Folding bed

Abstract

In a bed constructed by placing two folding platforms side by side, the design ensures high stability through the angled legs, avoids interference between the legs at the connecting point, and reliably prevents the platforms from shifting. [Solution] This bed is equipped with a first and a second platform. Each leg is inclined in a V-shape when extended. The legs located on the connecting side are arranged in a staggered manner in the width direction of the top plate. This staggered structure prevents interference between the legs and keeps the platforms close together, while the intersecting legs function as stoppers, physically restricting the separation and displacement of the platforms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foldable bed formed by arranging two bases adjacent to each other, and particularly to a foldable bed that can be assembled extremely easily without using tools in shelters or temporary housing during disasters, and that combines high stability and space-saving storage.

Background Art

[0002] In Japan, where natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and floods occur frequently, improving the environment of shelters where disaster victims temporarily live during disasters has become an urgent and extremely important issue for the country and each local government. The quality of the living environment in shelters directly affects the physical and mental health of disaster victims. In particular, sleeping on a cold and hard floor surface such as in a gymnasium not only increases physical and mental stress, but is also pointed out as a major factor causing secondary health damage such as venous thromboembolism (economy class syndrome), worsening of low back pain, and respiratory diseases due to inhalation of dust and viruses floating near the floor surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1: Utility Model Registration No. 3253174 Gazette From such a background, in recent years, the importance of "TKB48 (prepare a toilet, kitchen, and bed within 48 hours)" in shelter life has been advocated. Among them, the rapid deployment of simple beds is essential from the viewpoints of reducing the burden on disaster victims who need special consideration during disasters such as the elderly, pregnant women, and the injured, and ensuring the personal space and improving the hygienic environment of all disaster victims.

[0004] Traditionally, common temporary beds used in evacuation shelters and similar locations have included cardboard beds and foldable cots combining metal pipes and fabric (see, for example, the disaster prevention bed described in Patent Document 1). However, while cardboard beds are lightweight and inexpensive, they often require complex assembly procedures and the labor of multiple people, and their durability and breathability can be problematic for long-term use. On the other hand, while metal pipe cots are relatively easy to assemble, the creaking noises when turning over and the coldness inherent in metal can sometimes disrupt the sleep of disaster victims.

[0005] Therefore, wooden beds, which provide mental care and relaxation for disaster victims and have excellent humidity control and heat insulation properties, are attracting attention. Wooden beds have a healing effect from the scent of wood and provide heat retention by blocking cold air from the floor, making them extremely effective in providing a more comfortable sleeping environment in the harsh conditions of evacuation shelters. Furthermore, utilizing locally produced timber (such as cedar), which is a regional resource, has great significance from environmental and economic perspectives, such as local production and consumption and forest conservation. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, in order to make wooden folding beds practical for use in emergencies such as evacuation centers, several major structural challenges must be overcome. The first challenge is "balancing ease of assembly with stability." Tools and other equipment are scarce in evacuation centers, and it is essential that the beds can be assembled quickly and intuitively by one person, even by the elderly or women. On the other hand, since they will be used by a large number of disaster victims, they need to have extremely high rigidity and stability so that they do not wobble or collapse even under the weight of a large man or dynamic lateral loads such as turning over in bed.

[0007] Generally, to ensure high stability in a folding table, it is mechanically very effective to position the legs supporting the tabletop at an angle, spreading outwards downwards in a "V" shape, rather than having them positioned vertically. This is because spreading the legs in a V shape distributes the load and provides better resistance to lateral movement.

[0008] The second challenge is the "interference when connecting the platforms" that arises when using this "V-shaped" leg design. Considering the convenience of transportation and storage, it is preferable for the bed to be a divided system in which two small platforms are joined together to form one bed, rather than one large structure. However, when trying to place two platforms with legs that are angled outward in a V-shape side by side, the lower ends of the outwardly protruding legs collide (interfere) with each other at the opposing connecting parts (butt surfaces), resulting in a fatal structural defect that prevents the tops of the two platforms from being tightly fitted together without any gaps.

[0009] To avoid interference between the legs, a compromise could be considered in which only the legs on the connecting side are positioned straight vertically. However, this would compromise the inherent stability provided by the V-shaped structure. Furthermore, adding special metal fittings or joint parts for connection would increase the number of parts, raise costs, complicate assembly, and increase the risk of losing parts, making it unsuitable as a disaster relief item.

[0010] This invention was made in view of the complex problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide a groundbreaking and practical folding bed that ensures extremely high stability by inclining the legs in a V-shape, while completely avoiding interference between the legs when two beds are placed next to each other, allowing the tops to be placed tightly together without any gaps, and furthermore, without using any additional parts such as metal fittings, the combined legs themselves function as a stopper that reliably prevents the beds from shifting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above problems, the folding bed according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a first base and a second base, each having a top plate and a plurality of legs foldably connected to the underside of the top plate, and is constructed by arranging the first base and the second base adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction. The legs of the first base and the second base are inclined to spread outward downward from the top plate when unfolded. Furthermore, as the most significant technical feature, when the first base and the second base are placed adjacent to each other, a configuration is adopted in which the legs of the first base and the legs of the second base, located on the opposite connecting portion side, are positioned in a "staggered" manner in the width direction of the top plate so as not to interfere with each other.

[0012] The folding bed according to claim 2 of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of claim 1, adopts a configuration in which the legs of the first base and the legs of the second base, which are arranged in opposite directions in the width direction, "cross each other" in a side view when the first base and the second base are adjacent to each other. This crossing structure functions as a stopper that restricts the separation (creation of gaps) in the longitudinal direction and the misalignment in the width direction of the first base and the second base through physical contact between the legs.

[0013] The folding bed according to claim 3 of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of claim 1 or 2, has the top plate and legs constituting the first and second bases made of wood. Furthermore, the first and second bases are configured to be self-supporting as individual benches when their legs are extended. Moreover, when the legs are folded to the underside of the top plate, multiple bases can be stably stacked vertically for storage without interference between the top plates or legs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The folding bed according to this invention provides the following extremely excellent practical effects. Firstly, it achieves overwhelming stability. Both the first and second platforms have legs that spread downwards in a V-shape, so they exhibit extremely high rigidity against loads from all directions, not only when used as a bed, but also when each platform is used as a bench on its own. As a result, even in harsh usage environments such as evacuation centers, shaking, rattling, and creaking noises are effectively suppressed, providing disaster victims with a safe and comfortable sleeping and resting environment.

[0015] Secondly, the staggered leg structure prevents interference and shifting. Because the legs on adjacent sides are offset so that they are staggered in the width direction of the top plate, even legs that are angled outwards in a V-shape will not collide with each other. This allows the two beds to be joined together completely without any gaps, forming a flat and spacious bed surface without any steps. Furthermore, because the staggered legs intersect in an "X" shape when viewed from the side, even when lateral loads such as turning over in bed or front-to-back loads are applied, the legs act as physical barriers (stoppers) to strongly prevent the beds from separating or shifting. The fact that a strong, integrated, and safe bed can be completed with just one action—simply by arranging the beds side by side—without using any tools, bolts, or connecting fittings, is an extremely significant advantage for disaster victims who are unfamiliar with assembly.

[0016] Thirdly, it achieves both versatility and space-saving storage and transportability. Since this invention consists of two independent stands, they can be separated as needed and used for multiple purposes as individual benches or tables in communication spaces within evacuation shelters. Furthermore, the legs can be easily folded without tools, and when folded, the top and bottom surfaces become flat, allowing multiple stands to be neatly stacked high on pallets, as shown in Figure 4. This enables effective use of limited space in municipal storage warehouses and evacuation shelters, and dramatically improves loading efficiency during mass transport by truck, etc.

[0017] Fourthly, there are the health and psychological benefits of using wood, as well as the effective use of space. By constructing the entire structure from wood (for example, locally sourced cedar with rounded edges and a smooth texture), it provides warmth, humidity control, and insulation that metal and plastic cannot offer, preventing the bodies of disaster victims from getting cold, and also providing a great relaxing effect through the scent of wood. Furthermore, when unfolded, a sufficient height (for example, about 38 cm) is secured between the floor and the top board, allowing for hygienic sleeping away from dust and cold air from the floor. In addition, as shown in Figure 2, this space under the bed can be widely used to store the valuables, clothing, and supplies of disaster victims, maximizing the effective use of living space in cramped shelters that are partitioned off by dividers. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a foldable bed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] The upper figure is a side perspective view of the first and second platforms connected according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the user in a sleeping position, with the legs crossing and functioning as stoppers. The lower figure is a bottom view of the same bed, showing the adjacent legs staggered in the width direction. [Figure 3] This figure shows the detailed structure of the side and legs of the first stand (or second stand) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] The top figure is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of folding the legs of a stand according to an embodiment of the present invention, the middle figure is a side view showing the legs in a completely folded state, and the bottom figure is a side view showing a state in which multiple folded stands are stacked for storage and storage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, the "longitudinal direction" refers to the direction from the head to the feet when two bases are arranged side by side to form a bed, and the "width direction" refers to the direction orthogonal thereto.

[0020] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a folding bed 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This folding bed 10 includes a first base 1 and a second base 2 having exactly the same or substantially symmetric structures in appearance. By abutting these two bases adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction, it is configured as a single full-flat bed with a width that allows an adult to lie down comfortably. In this embodiment, each member of the bed 10 is made of natural wood such as cedar (sugi) or cypress, which is lightweight, easy to carry, and excellent in moisture control, heat retention, and relaxation effect by aroma. Considering the safety of disaster victims, the surface of the wood is finished smoothly, and all corners are rounded and chamfered.

[0021] As shown in the bottom view (lower figure) of FIG. 2, the first base 1 has a first top plate 1c formed by arranging a plurality of plate materials in a lattice shape to ensure breathability, and legs 1a, 1b, 1d, etc. provided near the four corners of the lower surface thereof. Similarly, the second base 2 has a second top plate 2c and legs 2a, 2b, 2d, etc. provided near the four corners of the lower surface thereof. These legs are attached to the lower surface of the top plate via a hinge mechanism (not shown) such as a hinge, and as shown by the arrow in the upper figure of FIG. 4, it is configured to be manually and easily folded inward and unfolded without using any tools.

[0022] The greatest technical feature of this invention lies in the arrangement relationship and inclination angle of the legs. As clearly shown in the side view (upper figure) of Fig. 2 and the upper figure of Fig. 4, the legs (such as 1a, 1b, etc.) of the first table 1 and the legs (such as 2a, 2b, etc.) of the second table 2 are not vertical in the deployed state, but are inclined at a predetermined angle so as to spread outward as they go downward (toward the floor surface) from the top plate. That is, when looking at a single table from the side, the legs are in a state of being open in a "V" shape in the front-rear direction. Due to this "V" structure, when sitting alone as a bench or lying down as a bed, the resistance against lateral and longitudinal swaying becomes extremely strong, demonstrating excellent stability.

[0023] While adopting this "V" structure, a device for closely attaching the two tables is shown in the lower figure (bottom view) of Fig. 2. At the connecting part (the central boundary part) where the first table 1 and the second table 2 are abutted, the legs on the connecting part side of the first table 1 (for example, 1b, 1d) and the legs on the connecting part side of the second table 2 (for example, the opposing legs such as 2a) are not on the same line in the width direction of the top plate (the up-down direction of the drawing), but are in an "offset arrangement" where their positions are shifted from each other.

[0024] Due to this offset arrangement, as shown in the upper figure (side view) of Fig. 2, when the first table 1 and the second table 2 are pushed against each other to be adjacent, the "V" shaped legs 1b and legs 2a that protrude outward can slide past each other horizontally and deeply enter without colliding (interfering) with each other head-on. As a result, it becomes possible to completely adhere the end face of the first top plate 1c and the end face of the second top plate 2c without creating a gap due to the protrusion of the legs.

[0025] Furthermore, this structure does more than simply avoid interference. As shown in the upper diagram of Figure 2, the legs 1b of the first platform and 2a of the second platform, which are positioned in a reversed and deeply recessed manner, intersect in an "X" shape in a side view, with the sides and bases of their legs physically overlapping and in contact with each other. These "intersecting and interlocking legs" function as a powerful stopper against each other. In other words, even if the user turns over in bed and exerts a force that tries to pull the platforms apart in the longitudinal direction or shift them in the width direction, the intersecting legs interfere with each other like props, automatically preventing the platforms from separating or shifting. As a result, a safe bed is constructed that is firmly connected and fixed simply by "placing" it, without using any metal joint parts or fasteners.

[0026] Furthermore, the folding bed 10 of this invention is extremely convenient for storage and transport. As shown in the middle diagram of Figure 4, when the legs of each unit (1a, 1b, etc.) are folded flat against the underside of the top plate, the legs fit neatly into the thickness of the top plate and inside the side frame, or the overall shape becomes extremely thin and flat. In this state, as shown in the bottom diagram of Figure 4, many first and second units can be stacked on top of each other. When stacked, the underside of the upper unit and the top surface of the lower unit make stable surface contact, making it less likely for the load to collapse, and it is possible to load them high on wooden pallets and transport large quantities quickly using forklifts, etc. This space-saving stacking performance brings tremendous advantages to disaster prevention warehouses of local governments and other places where large quantities of supplies need to be stored in limited space.

[0027] Furthermore, as can be seen from the upper diagram in Figure 2, when this bed is unfolded and in use, a vast space is created beneath the top panel (between it and the floor). Living space within partitions in evacuation shelters is extremely limited, but plastic storage cases, disaster preparedness backpacks, cardboard boxes of relief supplies, etc., can be neatly stored in this space under the bed. The ability to utilize space three-dimensionally and extensively is another excellent feature of this utility model that greatly contributes to improving the quality of life (QOL) of disaster victims. [Industrial applicability]

[0028] As described above, the folding bed 10 of this invention combines high stability provided by its angled legs, interference avoidance and shifting prevention functions through its staggered structure, and tool-free assembly with excellent storage capabilities at a high level. It has extremely high practical value as an emergency bed during disasters and as an outdoor bench during normal times. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 10 Folding Beds 1. The first platform 1a Legs of the first base (outer part) 1b Legs of the first base (connecting part side, stopper function) 1c First top plate 1d. Legs of the first base (connecting part side, staggered arrangement) 2. The second platform 2a Legs of the second base (connecting part side, stopper function) 2b Legs of the second platform (outer part) 2c Second top plate 2d. Legs of the second base (connecting part side, staggered arrangement)

Claims

1. A folding bed comprising a first base and a second base, each having a top plate and a plurality of legs foldably connected to the underside of the top plate, wherein the first base and the second base are arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction, The legs of the first and second stands are each inclined to spread outwards downward from the top plate when extended. A folding bed characterized in that, when the first base and the second base are placed adjacent to each other, the legs of the first base and the legs of the second base located on the opposite connecting portion side do not interfere with each other, by being positioned in a staggered manner in the width direction of the top plate.

2. The folding bed according to claim 1, characterized in that the legs of the first base and the legs of the second base, which are arranged in a staggered manner in the width direction, intersect and combine in a side view when the first base and the second base are adjacent to each other, thereby functioning as a stopper that physically restricts the separation between the first base and the second base in the longitudinal direction and the misalignment in the width direction.

3. The top plate and legs that constitute the first and second stands are made of wood. The folding bed according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first platform and the second platform are each configured to be self-supporting as individual benches when their legs are extended, and when the legs are folded to the underside of the top plate, multiple platforms can be stacked vertically for storage without interference between the top plates or legs.

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