Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a convertible furniture, i.e. a piece of furniture
which can be
.. changed into another piece of furniture. The invention is especially
related to a furniture
which can be converted from a bed to a table and vice versa.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
Patent publications US 60339 A, HU 195416 B, FR 1420300 A, US 277637 A and
US 4277856 A show pieces of furniture that can be arranged either as a table
or as a
bed. The prior art solutions are complex and difficult to use.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to reduce or even eliminate the
abovementioned
.. problems appearing in prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy and reliable way
to secure
furniture parts immovable when needed and to allow their movement when needed.
It is an object of the present invention to enable an easy and reliable
movement of
furniture parts when converting the furniture from a bed to a table and vice
versa.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among others, in order to realize the objects mentioned above, a convertible
furniture
and other objects according to the invention are characterized by what is
presented in
the enclosed independent claims. The dependent claims present some embodiments
of the invention.
The embodiments, examples and advantages mentioned in this text relate, where
applicable, as well to convertible furniture or any methods when using it, as
to any
other aspect of the invention, even though it is not always specifically
mentioned.
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A simple way to describe the basic idea of the invention is, that a
convertible furniture
comprises
¨ a first furniture part comprising a frame with end supports, such as
panels and
thereto supported a bed and a table part;
¨ a second furniture part comprising a frame with end supports, such as panels
and thereto supported a bed and a table part;
¨ pivoting means, such as hinges, rails and gas springs between the
furniture
parts, arranged to guide their movement between at least a table position and
a bed position, the pivoting means may be attached e.g. to the end supports;
¨ an openable table lock arranged to secure the furniture parts in the table
position
and when opened, allowing movement of the furniture parts towards the bed
position.
The inventiveness of this basic idea can be enhanced e.g. by adding to it one
or more
of the following technical ideas:
1) The lock is used with an elongated actuator i.e. a shaft operatively
connected to
the lock; the shaft is supported movable on a furniture part, e.g. below a
table part,
and adapted to be moved only, or at least mainly, in the direction of the
plane of
the table part. The shaft may extend from the lock at the middle of the table
and
past the bed under the table part all the way close to the outer edge of the
table
part. E.g. a sideways turnable relatively long lever facilitates the use of
the lock.
The shaft may be a lever turning around a pivot point. These features make the
opening and closing of the table lock easy and reliable.
2) One or more wheels are attached to the end supports. The wheels may be
partly
hidden, i.e. only a part of the wheel is visible, i.e. the wheels protrude
over an edge
or one or more edges of the end support. The wheels ease the movement of the
furniture against a floor or other support beneath it. Advantageously these
wheels
are situated in table position at the lower outer corner of the end supports.
More
advantageously the wheels are at the corners but protrude only over vertical
end
support edges.
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3) The pivoting means between the furniture parts are constructed in such a
way that
in bed position, no part or no moving part of the pivoting means reaches over
the
upper edges of the end supports. This makes the use of the furniture safe and
comfortable.
4) Movable extra supports to be engaged with the floor or other support are
arranged
under a table part e.g. on to the end support. When preparing to move the
furniture
into bed position, the support is engaged with the end support edge that is
meant
against the floor in bed position. Now, the support will engage the floor. The
weight
of the furniture in bed position rests on possible wheels and at least partly
on the
extra supports. There may be more of these extra supports on different points
of
the furniture.
5) One or more support plates may be attached to the end supports of the
furniture
parts. Support plates are separate of the end supports, made e.g. of metal or
plastic. Each support plate may support a wheel and the pivoting means. A
support
plate may be attached at and along an edge of the end support. A support plate
may form an edge of the end support. In table position the support plates may
be
situated at the mainly horizontal lower edges of the end supports.
The listed technical ideas and many more embodiments are explained in detail
below,
also in reference to the drawings. All the ideas are combinable with each
other, also in
ways not separately mentioned.
An embodiment of a typical convertible furniture according to the invention
comprises
¨ a first furniture part comprising a first frame with a first and a second
end support
and thereto supported a first bed and a first table part;
¨ a second furniture part comprising a second frame with a first and a
second end
support and thereto supported a second bed and a second table part;
¨ pivoting means, such as hinges, rails or gas springs, between the first
furniture
part and the second furniture part arranged to guide their movement between
at least
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o a table position, where the first and second table parts are arranged
horizontally, thereby forming a horizontal table surface and the beds are
unusable; and
o a bed position, where the beds are usable, and the table parts are not
usable;
¨ a table lock arranged to secure the first and second furniture parts in
the table
position and adapted to be moved with an actuator between
o a locked position, securing the furniture parts in the table position and
o an open position, allowing movement of the furniture parts towards the
bed position.
The actuator is an elongated shaft connected to the table lock. The shaft is:
¨ supported on the first or the second furniture part; and
¨ adapted to be moved in the direction of the plane of the first or second
table
part.
In an embodiment the table lock comprises a first and a second locking member
situated on different furniture parts. The first and second locking members
are adapted
to be moved between
¨ a locked position, where the locking members are interlocked with each
other,
thereby securing the furniture parts in the table position and
¨ an open position, where the locking members are not interlocked with each
other, thereby allowing movement of the furniture parts towards the bed
position.
In an embodiment the elongated shaft is connected to the first or second
locking
member. This makes it easy to move one or more of the locking members between
the
locked position and the open position, even with a small gesture or movement a
distance away from the actual locking mechanism.
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The table lock may be manually or automatically operable. In an embodiment,
the lock
is a is a simple latch. A latch can be opened and closed with a simple
movement, e.g.
manually with a lever.
5 The first and second table parts are in their general form more or less
planar. The
plane of the first or second table part is the general plane's direction. In
table position
that plane would normally be the direction of the table surface, i.e.
horizontal.
In an embodiment, in the table position:
¨ the upper surfaces of the first and second table parts are arranged
substantially
flush with each other, thereby forming the horizontal table surface; and
¨ the first and second beds are arranged mainly vertical and unusable under
the
table parts; whereas
in the bed position:
¨ the first and second beds are arranged horizontal and usable; and
¨ the first and second table parts are arranged as vertical sides of the
beds.
In an embodiment the table parts comprise at least mainly parallel first and
second
edges. The first edges are in the table position against each other at the
middle of the
table surface, and in bed position arranged as upper edges of the sides of the
beds.
The second edges are in the table position arranged as outer edges of the
table
surface, and in bed position arranged as lower edges of the sides of the beds.
In an
embodiment the first and second locking members are situated at the first
edges of the
table parts. This way in the table position they are against each other at the
middle of
the table and in bed position they are arranged on top edges of the sides of
the beds.
The elongated shaft may be supported on an inner surface of the first or
second table
parts, i.e. in table position on the lower surface of the table part. This way
it stays
mostly hidden during normal use of the furniture.
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The elongated shaft may be movably arranged in a space between the table part
and
the bed of the furniture part. This makes it possible for a user to easily
reach the shaft
from outside the table.
In an embodiment a first end of the elongated shaft is connected to the first
and/or
second locking member. The shaft then extends from there past the first or
second bed
and towards the second edge of the table part. There the second end of the
elongated
shaft is arranged to be manually and easily engaged by a user situated by the
second
edge.
The elongated shaft may be made of different materials and in different sizes
and
forms. Metals, such as aluminium or steel, plastics, wood are some examples of
possible materials. The length of the shaft may vary depending on the
situation, e.g.
more than 20 cm, more than 30 cm, 20 to 40 cm, 20 to 50 cm are possible.
Suitable
shaft length is decided especially by the width of the table part it is
mounted on.
The elongated shaft is a way to transmit power to be used at the lock from
near the
outer edges of the table. The shaft may be formed as a rod or another kind of
rigid
component. It is also possible that the shaft comprises an outer core or shell
and a
wire or another flexible shaft or belt inside it for power transmission.
In an embodiment each table part is arranged perpendicularly to its end
supports. Each
end support functions in table position as a vertical support against a floor
and in bed
position as a vertical bed end. If the table part and end supports are fixed
together
firmly, simply and immovably relative to each other, the frame becomes robust
and
easy to arrange to withstand the movements of the furniture.
Some possible dimensions for the furniture are as follows. In table position:
¨ Table part length 160-220 cm (in bed direction, i.e. direction between
end
supports)
¨ Table part width 30-60 cm (in direction between its first and second
edge)
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¨ Table height 60-100 cm;
In bed position:
¨ Bed length 160-220 cm (in bed direction)
¨ Bed width 120-200 cm (double bed)
¨ Bed height 30-60 cm.
Some possible materials for the different plate-like parts or panels in the
furniture, such
as table parts and end supports, are wood, plastic, honeycomb panels or other
cellular
panels. Panel surfaces may be coated, e.g. with thin wood or plastic layer.
In an embodiment the furniture comprises two at least almost similar furniture
parts.
The furniture parts maybe near mirror images. The furniture parts each
comprise a
frame, which comprises two end supports, such as generally planar vertical
panels and
a generally planar table part, forming half of the whole table surface
supported between
the end supports. A bed is supported on the frame, possibly immovably. The two
frames are attached to each other pivotably, to be turned around a turning
axle, defined
e.g. by hinges. The turning axle of the pivoting movement is horizontally at
the bottom
of the furniture, near or at its centre line. The frames can be turned against
each other
in the table position where the table parts are horizontally on the top,
supported by
vertical end supports and the bed is vertically under the table part. From
there the both
frames can be turned 90 degrees, into the bed position. In bed position the
two frames,
i.e. the end supports and the table parts form vertical sides for the now
horizontal beds.
There is no need to have a fourth side for the bed in a frame, because in bed
position
the two frames lie side by side, forming a double bed with panels around it,
but without
a panel between the two beds.
One way to define the inventive conversion movement of the furniture between
the
table and bed positions is to define what happens to the edges of the mainly
planar
end supports in the two furniture positions. Each end support comprises an
outer and
inner larger surface parallel to each other and vertical during normal use of
the
furniture. The outer and inner surfaces are connected by edges, as follows:
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¨ a first end support edge, which is arranged
o in table position mainly vertical and situated towards the other frame;
o in bed position as a mainly horizontal upper edge of the bed end;
¨ a second end support edge, which is arranged
o in table position mainly vertical and situated away from the other frame;
o in bed position as a mainly horizontal lower edge of the bed end;
¨ a third end support edge, which is arranged
o in table position as a mainly horizontal lower edge of the vertical
support
against a floor;
o in bed position mainly vertical and situated towards the other frame;
¨ a fourth end support edge, which is arranged
o in table position as a mainly horizontal upper edge of the vertical
support,
supporting the table part on top of it;
o in bed position as mainly vertical and situated away from the other
frame.
An embodiment of a typical convertible furniture according to the invention
comprises
¨ a first furniture part comprising a first frame with a first and a second
end support
and thereto supported a first bed and a first table part;
¨ a second furniture part comprising a second frame with a first and a
second end
support and thereto supported a second bed and a second table part;
¨ pivoting means, such as hinges, rails or gas springs, between the first
furniture
part and the second furniture part arranged to guide their movement between
at least
o a table position, where the first and second table parts are arranged
horizontally, thereby forming a horizontal table surface and the beds are
unusable; and
o a bed position, where the beds are usable, and the table parts are not
usable;
¨ a table lock arranged to secure the first and second furniture parts in
the table
position and adapted to be moved with an actuator between
o a locked position, securing the furniture parts in the table position and
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o an open position, allowing movement of the furniture parts towards the
bed position.
The pivoting means between the furniture parts may be constructed in such a
way that
in bed position, every part or every movable part of the pivoting means is
arranged
under the upper edges of the end supports. This makes the use of the furniture
safe
and comfortable.
In an embodiment, in table position, every part or every movable part of the
pivoting
means is arranged over the lower edges of the end supports. This makes the use
of
the furniture safe and comfortable and protects the floor or any support under
the
furniture.
In an embodiment every part or every movable part of the pivoting means is
arranged
both under the upper edges of the end supports and over the lower edges of the
end
supports during the whole movement between the bed and table positions. In an
embodiment every part or every moving part of the pivoting means is arranged
to stay
between the edges of the end supports during the whole movement between the
bed
and table positions.
One aspect of the invention is a method with the convertible furniture
according to the
invention. In an embodiment the method comprises
¨ moving a first and a second furniture part between at least a bed
position and a
table position, each furniture part comprising two end supports and thereto
supported a bed and a table part;
¨ guiding said moving with pivoting means between the first furniture part and
the
second furniture part;
¨ in bed position, keeping every part or every movable part of the pivoting
means
under upper edges of the end supports; and/or
¨ in table position, keeping every part or every moving part of the
pivoting means
over lower edges of the end supports.
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In an embodiment the pivoting means are turnably supported to the end supports
of
the furniture parts. Turnably supported means that the pivoting means allows
turning
or moving of the furniture parts between the table and bed positions. In an
embodiment,
e.g. in case of a hinge arm or a gas spring, one end of the pivoting means is
supported
5 on an end support of one furniture part and the other end of the pivoting
means is
supported on an end support of a second furniture part. In an embodiment the
pivoting
means is attached at or near an edge of the end support. In an embodiment in
table
position the pivoting means is attached on or near the edge that is the mainly
horizontal
lower edge of the end support.
One way to achieve the above-mentioned smooth movement of the furniture parts
and
the pivoting means is to arrange the pivot point or the point of rotation of
the hinge
structure slightly outside the end supports of the furniture parts. With this
kind of a
virtual pivot point arrangement no physical parts are needed at the pivot
point P, i.e.
situated outside the furniture parts. Now, no part of the pivoting means
interferes with
the floor or protrudes up from the table surface. This can be achieved e.g.
with a hinge
structure comprising two hinge arms on both ends of the furniture with
fastening points
of the hinge arms located symmetrically on the furniture part.
In an embodiment in table position, the hinge arms are arranged crossed with
each
other, i.e. one arm is attached at an upper position in the first furniture
part and at a
lower position in the second furniture part, whereas the other arm is attached
at an
upper position in the second furniture part and at a lower position in the
first furniture
part. In an embodiment in bed position, the hinge arms are arranged
horizontally, at
the same level with each other, i.e. the fastening or pivot points of the two
hinge arms
are at same level.
The hinge structure is an important if not the main support structure between
the two
halves of the furniture when they are moved between the table and bed
positions.
Strength and robustness of the hinge arms is important. They may be made e.g.
of a
metal such as steel, plastic or some other suitable material.
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All the pivoting means, such as the hinges or gas springs, as well as the
wheels need
to be robust enough to support movement of the furniture parts. Also, the
supporting
of these parts to the furniture parts needs to similarly robust. One good
possibility is to
arrange them supported on one or more relatively large support plates, which
are easy
to attach e.g. on the end supports of the furniture parts. The support plate
may be
made of e.g. metal, such as steel or aluminium plate or any suitable plastic
or
composite material. Every piece of pivoting means, e.g. hinges or gas springs
may
have their own support plates on each furniture part. Also, each wheel may be
supported on its own support plate.
The support plate structure gives the furniture robust structure, high
strength, easy
assembly and increased accuracy in its movements. In an embodiment each
support
plate supports a wheel and pivoting means. Attaching all pivoting means and
wheels
of one end support to one large support plate enhances the benefits.
In an embodiment the support plate is attached at and along an edge of the end
support. This strengthens the edge and simplifies the structure. In an
embodiment in
table position the support plates are at the mainly horizontal lower edges of
the end
supports. This strengthens the lower edge and makes it easy to arrange wheels
on the
support plate. In an embodiment the support plates are of the same length and
form
as edges of the end supports they are attached to. This further strengthens
and
simplifies the structure.
In an embodiment one or more wheels are attached to the end supports. In an
embodiment the wheels are partly hidden in the end supports. The wheels may be
supported and arranged between the inner and outer faces of the end support.
In an
embodiment the wheels are situated so that in the table position they are at
the lower
outer corner of the end supports. In an embodiment in table position the
wheels
protrude only over vertical end support edges. In an embodiment in table
position the
wheels protrude over both vertical and horizontal end support edges. In an
embodiment the wheels are arranged as the point of contact between the
furniture and
a floor or other support it is situated on, at any given stage of the movement
between
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bed and table positions. The wheels ease the movement of the furniture against
a floor
or other support beneath it.
In an embodiment the wheels are attached to support plates which are attached
to the
end supports of the furniture parts. In an embodiment the wheels are simple
castors,
i.e. rollers mounted to an axle pin. One end of the axle pin may be firmly
attached, e.g.
by welding, on the support plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the enclosed
schematic drawing, in which
Figure 1 shows a convertible furniture according to the invention in
table position
in a side view from above the furniture,
Figure 2 shows the furniture of Figure 1 during movement between the
table and
bed positions,
Figure 3 shows the furniture of Figure 1 in bed position,
Figure 4 shows the furniture of Figure 1 in table position in a
perspective view from
above the furniture,
Figure 5 shows the furniture of Figure 1 in bed position in a
perspective view from
above the furniture,
Figure 6 shows the locking mechanism of a furniture according to the
invention in
table position in a partly cut view from above the furniture, the locking
mechanism in open position,
Figure 7 shows the locking mechanism of Figure 6 in locked position,
Figure 8 shows an outer top corner of a furniture according to the
invention in table
position, in a perspective view from below, with an extra support not
engaged,
Figure 9 shows the top corner of Figure 8 with the extra support
engaged,
Figure 10 shows support plates of one furniture end in table position,
Figure 11 shows the support plates of Figure 10 in bed position, and
Figure 12 shows a lower part of an end support with a wheel in bed
position.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE FIGURES
For the sake of clarity, in different embodiments same reference numerals are
used for
parts corresponding to each other. For the sake of clarity, every part and
feature has
not been numbered in every Figure.
A convertible furniture 1 comprises a first and a second furniture part 2a and
2b. Each
of these comprises a frame 11a, llb and thereto supported a bed 3a, 3b and a
table
part 4a, 4b. The depicted furniture parts 2a and 2b are almost mirror images
of each
other. In some embodiments there might be bigger differences between the
furniture
parts.
Pivoting means, i.e. hinges 5a and gas springs 5b are arranged between the
first and
second furniture parts 2a and 2b. They guide and assist the movement of the
furniture
parts between a table position and a bed position. The pivoting means 5a and
5b are
attached to the first and second end supports, i.e. end panels 12a, 12b of the
first and
second furniture part.
In the table position, shown e.g. in Figures 1 and 4, the frames are standing
on their
side panels and arranged against each other. The side panels of the frames now
on
the top are the table parts 4a and 4b. They are now horizontally arranged and
substantially flush with each other, forming a horizontal table surface 4 at
the top of the
furniture. At the same time, the beds 3a and 3b are arranged sideways inside
the
frames. In other words, the beds are in a vertical position under the table
parts, and
therefore unusable.
When moving from the table position to the bed position, the tops of the
furniture parts
2a and 2b are turned away from each other, see Figure 2. The table surface 4
opens
at its centre line between the two table parts 4a and 4b. As the frames are
turned more
and more towards the horizontal, the beds become more and more visible.
Finally, as
shown e.g. in Figures 3 and 5, the furniture is in bed position. This means
that the
frames 11a and 11b and in them the beds 3a and 3b are in a horizontal
position. Beds
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are usable. At the same time, the table parts 4a and 4b have become side
panels for
the beds. This means that they are not usable.
The table parts 4a, 4b comprise first edges 7a, 7b and second edges 8a, 8b
parallel to
each other, on the opposite sides of the table parts. The first edges 7a, 7b
are in the
table position against each other at the middle of the table surface 4. In bed
position
the first edges are arranged as upper edges of the sides of the beds. The
second
edges 8a, 8b are in the table position arranged as outer edges of the table
surface 4,
and in bed position they are arranged as lower edges of the sides of the beds.
Each frame 11a, llb comprises a first and a second end panel 12a, 12b. Each
table
part 4a, 4b is arranged perpendicularly between its end panels, whereby each
end
panel 12a, 12b functions in table position as a vertical support against a
floor and in
bed position as a vertical bed end. In the depicted embodiment, each end panel
12a,
12b comprises four edges. A first end panel edge 131 is in table position
mainly vertical
and situated towards the other frame. In bed position the first end panel edge
131 is a
mainly horizontal upper edge of the bed end. A second end panel edge 132 is in
table
position mainly vertical and situated facing away from the other frame. In bed
position
second end panel edge 132 is a mainly horizontal lower edge of the bed end. A
third
end panel edge 133 is in table position a mainly horizontal lower edge of the
vertical
support against a floor. In bed position third end panel edge 133 is mainly
vertical and
situated towards the other frame. A fourth end panel edge 134 is in table
position a
mainly horizontal upper edge of the vertical support, supporting the table
part 4a or 4b
on top of it. In bed position the fourth end panel edge 134 is mainly vertical
and situated
away from the other frame. In this example the first and second panel edges
are
substantially parallel to each other. Similarly, the third and fourth panel
edges are
substantially parallel to each other, but perpendicular against the first and
second. This
means that in the depicted embodiment the end panels 12a,12b are formed as a
substantial rectangle, with rounded corners. This needs not to be the case;
the furniture
.. can be designed in many forms.
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To keep the furniture parts 2a, 2b safely in the table position, an easily
operated table
lock 6 is arranged between the frames 11 a, 11 b. In a locked position, the
table lock
secures the furniture parts together. In an open position the table lock
allows the
movement of the furniture parts 2a, 2b towards the bed position. The table
lock 6, seen
5 e.g. in Figures 6 and 7, comprises a first locking member 6a on the first
table part 4a
and a second locking member 6b on the second table part 4b. The locking
members
6a, 6b are situated at or near the first edges 7a, 7b of the table parts so
that in the
table position they are against or very near to each other at the middle of
the table. In
bed position the locking members are arranged on top edges of the sides of the
beds.
In the depicted embodiments the table lock is a simple latch, with a steel arc
6a, i.e.
an arc-shaped steel form, as the first locking member and a pin 6b as the
second
locking member. The steel arc 6a can be turned in the direction of the plane
of the first
table part 4a it is arranged on. When the two table parts 4a and 4b are in
contact with
each other, the steel arc 6a may be turned to reach around and behind the pin
6b,
thereby interlocking the steel arc 6a and the pin 6b with each other. This
means the
table lock 6 is in locking position and the furniture parts 2a, 2b are secured
in the table
position. When turning the arc 6a so, that the opening in the arc 6a is
towards the pin
6b the table lock 6 is in open position. Now the furniture parts 2a, 2b may be
turned
away from each other.
To ease the functioning of the table lock 6, a lock actuator, i.e. an
elongated shaft 6c
is connected at its first end 9a to the steel arc 6a. The shaft 6c is a lever
adapted to be
turned in the direction of the plane of the first table part 4a. Turning the
shaft 6c moves
the steel arc 6a and thus the table lock 6 between the locked and open
positions. That
means that in table position the table lock is opened and secured by turning
the shaft
6c horizontally near and under the first table part 4a. The shaft 6c is
supported on the
inner surface 10a of the first table part 4a with a pivot point 13. The second
end 9b of
the elongated shaft 6c is arranged towards the second edge 8a of the first
table part 4a.
The shaft 6c extends, from the table lock 6 past the bed 3a, which is arranged
under
the table part 4a, towards the second edge 8a of the table part. The second
end 9b of
the shaft may comprise a handle, where it can be manually engaged by a user,
simply
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by reaching her/his arm under the second edge 8a of the table part. The shaft
6c is
adapted to move close to the inner surface 10a. This way it is freely movable
in the
small gap between the first table part 4a and the first bed 3a situated under
the table
part. A recess may be formed in the side of the bed to make more space for the
shaft
to move. One possibility is to arrange the elongated shaft at least partly
inside the table
part. This may be done e.g. by forming a suitable open recess on the inner
surface
10a of the table part 4a. The shaft 6c may also be situated totally or almost
totally
inside the table part 4a, so that only the second end of it, e.g. a handle is
visible and
ready to be engaged with a hand.
In order to ease movement of the furniture against a floor beneath it during
the
conversion between the table position and the bed position, one or more partly
hidden
wheels 14a and 14b can be attached to the end panels 12a, 12b. The wheels may
e.g.
be arranged mostly or partly inside the end panels 12a, 12b so that just a
part of each
wheel 14a, 14b is protruding over an edge of the end panel. It may be
advantageous
to arrange the one or more wheels 14a, 14b at the corners which are the outer
and
lower corners in the table position. That is, the corners where the second and
third end
panel edges 132 and 133 meet. A wheel may protrude over only the vertical or
both
the vertical and horizontal panel edges 132 and 133. In Figures 1, 2 and 3 the
corners
where such wheels are positioned are shown with circles. In the depicted
embodiments, the wheels 14a, 14b are arranged to protrude over the second and
third
end panel edges 132 and 133. The wheel may protrude e.g. under 2 mm, under 5
mm,
under 20 mm, 2 to 5 mm, 2 to 10 mm, 5 to 10 mm or 2 to 20 mm over the panel
edges
132, 133. Extra supports or feet may be arranged at the panel edge 133 so,
that in the
table position wheels 14a, 14b are not engaged with the floor, but as soon as
the
movement towards the bed position starts, the wheels 14a, 14b start to engage
the
floor. This way they facilitate the conversion of the furniture during
practically the whole
movement between the two positions. The wheels 14a, 14b may be constructed in
many ways. It is possible to replace all or some wheels by some other movement
facilitating or friction decreasing means, such as plastic glides.
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In Figures 8 and 9 is shown an outer top corner of the furniture 1 in table
position. A
turnable extra support 15 is arranged under the table part 4a. In Figure 8 it
is hidden
under the table part, against the corner of end panel 12 and inner surface 10a
of the
table part. In the drawings the support 15 is fixed to the table part 4a. When
preparing
to move the furniture into bed position, an outer end 15b of the support 15 is
turned
around a vertical axis 15a to be engaged with the second end panel edge 132.
In the
bed position the outer end 15b of the support, situated on the panel edge 132,
will
engage the floor. On that edge 132, the thickness of the outer end 15b of the
support
may be the same as the distance the wheels 14a or 14b protrude over the panel
edge
132, that is, e.g. under 2 mm, under 5 mm, under 20 mm, 2 to 5 mm, 2 to 10 mm,
5 to
10 mm or 2 to 20 mm. This way, the weight of the furniture 1 in bed position
rests on
the wheels14a, 14b and on the extra support 15. There may be more of these
extra
supports 15 on different points of the furniture. That would e.g. make it
possible to
remove all weight from the wheels 14a, 14b in bed position. The support 15 may
be
manufactured e.g. from a suitable plastic. Also fixed feet or other fixed
supports may
be arranged in panel edges so that they contact the floor in table and bed
positions.
Feet or other supports may give extra friction between the furniture and the
floor in
order to prevent the furniture from unwanted moving of the furniture.
Figures show embodiments with two elongated support plates 16a and 16b on each
end of the furniture. First support plates 16a are attached to the end support
plates
12a and 12b of the first furniture part 2a. Second support plates 16b are
attached to
the end supports 12a and 12b of the second furniture part 2b. Each support
plate 16a
and 16b supports a wheel 14a or 14b, one end of the hinge arms 5a and 5a' and
one
end of the gas spring 5b. The support plates 16a, 16b are attached to the end
panels
12a, 12b with screws or bolts 17.
The support plates are attached at and along the third end panel edges 133, on
the
inside face of the end supports 12a, 12b. Thus, in table position the support
plates 16a,
16b are at the mainly horizontal lower edge of the vertical support against a
floor. And
in bed position the support plates 16a, 16b are mainly vertical and situated
towards the
other frame, and against the support plate on the other frame. The support
plates 16a,
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16b are of the same length and form as the panel edges 133 they are attached
to. As
a matter of fact, they can be thought to form part of the panel edges 133.
Figure 10
shows mere support plates 16a and 16b with hinge arms 5a, 5a', gas spring 5b
and
wheels 14a, 14b of one furniture end in a table position, and Figure 11 shows
the same
in a bed position.
Figure 12 shows one example of a wheel 14b arranged at a corner of second and
third
end panel edges 132 and 133. The support plate 16b is attached at and along
the third
end panel edge 133, on the inside face of the end support 12a. Inside face
means the
face facing the bed 3a and the other end support 12b. The support plate is
aligned with
and actually forms parts of both the inner face of end support 12a and the
panel edge
133. The wheel 14b is supported and arranged between the inner and outer faces
of
the end support 12a.
The wheels 14a, 14b may be simple castors, i.e. pivoting rollers mounted to an
axle
pin 19 on the support plate. The design of the support plate16a, 16b, the
diameter of
the wheel 14a, 14b and the position of the axle pin 19 can is chosen so that
the wheels
will be the outermost point, i.e. the point of contact at any given stage of
the transition
between bed and table positions.
One end of the axle pin 19 of the wheel is firmly attached, e.g. by welding,
on the
support plate 16. The other end of the axle pin 19 may be supported e.g. on
the end
panel 12a, 12b. However, the axle pin 19 can be dimensioned thicker and of a
sufficiently strong material so that it would not bend even without a support
on its other
end.
The gas spring 5b aids the transition between the table and bed positions.
When
moving the furniture between the two positions, the user normally needs most
power
when starting the movement from the bed position toward the table position.
Therefore,
the gas springs 5b may be arranged so that they provide some or maximum force,
i.e.
aid for the user when starting from bed position. The gas springs 5b may
provide some
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or minimum force, i.e. smaller aid for the user when starting from table
position. This
would help in avoiding unintentional opening from the table position.
For a smooth movement of the furniture parts, a pivot point P or the point of
rotation of
the hinge structure may by arranged slightly outside the end supports 12a, 12b
of the
furniture parts 2a, 2b. An example of an approximate position of the pivot
point P is
shown with an arrow in Figures 10 and 11. It would be problematic if the hinge
structure
would need any physical parts at the pivot point P, i.e. situated outside the
furniture
parts. This kind of parts would interfere with the floor or protrude up from
the table
surface. The hinge according to the Figures doesn't protrude outside the end
supports
12a, 12b in table or bed position. Hinge structure between the furniture parts
2a and
2b comprises two hinge arms 5a and 5a' on both ends of the furniture. The
hinge is
constructed as a double arm hinge with fastening points 18 of the hinge arms
5a and
5a' located symmetrically on support plates 16a and 16b. In table position,
see Figure
11, the hinge arms 5a, 5a' are arranged crossed with each other, i.e. arm 5a
is attached
at an upper position in the first support plate 16a and at a lower position in
the second
support plate 16b, whereas the arm 5a' is attached at an upper position in the
second
support plate 16b and at a lower position in the first support plate 16a. In
bed position,
see Figure 10, the hinge arms 5a and 5a' are arranged horizontally, at the
same level
with each other, i.e. the fastening or pivot points 18 of the two hinge arms
are at same
level with each other.
The shown hinge structure with two hinge arms 5a and 5a' and four hinge arm
pivot
points 18 ensures that turning motion is always the same.
The hinge arms 5a and 5a' are located on opposite sides of the plates 16a, 16b
to
avoid collision with each other. The arms 5a, 5b may be mounted with bearings
at their
fastening points to avoid wear. If the support plate 16a, 16b is attached at
an inner side
face of the end support 12a, 12b, at least some of the movable pivoting means,
e.g.
one of the hinge arms, may need a cavity inside the end support 12a, 12b, to
provide
space for its moving. Also the wheels 14a, 14b need a cavity inside the end
support
12a, 12b.
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The hinge structure is an important if not the main support structure between
the two
halves of the furniture when they are moved between the table and bed
positions.
Strength and robustness of the hinge arms 5a and 5a' is therefore important.
They may
5 be made of a metal such as steel, plastic or some other suitable
material.
Feet or other supports may be arranged in panel edges so that they contact the
floor
in table and bed positions. These feet or other supports may give extra
friction between
the furniture and the floor in order to prevent the furniture from unwanted
rolling.
The figures show only a few preferred embodiments according to the invention.
Facts
of secondary importance with regards to the main idea of the invention, facts
known
as such or evident for a person skilled in the art, such as support structures
possibly
required by the invention, are not necessarily separately shown in the
figures. It is
apparent to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited
exclusively to the
examples described above, but that the invention can vary within the scope of
the
claims presented below. The dependent claims are not to be considered to
restrict the
scope of protection of the invention as such.
