Modular transformable furniture system

Abstract

A single piece of furniture that is convertible to a number of different pieces of furniture, including a chair, desk, table and bed, shelves, and many other furniture types. This single piece of furniture fulfills many needs with its multiple uses and different styles while at the same time being cost efficient, space saving, and ergonomically adjustable. Currently, most home and office furniture serves a single use: chairs for sitting, beds for sleeping, shelving for storage, desks and tables for work surfaces, etc. There are a few dual-use pieces of furniture in common use, such as futons and fold-out beds which allow a couch to be converted to a bed. This is the limitation of their utility. The Modular, Transformable Furniture System is cost effective because a person or household only needs one piece of furniture to serve many needs. It is ideal for college students, budget-conscious, or nomadic people and people living in apartments with space constraints. Each element of the frame is integral and non-unique making it easy to manufacture, assemble, disassemble, ship and store, saving space and cost and adding to its utility. The Modular, Transformable Furniture System can replace not only many different types of useful and aesthetically pleasing couches and chairs and beds, but also desks, tables and shelves. Indeed, four of these infinitely adjustable pieces of furniture are all that is needed to provide the simple furniture necessary for a small apartment: a bed, a chair, a table and shelves.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . A furniture apparatus, comprising: 
 A. a plurality of sections each section having uniform dimensions such that each section has a plurality of functions dependent on the orientation and position relative to other sections.    B. a series of hinged joints that connect said sections to one another to form a single continuous piece, said hinged joints being fixable and lockable such that said sections are lockable to fixed positions by operation of said joints, relative to at least one other section, whereby said joints lock said sections into place to form a plurality of furniture forms that are strong enough to support an average human of typical body weight and size.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said furniture forms include a chair, a bed, and a table.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the range of motion for said sections respective to another sections is substantially 360 degrees less tolerances due to physical dimensions of adjacent sections.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sections have about 12 fixable and lockable hinge positions relative to each adjacent section such that a full range of positions for the said plurality of sections is possible, at a desirable interval, substantially 360 degrees.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the degree of change of said sections relative to adjacent sections is fixable and lockable at an interval of about 30 degrees, which is found to be a desirable angle of adjustment.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein another function of the sections is that of supporting or of engaging a load to be supported.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of said sections may comprise a plurality of functions.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein at least one function of said sections is that of a leg of a piece of furniture and the remaining sections act to support the human body.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said joints are of a structure and design so that they fix and lock said sections into position so that the load to be supported is leveraged substantially such that it is supported.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the number of said joints that fix and lock said sections into position is chosen to optimize the leveraging of said load such that the load is supported.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the dimensions and relationships of said sections are chosen to optimize the leveraging of said load such that the load is supported.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the dimensions and relationships of said joints between said sections are chosen to optimize the leveraging of said load such that the load is supported.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein wood, plastic or metal panels may be attached to said sections to provide a stable surface.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a cushion may be attached to said sections to provide added ergonomic comfort to the user.