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configuration. The cover has a main body portion 500 with a wider end 502 that is formed with two pivot pins 504 that are retained in the gearbox housing 142. The pivot pins 504 define a pivot axis 506 and support the cover 222 for pivotal movement relative to the gearbox housing 142 between the first and second positions, which are closed positions of the cover. The cover 222 can also assume any one of a plurality of open positions intermediate the first and second closed positions, as shown in FIG. 24, for example.
[0156] At its narrower end 508 the main body portion 500 of the cover 222 is cut out with slots to form a latching section 510 of the cover. The latching section 510 includes two gripping ears 512 that project from the main body portion 500. The ears 512 are resiliently movable relative to the main body portion 500 of the cover 222 and relative to each other.
[0157] The ears 512 have a first position, in their free state, when no force is applied to them. In this position, the ears 512 are resiliently biased away from each other, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 25. The ears 512 have a second position, when force is applied to move them toward each other, for example by pinching or compressing them together, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 26. The ears 512 can also assume any position intermediate the first and second positions, depending on the amount of force applied to them and whether they are restrained from movement.
[0158] The gearbox housing 142 has a first latching portion 516 for holding the cover 222 in the first position. The first latching portion 516 includes a notch 518 that is formed between two camming surfaces 520 on the housing 142. The notch 518 opens into a retaining slot 522 that is located behind the notch 518 and that is not separately visible. Similarly, the gearbox housing 142 has a second latching portion 526 (FIGS. 22 and 25) for holding the cover 222 in the second position. The second latching portion 526 includes a notch 528 that is formed between two camming surfaces 530 on the housing 142. The notch 528 opens into a retaining slot 532 that is located behind the notch.
[0159] The cover 222 can be releasably latched in either the first position or the second position relative to the gearbox housing 142. The cover 222 is normally left in either the first position or the second position by the user. If the cover 222 is disposed in the second position, as shown in FIGS. 23-26, the ears 512 are disposed in the retaining slot 532 in the latching portion 526. When it is desired to move the cover out of the first position, the ears 512 are pinched together (moved toward each other), against the inherent bias of the material of the cover 222.
[0160] As the two ears 512 are brought toward each other, their combined width decreases so that they are able to fit through the notch 528. The cover 222 is pulled so that the ears 512 come out of the retaining slot 532 through the notch 528. The cover 222 is then in an open position, for example, as shown in FIG. 24. In this open position, when the ears 512 are released, they spring back outwardly, away from each other, to their free state, in which their combined width is greater than the width of the notch 528.
[0161] When it is desired to move the cover 222 back into the second position, the cover is pushed against the second latching portion 526 of the housing 142. The ears 512 engage the camming surfaces 530. The ears 512 are cammed inwardly so that their combined width decreases to the width of the notch 528. The ears 512 move through the notch 528 into the receiving slot 532. The ears 512 then spring back outward into engagement with the slot 532. The resilience of the ears 512 holds them in the slot 532, thus latching the cover 222 in the first position. The latching section 510 of the cover and the second latching portion 526 of the housing 142 together constitute a first latch that holds the cover 222 in the first closed position.
[0162] The above description with regard to moving the cover 222 into and out of the second position applies in a similar fashion to moving the cover into and out of the first position. The latching section 510 of the cover 222 and the second latching portion 516 of the housing 142 together constitute a second latch that holds the cover in the second closed position.
[0163] As noted above, the movable portion 22 of the head end 14 includes a frame structure, or frame 60. The bed 14 end may be used with a multi-piece cover for the frame 60, for example, the cover 430 shown in FIG. 20. Such a cover 430 has seams between the pieces 432 and 434 of the cover. In this case, it is possible that when the bed end 14 is washed, water can enter the bed end through the seams between the main panel 432 and the end caps 434. It is desirable that this water not accumulate in the bed end 14.
[0164] In accordance with a feature of the invention, therefore, the bed end 14 may be provided with one or more drain openings for draining water or other liquids out of the bed end. FIGS. 27-29 illustrate portions of a bed frame 540 that is constructed in accordance with this feature of the invention.
[0165] The bed end 540 includes a lower cross bar 542 which has a tubular cross-sectional configuration that extends perpendicular to side rails or legs 544 and 546 and parallel to the floor. The tubular configuration is U-shaped including a base (bottom) wall 548 and two upstanding side walls 548 that define between them a channel in the cross bar 542. At least one drain opening is formed in the base wall 548 of the lower cross bar 542. In the illustrated embodiment, two drain openings 554 and 556 are formed, spaced apart at either end of the cross bar 542. The openings 554 and 556 are semi-circular or half moon in shape, and abut the side rails 544 and 546, respectively, of the frame.
[0166] Because the drain openings 554 and 556 are in the base wall 548 of the cross bar 542, any water that may accumulate in the bed end 540 as a result of washing the bed end, for example, can easily drain out. If the bed end 540 is tipped to one side or the other, the water will drain to one end or the other of the cross bar 542 and drain out of the drain opening 554 or 546. Of course, other shapes and placements of drain openings in accordance with the invention are possible.
[0167] In accordance with one feature of the invention, end caps for a bed end of the present invention are secured to the side rail of the bed frame in a manner as described below. This feature is applicable to a multi-piece bed end cover, for example, the bed end cover 560 (FIG. 20) that is a plastic bed end cover constructed in accordance with the present invention. The cover 560 is a hollow cover for enclosing and covering the operational and structural assembly or parts of a bed end. The cover 560 has a three-piece plastic construction including a central panel 562 and two identical end caps 564 (only one of which is shown). The cover 560 is adapted to fit onto a frame 60 (FIG. 2) having outer legs or side rails 66 and 68. Each of the side rails 66 and 68 has a square cross-sectional configuration as can be seen in FIG. 35. The side rails 66 and 68 are similar in construction and so only the one side rail 68, and the attachment of its associated end cap, is described.
[0168] The side rail 68 has a tongue 570 that is located near the lower end of the side rail, adjacent the cross bar 64. The tongue 570 has an L-shaped configuration including a base leg 572 that projects outward from the side rail 68 and a main leg 574 that projects upward from the end of the base leg. The main leg 574 of the tongue 570 thus extends in a direction parallel to the length of the side rail 68.
[0169] The end cap 564 has a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration including a base wall 580 and two side walls 582 and 584. The side walls extend generally parallel to each other from opposite ends of the base wall 584. The three walls together define a cavity or chamber 586 in the end cap 564.
[0170] The end cap 564 has an inner wall portion 588 that is formed as one piece with the remainder of the end cap. The inner wall portion 588 is located at the bottom of the end cap, inside the cavity 586 of the end cap 564. The inner wall portion 588 is spaced inward from the base wall 580 of the end cap 564 and defines a small opening or space 590 between the base wall and the inner wall portion.
[0171] When the end cap 564 is mounted on the side rail 68, the inner wall portion 588 of the end cap 564 extends over the tongue 570 of the side rail. The tongue 570 of the side rail 68 fits closely into the small opening 590 between the inner wall portion 588 of the end cap 564 and the base wall 580 of the end cap. The engagement of the tongue 570 with the inner wall portion 588 helps to support the end cap 564 on the side rail 68. The dimensions of the tongue 570 are selected so that the tongue supports the lower end of the end cap 564 in a solid and stable manner on the side rail 68.
[0172] The opposite upper end of the end cap 564 is also secured to the side rail 68. Preferably, this takes place with a single (one and only one) fastener. The single fastener may be a screw 590 as shown in FIG. 34. The screw 590 extends through a single fastener opening 592 in the end cap 564 and into a threaded opening 594 in the side rail 68. The combination of the single fastener 590 plus the engagement of the end cap 564 with the tongue 570, is sufficient to secure the end cap to the side rail 68. The end cap 564 can be easily removed from the side rail 68 by unscrewing the screw 590 and lifting the end cap off the tongue 570.
[0173] The single fastener may be other than a screw. For example, FIG. 33 shows a push-type fastener 596 of the kind often used for fastening panels and boards and the like. The fastener 596 has a head 598 that engages the base wall 580 of the end cap 564. A resiliently deformable portion 600 of the fastener 596 extends through an opening 602 in the side rail 68. The engagement of the fastener 596 with the side rail 68 holds the upper end of the end cap 564 firmly in place on the side rail 68. The fastener 596 may also be of the type that can be pre-assembled with the end cap 564 in a manner so that the head 598 is hidden inside the end cap and the end cap thus presents a clean, fastener-free appearance from the outside.
[0174] As noted above, the central panel 562 is a one-piece plastic extrusion. The central panel 562 includes an interior major side panel 610 that faces the opposite end of the bed 10 when assembled, and an opposite exterior major side panel 612. The side panels 610 and 612 are joined by an upper edge panel in an upside-down U-shaped configuration to form the central panel 562. When the cover 560 including the central panel 562 and the end caps 564 is assembled on the frame of the bed end, the major side panels 610 and 612 each have a curved configuration rather than a planar configuration. The major side panels 610 and 612 are, preferably, formed during extrusion with this curved configuration. A preferred material for the panel 562 is PVC that is extruded into the form required then frozen into shape over a mold as it cools. Alternatively, the panel could be roll formed out of steel and painted to match. Plastic is preferred for economic and durability reasons; it does not dent like steel and the color match material can hide scratches.
[0175] To help the panels 610 and 612 maintain this curved configuration during use of the bed, rather than possibly being flattened out, the panels are engaged with the bed end caps 564, in a manner as follows. The side walls 582 and 584 of the end cap 564 have a non-planar, or curved, configuration, as can be seen in FIG. 31, for example. The side wall 582, which is exemplary, is planar in an upper section 620, then is bowed out for a central section 620 that extends for most of the vertical extent of the side wall. The bowed section 622 terminates in an outwardly projecting cylindrical boss 624. Below the boss 624, is a lower planar section 626 at the bottom end of the side wall 582. All along this length, the side wall 582 has an inner surface 628 that has the same curved configuration.
[0176] The end cap 564 has portions that hold the inner major side panel 610 of the central panel 562 of the cover 560, against the curved inner surface 628 of the side wall 582, forcing the major side panel 610 to assume this same curved configuration. Specifically, the end cap 564 has a plurality of fingers 630 adjacent the first side wall 582. The fingers 630 are molded as one piece with the end cap 564. The fingers 630 are portions of the end cap 564 that project from the side wall 582 in a direction parallel to but spaced apart from the side wall. In the illustrated embodiment, there are three fingers 630 adjacent to the first side wall 582. There are also three fingers 632 adjacent to the second side wall 584, on the opposite side of the end cap 564.
[0177] The end cap 564 thus has a channel 634 that is defined between the fingers 630 and the inner surface 628 of the side wall 582. The fingers 630 have outer surfaces 636 that are arranged in the same bowed configuration as the inner surface of the central section 622 of the side wall. As a result, the channel 634 has the same curved or bowed configuration that is presented by the side wall 582 itself.
[0178] Each one of the major side panels 610 and 612 of the central panel 562 of the cover 560 has an edge portion that is located adjacent to the side rail 68 when the central panel is installed or assembled on the frame. The inner major side panel 610 has an edge portion 640, and the outer major side panel 612 has an edge portion 642.
[0179] The edge portion 640 extends into the channel 634 between the fingers 630 and the first side wall 582. The edge portion 640 of the inner major side panel 610 is captured between the fingers 630 of the end cap 564 and the first side wall 582. As a result, the edge portion 640 assumes the same curved configuration as the channel 634 and as the side wall 582 of the end cap 564.
[0180] On the opposite end of the central panel 562 (to the left as viewed in FIG. 30), the other end cap 564, in a similar manner, imparts the same curved configuration to the opposite end of the inner major side panel 610 of the central panel. Because of the material characteristics of the central panel 562, this curved configuration is constant and extends all the way across the width of the central panel, between the end caps 564. The fingers 630 help to support the panel 610 against deflection.
[0181] In a similar manner, the second side wall 584 of the end cap 564 cooperates with the second plurality of fingers 632 to define a channel between them with a curved configuration that matches the curved configuration of the second side wall. The edge portion 642 of the outer major side panel 612 is captured between the fingers 632 of the end cap and the second side wall 584. The edge portion 642 extends into the channel that is defined between the fingers 632 and the second side wall 584. As a result, the edge portion 640 assumes the same curved configuration as the second side wall 582 of the end cap 564. In addition, the fingers 632 help to support the panel 612 against deflection.
[0182] In this manner, the two major side panels 610 and 612 have identical curved configurations. This can enable placement of the bed end 14 at either the foot end of the bed 10, or the head end of the bed, while preserving the same appearance.
[0183] In the illustrated embodiment, the edge portions 640 and 642 of the central panel 562 overlie the side rails 66 and 68 of the frame, as can be seen in FIG. 35. This arrangement may not be necessary. For example, the edge portions 640 and 642 could be held back away inward from the side rail 68 (to the left as viewed in FIG. 35); it would then be necessary for the fingers and the side walls of the end cap to extend inward farther past the side rail 68, so as to capture the edge portions of the central panel. In either case, the panel edge portions are considered to be adjacent the side rail, that is, they are close enough to be captured and curved by the end cap 564.
[0184] In the illustrated embodiment, the fingers are located directly between the side rail 68 and the edge portions 640 and 642 of the main panel 562. If the edge portions 640 and 642 were located inward from the side rail 68 (to the left as viewed in FIG. 35), as described above, the fingers would be between the edge portion and an imaginary inward projection of the side rail. In either case, the fingers are considered to be between the side rail 68 and the edge portions 640 and 642 of the main panel 562.
[0185] In the illustrated embodiment, the end cap 564 has a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, for example, as seen in FIG. 35. In other embodiments, the end cap 564 could have a different configuration. For example, the end cap 564 could have a generally C-shaped configuration, with the base wall 580 being curved rather than planar. The C-shaped configuration would still include a base wall and side walls that capture the edge portions of the central panel to provide them with the desired curved configuration.
[0186] From the above description of the invention, those skilled in the art will perceive improvements, changes, and modifications in the invention. Such improvements, changes, and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. |
