Combined chair and bed The present invention regards a combined chair and bed, more particularly a chair that in a few simple moves may be converted into a bed. The chair is intended especially for use by relatives and other visitors in hospitals or other nursing institutions. In other words, it is intended for persons who, depending on the circumstances, will need to stay for longer periods of time, and who may wish to have the opportunity to lie down and rest.

More specifically, the invention regards a combined chair and bed in accordance with the preamble of the independent claim.

The advantage of the chair of the invention is the feature which allows it to be converted between a chair and a bed in a few simple moves. Thus this piece of combination furniture is highly practical and space saving, and is well suited for use in hospitals and other nursing institutions.

Common practice in hospitals and other institutions today is to use separate chairs and beds, and this is not always suitable and appropriate, particularly in terms of space.

Other solutions are also known, such as chairs featuring an adjustable back, but generally these backs can not be lowered enough to make a functional bed with a horizontal bed surface.

More specifically, the invention concerns a combined chair and bed consisting of a back, seat and foot plate with cushions, in addition to arms rests, characterized in that the back, seat and foot plate may be rotated and slidably displaced with respect to each other by the chair being convertible into a bed and vice versa.

The invention will be explained in greater detail through the use of figures, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of the chair; Fig. 2 shows the first step of the conversion of the chair into a bed; Fig. 3 shows the next step of the conversion, and

Fig. 4 shows the chair in the reclined position after being converted into a bed.

Figure 1 shows the chair 10 seen from the side. The chair has four legs, and the front 11 and rear 12 legs of the chair are connected with a curved armrest 13. The chair consists of a back 14, a seat 15 and a foot plate 16. Furthermore, the chair has a three-piece continuous cushion consisting of a back cushion 17, a seat cushion 18 and a foot cushion 19. The back 14 is connected to the seat 15 via two hinges 20 placed on either side of the seat plate 15. At the rear of the back 14 there is an extra pull-out leg 21 which is used as a support when the back 15 is reclined and the chair has been converted into a bed. In addition, the chair has side members 22 executed with internal grooves 23 that control the working of the chair. Bolts 26 run in the grooves 23, which bolts are fixed to either side of the seat plate 15. The side members 22 exist in a left and a right version on either side of the seat 15 under the arm rests 13.

The chair may optionally have a handle 25 that locks the chair in the upright position and the bed in the reclined position. Preferably the handle 25 is placed at the front, under one of the arm rests 13, and may be actuated by means of finger manipulation.

The geometric centre of rotation 24 of the chair is found at the bottom of the rear 12 legs of the chair. During the conversion of the chair into a bed the back will be rotated manually about this centre of rotation.

The conversion of the chair from the sitting position to the lie-down position comprises the steps illustrated in figures 2 to 4. The handle 25 locking the chair in the sitting position is released by manual manipulation (see arrow). Then the seat plate 15 with the seat cushion 18 is lifted slightly at the front (see vertical upward arrow). The bolts 26 on either side of the seat plate 15 travel along the grooves 23 in the side members 22. The groove 23 is generally horizontal in the side members but deflects back towards the back.

In Figure 3 the back 15 with the back cushion 17 is displaced further backwards, with everything being rotated about the geometric centre 24 at the bottom of the rear legs 12

of the chair. This happens simultaneously with the seat 15 and the seat cushion 18 being displaced backwards while the bolt 26 travels in the groove 23 of the side members. The hinge 20 between the back and the seat is now utilised. The same motions are continued until the back is fully reclined and the seat and foot plate are in a horizontal position, as the chair is now converted into a bed.

Figure 4 shows the reclined bed. The pull-out leg 21, which was previously fixed to the rear of the chair at the top of the back 14, has now been brought out to act as a support for the back 14 against the floor. The bed may optionally be secured through locking the seat by means of the handle 25. In addition, the bed may optionally be equipped with a foot rest 27. This is rotatably attached to the front of the seat 15 and may be flipped up and locked in place in order to provide rest for tall persons.

When the bed is to be set up as a chair, the process is reversed. First, the handle 25 locking the bed is released. Then the seat 15 with the cushion 17 is lifted at the front by the bolts sliding along the grooves in the side members 22. Simultaneously, the back 15 is raised by being rotated about the geometric centre of rotation 24 at the bottom of the rear legs 12 of the chair. When the back reaches its limit of travel, the bolts 26 in the grooves have also reached the end position in the side members. Finally, the chair is secured by the handle 25 being locked to the front part of the arm rest 13.