US3598441A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wall-mounted extendable bed
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-07-18
•
Granted: 1971-08-10
•
Expires: 1989-07-18
Abstract
Abstract A foldable or exteriorly extendable bed and vehicle body construction comprised of a roof panel, which forms a part of the sidewall of the vehicle, and inwardly folding side and end panels interlocked to prevent entrance from the outside whether the bed is folded or extended, and with the unit preassembled into a frame and inserted as a unit into a frame opening in the sidewall of the vehicle and secured therein by screws or the like. Tension springs and torsion bars counterbalance the bed panels so that minimum force is required to operate them, and, if released, the unit will not continue a moving cycle to damage. A longitudinal hinge between the side and bottom panel is articulated to prevent binding of the parts and the loaded, extended bed is supported mainly through the end panel to stationary brackets.
Inventors
- 👤 John H Damiani
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 10:47
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/32; B60P3/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
340 words
In an extendable and foldable bed and vehicle body construction, in combination: a substantially box-shaped vehicle body providing living space therein; a substantially vertical wall for said vehicle body having an opening therein; a unitary bed, mechanism and supporting frame mounted in said opening in readily assemblable and disassemblable relation as a unit; a bed roof panel hingedly mounted adjacent the top of said frame by a longitudinally extending first hinge, said roof panel when folded forming a continuation of the wall of said vehicle body to close the opening therein; a side panel for said bed hinged to said roof panel adjacent the free end thereof by a second hinge having a longitudinally extending axis parallel to the axis of said first hinge; a bed bottom panel having an extended exterior end hinged to the extended bottom end of said side panel by a third hinge having a longitudinal axis parallel to the axes of said first and second hinges; a fourth hinge mounting the bottom panel to the bottom of the frame a substantial distance from the interior end of said bottom panel, said fourth hinge having a longitudinally extending axis parallel to the axes of said first three hinges; end panels for the extended bed hinged to the opposite ends of said bottom panel at fifth and sixth hinges having axes substantially transverse to the axes of said first four hinges whereby upon extension of said roof, side and bottom panels by rotation about their hinge axes, the end panels may thereafter be elevated into vertical position about their transverse axes; means interlocking said end panels to the other elements of the bed and frame, and including: first means locking one upper corner of said end panels to said side panel thereby preventing said end panels from folding movement about their transverse axes; and second means locking the other upper corner of said end panels to said frame thereby preventing said end panels from inward movement whereby said foldable bed is securely locked in the assembled position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
340 words
In an extendable and foldable bed and vehicle body construction, in combination: a substantially box-shaped vehicle body providing living space therein; a substantially vertical wall for said vehicle body having an opening therein; a unitary bed, mechanism and supporting frame mounted in said opening in readily assemblable and disassemblable relation as a unit; a bed roof panel hingedly mounted adjacent the top of said frame by a longitudinally extending first hinge, said roof panel when folded forming a continuation of the wall of said vehicle body to close the opening therein; a side panel for said bed hinged to said roof panel adjacent the free end thereof by a second hinge having a longitudinally extending axis parallel to the axis of said first hinge; a bed bottom panel having an extended exterior end hinged to the extended bottom end of said side panel by a third hinge having a longitudinal axis parallel to the axes of said first and second hinges; a fourth hinge mounting the bottom panel to the bottom of the frame a substantial distance from the interior end of said bottom panel, said fourth hinge having a longitudinally extending axis parallel to the axes of said first three hinges; end panels for the extended bed hinged to the opposite ends of said bottom panel at fifth and sixth hinges having axes substantially transverse to the axes of said first four hinges whereby upon extension of said roof, side and bottom panels by rotation about their hinge axes, the end panels may thereafter be elevated into vertical position about their transverse axes; means interlocking said end panels to the other elements of the bed and frame, and including: first means locking one upper corner of said end panels to said side panel thereby preventing said end panels from folding movement about their transverse axes; and second means locking the other upper corner of said end panels to said frame thereby preventing said end panels from inward movement whereby said foldable bed is securely locked in the assembled position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination defined in claim 1 in which: said first locking means comprise rigid fixed pins projecting inwardly from said side panel and recesses in said end panels adapted to receive said pins; and sAid second locking means comprise releasable spring-biased plungers projecting from said end panels and recesses in said frame adapted to receive a portion of said plungers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
The combination defined in claim 1 including: spring means biasing said top, side and bottom panels to counterbalance them and preventing full extension thereof when released so that the end panels may be elevated before the bed is fully extended thereby clearing their interlocking means and positioning them relative thereto so that outward and downward movement of the end panels fully extends the bed and engages the interlock means for the upper corners of the panels to lock the bed in position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination defined in claim 3 in which said counterbalancing spring means comprises: torque bars interengaging the bottom panel and the frame and biasing the bottom panel into an upward folded position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination defined in claim 3 in which said spring means comprises tension springs at the opposite sidewalls of the frame and exerting their forces thereon; and pushrods engaged by said springs and pivotally secured to the roof panel to bias it in an upward direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination defined in claim 5 including means entirely enclosing said springs from access from both the interior and exterior of the extended bed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination defined in claim 5 in which said springs and pushrods are entirely enclosed from access from the interior of the bed and only said pushrods are exposed at the exterior of the extended bed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
The combination defined in claim 5 in which said springs have fixed and free ends, with their free ends surrounding spring guides having bifurcated ends; short shafts extending through the legs of said bifurcated ends and secured thereto, the free ends of said springs engaging said shafts between said legs which thereby prevent tilting of said shafts and said pushrods being pivoted on the ends of said shafts remote from the ends engaged by the spring guides and springs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination defined in claim 8 in which such springs are enclosed within chambers provided in said frame, said chambers being provided with slots through which said short shafts extend; and slides mounted on said short shafts and closing said slots as the shafts move therealong.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The combination defined in claim 3 in which said counterbalancing spring means comprises: a spring system including torque bars interconnecting the bottom panel and the frame and tension springs operating on pushrods engaging the roof panel, said torsion bars and tension springs operating together to counterbalance the bed panels and prevent their full extension when released after preliminary panel movement to the exterior of the vehicle body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The combination defined in claim 1 in which: said third hinge is relieved to provide multiple rotational hinge axes so that the side and bottom panels will pass through an opening in the frame, near the fully collapsed closed position, in both opening and closing directions without binding.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination defined in claim 1 in which: said third hinge is articulated to rotate about a pair of axes so that the side and bottom panels will pass through an opening in the frame, near the fully collapsed closed position, in both opening and closing directions without binding.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination defined in claim 12 including: stop means positively limiting the rotation of said articulated hinge in the hinge-opening, bed-collapsing toward closed position, direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination defined in claim 12, including: means positively limiting the movement of said articulated hinge in the extended position to restrict the relative rotation of the side and bottom panels to a substantially right-angular one with the bed extended.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
The combination defined in claim 12 in which said articulate hinge comprises a first leg rigidly connected to the bottom of said side panel and having A first rotating axis; a second leg rigidly connected to said bottom panel and having a second rotating axis offset and parallel to said first rotating axis; and third and fourth legs rotating about said first and second axes and rigidly connected only to each other.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination defined in claim 15 in which said third and fourth legs of the articulated hinge positively bottom against a rigid part to limit the relative rotation between the side and bottom panels in the extended direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination defined in claim 1 including: stationary brackets engaged by the inner upper corners of the end panels and serving to absorb, through the end panels, substantially the major portion of the load on the extended bed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination defined in claim 17 including: latch means for holding the end panels in their extended positions in engagement with said structural supporting brackets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
The combination defined in claim 1 including: means for latching said bottom, side and roof panels in vertical position interiorly of the vehicle body; and means for latching said end panels to the bottom panel within the vehicle body to occupy minimal space therein and to hold the mattress and other equipment against the bottom panel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The combination defined in claim 19 including: means latching the top of the bottom panel to the top of the frame at the inside of the vehicle; and means latching the bottom of the roof panel at the inside of the vehicle so that said bed may be opened only from the inside of the vehicle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
92 words
The combination defined in claim 1 including: a manipulating rod for the roof panel of the bed having a free, manually engageable end and an opposite end engageable with the roof panel so as to be movable therealong from a substantially inoperable position in which the manipulatable rod is locked to the roof panel to an operative position intermediate the top and bottom of the roof panel at which point push and pull forces may be exerted on the roof panel to raise and lower the same and the panels associated therewith.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination defined in claim 21 in which the attachment of the force-applying end of the roof panel is through a bracket attached to the interior face of the roof panel adjacent an end thereof; and roller means supported on said bracket and movable toward the hinged side thereof for force-applying engagement with the upper end of the bracket.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1644892A
Cited
US1857081A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-09 | 1975-02-08 | 1975-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-02-08 | 1979-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-09 | 1983-02-08 | 1983-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |