AU710244B2 - Body shaped bed - Google Patents

Description

-2- FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bed base, in particular a bed base that can conform to the particular body shape of the person sleeping or lying on the bed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Typical beds for domestic use comprise mattresses that are often placed on a firm, slatted, wooden or other base. The problem with such beds is that the protruding parts of the body of the person sleeping or lying on the bed are subjected to a greater pressure than the remainder of the body, thus causing unevenness in the lying posture. For instance, when lying on one's side, the hips 10 and shoulders will generally protrude lower than the head, waist and legs, thus causing the spine to lie unevenly, and sometimes causing pain in the head and

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neck region, and the hip region. This uneven distribution of weight can also cause discomfort resulting in a lack of sleep. In addition, prolonged pressure on limited regions of the body may lead to pressure sores, particularly in the elderly.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bed base that can be easily configured to conform to the particular body shape of the person sleeping or lying on the bed without requiring complex and expensive mechanical devices or apparatus to do so.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a bed base having a frame, the frame comprising at least opposed side members and opposed end members, the uppermost surfaces of the side members and end members defining an uppermost edge of the frame, the side members being adapted to be capable of receiving and supporting a plurality of slats therebetween, wherein each side member includes a plurality of inwardly facing slots, each slot being capable of receiving one end of a slat, and the slots being arranged in pairs, one in each side member, and wherein, when the ends of each slat are within their respective slots, the slats -3define respective upper surfaces, at least some of the upper surfaces being movable to different positions in relation to the uppermost edge of the frame by the placement, removal or addition of slats.

In relation to the location and movement of the slats, it should to be appreciated that the replacement, removal or addition of the slats as referred to above may actually be achieved by replacing, removing or adding spacers or the like below each end of a slat within the respective slots, thus providing the movement of the upper surface of that slat to differing positions in relation to the uppermost edge of the frame.

Thus, in a preferred form of the invention, where the bed base is defined by a series of parallel slats aligned along the full length of the opposed side members, at least some of the slats may be adjusted in the manner described above to :provide regions (such as the shoulder and hip regions of the bed base) that dip in relation to the uppermost edge of the frame to provide a sleeping or lying surface which is contoured to fit the various protuberances of a person sleeping or lying thereon.

Preferably, the slats are relatively flat and rectangular, while the slots are o upwardly elongated such that the slats may be received therein with their short side facing upwardly to be the upper surface. In this form, the bed base may be 20 provided with a series of slats of differing widths (or long sides as referred to "above) and the slots of a consistent depth, so that a user can remove and replace the slats as necessary, providing contoured regions due to the different width slats.

In another form of the present invention, the slots may be arranged to be laterally elongated such that the slats are received with their long side facing upwardly to be the upper surface, and adjustability may be provided by simply stacking slats (or removing stacked slats) to form a variation in height in relation to the uppermost edge of the frame.

In yet another form of the present invention, the side members may have an upwardly elongated slot in conjunction with a laterally elongated slot, for receiving either an upwardly elongated slat or a laterally elongated slat. Alternatively, the side members may be provided with a series of upwardly elongated slots, each having a laterally elongated slot configured thereacross at the uppermost edge thereof. In this alternative form, the bed base may be converted to a normal bed base by the location of slats laid in the laterally elongated slots, to provide what may be termed as a normally slatted bed base.

Of course, it will be appreciated that various alternatives or combinations of slots, slats and/or spacers may be used as desired, while still being within the scope of *..the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order to assist in the understanding of the invention, a preferred embodiment will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings. However, it must be appreciated that the following description is not to limit the generality of the above description.

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In the drawings: SFigure 1 is a sectional side view of a bed base in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated without a mattress; Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the bed base of Figure 1 showing the connection of some of the slats to the side members; Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the bed base of Figure 1 illustrating a mattress and the outline of a person lying on their side; Figure 4 is an exploded, partial sectional view showing a side beam having a particular configuration of slats within slots; and Figure 5 is an exploded, partial sectional view showing a side beam having a different configuration of slats within slots.

The illustrated embodiment comprises a bed base 11 having a frame comprising opposed side members 15, opposed end members 17 and a series of parallel slats 19 aligned along the full length of the opposed side members.

In the specific embodiment disclosed in the drawings, the end members 17 are also slats 19, while the uppermost surfaces of the side members 15 and end members 17 are used as a reference point for the purpose of this description and are referred to as the uppermost edge 21.

Each side member 15 includes a plurality of inwardly facing slots 23 arranged in pairs, one on each opposed side member. The slots 23 receive the respective t slats 19, and the slats 19 are relatively flat and rectangular. It should be appreciated that it is not essential for the slots 23 to be arranged in pairs, and any acceptable spacing may be used between adjacent slots.

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S 15 The slots 23 and slats 19 are of two types. Those used in the region that t.o: accommodate the protruding regions of the body, such as the shoulder and hip region 29, are upwardly elongated slots 37, while those used in the region for supporting the head and legs 31 are laterally elongated slots 39.

In the region of the bed base 11 that supports the shoulders and hips 29, the slots 23 and slats 19 are shown arranged with their short sides facing upwardly.

The bottom of the slots 23 in this region are lower, in relation to the uppermost edge, than the other regions 31.

In the region of the bed base 11 for supporting the head and legs 31, the slots 23 and slats 19 are arranged with the long sides facing upwardly. The bottom of the slots 23 in this region are shallow enough to allow the top face of the slat 19 to be equal in height to the uppermost edge 21.

-6- The bed base 11 is shown provided with a series of slats 19 of different widths, or long sides, for adjustment in the shoulder and hip region 29. The adjustment is achieved by removal and replacement of a slat 19 by one of different dimensions.

The adjustment allows the upper surface of the slat 19 to be positioned lower than the uppermost edge of the frame 21 and provide a sleeping base that contours to the various protuberances of a person 35 sleeping or lying thereon as generally shown in Figure 3.

In relation to Figure 3, a mattress 33, of any material or type (such as latex or inner spring), may be placed over the slats 19 to provide cushioning, and the weight of the person sleeping or lying on the bed 35 will deform the mattress 33 to a shape as determined by the previous selection of the appropriate slats 19. If discomfort remains, the slats 19 can easily be removed and substituted with others of a different width, or long side.

oooAs illustrated in Figure 4, if a flat bed base is required, the upwardly elongated slots 41 of the bed base may receive more than one upwardly elongated slat 37 to achieve adjustment to be level with the uppermost edge of the frame 21.

Alternatively, and as illustrated in Figure 5, the bed base 11 may have a side member 15 with an upwardly elongated slot 41 in conjunction with a laterally elongated slot 43, for receiving either an upwardly elongated slat 37 or a laterally elongated slat 39. In this respect, it is of course possible to provide a bed base with side members having slots therein which are all configured in this manner.

This should provide the user with a maximum number of slat configuration options.

Finally, it will be appreciated there may be other modifications and variations to the above configurations that are also within the scope of the present invention.

-7- The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A bed base having a frame, the frame comprising at least opposed side members and opposed end members, the uppermost surfaces of the side members and end members defining an uppermost edge of the frame, the side members being adapted to be capable of receiving and supporting a plurality of slats therebetween, wherein each side member includes a plurality of inwardly facing slots, each slot being capable of receiving one end of a slat, and the slots being arranged in pairs, one in each side member, and wherein, when the ends of each slat are within their respective slots, the slats define respective upper surfaces, at least some of the upper surfaces being movable to different positions in relation to the uppermost edge of the frame by the placement, removal or ;.°';addition of slats.

i 2. A bed base according to claim 1 wherein the slots are either laterally elongated, upwardly elongated, or a combination of both.

15 3. A bed base according to claim 1 wherein the slots are upwardly elongated but *have a laterally elongated slot configured thereacross at the uppermost edge of the frame.

4. A bed base according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bed base ;comprises a series of parallel slats aligned along the full length of the opposed side members, at least some of the slats being adjustable to provide regions that dip in relation to the uppermost edge of the frame to provide a sleeping or lying surface which is contoured to fit the various protuberances of a person sleeping or lying thereon.