Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a main beam for a bed frame. Further, the invention relates to a method for assembling a bedframe with said main beam, and a bed frame comprising a main beam and foldable cross-beams.

Background

A bed typically comprises a mattress held in a bedframe. The bedframe may further comprise a headboard, and legs to elevate the bed and to provide room for storage beneath the bed.

To support the mattress, the bedframe usually consists of four frame edges (two side beams, one head end beam and a foot end), a main beam extending from the centre of the head end beam to the centre of the foot end, and at least one crossbeam connecting the side beams together. The main beam and the crossbeam hence supports the centre of the mattress.

Bedframes known in the art suffer from several drawbacks. Firstly, the main beam and crossbeams may become damaged with time. Secondly, the transportation and storage of the main beam and crossbeams are cumbersome, since these parts are long beams taking up large space and they have to be delivered in big packages. Furthermore, these parts are heavy and difficult to handle for the user assembling the bedframe.

Hence, there is a need for an improved bedframe mitigating the above issues.

Summary

The present invention seeks to mitigate, alleviate, eliminate or circumvent one or more of the above identified deficiencies in the art and disadvantages singly or in any combination by providing in a first aspect a main beam for a bed frame. The main beam, which is configured to be mounted as a mid-beam in a bed frame, comprises two hinges arranged at at least one side of the main beam. Each hinge is further connected to a cross-beam pivotable about a rotational axis of the hinge. This main beam is advantageous since it is easy to transport and to store since the pivotable cross-beams can be aligned along the main beam, providing a slim and neat package for transportation. In addition, the main beam is simple to assemble in a bed frame by the user, simply by pivoting the cross-beams outwardly from the main beam. Since the cross-beams are already attached to the main beam trough the hinge, the step of connecting the cross-beams to the main beam during the mounting process is discarded. Further, no supporting leg beneath the centre of the main beam is normally required.

In one embodiment, each cross-beam is pivotable between a position alongside the main beam and a position transverse in relation to said main beam. The transverse position may be substantially perpendicular in relation to the main beam.

In a further embodiment, the two hinges are arranged at two opposing sides of the main beam.

In another embodiment, each longitudinal opposing side of the main beam is configured to face an interior of the bed frame. The main beam may be oriented to extend between two side edge beams or between a foot end and a head end of the bed frame.

In yet another embodiment the main beam is made of a fibre based material. Such fibre based material may be a high density fibre (HDF) board or a laminated veneer lumber (LVL). The main beam may have an I-shaped, rectangular or squareshaped transverse cross-section. This provides a particularly strong and stable main beam, allowing it to withstand high load at least in the vertical direction.

In a further embodiment, the hinge is a living hinge. The hinge may be made from a metal sheet. Preferably the metal sheet is a galvanised sheet metal.

In one embodiment, each hinge comprises a first connection portion attached to the main beam and a second connection portion attached to the cross-beam. The hinge further comprises a weakening in the form of a folding line extending along the rotational axis separating the first and second connection portions from each other. The folding line may comprise a further weakening in the form of a slit extending along the folding line.

In a second aspect, there is provided a method for mounting a main beam to a bed frame. According to the method, cross-beams are pre-attached to the main beam by means of respective hinges. In this pre-attached mode, the cross-beams extend in parallel with the main beam. The method comprises the steps of pivoting the crossbeams outwardly from the main beam about the rotational axis of the hinge, and attaching the cross-beams and the main beam to the bed frame.

In one embodiment, during the attaching step, the main beam is attached to a head end and a foot end of the bed frame, and each cross-beam is attached to a side edge beam of the bed frame. In another embodiment, during the attaching step, the main beam is attached to side edge beams of the bed frame, and each cross-beam is attached to a head end or a foot end of the bed frame.

In a third aspect, there is provided a bed frame comprising a head end, a foot end, and two side edge beams connecting the head end and the foot end together, a main beam extending between the head end and the foot end, and at least two cross-beams each connecting one of the two side edge beams and the main beam together. A first end of each cross-beam is connected to and pivotable about a rotational axis A of a hinge. The hinge is also attached to the main beam or to one of the two side edge beams and an opposite second end of each cross-beam is connected to the other one of the main beam and the one of the two side edge beams.

Further advantageous features of the invention are elaborated in embodiments disclosed herein. In addition, advantageous features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other aspects, features and advantages of which the invention is capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 depicts a bed frame according to the invention;

Fig. 2A is an isometric view of a main beam according to the invention in its non-assembled, folded state;

Fig. 2B is an isometric view of the main beam shown in Fig. 2A in its unfolded state;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the main beam shown in Fig. 2B;

Fig. 4A is an isometric view of a living hinge in its sheet configuration;

Fig. 4B is an isometric view the living hinge from Fig. 4A in its ready-to-use configuration;

Fig. 4C is an isometric view of the living hinge from Fig. 4A and 4B in its folded configuration; and

Fig. 5 shows a flow chart of a method for mounting the main beam according to the invention to a bed frame.

Detailed Embodiments Hereinafter, certain embodiments will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention, such as it is defined in the appended claims, to those skilled in the art.

With reference to Fig. 1, a rectangular bed frame 100 is shown. The bed frame 100 comprises a head end 110, in the form of a headboard base, formed of a first headboard base part 111 and a second headboard base part 112, each having three apertures 113. However, due to the isometric view only two apertures 113 are visible in each headboard base part 111, 112 in Fig. 1. Due to symmetry the first and second headboard base part are made identical and it does not matter which one of them being used as a right or left headboard base part. The headboard base 110 is configured to serve as a scaffold for an outer cover, said cover providing comfort and an aesthetical appearance to the headboard of the bed. The bed frame 100 may be a frame for a regular bed or a continental bed.

Further, the bed frame 100 in Fig. 1 is provided a foot end 115 and two side edge beams 116, and has four legs 114, with one leg 114 arranged in each corner of the bed frame 100. As shown in the upper right corner of the bed frame 100 in Fig. 1, the leg 114 is connected to the bed frame 100 through one of the apertures 113 of the second headboard base part 112, and the right side edge beam 116. The side edge beams 116 and the foot end 115, and the side edge beams 116 and the first and second headboard base parts 111, 112 are connected to each other with fastening means 117, which may be a screw, bolt, nail, dowel or any other fastening means known in the art.

A main beam 120 having an I-shaped transverse cross-section extends longitudinally along the bed frame 100 from the headboard base 110 to the foot end 115. The cross-section may alternatively be rectangular or square-shaped. The main beam 120 may also, in another embodiment, extend between the side edge beams 116.

Preferably, the main beam 120 is made of a fibre based material, preferably high density fibre board (HDF board) or laminated veneer lumber (LVL). These materials provide a main beam 120 of high strength. Two brackets 123 are attached to an upper side of the main beam 123. These brackets 123 may be used to secure the position of additional bed slats (not shown), which may be arranged to provide a supporting structure for a mattress (also not shown). Two crossbeams 130 each extends perpendicularly from the main beam 120 to each side edge 116. The main beam 120 and the two cross-beams 130 form a cross shaped structure, configured to support a mattress (not shown) placed inside the bed frame 100. Normally there is no need to equip the bed frame 100 with a supporting leg arranged centrally below the cross shaped structure formed due to the rigid and strong structure of the main beam 120 and the cross-beams 130.

As will be described more with reference to Figs 2A to 4B, the cross-beams 130 are each attached to the main beam 120 through a hinge 150, and they are outwardly foldable from the main beam 120 from a pre-manufactured position where they are arranged in parallel to the main beam 120. Details regarding the hinge 150 are described with reference to Figs 4A and 4B.

Fig. 2A shows an isometric view of the main beam 120 provided with the hinges 150, and the two cross-beams 130. Since the main beam 120 is viewed from one of its longitudinal sides, only one of the hinges 150 and one of the cross-beams 130 are visible. The cross-beams 130 and the hinges 150 are arranged on two longitudinal opposing sides 125 of the main beam 120, each configured to face an interior side of the side edge beams 116. Optionally, the two hinges 150 may be arranged at one of the four sides 126 of the main beam 120 (not shown).

In Fig. 2A, the main beam 120 is in its pre-assembled storage/transporting configuration, and the cross-beams 130 have not yet been pivoted outwards 90 degrees from the main beam 120 to arrive at the configuration shown in Figs 1 and 2B. A first end 133 of the cross-beam 130 is connected to the hinge 150. A second end 131 of the cross-beam 130 comprises attachment apertures 132, configured to attach the crossbeam 130 to the side edge beam 160 of the bedframe 100.

The hinge 150 and a portion of the attached cross-beam 130 are shown as an enlarged portion in Fig. 2A. The hinge 150 is thus also presented in its non-folded, ready -to-use configuration, and comprises two cross-beam fasteners 151, which securely attach the cross-beam 130 to the hinge 150. Further, the hinge 150 is connected to the main beam 120 with main beam fasteners 152. The fasteners 151, 152 may be bolts, screws, nails, rivets, washers or any other fastening means known in the art.

In addition, the hinge 150 comprises a weakening in the form of a folding line 154, which may also be referred to as a crease line, and a further weakening in the form of a slit 153 extending in the same direction as the folding line 154 may also be provided. The folding line 154 extends in a direction forming a rotational axis A of the hinge 150. As also shown in Fig. 2A, the main beam 120 has an I-shaped cross-section, and is provided with pre-formed holes 121, 122. The pre-formed holes 121, 122 are configured to hold the brackets 123, which are shown in Fig. 1. The folding line 154 and the slit 153 are optional features, which can be used separately or in combination as shown in Fig. 2A. Hence, the hinge 150 may comprise a weakening in the form of a folding line 154 extending in a direction forming a rotational axis A of the hinge 150. The hinge 150 may comprise a slit 153 extending in a direction forming a rotational axis A of the hinge 150.

When the user is to assemble the bedframe 100, the user simply grabs hold of the outer end 131 of the cross-beam 130, and pulls the cross-beam 130 outwardly from the extension of the main beam 120 as indicated by the arrow in the enlarged view in Fig. 2B. As the hinge 150 will fold around the rotational axis A, the cross-beam 130 is rotated about 90 degrees out from the main beam 120, such that the cross-beam 130 extends transversally, preferably substantially perpendicularly, from the main beam 120. Hence, the cross-beam 130 is pivotable about the rotational axis A of the hinge 150, preferably between 0 and 100 degrees, most preferred between 0 and 90 degrees. The cross-beams 130 are movable in the horizontal plane, i.e. in parallel with the extension of a mattress arranged in the bed frame 100 (not shown). The cross-beams 130 may be formed from a board material, such as an HDF board, a medium density fibre (MDF) board or an LVL material.

Hence, each cross-beam 130 is pivotable about the rotational axis A of the hinge 150, from a transport position where the cross-beams 130 are arranged essentially along the main beam 120 and a use position where the cross beams 130 are arranged essentially transverse to the main beam 120.

Since the main beam has an I-shaped cross-section the dimensions of the crossbeams 130 are preferably selected such that the cross-beams 130 will fit within the main beam 120 in their unfolded state.

In Fig. 2B, both cross-beams 130 have been unfolded from the main beam 120. The enlarged portion of Fig. 2B also shows how the hinge 150 has been folded along the folding line 154 and the slit 153. Hence, the main beam 120 and the cross-beams 130 together form a cross shaped structure, which is now ready to be mounted to the remaining parts of the bedframe 100. Optionally, the main beam 120 is secured to the bed frame before the cross-beams 130 are folded out.

The enlarged view in Fig. 2B also shows pre-formed holes 124 in the main beam 120, which serve to make space for the cross-beam fasteners 151 when the crossbeams 130 are arranged alongside the longitudinal extension of the main beam 120 (shown in Fig. 2A). Hence, the pre-formed holes 124 facilitate in arranging the crossbeams 130 in close proximity with the main beam 120, allowing slim packaging of the main beam 120. In addition, since no part of the cross-beam 130 extends outside and away from the extension of the main beam 120 in the folded cross-beam 130 configuration, there is a low risk that protruding pieces are damaged during storage and transportation.

Fig. 3 shows the main beam 120 and the cross-beams 130 in their unfolded configuration as shown in Fig. 2B viewed from a short end of the main beam 120. The I-shaped cross-section if the main beam 120 is shown, as well as the two folded hinges 150 and the two cross-beams 130 extending perpendicularly from the main beam 120. The use of an I-shaped main beam 120 results in a very strong construction, which normally does not need a supporting leg beneath the main beam 120. The removal of such supporting leg facilitates cleaning beneath the bed, but also provides additional storage possibilities below the bedframe 100. In addition, another part (the supporting leg) of the bedframe 100 is excluded from the mounting process, making the assembly of the bedframe quicker and easier for the consumer. Further, a common issue with the supporting leg used in bed frames known in the art is that they are easily damaged during vacuuming and other cleaning manoeuvres, which may cause the bed frame to become unstable and insecure.

With reference to Figs 4A-4C, the hinge 150 is described in detail. The hinge 150 is a living hinge 150. The hinge 150 is formed from a relatively soft sheet of metal, preferably a galvanised sheet metal, which may be folded a plurality of times, such as 10 to 15 times.

Fig. 4A shows the hinge 150 before it has been folded along its dashed lines Li, L2, L3 and L4, as a sheet of metal comprising a number of through holes. As is evident from this figure, the hinge 150 can be manufactured using simple punching processes. The slit 153 along the folding line 154 has been formed. The hinge 150 comprises a first connection portion 156, also referred to as a main beam connection portion 156, and a second connection portion 158, also referred to as a cross-beam connection portion 158. The folding line 154 separates the main beam connection portion 156 from the cross-beam connection portion 158.

The main beam connection portion 156 comprises two main beam connection apertures 157, arranged on a hemi-spherically shaped part 155. To form the hinge 150 into its ready-to-use configuration, the metal sheet shown in Fig. 4A is folded along the dashed lines Li, L2, L3 and L4. The main beam connection portion 156 comprises a base part 156a, a long edge part 156b, and two short edge parts 156c.

The cross-beam connection portion 158 comprises four cross-beam connection apertures 159, a base part 158a, two base part opposing sides 158b, and two side edge parts 158c. In addition, the cross-beam connection portion 158 has been cut to include to hemi-spherically shaped recesses 159’, having a depth which is larger than a depth of the hemi-spherically shaped part 155. The reason for this design will be explained more with reference to Fig. 4C. The cross-beam connection portion 158 is configured to be folded along the dashed lines L3 and L4.

As shown in Fig. 4A, the dashed line L2 is slightly offset in relation to the dashed line L4. Hence, the dashed lines L2 andL4 are not aligned, and the main beam connection base part 156a is broader than the cross-beam base part 158a. This is to avoid collision between the cross-beam connection portion 158 and the main beam connection portion 156 when the hinge 150 is folded along the folding line 154. This will be described more with reference to Fig. 4B and 4C.

Fig. 4B shows the hinge 150 in its ready -to-use configuration. The hinge 150 has been folded along the dashed lines Li, L2, L3 and L4 (see Fig. 4 A). The hinge 150 may be attached to the main beam 120 with main beam fasteners 152 threaded through the main beam connection apertures 157. In the ready -to-use configuration shown in Fig. 4B, the cross-beam connection apertures 159 arranged in the base part opposing sides 158b now face and are aligned with the cross-beam connection apertures 159 in the base part 158a, and are ready to receive cross-beam fasteners 151 to attach a crossbeam 130 to the hinge 150. The folded base part opposing sides 158b now face the base part 158a and form, together with the base part 158a, an accommodation and cavity in which the cross-beam 130 can be inserted. Once a cross-beam 130 is inserted into the formed cavity, it can be attached to the hinge 150 by threading cross-beam fasteners 151 through the aligned cross-beam connection apertures 159.

Hence, the hinge 150 described herein comprises a first connection portion 156 and a second connection portion 158, wherein a folding line 154 extending along a rotational axis A of the hinge 150 separates the first and second connection portions 156, 158 from each other. Further, the second connection portion 158 comprises a cavity configured to hold a cross-beam 130 and the first connection portion 156 is configured to be connected to the main beam 120 or a side edge beam 116 of a bed frame 100. Fig. 4C shows the hinge 150 in its folded configuration when the hinge 150 has been folded along the folding line 154. Since the hinge 150 comprises the folding line 154, the hinge 150 will automatically bend at the folding line 154 when the cross-beam 130 is pulled away, outwardly from the main beam 120 (as shown in Fig. 2B). The weakening slit 153 arranged along the folding line 154 further contributed to this effect.

The hinge 150 is formed from a metal, which is a sustainable material. Preferably, the hinge 150 is made of a metal sheet, such as a galvanised sheet metal. The bending of the hinge 150 is facilitated by the leverage effect provided by the crossbeam 130 once attached to the cross-beam connection portion 158 of the hinge 150.

Furthermore, the hinge 150 is very strong and stable in its folded configuration shown in Fig. 4C. As described above, the main beam connection base part 156 is slightly wider than the cross-beam connection base part 158. This results in that the short edge parts 156c of the main beam connection portion 156 enclose the short edge parts 158c of the cross-beam connection portion 158 when the hinge 150 is folded. Hence, an overlap 160 between the short edge parts 156c of the main beam connection portion 156 and the short edge parts 158c of the cross-beam connection portion 158 occurs in the folded configuration of the hinge 150.

The described overlap 160 also prevents the user from folding the cross-beam 150 too far, i.e. > about 90 degrees. This is due to that an outer end 161 of the short edge part 158c of the cross-beam connection portion 158 abuts the line L2 in the overlap 160. Hence, the cross-beam 130 cannot be pushed passed the perpendicular arrangement between the cross-beam 130 and the main beam 120. Thus, the overlap 160 makes the hinge 150 very rigid and stable in the folded configuration shown in Fig. 4C.

In addition, the hinge 150 described herein is inexpensive to produce.

Also shown in Fig. 4C is that the hemi-spherically shaped cut out in the base part 158a is now arranged perpendicularly against the hemi-spherically shaped part 155 of the main beam connection portion 156.

In another embodiment of the invention, the first end 133 of the cross-beam

130 is connected to one of the two side edge beams 116 and the opposite second end

131 of the cross-beam 130 is connected to and pivotable about the rotational axis A of the hinge 150 attached to the main beam 120. In such case, the two side edge beams 116 are delivered to the user with a cross-beam 130 attached thereto through the hinge 150, and the main beam 120 is delivered ready to receive and connect to the first end 133 of each cross-beam 130. Hence, the first connection portion 156 of each hinge 150 is connected to a side edge beam 116, and the second connection portion 158 of each hinge 150 is connected to a cross-beam 130.

Fig. 5 shows a flow chart of a method 500 for mounting a main beam 120 to a bed frame 100. The method 500 comprises a step of pivoting 510 the cross-beams 130 outwardly from the main beam 120 about the rotational axis A of the hinge 150. The method 500 further comprises attaching 530 the cross-beams 130 and the main beam 120 to the bed frame 100. The method may further comprise a step of assembling 520 a head end 110, a foot end 115 and two side edge beams 116 to form the bed frame 100. The assembling step 520 may be conducted before or after the step of pivoting 510 the cross-beams 130 outwardly from the main beam 120, as indicated by the dashed box and arrow in Fig. 5.

During the attaching step 530, the main beam 120 may be attached to a head end 110 and a foot end 115 of the bed frame 100, and each cross-beam 130 can be attached 530 to a side edge beam 116 of the bed frame 100. Alternatively, the main beam 120 is attached to the side edge beams 116 of the bed frame 100, and each crossbeam 130 is attached 530 to a head end 110 or a foot end 115 of the bed frame 100.

Hence, the method 500 optionally also comprises the step of pre-manufacture the main beam 120 with the cross-beams 130 attached thereto (by means of the hinges 150), or by pre-manufacture the side edge beams 116 with the cross-beams attached thereto (also by means of the hinges 150).

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art may, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The preceding preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative and not limitative of the disclosure in any way whatsoever.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the invention is limited only by the accompanying claims and, other embodiments than the specific above are equally possible within the scope of these appended claims, e.g. different than those described above.

In the claims, the term "comprises/comprising" does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly advantageously be combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. The terms "a", "an", “first”, “second” etc. do not preclude a plurality.