Bed frame with unique connector and method

• US 6,415,465 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harrow, Lawrence M.
• Original Assignee: Harrow, Lawrence M.
• Inventors: Harrow, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/496,871
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 520/1, 520/01, 520/2, 528/21, 518/4, 528/6
• US Class Current: 5/201
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/027 with means for preventing frame from sagging
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/04 Extensible bedsteads, e.g. with adjustment of length, width, height for children's beds A47D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/124 foldable side to side only

Abstract

A boxspring of a predetermined width is supported on bed frame including a pair of side rails attached together by at least one pair of cross bars. Each cross bar has two segments with outer ends that overlap. The outer end of one of the two segments has an inwardly extending locking element formed in this outer end, and the outer end of the other segment has a receptacle therein. With the two segments of each pair of cross bars in a overlapping and abutting relationship, the locking elements are positioned at a predetermined location to be received in their corresponding receptacles in the outer end of the opposed other segment so that the distance between the attached side rails is substantially equal to the width of the box spring. One outer end of one cross bar segment having at least one connector member extending therefrom and the other outer end to which said one segment is connected having a slot therein that receives the connector member of said one segment when the segments are connected together.

Claims

1. A support frame for a boxspring, including

first and second of side rails, each side rail having attached thereto spaced apart first and second cross bar segments, with each cross bar segment on each side rail having an inner end connected to the side rail and an outer end, the outer ends of the first and second cross bar segments of the first side rail being adapted to be attached to the outer ends of the first and second cross bar segments of the second side rail upon alignment of said segments,

said side rails being adapted to be coupled together by connecting their respective aligned cross bars segments together by laterally moving the cross bars together with respect to each other, so that said rails are parallel to each other and spaced apart, with the cross bars segments extending outward from the side rails at a right angle and positioned opposed each other and aligned and connected together at their respective outer ends to form the support frame,

each cross bar segment having near its outer end a connection section, one connection section of one of the aligned and opposed cross bars overlying the connection section of the other cross bar segment to which it is connected,

a locking element formed in one connection section and extending inward from said connection section and positioned at a predetermined location to be received in a receptacle in the outer end of the one opposed cross bar segment to which it is connected when said cross bar segments are attached to each other,

said locking element and the receptacle in which the locking element is received each having substantially the same shape and size, and, when the locking element and receptacle are aligned and positioned to be coupled together, the locking element fits snugly in the receptacle and is wedged in position, projecting inwardly into the receptacle at an angle of from 30 to 60 degrees,

whereby, upon placing the boxspring on the assembled support frame, said boxspring bearing down on the locking element to tend to maintain said locking element in said receptacle.

2. The support rail of claim 1 where the locking element and the receptacle in which the locking element is received having substantially the same shape and size, and, when the locking element and receptacle are aligned and positioned to be coupled together, the locking element fitting snugly in the receptacle and being wedged in position.

3. The support rail of claim 1 where each receptacle is a hole in one of the connection sections.

4. The support rail of claim 1 where the cross bars have an L-shaped configuration and the side rails have an L-shaped configuration.

5. The support rail of claim 1 where one of the cross bar segments has at least one connector member extending from a side wall and the other cross bar segment to which said one cross bar segment is connected has a slot in a side wall that receives the connector member of the one cross bar segment when the cross bar segments are connected.

6. The support rail of claim 5 where

the side walls each have a predetermined thickness and the connector member in the one cross bar segments has an enlarged head and a coupling member extending into and through the slot in the side wall of the other cross bar to enable the connector member to move reciprocally in the slot between a connection position and a disconnect position,

said coupling member having a length substantially equal to the thickness of the side wall through which it extends,

in the connection position the slot having a restricted opening of a size that prevents the enlarged head from passing there through and in the disconnect position the slot having an enlarged opening of a size that enables the enlarged head to pass there through.

7. The support rail of claim 1 where the boxspring has a predetermined width and the cross bar segments upon assembly have a predetermined length that is substantially equal to the width of the boxspring.

8. The support rail of claim 1 where the inner ends of the cross bars are pivotally connected to the side rail to which they are attached.

9. A support frame for a boxspring, including

first and second of side rails, each side rail having attached thereto spaced apart first and second cross bar segments, with each cross bar segment on each side rail having an inner end connected to the side rail and an outer end, the outer ends of the first and second cross bar segments of the first side rail being adapted to be attached to the outer ends of the first and second cross bar segments of the second side rail upon alignment of said segments,

said side rails being adapted to be coupled together by connecting their respective aligned cross bars segments together by laterally moving the cross bars together with respect to each other, so that said rails are parallel to each other and spaced apart, with the cross bars segments extending outward from the side rails at a right angle and positioned opposed each other and aligned and connected together at their respective outer ends to form the support frame,

each cross bar segment having near its outer end a connection section, one connection section of one of the aligned and opposed cross bars overlying the connection section of the other cross bar segment to which it is connected,

a locking element formed in one connection section and extending inward from said connection section and positioned at a predetermined location to be received in a receptacle in the outer end of the one opposed cross bar segment to which it is connected when said cross bar segments are attached to each other,

whereby, upon placing the boxspring on the assembled support frame, said boxspring bearing down on the locking element to tend to maintain said locking element in said receptacle, and

where the locking element overlies the receptacle and projects inwards towards the receptacle at an angle of from 30 to 60 degrees.

10. The support rail of claim 9 where the locking element has a ramp surface and faces in a direction so that the ramp surface facilitates disconnection of the cross bar segments when the segments are moved towards each other.

11. The support rail of claim 10 where the locking element has spring action and goes into compression during connection of the cross bar segments when the segments are moved away from each other.

12. A support frame for a boxspring, including

first and second of side rails, each side rail having attached thereto spaced apart first and second L-shaped cross bar segments, with each cross bar segment having a top wall and a side wall disposed at a right angle to the top wall, an inner end connected to the side rail to which it is attached and an outer end, the outer ends of the cross bars being adapted to be attached to each other,

said side rails being adapted to be coupled together so that said rails are parallel to each other and spaced apart by connecting their respective cross bar segments together by laterally moving the cross bar segments together with respect to each other, said cross bar segments extending outward from the side rails at a right angle and positioned opposite each other and aligned and connected together at their respective outer ends to form the support frame, with the top wall of one cross bar overlying and abutting the top wall of the other cross bar and the side walls of each aligned and connected cross bars abutting each other,

each cross bar segment having in its top wall near its outer end a connection section made of a malleable material, with one connection section of one of the aligned and opposed cross bars segments overlying the connection section of the other cross bar segment to which it is connected, and one connection section of one cross bar segment having a locking element and the other connection section of the other cross bar segment having a receptacle into which is received the locking element,

said locking element and said receptacle being formed by punch pressing in the malleable material in their respective connection sections,

the locking element and the receptacle in which the locking element is received having substantially the same shape and size and, when the locking element and receptacle are aligned, the locking element fitting snugly in the receptacle and being wedged in position to project inwardly into the receptacle at an angle of from 30 to 60 degrees, and

one of the cross bar segments having a connector member extending from its side wall and the other cross bar to which said one cross bar segment is connected having a slot in its side wall that receives the connector member of said one cross bar segment when the cross bar segments are connected.

13. The support rail of claim 12 where

the side walls each have a predetermined thickness and the connector member in the one cross bar segment has an enlarged head and a coupling member extending into and through the slot in the side wall of the other cross bar segment to enable the connector member to move reciprocally in the slot between a connection position and a disconnect position,

said coupling member having a length substantially equal to the thickness of the side wall through which it extends, in the connection position the slot having a restricted opening of a size that prevents the enlarged head from passing there through and in the disconnect position the slot having an enlarged opening of a size that enables the enlarged head to pass there through.

14. In combination,

a boxspring having a predetermined width,

a support frame for the boxspring including

a pair of side rails attached together by at least one pair of cross bars,

each cross bar having two segments with outer ends that overlap, and the outer end of one of the two segments having an inwardly extending locking element formed in said outer end, and the outer end of the other segment having a receptacle therein,

with the two segments of each pair of cross bars in a overlapping and abutting relationship, said locking elements being positioned at a predetermined location to be received in the receptacle in the outer end of the other segment so that the distance between the attached side rails is substantially equal to the width of the box spring,

the locking elements and the receptacles in which the locking elements are received having substantially the same shape and size and, when each locking element and receptacle are aligned, the locking element fits snugly in the receptacle and is wedged in position to project inwardly into the receptacle at an angle of from 30 to 60 degrees, and

one outer end of one cross bar segment having at least one connector member extending therefrom and the other outer end to which said one segment is connected having a slot therein that receives the connector member of said one segment when the segments are connected together.

15. A support frame for a boxspring including

a pair of side rails attached together by at least one pair of cross bars that are moved away from each other during attachment of these segments and moved towards each during disconnection of these segments,

each cross bar comprising two L-shaped segments with outer ends that overlap and are in an abutting relationship, said outer ends being made of a malleable material with the outer end of one of the two segments having a locking element formed by punch pressing in the malleable material and the outer end of the other segment having a receptacle therein formed by punch pressing in the malleable material,

said locking element (a) overlying the receptacle and projecting inward towards said receptacle at an angle of from 30 to 60 degrees and (b) having a ramp surface facing in a direction so that the ramp surface facilitates disconnection of the cross bar segments when the segments are moved towards each other and going into compression during connection of the cross bar segments when the segments are moved away from each other,

said locking elements on each cross bar being positioned at a predetermined location to be received in the receptacles in the outer end of the other segment so that the distance between the attached side rails is substantially equal to the width of the box spring and

one outer end of one cross bar segment having at least one connector member extending therefrom and the other outer end to which said one segment is connected having a slot therein that receives the connector member of said one segment when the segments are connected together.