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  Furniture systemThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060238085. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to stowable furniture, cabinets that can be used to store several articles of furniture at once, and devices for elevating furniture for storage in near-ceiling spaces. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Within a home, which can be a house, a condominium, a townhouse, or an apartment, each room generally has a specific function and a typical resident refers to each room accordingly, e.g., living room, dining room, den, recreation room, office, bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom. The function of a room is defined in part by the way the room is furnished. A room of one type can, in some cases, be converted to a room of another type by replacing the furniture. [0003] In many homes, space is at a premium and there is a need to convert, at least temporarily or in part, rooms of one type to another. In particular, methods have been developed for converting a bedroom to a living room or den by hiding a bed. One method is to provide the room with a sofa bed, which allows the bed to be hidden within a sofa. Another method is to provide a Murphy bed, which is a bed that can be folded into a closet. A further method is to equip a bed with a hoist for storing the bed near a ceiling. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,953 ("the '953 patent") describes a bed with a ceiling-mounted hoist that can be used to hoist the bed for storage near the ceiling. FIG. 9 of the '953 patent illustrates a table and chairs in use beneath the lifted bed. [0004] A related problem is making effective use of room space, and in particular utilizing near ceiling space. In this regard, there is the bunk bed and the hoistable bed just mentioned. Other solutions primarily relate to closet storage space and include pull down shelves and descending closet rods. [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 1,583,971 describes a system for hoisting a wardrobe within a closet to free space underneath. The system includes a hoist that attaches to the ceiling of the closet. The hoist has a supporting member that can couple or uncouple with the top of the wardrobe. The wardrobe is on castors and can be trundled out of the closet when decoupled from the supporting member. When coupled to the supporting member, the wardrobe can be hoisted near the ceiling of the closet. The supporting member is a small box that can itself be used for storage. [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,756 describes furniture that attaches to a wall and can be lifted to an elevated position near the wall or lowered to a position on the floor in front of the wall. The lifting mechanism is designed to be hidden from view behind the furniture being lifted. [0007] Regardless of currently available solutions, there is an unsatisfied and long felt need for either more space or better utilization of space in existing homes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] One concept of the inventor is a furniture system comprising first and second articles of furniture and a hoist. The system is adapted for the hoist to raise the first article of furniture and provides the second article of furniture to effectively utilize the freed space underneath. The first and second articles of furniture can have coordinated decorative features making them a matched set. [0009] Another concept of the inventor is a freestanding frame to support a hoist that can raise an article of furniture. The freestanding frame allows the system to be installed without the aid of a contractor and without damaging or modifying ceilings or walls. Generally, the freestanding frame can be readily rearranged within a room. A freestanding cabinet can serve as a freestanding frame. A cabinet can allow the furniture to be stored against a wall or as a room partition while hiding the stored furniture from view. [0010] One or more of these concepts can be used to increase the utility of a room. Multiple articles of furniture having different uses can be stored in one or more cabinets and or closets and selectively removed to adapt the room to one or another function. [0011] One or more concepts of the inventor utilize near ceiling space and increase the number of articles of furniture that can be stored in a room. Two, four, or more articles of furniture can be stored along a wall, preferably within a short distance of the wall, or in a partition. Selected articles of furniture can be conveniently removed from or returned to storage as needed. [0012] The forgoing summary encompasses certain of the inventor's concepts. Its primary purpose is to present these concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows. The summary is not a comprehensive description of what the inventor has conceived. Other concepts of the inventor will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description and annexed drawings. Moreover, the detailed description and annexed drawings draw attention to only certain of the inventor's concepts and set forth only certain examples and implementations of what the inventor has conceived. Other concepts of the inventor and other examples and implementations of the inventor's concepts will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from that which is described and/or illustrated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a furniture system conceived by the inventor comprising a cabinet, a hoist, a raised first article of furniture, and a second article of furniture stored underneath; [0014] FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway view showing the hoist of FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 3 is a cutaway view showing part of the mechanism of the hoist shown in FIG. 2; [0016] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the furniture system of FIG. 1 with the second article of furniture removed from the cabinet and first article lowered by the hoist. [0017] FIG. 5 is an illustration of another furniture system conceived by the inventor with the fronts of the cabinets removed. [0018] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a room with a furniture system conceived by the inventor placed along a wall. [0019] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a room with a furniture system conceived by the inventor forming a partition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Continue reading... 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