Abstract:
A rocking bed foundation includes an upper frame supported on rollers over a lower frame such that the upper frame can support a mattress for transverse reciprocal movement under the influence of a driver mounted within the foundation and further such that the upper frame can be locked to prevent movement when the driver is disengaged.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional patent applications No. 62/307,482, filed Mar. 12, 2016 and No. 62/368,830, filed Jul. 29, 2016, both of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention replaces a user&#39;s foundation or box spring and enables the user to be gently rocked to sleep with provision for locking the mechanism in place when rocking is not desired. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    People enjoy being rocked to sleep. Every baby in the world has at one time or another been rocked to sleep. As people get older and bigger, and being rocked to sleep is not feasible because it requires bigger machinery to rock bigger bodies. In the prior art, others have implemented beds that rock back and forth actuated with various mechanisms. However none of them have implemented pinch point protection with soft fabric covers, nor have they implemented braking systems. Further, many of the other inventions included a specialized bed frame. Other attempts to provide a suitable rocking bed have hard moving parts on the outside which allows fingers to inadvertently enter into possible pinch points. Prior devices also allow continual movement as they do not have braking systems to prevent a moving bed from moving when movement is unwanted. The known devices in many instances force the user to replace their current furniture or bed frame even though in many cases a user will want to retain their current style furniture and will not want to replace their bed frame Just to achieve the functionality of rocking back and forth. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    My Invention solves the following problems: 
         [0005]    1. The need to replace a current bed frame.- Just because someone wants their bed to rock, does not mean that they want to replace their furniture to achieve this functionality. My rocking bed invention is designed to replace the box spring as a mattress foundation rather than a bed frame. This embodiment replaces the user&#39;s current box spring and it is placed on a regular bed frame to solve the problem of being able to rock an adult back and forth to sleep without having to replace their furniture 
         [0006]    2. Motion prevention when unit is turned off via a motion prevention system. Previous rocking beds design that are motorized or not, such as those that freely swing on pendulum mechanism, or those on different types of rollers lack mechanisms to prevent the moving bed from moving or in embodiments where there is a motor, when the motor is turned off. This lack of motion prevention creates a problem, in that a bed that is designed to move also needs to be designed to not move. If it does not have a braking mechanism, when one person moves in bed, the entire bed will move waking up the other person. In my invention, through the implementation of a braking system which could take the form of one or multiple of the following: an encoder maintaining position with servo motor or physical block such as a pin and in case of a motor, including a deactivation switch, the rocking motion of the bed would automatically be prevented when the motor was not turned on. 
         [0007]    Other rocking beds that create movement do not have mechanisms to prevent unwanted movement in the system so that when one partner rolls over it disturbs the others in the bed. My invention prevents unwanted movement. 
         [0008]    3. Pinch point solution via soft flexible cover- Other rocking bed embodiments have been created in such a way that the moving parts are on the outside of the unit. They are also hard thus you have hard parts moving in an area where fingers and human body parts can get in trapped, pinched, and hurt. In my invention, because it is not a bed frame but rather a replacement for a box spring, the moving mechanisms are wrapped in the same way that typical box springs are wrapped, with a fabric protective cover. This fabric protective cover is designed to stretch as the box spring actuates. This fabric acts as a protective layer to prevent access to pinch points which are inset into the unit. 
         [0009]    4. Multi-layer fabric protective cover creating a clean look, while also preventing access to moving parts. One rocking bed embodiment will have a protective cover of which the part of the cover that covers the “side” of the unit is made of multiple layers of fabric both stretchable and non-stretchable. These side fabric layers are arranged in such a way so that the outside layer of fabric is more flexible to draw tight and present a clean “normal box spring” appearance while the inner layer of fabric is made from non-elastic material, loosely “billowed”. This billowing or pleating of the fabric will provide the extra fabric needed to allow the bed to freely actuate, but because it is made from non-stretchable material, will prevents body parts from accessing the pinch points within the unit, as the will not be enough fabric to allow a foreign object to reach the moving parts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Referring to the drawings which are appended hereto and which form a portion of this disclosure, it may be seen that: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of one embodiment of my rocking mattress support; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a detail view of a first embodiment of a braking mechanism using serrated engagement blocks; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a detail view of a second embodiment of a braking mechanism using a caliper brake; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a detail view of a third embodiment of a braking mechanism using a pin brake; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a detail view of a protective cover; and, 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a schematic of the control components. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    One or more of the above objects can be achieved, at least in part, by providing the rocking bed frame  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Rocking bed frame  10  includes a lower frame  11  which engages the standard rails of a conventional bed frame, not shown. Lower frame  11  includes a closed outer frame member  12  and a plurality of transverse frame members  13 . Outer frame  12  and transverse frames  13  may be made from steel or aluminum and may be connected by welding or may be connected by suitable connections which would include elastomeric cushioning and sound damping components. Likewise outer frame  12  may include elastomeric cushions about its length and width to engage the conventional bed frame to prevent slippage and provide sound attenuation. Also provided is an upper frame  14  which is constructed in the same manner as lower frame  11  and includes an upper closed outer frame  12 ′ and upper transverse frame members  13 ′. It should be noted that outer frames  12  and  12 ′ need not be closed, however, it is believed that superior rigidity and stability can be achieved if the outer frame is closed. It should further be understood that outer frame  12  may be “closed” by providing a transverse member  13  at each end of opposing outer frame members. 
         [0021]    As may be seen in the figures, at least two of the upper transverse frame members  13 ′ are provided with carriages  16  spaced apart along the length of the at least two upper frame members  13 ′. Each carriage  16  carries a pair of rollers  17 , which may be polyurethane, delrin or some other suitable material, mounted to engage the upper surfaces of an inverted V shaped track  18  which mounted on complementary aligned transverse frame members  13 . Thus, it will be understood that lower frame  11  supports upper frame  14  by supporting the rollers  17  on tracks  18 . It is further noteworthy to mention that each track  18  need only extend sufficiently to allow for the desired reciprocal motion of the upper frame  14  relative to the lower frame  11 . It should also be understood that the carriage and rollers may be inverted and mounted to the lower frame  11  with the track  18  likewise inverted and mounted to the upper frame  14 . Further, the rollers  17  are provided with a peripheral lateral flange  17 ′ that subtends below the longitudinal edge of the V shaped track  18  and thus insures that the paired rollers  17  will remain vertically engaged with the track  18 . 
         [0022]    It will be seen in the Figures that a motor  19  is mounted to either the lower frame  11  or upper frame  14 . In the embodiments shown, the motor  19  is a rotary electric motor which has an output drive shaft  21  which carries at least one transvers drive arm  22  to provide eccentric connection to one or more drive rods  23 .. The opposite end of the drive rod  23  is connected to the complementary frame such that as motor  19  rotates, the rotational movement is transferred to reciprocal linear movement of upper frame  14  which carries a mattress. Obviously, the motor  19  is a low speed motor and it is contemplated that the speed can varied using a simple control  25  mounted on a controller console  24  to be placed near the bed. It also to be understood that the console may include a timer  26  to turn the motorl 9  off after a predetermine time. In more sophisticated embodiments, the console may include a chip which allows the user to program the speed and duration of the rocking and any other profile features that may be desired. It should be understood that a rotary motor is only one type of drive that may be used and a linear actuator connected between frames  11  and  14 , a belt or chain drive or worm gear similarly connected may also be used. 
         [0023]    To alleviate problems associated with an unstable mattress when the motor  19  is not in operation, I have provided a brake  26  for the upper frame  14 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , note that at least one of the upper transverse frame members  13 ′ carries a lock block  27  which has a length along the frame member longer than the distance that the frame moves during its reciprocation. The bottom of the lock block  27  is serrated such that a plurality of downwardly opening notches between teeth  28  are formed. Mounted below lock block  27  is movable lock block  29  which can move vertically but is constrained to remain in place horizontally. Movable lock block has complementary teeth and notches. Movable lock block  29  is spring loaded to a downward disengaged position, however, a powered camming wedge  31  is biased to move beneath the movable lock block and urge it upwardly into is position where its notches and teeth engage with those of lock block  27 , thereby locking the upper frame  14  from lateral movement. Camming wedge  31  is retracted by a linear actuator  32  whenever the motor  19  is actuated such that the motor  19  does not work against the brake  26 . 
         [0024]    In a second embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  the serrations on lock block  27  are eliminated and the movable lock block is replaced by a caliper  33  mounted to selectively grasp the lock block  27 . Caliper  33  is normally biased to closed position and is forced to an open position by an actuator  32  whenever motor  19  is actuated. Caliper braking provides braking at any point along the line of travel of the upper frame as opposed to the notched braking of the serrated teeth. 
         [0025]    In a third form of mechanical braking, lock block  27  has an aperture  34  formed transversely of transverse frame member  13 ′ and caliper  33  is replaced by a pin  36  moveable horizontally between a position retracted from said aperture and a position engaged within said aperture. Again the pin  36  is appropriately moved from and into engagement by linear actuator  27  which for example may be connected in parallel with motor  19 , however, in this embodiment upper frame  14  has a single locking position. With each of the forgoing brake devices it should be understood that although they may be electrically operated in conjunction with the driver, they may also be mechanically operated by a lever positioned to extend from the edge of the frame as shown in  FIG. 10 . Lever  40  is mounted to a pivot pin  41  and connected to arm  43  at link pin  42 . Thus as the lever  40  moves about pin  41  arm  43  serves as the actuator for the brake  26 . 
         [0026]    Irrespective of which brake  26  is used, I provide a skirt  37  of material extending from upper frame  14  to lower frame  11  such that no objects, including fingers, toes, limbs, toys, etc. may be inserted between the upper and lower frames to come into contact with any moving part or to become otherwise captured, pinched or enmeshed in the mechanism. The material of skirt  37  may be an elastic or stretchable layer of material or a multiply material with an outer stretchable layer and an inner layer  37 ′which has sufficient material to allow the movement of the frame without stretching or being itself caught in the mechanism. This layer may be billowed or pleated as needed to provide the necessary movement of the upper frame. 
         [0027]    While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain embodiments thereof, and many details have been put forth for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.