BRACKET FOR A SLATTED BED FRAME

Abstract

A bracket for fastening a bed slat to a frame for a slatted bed frame. The bracket secures a bed slat to a frame rail and also reliably holds the bed slat against upward forces that may act on the ends of the bed slat as a result of a spring deflection of the slat. The bracket has protruding elements that fit into recesses provided on the frame rails, so that it is quickly and easily assembled on the frame and also has protruding elements that are constructed, such, that the end of the bed slat may be snapped onto the bracket.

Description

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a bracket for a slatted bed frame.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Brackets for fastening slats to a frame to make a slatted bed frame are known. The simplest construction of such a bed frame has just two parallel side rails or boards (referred to hereinafter simple as “frame rails”) that are connected to each other by means of the bed slats that extend transverse to the frame rails. Two additional end frame boards may also be used at the head and foot ends to form a frame that is a closed rectangle. The bed slats may deflect under load, and as a result the two ends of the bed slat may move relative to the frame rails. The brackets serve as intermediate elements between the frame and the slats. That is, they accommodate such relative movement and, at the same time, hold the bed slats to the frame.

The frame rails on conventional slatted bed frames have pins or dowels, and the conventional brackets are pushed onto them. Each bracket forms a retainer cap. The bed slat is inserted into the cap, which serves to hold the slat in place. A plurality of brackets are necessary for each slatted bed frame and, because a large number of brackets are needed for each bed frame, the price of a single bracket has a significant effect on the productions costs of the slatted bed frame.

What is needed, therefore, is a bracket that is less costly to manufacture and, consequently, a slatted bed frame that is less expensive.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The bracket according to the invention has a plug element that is constructed to provide a tight fit into a recess that is provided in the frame rail of the bed frame. In other words, the recess and the plug together provide a tight connection of the bracket to the frame.

Constructing the bracket according to the invention provides several advantages, most notably, it substantially reduces the amount of material needed to make the bracket. This is because the conventional bracket has a sleeve that fits over a pin that extends upward from the bed frame. The bracket according to the invention does not have to have this sleeve, but rather, just a pin that extends into the recess on the frame rail. It requires less material to form the plug than it does to make a sleeve that surrounds such a pin. Also, the construction of the bracket according to the invention makes it possible to keep the height of the construction particularly low.

Material may also be reduced in the construction of the bed frame, because it is not necessary to provide pins that extend beyond the frame rails. Rather, the recess in which the bracket plug is insertable may be provided directly on the frame rail.

Finally, the bracket according to the invention allows an assembly step in making a slatted bed frame to be eliminated. With the conventional slatted bed frame, assembly pins are provide on the frame rail and the conventional brackets with the sleeves are pushed down on to the pins. These pins are separate components and have to be affixed to the frame rail, before the brackets for the bed slats can be assembled. These assembly pins are unnecessary with the bracket according to the invention.

Overall, the bracket according to the invention provides up to three separate savings effects, so that the bracket according to the invention provides an economic benefit not only in the production of the bracket, but in the overall cost of the slatted bed frame.

Advantageously, the bracket may have a horizontally oriented base plate. The use of directional terms, such as horizontal, vertical, top, bottom, etc., is based on the orientation of the bracket and the overall slatted bed frame, when the bed frame is in the typical position for its intended use, i.e., is in a generally horizontal position, so that, for example, a mattress may be placed on the slats of the bed frame. Accordingly, the base plate of the bracket lies in a horizontal plane. The plug of the bracket is longitudinal in form, such as, for example, a cylindrical dowel, and extends along its longitudinal axis parallel to the base plate. The frame rail has bores along the lateral face, such that the bracket may be assembled on the side rail of the frame by pushing the plug in an approximately horizontal direction in the bore on the side rail.

It may be advantageous that the entire cross-sectional width of the plug does not abut directly against the base plate, but that a narrower connector bridge or shank is provided on the plug, so that this connector shank creates an undercut between the base plate and the plug. In this way, when the plug is secured in the bore on the side rail, the bracket is secured against upward forces that would lift it away from the side rail.

As an alternative to the construction of the bracket with its plug oriented parallel to the base plate, it may be advantageous that the bracket have the horizontally oriented base plate and a longitudinally shaped plug, but that the plug extend in its longitudinal direction transverse to the direction of the base plate. In this way, bores may be provided in the side rail that run vertically, for example, so that the bracket with its plugs may be placed from above into the corresponding bores in the side rail. The bracket may then be assembled on the side rails in a particularly simple and quick manner, which is advantageous, both with manual assembly or fully automated robotic assembly.

The plugs may be provided with protrusions, such as, for example, a knobby surface or ribs, to achieve the above mentioned tight fit between the plug and the bore in the side rail. The ribs may run in the longitudinal direction of the plug. Alternatively, they may extend transvers to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the plug, such as is, for example, done with so-called harpoon shanks, which provide a tight connection, but in addition to that, provide improved protection against forces acting on the plug in a direction that would tend to force the plug out of the bore.

Advantageously, two longitudinal plugs may be provided on the bracket, the longitudinal axes of the plugs extending parallel one another. Due to the parallel longitudinal axes, the two plugs on the bracket may be inserted into corresponding two bores on the frame rail easily and at the same time. The arrangement of the two plugs spaced a distance apart ensures that the bracket cannot be twisted and, thus, ensures a reliable attachment slat on the bracket.

Advantageously, the bed slat is attached to the bracket on an assembly pin that extends upward from the bracket, instead of inserting the end of the slat into a cap that holds the slat in place. The bed slat has a recess, advantageously a longitudinal slot, so that a relative movement between the bed slat and the bracket in the longitudinal direction of the slat may occur without causing a problem, with the bed slat being thereby securely guided along the bracket and held by the bracket. The corresponding assembly pin on the bracket has a somewhat mushroom-shaped cross-section, so that the bed slat can be snapped or buttoned onto the assembly pin and, thus, be securely held against upward forces acting on the bed slat.

Advantageously, two assembly pins, spaced a distance apart from each other, may be provided on the bracket, to achieve a particularly reliable hold for the bed slat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings that are purely schematic drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of the bracket according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of the bracket according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the bracket of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two embodiments of a bracket 1 according to the invention that is used to fasten a bed slat to a frame rail of a slatted bed frame. The frame of the slatted bed frame is not shown, but it is understood that the frame comprises at least two frame rails that extend along the long sides of the frame. The frame for the slatted bed frame may or may not include cross rails at the head and foot ends of the frame. The slatted bed frame, in its intended use, is typically inserted between the head and foot ends of a bed and is in a horizontal position, with a mattress placed on top of the slatted bed frame.

Both embodiments of the bracket 1 have a base plate 2 that is oriented in a horizontal position when the slatted bed frame is in position for its intended use. The base plate 2 has an upper surface and a lower surface. Two plugs 3 extend from the lower surface below the base plate 2. The frame rail is provided with a series of recesses. The plugs 3 are essentially cylindrical dowels that are dimensioned to fit within the recesses. Longitudinal ribs 4 may be provided on the plugs 3 to provide a tight interference fit when the plugs 3 are inserted into corresponding recesses, thereby securing the bracket 1 to the frame rail.

In the first embodiment of the bracket 1 shown in FIG. 1, the plugs 3 extend downward, i.e., orthogonally to the lower surface of the base plate 2. In the second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plugs 3 extend parallel to the lower surface of the base plate 2. The cross-section of the plugs 3 in this second embodiment is not completely round, but rather, has a flattened, Omega-like cross-section that is connected to the underside of the base plate 2 by a connector web or bridge 5 that is slightly narrower than the body of the plug 3. The connector bridge 5 between the base plate 2 and the plug 3 has an undercut, so that this bracket 1 is particularly reliably fastened to the rails of a slatted bed frame and is able to resist upward forces that may be exerted on the bracket 1.

Two slat assembly pins 6 are provided on the upper surface of the base plate 2 on each embodiment of the bracket 1. These slat assembly pins 6 extend upward from a pin base 7 and have a T-shape cross-section formed by a narrow shank 8 and a wide head 9. The bed slat that is constructed to fit on this bracket 1 has two parallel slots that are slightly wider than the shank 8 and narrower than the head 9, allowing the bed slat to be snapped or buttoned onto the two slat assembly pins 6 of the bracket 1. The bed slat is thus captured against the pin base 7, but in such a way that the ends of the bed slat are not forced to lie directly against the base plate 2. The reason for this is, that, when a spring action on the bed slat causes relative movement between the bed slat and the bracket 1, i.e, causes the end of the bed slat to shift in its position, the base plate 2 is protected against wear that would result from the bed slat rubbing up against the base plate.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A bracket for a slatted bed frame constructed of frame rails extending parallel to and spaced apart from each other and bed slats that extend from one frame rail to the other in a direction transverse to a direction of the frames rails, the bracket fastening one end of a bed slat to one of the frame rails and comprising:

a base plate having a first surface and a second surface;

a rail connector that is provided on the first surface; and

a slat connector that is provided on the second surface;

wherein the frame rail has a series of recesses and the rail connector is a plug that projects from the base plate and has a plug cross-section that is dimensioned to fit within one of the recesses.

10. The bracket of claim 9, wherein the plug has an oblong shape with a longitudinal axis and wherein the plug is provided on the base plate so as to extend parallel to the first surface.

11. The bracket of claim 2, the plug having a connector shank that has a narrower cross-section than the plug cross-section;

wherein the narrower cross-section creates an undercut between the base plate and the plug.

12. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the plug has an oblong shape with a longitudinal axis and wherein the plug is provided on the base plate such that the longitudinal axis of the plug extends in a direction orthogonal to the first surface of the base plate.

13. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the plug includes two oblong plugs, the longitudinal axes thereof extending parallel to one another.

14. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the slat connector is a slat assembly pin that extends upward from the second surface of the base plate.

15. The bracket of claim 13, wherein the slat connector includes two slat assembly pins spaced a distance apart from each other.