Bed frame, plank, kit, and method

Abstract

A kit contains disassembled bed frame components that upon assembly form the bed frame. The components include a pair of planks, each plank comprising a plurality of boards that upon being oriented from end-to-end have abutting ends detachably connected together by interlocking components, including male and a female element. The interlocking components engage by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding abutting ends past each other in one direction. The interlocking components disengage by sliding them relative to each other in a reverse direction.

1 . A bed frame including
 a pair of spaced apart planks of substantially equal in length and substantially equal in height, each plank having   (a) a length substantially from 59 to 86 inches,   (b) a height substantially from 2 to 8 inches, and   (c) a width substantially from 0.50 to 1.25 inches, and   each said plank formed by at least a pair of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends,   said boards having substantially the same height and width of the plank formed by said boards and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by said boards, the sum of said predetermined lengths of said boards being equal to the length of the individual plank formed by said boards,   said boards forming an individual plank being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along substantially a straight line with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards connected together to form the individual plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends for connecting and disconnecting said abutting ends, said abutting ends each being substantially planar and parallel,   said interlocking components including 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 said elements being seated in a recess in the abutting end in which said one element is located,   said interlocking components engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction, and disengaging by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element.   
     
     
         2 . The bed frame of  claim 1  where only a single pair of boards form an individual plank having a substantially cuboid configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The bed frame of  claim 2  where the predetermined length of each board in said pair of boards is approximately half the length of the plank formed by said pair of boards. 
     
     
         4 . The bed frame of  claim 1  where only three boards form an individual plank. 
     
     
         5 . The bed frame of  claim 4  where the predetermined length of each board is approximately a third of the length of the plank formed by said three boards. 
     
     
         6 . The bed frame of  claim 1  where the male element and female element are positioned to engage when the ends carrying said elements face each other and are oriented substantially parallel, the male element is at substantially a right angle to the end in which it is located, and 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, and upon sliding the abutting ends in the one direction, the misaligned edges move into alignment. 
     
     
         7 . The bed frame of  claim 1  where the planks are substantially of equal width and the boards forming each plank are substantially equal in width and said recess is centrally positioned in said one end to form therein end portions straddling the recess, and said male element projecting outward from the end in which said male element is located. 
     
     
         8 . The bed frame of  claim 1  where the female element comprises a fixture having a raised central section including a keyhole comprising a narrow slot terminating an enlarged opening, upon assembly of the bed frame, said slot being vertically oriented and the enlarged opening being beneath the slot. 
     
     
         9 . The bed frame of  claim 8  where the male element comprises a finger having a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head, said head sized to pass through the enlarged opening but not the narrow slot and said narrow neck sized to pass through slot with said head sliding behind the raised central section as said narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage. 
     
     
         10 . The bed frame of  claim 8  where the raised central section of the female element is substantially planar with opposed vertical surfaces and has a predetermined thickness and 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. 
     
     
         11 . The bed frame of  claim 1  where the female element comprises a fixture having a raised central section including a pair of spaced apart vertically aligned keyholes and the male element comprises a pair of vertically aligned fingers, said fingers being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the plank formed by connecting said boards and each finger being positioned to interconnect with a counterpart keyhole in the female element. 
     
     
         12 . The bed frame of  claim 11  where each finger has a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head, each said head sized to pass through the enlarged opening of its counterpart keyhole but not the narrow slot of its counterpart keyhole and said narrow neck sized to pass through the slot of its counterpart keyhole, with said head sliding behind the raised central section as said narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage, said slot of each keyhole terminating in a stop portion, said stop portions being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the plank formed by connecting said boards. 
     
     
         13 . A bed frame including
 a pair of spaced apart elongated, side planks, each plank having a length, height, and width and a where the length is substantially greater that the height, and the height is substantially greater that the width,   said planks being substantially in registration, substantially in parallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented, each plank having opposed side walls substantially at a right angle to ground, said side walls defining the height dimension of each individual plank,   each said individual plank comprising a plurality of boards, each said board forming an individual plank having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by said plurality of boards, each of said boards forming an individual plank having substantially the same height and width and the sum of said predetermined lengths of the boards forming said individual plank being equal to the length of the plank, and   said boards forming an individual plank being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards connected together by interlocking components in the abutting ends to form the individual plank,   said interlocking components including a male element at the end of the one board and a female element at the end of the other board,   said interlocking components   (a) being positioned to engage upon the ends carrying the male and female elements facing each other and oriented to be substantially parallel and the side walls of the boards parallel and the edges of the boards misaligned but parallel,   (b) engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends in one direction past each other to bring the unaligned edges into alignment, and   (c) disengaging by sliding the abutting ends in an opposite direction past each other to bring the aligned edges into misalignment and withdrawing the male element from the female element.   
     
     
         14 . A bed frame including
 a pair of spaced apart substantially cuboid, elongated, side planks, each plank having a length, height, and width and a where the length is substantially greater that the height, and the height is substantially greater that the width,   said planks being substantially in registration, substantially in parallel, and longitudinally and horizontally oriented, each plank having opposed side walls substantially at a right angle to ground, said side walls defining the height dimension of each individual plank,   each said individual plank comprising a plurality of boards, each said board forming an individual plank having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the individual plank formed by said plurality of boards, each of said boards forming an individual plank having substantially the sum of said predetermined lengths of the boards forming said individual plank being equal to the length of the plank, and   means for assembling said boards into an individual plank with said boards oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and   said assembling means including means for connecting and disconnecting the boards including interlocking components in the abutting board ends, each said abutting end being substantially orthogonal with respect to the opposed side walls and opposed edges of the board in which said end is formed,   said interlocking components including a male element at the end of the one board and a female element at the end of the other board,   said interlocking components   (a) being positioned to engage upon the ends carrying the male and female elements facing each other and oriented to be substantially parallel and the side walls of the boards parallel and the edges of the boards misaligned but parallel,   (b) engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends in one direction past each other to bring the unaligned edges into alignment, and   (c) disengaging by sliding the abutting ends in an opposite direction past each other to bring the aligned edges into misalignment and withdrawing the male element from the female element.   
     
     
         15 . A multi-piece plank for a side of a bed frame having a length from 59 to 86 inches and comprising
 a plurality of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends,   said boards each having substantially the same height and width and each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the plank formed and the sum of said predetermined lengths of boards being equal to the length of the plank,   said boards being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards being detachably connected together to form the plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends,   said interlocking components including a male element at the abutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting end of the other board,   said interlocking components engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction, and disengaging by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element, and   upon engagement said male element and female element being constrained to inhibit lateral movement of the boards relative to each other so the plank is rigid.   
     
     
         16 . The plank of  claim 15  where said abutting ends each are substantially orthogonal with respect to the opposed side walls and opposed edges of the board in which said orthogonal end is formed, and the male element and female element are positioned to engage when the ends carrying said elements face each other and are oriented substantially parallel and the individual side walls of the end-to-end aligned boards lie in substantially the same plane and the individual edges of the end-to-end aligned boards are misaligned but parallel as the male and female elements initially engage, and upon sliding the abutting ends in the one direction, the misaligned edges move into alignment. 
     
     
         17 . The plank of  claim 16  where the female element comprises a fixture having a raised central section including a keyhole comprising a narrow slot terminating an enlarged opening, upon connecting the ends of the boards, said slot being vertically oriented and the enlarged opening being beneath the slot. 
     
     
         18 . The plank of  claim 17  where the male element comprises a finger having a narrow neck terminating in an enlarged head, said head sized to pass through the enlarged opening but not the narrow slot and said narrow neck sized to pass through slot with said head sliding behind the raised central section as said narrow neck slides along the slot as the interlocking components engage and disengage. 
     
     
         19 . The plank of  claim 18  where the raised central section of the female element is substantially planar with opposed vertical surfaces and has a predetermined thickness and 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. 
     
     
         20 . A kit containing disassembled bed frame components that upon assembly form the bed frame, said components including
 a pair of planks for a side of a bed frame of equal length from 59 to 86 inches, each said plank comprising   a plurality of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends,   said boards each having substantially the same height and width and each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends, and a predetermined length corresponding to a fraction of the length of the plank formed and the sum of said predetermined lengths of boards being equal to the length of the plank,   said boards being oriented from end-to-end lengthwise along a substantially straight line, with an end of one board abutting an end of the other board and the boards being detachably connected together to form the plank by interlocking components in the abutting ends,   said interlocking components including a male element at the abutting end of the one board and a female element at the abutting end of the other board,   said interlocking components engaging by insertion of the male element into the female element and sliding the abutting ends past each other in one direction, and disengaging by sliding the abutting ends past each other in an opposite direction and withdrawing the male element from the female element, and   upon engagement said male element and female element being constrained to inhibit lateral movement of the boards relative to each other so the plank is rigid.   
     
     
         21 . A method of assembling a bed frame wherein a substantially cuboid, elongated, side plank having a length substantially from 59 to 86 inches is formed from a plurality of boards, each board having opposed side walls, opposed edges, and opposed ends and a predetermined length corresponding to substantially from ⅓ to ½ the length of the plank, said boards having substantially the same height and width and the sum of said predetermined lengths of the boards being equal to the length of the plank,
 said 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, said 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.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  where one of said elements is seated in a recess in the end in which said one element is located, said recess being centrally positioned in said one end to form end portions straddling the recess, and said male element projects outward from the end in which said male element is located.