[0001] This invention relates to a sofa-bed whose structure is such as to make easier to
the user the opening and closing operations thereof, corresponding respectively to
the transformation of the piece of furniture from a sofa to a bed, and viceversa.
[0002] Many types of sofa-bed are known wherein mechanisms are provided, embodying different
arrangements, but being in any case devised with the objective of obtaining a variable
or better modifiable position structure, so that it can be used in a first position
as a sofa, for sitting on, and in a second position as a bed.
[0003] The known structures, which are not recalled here in detail, since their typology
is extremely broad, have the common drawback of being extremely complicated,which
makes them difficult and expensive to manufacture, and often makes them uncomfortable
to use since the user is required to go through a large number of operations having
sometimes to be performed in a predetermined sequence, involving additional inconvenience
for the user of this particular type of furniture.
[0004] Another drawback of the conventional type sofa-bed comes from the fact that the folding
operation that has to be performed in order to open and close the subject piece of
furniture extends not only to the sofa frame but also to the mattress received thereon.
The latter, as it is well known, once it has been folded inside the sofa tends to
react to this condition and spring back to the unfolded position, that is to say it
tends in practice to cause re-opening of the frame. This drawback is made even worse
in those cases where the mattress has a non disregardable resiliency, as it is for
instance the case for spring mattresses.
[0005] Another drawback of the conventional sofa-bed structures comes from the fact that,
where said structures comprise multiple movable frames practically foldable on top
of each other, the operations required to obtain opening and closing of the sofa become
a considerable number, which makes the use of this piece of furniture inconvenient
and discomfortable. There has now been devised, and it makes the subject of this invention,
a sofa-bed, in particular of the multiple movable frame type, which enables all the
above mentioned drawbacks to be overcome making the usage of this piece of furniture
easier for the user, i.e. facilitating the user as far as the opening and closing
operations of said piece of furniture are concerned. According to one of the basic
features of the sofa-bed of this invention, the particular connection arrangement
between the various frames, including the stationary one, which comprises the sofa\
base structure, allows opening of the sofa, and consequently closing thereof, to be
performed through a single operation.
[0006] The features as well as the advantages of the sofa-bed according to this invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description of a non limiting embodiment
thereof, wherein reference is made to the attached drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sofa in the open position thereof, for usage
as a bed;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the sofa-bed in the.closed position thereof,
for usage as a sofa;
Figure 3 is a side view wherein an intermediate step of opening of the sofa is shown,
to go from the sofa position to the bed usage position; and,
Figure 4 is a side view of the sofa completely opened for usage as a bed.
[0007] Referring now first to Figure 1', the sofa according to the invention is comprised
of a stationary frame generally shown at 10, and of two movable frames, shown at 11
and 12 respectively, wherein first movable frame 11 is adjacent to the stationary
frame 10, while second movable frame 12 comprises the sofa end frame in the bed position
thereof.
[0008] Both stationary frame 10 and the two movable frames 11 and 12 are made up of metal
tubing and have a substantially rectangular shape wherein the longer sides comprise
the transverse beams of the sofa, while the shorter sides, aligned with each other,
comprise the side edges of the piece of furniture.
[0009] Onto the longer rear side of stationary frame 10 a back 13 is connected in any known
way and can be of any desired shape.
[0010] Stationary frame 10 is provided, at the four corners thereof, with support legs 14,
while movable frames 11 and 12 are provided, only at the front corners thereof, with
support legs shown at 15 and 16 respectively. As it is in particular apparent from
Figures 2, 3 and 4, support legs 14, 15 and 16 are all the same height, for obvious
reasons of arranging the sofa in the bed position (Figure 4). In the sofa position
(Figure 2), support legs 15 and 16 of movable frames 11 and 12 will remain slightly
raised from the ground but that will not impair the stability of the piece of furniture
in said position. To stationary frame 10 as well as to movable frames 11 and 12 there
is applied a plurality of substantially resilient members which, in the embodiment
shown herein, are comprised of wooden strips also known as "slats", whose ends are
inserted through the longer sides of frames 10, 11 and 12, whereby they extend longitudinally,
i.e. in a direction parallel to that of sofa opening and closing. Wooden strips or
slats 17 replace the conventional bed wire net, which could be used in any case for
the subject sofa as well without any modification to the innovative concept.
[0011] Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, wherein the connections between the
various frames 10, 11 and 12 are more clearly shown, said connections will be described
and the related advantages will be emphasized. Said description will be made referring
to a single one of the sofa sides, i.e. the one showing in the attached drawings,
it being understood that the connections on the opposite i side are identical to the
ones described herein.
[0012] It can be seen from the above mentioned Figure that the three frames 10, 11 and 12
are connected to each other by means of an assembly of three substantially straight
rods, whereby movable frames 11 and 12 can go from the Figure 2 position (sofa) to
the Figure 4 position (bed) through an intermediate position, shown in Figure 3, by
means of a traverse movement along a substantially semicircular path.
[0013] First movable frame 11 is connected, at the ends thereof, both to second movable
frame 12 and to stationary frame 10. More particularly, first movable frame 11 is
connected to the second movable frame by means of a substantially straight rod 18
pivoted at 19 on the front end of first movable frame 11, and pivoted at the opposite
end, at 20, on second movable frame 12 in a region thereof slightly set back relative
to the centerline position.
[0014] First movable frame 11 is also connected to stationary frame 10 by means of a substantially
straight rod 21 pivoted at one end thereof on the rear end of movable frame 11 and,
at the opposite end, at 23, on stationary frame 10 at a region substantially set forward
relative to the centerline position thereof.
[0015] The three frames 10, 11 and 12 are connected to each other by means of a substantially
straight rod 24 of a larger length compared to the above rods 18 and 21, being in
particular of a length which is substantially equal to the sum of the legths of the
rods mentioned above. Connecting rod 24 has one end pivotally connected, at 25, on
the front end of stationary frame 10 and the- other end pivotally connected, at 26,
on the rear end of second movable frame 12, while in a substantially intermediate
position said rod pivots, at 27, on first movable frame 11. The various pivot connections
have been shown schematically, since said connections can be made in any known way.
To the sofa frame according to this invention there is associated a known mattress
28 and, as it is apparent in particular from Figures 2 and 3, the mattress goes to
cover the sofa back 13 with a folded portion substantially in an inverted "V" shape,
in such a way as to complete the back of the sofa.
[0016] From the above description the advantages of the sofa according to this invention
are readily apparent and they originate in particular from a simple design and a correspondingly
low manufacturing cost.
[0017] Furthermore, according to the basic feature emphasized above, opening and closing
of the sofa, i.e. the transition from the Figure 2 position to the Figure 4 position
takes place through a single operation in that the three frames 10, 11 and 12 are
completely connected to each other. In fact, as it is seen in particular from Figure
3, when the user moves first frame 12 forward, said motion causes a corresponding
motion of first movable frame 11 connected thereto by means of rods 24 and 18, and
the two frames perform the motion mentioned above relative to stationary frame 10
simultaneously, in that they are connected to stationary frame 10 through rods 24
and 21.
[0018] As it is easily understood, also the closing operation requiring an opposite motion
of movable frames 11 and 12 to go from the position of Figure 4 to the position of
Figure 2, will involve the same advantage mentioned above. It should eventually be
noted, concerning frames 11 and 12, that the provision of support legs 15 and 16 respecti-
'vely, only at the front corner thereof, does not impair the stability of the sofa
in the bed position, in that said frames, at the opposite sides thereof, will be supported
in any known way, by means of brackets, angle iron or similar means provided at the
facing edges of adjacent frames.
[0019] It should be understood that variations and modifications can be made to the sofa
according to this invention, without exceeding the scope of protection thereof.
1. A sofa-bed including at least a stationary frame and at least a pair of movable
frames adapted to be moved from a first position wherein they lie substantially on
top of each other and on top of the stationary frame, this position corresponding
to the use as a sofa, to a second position, corresponding to the use as a bed, wherein
they lie substantially aside from each other and from the stationary frame, said movable
frames being adapted to be brought back from said second position to said first position
through a movement opposite to the former one, said movements being allowed by an
assembly of connection rods which connect said movable frames to each other and to
the stationary frame, characterized in that said rod assembly includes at least a
connection rod (24) simultaneously connecting said movable frames (11, 12) to each
other and to the stationary frame (10) and cooperating with at least a pair of connecting
rods (18, 21) wherein the first connects second movable frame (12) to first movable
frame (11), while second rod (21) connects firts movable frame (11) and second movable
frame (10) to each other.
2. The sofa-bed of Claim 1, characterized in that connecting rod (24) has one end
thereof pivoted at (26) on the rear end of second movable frame (12) and has the other
end pivoted at (25) on the front end of stationary frame (10) and, eventually, it
pivots in a substantially central position thereof, at (27), on first movable frame
(11).
3. The sofa-bed of Claim 2, characterized in that the pivot point (27) of rod (24)
relative to first movable frame (11) is removed from the central area of said first
movable frame (11) in the direction of pivot point (22) of rod (21) relative to said
first movable plane (11).
4. The sofa-bed according to Claim 1, characterized in that the length of rod (24)
simultaneously connecting movable frames (11, 12) to stationary frame (10) has a length
which is substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the two remaining rods (18,
21) of the connecting rod assembly.
5. The sofa-bed according to Claim 1, characterized in that it includes a rod assembly
(24, 18, 21) at each of the sides thereof.