1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to furniture and more particularly pertains to a cabinet that can house a folding futon mattress and allows the futon to be deployed as a bed.
2. Ground of the Prior Art
The broad concept of a cabinet bed is not new. However, prior cabinet beds tended to suffer from one or more of several disabilities; for example bulky and un-prepossessing appearance, complicated mechanism rendering it difficult to fold and unfold the bed and compounding its costs, significant lack of comfort, and other problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,249 to Katsigarakis discloses a cabinet bed having a box mounted on a base. The front and back panels are hinged to the base to permit the box to be opened to reveal a bed within. In operation, the box has a flap on the front and back that extends when the box is opened to support the bed. The bed includes an articulated spring mattress support that unfolds with the front and back panels to form the bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 431,825 to Sundback discloses a folding bed having pivoted front and back panels. The invention concentrates on a spring roller assembly that aids in the opening and closing operation of the bed cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,414 to Walker discloses a self-contained folding bed. A foldable mattress is stored inside a suitcase enclosure. The suitcase may be a soft body or hard shell case and may include bed clothing as well as cushioning within.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,498 to Boni and U.S. Pat. No. 2,788,528 to Hansen disclose a folding bed assembly designed to be stored within an upright cabinet. Support means fold out of the bedspring frame to provide legs. Hinged support members assist in folding the bed for storage within the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,253 to Lauzon discloses a piece of furniture that is designed to be convertible to a bed. An upper panel of the furniture is hinged to permit the panel to be pivoted downward to constitute the base of the bed. Springs attached to the pivoting panel assist in raising and lowering the bed portion.
While each of the above-mentioned devices may be effective to some degree in providing a folding bed, none of the references, however, disclose a simple cabinet with few moving parts, that can open to reveal a thin futon mattress and does not require a separate mattress support.