Beds – Vehicle attached
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-06
2001-07-24
Trettel, Michael F. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Vehicle attached
C005S309000, C005S136000, C296S190020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263527
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to providing an improved sleeper bed for over-the-road trucks and, more particularly, to a sleeper bed that minimizes the vibration and shock caused by both vertical and horizontal movements of the truck.
An over-the-road trucker is required by law to have a certain number of hours of sleep relative to the number of hours of continuous driving. Most over-the-road truck drivers satisfy this sleep requirement by sleeping in their trucks to avoid the inconvenience, expense, and impracticality of sleeping in a hotel. Accordingly, most over-the-road truck cabs include a sleeping compartment having a bed. The driver can either temporarily suspend driving and sleep in the compartment or sleep in the compartment while a second driver continues to drive. While having two drivers is advantageous relative to meeting shipping deadlines, sound sleep is difficult to obtain in the sleeping compartment of a moving semi-truck.
Various apparatus have been proposed in the prior art for improving the ride of sleeper beds for trucks, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,638,560 and 4,144,601 to Rigdon and Anderson, respectively. These devices, however, are relatively complex in construction and still do not provide optimum comfort relative to all types of forces that may be exerted on the sleeper bed during transit.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a sleeper bed that minimizes vibrations and vertical forces upon the bed caused by bumps in the road. It is also desirable to have a sleeper bed that reduces the effect of horizontal forces upon the bed caused by certain driving maneuvers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A sleeper bed constructed in accordance with the present invention utilizes a first lower frame and a second upper frame, both frames being generally rectangular with interior bracing for strength and stability. A cushion or mattress may be placed upon the second upper frame for supporting a user. An air spring is mounted between the first and second frames for restricting the movement of the frames toward one another, such as by the weight of a user lying on the cushion.
A pair of scissors-like struts extend between the first and second frames and allow the first upper frame to move up and down according to the amount of weight placed on the first upper frame and shocks encountered by the moving truck. A pair of pillow block bearings are mounted to braces on the first lower frame. A pair of guide rods extend downwardly from the first upper frame and are slidably received in respective pillow block bearings. Each pillow block bearing allows a guide rod to shift or pivot slightly when horizontal forces are experienced by the sleeper bed, as, for example, upon a turning, jerking, or swerving maneuver of the truck. This construction also reduces stress on the guide rods and reduces the shock of the movement experienced by a person lying on the cushion.
The air spring is mounted within a housing attached to the underside of the first lower frame. The housing may extend into a storage compartment that is standard on some over-the-road truck cabs. Rubber stoppers may be mounted on the lower frame to lessen the impact of the frames against one another and to dampen vibrations.
Therefore, it is a general object of this invention to provide an improved sleeper bed for over-the-road truck cabs which reduces vibration and movement of a sleeper bed while the cab is in motion.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved sleeper bed, as aforesaid, which reduces the transmission of vibrations or impact forces between objects.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved sleeper bed, as aforesaid, which restricts movement between portions of the sleeper bed due to weight variations.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved sleeper bed, as aforesaid, which reduces transmission of horizontal forces upon the sleeper bed.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved sleeper bed, as aforesaid, having a relatively simple construction that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3299447 (1967-01-01), Dome
patent: 3371359 (1968-03-01), Dome
patent: 3760436 (1973-09-01), Zach et al.
patent: 4144601 (1979-03-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 4196483 (1980-04-01), Lefler et al.
patent: 4497078 (1985-02-01), Vogel et al.
patent: 4589620 (1986-05-01), Sakamoto
patent: 4979248 (1990-12-01), Kelly
patent: 5199690 (1993-04-01), Marshall
patent: 5218728 (1993-06-01), Lloyd et al.
patent: 5294085 (1994-03-01), Lloyd et al.
patent: 5638560 (1997-06-01), Rigdon et al.
Ross Randolph Q.
Ross Scott F.
McConwell, Jr. Edward A.
Trettel Michael F.
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