Variable-position headboard for beds, easy chairs and the like

Abstract: Variable-position headboard for beds, easy chairs and the like, comprising in combination at least one fixed bottom vertical surface (2) joined to the base (3a) of the bed and at least one movable top surface (4) hinged on said fixed bottom surface by means of a hinging device (5) so as to be brought from a vertical position substantially coplanar with said bottom surface into a position advanced and inclined backwards with respect to the fixed surface itself.

Description: The present invention relates to a variable-position headboard for beds, easy chairs and the like, which comprises at least one fixed bottom part and at least one top part movable with respect to said bottom part from a position aligned in the same vertical plane into a position displaced forwards and inclined so as to allow the user to rest his/her back. It is known that normal beds and easy chairs are generally provided with a flat vertical headboard or backrest for preventing the user's head making direct contact with or in any case coming close to the wall next to which the bed is arranged. Said headboard has a generally rigid form and does not allow the user to rest his/her back comfortably when in a position other than the prone position, should he/she wish, for example, to make use of the bed itself in a seated or inclined position for reading, consuming food or the like. It is known of devices for moving headboards and/or backrests, which are designed to bring part of the headboard itself into an inclined position so that the user can be supported more comfortably when in the seated position. Said mechanisms of the known type have, however, drawbacks due to the complexity of their structure and the fact that one is required to make the movable part of the headboard perform combined movements in order to keep the bottom edge of the headboard itself resting on the mattress when said headboard is inclined forwards. Such prior art is disclosed in US-A-3 790 973, GB-A-2 183 469, GB-A-2 094 138 and DE-A-39 28 005. The technical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of providing a headboard for a bed or the like which can be arranged in an inclined position so as to allow the user to rest his/her back when not in the prone position. Within the scope of this problem, a further requirement is that the headboard should have operating mechanisms which are of simple and reliable construction and which do not require maintenance so that they may be stably inserted in the upholstery of the headboard, if necessary. These results are achieved by the present invention which provides a headboard for beds or the like, according to the features of claim 1. The parallelogram is hinged on horizontal axes and has one of the two short sides fixed to the bottom surface of the headboard and the other short side joined to the movable top surface of the headboard, while the long sides are hinged on said short sides and transversely connected by stiffening bars. Further details may be obtained from the following description of an example of embodiment of the invention, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the bed with the hinged headboard according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a rear view of the headboard according to Fig. 1; Figure 3 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated by III-III in Fig. 1; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the bed with a part of the headboard displaced forwards; Figure 5 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated by V-V in Fig. 3; Figure 6 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated by VI-VI in Fig. 4; Figure 7 shows application of the headboard according to the invention to a double bed. As illustrated by the Figures, the headboard 1 according to the invention comprises a fixed bottom vertical surface 2, joined to the base 3a of the bed 3, and a movable top surface 4 connected to the bottom surface 2 via a hinging means 5 being a pair of hinged parallelograms arranged at the opposite vertical edges 2a and 4a of the respective surfaces 2 and 4. Said hinged parallelogram 5 has the two short sides formed by two plates 5a respectively joined to the two surfaces, i.e. the fixed bottom surface 2 and the movable top surface 4, respectively. Said plates 5a are provided with pairs of pins 5b which have hinged on them the long sides of the parallelograms 5 consisting of a pair of rods 5c and 5d connected together in the transverse direction by stiffening bars 7 (Fig. 2) substantially extending over the entire width of the two surfaces, i.e. the fixed surface 2 and movable surface 4. Operation of the headboard is performed as follows: when the two surfaces 2 and 4 of the headboard 5 are arranged in the vertical position (Fig. 3), the long sides 5c and 5d of the hinged parallelogram 5 are arranged substantially parallel so as to make contact with one another, in the vertical position, whereas, when the top surface 4 is displaced forwards (Fig. 5) by the user, the two long sides 5c, 5d are arranged in a substantially horizontal position and again in contact so as to cause stoppage of the travel movement of the movable surface. During the displacement from the position shown in Fig. 3 with the surfaces 2 and 4 aligned in the vertical position, into the position shown in Fig. 5 with the top part 4 displaced forwards, the hinged parallelogram 5 causes, owing to the position of its rotational pins 5b, a backwards inclination of said movable part 4 which is performed during the forwards displacement of the movable surface 4 so that, when displacement has been completed, the movable part of the backrest is arranged inclined at a predetermined angle forming a comfortable support for the back of the user who in this case is in a seated position on the bed. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the parallelogram is balanced by means of a spring 8, the opposite ends of which have hooks 8a for attachment to respective pins 9, respectively integral with the top surface and the bottom surface. Figure 7, finally, illustrates the application of the headboard according to the present invention to a double bed; in this case, by keeping separate in the vertical direction the two pairs of surfaces 2 and 4, it is possible to lower part of the headboard, keeping the other part erect in the vertical position, which allows one user to remain in the prone position for sleeping, while the other user is able to remain in the erect position. Many variants may be introduced as regards the realization of the parts which make up the invention, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

Claims: Variable-position headboard for beds, easy chairs and the like, comprising in combination at least one fixed bottom surface (2) joined to the base (3a) of the bed and at least one movable top surface (4) hinged on said fixed bottom surface (2) by means of a hinging device (5) so as to be brought from a position substantially coplanar with said fixed bottom surface (2) into a position advanced and inclined backwards with respect to the fixed bottom surface (2) itself which is located in the vertical position, said hinging device being a hinged parallelogram (5), the short sides of said hinged parallelogram (5) consisting of pairs of plates (5a) respectively joined to the fixed bottom surface (2) and to the movable top surface (4) in the vicinity of the opposite vertical edges, characterized in that said plates (5a) have formed on them pins (9) cooperating with a spring (8) for balancing the hinged parallelogram (5). Headboard according to claim 1 characterized in that said spring (8) is hooked onto said pins (9) through its opposite ends (8a). Headboard according to Claim 1, characterized in that said plates (5a) have pins (5b) for hinging the long sides of the hinged parallelogram (5). Headboard according to Claim 1, characterized in that the long sides of said parallelogram are formed by pairs of rods (5c,5d). Headboard according to Claim 4, characterized in that said rods (5c,5d) are respectively connected together by transverse stiffening bars (7).

Inventors: MESSINA ROSARIO, MESSINA, ROSARIO
Applicants: FLOU SPA, FLOU S.P.A.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A47C19
IPC codes: A47C17, A47C19