compounds the dimensional limitations that restrict some consumers to smaller sized bedding.
With reference to
FIG. 1
, there is depicted a prior art approach to resolving the bed frame size problem associated with utilizing a conventional queen-size box spring to support an oversize queen mattress. In this approach, a unitary platform
2
, having a width W
3
which is equal to the width W
1
of an oversized queen mattress
12
, is placed on top of a conventional, unitary queen-size box spring
4
, having a width W
2
equal to the width of a conventional queen mattress. While this device provides support to the oversized queen mattress
12
, it does not address the problems associated with the bulky dimensions of the single-piece box spring
4
. In fact, the platform's greater width W
3
makes it even more difficult to move the device through narrow entryways and sharp turns. The device also presents safety concerns in that it is not attached to the box spring
4
and therefore may drift off center during use, creating the potential for the mattress
12
to fall under the weight of a user.
There is thus a need for a bed support which can be used with a conventional queen-sized bed frame to safely provide full support for an new oversized queen mattress, while at the same time being able to accommodate the entry way and sharp turn dimensional limitations faced by some consumers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, in one preferred form, includes a modular support comprising a pair of identically-configured, physically separate modules, for supporting an oversized queen mattress. The modules, when mounted in juxtaposition, fit a conventional queen-size bed frame. Each module is comprised of a box spring unit and platform. The modules are each smaller than a conventional queen-size box spring, thereby facilitating movement of the modules through narrow passages such as hallways or stairways, especially when a sharp turn must be negotiated. The modules of the modular support can be moved into a room that would be otherwise inaccessible to a conventional queen-size box spring unit, and can be assembled together to provide support for an oversized queen mattress. The modular support of the present invention provides a box spring type support for an oversized queen mattress that overcomes the dimensional limitations of conventional unitary queen-size box springs and which can be used with a conventional queen bed frame.
The box spring unit of each module is sized such that, when the modules are combined, the box spring units of the modules collectively are equivalent to a conventional queen-sized box spring. The platform of each module is positioned on a support surface of its respectively associated box spring unit. When the modules are juxtaposed, the platforms thereof have a combined width greater than the width of the combined box spring units and equal to the width of an oversized queen mattress. Each platform is positioned on the support surface of its respectively associated box spring unit with its outer edge extending laterally beyond the outer edge of its associated box spring unit, and its inner edge aligned with the inner edge of its associated box spring unit. When the modular box spring units are placed adjacent one another such that their respective inner longitudinal edges are butted together, their respectively associated platforms collectively provide a total surface area equal to that of the overlying oversized queen mattress, which is greater than that of a conventional queen-size box spring, yet the butted pair of modular box spring units may still be mounted within a conventionally sized queen bed frame. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, an oversized queen mattress and box spring assembly incorporating the modules of this invention is provided which fits in a conventional queen bed frame, thereby providing an oversized queen bed supported by a conventional queen bed frame.
In an exemplary embodiment, the width of each modular box spring unit is 30 inches and the width of each platform is 33 inches, leaving a 3 inch overhang along the outer longitudinal edge of the box spring unit. In this configuration, the assembled modules provide a combined width of 66 inches to accommodate a corresponding oversized queen mattress having a width of 66 inches. The length of the platforms and box spring units are equal to each other and to the length of the oversized queen size mattress.
In another exemplary embodiment, the platform of each modular unit is fixedly attached to the support surface of its respective box spring unit to prevent shifting of the platform relative to its associated box spring unit. These and other features, advantages and objectives of the invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Simmons,Better Sleep Through Science.™, Furniture/Today, Jun. 25, 2001 (1 page).
Tittle Gary R.
Wiggins William M.
Santos Robert G.
Shottenstein Stores Corporation
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
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