AU740322B2 - Support appendages - Google Patents

Description

1- P/00/001 I Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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a Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: invention Title: SLEEPYHEAD MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED Pete Waye TUNERADDRESS FOR SERVICE

ALTERED

2Railway Parade L-ex) q21, rniV~'C-M4 t 2 ambe ictoria 3124 'Ickm'e" tt&.'Vj 'o SUPPORT APPENDAGES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us ~XV~e.

9 ej -2- FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention provides relates to a method and apparatus for providing support for furniture including beds, more particularly, for the mounting and attachment of legs and other support structures for furniture and beds.

c In this specification where reference is made to "beds" (as this is the preferred "furniture" with which the apparatus and method of the invention is used) it will be appreciated that in all respects the term "beds" should be taken to include all types of furniture requiring support from a supporting surface, either by way of legs, castors or other support structures normally C0 occasionally separable from remaining portions of the article.

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BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Hitherto, a piece of furniture, such as a bed is often required to be provided with demountable support structures, such as legs, castors and the S e like. Such demountability is often required to enable the piece to be provided in different use heights, for example to suit purchaser preferences and, particularly from a manufacturers point of view, to enable convenient storage and/or transportation of the apparatus, not only to reduce bulk, but also to enable convenient positional control of the article (for example in transportation apparatus; and like) thus increasing efficiency, flexibility and reducing potential collateral damage to the article and associated costs.

-3- Furniture supporting structures, for example legs and/or castors have in the past been independently engageable with the remaining furniture structure. Often leg arrangements have been provided with a threaded boss situated at an intended upper-end thereof normally engageable in S correspondingly threaded holes mounted on structural members or blocks within the furniture structure underside. Such arrangements have needed to be planned and built into the furniture frame at the time of construction and as a result have required specialised planning and construction.

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a a a a a Especially where castors are possibly required, separate engagement means in the furniture frame, for example hollow "top hatted" sockets have been provided within which castors can be engaged, however they are of course specific to such use and are unable to be used should, for example, "legged castors" or legs only be alternatively required.

There is presently a tendency for furniture to be made specifically for "leg mounting" or specifically "castor mounting". This is an attempt to avoid "wastage" or "redundancy" through non-use of materials during the manufacturing cycle, but nevertheless carries with it attendant costs of specific stockholding, specific manufacturing techniques for the different appendages and furthermore reduces the flexibility of manufacture and increases costs.

By providing furniture with mountings for both legs and/or castors, it will be appreciated this leads to increased manufacturing and componentry costs, approximately 50% of which may be unnecessary.

-4- Attempts have been made to reduce the size and/or cost of engagement means for legs/castors however, separate fixing techniques and potential wastage of around 50% of the fixing apparatus provided for the bed/furniture remains. Further, in practice, such assemblies have often been prone to jamming, dislodgement or breakage and therefore, have not met with universal acceptance in the industry.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to come some way in overcoming the abovementioned problems or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

SBROAD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a furniture appendage adapted to releasably engage with said furniture via a socket portion secured with said furniture, wherein said appendage includes a housing having a spindle therethrough, said spindle including a primary engaging means at one end thereof for releasably securing said appendage to said socket in frictional engagement and secondary engagement means adjacent to other end of said spindle to releasably secure said housing and said e 20 spindle in frictional engagement via portions of said housing previously exposed to frictional contact with said primary engaging means.

According to a further aspect of this invention there is provided a method of forming a furniture appendage assembly for furniture of the first aspect including the steps of forming the elongated spindle and housing portion to be inter-engageable one with the other, engaging said spindle with said outer housing via an aperture in said o24aupOO.do/STA outer housing to provide an interference fit between the secondary engaging means on said spindle and said housing aperture subsequent to frictional contact between said housing aperture and said primary engaging means, to thus retain said housing and spindle in engagement.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Other aspects of this invention will become apparent from the following description. Modifications are envisaged without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

One form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: is a substantially diagrammatic underside perspective view of a bed showing leg/castor engaging sockets, with castors engaged, legs engaged and an exploded view of a leg for engagement according to the preferred method and apparatus as described herein.

.i O24aupO.doSTA o24aupOO.docJSTA -6- Figure 2: is a substantially diagrammatic cross-sectional side view of the preferred form of the leg engaged in a socket in a bed base.

Figure 3: is a side elevation of a spindle used with the preferred leg of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and in particular, Figure 1, the preferred form of the invention is a leg apparatus 1 and method provided for supporting a bed base B above a supporting surface, for example a floor and the like.

Prior art bed bases B have either been provided of a variety of depths so as to position the upper surface of a mattress when positioned thereon at an optimum use height, or alternatively, bed bases have been provided of differing heights and legs and castors beneath the bed base B have been provided of differing sizes to achieve a similar objective.

a. The present invention provides a preferred apparatus and method for optimising an appropriate use height for the upper surface of the mattress by 15 varying the leg height, but enabling a relatively standard form of bed base to a.o.

•be used. Alternatively, the preferred apparatus and method enables a variety S• of bed base structures to be accommodated by a manufacturer, while retaining the optimum mattress upper surface height by variations in the bed base thickness, its resilience and other characteristics, yet maintaining mattress upper surface use height.

Referring particularly to a combination of Figures 1 and 2, in the preferred form of the invention the underside U of the bed base B is provided with a plurality of sockets S. The sockets S are preferably engaged frictionally in suitably drilled bores provided in a framework structure F of a bed base B, for example transverse structural members thereof.

Sockets S are formed in a substantially apertured and elongated "top hat" structure formed preferably in suitable ductile metal material, for example zinc, aluminium or alloys thereof, or alternatively certain sufficiently resilient and durable plastics materials. The sockets S are preferably engaged "bore open down" with the structural members of the bed base B prior to use.

The support appendage or leg as generally indicated by arrow 1 in the preferred form of the invention preferably comprises a leg spindle 2 preferably formed in substantially durable materials, for example mild steel rod and the like. The spindle 2 is preferably provided of a predetermined length to define the overall length of the appendage or leg 2 and is provided at an intended lower end portion 3 thereof with a suitably arranged pivot axle for a castor C to be engaged thereon, (or alternatively, for a glide (not shown) to be engaged thereon).

Inwardly of the lower end portion 3 is provided an outwardly extending annular flange 4 preferably integrally formed with the remaining portions of the spindle 2. Adjacent said flange 4, on an opposite side to said lower end portion 3 is preferably arranged a secondary engaging portion 5 being preferably a knurled portion of material where the knurling is arranged to extend outwardly of the remaining periphery of a medial portion 6 of said spindle 2.

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-8- An opposite end of said spindle 2 to said lower end portion 3 is preferably provided as an engaging spigot 7 arranged of a size and shape to fit snugly within the bore S2 provided by said socket S.

Preferably a termination of said spigot portion 7 is provided to be substantially tapered or chamfered at 8, to achieve ready engagement of the spigot portion 7 within the socket bore S2. Further, positioned on said spigot portion 7 substantially adjacent a portion which engages adjacent the mouth M of said bore S2 is provided a primary engaging portion 8 also preferably extending outwardly of said periphery of said spigot portion 7 and preferably in the form of knurling.

A housing or shroud 10 for said leg 1 is preferably arranged as a plastics injection moulding which has an outer portion 11 provided as a "skirt" for the spindle 2, provides a pleasing aesthetic shape for the leg 1. Inwardly the shroud 10 provides a longitudinal bore therethrough which facilitates engagement of the shroud 10 over the spindle.

The shroud 10 and spindle 2 mid-section 6 are each provided of a *t4I :°:substantially commensurate length such that an abutment edge 13 of the shroud 10 can impinge and support the leg 1 peripherally about the socket 2 when the spindle portion 7 is engaged therein, by impinging against adjacent .QO framework portions F about the socket S.

It will be appreciated therefore, that a variety of parts can be provided by a manufacturer utilising leg mounting arrangements according to this invention which will encompass a plurality of sockets S and a variety of differing length spindles 2 and shrouds 10. This variety of parts can be -9utilised to provide appendaged structures for the bed or similar article of furniture in a variety of lengths and furthermore, but the method and apparatus also enables direct use of a castor with the socket S if so required.

Thus avoiding wastage, a problem of prior art devices and methods.

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5* 9 9 9 9 To facilitate engagement of the shroud 10 with the spindle 2 and furthermore, the leg structure 1 with the bed via the socket S, it will appreciated that frictional engagement means provided in the form of knurling at 8 and 5 provide a convenient interference "press fit" assembly; deformation of the adjacent portions of the shroud providing the secure frictional engagement.

Whilst the assembly, in the preferred form, is shown with the deformation on the shroud 10 and socket, in other forms of the invention it will be appreciated that one or both areas could be oppositely constructed.

It will be seen from Figure 3 and is preferred in the invention that the knurling provided on the spindle 2 is preferably differently provided at the primary area 8 to the secondary area 5. The reason for this is to enable the shroud 10 to be engaged onto the spindle 2 over the primary knurling 8 and engage the shroud 10 with the spindle 2 to retain the engagement via the secondary knurling 5 which, owing to the difference in the deformation of the bore portions provides for convenient engagement of the shroud 10 with the spindle 2, notwithstanding some prior deformation.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to the use of knurling as a means of providing the engagement portions on the apparatus, it is appreciated that in alternative forms of the invention other forms of engagement could be conveniently used, such as use of different size deformations at the relevant portions, some use of adhesives and the like.

Thus by this invention there is provided a convenient method and apparatus for the engagement of legs or support appendages with a furniture (particularly a bed) structure which enables variation in the size and types of supporting appendage without the need for specialised and specific mounting engagements to be used.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. The invention is not limited to such embodiment and modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims (9)

1. A furniture appendage adapted to releasably engage with said furniture via a socket portion secured with said furniture, wherein said appendage includes a housing having a spindle therethrough, said spindle including a primary engaging means at one end thereof for releasably securing said appendage to said socket in frictional engagement and secondary engagement means adjacent to other end of said spindle to releasably secure said housing and said spindle in frictional engagement via portions of said housing previously exposed to frictional contact with said primary engaging means.

2. A furniture appendage as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said appendage is at least partially supported by the housing which is engaged thereabout said housing being apertured to position over a predetermined portion of the spindle to position abutment S: faces of said housing to juxtapose portions of said furniture at least partially surrounding said socket. .o 15

3. A furniture appendage as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the secondary engaging means are provided to create an interference fit with the housing aperture defining portions to co-operatively deform at least one of said portions to frictionally engage said portions and secure the engagement of said housing, with said spindle with said primary engaging portions exposed for socket engagement. io: 20

4. A furniture appendage as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the primary and secondary engaging portions are each formed in a substantially common outer peripheral dimension but differ in shape and/or configurations one from the other.

A furniture appendage as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing is formed in a material which is more susceptible to deformation than the primary and/or the secondary engaging means of said spindle. 024aupOOdoc/STA -12-

6. A furniture appendage as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein said socket portion is formed in a material which is more susceptible to deformation than the primary engaging portion of said spindle.

7. A method of forming a furniture appendage assembly for furniture as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including the steps of forming the elongated spindle and housing portion to be inter-engageable one with the other, engaging said spindle with said outer housing via an aperture in said outer housing to provide an interference fit between the secondary engaging means on said spindle and said housing aperture subsequent to frictional contact between said housing aperture and said primary •.10 engaging means, to thus retain said housing and spindle in engagement. 0.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 7 including the step of forming said spindle with spaced apart primary and secondary engaging means, engaging said housing with said eoee• spindle via said aperture by passing said primary engagement means through said S: aperture to expose said primary engaging means outwardly of said aperture, forming said secondary engaging means to differ in shape and/or configuration from said primary engaging means and engaging said secondary engaging means in an interference fit with portions of said housing aperture spaced from said primary engaging means subsequent to contact between said housing portions and said primary engaging means.

9. Apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A method as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 2 8 th Day of August, 2001 SLEEPYHEAD MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED Attorney: STUART M. SMITH Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS o24aupO.doJSTA