WO2024231383A1 - Sofa bed - Google Patents

Abstract

A sofa bed (1), comprising: - a load-bearing frame (2) constituted by a rear side (3) and by two lateral members (4) which are mutually coplanar so as to define, for the sofa bed (1), a resting base which is open on the opposite side with respect to the rear side (3); - a first bed frame (7) which is hinged to the load-bearing frame (2) proximate to the rear side (3) and is movable by means of rotation between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration; and - a second bed frame (8) which is associated by way of kinematic means (9) with the load-bearing frame (2) and is movable by way of combined rotation and translation between the sofa configuration and the bed configuration. The peculiarity of the invention consists in that the hinge axis (10) defined between the first bed frame (7) and the load-bearing frame (2) is eccentric with respect to the plane defined by the load-bearing frame (2) on the opposite side with respect to the resting base, and in that the kinematic means (9) comprise a pair of actuation levers (11) which are joined together by a barbell (27) and are hinged, at one end, to the free ends (12) of the lateral members (4) and, at the other end, eccentrically with respect to the plane defined by the second bed frame (8), to a complementary frame (13) which is integral with the second bed frame (8).

Description

SOFA BED The present invention relates to a sofa bed. In the furniture sector and, in particular, in the sector of sofa beds, a great many solutions are known for sofas that can be converted to beds and vice versa, by way of special kinematic mechanisms that are manually or electrically activated, with which the sofa beds are provided. Known types of sofa beds include sofa beds that have a load-bearing frame and two bed frames associated therewith. A bed frame is a planar frame adapted to support, when the sofa bed is in the bed configuration, a mattress or a portion of a mattress. The function of the first bed frame is to act as a backrest and as a mattress, respectively, in the sofa configuration and in the bed configuration. The function of the second bed frame is to act as a seat and as a mattress, respectively, in the sofa configuration and in the bed configuration. Such known types of sofa beds are not devoid of drawbacks, among which is the fact that, since the first bed frame is hinged to the load-bearing frame and is designed to rest directly on this in the bed configuration with the side designed to act as a backrest in the sofa configuration, the thickness of the padding on that side is extremely reduced, making the use of cushions necessary in order to improve the comfort of the backrest of the sofa bed. Another drawback of known types of sofa beds consists in that, since the second bed frame needs to be pulled toward the user in order to make it come out from the load-bearing frame by translation, if the pulling force is not perfectly balanced and centered with respect to the bed frame, then it can often happen that these kinematic mechanisms will operate asymmetrically, making the bed frame lock up. The aim of the present invention consists in providing a sofa bed which is capable of overcoming the above-mentioned drawbacks. Within this aim, an object of the present invention consists in providing a sofa bed that offers a greater degree of comfort with respect to the prior art and which is free from malfunctions of the kinematic mechanisms as a consequence of actuation systems that are not perfectly balanced and central. This aim and this and other objects which will become better evident hereinafter are achieved by a sofa bed according to claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a sofa bed, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein: - Figure 1 is a partially transparent perspective view of the sofa bed according to the present invention, in its sofa configuration; - Figure 2 is a partially transparent perspective view of the sofa bed shown in Figure 1 in its bed configuration; - Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the internal components of the sofa bed shown in the previous figures; - Figures 4 to 9 are six perspective views of the sofa bed shown in the previous figures, without the paddings and showing in sequence the transition from the sofa configuration to the bed configuration; - Figures 10 to 12 are three side views of the sofa bed shown in the previous figures, showing in sequence the transition from the sofa configuration to the bed configuration; - Figure 13 shows another embodiment of the invention which is identical to the embodiment of the previous figures but uses a shim for the sofa configuration. With reference to the figures, the sofa bed, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a load-bearing frame 2 constituted by a rear side 3 (which is a crossbar) and by two lateral members 4 which are mutually coplanar (i.e. lying on a same geometric plane of extension, which is parallel to the ground) so as to define, for the sofa bed 1, a resting base which is open on the opposite side with respect to the rear side 3. The underside and the upper side of such a U-shaped load-bearing frame 2 respectively define a lower geometric plane and an upper geometric plane, which are substantially parallel to each other. The lateral members 4 are substantially symmetrical, straight, substantially parallel to each other and transversally connected by the rear side 3. Conveniently, the load-bearing frame 2 is provided with a number of feet 6, in order to ensure a correct stability of the structure on the ground, and the load-bearing frame 2 is made with profiled steel members. Proximate to the above-mentioned rear side 3, a first bed frame 7 is hinged to the load-bearing frame 2 and is movable, by means of rotation, between a sofa configuration shown in Figure 1, in which the first bed frame 7 is arranged substantially in a position perpendicular to the plane of extension of the load-bearing frame 2 so as to act as the backrest of the sofa, and a bed configuration shown in Figure 2, in which the first bed frame 7 is arranged substantially in a position parallel to and superimposed on the load- bearing frame 2. Structurally, the sofa bed 1 also comprises a second bed frame 8 which is associated, by way of kinematic means 9, with the load-bearing frame 2 and is movable, by way of combined rotation and translation, between the sofa configuration shown in Figure 1, in which the second bed frame 8 is arranged substantially in a position parallel to and superimposed on the load-bearing frame 2 so as to act as the seat of the sofa, and the bed configuration shown in Figure 2, in which the second bed frame 8 is arranged substantially in a position parallel to and outside the load-bearing frame 2 so as to contribute, together with the first bed frame 7, to the definition of the bedding surface of the bed. Therefore, in the bed configuration, the second bed frame 8 does not substantially overlap the load-bearing frame 2, but it projects forward with respect to the open side of the resting base. The first bed frame 7 and the second bed frame 8 are rectangular frames, each of which is preferably obtained by joining four parallelepiped bars. The upper faces and the lower faces of the parallelepiped bars of each frame 7 and 8 respectively define an upper plane and a lower plane of the respective frame, which are parallel to the ground in the bed configuration of the sofa bed 1. According to the invention, the hinge axis 10 defined between the first bed frame 7 and the load-bearing frame 2 is eccentric with respect to (i.e. spaced apart from) the plane defined by the load-bearing frame 2 on the opposite side with respect to the resting base, i.e. on the upper side of the U- shaped load-bearing frame 2. In other words, the hinge axis 10 is a horizontal axis at a raised position with respect to the upper geometrical plane defined at the straight, upper surfaces of the lateral members 4. The hinge axis 10 is preferably spaced apart both vertically and horizontally from the rear ends of the lateral members 4. In the preferred embodiment, in order to provide a spaced-apart arrangement of the hinge axis 10 with respect to the upper side of the load- bearing frame 2, two metal plates 26 are fixed to a respective one of the lateral members 4 so as to vertically protrude upwardly from the respective lateral member 4. The hinge axis 10, which is parallel to the ground, is also spaced apart from the lower plane of the first bed frame 7 in the bed configuration of the sofa bed 1, so that the hinge axis 10 is arranged between the lower plane of the first bed frame 7 in the bed configuration and the upper geometrical plane of the lateral members 4. To this aim, two brackets 28 are fixed to the first bed frame 7 so as to protrude from the underside of the first bed frame 7, i.e. from the lower plane of the first bed frame 7. The hinge axis 10 passes through these protruding brackets 28. Each plate 26 (which can be substantially rectangular) comprises, at its upper portion, at least one hinge point (e.g. a horizontal pivot or a hole for a pivot) suitable to provide a rotatable connection to a respective bracket 28 of the first bed frame 7. As better explained below, the arrangement of the hinge axis 10 according to the invention makes it possible to make use of paddings of greater thickness with respect to the prior art, so giving the backrest of the sofa greater comfort. Furthermore, according to the invention, the kinematic means 9 comprise a pair of actuation levers 11 which are joined together by a barbell 27 (i.e. a crossbar). Each actuation lever 11 is hinged, at one end, to a respective free end 12 of the lateral member 4 and, at the other end, eccentrically with respect to (i.e. in a spaced-apart arrangement from) the plane defined by the second bed frame 8, to a complementary frame 13 which is integral with the second bed frame 8. In other words, the hinge point of each actuation lever 11 with the complementary bed frame 13 is spaced apart from the underside of the second bed frame 8, i.e. from the lower plane of the second bed frame 8. The complementary frame 13 is preferably composed of two parallel and transversally extending legs which protrude from the underside of the second bed frame 8. Such legs can be bow-shaped and span the underside of the second bed frame 8. In the above embodiment, the barbell 27 is defined by a steel crossbeam welded directly to the actuation levers 11 proximate to their hinge point with the lateral members 4, so as to give more rigidity to the structure. In particular, the barbell 27 which rigidly connects together the two actuation levers 11 allows a user to move the second bed frame 8 from the sofa configuration to the bed configuration and vice versa even by grasping a region of the second bed frame 8 which is close to one of the actuation levers 11, e.g. a front corner or a lateral side of the second bed frame 8. Therefore, the pulling force of the user does not need to be centered with respect to the front side of the second bed frame 8. Conveniently, the complementary frame 13 is fitted with at least two supporting feet 5 which are designed to come into contact with the ground both in the sofa configuration and in the bed configuration. In the drawings, each leg of the complementary frame 13 comprises only one foot 5. Moreover, in order to facilitate and assist the user during the steps of conversion of the sofa bed 1, the kinematic means 9 comprise, for each actuation lever 11, two traction elements 14 and 15 which are associated, at a first end thereof, with an extension 16 of the respective actuation lever 11 and, at a second end thereof, with the mutually opposite side beams of the second bed frame 8. Each extension 16 is a prolongation of the respective actuation lever 11 along the direction connecting its hinge points and departs from the hinge point of such lever 11 with the complementary frame 13. In the above embodiment, the traction elements 14 and 15 are two helical coil springs and they have different dimensions and elastic characteristics. They are in fact dimensioned according to the dimensions and weight of the second bed frame 8 together with the accessories with which the latter is fitted. The helical coil springs 14 and 15 are preferably tension springs. Alternatively, the traction elements 14 and 15 can be gas springs or technically equivalent elements. Two gas springs 17 are also interposed between the first bed frame 7 and the load-bearing frame 2 proximate to the hinge axis 10. In this case too, the gas springs 17 can be substituted by technically equivalent elements. In order to give greater stability to the first bed frame 7 in the respective two configurations described above, a pair of first supporting legs 18 and a pair of second supporting legs 19 are provided, which respectively protrude downward and laterally from the first bed frame 7 in the direction of the load-bearing frame 2 and are designed, respectively, to rest on the lateral members 4 in the bed configuration and on the rear side 3 in the sofa configuration. In more detail, in the bed configuration the first supporting legs 18 rest on a pair of spacers 25 arranged on the lateral members 4 precisely at the point that supports the first supporting legs 18. While in the embodiment of the figures the first supporting legs 18 are metal legs, in an alternative embodiment (not shown) the first supporting legs 18 are respective areas of a wooden frame which is fixed to the underside of the first bed frame 7 so as to keep such frame 7 at a distance from the lateral members 4 when such wooden areas rest on the spacers 25, in the bed configuration. Such wooden frame, which protrudes from the underside of the first bed frame 7, would be particularly suitable to provide an attachment surface for upholstery. As an alternative to the second supporting legs 19, a shim 29 can be attached to each metal plate 26 so as to protrude from the back of such plate 26 in a direction substantially parallel to the lateral members 4 and to provide an abutment for the first bed frame 7 in the sofa configuration (figure 13). To complete the sofa bed 1, three paddings are provided: - a first padding 20 which is associated with the underside of the first bed frame 7, and is designed to act as padding of the backrest of the sofa and, therefore, has a thickness that is less than or equal to the height of the first supporting legs 18; - a second padding 21 which is associated with the upper side of the first bed frame 7 and is designed to act as a mattress of the bed; - and a third padding 22 which is associated with the upper side of the second bed frame 8 and is designed to act as a mattress of the bed. Conveniently, the first padding 20 and the second padding 21 are monolithic so as to wrap around the first bed frame 7 at the headboard of the backrest and the thickness of the third padding 22 is equal to that of the second padding 21. Furthermore, the thickness of the first padding 20 can be chosen as a function of the degree of comfort that it is desired to give to the sofa bed 1 in its sofa configuration. In fact, by varying the height of the first supporting legs 18 and the thickness of the spacers 25 it is possible to vary the thickness of the first padding 20 without altering the kinematics of the sofa bed 1. Alternatively, in order to be able to vary the thickness of the first padding 20, it is possible to act (in the manufacturing phase) on the hinge axis 10 by moving it forward or rearward along the direction of the lateral members 4 in order to allow the backrest frame 7 to be coupled further forward or further rearward, for the purposes of using a thinner padding or a thicker padding, respectively. Conveniently, in order to do this, the portion 26 of the load-bearing frame 2 that defines the hinge axis 10 can be resized (by the designer) and/or can have multiple hinge points to be chosen for the pivoting connection to the brackets 28 of the first bed frame 7. Advantageously, two wheels 23 are associated laterally with the complementary frame 13 and are designed to slide along the lateral members 4, within suitable guides 24, during the combined rotation and translation of the second bed frame 8 from the sofa configuration to the bed configuration and vice versa. In particular, each of the two bow-shaped legs of the complementary frame 13 comprises a respective wheel 23 protruding outwardly from the rearmost and lowermost portion of the leg toward a respective lateral member 4. The operation of the sofa bed 1 is evident from the foregoing description. In more detail, with reference to Figures 4 to 7, 10 and 11, starting from the sofa configuration, shown in Figures 1, 4 and 10, the user pulls the second bed frame 8 toward them and the latter, by virtue of the kinematic means 9, will perform a first combined rotation and translation upward and outward, until the actuation lever 11 has reached a substantially vertical orientation while the supporting feet 5 of the complementary frame 13 move away from the floor, and will then invert the direction of rotation, i.e. still moving outward but now downward, so as to bring the supporting feet 5 of the complementary frame 13 back to the floor until the second bed frame 8 is fully extracted from the load-bearing frame 2. Subsequently, with reference to Figures 8, 9 and 12, to complete the change of configuration it is sufficient to lower the first bed frame 7, by making it rotate on the load-bearing frame 2. For the reverse operation, it is sufficient to perform the movements described above in reverse. In practice it has been found that the sofa bed, according to the present invention, achieves the set aim and objects. Furthermore, if the sofa bed in the "sofa" configuration is used with the backrest adjacent to a wall, then by virtue of the invention it is possible to advantageously pass from the "sofa" configuration to the "bed" configuration without needing to move the sofa bed away from the wall, thanks to the rotation-only movement of the first bed frame. The sofa bed, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements. In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102023000009072 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A sofa bed (1) comprising: - a load-bearing frame (2) constituted by a rear side (3) and by two lateral members (4) which are mutually coplanar so as to define for said sofa bed (1) a resting base which is open on the opposite side with respect to said rear side (3); - a first bed frame (7) which is hinged to said load-bearing frame (2) proximate to said rear side (3) and is movable by means of rotation between a sofa configuration of said sofa bed (1), in which said first bed frame (7) is arranged substantially in a position perpendicular to the plane of extension of said load-bearing frame (2) so as to act as the backrest of said sofa, and a bed configuration, in which said first bed frame (7) is arranged substantially in a position parallel to and superimposed on said load-bearing frame (2); and - a second bed frame (8) which is associated by way of kinematic means (9) with said load-bearing frame (2) and is movable by way of combined rotation and translation between said sofa configuration, in which said second bed frame (8) is arranged substantially in a position parallel to and superimposed on said load-bearing frame (2) so as to act as the seat of said sofa, and said bed configuration, in which said second bed frame (8) is arranged substantially in a position parallel to and outside said load-bearing frame (2) so as to contribute, together with said first bed frame (7), to the definition of the bedding surface of said bed; characterized in that the hinge axis (10) defined between said first bed frame (7) and said load-bearing frame (2) is eccentric with respect to the plane defined by said load-bearing frame (2) on the opposite side with respect to said resting base, and in that said kinematic means (9) comprise a pair of actuation levers (11) which are joined together by a barbell (27) and are hinged, at one end, to the free ends (12) of said lateral members (4) and, at the other end, eccentrically with respect to the plane defined by said second bed frame (8), to a complementary frame (13) which is integral with said second bed frame (8). 2. The sofa bed (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said kinematic means (9) comprise, for each one of said actuation levers (11), two traction elements (14, 15) which are associated, at a first end thereof, with an extension (16) of the respective one of said actuation levers (11) and, at a second end thereof, with the mutually opposite sides of said second bed frame (8). 3. The sofa bed (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises two gas springs (17) interposed between said first bed frame (7) and said load-bearing frame (2) proximate to said hinge axis (10). 4. The sofa bed (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a pair of first supporting legs (18) which protrude downward from said first bed frame (7) in the direction of said load-bearing frame (2) and are designed to rest on said lateral members (4) in said bed configuration. 5. The sofa bed (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a pair of spacers (25) arranged on said lateral members (4) at the resting point of said first supporting legs (18). 6. The sofa bed (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that it comprises a first padding (20) which is associated with the underside of said first bed frame (7) and is designed to act as padding of the backrest of said sofa; said first padding having a thickness that is less than or equal to the height of said first supporting legs (18). 7. The sofa bed (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a pair of second supporting legs (19) which protrude laterally from said first bed frame (7) in the direction of said load-bearing frame (2) and are designed to rest on said rear side (3) in said sofa configuration. 8. The sofa bed (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a second padding (21) which is associated with the upper side of said first bed frame (7) and is designed to act as the mattress of said bed. 9. The sofa bed (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said first padding (20) and said second padding (21) are monolithic so as to wrap around said first bed frame (7) at the headboard of said backrest. 10. The sofa bed (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two wheels (23) which are associated laterally with said complementary frame (13) and are designed to slide along said lateral members (4) during the combined rotation and translation of said second bed frame (8) from said sofa configuration to said bed configuration and vice versa. 11. The sofa bed (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said complementary frame (13) comprises at least two supporting feet (5) designed to come into contact with the ground both in said sofa configuration and in said bed configuration. 12. The sofa bed (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a third padding (22) which is associated with the upper side of said second bed frame (8) and is designed to act as the mattress of said bed; said third padding (22) having a thickness equal to that of said second padding (21). 13. The sofa bed (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each of said lateral members (4) comprises a metal plate (26) fixed thereto so as to vertically protrude upwardly from the respective lateral member (4); wherein two brackets (28) are fixed to the first bed frame (7) so as to protrude from the underside of the first bed frame (7); and wherein said brackets (28) are respectively hinged to said metal plates at said hinge axis (10).