Futon having hidden mattress frame and hinged mattress

Abstract

A futon having a mattress frame with a seat deck and a back deck, a front edge of the seat deck being concealed from view when the mattress frame is in a seated position. The front edge of the seat deck of the mattress frame is supported by a shelf projecting rearward from a front rail of the futon. The front rail partially defines a concealed storage compartment within the futon. The futon is provided with a hinged mattress having a first portion and a second portion hingedly connected only along an elongate corner edge of each of the first and second portions.

1 . A futon comprising: 
 a first side member;    a second side member;    a mattress frame extending between the first and second side members, said mattress frame having a seat deck and a back deck hingedly connected to one another, said mattress frame being convertible between a first position wherein the seat deck is in a generally horizontal position and the back deck is in an inclined position, and a second position wherein both the seat deck and the back deck are in a generally horizontal position;    a front rail extending between the first and second side members; and    a shelf projecting rearwardly from a rear of the front rail, a front edge of the seat deck of the mattress frame resting on the shelf when the mattress frame is in the first position.    
   
   
       2 . The futon of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support blocks under the shelf and secured to the front rail.  
   
   
       3 . The futon of  claim 1 , further comprising a mattress having a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions being hingedly connected along an elongate corner edge of each of the first and second portions.  
   
   
       4 . The futon of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage compartment at least partially defined by the first and second side members and the rear of the front rail.  
   
   
       5 . The futon of  claim 4 , wherein the front rail extends below the shelf a sufficient distance to conceal the storage compartment from view when the mattress frame is in the first position.  
   
   
       6 . The futon of  claim 1 , wherein when the mattress frame is in the seated position, at least an exposed back side of the back deck of the mattress frame is covered in at least one layer of fabric.  
   
   
       7 . The futon of  claim 6 , wherein the back deck of the mattress frame includes a plurality of elongate slats, and wherein padding is provided between the slats and the at least one layer of fabric.  
   
   
       8 . The futon of  claim 1 , wherein the front rail is provided with a first mounting bracket at a first end thereof and a second mounting bracket at a second end thereof, said mounting brackets facilitating securement of the front rail between the first and second side members.  
   
   
       9 . A futon comprising: 
 a first side member;    a second side member;    a mattress frame extending between the first and second side members, said mattress frame having a seat deck and a back deck hingedly connected to one another, said mattress frame being convertible between a first position wherein the seat deck is in a generally horizontal position and the back deck is in an inclined position, and a second position wherein both the seat deck and the back deck are in a generally horizontal position; and    a mattress supported by the mattress frame, said mattress having a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions being hingedly connected only along an elongate corner edge of each of the first and second portions.    
   
   
       10 . The futon of  claim 9 , further including a front rail extending between the first and second side members, said front rail having a shelf projecting rearwardly from a rear of the front rail, and wherein the seat deck of the mattress frame is supported by the shelf when the mattress frame is in the first position.  
   
   
       11 . The futon of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of support blocks under the shelf and secured to the front rail.  
   
   
       12 . The futon of  claim 10 , further comprising a storage compartment at least partially defined by the first and second side members and the rear of the front rail.  
   
   
       14 . The futon of  claim 10 , wherein the front rail is provided with a first mounting bracket at a first end thereof and a second mounting bracket at a second end thereof, said mounting brackets facilitating securement of the front rail between the first and second side members.  
   
   
       15 . The futon of  claim 9 , wherein when the mattress frame is in the seated position, at least an exposed back side of the back deck of the mattress frame is covered in at least one layer of fabric.  
   
   
       16 . The futon of  claim 15 , wherein the back deck of the mattress frame includes a plurality of elongate slats, and wherein padding is provided between the slats and the at least one layer of fabric.