MODULAR BEDDING SYSTEM INCLUDING MODULAR BED BASE Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to bedding products and more particularly, to a modular bedding system, including a modular bed base or foundation for supporting non-adjustable, as well as adjustable, mattresses.

Background of the Invention

At the present time, there exists in the marketplace bed bases or foundations for non-adjustable mattresses and bed bases or foundations for supporting adjustable mattresses. Presently, though, those bed bases have nothing in common, either structurally or in terms of cost. The bed bases for adjustable mattresses are much more complex in structure and much more expensive than bed bases used to support non-adjustable mattresses.

Commonly, the bed bases for adjustable mattresses are manufactured and sold fully assembled or, sometimes in pieces, but irrespective of whether fully assembled or in pieces, if applied to a queen size bed, those pieces are heavy and large, oftentimes so large that they are very difficult to transport to and through doorways, stairs, etc., of small apartments or homes.

In most cases, adjustable beds are now sold with a large fixed base which supports an adjustable head section and an adjustable footrest section. As such, these adjustable beds are sold at a price substantially higher than non-adjustable beds for supporting flat, non-adjustable mattresses. The price difference between the two, non-adjustable or adjustable beds, is now very substantial. It would be desirable to minimize this price difference. To date, however, that has not been possible because of the differing complexity of the two products. It is therefore one objective of this invention to provide a modular bedding base or foundation which may be used to either support a fixed non-adjustable mattress or with minimum modification and addition to support an adjustable mattress.

Still another objective of this invention is to provide a modular bedding system which includes a modular bed base, a modular adjustable headrest supporting module, another modular adjustable footrest supporting module, so constructed that the headrest supporting module may be utilized with the modular base, either with or without the modular footrest

adjustable module and similarly, the adjustable footrest adjustable module may be used with or without the adjustable headrest supporting module.

Still another objective of this invention is to provide a modular bedding system particularly designed for the after market, such that it may be sold as a fixed non-adjustable bed with a non-adjustable mattress, but may be, at minimum expense, upgraded to a bed base for supporting a headrest adjustable mattress and/or a headrest and footrest adjustable mattress.

Summary of the Invention

To achieve these objectives, the invention of this application comprises a modular bedding system having a bed base which includes removable head and foot deck panels. The bed base is so constructed that the removable head deck panel may be removed and replaced by an articulating head section module, such that the bed, including the original base may then function as a headrest adjustable bed. The foot removable deck panel may also be removed and replaced by an articulating adjustable foot section module, such that the foot section of the bed, still including the original base, may now be adjustable. The adjustment of the headrest and footrest adjustable modules may be as simple as a ratchet mechanism for raising or tilting the head section or the foot section of the bed, or the modules may be independently motorized and controlled by a conventional hardwired hand wand or by a wireless remote.

A primary advantage of this modular bedding system is that it enables a bedding retailer to sell this modular bed base to a customer with a non-adjustable fixed mattress and then later upgrade that modular bed by selling relatively inexpensive headrest or footrest adjusting modules at prices which are substantially lower than the current differential in price between non-adjustable beds and adjustable beds. It also enables a bedding retailer who sells both adjustable and non-adjustable beds to substantially lower the inventory of products needed to serve both markets.

Yet another advantage of this invention is that it enables customers to pick and choose the features which they desire on a bed, i.e., adjustability or non-adjustability, manual adjustment of the headrest or footrest, or motorized adjustment of the headrest or footrest, attached vibrator for vibrating the headrest or footrest panels, etc., in much the same manner as customers are now accustomed to ordering computers with customized features. It also facilitates ordering a customized bed either from a retail bedding establishment or from a website.

Still another advantage of this invention resides in the fact that because the whole bedding system is modular, it may be easily transported from a sale site to the customer and moved into and through stairways and doorways with minimal space clearance requirements.

These and other advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of the drawings, in which:

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bed base or foundation used in the practice of this invention and illustrating in phantom a mattress placed upon the top of the base; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bed base of Fig.

1 ;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bed base of Fig. 1 , but with a head deck panel replaced by an adjustable head section module;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the foot deck panel replaced by an adjustable foot section module;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an adjustable head section module having the head deck panel supported by a conventional adjustable ■ ratchet mechanism, the head deck panel of the module being illustrated in phantom; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating a motorized version of the head section module; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an adjustable motorized foot section module illustrating the leg and foot supporting boards of the module in phantom.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

With reference first to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a wooden bed base or foundation 10 for supporting a mattress 12. The wooden bed base 10 comprises two side boards 14, 16, a head end board

18, and a foot end board 20. These side boards and end boards form a rectangular perimeter frame operative to support a center deck board 22, as well as a removable head deck board or panel 24 and a removable foot deck board or panel 26. The center deck board, or panel 22, extends between the two side boards 14, 16 and is preferably fixed to them as opposed to being removable as are the head deck board 24 and removable foot deck board 26. The side boards 14 and 16, as well as the head end board and foot end boards 18 and 20 are assembled and maintained in a rectangular assembly by conventional corner blocks or corner brackets 28 (one of four shown).

As shown in Fig. 1 , the bed base 10 of the present invention may be supported by legs 5 (shown in phantom) or may be supported inside a metal bed frame (not shown) as is conventional.

As shown in Fig. 2, the removable head and foot deck boards 24, 26, as well as center deck board 22, may be covered with padding 25 such as foam or any other suitable material. Any other panels such as those described below may likewise be covered with such padding.

In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the perimeter frame comprising these side boards and end boards are made of 7Vz " high by 3/4" thick solid wood panels, or wood composite materials, such as plywood or particle board, or MDF (medium density fiberboard). A wooden or metal support 30 having a lip 34 extends around the inside periphery of the rectangular frame 32 approximately 1 inch beneath the top edge of the side boards 14, 16 and end boards 18 and 20. The lip 34 of this support

30 forms a lip upon which the center deck board or panel 22 rests and is secured and upon which the head deck board 24 and foot deck board 26 rest. Generally, the center deck board, or panel 22, will be braced on the underside to avoid sagging when the load of a mattress and persons lying on the mattress 12 is applied to the bed.

The components heretofore described, other than the mattress, are all preferably made of metal, wood or wood composite materials, but they need not always be made of these materials, as other materials, such as plastic, will often suffice. As used in the specification and claims of this application, the term "wood" or "wooden" is intended to include not only solid wood materials or wood panels, but also wood composite materials, such as plywood or particle board or MDF.

With reference now to Figs. 3 and 5, there is illustrated an articulating adjustable head section module 40 which may be substituted in this modular bedding system for the head deck board or panel 24 in order to convert the bed base 10 from one for supporting a non-adjustable mattress 12 to one for supporting a headrest adjustable mattress. With particular reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the adjustable head section module 40 comprises a rectangular frame 42 pivotally connected at its forward end to a head deck board or panel 44 along one edge 46 of the head deck board or panel 44. The head deck board or panel 44 may, in fact, be the same removed head deck board 24, as was removed from the base 10 in order to enable the adjustable head section module 40 to be substituted for the head deck panel 24.

The frame 42 is preferably a metal frame made from angle iron. It comprises a front bar 48, a rear bar 50, and a pair of side bars 52, 54, all welded together, or otherwise fixedly secured together so as to create a rectangular frame. The front and rear bars 48 and 50 have a top horizontal flange 56, 58, respectively, which rests upon the top surface 30 of the lips 34 so as to support the module 40 in the base 10 after removal of the head deck board 24 from that panel.

In order to accommodate articulated or pivotal movement of the head deck board or panel 44 relative to the frame 42, the head deck panel 44 is pivotally connected by conventional hinges 60, 62 secured to the top flange 56 of the front bar 48 and the forward underside surface of the head deck panel 44 near the head end of that board. These hinges 60, 62 may be conventional piano hinges or any other conventional type of hinge which permits articulated pivotal movement between the head deck panel 44 and the front bar 48.

Extending between the underside surface of the head deck board or panel and the side bars 52, 54, there are a pair of conventional ratchet mechanisms 64, 66. Each of these ratchet mechanisms 64, 66 comprises two pivotally interconnected bars 64', 64", 66', 66", which are pivotally connected to the underside of the head deck board or panel 44 and to the side bars 52, 54, respectively. These pivotally interconnected bars 64', 64" and 66', 66" function as a ratchet mechanism to enable the head board or panel 44 to be manually lifted upwardly from a position resting atop the side bars 52, 54 to an angled

position and then maintained in that position by the ratchet part of the mechanism 64, 66. Two such conventional articulating ratchet mechanisms suitable for this application are manufactured by Hettich/Franke Company and identified as that company's "Multiflex F" mechanism and "Rasto S" mechanism.

In order to convert the bed frame 10 from one for supporting a flat, non-adjustable mattress to one for supporting an adjustable mattress, all that is required is to remove the head deck board 24 from its position resting atop the supports 30 and replacing that head deck board or panel 24 with the head section adjustable module 42 shown in Fig. 5. Thereafter, whenever the mattress is to be adjusted so as to lift the head end of the mattress upwardly and place a person supported on the mattress in a position in which their head is up for purposes of reading or watching television, etc., all that is required is for the person to grip a lifting device, such as a handle or strap 68 (see Fig. 3) secured to the top surface of the head deck panel 44 and lift that panel to the desired angled position. To return the mattress to a flat or horizontal condition, all that is then required is to lift the handle and deck slightly and then drop the head deck panel 44 back into a horizontal position resting atop the top surface of the side bars 52, 54.

With reference now to Fig. 6, there is illustrated a motorized version of the articulating adjustable head section module. This Fig. 6 modification is substantially identical to the manually operated articulating adjustable head section module 40 of Fig. 5, the difference being that the

motorized module 70 utilizes a motor to lift and drop the head deck panel 44 onto and off of the frame 42, as opposed to the manual version of Fig. 5, which requires that the head deck panel 44 be lifted and dropped manually from and to the side bars 52, 54. For purposes of describing this motorized modification, those portions of the articulating adjustable head section module 70 of Fig. 6, which are identical to the module 40 of Fig. 5 have been given identical numerical designations.

The adjustable head section module 70 utilizes an electric motor 72 attached to the rear frame bar 50. This motor 72 activates a worm gear (not shown) contained internally of the motor housing which in turn controls a push-pull rod 74. The push-pull rod 74 is hingedly or pivotally connected to a lever arm 76 which is, in turn, fixedly secured to a torque rod or torque tube 78. This torque tube 78 is rotatably mounted and extends between the side bars 52, 54. There are two arms 80, 82 fixed to the torque tube 78 extending beneath the underside of the head deck panel or board 44. Rollers 84, 86 are rotatably mounted on the ends of these arms 80, 82 and engage the underside of the head deck board 44. Upon activation of the electric motor 72, the push-pull rod 74 moves inwardly so as to cause the arms to move upwardly and push the head deck panel 44 upwardly. To return the head deck panel 44 to its horizontal position, the motor 72 is activated so as to push the push-pull rod 74 outwardly from the motor 72 and thereby lower the arms 80, 82 and the head deck panel 44. As is conventional in motorized adjustable beds, the motor 72 is operated and controlled either from a wired hand wand or control unit (not

shown), or a wireless hand control unit or remote (also not shown). Since those controls are conventional in motorized adjustable beds, they have not been illustrated in this application.

As with the manual articulated adjustable head section module 40 of Fig. 5, the motorized articulated adjustable head section module 70 may be utilized in connection with the bed base 10 by simply again removing the head deck board or panel 24 and replacing it with the motorized module 70. The frame 42 of the module 70 then rests atop the supports 30 of the base 10 and is then operable to control adjusting movement of the head end of the mattress 12 supported atop the bed base 10.

With reference now to Figs. 4 and 7, there is illustrated a motorized articulating adjustable foot section module 100 which may be substituted for the foot deck board or panel 26 so as to convert the bed from one having a non-adjustable foot section to one having an adjustable foot section. The adjustable foot section module 100 includes a rectangular frame 102 having a rear end bar 104, a pair of side bars 106, 108, and a forwardmost or center bar 1 10. These bars 104, 106, 108, 1 10 are preferably metal and made from angle iron, which is welded or otherwise secured together to create the rectangular frame 102 so sized as to have the same overall dimensions as the removable foot deck board 26. So sized, the module 100 may be physically inserted into the frame 14 and rest atop the supports 30 of the frame upon removal of the removable deck panel 26.

In this module 100, a leg support board 1 12 is hingedly supported and connected at its forwardmost edge 1 14 to the center bar 1 10 by hinges 1 16, 1 18. Again, these hinges may be piano-type-style hinges or any conventional hinge which enables the leg support board or panel 1 12 to pivot and move relative to the center bar 1 10.

The rearward edge 1 20 of the leg support board 1 12 is hingedly connected by hinges (not shown) to the forward edge 122 of a foot support board or panel 124. A pair of pivoted links 126, 128 connect the underside of the foot support board 124 to the rear bar 104 of the frame 102. The links 126 are pivotally connected at their opposite or forward ends to the underside of the deck 124. These links 126, 128 function to control the elevation of the foot board or deck 124 when the foot support board 1 24 is moved upwardly and downwardly by a motor 130. As shown in Fig. 7, the motor 130 and its control linkage functions very similarly to the motor 72 shown in Fig. 6 to control movement of the leg support border panel 1 12. At its rearward end, the motor 130 is connected to the rear bar 104 of the frame. As was the case with the motor 72, when the motor 130 is actuated, it activates a worm gear drive internally of the motor housing to move a push-pull rod 132 toward or away from the motor 130. The push-pull rod 132 is, in turn, hingedly or pivotally connected to a lever arm 134 which is in turn fixedly connected at its forwardmost end to a torque tube 136. The torque tube 136 extends between and is rotatable supported by the side bars 106, 108

of the frame 102. Also fixedly attached to the torque tube 136 are a pair of arms 138, 140, the outer ends of which support rollers 142, 144, respectively. These rollers 142, 144 engage the underside of the leg supporting board or panel 1 12, such that upon the push-pull rod 132 moving rearwardly, the rollers 142, 144 move over the underside of the leg support board or panel 1 12 and cause that board or panel 1 12 to be lifted upwardly. Alternatively, when the push-pull rod 132 is pushed away from the motor 130 and the rear of the frame 102, it causes the rollers 142, 144 and the arms 138, 140 upon which they are mounted to move downwardly, thereby lowering the leg support board or panel 1 12.

Control of the motor 130 is via a conventional wired hand wand or control unit, or a wireless remote or control unit, as is conventional with motorized adjustable beds.

In order to convert the bed base 10 from one which supports a non-adjustable flat mattress to one which supports a mattress having a foot and leg rest which may be elevated, all that is required is to remove the removable deck panel 26 from the frame 10 and replace it with the adjustable foot section module 100. Assuming that the mattress 12 is an adjustable mattress, the bed will thereby be converted from one having a non-adjustable foot section to one having an adjustable leg and foot ^■ section.

When the motorized foot section module 100 is used to replace the removable deck panel or board 26, the electric motor 130 of the module 100 is plugged into a control box (not shown) which also controls

the motor of the head section module 70 and the same common hand wand (wired or wireless) is used to control operation of the foot section module 130, as well as the motor 72 of the adjustable head section module.

Another option which could be utilized with the modular bed system described hereinabove would be to add a massage unit, including an electric motor with an eccentric load on the motor attached to the underside of the articulating or adjustable deck boards 44, 124. Such a massage unit would presumably be controlled by the same remote as is used to control the motors 72, 130 of the articulating head and foot section modules. One such massage unit is described in applicant's U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 1 1 /108,995 which is fully incorporated herein.

While I have described preferred embodiments of this invention, persons skilled in this art will appreciate changes and modifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.