US 5,241,717 AGranted

Protective structure and bed frame with rigid canopy

OwnerJon P. Ward, Shirley J. Wardinventors

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Abstract

The invention provides a protective structure which can be used to protect a localized area within home or work place. The invention is especially usable as a protective structure for a sleeping area or for a work table area. The invention includes a rectangular frame, vertical support members and a canopy. The structure is ideally made entirely out of steel or like material. The vertical support members include at each corner, a pair of linear members, such as tubular steel members. Each pair of linear members is in abutment at their upper ends but are spaced apart by several inches at their lower ends. Also, each pair of vertical members is tilted inwardly towards the center of the rectangular frame by about 7 degrees. By these techniques, the support structure is extremely rigid and is extremely resistant to lateral moments. The horizontal members which form the lower horizontal framework and the upper horizontal framework are easily detached and reattached so that the entire structure can be readily expanded or made smaller by simply changing out the several horizontal members for longer or shorter ones.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A protective structure adapted to provide a protected area of a sufficient size to accommodate at least one human user, said protective structure being of sufficient strength and rigidity to protect a user from falling debris or the like, comprising:

(a) a first, a second, a third and a fourth foot members disposed sequentially in a rectangular pattern and tangentially above a horizontal surface;
(b) a first, a second, a third and a fourth pair of vertical members, each attached to a like-numbered foot member, and each vertical member having an upper end and a lower end;
(c) a first, a second, a third and a fourth upper corner attachment member, each attached to the upper ends of a like-numbered pair of vertical members, and each having a left and a right attachment connector;
(d) four lower horizontal members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each lower horizontal member being attached to a foot member and the right end being attached to an adjoining foot member;
(e) four upper horizontal members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each upper horizontal member being attached to the right attachment connector of an upper corner attachment member and the right end being attached to the left attachment connector of an adjoining upper corner attachment member;
and
(f) a rigid canopy disposed between the upper horizontal members;
wherein the lower ends of each pair of vertical members are spaced apart by a greater distance than at the upper ends;
and
wherein each vertical member is tilted inwardly by an angle of between about 5 and about 10 degrees from the vertical.

7 more elements

A bed frame of sufficient rigidity to provide protection from falling debris or the like, comprising:

(a) a first, a second, a third and a fourth four foot members disposed sequentially in a rectangular pattern;
(b) a first, a second, a third and a fourth pair of vertical members, each attached to a like-numbered foot member, and each vertical member having an upper end and a lower end;
(c) a first, a second, a third and a fourth lower corner attachment members, each attached to the lower ends of a like-numbered foot member, and each having a left and a right attachment connector;
(d) a first, a second, a third and a fourth upper corner attachment member, each attached to the upper ends of a like-numbered pair of vertical members, and each having a left and a right attachment connector;
(e) four lower horizontal members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each lower horizontal member being attached to the right attachment connector of a lower corner attachment member and the right end being attached to the left attachment connector of an adjoining lower corner attachment member;
(f) four upper horizontal members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each upper horizontal member being attached to the right attachment connector of an upper corner attachment member and the right end being attached to the left attachment connector of an adjoining upper corner attachment member;
and
(g) a rigid canopy disposed between the upper horizontal members;
wherein the lower ends of each pair of vertical members are spaced apart by a greater distance than at the upper ends;
and
wherein each vertical member is tilted inwardly by an angle of between about 5 and about 10 degrees from the vertical.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.