Bed with an Apparatus for Securing an Adjustable Base Support to a Mattress
A bed is disclosed having an adjustable base support with an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions, a mattress positioned on top of the adjustable based support, and a mattress retainer disposed under the mattress between the adjustable base support and the mattress. The mattress retainer holds the mattress in a constrained position in relationship to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base support panel is adjusted between raised and lowered positions.
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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a bed with an apparatus for securing an adjustable base support to a mattress.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Adjustable beds are known in the art and provide improved comfort for the user by permitting the user to selectively adjust the sleeping surface to different positions. Generally, these adjustable beds comprise an adjustable base support mounted on a bed frame with a mattress supported on the adjustable base support. The adjustable base support generally includes one or more adjustable panels. A typical construction for the adjustable base support may include between three and five adjustable panels. The adjustable panels are adjustable from a horizontal or lowered position to various raised positions which correspond to various raised and lowered positions of the mattress, thereby providing a comfort position for the bed that may be adjusted as desired by the user. The adjustable panels may be adjusted manually, for instance, via a hank crank operatively connected to individual panels, or more typically, via linkages actuated by motors provided in a base of the bed frame.
When the adjustable base support panels are adjusted to raised and/or lowered positions, the mattress has a tendency to shift or slide along its length or longitudinal axis on the adjustable based support unless it is constrained. In the past, mattresses used on adjustable beds have been constrained by a plate or a rail disposed at the foot of the bed frame that extends upwardly alongside the foot of the mattress. Besides detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the bed, the plate or rail also creates a barrier at the foot of the bed which may be uncomfortable to persons who are sitting on the edge of the mattress. Therefore, what is needed is a mattress retainer for use with adjustable beds which overcomes these and other drawbacks of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a mattress retainer suited for use with adjustable beds to constrain movement of a mattress relative to an adjustable base support when (a) panel(s) of the adjustable base support is(are) adjusted to raised and lowered positions.
In one aspect of the invention a bed is provided. The bed comprises an adjustable base support with an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions, a mattress positioned on top of the adjustable base support, and a mattress retainer disposed under the mattress between the adjustable base support and the mattress. The mattress retainer holds the mattress in a constrained position in relationship to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base support is adjusted between raised and lowered positions.
The mattress retainer may comprise a loop and a generally “j”-shaped bracket where the bracket has an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends. The bracket engagement portion proximal end may be spaced from the bracket elongated portion proximal end by an end wall that defines a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion with a dimension to enable the engagement portion to engage the loop. The loop may be formed on an underside of the mattress, and the bracket may be secured to a top surface of the adjustable base support.
In another aspect of the invention, a bed is provided with an adjustable base support with an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions, a mattress positioned on top of the adjustable base support, and a mattress retainer holding the mattress in a constrained position relative to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base is adjusted between raised and lowered positions. The mattress retainer comprises a bracket and a loop engaging the bracket. The bracket is formed on one of either the mattress or the adjustable base support and the loop is formed on the other of either the mattress or adjustable base support.
In another aspect of the invention, the bracket may be secured to the adjustable base support with the elongated portion proximal end generally oriented away from an edge of the adjustable base support and the elongated portion distal end generally oriented toward the edge of the adjustable base support.
The bed may further comprise a second loop and a second bracket positioned across a width of the bed on an opposite longitudinal edge of the bed. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the second bracket has a general “j”-shape with an elongated portion having proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion having proximal and distal ends. The engagement portion proximal end may be spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall that defines a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion with a dimension to enable the engagement portion to engage the second loop.
In another aspect of the invention, an adjustable base support for a bed is provided. The adjustable base support has an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions. The adjustable base has a top side and a bracket secured to the top side inboard of an edge of the adjustable base support. The bracket has a general “j”-shape including an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends. The engagement portion proximal end is spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall. The end wall defines a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion. The space is dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to engage a loop formed on an underside of a mattress when a mattress is attached to the adjustable base support in assembling the bed, thereby holding the mattress in a fixed position relative to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base support panel is adjusted between raised and lowered positions.
Further objects and features are revealed in the following detailed description of the embodiments and in the drawings.
Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTSA bed 20 equipped with a mattress retainer as disclosed herein is shown in
As discussed above, the mattress retainer 30 may be employed in pairs comprising like brackets. Because the brackets are the same, only one bracket will be described in detail.
As shown in
Referring to
Referring to
By providing two brackets on the adjustable base support and two loops on the mattress, a wide mattress may be constrained in position relative to the adjustable base support. However, a mattress retainer comprising one bracket and one loop may also be positioned toward the center of a relatively narrow mattress to provide the same level of constraint. For instance, the mattress retainer may comprise one loop and one bracket that are sized to extend across a width of the bed sufficient to provide the appropriate level of constraint. The mattress retainer may also comprise one bracket with a relatively long engagement portion that cooperates with a plurality of loops spaced apart at various positions across a width of the mattress. The mattress retainer may also be provided at an edge corresponding to the width of the bed, for instance, the top or head. The mattress retainer may also comprise multiple brackets and cooperating loops positioned at various locations on the adjustable bed support and mattress.
Various other changes to the embodiments described herein may be envisioned by those of ordinary skill in the art. However, those changes and modifications should be considered as part of the invention which is limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A bed comprising:
- an adjustable base support with an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions, a mattress positioned on top of the adjustable base support, and a mattress retainer disposed under the mattress between the adjustable base support and the mattress, the mattress retainer holding the mattress in a constrained position in relationship to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base support panel is adjusted between raised and lowered positions.
2. The bed of claim 1 wherein the mattress retainer comprises a loop and a generally “j”-shaped bracket, the bracket having an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends, the engagement portion proximal end being spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall, the end wall defining a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion that is dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to engage the loop.
3. The bed of claim 2 wherein the loop is formed on an underside of the mattress, and the bracket is secured to a top surface of the adjustable base support.
4. The bed of claim 3 wherein the bracket is secured to the adjustable base support with the elongated portion proximal end generally oriented away from an edge of the adjustable base support and the elongated portion distal end generally oriented toward the edge of the adjustable base support.
5. The bed of claim 3 wherein the bracket is secured to the adjustable base support inboard of an edge of the adjustable base support a distance sufficient to not substantially detract from a comfort level of a user positioned adjacent the edge of the adjustable base support.
6. The bed of claim 3 wherein the loop is sewn to the underside of the mattress.
7. The bed of claim 2 further comprising a second loop and second bracket positioned across a width of the bed on an opposite longitudinal edge of the bed, the second bracket being generally “j”-shaped, the second bracket having an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends, the engagement portion proximal end being spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall, the end wall defining a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion that is dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to engage the second loop.
8. The bed of claim 2 wherein the bracket is of monolithic construction.
9. The bed of claim 2 wherein the bracket is made of a resilient material such that the space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion is compressible under load.
10. The bed of claim 1 wherein solely the mattress retainer holds the mattress in the constrained position in relation to the adjustable base support.
11. A bed comprising an adjustable base support with an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions, a mattress positioned on top of the adjustable base support, and a mattress retainer holding the mattress in a constrained position relative to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base support panel is adjusted between raised and lowered positions, the mattress retainer comprising a bracket and a loop engaging the bracket, the bracket being formed on one of either the mattress or the adjustable base support and the loop being formed on the other of either the mattress or adjustable base support.
12. The bed of claim 11 wherein the loop is formed on an underside of the mattress and the bracket is secured to a top surface of the adjustable base support.
13. The bed of claim 11 wherein the bracket is generally “j”-shaped with an elongated portion having proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion having proximal and distal ends, the engagement portion proximal end being spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall, the end wall defining a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion that is dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to hook the loop.
14. The bed of claim 13 wherein the bracket is secured to the adjustable base support with the elongated portion proximal end generally oriented away from an edge of the adjustable base support and the elongated portion distal end generally oriented toward the edge of the adjustable base support.
15. The bed of claim 13 further comprising a second loop and a second bracket positioned across a width of the bed on an opposite longitudinal edge of the bed, the second bracket being generally “j”-shaped, the second bracket having an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends, the engagement portion proximal end being spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall, the end wall defining a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion that is dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to engage the second loop.
16. The bed of claim 11 wherein the bracket is of monolithic construction.
17. The bed of claim 11 wherein the bracket is made of a resilient material such that the space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion is compressible under a load.
18. The bed of claim 11 wherein solely the mattress retainer holds the mattress in the constrained position in relation to the base support.
19. An adjustable base support having an adjustable panel adapted for adjustment between raised and lowered positions, the adjustable base support having a top side and a bracket secured to the top side inboard of an edge of the base support, the bracket having a general “j”-shape including an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends, the engagement portion proximal end being spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall, the end wall defining a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion, the space being dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to engage a loop formed on an underside of a mattress when a mattress is attached to the adjustable base support in assembling the bed, thereby holding the mattress in a fixed position relative to the adjustable base support as the adjustable base support panel is adjusted between raised an lowered positions.
20. The adjustable base support of claim 19 further comprising a second generally “j”-shaped bracket secured to the top side of the adjustable base support across a width of the bed on an opposite longitudinal edge of the bed, the bracket including an elongated portion with proximal and distal ends and an engagement portion with proximal and distal ends, the engagement portion proximal end being spaced from the elongated portion proximal end by an end wall, the end wall defining a space between the elongated portion and the engagement portion, the space being dimensioned to enable the engagement portion to engage a second loop formed on the underside of the mattress.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 11, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 12, 2008
Applicant: BOYD FLOTATION, INC. (Maryland Heights, MO)
Inventor: Joe Piana (Corona, CA)
Application Number: 11/609,162
International Classification: A47C 27/00 (20060101); A47C 17/00 (20060101);