ADJUSTABLE BED SYSTEM AND FRAME

Abstract

An adjustable bed system includes a mattress having a head portion and a foot portion. A panel assembly is provided that has a head panel supporting the head portion of the mattress and a foot panel supporting the foot portion of the mattress. A base module is disposed below and supports the mattress panel assembly. A plurality of legs are removably attached to the base module and extend longitudinally below the mattress panel assembly. An actuator is attached to the base module and has an arm extending to the head panel or the foot panel of the mattress panel assembly for adjusting the angled position of the respective head panel or foot panel of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/743,898, filed on January 10, 2025, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to bed systems and frame assemblies, in particular, frames for adjustable bed systems.

BACKGROUND

Adjustable bed frames support mattresses and users in a variety of adjusted positions, such as reclined sitting positions and elevated leg positions. The different bed positions result in various weight distributions that alter the loads supported by the bed frame. The structure of adjustable bed frames typically makes them designed for a specific sized bed and mattress and they can be difficult to break down for shipping. As such, it would be advantageous to provide an adjustable bed assembly that, among other benefits, is adaptable to different sized beds and more efficiently shipped.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an adjustable bed system and frame that includes a modular structure that may be adaptable for different sized mattresses and may be partially detachable for ease of shipping and installation. The frame includes a base module and legs that may be removably attached to a rigid structure of the base module. The legs extend longitudinally from the base module and establish load paths from the base module to the floor. The base module and supporting legs are disposed below and support a mattress panel assembly. To adjust the mattress panel assembly, a linear actuator may be housed in the base module. An arm of the linear actuator may extend to engage the mattress panel assembly and operate to adjust the angled position of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module. In some examples, the legs may be attached in multiple positions to accommodate different mattress sizes and in some examples, the base module may be adaptable with different sized or types of legs.

According to an implementation, an adjustable bed frame includes a base module and a plurality of legs attached to the base module. The base module has a rigid structure that is disposed below and supports a mattress panel assembly. The legs extend longitudinally from the base module to span below the mattress panel assembly. The legs are configured to establish load paths from the base module to the floor. A linear actuator has a body portion attached to the base module and an arm that extends from the body portion to engage the mattress panel assembly. The linear actuator operates to adjust the angled position of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module.

According to another implementation, an adjustable bed system includes a mattress having a head portion and a foot portion. A panel assembly is provided that has a head panel supporting the head portion of the mattress and a foot panel supporting the foot portion of the mattress. A base module is disposed below and supports the mattress panel assembly. The base module has a perimeter frame structure that is encompassed within edge boundaries of the mattress panel assembly. A plurality of legs are removably attached to the base module and extend longitudinally outward from the perimeter frame structure below the mattress panel assembly and within the edge boundaries of the mattress panel assembly to support the mattress away from a floor. An actuator is attached to the base module and has an arm extending to the head panel or the foot panel of the mattress panel assembly for adjusting the angled position of the respective head panel or foot panel of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module.

In some implementations, the adjustable bed frame includes a mattress panel assembly that has a head panel, a seat panel, and a foot panel arranged longitudinally relative to each other over the base module. The base module, in some examples, supports the seat panel and the arm of the linear actuator attaches to the head panel for angularly moving the head panel relative to the seat panel. In some examples, a second actuator may also be attached to the base module and extend to the foot panel for angularly moving the foot panel relative to the base module. The linear actuator may be configured to move the mattress panel assembly between a flat configuration in which the head panel is substantially coplanar with the seat panel and/or foot panel and an inclined configuration in which the head panel is inclined relative to the seat panel and/or foot panel. In some examples, the adjustable bed frame may also include a linkage that is pivotally attached between the head panel of the mattress panel assembly and a pair of head-end legs of the plurality of legs.

Also, in some implementations, the rigid structure of the base module includes load-bearing members that interconnect laterally between at least two of the plurality of legs. The plurality of legs may include four legs that removably attach to rigid structure of the base module, or in some examples, may include two elongated legs. The plurality of legs may be removably attached to the base module at a first orientation that is configured to support a first mattress size and a second orientation configured to support second mattress size. The legs may support the base module away from the floor. In some examples, the legs may include a leg portion and a pedestal portion, where the leg portion has a beam attached to the base module and extending longitudinally below the mattress panel assembly to the pedestal portion.

Implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the preceding features in various combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an adjustable bed system in a flat configuration.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation view of the adjustable bed system of FIG. 1 having a mattress in the flat configuration.

FIG. 3 is an upper, front perspective view of an adjustable bed system showing the mattress panel assembly removed.

FIG. 4 is an upper, rear perspective view of the adjustable bed system of FIG. 3 with the mattress panel assembly in the inclined configuration.

FIG. 5 shows schematic plan views of an adjustable bed system with a base module having different legs attached in various orientations to correspond with different mattress sizes.

FIG. 6 is an upper, front perspective view of another example of an adjustable bed system showing the mattress panel assembly removed.

FIG. 7 is an upper, front perspective view of yet another example of an adjustable bed system showing the mattress panel assembly removed.

FIG. 8 shows schematic plan views of an adjustable bed system with a base module having different legs attached in various orientations to correspond with different mattress sizes.

FIG. 9 is an upper, front perspective view of another example of a frame for an adjustable bed system.

FIG. 10 is an upper, front perspective view of another example of a frame for an adjustable bed system.

The details of one or more examples of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, advantages, purposes, and features will be apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings, where like reference numerals indicate like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Adjustable bed systems and frames are disclosed herein in various implementations that provide modular structures that may be adaptable for different sized mattresses and may be partially separable or detachable for ease of shipping and installation. For example, the modular design allows the frame to be shipped in a knock-down configuration, reducing packaging volume. Components may be assembled without tools or with minimal fasteners, such as quick-release pins or snap-fit connectors. Also, the different sized mattresses include twin, twin extra-long, full, double, queen, king, and California king, among other standard sizes or custom or otherwise conceivable sizes.

Referring to FIGS. 1-8, an adjustable bed system 100 includes an adjustable bed frame 110 that supports a mattress 102. The adjustable bed frame 110 includes a base module 112, an actuation mechanism 114, and legs 116, 116a-116d that may be removably attached to the base module 112. The base module 112 also generally supports the actuation mechanism 114. The legs 116 extend out longitudinally from the base module 112 and establish load paths from the base module 112 to the floor 118. The base module 112 and legs 116 are disposed below and support a mattress panel assembly 120 that adjustably supports the mattress 102 (FIG. 2). To selectively adjust the position of the mattress panel assembly 120 and the corresponding mattress 102, the actuation mechanism 114, such as one or more actuators 122, may engage the mattress panel assembly 120 and operate to adjust the angled position of the mattress panel assembly 120 relative to the base module 112. For example, the adjustable bed system 100 is reconfigurable between a first or flat configuration (see, e.g., FIG. 2) in which upper surfaces of a head portion 104 and a foot portion 106 of the mattress 102 are substantially coplanar with each other (e.g., level) and a second or inclined configuration (see, e.g., FIG. 4) in which the upper surface of the head portion 104 is inclined relative to that of the foot portion 106 (e.g., remaining level) by being pivoted about a central portion 108 of the mattress 102. The first or reclined position may also be referred to as a horizontal or recumbent configuration or position. The second or inclined configuration may also be referred to as an elevated or sitting configuration or position.

Various directional terms are used to describe various components, features, and functions of the adjustable bed system 100 described herein and may be used in orientation relative to parts of a bed. The term “head” generally refers to a head of a bed, which is the side of a bed at which a person will typically position their head. The term “foot” generally refers to a foot of a bed, which is the side of a bed at which a person will typically position their feet. Directional variations of “head,” such as “head-side” and “head-end” typically refer to components or features nearer to a head of a bed than a foot of the bed. The terms “headward” and “forward” refer to a direction toward the head of the bed. Directional variations of “foot,” such as “foot-side” and “foot-end” typically refer to components or features nearer to a foot of a bed than a head of the bed. The terms “footward” and “rearward” refer to a direction toward the foot of the bed. The terms longitudinal and length are in the direction extending between a head and a foot of the bed. The terms lateral and width are in the direction extending between left and right sides of the bed. Elevational terms, such as upward, upper, downward, lower, and inclined are generally in the nominally vertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mattress panel assembly 120 of the adjustable bed frame 110 includes a head panel 124, a seat panel 126, and a foot panel 128 arranged longitudinally relative to each other over the base module 112. The foot panel 128 is further divided into two panel segments, which may be referred to as an upper-leg panel 130 and a lower-leg panel 132. The head panel 124 generally supports the head portion 104 of the mattress 102, the seat panel 126 generally supports the central portion 108 of the mattress 102, and the foot panel 128 generally supports the foot portion 106 of the mattress 102. In the illustrated example, the panels 124, 126, 128 of the mattress panel assembly 120 are each rectangular panels that span laterally between the left and right sides of the bed frame 110. The rectangular panels may be a wood panel, such as shown in FIG. 4, where the wood may be a solid wood panel, a plywood panel, a composite board, or combinations thereof. In additional examples, one or more of the rectangular panels may include a polymer composite, a metal frame, slats, fabric straps, or combinations thereof. Further, the panels may be covered on the sides and upper mattress support surface with one or more fabric materials to interface with the mattress and provide a desirable aesthetic.

The edges of the adjacent panels 124, 126, 128 of the mattress panel assembly 120, as shown in FIG. 4, may be joined with hinge connectors 134. The hinge connectors 134 have channel sections that engage the adjacent edges of the panels. The channel sections are interconnected with a joint section that is formed by a bulbous side and a C-shaped side, which together allow the adjacent panels to pivot relative to each other. The hinge connectors 134 may be metal extrusions with a constant cross-section along their lengths. The hinge connectors 134 may also be formed in other constructions, such as a living hinge, a fabric hinge, or the like.

As also shown in FIG. 2, the panels 124, 126, 128 of the mattress panel assembly 120 may each include a lower support frame 136 spanning below the rigid rectangular panels. The lower support frame 136, as shown in FIG. 4, has longitudinal members and a lateral member that extends between the longitudinal members to provide additional rigidity to the panel and resist torsional stress on the panels, such as when the head panel 124 or foot panel 128 are in a raised or inclined position. In the flat or reclined position, as shown in FIG. 2, the panels 124, 126, 128 of the mattress panel assembly 120 may rest on the base 112 and the four legs 116. More specifically, the support frame 136 of the panels may rest directly on the upper surfaces of the base 112 and the legs 116. In the implementation shown in FIGS. 1-4, the base module 112 supports the seat panel 126, the pair of head-end legs 116a, 116b support the head panel 124, and the pair of foot-end legs 116c, 116d support the foot panel 128.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base module 112 that is disposed below the mattress panel assembly 120 has a rigid structure that supports the articulation mechanisms of the adjustable bed frame 110. The base module 112 is located at a central area below the mattress 102 and is sized to occupy a significantly smaller area than the mattress 102. The legs 116 are removably attached to the base module 112 and extend longitudinally below the mattress panel assembly 120 (FIG. 2). Accordingly, the legs 116 function to stabilize the base module 112 and disperse the loads on the base module 112 outward in a substantially horizontal direction from the base module to locate the ends of the legs 116 closer to the edges of the mattress 102 than the base module 112.

The rigid structure of the base module 112 may include load-bearing members that interconnect between at least two of the legs 116, such as shown in FIG. 3 with a front member 138a that interconnects laterally between the head-end legs 116a, 116b and a rear member 138b that interconnects laterally between the foot-end legs 116c, 116d. The rigid structure also includes side members 140a, 140b that connect longitudinally between the front and rear members 138a, 138b to form a rectangular perimeter frame structure that surrounds an interior volume. The base module 112 is sized so that the perimeter frame structure is encompassed within the edge boundaries of the mattress panel assembly, which may generally be understood as a vertical boundary around the perimeter edge of the joined panels 124, 126, 128. The base module 112 shown in FIG. 3 also includes interior walls 142 that divide the interior volume defined by the perimeter frame structure and define cavities for the individual actuators 122 and associated electrical components. The base module 112 may, for example, be formed of steel or metal or other rigid material, such as a metal casting or welded metal plates.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the legs 116 support the base module 112 away from the floor, thereby establishing supportive load paths for the mattress along the legs 116 from the base module 112 to the floor. The legs 116, as shown in FIG. 3, are configured to be removably attached to the rigid structure of the base module 112 and extend outward from the perimeter frame structure and are contained within the edge boundaries of the mattress panel assembly. The legs 116 include a leg portion 144 and a pedestal portion 146 that rests on the floor. The leg portion 144 has a generally linear beam with a proximal end removably attached to the perimeter wall structure of the base module 112, such as via openings in the front and rear members 138a, 138b. The proximal ends of the leg portions 144 of the legs 116 may be insertably engaged in the openings and held in the engaged state with clips, clamps, or fasteners to provide the removable attachability. As also shown in FIG. 3, the distal ends of the leg portions 144 each attach to an upper section of the pedestal portions 146, such that the lower sections of the pedestal portions extend downward with a generally conical tapered shape to contact and rest on the floor. It is conceivable that the pedestal portions may be detachable and removable from or otherwise disassembled from the legs, such as for shipping, and may be replaceable, such as with another pedestal portion that has a different height to provide a desired height position of the mattress. Also, in some examples, the legs may include one or more additional pedestal portions, such as at or near the proximal end or at or near an intermediate area of the leg. Further, it is contemplated that one or more pedestal portions may be attached directly to the base module, such as to add an additional load path for supporting the mattress panel assembly.

As further shown in FIG. 3, the legs 116 may be removably and selectively attached to the base module 112 at a first orientation P1 (FIGS. 1 and 5) that is configured to support a first mattress size and may be removably and selectively attached at another orientation to support a smaller or larger mattress, such as a second orientation P2 (FIG. 5) that is configured to support a second mattress size, shown as a smaller mattress, and a third orientation P3 (FIG. 5) that is configured to support a third mattress size, shown as a larger mattress. The first and second orientations may be defined by the legs 116 attached to the base module at different angles, such as shown in FIG. 5 at different azimuth angles (α1, α2) about a generally vertical axis defined by the connection between the base module 112 and the proximal end of the legs. The attachment interface may be limited to two or more fixed attachment angles, such as fixed keyed attachments, or it may allow for attachment at a desired angle within a pivotal range of the leg about the azimuth angle relative to the base module, such as hinged attachment.

Similarly, the removable attachment of the legs 116 allows the legs with a first length L1 to be replaced with longer or shorter legs to extend a sufficient horizontal distance from the base module to support the mattress. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the legs may be replaced with shorter legs with a second length L2 and/or with longer legs with a third length L3, a fourth length L4, or a fifth length L5. In additional examples, the legs may be modified in length to adjust to the desired locations for the pedestal portions of the legs relative to the supported mattress, such as near the corners of the mattress. For instance, the modification of the length may be done via attachment of leg extensions, telescopic adjustment of the leg, or the like. Thus, the legs 116 may be attached to the base module 112 at a desired orientation and/or with legs having a desired length that together are configured for the desired load distribution of the mattress panel assembly 120 and the supported mattress 102 and its various adjusted positions of use. Accordingly, the legs 116 may be configured for a certain mattress to extend diagonally, both longitudinally and laterally, from the base module 112 toward the corners of the supported mattress. Each of the legs 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d and the leg portions thereof may, for example, be formed of steel, other metal, or other rigid material.

Referring to FIG. 4, the base module has an actuator 122 (FIG. 3) attached to the base module 112 and an arm 150 extending to the head panel 124 of the mattress panel assembly for selectively adjusting the angled position of the respective head panel 124 of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module 112. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the base module may have a second actuator 122 attached to the base module 112 and an arm 150 extending to the foot panel 128 (FIG. 4) of the mattress panel assembly for adjusting the angled position of the respective foot panel 128 of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module 112. The actuator may be a linear actuator that has a body portion 152 or cylinder portion attached to the base module and an arm 150 that extends from the body portion 152 to engage the mattress panel assembly. The linear actuator operates to adjust the angled position of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module. The arm 150 of the linear actuator attaches to the head panel 124 for angularly moving the head panel 124 relative to the seat panel 126. For example, the first end of the linear actuator may be pivotably coupled to the head panel 124 and a second end may be pivotably coupled within a cavity of the base module (FIG. 3).

As the actuator 122 is selectively extended and retracted, the head panel 124 is moved relative to the base module 112, so as to move the head portion 104 of the mattress 102 toward the inclined configuration and the flat configuration, respectively. The linear actuator may be configured to move the mattress panel assembly between a flat configuration in which the head panel is substantially coplanar with the seat panel and/or foot panel and an inclined configuration in which the head panel is inclined relative to the seat panel and/or foot panel. The actuator 122 may, for example, be or include a lead screw actuator, ball screw actuator, linear motor, or other type of linear actuator. In other examples, the actuation mechanism or actuator 122 may include rotary actuators, gear-driven linkages, electric motors and gears, pulleys, belts, and/or chains by which force is transferred from the electric motor to raise the panels relative to the base module. The actuator 122 may be controlled in any suitable manner, for example, by having a controller that interfaces with a control device (e.g., a remote control, a smartphone, or the like) or a simple switch that supplies power thereto. For example, control of the actuators may be achieved via wired switches, wireless remote devices, smartphone applications, or voice-activated systems. In some embodiments, the system may include position sensors, memory presets, or integration with smart home platforms.

As referenced above, a first end of the actuator 122 is pivotably coupled to the head panel 124. For example, as shown, the first end of the actuator 122 may be the arm 150 pivotably coupled via a hinge to an intermediate member that protrudes downward from the head panel 124. A virtual pivot axis of the head panel may be positioned above the pivot axis of the hinge and/or below the support panel assembly. As also referenced above, a second end of the actuator 122 is pivotably coupled to the base module 112 in a cavity thereof, so as to be partially housed in the interior volume of the base module, such as with the cylinder entirely contained within the interior volume and the arm partially extending from the interior volume.

The head panel 124 is movably coupled to the seat panel 126 and is movable relative thereto in a predetermined path. For example, as further shown in FIG. 4, the adjustable bed frame 110 may also include a linkage 154 that is pivotally attached between the head panel 124 of the mattress panel assembly and the head-end legs 116a, 116b. The linkage 154 is a two-bar linkage that attaches between the lower support frame 136 of the head panel 124 and a bracket 156 that extends from the side surface of the head-end legs 116a, 116b. Similarly, the upper support foot panel 128 may be movably coupled to the seat panel 126 along a predetermined path, such as via a linkage that is pivotally attached between the foot panel 128 and the foot-end legs 116c, 116d.

The mattress 102 supported by the adjustable bed frame 110 may be formed of one or more foam materials, such as urethane. In one example, the mattress 102 is monolithic with the foam material having generally uniform material properties throughout the head portion 104, the foot portion 106, and the central portion 108. In another example, the mattress 102 is polylithic with the foam material having different material properties within and/or between each of the head portion 104, the foot portion 106, and the central portion 108. In one example, the mattress 102 may decrease in stiffness and/or density moving upward. In yet another example, the mattress 102 is at least partially formed of a hybrid construction with different resilient and compressible materials, such as memory foam, poly-foam, gel, organic batting, latex, or spring coils. In the case of spring coils, the spring coils may be pocket coils (e.g., enclosed in a sheath or other flexible cover or housing) that are embedded in the foam of the mattress 102 (e.g., the foam being formed therearound). The mattress 102 may be a standard size (e.g., twin, extended twin, full or double, queen, king) and, thereby, be a rectangular cuboid with the height, width, and length of the mattress being substantially uniform.

Also, the mattress 102 supported by the adjustable bed frame 110 may further include one or more outer coverings. For example, the mattress 102 may include an upper covering, such as a cover pad, that is coupled to and/or extends over an upper surface of the foam material forming the mattress 102. The mattress 102 may, instead or additionally, include a lower covering, such as a woven material, that is coupled to (e.g., adhered to) and/or extends over a lower surface of the foam material forming the mattress 102. The lower covering may also be referred to as a border fabric. The upper covering and/or the lower covering may further extend over vertical surfaces, or portions thereof, of the head end, foot end, and left and right sides of the mattress 102. The upper covering and/or the lower covering may be considered to form part of the head portion 104 and/or the foot portion 106 of the mattress 102.

Referring to FIG. 6, a variation of the adjustable bed system 200 is provided with an adjustable bed frame 210 that has an alternative base module 212. The base module 212 generally supports the actuators 222 and removably engages the legs 216, which extend out longitudinally from the base module 212 and establish load paths from the base module 212 to the floor. The base module 212 and legs 216 are disposed below and support a mattress panel assembly that adjustably supports the mattress. The base module 212 has a rigid structure that supports the articulation mechanisms of the adjustable bed frame 210 and that includes load-bearing members that interconnect between at least two of the legs 216. As shown in FIG. 6, the base module 212 has two connected pieces that are attached together along longitudinal members 240a, 240b. Each of the connected pieces includes a front member 238a and a rear member 238b that extend laterally from the head-end and foot-end of the respective longitudinal members 240a, 240b. As such, the connected pieces are mirror images of each other across the longitudinal center of the frame 210. The proximal ends of the leg portions 244 of the legs 216 attach to the ends of the front and rear members 238a, 238b. The front members 238a together interconnect laterally between the head-end legs 216a, 216b and the rear members 238b together interconnect laterally between the foot-end legs 216c, 216d. The engaged longitudinal side members 240a, 240b that lie along each other to form a center wall, together with the front and rear members, defines an I-shaped rigid structure. The base module 212 may, for example, be formed of steel or metal or other rigid material, such as a metal casting or welded metal plates.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, another variation of the adjustable bed system 300 is provided with an adjustable bed frame 310 that has an alternative base module 312 and leg configuration. The base module 312 generally supports the actuators 322 and removably engages the legs 316, which extend out longitudinally from the base module 312 and establish load paths from the base module 312 to the floor. The base module 312 and legs 316 are disposed below and support a mattress panel assembly that adjustably supports the mattress. The base module 312 has a rigid structure that supports the articulation mechanisms of the adjustable bed frame 310 and that includes load-bearing members that interconnect between at least two of the legs 316. As shown in FIG. 7, the base module 312 has an integrally formed rigid core piece or structure that has front and rear members 338a, 338b and left-side and right-side longitudinal members 340a, 340b that together surround a central opening having a generally circular or oval shape. Each of the front and rear members 338a, 338b and the side longitudinal members 340a, 340b are concave, so as to form a four-sided star shape. The base module 312 may, for example, be formed of steel or metal or other rigid material, such as a metal casting or welded metal plates.

As shown in FIG. 7, the frame 310 also includes intermediate core brackets 358 that extend longitudinally along the lateral sides of the base module 312. The intermediate core brackets 358 are attached, such as with fasteners, to the corners of the side longitudinal members 340a, 340b. The head end portion and the foot end portion of the intermediate core brackets 358 are angled outward toward the corners of the bed frame and the supporting mattress. The proximal ends of the leg portions 344 of the legs 316 are insertable into and engaged with open ends of the intermediate core brackets 358. Accordingly, the legs 316 engaged with the intermediate core brackets 358 together form two separate leg assemblies that extend longitudinally on opposing sides of the base module 312. In some examples, such as shown in FIG. 8, the leg assemblies or legs 316 may be removably and selectively attached to the base module 312 at a first configuration that is configured to support a first mattress size and may be removably and selectively attached at another configuration to support a smaller or larger mattress. The removable attachment of the legs 316 allows the legs with a first length to be replaced with longer or shorter legs to extend a sufficient horizontal distance from the base module to support the mattress. Similarly, the legs may include different angles, such as the angles of the ends of the intermediate core brackets 358, where the angles allow the common base module to be adapted for different sized mattresses and associated support panels. In additional examples, the legs may be modified in length to adjust to the desired locations for the pedestal portions of the legs relative to the supported mattress, such as near the corners of the mattress. For instance, the modification of the length may be done via attachment of leg extensions, telescopic adjustment of the leg, or the like. Thus, the legs 316 may be attached to the base module having a desired length that, together with the angles, are configured for the desired load distribution of the mattress panel assembly and the supported mattress and its various adjusted positions of use. Accordingly, the legs 316 may be configured for a certain mattress to extend diagonally, both longitudinally and laterally, from the base module 312 toward the corners of the supported mattress.

Referring to FIG. 9, another variation of the adjustable bed system 400 is provided with an adjustable bed frame 410 that has an alternative base module 412 and leg configuration. The base module 412 generally supports any actuators and removably engages the legs 416, which extend longitudinally from the base module 412 and establish load paths from the base module 412 to the floor. The base module 412 and legs 416 are disposed below and support a mattress panel assembly that adjustably supports the mattress. The base module 412, as shown in FIG. 9, has an integrally formed rigid core piece or structure that has left side and right side longitudinal members 440a, 440b and a central member that integrally spans between the side longitudinal members. In this example, the longitudinal members and central member together form an upward-facing C-shaped channel that is defined by a single beam that extends longitudinally relative to the bed frame 410. The base module 412 may, for example, be formed of steel or metal or other rigid material, such as a metal beam.

As also shown in FIG. 9, the legs 416 are removably attached to the side longitudinal members 440a, 440b of the base module 412 and extend longitudinally so as to extend beyond the head end and foot end of the base module 412. The legs 416 support the base module 412 away from the floor, thereby establishing supportive load paths for the mattress along the legs 416 from the base module 412 to the floor. The legs 416 include a leg portion 444 and a pedestal portion 446 that rests on the floor. The leg portion 444 has a generally linear beam with the distal ends extending diagonally from the ends of the base module 412 to each attach to an upper section of the pedestal portions 446, such that the lower sections of the pedestal portions extend downward and outward to contact and rest on the floor. The pedestal portions are detachable and removable from or otherwise capable of being disassembled from the legs, such as for shipping, and may be replaceable, such as with another pedestal portion that has a different height to provide a desired height position of the mattress.

Referring to FIG. 10, another variation of the adjustable bed system 500 is provided with an adjustable bed frame 510 that has an alternative base module 512 and leg configuration. The base module 512 generally supports any actuators and removably engages the legs 516, which extend longitudinally from the base module 512 and establish load paths from the base module 512 to the floor. The base module 512 and legs 516 are disposed below and support a mattress panel assembly that adjustably supports the mattress. The base module 512, as shown in FIG. 10, includes a front member 538a that interconnects laterally between the head-end legs 516a, 516b and a rear member 538b that interconnects laterally between the foot-end legs 516c, 516d. The rigid structure also includes side members 540a, 540b that connect longitudinally between the front and rear members 538a, 538b to form a rectangular perimeter wall structure that defines an interior volume. The base module 512 shown in FIG. 10 also includes an interior wall 542 that divides the interior volume, such as to define areas for the actuators and associated electrical components. The base module 512 may, for example, be formed of steel or metal or other rigid material, such as welded metal beams.

For purposes of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements in the preceding descriptions. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional implementations that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, the terms “first,” “second,” and the like, as used herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to denote one element from another.

Numbers, percentages, ratios, or other values stated herein are intended to include that value, and also other values that are “about” or “approximately” the stated value, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art encompassed by implementations of the present disclosure. A stated value should therefore be interpreted broadly enough to encompass values that are at least close enough to the stated value to perform a desired function or achieve a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of a stated amount.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law. The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. An adjustable bed frame comprising:

a mattress panel assembly configured to adjustably support a mattress;

a base module having a rigid structure disposed below the mattress panel assembly;

a plurality of legs attached to the base module and extending longitudinally from the base module below the mattress panel assembly, the plurality of legs configured to establish load paths from the base module to a floor; and

a linear actuator having a body portion attached to the base module and an arm extending from the body portion to engage the mattress panel assembly for adjusting angled positions of the mattress panel assembly relative to the base module.

2. The adjustable bed frame of claim 1, wherein the mattress panel assembly comprises a head panel, a seat panel, and a foot panel arranged longitudinally relative to each other over the base module.

3. The adjustable bed frame of claim 2, wherein the base module supports the seat panel and the arm of the linear actuator attaches to the head panel for angularly moving the head panel relative to the seat panel.

4. The adjustable bed frame of claim 3, wherein the linear actuator is configured to move the mattress panel assembly between a flat configuration in which the head panel is substantially coplanar with the seat panel and an inclined configuration in which the head panel is inclined relative to the seat panel.

5. The adjustable bed frame of claim 3, further comprising a linkage pivotally attached between the head panel of the mattress panel assembly and a pair of head-end legs of the plurality of legs.

6. The adjustable bed frame of claim 1, wherein the rigid structure of the base module includes load-bearing members that interconnect laterally between at least two of the plurality of legs.

7. The adjustable bed frame of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs includes four legs that removably attach to the rigid structure of the base module.

8. The adjustable bed frame of claim 7, wherein the plurality of legs removably attach to the base module at a first orientation configured to support a first mattress size and a second orientation configured to support a second mattress size.

9. The adjustable bed frame of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs support the base module away from the floor.

10. The adjustable bed frame of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs include a leg portion and a pedestal portion, the leg portion having a beam attached to the base module and extending longitudinally below the mattress panel assembly to the pedestal portion.

11. An adjustable bed system comprising:

a mattress having a head portion and a foot portion;

a mattress panel assembly having a head panel supporting the head portion of the mattress and a foot panel supporting the foot portion of the mattress;

a base module disposed below and supporting the mattress panel assembly, the base module having a perimeter frame structure that is encompassed within edge boundaries of the mattress panel assembly;

a plurality of legs removably attached to the base module and extending longitudinally outward from the perimeter frame structure below the mattress panel assembly and within the edge boundaries of the mattress panel assembly to support the mattress away from a floor; and

an actuator attached to the base module and having an arm extending to the head panel or the foot panel of the mattress panel assembly for adjusting an angled position of the head panel or the foot panel, respectively, relative to the base module.

12. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the actuator is configured to raise the head portion from a flat configuration in which a first upper surface of the head panel and a second upper surface of the foot panel are substantially coplanar and an angled configuration in which the first upper surface is angled relative to the second upper surface.

13. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the actuator comprises a body portion that is at least partially contained in an interior volume defined by the base module.

14. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the arm of the actuator attaches to the head panel for angularly moving the head panel relative to the base module.

15. The adjustable bed system of claim 14, further comprising a second actuator attached to the base module and extending to the foot panel for angularly moving the foot panel relative to the base module.

16. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the actuator is configured to move the mattress panel assembly between a flat configuration in which the head panel is substantially coplanar with the foot panel and an inclined configuration in which the head panel is inclined relative to the foot panel.

17. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the perimeter frame structure includes load-bearing members that interconnect between the plurality of legs.

18. The adjustable bed system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of legs includes four legs that removably attach to the base module at a first orientation configured to support a first mattress size and a second orientation configured to support a second mattress size.

19. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of legs support the base module away from the floor.

20. The adjustable bed system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of legs includes a leg portion and a pedestal portion, the leg portion having a beam attached to the base module and extending longitudinally below the mattress panel assembly to the pedestal portion.