Abstract:
An article of furniture and method of using the article that satisfies LEED building credits in the Green Building Rating System, whereby the article has a main chest body having a cavity positioned on the lower portion between two support members and a trundle seat configured to be retractably positioned in said cavity.

Description:
INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/032,125 filed Feb. 28, 2008 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There is increasing knowledge and recognition of the importance of environmentally friendly products. The U.S. Green Building Council of Washington, D.C. (USGBC) is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices. USGBC endeavors to advance structures that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. Members includes building owners and end-users, real estate developers, facility managers, architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, product and building system manufacturers, government agencies, and nonprofits. 
         [0003]    The USBG has published The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ which encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. 
         [0004]    The present invention addresses a specific need in the LEED System. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The “trundle chest” was conceived out of necessity to have a piece of furniture, to be placed in the foyer of a “Green Home.” A “green home” is a house that is constructed and furnished with in accordance with sustainable environmental practices. It is desirable for builders to attain LEED points that contribute to the green building rating system. LEED as described above provides standards in a rating system for environmentally sustainable construction. 
         [0006]    Within the LEED rating system are guidelines entitled LEED for Homes Rating System. Item “IEQ 8” of the Rating System relates to “Contaminant Control”, offers a full lead point for “Indoor Contaminant Control” as follows: 
         [0007]    “Design a space near primary entryway for removing and storing shoes that is separated from living areas (i.e., foyer). This space may not have wall-to-wall carpeting and it must be large enough to accommodate a bench and at least 2 pairs of shoes per bedroom.” 
         [0008]    The present invention provides a furniture piece configured for the Green Home that fulfills the USBG LEED requirement with one piece of furniture placed in the foyer of the house. 
         [0009]    Additional attributes of the furniture article includes, but would not be limited to: 
         [0010]    1. Built with sustainably managed tree farmed wood that may also be certified by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), which is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world&#39;s forests. FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. 
         [0011]    2. Low VOC paint. (Most conventional paints contain high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that produce a breathable gas when applied. The VOCs diminish air quality, and may be detrimental to your health. Today, alternative manufacturing techniques have allowed the development of low- and no-VOC paints that release no, or minimal VOC pollutants, and are virtually odor free.) 
         [0012]    3. Non-toxic (low VOC) water-based glue/adhesives 
         [0013]    4. LEED approved to contribute one full point for the LEED Green Building Rating System. 
         [0014]    The “trundle bench” of the present invention provides a place to sit while removing one&#39;s shoes, and offers space savings with its retractability. In one embodiment, the invention has a single trundle bench. Optionally, there may be two or more benches in a single piece of furniture. 
         [0015]    The present invention also provides a method of obtaining a LEED credit in the Green Building Rating System having the steps of:
       a. providing an article according to the present invention;   b. configuring said article such that there is configuration to store at least two pair of shoes for each bedroom in a residence in which said article is provided;   c. placing the article in a residence; and   d. applying for a LEED credit in the Green Building Rating System based on providing said article to said residence.       
 
         [0020]    In a preferred embodiment, the method includes constructing the article substantially of sustainably managed tree farmed wood. The method also includes finishing the article with low volatile organic compound or no volatile organic compound paint or finish as well as utilization of low volatile organic compound or no volatile organic compound water-based adhesives. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is front perspective view of the article. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1A  is a front view of the article. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the trundle of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2A  is a side perspective view of the article with trundle extended and trundle seat cover open. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the article with trundle extended and trundle seat cover open. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a view of the underside of the chest cavity and trundle. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the trundle and trundle guides. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a close up front view of the chest cavity and the trundle nested therein. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the chest with an individual chest door being opened. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a close up side perspective view showing shoes stored in an individual chest cavity. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]    The present invention is an article of furniture having a chest trundle combination  10  with a chest  11  and a trundle  13 . Chest  11  has a first side panel  31  and a second side panel  32  and a top horizontal surface  30 . Each of side panels  31  and  32  have, on their lower portion a chest leg  23 . Chest  11  has a front face  35 , a plurality of chest door handles  26  each individually connected to a chest door  25 . Each chest door  25  encloses, a “cubby,” an individual chest storage cavity  28  that is accessed when chest door  25  is pivotably opened along chest door hinges  27 . Chest storage cavity  28  preferably stores shoes  29  and may as well store other desired articles. Chest  11  has a chest cavity  12  of suitable size and configuration to accept trundle  13 . The inner portion of chest cavity  12  has a chest mounted trundle guide  21  on each of the two interior regions of cavity  12  bounded by chest first side  31  and chest second side  32 . 
         [0032]    Trundle  13  has a female trundle guide  14  and male trundle guide  33  on each of the first trundle side  38  and second trundle side  36 . Trundle  13  has trundle seat  16  that is pivotably attached to trundle  13  at trundle hinge  17 . Trundle  13  also has trundle interior  20  that is divided into two sections by trundle interior divider  34 . Alternatively, trundle interior  20  may be a single undivided cavity. Trundle  13  also has wheels  15  attached to each trundle leg  22 . Preferably, trundle  13  has four trundle legs  22  each with an attached wheel  15 . Trundle  13  also has at least one trundle knob  18  for moving trundle as desired. In a preferred embodiment, trundle wheels  15  are non pivotable. However, pivotable wheels may be used if desired. Trundle interior  20  is bounded by first trundle side  38  second trundle side  36  and trundle underside  24 . 
         [0033]    Chest  11  has chest cavity  12  that is configured on the lower portion of chest  11 . Chest cavity  12  is of sufficient size and shape to allow for the nesting of trundle  13  that retracts substantially underneath the periphery of chest  11 . Preferably, cavity  12  and trundle  13  are configured and arranged to maximize the size of trundle  13  based on the available space in cavity  12 . 
         [0034]    Trundle  13  extends outward from the periphery of chest  11  using wheels  15  that are attached at the bottom of each trundle leg  22 . Chest  11  has a chest mounted trundle guide  21  on each of the chest first side  31  and chest second side  32 , wherein each chest mounted trundle guide  21  interacts with a complementary male trundle guide  33  that are on each of the first trundle side  38  and second trundle side  36  of trundle  13 . The complementary action of each chest mounted trundle guide  21 , male trundle guide  33 , and female trundle guide  14 , facilitate the extension of trundle  13  outward from chest cavity  12  and retraction into chest cavity  12  as desired. 
         [0035]    Trundle guides  21 ,  33 , and  14 , serve not only to guide the trundle in and out of the cavity as desired, but also to secure trundle  13  to chest  11  in order that trundle  13  does not move out of a suitable extension and a retraction orientation. Additionally, should a user desire to move trundle  13  completely away from chest  11 , trundle guide release  19 , on either side of trundle  13 , will release trundle  13  from its secured orientation and allow the trundle to be moved completely clear of chest  11 . 
         [0036]    Chest  11  is preferably configured with a plurality of chest doors  25  each with at least one chest door handle  26 . Chest door  25  serves as an opening for accessing chest storage cavity  28 . Chest door  25 , when closed also serves as the enclosure and final wall of chest storage cavity  28 . In a preferred embodiment chest storage cavity  28  is configured of suitable size and shape to store a typical pair of shoes  29 . 
         [0037]    Additional variations include a chest with a single row having six storage cavities horizontally in a row. A configuration having two rows with five storage cavities horizontal in a row is also contemplated. 
         [0038]    The specific configuration of the columns and rows may be varied as space and design constraints dictate. 
         [0039]    While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts and dimensions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.