US3829913A

US3829913A - Bed settee

Info

Publication number: US3829913A
Application number: US00317937A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Bernard
Original assignee: Airborne SA Soc
Current assignee: Airborne SA Soc; Soc Airborne Sa fr
Priority date: 1972-01-11
Filing date: 1972-12-26
Publication date: 1974-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-20
Also published as: DE2301063C3; CA961605A; FR2167251A5; CH549369A; IT988373B; JPS4881664A; DE2301063A1; DE2301063B2; JPS5136654B2

Abstract

A connectible bed-settee formed from a parallelepiped-shaped fixed block or seat, and an approximately parallelepiped-shaped mobile block or back of the same thickness and length as the seat block. The mobile block rests either on the seat block, along the back edge, in the ''''settee'''' position, or on the floor against the front edge, in the ''''bed'''' position, and is attached to the fixed block by a rectangular piece of fabric. The width of the fabric is equal to half the difference between the widths of the two blocks, and is attached by one edge to one longitudinal edge of the mobile block, and by the opposite edge to a line on the upper surface of the fixed block, the same distance from the front edge of this block as half the difference between the widths of the two blocks.

Description

limited States Patent [191 Bernard Aug. 20, 1974 BED SETTEE 3,740,774 6/1973 Powell 5/357 Inventor: Charles Bernard Paris F ce 3,742,526 7/1973 Llllard 5/357 Assignee= societe Airborne Primary ExaminerCasmir A. Nunberg Montrevil-Sous-Bois, France [22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 57 ABSTRACT PP 317,937 A connectible bed-settee formed from a parallelepiped-shaped fixed block or seat, and an approxi- [301 Foreign Application priority Data mately parallelepiped-shaped mobile block or back of Jan 11 1972 France 72 00753 the same thickness and length as the seat block. The mobile block rests either on the seat block, along the back edge, in the settee position, or on the floor [52] US. Cl 125957745526, v against the from edge, in the bed position and is [51] Int Cl A47c 13/00 4 17/00 attached to the fixed block by a rectangular piece of [58] fabric. The width of the fabric is equal to half the difield of Search 297/118, 423, 456, 105,

5/12 45 46 345 352 357 ference between the widths of the two blocks, and is attached by one edge to one longitudinal edge of the v mobile block, and by the opposite edge to a line on [56] References Cited the upper surface of the fixed block, the same distance UNITED STATES PATENTS from the front edge of this block as half the difference 2,866,982 l/l959 Purves, Jr. 5/45 between the widths of the two blocks. 3,469,882 9/1969 Larsen 297/118 3,513,491 5/1970 Gordon 5/357 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures BED SETTEE This invention concerns settees which can be converted into beds and then reconverted to settees. This is usually done by means of a fairly complicated mechanism in the interior of the settee which is not always easy to operate, in some cases requires the settee to be moved, and in general, whatever method is adopted, detracts from the comfort required from a bed.

The present invention provided a bed-settee with an extremely simple structure, involving no mechanism and avoiding the drawbacks of conventional bedsettees.

The bed-settee according to the invention comprises a parallelepiped-shaped fixed block or seat, with long front and back edges, and two shorter side edges. An approximately. parallelepiped-shaped mobile block or back, of the same thickness and length as the seat block, rests either on the seat block, along the back edge, in the settee position, or on the floor against the front edge, in the bed position, being attached to the fixed block by a rectangular piece of fabric. The width of the fabric is equal to half the difference between the widths of the two blocks, and the fabric is attached by one edge to one longitudinal edge of the mobile block, and by the opposite edge to a line on the upper surface of the fixed block, the same distance from the front edge of this block as half the difference between the widths of the two blocks.

With this design, which involves absolutely no mechanical parts, the two sections of the bed-settee, namely the seat and the back, can be made from any suitable material that will provide the greatest comfort. The bed-settee is fairly light in weight, and to convert it from settee into bed, or conversely, the back block is simply moved from one of its positions to the other; this is done by turning it over on the seat block, so that little physical effort is required.

In the settee position, the piece of fabric prevents the mobile block from toppling backwards when leaned against, and in the bed position, it prevents the mobile block from moving away from the fixed block.

In one recommended embodiment, the bed-settee also includes a very flexible thin cushion, of the same length as the fixed and mobile blocks, and the width of which is equal to the combined widths of both blocks. This cushion is designed to cover either the bed as formed by the two juxtaposed blocks, or the settee, as formed by the two superimposed blocks, ensuring greater comfort.

It will be easier to understand the invention from the following description, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of one of many possible embodiments of a bed-settee according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective of one embodiment the settee in accordance with the invention, and

The mobile block 2, or back, is of the same thickness E and length D as the base 1. It is connected to the base by'a rectangular piece of fabric 8, the width C/2 of which is equal to half the difference C between the width A of the back block 2 and the width B of the seat block 1, and the length of which is the same as that of both blocks D. One edge of the fabric 8 is attached to one longitudinal edge 11 of the mobile block, and the opposite edge to a line 14 on the upper surface of the seat block, the same distance from the front edge 4 as half the difference in width C/2. This fabric forms a hinge between the two blocks.

A very flexible thin cushion l2, stuffed with down or Dacron fiber, or some similar material, of the same length as the fixed and mobile blocks, and the width of which is equal to the combined widths of both blocks, is used to cover either the settee as shown in FIG. 1, or the bed as shown in FIG. 2.

Conversion of this bed-settee from one position to the other is quite simple. In the settee position, the mobile block 2 is superimposed on the fixed block 1, along the back edge 3, forming a back. When someone sits down on the settee, the piece of fabric 8 stretches, preventing the mobile block from toppling over backwards.

To convert the settee into a bed, the mobile block 2 is simply rolled forward and placed on the floor against the front edge 4 of the fixed block. Since the mobile block is the same thickness as the base, it forms a single unit with it, with a level upper surface, the gap between the two blocks being effectively closed by the piece of fabric 8 which covers it, preventing the mobile block from moving away from the fixed block. To return to the settee position, the mobile block 2 is moved back to the back edge of the fixed block, as shown in FIG. 1.

It is not necessary to move the base to carry out this operation and no strenuous effort is required, since the mobile block 2 can easily be rolled over the base. F urthermore, the piece of fabric 8 clearly determines the position of the mobile block 2 in either case.

If required, the cushion 12 can be used as a mattress, or removed if there is any fear of damage.

The width A of the mobile block 2 can vary, depending on the width of bed required.

The invention is naturally in no way confined to the embodiment described and shown here; many variations are possible for someone skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bed-settee for use on a floor, comprising a parallelepiped-shaped seat member having front and back edges longer than the side edges thereof, and approximately parallelepiped-shaped back member of the same thickness and length as the seat member, and a rectangular sheet of fabric having a length equal to the lengths of the seat member and back member, the rectangular sheet member being attached by one edge to a longitudinal edge of a back member, and by an opposite edge to the seat member on a line parallel to a longitudinal edge of the seat member and at a distance from said longitudinal edge of said seat member equal to one half the difference the widths of the back and seat members, the distance measured parallel to the width of the rectangular sheet from the two attachment points being equal to one half the difference between the widths of the back and seat members, the back member being displacable from a bed position wherein first surfaces of the back and seat members rest on the floor to a settee position wherein the back member rests on the seat member, the abutting surfaces of the seat member and back member in the settee position of the bed-settee being the surfaces of each member that confront the first surfaces, whereby in the bed position confronting surfaces of the back member and seat member are adjacent, and whereby in the settee position surfaces of the back and seat members adjacent the abutting surfaces are substantially coplanar.

seat and back blocks are made from cellular plastic.

:UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORECTION Patent No. 3,829,913 Dated Auqgst 20,4974

Inventor(s) Charles rnard It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

--convert'ible- Signed'end sealed this 4th day of February 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents In line 1 of the Abstract, "connectible' should read,

Claims

1. A bed-settee for use on a floor, comprising a parallelepipedshaped seat member having front and back edges longer than the side edges thereof, and approximately parallelepiped-shaped back member of the same thickness and length as the seat member, and a rectangular sheet of fabric having a length equal to the lengths of the seat member and back member, the rectangular sheet member being attached by one edge to a longitudinal edge of a back member, and by an opposite edge to the seat member on a line parallel to a longitudinal edge of the seat member and at a distance from said longitudinal edge of said seat member equal to one half the difference the widths of the back and seat members, the distance measured parallel to the width of the rectangular sheet from the two attachment points being equal to one halF the difference between the widths of the back and seat members, the back member being displacable from a bed position wherein first surfaces of the back and seat members rest on the floor to a settee position wherein the back member rests on the seat member, the abutting surfaces of the seat member and back member in the settee position of the bed-settee being the surfaces of each member that confront the first surfaces, whereby in the bed position confronting surfaces of the back member and seat member are adjacent, and whereby in the settee position surfaces of the back and seat members adjacent the abutting surfaces are substantially coplanar.

2. A bed-settee as defined in claim 1, further comprising a very flexible thin cushion, of the same length as the fixed and mobile blocks, and having a width equal to the combined widths of both blocks, whereby the cover may be used to cover either the bed, as formed by the two juxtaposed members or the settee, as formed by the two superimposed members, or the settee, as formed by the two superimposed members.

3. A bed-settee as defined in claim 1, in which the seat and back blocks are made from cellular plastic.