DECORATIVE WALL HANGING HAVING A DROPDOWN STORAGE SHELF
A storage solution is provided for decorative pillows and the like, including a decorative front panel when in the first configuration is flat and in the second configuration is a storage area. The second configuration is presented by a dropdown motion of the front panel, which produces a shelf for decorative pillows, bedding items or other items when not in use.
This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/266,187, filed Nov. 6, 2008, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/002,171, filed Nov. 7, 2007, and provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/067,185, filed Feb. 26, 2008.
BACKGROUNDThis invention relates to a wall hanging that also functions as a storage shelf.
Decorative pillows and shams finish off the look of a made bed. However, when the bed is in use, there typically is no dedicated place to store these bedding items away from settling dust, dirt and germs. Currently, an individual has the following alternative approaches:
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- 1) To store the bedding items in a closet (but most homeowner closets and hotel room closets do not have open unused space for storing items of this sort);
- 2) To store the bedding items in a bedroom furniture piece, such as a chest (but this requires the purchase of additional furniture specifically reserved for storing the bedding items where open floor space in the bedroom may not be available, and when available, may create bulk in a room cluttered with pieces, such as trunks, chests, racks or additional compartments);
- 3) To store the bedding items on top a chair or other piece of furniture in the bedroom (thus removing the intended use of certain furniture items in a bedroom);
- 4) To pile the bedding items on the floor (thus, taking up floor space and collecting dust, dirt and germs on to the bedding items for transfer to the bed itself and potentially creating a safety issue);
- 5) To store the bedding items under the bed itself (though bed storage has become increasingly common in youth bedroom sets for function over beauty, the items are still brought down to the floor to collect dirt, dust, or germs and the under bed storage may also inhibit the comfort of the mattress due to the elimination of a typical box spring; or
- 6) To not use the decorative pillows and shams (because the trouble in storing these items when removed from the bed outweighs the benefits of decorating the bedroom).
Thus, a sophisticated storage solution for extra decorative bedding, particularly pillows, has not been produced. A sophisticated storage solution would improve the functionality of a bedroom set, by eliminating the collection of dirt, dust, and germs that settle at or near ground level on the bedding items while the bed itself is in use.
SUMMARYThe present invention provides a convenient, novel storage solution for storing objects, such as decorative pillows and bedding. The invention takes the form of a wall hanging which also functions as a decorative accent to the bedroom furnishings when in the closed position. The decorative front panel appears to be the wall hanging, and then easily opens to form a storage shelf. The structure may include a back frame, forming a minimal protrusion of the panel from the wall. Opening preferably is performed by a one-hand, one-motion process. The wall hanging may complement the bedroom furniture, with endless flexibility in customizing the front panel by incorporating preferred wood, wood finish, color, decorative designs, paintings, or pictures. The invention may be customized by choosing the look for the front panel, which allows for easy coordination for decorating changes.
For purposes of illustrating the contemplated device, there is shown in the drawings a number of forms that are presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.
In the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is shown a number of embodiments of the contemplated invention.
As shown in
The details of the side hinges 32 are also shown on
It is also noted that it may be desirable to replace the rear frame 13 in the construction of the unit 10. The frame can be a single bar or relatively short member that is secured to the wall or support surface. Still further, the rear frame may be removed completely, securing the front panel directly to a support surface, by means of the bottom hinges or otherwise. A securing member may also be located directly on the support surface for engagement with a corresponding member on the back surface of the front panel. Alternatively, the securing structure could be a function of the hinges at the bottom, on the sides or both. The hinges may be spring loaded to apply a resilient force that maintains the front panel upright, once it is rotated to a near upright position.
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- 10 wall hanging shelf unit
- 11 covering
- 12 front panel
- 12A front panel, exterior
- 12B front panel, interior
- 13 frame assembly
- 14 frame top part
- 15 mounting holes
- 16 frame bottom part
- 18 frame left part
- 20 frame right part
- 21 frame center part
- 30 bottom hinge
- 32 side hinge
- 34 top front closing member
- 36 joint section of side hinge
- 38 curved section of side hinge
- 40 top back closing member
- 42 support board
- 44 clasp
- 46 indentations on front panel
In operation, one uses the wall hanging unit in a normal manner with the front panel in the closed or decorative position. The user can, when desired, expose the shelf for use by releasing the closing mechanism allowing the panel to dropdown and form the shelf. When the shelf is exposed, bedding items can then be placed on the shelf producing five effects which increase the efficiency of the bedroom. Preferably:
1) the floor is clear of bedding items that otherwise present a safety issue,
2) bedding items are not exposed to dust, dirt and germs from the floor,
3) the chair is useable for convenience and its intended use,
4) no extra floor space is required to store bedding items, and
5) if desired, varying the decorative appearance with related items such as color of matting for the print, seasonal prints, incorporating fabric in or on the front will increase sustainability of the unit itself for decorative purposes.
Advantages of the invention are to provide a convenient one-motion method of exposing the shelf. The unit is then ready for storing decorative bulky bedding items and thus not taking up any floor space. The unit does not require another furniture item in the room to accommodate for the bulk of the bedding. The unit assists with keeping the bedding in a more sanitary area, while at the same time, providing the option of using this storage area as another means of coordinating bedroom furnishings and décor.
The features of the wall mounting shelf unit combined produce a means of storing and organizing pillows within the storage system. The side hinges, which assist in keeping the pillows in place while performing the function of stopping the shelf from excess dropping, work in unison with the bottom hinge or hinges to provide dropdown functionality of the front panel. The device is installed on the wall for maximum support and safety. The side hinges may take other forms from these shown, such as cables, or other flexing structures.
There are other various possibilities with regard to the identification of the storage shelf. In each case the wall hanging may incorporate one or more details to identify the location of the storage shelf. In public areas, visual indicators are crucial to the storage system being used.
Initial decorative front panel options to indicate the location of the storage shelf may include:
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- an opening in the front panel containing a sill and window trim to attract the eye of the guest which identifies the location of the storage shelf for the bedding;
- for beach resort areas inclusion of a boardwalk presentation of slats of wood as the front panel;
- an ordinary picture frame which allows the decorative insert to be changed for adding pictures, changing prints, incorporating fabric;
- a solid front panel whereby a painting of choice is displayed;
- a coordinating fabric on or over any style of the front decorative panel.
A cover for the front panel can be easily achieved by using a coordinating pillow sham modified slightly in the back. This quickly slips over the panel changing the look but not the functionality.
Identifiers that this wall hanging is a storage shelf may include:
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- trademark name visible on the front panel;
- bedding fabric incorporated in or on the decorative element;
- coordinating pillow sham covering or coverlet; or
- coordinating bedding fabric attached in any form to the unit.
For convenience, installed location of the wall unit would preferably be the closest, safest location in proximity to the bed.
This storage shelf unit is decorative and functional and provides the optimal solution for keeping the pillows from collecting or transferring dust, dirt and germs onto the bed itself where users will be lying.
This bedding storage problem may be applied to hotels where sanitary problems should be addressed to keep germs away from bedding. In addition, hotels want to preserve their expensive bedding to keep operating expenses down but also for the good of the environment. Eliminating wear and tear on bedding, as well as the cleaning process for sanitary measures, will preserve the life of each of the items individually and collectively as coordinating fabrics in their design adds expense.
According to the Director Supplies and Standards, Marriott International, on Jan. 24, 2008 at product presentation, Marriott refurbishes each of the over 2,800 hotels worldwide, every seven years. Each hotel has an average of 200 rooms per.
Extending the life of the bedding in the hotel industry alone will be a massive step in sustaining the environment. In addition, composition of the shelf using environmentally sound construction practices will dramatically reduce the environmental footprint of the hotel industry. For hotels, keeping floor space open is a primary concern as their success relies on their guest's experience and spacious rooms send the message to the guest that they are getting good value. Guests will make an effort to store the pillows if there is an easy, convenient way for them to do so. Guests will not walk the pillows over to the closet. One reason is they cannot see that they are expected to help protect the hotel's assets. They may place them on a chair which then eliminates the intended use of the chair. They most likely will toss them onto the floor whereby exposing the bedding to dust, dirt, and germs transferred from suitcases, shoes, public restrooms, airport floors, restaurants, clothing and anywhere the guests traveled to or from. Presenting a means for guests to conveniently store the bedding items will, at the very least, indicate that the hotel makes a quantifiable effort in eliminating the transfer of dust, dirt and germs which, for example, has become a great concern with the transportation of suitcases in and out of countries with known problems with disease control. As a measure in maintaining sanitary bedding, guest services should be required to keep the bedding items off of the floor and chair while they are making up the bed.
Furthermore, the storage shelf has the additional advantages in that it permits storage when needed, and thus can be temporary or permanent. The shelf also allows the inclusion of environmentally sound construction practices for sustainability, thus reducing the carbon footprint. Further, the shelf may permit flexibility for custom storage solutions for bedding in specific settings which could include dormitory rooms, baby rooms, hospital and healthcare facility rooms, and living areas in the home or hospitality setting as each of these areas may require varying sizes based on the desired decorative look and needed storage space.
The present invention may also permit another means of concealing the shelf with front panel doors, giving the appearance of a cabinet or cupboard which when opened, would allow the concealed shelf to dropdown providing adequate storage space. Customizing of construction material is contemplated for the decorative panel which could include plastic, solid wood, wood veneers, particle board or any combination of the above which would then produce a different result in appearance and richness of the unit but maintain the functionality. A number of structural modifications are possible, such as using multiple hinges or a single hinge on the bottom where the back frame and front panel are attached. The bottom hinges can be of varied size and as such may require more than two hinges or one single hinge adequate in length. A variety of side hinges may also be used, including straps, springs or any material that may allow the dropdown function to be smoother while continuing to perform the function of stopping the drop down panel at the 90 degree angle, producing the shelf. The closing mechanism may include leather, Velcro, snap, hook, button, magnet, elastic band or any combination of the above to vary the appearance. The closing mechanism may also be provided in electronic form for optimal convenience and use.
Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing some of the presently preferred embodiments.
Claims
1. A shelf unit for storing bedding items comprising:
- a wall mountable frame, and
- a front panel comprising a front face and a back face, wherein said front panel is connected at the bottom to a bottom edge of the frame such that said front panel may swing down from an upright closed position, in parallel to the frame, to an open position, where the back face is defined as a shelf and is perpendicular to the frame.
2. The shelf unit of claim 1 further comprising a pair of side hinges, connecting the side edges of the frame to the side edges of the front panel to fix the front panel in the open position.
3. The shelf unit of claim 2, wherein said side hinges prevent said front panel from swinging more than ninety degrees down from the upright closed position.
4. The shelf unit of claim 2, wherein each of said side hinges comprises a curved section and a joint section.
5. The shelf unit of claim 4, wherein each side hinge is formed to provide clearance from the frame when the front panel is in a closed position.
6. The shelf unit of claim 4, wherein the side hinges are connected to the side edges of the frame and the side edges of the front panel so that the curved section of each hinge extends outward from a side edge of the frame.
7. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein the connection between the bottom of the front panel and the bottom edge of the frame assembly is formed by at least one attachment hinge.
8. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein the wall mountable frame comprises a top part and a bottom part and wherein the top part and the bottom part each comprise at least two holes for mounting the wall mountable frame.
9. The shelf unit of claim 8, wherein the top part and the bottom part of the wall mountable frame assembly each comprise at least eight holes for mounting the frame to a wall support.
10. The shelf unit of claim 9, wherein a horizontal distance between each of the eight holes in the top part of the wall mountable frame is about 4 inches and wherein a horizontal distance between each of the eight holes in the bottom part of the wall mountable frame is about 4 inches.
11. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein the wall mountable frame assembly is formed from medium density fiberboard.
12. The shelf unit of claim 1 further comprising:
- a back closing member centrally mounted on the upper edge of the frame assembly and
- a front closing member centrally mounted on the upper edge of the back face of the front panel for fastening to the back closing member when the front panel is in the upright closed position.
13. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein said wall mountable frame assembly comprises a support post connected at one end to the center of the upper edge and at the other end to the center of the lower edge.
14. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein said front panel further comprises at least one decorative element and wherein the at least one decorative element is incorporated on said front face.
15. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein said at least one decorative element further comprises a fabric material.
16. The shelf unit of claim 15, wherein said fabric comprises a cover in the form of a sham.
17. The shelf unit of claim 16, wherein said fabric coordinates with a bedding fabric located in a room where the shelf unit is located.
18. The shelf unit of claim 1, wherein said front panel further comprises:
- an opening formed in at least the back of the front panel;
- a support board covering said opening on the back face, the support board supporting a decoration positioned within the opening; and
- a plurality of clasps mounted to said back face, wherein said clasps may be twisted closed to hold said support board over said opening or twisted open to allow for removal of said support board for access to said opening.
19. The shelf unit of claim 18, wherein said back face comprises at least one indentation positioned along a border of the opening in the back face, the indentations providing access to an edge portion of the support board.
20. The shelf unit of claim 18, wherein said back face comprises four indentations, wherein each indention is positioned in a corner of the opening in the back face.
21. The shelf unit of claim 18, further comprising at least one decorative item and wherein one decorative item is positioned in the opening, in the back face and displayed through the front face.
22. A shelf unit for storing bedding items comprising:
- a wall mountable frame assembly;
- a front panel comprising a front face and a back face, wherein said front panel is connected at the bottom to the bottom edge of the frame assembly such that said front panel may swing down from an upright closed position, in parallel to the frame assembly, to an open position where the back face is defined as a shelf and is perpendicular to the frame assembly;
- means for connecting the front panel and the frame assembly for preventing said front panel from swinging more than ninety degrees down from the upright closed position; and
- a closing member mounted on the frame assembly and the front panel for fastening the front panel is in the upright closed position.
23. The shelf unit of claim 22, wherein said connection between the bottom of the front panel and the bottom edge of the frame assembly is by at least one connection hinge.
24. The shelf unit of claim 22 further comprising:
- an opening in said front panel;
- a support board covering said opening on the back face of the front panel; and
- a clasp for selectively opening to allow for removal of said support board for access to said opening.
25. The shelf unit of claim 24, wherein said front panel further comprises at least one decorative item positioned in the opening of the front face.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 27, 2011
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2011
Inventor: Joyce M. Munyan (Lafayette Hill, PA)
Application Number: 13/192,053
International Classification: A47B 46/00 (20060101); A47B 81/00 (20060101);