GB2570986A

GB2570986A - Bed for a caravan or motorhome

Info

Publication number: GB2570986A
Application number: GB1820252.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cunningham Paul
Original assignee: Swift Group Ltd
Current assignee: Swift Group Ltd
Priority date: 2017-12-13
Filing date: 2018-12-12
Publication date: 2019-08-14
Also published as: GB201720792D0; GB201820252D0

Abstract

A sofa bed comprising a rear support 16 fixedly attachable to a wall W of a caravan or motorhome, a seat cushion 10 and a base unit 14 adapted to slide between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration, a back cushion 12 movable between a first and second positions in sofa and bed configurations respectively. In the sofa configuration, the seat cushion is supported by the base unit, the back cushion sits substantially upright on the seat cushion. In bed configuration, the seat cushion is supported by the base unit, the back cushion is supported by the rear support, the seat cushion lies substantially coplanar with the back cushion. The back cushion may pivot between seat and bed configurations. A storage area 26 may be provided in the base unit, underneath the seat cushion. The rear support may comprise a projection 18 and provide a venting for a heating system.

Description

Bed for a Caravan or Motorhome

The present invention relates to a bed for a caravan or motorhome, and particularly to a bed that is convertible to a sofa or travelling seat, and vice versa.

Caravans and motorhomes typically comprise sofas and travelling seats that can be converted into beds and vice versa. Typically to use the bed as a single bed the bed is not deployed. In their most basic form, a back rest is removed from the sofa to increase surface area of the base cushion, providing a single bed. The bed is deployed to create a double bed. The conversion from sofa to double bed typically requires pulling out at least part of a bed frame that is stowed away in the caravan or motorhome, and placing bed cushions on the frame. The conversion typically requires a reconfiguration of the sofa cushions to form the bed base, but may also rely on additional pieces in some more complicated bed configurations, for example when two sofa units are perpendicular to one another.

An example of a typical sofa bed for a caravan or motorhome comprises a base frame having a series of wooden slats that extend between and are supported on two parallel wooden side rails. The sofa can be converted into a bed by pulling out a second series of wooden slats that have been stowed adjacent to the sofa. When the wooden slats of the bed are pulled out, they are supported partly by the frame of the sofa. In other constructions, a base frame comprises two assemblies of wooden slats that are interspaced in the sofa configuration, and the first assembly of wooden slats is extended away from the second set when the sofa is converted into a bed, with support from a drop down leg. Disadvantages associated with conventional caravan bed systems include it being difficult to convert the sofa into a bed, and that there is poor access to under-bed storage. Furthermore, the systems typically comprise many components, and as a result are laborious to construct.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows.

According to the invention, there is provided a sofa bed for a caravan or motorhome comprising a seat cushion, a back cushion, a base unit and a rear support, wherein the rear support is fixedly attachable to a wall of a caravan or motorhome, and wherein the seat cushion and the base unit are adapted to move between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration and the back cushion is movable between a first position in which the sofa bed is in the sofa configuration and a second position in which the sofa bed is in the bed configuration, wherein, in the sofa configuration, the seat cushion is supported by the base unit and the back cushion sits substantially upright on the seat cushion, and wherein, in the bed configuration, the seat cushion is supported by the base unit and the back cushion is supported by the rear support, and the seat cushion lies substantially coplanar with the back cushion.

The seat cushion and the base unit may be adapted to slide between the sofa configuration and a bed configuration. The sofa bed may be a travelling seat for a motorhome.

The movement of the back cushion between the first and second positions may be a pivoting movement, in which the back cushion is pivotable between the first and second positions. The movement of the back cushion between the first and second positions may be a pivoting and sliding movement.

Alternatively, the back cushion may not be permanently connected to the base unit or rear support, instead, the cushion may be left loose, so that it is a non-pivotable cushion, allowing the user to simply move the cushion between the seat and sofa configurations.

The features of the slidable base unit and seat cushion and the pivotable back cushion allow the sofa bed to be converted from the sofa configuration to the double bed configuration in a single action, thereby requiring minimal effort from the user.

The features of the slidable base unit and seat cushion and the non-pivotable back cushion allow the sofa bed to be quickly converted from the sofa configuration to the single or double bed configuration.

The non-pivotable back cushion may have a connection that connects the non-pivotable back cushion to the base unit, rear support, or seat cushion. The connection may be a quick release connection, allowing the user to quickly switch between the sofa configuration, and the single or double bed configuration. The connection may be a complex rigid metallic part, or a simple fabric strap.

Preferably, the sliding of the base unit and seat cushion cause the back cushion to pivot and translate. The sofa bed may comprise a bar attached via pivots to each of the seat cushion and the back cushion, such that sliding of the seat cushion causes the pivoting and translating of the back cushion.

The sofa bed may comprise a sliding mechanism for sliding the base unit and seat cushion. The sliding mechanism may be provided on the base unit. The sliding mechanism may allow the base unit to slide along the floor of the caravan or motorhome between the position of the base unit in the sofa configuration and the position of the base unit in the bed configuration. The seat cushion may lie on the base unit and may slide with the base unit.

The sliding mechanism may comprise a wheel. The wheel may be for rolling along a floor of a caravan or motorhome, or along a rail. The rail may be in the floor of the caravan or motorhome. The sliding mechanism may be self-supporting, the sliding mechanism comprising the rail. The sliding mechanism may comprise a rail and a bearing. The sliding mechanism may allow the base unit and seat cushion to slide in a direction perpendicular to a long edge of the sofa bed.

Alternatively, the sliding mechanism may comprise an telescopic type runner. The telescopic type runner may have additional mechanism that deploys the bed front down onto the floor at the end of the runners extension motion. This embodiment may eliminate the need for a wheel or track system, allowing the bed front to not drag on the floor, or loose laid carpet, prior to it reaching its final resting place.

The rear support may comprise a projecting flange for supporting the back cushion in the bed configuration. In the sofa configuration, the back cushion may rest against the rear support and the base unit may lie adjacent the rear support. To convert the sofa bed into a sofa, the base unit may slide away from the rear support, leaving a space between the base unit and the rear support. The back cushion may extend across this space in the bed configuration, being supported along a front edge by the base unit and being supported along a rear edge by the rear support.

The rear support may provide a venting for a heating system in the caravan or motorhome. The rear support may be adapted to allow air to flow between the sofa bed and the wall of the caravan or motorhome. The back cushion may be adapted to allow air to flow between the sofa bed and the wall of the caravan or motorhome. Preferably, the back cushion may comprise a rigid rear part that bears against the rear support in the sofa configuration. The rigid rear part may comprise one or more fins that may rest against the rear support, wherein air can flow between the fins.

The base unit may comprise a front panel for supporting the seat cushion at a front edge of the seat cushion. The front panel may comprise a decorative finish. The decorative finish may be a layer that covers an exterior surface of the front panel. The base unit may comprise edging that supports the edges of the seat and back cushions. Alternatively, the base unit may comprise a cross beam for supporting the seat cushion at a rear edge of the seat cushion. The cross beam may also be for supporting a front edge of the back cushion when the back cushion is moved into the position in which it lies flat, in the bed configuration.

The sofa bed may comprise a storage area. The storage area may be provided in the base unit, underneath the seat cushion. The storage area may be accessible by lifting or pivoting the seat cushion. The base unit may be substantially hollow, providing the storage area. The base unit may comprise one or more dividing walls, thereby forming two or more hollow compartments within the base unit, providing the storage area. The one or more dividing walls may provide support to the seat cushion.

The base unit may comprise a pivoting mechanism for rotating the seat cushion to provide access to the storage area. The base unit may comprise a support for supporting the seat cushion in the open position. This may allow users to have easy access to the contents of the storage area. In both the sofa configuration and the bed configuration, the storage unit may be accessible whilst the back cushion remains in its position. This may provide the advantage that a user can gain full access to the storage area without needing to remove the back cushion.

The base unit and seat cushion and the pivotable back cushion may be pivotable between different orientations in the sofa configuration. This may provide different reclining modes for the back cushion, with respect to the base unit and seat cushion. The back cushion may comprise means for controlling the pivoting movement, preferably comprising a ratchet. The means for controlling the pivoting movement may comprise a fixed position freely rotating wheel present below the base unit. The base unit may comprise a moulded feature on the base unit’s underside, that traverses the fixed position freely rotating wheel to alter the relative positions of the base unit and seat cushion and the pivotable back cushion. Alternatively, the means for controlling the pivoting movement may comprise an actuator for controlling the ratchet. The actuator may be a Bowden cable. The actuator may be operated by a button, preferably mounted on a side or front of the sofa bed. This may secure the back cushion in the desired orientation.

For instances whereby a single fixed position bench seat is required, the pivoting and deployment mechanisms may be completely removed, in order to simplify the design.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a sofa bed in a sofa configuration;

Figure 2 shows a section view of the sofa bed in the sofa configuration

Figure 3 shows a section view of the sofa bed in a bed configuration;

Figure 4 shows a cut-away view of the sofa bed with the cushions and rear support removed;

Figure 5 shows a perspective rear view of the sofa bed, with the rear support removed;

Figure 6 shows a side view of another embodiment of sofa bed in a sofa configuration;

Figure 7 shows a section view of the sofa bed in the sofa configuration

Figure 8 shows a section view of the sofa bed in a bed configuration with the cushion raised;

Figure 9 shows a cut-away view of the sofa bed; and

Figure 10 shows a perspective rearview of the sofa bed, with the rear support removed;

As shown in figures 1 and 2, the sofa bed comprises a seat cushion 10 and a back cushion 12. The seat cushion 10 lies substantially parallel to the floor F of the caravan or motorhome in use, while the back cushion 12 sits substantially perpendicularly to the seat cushion 10 and the floor F.

The seat cushion 10 is supported on a base unit 14. The back cushion 12 sits on the seat cushion 10 and lies against a rear support 16 which is attached to a wall W of the caravan or motorhome. The back cushion 12 comprises an injection moulded structure that incorporates vent holes at a lower region to assist in ventilating the base of the sofa bed.

The sofa bed can be converted to a bed configuration by sliding out the seat cushion 10 and base unit 14 in a direction perpendicular to the long edge of the sofa bed, away from the wall W of the caravan to which the rear support is attached 16. As shown in figure 3, when the sofa bed is in the bed configuration, the seat cushion 10 and the back cushion 12 form the bed cushions. The seat cushion 10 remains in the same orientation as in the sofa configuration, supported by the base unit 14, and the back cushion 12 pivots so that it lies flat with the seat cushion 10. As shown in figure 3, in the bed configuration, the back cushion 12 is supported at a rear edge by a projection 18 from the rear support. Sliding out the seat cushion 10 and base unit 12 leaves a space between the rear edge of the seat cushion 10 and the rear support 16. The back cushion 12 pivots to lie flat in the space. The distance that the base unit 14 and seat cushion 10 slide out corresponds to the length of the back cushion 12.

The base unit 14 comprises a bottom panel 20, a front panel 22 and a mesh back 24. The bottom panel 20 may be a polypropylene honeycomb panel or a similar laminate construction comprising various layers of material to form a lightweight sandwich structure. The bottom panel 20, front panel 22 and mesh back 24 are arranged to define a storage area 26, as shown in figure 4. The bottom panel 20 forms a base of a drawer and comprises a rear lip 28 to which the mesh back 24 is attached. The front panel 22, bottom panel 20 and mesh back 24 extend along the length of the sofa bed, providing a storage area 26 underneath the seat cushion 10 that extends the length of the seat cushion 10. The mesh back 24 provides access to the storage area 26 from the rear of the base unit 14.

A top surface 30 of the front panel 22 provides support for the seat cushion 10, at the front edge of the seat cushion 10. The base unit 14 also comprises a cross-beam 32 that provides support for the seat cushion 10 when the sofa bed is in the sofa configuration and the bed configuration, as shown in figures 1-3. The cross beam 32 may be a polypropylene honeycomb composite cross beam or a similar laminate construction comprising various layers of material to form a lightweight sandwich structure. The cross-beam 32 extends across the length of the bed. As shown in figure 2, in the sofa configuration, a portion 34 of the cross beam 32 is received on the projection 18 of the rear support.

As shown in figures 1 and 5, the base unit 14 comprises a sliding mechanism 36 for allowing the base unit to slide along the floor of the caravan or motorhome, between a position in which the sofa bed is provided in the sofa configuration and the position in which the sofa bed is provided in the bed configuration. The sliding mechanism 36 comprises a wheel 38 which can roll along a rail in order to slide the base unit 14 out into the bed configuration. In other examples, the sliding mechanism may comprise a bearing and a rail.

The front panel 22 of the base unit 14 comprises an opening 40, shown in figure 3, which forms a handle for a user. The user can pull the handle in order to slide out the base unit 14 and seat cushion 10 to convert the sofa bed from the sofa configuration to the bed configuration.

The back cushion 12 has a structure comprising an injection moulded rigid rear part 42 that bears against the wall W of the caravan or motorhome, seat cushion 10 and the rear support 16 in the sofa configuration and bears against the projection 18 of the rear support 16 and the base unit 14 in the bed configuration. The rear part 42 of the back cushion 12 and the rear support 16 are multifunctional in that they also provides venting for a heating system in a caravan or motorhome, and the geometry of the back cushion 12 and rear support 16 are optimised for this purpose. The rear part 42 of the back cushion comprises fins 44 that bear against the rear support, wherein air may flow between the fins to provide venting.

The seat cushion 10 can be lifted in order to provide access to the storage area 26. The sofa bed comprises a swing arm 45, shown in figures 1 and 2, that is pivotably connected at a first end 46 to a side panel 48 of the base unit 14 and at a second end 50 to a side of the seat cushion 10. The first end 46 is connected to the side panel 48 toward a front edge of the side panel 48, adjacent the front panel 22. When a front end of the seat cushion 10 is lifted, the swing arm 45 pivots at the first end 46 around the connection to the base unit 14 and the seat cushion 10 rotates around the pivot at the second end 50 of the swing arm 45, causing the seat cushion 10 to slide forward as it rotates, providing access to the storage area 26. Because the pivoting motion is provided by the swing arm 45, instead of merely by a pivoting around a back end of the seat cushion, the rear edge of the seat cushion 10 slides forwards while moving, so that the back cushion 12 does not ride up or interfere with the movement of the seat cushion 10. A region 52 of the bottom surface of the seat cushion 10, towards the back end, is curved, to allow the seat cushion 10 to rotate as it slides, instead of abutting against the cross-beam 32.

The swing arm 45 may comprise a ratchet mechanism, such that the seat cushion 10 can be held open, allowing a user to easily access the storage area 26. The seat cushion 10 can be lifted both when the sofa bed is in the sofa configuration and when the sofa bed is in the bed configuration.

Figures 6-10 show a second embodiment of a sofa bed comprising a seat cushion 110 and a back cushion 112. The seat cushion 110 is supported on a base unit 114 and the back cushion 112 sits on the seat cushion 110. The sofa bed comprises a rear support 116 which is attachable to a wall W of the caravan or motorhome and that incorporates vent holes to assist in ventilating the base of the sofa bed, as shown in figure 10.

As for the first embodiment of the invention, the sofa bed can be converted to a bed configuration by sliding out the seat cushion 110 and base unit 114 in a direction perpendicular to the long edge of the sofa bed, away from the wall W of the caravan to which the rear support is attached, as shown in figures 8 and 9. In the bed configuration, the seat cushion 110 and the back cushion 112 form the bed cushions; the back cushion 112 is supported at a rear edge by a projection 118 from the rear support 116.

The sofa bed comprises a pivot arm 119 that is connected at a first end 121 to the back cushion 112 and pivotally connected at a second end 123 to a connecting means on the base unit 114. The second end 123 of the pivot arm is detachable from the base unit 114. The back cushion can be removed from base unit 114 by detaching the pivot arm from the base unit so that the sofa bed can be used as a single bed. The back cushion 112 is pivotable between different orientations in the sofa configuration, as shown in figures 6 and 7, thereby providing different reclining modes for the back cushion, with respect to the base unit and seat cushion.

The base unit 114 is similar to the base unit 14 of the first embodiment, and comprises a bottom panel 120, a front panel 122 and a mesh back 124 arranged to define a storage area 126 that extends the length of the seat cushion 110. A top surface 130 of the front panel 122 provides support for the seat cushion 10, at the front edge of the seat cushion 10.

The base unit 114 comprises a sliding mechanism 136 for allowing the base unit 114 to slide between a position in which the sofa bed is provided in the sofa configuration and the position in which the sofa bed is provided in the bed configuration. The sliding mechanism 136 is a telescopic type runner.

As shown in figures 6 and 7, the sofa bed further comprises means for altering the reclining mode of the seat cushion 110. The means for altering the reclining mode comprises a wheel 137 provided on the base unit 114 and a projection 139 provided on a bottom surface of the seat cushion 110. The projection 139 comprises a curved surface 141 that provides receiving portions 143 for receiving the wheel 137 at different heights. The wheel 137 can move along the curved surface 141 of the projection 139 into the different receiving portions 143, thereby allowing the inclination angle of the seat cushion 110 to be altered.

The back cushion 112 has a structure comprising an injection moulded rigid rear part 142 that bears against the wall W of the caravan or motorhome in the sofa configuration and bears against the projection 18 of the rear support 16 and the base unit 14 in the bed configuration. The rear part 142 of the back cushion 112 and the rear support 116 provides venting for a heating system in a caravan or motorhome; the rear part 142 of the back cushion 112 comprises fins 144, wherein air may flow between the fins to provide venting.

The seat cushion 110 can be lifted in order to provide access to the storage area 126, as shown in figure 8. The seat cushion 110 can be lifted both when the sofa bed is in the sofa configuration and when the sofa bed is in the bed configuration. The sofa bed comprises a similar mechanism to that described in relation to the first embodiment, for lifting the seat cushion 110 for access to the storage area 126.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features 5 and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each 10 feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, 15 or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A sofa bed for a caravan or motorhome comprising a seat cushion, a back cushion, a base unit and a rear support, wherein the rear support is fixedly attachable to a wall of a caravan, wherein the seat cushion and the base unit are adapted to slide between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration and the back cushion is movable between a first position when the sofa bed is in the sofa configuration and a second position when the sofa bed is in the bed configuration, wherein, in the sofa configuration, the seat cushion is supported by the base unit and the back cushion sits substantially upright on the seat cushion, and wherein, in the bed configuration, the seat cushion is supported by the base unit and the back cushion is supported by the rear support and the seat cushion lies substantially coplanar with the back cushion.

2. The sofa bed according to claim 1, further comprising a sliding mechanism for sliding the base unit and seat cushion between the sofa configuration and the bed configuration, wherein the sliding mechanism comprises a telescopic type runner.

3. The sofa bed according to claim 1, further comprising a sliding mechanism for sliding the base unit and seat cushion between the sofa configuration and the bed configuration, wherein the sliding mechanism comprises a wheel for rolling along a floor of a caravan or motorhome, or along a rail in the floor of the caravan or motorhome.

4. The sofa bed according to claim 1, further comprising a sliding mechanism for sliding the base unit and the seat cushion between the bed configuration and the sofa configuration, wherein the sliding mechanism comprises a rail and a bearing.

5. The sofa bed according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the back cushion is pivotable between the seat and bed configuration.

6. The sofa bed according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the back cushion is removably connected to the base unit, rear support, or seat cushion.

7. The sofa bed according to claim 5, wherein the sliding base unit and seat cushion and the pivotable back cushion are pivotable with respect to each other, to produce discrete levels of recline.

7. The sofa bed according to any preceding claim, further comprising a storage area provided in the base unit, underneath the seat cushion.

8. The sofa bed according to claim 4, wherein the storage area is accessible by lifting the seat cushion.

9. The sofa bed according claim 4, wherein the base unit comprises a pivoting mechanism 5 for pivoting the seat cushion to provide access to the storage area.

10. The sofa bed according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the base unit comprises a support for holding the seat cushion in an open position, providing access to the storage area.

10

11. The sofa bed according to any preceding claim, wherein the back cushion is pivotable between different orientations in the sofa configuration, the back cushion comprising a ratchet for controlling the pivoting movement.