Beds – Sofa bed – Reverting back
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2001-04-03
Grosz, Alexander (Department: 3628)
Beds
Sofa bed
Reverting back
C297S354130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209154
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multiple-stage positioner, more particularly to a multiple-stage positioner for a sofa-bed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Convertible furniture, such as sofa-bed, can serve as a sofa or as a bed, and is thus capable of making efficient use of available space. It is particularly suited for rooms having limited spaces. A conventional sofa-bed normally includes a seat frame, a back frame connected pivotally to the seat frame, and a positioner that allows the back frame to be turnable relative to the seat frame. However, most of the positioners used in the conventional sofa-beds are normally disadvantageous in that they only allow the back frame to be positioned at an inclined position about the seat frame when the sofa-bed is converted from bed to sofa, and thus lack flexibility to permit the back frame to be positioned at different inclined positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-stage positioner that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned problem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a piece of furniture that incorporates the multiple-stage positioner.
According to one aspect of this invention, a multiple-stage positioner comprises: a stationary first part having front and rear ends; a second part connected pivotally to the rear end for turning relative to the stationary first part; a holding pin projecting from the first part in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the second part; an elongated positioning piece disposed below the first and second parts and having front and rear ends, and a lower edge extending forwardly from the rear end of the positioning piece across the holding pin to the front end of the positioning piece, the lower edge having a plurality of aligned and spaced apart first grooves, the rear end of the positioning piece being connected movably to the second part, the positioning piece being capable of moving forward and downward, or rearward and upward upon turning movement of the second part, the first grooves moving past the holding pin when the positioning piece moves rearward and upward, the first grooves engaging the holding pin and locking the positioning piece against forward movement; a spring mounted on the second part adjacent to the rear end of the positioning piece to urge the positioning piece against the holding pin; and a guiding piece mounted slidably and longitudinally on the positioning piece, the guiding piece having a bottom edge substantially flush with the lower edge of the positioning piece, the bottom edge having a plurality of aligned and spaced apart second grooves, and groove-free parts between adjacent ones of the second grooves, the guiding piece being slidable relative to the positioning piece between a first position, in which the second grooves are aligned respectively with the first grooves to receive the holding pin, when the positioning piece moves rearward and upward, and a second position, in which the groove-free parts are aligned respectively with the first grooves to prevent the holding pin from entering into the first grooves and to avoid the positioning piece from being locked against forward movement when the positioning piece moves forward and downward.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a piece of furniture comprises: a furniture frame, and at least one multiple-stage positioner mounted on the furniture frame. The multiple-stage positioner includes: a stationary first part having front and rear ends, and a fixed support projecting downward from the rear end; a second part having one end connected pivotally to the rear end of the first part for turning between an unfolded position in which the second part is coplanar with the first part, and a folded position in which the second part turns upward relative to the first part, the second part having a bracket projecting downwardly from the second part in the unfolded position; a holding pin projecting from the support in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the second part; an elongated positioning piece disposed below the first and second parts and having a front end, a rear end opposite to the front end and connected movably to the bracket, and a lower edge extending forwardly from the rear end of the positioning piece across the holding pin to the front end of the positioning piece, the positioning piece being capable of moving forward and downward, or rearward and upward upon movement of the second part between the unfolded and folded positions, the lower edge being notched to form pin abutment edge parts, sliding edge parts, and a plurality of aligned and spaced part first grooves, each of which is confined by one of the pin abutment edge parts and one of the sliding edge parts, the pin abutment edge parts facing toward the front end of the positioning piece, the sliding edge parts facing toward the rear end of the positioning piece, each of the sliding edge parts being inclined relative to the lower edge with an angle smaller than that formed between each of the pin abutment edge parts and the lower edge, the first grooves moving past the holding pin when the positioning piece moves rearward and upward, the first grooves engaging the holding pin and locking the positioning piece against forward movement, the lower edge of the positioning piece further having a first groove half formed anteriorly of the first grooves; a spring mounted on the bracket adjacent to the rear end of the positioning piece to urge the positioning piece against the holding pin; and a guiding piece juxtaposed and mounted slidably on the positioning piece, the guiding piece having a bottom edge substantially flush with the lower edge of the positioning piece, the bottom edge having a plurality of aligned and spaced apart second grooves, and groove-free parts between adjacent ones of the second grooves, the guiding piece being slidable relative to the positioning piece between a first position, in which the second grooves are aligned respectively with the first grooves to receive the holding pin, and a second position, in which the groove-free parts are aligned respectively with the first grooves to prevent the holding pin from entering into the first grooves, the bottom edge of the guiding piece further having a second groove half formed anteriorly of the second grooves, and a frontmost pin-engaging edge part disposed anteriorly of the second groove half, the first and second groove halves opposing and complementing one another for cooperatively receiving the holding pin when the guiding piece is in the first position, the second groove half being slidable over the holding pin, the first groove half being engageable with the holding pin, the pin-engaging edge part having a depth smaller than that of the second groove half from the bottom edge and being engageable with the holding pin immediately after the second groove half slides rearwardly past the holding pin.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5960491 (1999-10-01), Olender
Grosz Alexander
Sheridan & Ross P.C.
LandOfFree
Multiple-stage positioner for furniture does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Multiple-stage positioner for furniture, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multiple-stage positioner for furniture will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2548040