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Bed frame, plank, kit, and methodBed frame, plank, kit, and method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20090113626, Bed frame, plank, kit, and method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. The word “cuboid” means a three-dimensional shape, either solid or hollow, defined by six rectangular faces at right angles to each other, and the three-dimensional shape has a length greater than its height and a height greater than its width. The words “my system” includes individually, and two or more in combination, of my bed frame, kit, multi-piece plank, and method of assembly. Bed frames are common devices for supporting above ground in a generally horizontal orientation a box-spring and mattress. They may include a pair of horizontally orientated side planks and slats that extent crosswise between the planks for supporting the box-spring and mattress. A headboard and footboard may be respectively attached to opposed ends of the bed frame. The side planks may be made of wood or plastic and are rigid, unitary, one-piece structures having a length exceeding 59 inches, typically having a length substantially from 70 to 86 inches. Because of the length of the side planks, packaging for the components of a disassembled bed frame must have a length dimension to accommodate the pair of long side planks, which typically is from 70 to 86 inches. My system enables the dimensions of packaging for my disassembled bed frame to be minimized. It has one or more of the features depicted in the embodiments discussed in the section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS.” The claims that follow define aspects of my system, distinguishing my system from the prior art; however, without limiting the scope of my system as expressed by these claims, in general terms, some, but not necessarily all, of its features are: One my bed frame includes a pair of spaced apart multi-piece side planks, each plank formed by at least a pair of boards. For example, an elongated, multi-piece side plank may have a length substantially from 59 to 86 inches. The planks may have a substantially cuboid configuration and be substantially in registration, substantially parallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented upon assembly of the bed frame. Each plank has opposed side walls substantially at a right angle to ground, and these side walls define the height dimension of each individual plank. The planks may have a height substantially from 2 to 8 inches and be substantially equal in height, and their width may be substantially from 0.50 to 1.25 inches. These widths are usually equal, but may not be in some cases. Two, the boards comprising an individual plank may have substantially the same height and width and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by the boards, for example, a length corresponding to substantially from ⅓ to ½ the length of the plank. Individual boards may have a length substantially from 24 to 62 inches. In many cases the board length will range substantially from 30 to 43 inches. The sum of the predetermined lengths of the boards are equal to the length of the individual plank formed by these boards. The boards forming an individual plank are oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along substantially a straight line with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board. The boards are connected together to form the individual plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends. These abutting ends may each be substantially planar and these abutting ends are parallel. In one embodiment, only a single pair of boards form an individual plank, in which each board is approximately half the length of the plank formed by the pair of boards. In another embodiment, only three boards form an individual plank, in which each board is approximately a third of the length of the plank formed by the three of boards. Three, the interlocking components may include a male element at the abutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting end of the other board. One of these elements, ordinarily the female element, is seated in a recess in the abutting end in which it is located. In one embodiment, the recess may be centrally positioned in the one end to form therein end portions straddling the recess. The interlocking components engage by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction. They disengage by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element. The male element and female element are positioned to engage when the ends carrying these elements face each other and are oriented substantially parallel. The male element may be at substantially a right angle to the end in which it is located. The individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lie in substantially the same planes and the individual edges of the end-to-end aligned boards are misaligned but parallel as the male and female elements initially engage. Upon sliding the abutting ends in the one direction, the misaligned edges move into alignment. Four, the female element may comprise a fixture having a raised central section including a keyhole comprising a narrow slot terminating an enlarged opening. Upon assembly of the bed frame, the slot is vertically oriented and the enlarged opening is beneath the slot. The male element may comprise a finger having a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head. The head is sized to pass through the enlarged opening but not the narrow slot and the narrow neck is sized to pass through slot with the head sliding behind the raised central section as the narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage. The slot may terminate in a stop portion that limits movement of the interlocking components as they engage. Five, the raised central section of the female element is substantially planar with its opposed vertical surfaces defining its thickness. The male element includes a guide member inward from the enlarged head a predetermined distance substantially equal to the predetermined thickness of the raised central section so the head and guide member straddle the raised central section and snugly bear against the opposed vertical surfaces as the interlocking components engage and disengage. An outer vertical surface of the female element is inward of an open mouth of the recess a predetermined distance and the guide member has a thickness substantially equal to this distance. This arrangement brings the abutting ends closely in contact with each other and applies a force to hold the abutting ends in position, constraining the male and female elements to inhibit lateral movement of the boards relative to each other so the plank is rigid. Six, the interlocking components may have different configurations. In one embodiment, the raised central section includes only one keyhole and one interactive male element. In another embodiment, the raised central section includes a pair of spaced apart vertically aligned keyholes and the male element comprises a pair of vertically aligned interactive fingers. The fingers of the pair are spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the plank formed by connecting the boards and positioned to interconnect with a counterpart keyhole in the female element. My kit contains disassembled bed frame components that upon assembly form my bed frame, and my method comprising the steps of (a) initially positioning said boards from end to end, lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board facing an end of the other board and the facing ends oriented substantially parallel and the individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lying in substantially the same plane and the individual edges of the end-to-end aligned boards being misaligned but parallel, (b) detachably connecting the boards together with interlocking components by moving the facing ends into an abutting relationship, the interlocking components including a male element at the end of the one board and a female element at the end of the other board, and (c) as the facing ends move towards each other to abut, inserting the male component into the female component and sliding the abutting ends past each other to bring the misaligned edges into alignment. These features are not listed in any rank order nor is this list intended to be exhaustive. Continue reading about Bed frame, plank, kit, and method... Full patent description for Bed frame, plank, kit, and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Bed frame, plank, kit, and method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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