Stackable bunk beds forming a modular furniture assembly

• US 5,233,707 A
• Filed: 11/05/1992
• Issued: 08/10/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: La-Z-Boy Casegoods, Inc. (La-Z-Boy Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: La-Z-Boy Casegoods, Inc. (La-Z-Boy Incorporated)
• Inventors: Perkins, Landon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRETTEL, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/972,129
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 5/2.1, 5/8, 5/9.1, 5/282.1, 5/201, 5/285, 403/292, 403/298, 403/327, 182/178, 211/194, 312/111
• US Class Current: 5/8
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/205 convertible, e.g. from single bed or sofa
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/55 Member ends joined by inserted section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/602 by separate spring

Abstract

A modular furniture assembly including and a lower bed that are selectively positionable between a stacked position and an unstacked position. The upper and lower beds include a series of supports that form mating pairs to support the beds in the stacked position. Each bed support of the upper bed include a bottom end with a bore extending therethrough. A pin is retainably mounted within each bore and is slidable between an extended position and a retracted position. Supports of the bottom bed each have a connector bore that extends through a top end of each of the bed supports. Split sleeves are fixably attachable within the bores of the supports for the upper and lower beds to form a stop that retains the pins in the bores. When placed in a stacked position, the pins extend into the bores of the supports for the lower beds to link the mating support pairs together. The pins fully retract into the bores of the bed supports when the beds are positioned in the unstacked position.

Claims

1. A modular furniture assembly including an upper module and a lower module that are selectively positionable between a stacked position and an unstacked position, the furniture assembly comprising:

a) a first furniture support having a bottom end and connected to the upper module, the first furniture support having a bore extending through the bottom end;

b) a pin retainably mounted in the bore of the first support and movable between extended and retracted positions; and

c) a second support having an end and connected to the lower module, the second support having a bore extending through the end of the second furniture support;

wherein when the furniture assembly is positioned in the stacked position the first and second furniture supports mate such that the pin extends from the first support and into the bore of the second furniture support, and wherein when the furniture assembly is positioned in the unstacked position the bottom end o the first support rests on a floor surface to support the upper module and the pin is positioned in the retracted position, wherein the pin includes a lower section with a bottom end and an upper section, wherein the lower section of the pin extends from the bottom end of the first support and the upper section of the pin is positioned in the bore when the pin is in the extended position and when the pin is positioned in the retracted position both the upper section and lower section of the pin are positioned in the bore of the first support such that the bottom end of the pin is retracted within the first support and further including a flange in the bore of the first support, the pin further including a pin head, and wherein the flange and pin head are sized to abut as the pin moves from the retracted position to the extended position so as to retain the pin within the bore of the first support.

2. The furniture assembly according to claim 1 wherein the pin moves from the retracted position to the extended position in response to gravity.

3. A modular furniture assembly including an upper module and a lower module that are selectively positionable between a stacked position and an unstacked position, the furniture assembly comprising:

a) a first furniture support having a bottom end and connected to the upper module, the first furniture support having a bore extending through the bottom end;

b) a pin retainably mounted in the bore of the first support and movable between extended and retracted positions; and

c) a second support having an end and connected to the lower module, the second support having a bore extending through the end of the second furniture support;

wherein when the furniture assembly is positioned in the stacked position the first and second furniture supports mate such that the pin extends from the first support and into the bore of the second furniture support, and wherein when the furniture assembly is positioned in the unstacked position the bottom end of the first support rests on a floor surface to support the upper module and the pin is positioned in the retracted position and further including a spring associated with the pin for biasing the pin in the extended position.

4. A modular furniture assembly including an upper module and a lower module that are selectively positionable between a stacked position and an unstacked position, the furniture assembly comprising:

a) a first furniture support having a bottom end and connected to the upper module, the first furniture support having a bore extending through the bottom end;

b) a pin retainably mounted in the bore of the first support and movable between extended and retracted positions; and

c) a second support having an end and connected to the lower module, the second support having a bore extending through the end of the second furniture support;

wherein when the furniture assembly is positioned in the stacked position the first and second furniture supports mate such that the pin extends from the first support and into the bore of the second furniture support, and wherein when the furniture assembly is positioned in the unstacked position the bottom end of the first support rests on a floor surface to support the upper module and the pin is positioned in the retracted position and further including a first elongated sleeve disposed in the bore of the first support, the sleeve sized such that the pin slides within the sleeve as the pin moves between the extended and retracted positions.

5. The furniture assembly according to claim 4 wherein the sleeve of the first support has a substantially cylindrical shape and is split along a side such that the diameter of the sleeve is adjustable, wherein the sleeve compresses when inserted into the bore to fix the sleeve within the bore.

6. The furniture assembly according to claim 4 wherein the sleeve of the first support includes a flange, wherein the flange forms a stop to retain the pin within the bore of the first support as the pin moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

7. The furniture assembly according to claim 6 wherein the flange is the top end of the sleeve.

8. The furniture assembly according to claim 4 further including a second elongated sleeve disposed in the bore of the second support, wherein the pin is insertable into the sleeve of the second support when the upper and lower modules are positioned in the stacked position.

9. The furniture according to claim 8 wherein the sleeve of the second support is cylindrical and split to allow compression of the sleeve.

10. A modular furniture assembly comprising:

a) a first furniture module having an upwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon;

b) a second furniture module having a downwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon, said second furniture module being stackable upon the first furniture module such that the downwardly facing engagement surface on the second module engages the upwardly facing engagement surface on the first module;

c) a first axial bore formed in the upwardly facing engagement surface of the first module;

d) a second axial bore formed in the downwardly facing surface of the second module which is in axial alignment with the first axial bore when the second module is supported on the first module; and

e) a pin retainably mounted in the second axial bore so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said pin normally assuming an extended position when the second furniture module is supported by the first furniture module such that the pin extends into the axial bore of the first module, and wherein the pin is moved to a retracted position when the second support surface is supported on a surface,

wherein the pin includes a lower section with a bottom end and an upper section, wherein the lower section of the pin extends from the bottom end of the second module and the upper section of the pin is positioned in the bore when the pin is in the extended position and when the pin is positioned in the retracted position both the upper section and lower section of the pin are positioned in the bore of the second module such that the bottom end of the pin is retracted within the second module and further including a flange in the bore of the second module, the pin further including a pin head, and wherein the flange and pin head are sized to abut as the pin moves from the retracted position to the extended position so as to retain the pin within the bore of the second module.

11. The furniture assembly according to claim 10 wherein the pin moves from the retracted position to the extended position in response to gravity.

12. A modular furniture assembly comprising:

a) a first furniture module having an upwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon;

b) a second furniture module having a downwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon, said second furniture module being stackable upon the first furniture module such that the downwardly facing engagement surface on the second module engages the upwardly facing engagement surface on the first module;

c) a first axial bore formed in the upwardly facing engagement surface of the first module;

d) a second axial bore formed in the downwardly facing surface of the second module which is in axial alignment with the first axial bore when the second module is supported on the first module; and

e) a pin retainably mounted in the second axial bore so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said pin normally assuming an extended position when the second furniture module is supported by the first furniture module such that the pin extends into the axial bore of the first module, and wherein the pin is moved to a retracted position when the second support surface is supported on a surface and further including a spring associated with the pin for biasing the pin in the extended position.

13. A modular furniture assembly comprising:

a) a first furniture module having an upwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon;

b) a second furniture module having a downwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon, said second furniture module being stackable upon the first furniture module such that the downwardly facing engagement surface on the second module engages the upwardly facing engagement surface on the first module;

c) a first axial bore formed in the upwardly facing engagement surface of the first module;

d) a second axial bore formed in the downwardly facing surface of the second module which is in axial alignment with the first axial bore when the second module is supported on the first module; and

e) a pin retainably mounted in the second axial bore so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said pin normally assuming an extended position when the second furniture module is supported by the first furniture module such that the pin extends into the axial bore of the first module, and wherein the pin is moved to a retracted position when the second support surface is supported on a surface and further including a first elongated sleeve disposed in the bore of the second module, the sleeve sized such that the pin slides within the sleeve as the pin moves between the extended and retracted positions.

14. The furniture assembly according to claim 13 wherein the sleeve of the second module has a substantially cylindrical shape and is split along a side such that the diameter of the sleeve is adjustable, wherein the sleeve compresses when inserted into the bore to fix the sleeve within the bore.

15. The furniture assembly according to claim 13 wherein the sleeve of the second module includes a flange, wherein the flange forms a stop to retain the pin within the bore of the second module as the pin moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

16. The furniture assembly according to claim 15 wherein the flange is the top end of the sleeve.

17. The furniture assembly according to claim 13 further including a second elongated sleeve disposed in the bore of the first module, wherein the pin is insertable into the sleeve of the first module when the upper and lower modules are positioned in the stacked position.

18. The furniture according to claim 17 wherein the sleeve of the first module is cylindrical and split to allow compression of the sleeve.

19. A stacked pair of bunk beds, each having a mattress support, said bunk beds including an upper bed and a lower bed that are selectively positionable between a stacked position and an unstacked position, said bunk beds comprising:

a) a first furniture support having a bottom end and connected to the upper bed, the first furniture support having a bore extending through the bottom end;

b) a pin retainably mounted in the bore of the first support and movable between extended and retracted positions; and

c) a second support having an end and connected to the lower bed, the second support having a bore extending through the end of the second furniture support;

wherein when the bunk bed is positioned in the stacked position the first and second furniture supports mate such that the pin extends from the first support and into the bore of the second furniture support, and wherein when the bunk bed is positioned in the unstacked position the bottom end of the first support rests on a floor surface to support the upper bed and the pin is positioned in the retracted position.

20. A stacked pair of bunk beds, each having a mattress support, said bunk beds comprising:

a) a first bed having an upwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon;

b) a second bed having a downwardly facing engagement surface formed thereon, said second bed being stackable upon the first bed such that the downwardly facing engagement surface on the second bed engages the upwardly facing engagement surface on the first bed;

c) a first axial bore formed in the upwardly facing engagement surface of the first bed;

d) a second axial bore formed in the downwardly facing surface of the second bed which is in axial alignment with the first axial bore when the second bed is supported on the first bed; and

e) a pin retainably mounted in the second axial bore so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, said pin normally assuming an extended position when the second bed is supported by the first bed such that the pin extends into the axial bore of the first bed, and wherein the pin is moved to a retracted position when the second support surface is supported on a surface.