PIN CHANNEL HEADBOARD
A headboard includes multiple pin channels used for mounting furniture pieces and creating modular furniture. The pin channels having a plurality of horizontal pins that are located within the headboard, wherein the pin channels are open in order to hang bed deck and furniture pieces from either side of the headboard.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/348,225, filed Jun. 10, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDCase goods sold to institutions (such as schools and colleges, but not limited to) often include furniture consisting of headboards made from wood or metal. Usually the furniture is a bed and the term “headboards” typically includes both headboards and footboards, since they are often identical at least in dimension. Consequently, beds can optionally be stacked atop one another to form bunk beds and save space. Also, in colleges especially, it is common to mount the headboards on extenders so that the bed will be elevated, providing space beneath the bed for furniture pieces such as a variety of storage boxes, bed frames, work surfaces, shelves, wardrobe components and the like.
The construction of integrated headboards and furniture pieces is sometimes referred to as modular furniture, which can be arranged in a plurality of configurations. Typically, modular furniture is constructed by mounting beds and furniture pieces directly into the headboards using brackets, screws, bolts, and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONAn aspect of the present disclosure relates to a body defining a first side and a second side and a set of at least three spaced pin channels operably coupled within the body and where pin channels thereof include spaced walls creating a channel there between with horizontal pins located within the channel, wherein the channel is open to allow access to the horizontal pins from both the first side and the second side and wherein the pin channels extend along at least a portion of a height of the headboard and enable height adjustment of objects operably coupled to at least one of the pin channels
Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a modular furniture unit, comprising a first headboard having a first body defining a first exterior side and a first interior side and a set of at least three first spaced pin channels operably coupled within the first headboard and where pin channels thereof include spaced walls creating a channel there between with horizontal pins located within the channel, wherein the channel is open to allow access to the horizontal pins from both the first exterior side and the first interior side and wherein the pin channels extend along at least a portion of a height of the first headboard, a second headboard having a second body defining a second exterior side and a second interior side and where the second headboard is spaced from the first headboard such that the first interior side and the second interior side face each other, the second headboard further includes a set of at least three spaced second pin channels operably coupled within the second headboard and where pin channels thereof include spaced walls creating a channel there between with horizontal pins located within the channel, wherein the channel is open to allow access to the horizontal pins from both the second exterior side and the second interior side and wherein the pin channels extend along at least a portion of a height of the second headboard, and a bed frame spanning between the first interior side of the first headboard and the second interior side of the second headboard and where the bed frame comprises hooks at its first and second ends that are configured to operably couple with at least some of the at least three spaced first pin channels and at least some of the at least three spaced second pin channels and is height adjustable thereon.
In the drawings:
A set of pin channels 16 are included in the headboard 10. The illustrated set of pin channels 16 includes three pin channels 16. It will be understood that while headboard 10 is shown having three pin channels 16, it is possible for the headboard 10 to have more or less than three pin channels 16. For example, additional pin channels 16 could be included depending on the configuration of the crosspieces 22 and resulting open regions 20. Pin channel walls 12 and pins 14 are included in the pin channels 16. The pin channel walls 12 are mounted to the single piece 11 and extend the depth D of the headboard 10. The pin channel walls 12 are spaced apart, creating an open space, or channel 18. A plurality of pins 14 are disposed horizontally within the channel 18. The plurality of pins 14 can be integrally formed with the pin channel walls 12 or otherwise mounted thereto. As shown more clearly in
As illustrated in greater detail in
One difference is that the pin channel walls 112 do not have flanges, as can be more clearly seen in the enlarged portion. Instead, the pin channels 116 are located within openings in the single piece 111 and the pin channel walls 112 are mounted to the single piece 111 with bolts 114a or any other suitable fastener such as screws. The bolts 114a enter side 124 of the single piece 111 and locate horizontally into the pins 114. It is not necessary for every pin 114 to comprise a bolt 114a. The bolts 114a may be spaced evenly along the side 124 of the single piece, or with varying spaces between the bolts 114 as portrayed in
One difference is that the height H of the headboard 210 is greater than that of the headboard 10. The headboard 210 can be used for constructing modular furniture with multiple furniture pieces in the same vertical space including, but not limited to, a variety of storage boxes, bed frames, work surfaces, shelves, and wardrobe components.
To construct the modular furniture, furniture pieces such as the desk 240 have hooks and are hung from the pins 214 in the headboard 210. Since the pin channel walls 212 extend the depth D of the frame and are spaced apart, the pin channels 216 are accessible via two opposite sides of the headboard 210 and the furniture pieces can be hung from either side of the headboard 210. Since the pin channels 216 comprise a plurality of pins 214 disposed horizontally within the channel 218, the furniture pieces are height adjustable along the pin channels 216. Moreover, in the case that the headboard 210 comprises three or more pin channels 216 and the furniture pieces hook onto two adjacent pin channels 216, the furniture pieces can be arranged in different horizontal positions (i.e. the right side or left side of the headboard). The accessibility of opposite sides of the headboard 210, the height adjustability of the furniture pieces, and the horizontal positioning of the furniture pieces allows for numerous configurations for the modular furniture without the use of tools.
Further still, a rod can be attached to the stabilizer rail. Such a rod can allow for unlimited positioning options for the other pieces of the modular furniture to be hung.
To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments can be used in combination with each other as desired. That one feature is not illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments can be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described. All combinations or permutations of features described herein are covered by this disclosure.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and can include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
Claims
1. A headboard, comprising:
- a body defining a first side and a second side;
- a set of spaced pin channels operably coupled within the body and where pin channels thereof include spaced walls creating a channel there between with horizontal pins located within the channel, wherein the channel is open to allow access to the horizontal pins from both the first side and the second side and wherein the pin channels extend along at least a portion of a height of the headboard and enable height adjustment of objects operably coupled to at least one of the pin channels.
2. The headboard of claim 1 wherein the set of spaced pin channels includes three spaced pin channels.
3. The headboard of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a set of components that are operably coupled.
4. The headboard of claim 3 wherein the height of the headboard is configured to provide a lofted bed utilizing two stacked components that are operably coupled.
5. The headboard of claim 4, further comprising a set of H-shaped connectors configured to operably couple the two stacked components.
6. The headboard of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a single piece of material.
7. The headboard of claim 6 wherein the body comprises a set of openings defining a set of crosspieces defined there between.
8. The headboard of claim 7, further comprising an insert panel configured to fit within at least one opening of the set of openings.
9. The headboard of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a set of vertical openings and each pin channel of the set of pin channels is located within a corresponding of the set of vertical openings.
10. The headboard of claim 9 wherein each pin channel further comprises flanges extending perpendicularly from the spaced walls.
11. The headboard of claim 1 wherein the height of the headboard is configured to provide a single bed or a lofted bed.
12. A modular furniture unit, comprising:
- a first headboard having a first body defining a first exterior side and a first interior side and a set of at least three first spaced pin channels operably coupled within the first headboard and where pin channels thereof include spaced walls creating a channel there between with horizontal pins located within the channel, wherein the channel is open to allow access to the horizontal pins from both the first exterior side and the first interior side and wherein the pin channels extend along at least a portion of a height of the first headboard;
- a second headboard having a second body defining a second exterior side and a second interior side and where the second headboard is spaced from the first headboard such that the first interior side and the second interior side face each other, the second headboard further includes a set of at least three spaced second pin channels operably coupled within the second headboard and where pin channels thereof include spaced walls creating a channel there between with horizontal pins located within the channel, wherein the channel is open to allow access to the horizontal pins from both the second exterior side and the second interior side and wherein the pin channels extend along at least a portion of a height of the second headboard;
- a bed frame spanning between the first interior side of the first headboard and the second interior side of the second headboard and wherein the bed frame comprises hooks at its first and second ends that are configured to operably couple with at least some of the at least three spaced first pin channels and at least some of the at least three spaced second pin channels and is height adjustable thereon.
13. The modular furniture unit of claim 12, further comprising a stabilizer rail operably coupled to a rear pin channel of the first pin channels and a rear pin channel of the second pin channels and configured to provide stability to the modular furniture unit.
14. The modular furniture unit of claim 12 wherein the stabilizer rail comprises a set of openings that are configured to receive hooks of a secondary piece of modular furniture.
15. The modular furniture unit of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first body or the second body comprises a set of components that are operably coupled.
16. The modular furniture unit of claim 15 wherein heights of the first headboard and the second headboard are configured to provide a lofted bed utilizing two stacked bodies that are operably coupled.
17. The modular furniture unit of claim 16, further comprising a set of H-shaped connectors configured to operably couple the two stacked components.
18. The modular furniture unit of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first body or the second body comprises a single piece of material.
19. The modular furniture unit of claim 12 wherein heights of the first headboard and the second headboard are configured to provide a single bed or a lofted bed.
20. The modular furniture unit of claim 12, further comprising a secondary furniture piece operably coupled to one of the first interior side of the first headboard, the first exterior side of the first headboard, the second interior side of the second headboard, or the second exterior side of the second headboard.
21. The modular furniture of claim 20 wherein the secondary furniture piece includes a desk, a tray, or a cubby.
Type: Application
Filed: May 31, 2017
Publication Date: Dec 14, 2017
Inventors: Gregory John Winer (Kentwood, MI), Steven Meier (River Forest, IL), Nathan M. Cool (Chicago, IL)
Application Number: 15/609,417