Convertible article of furniture

Abstract

An article of furniture includes a cabinet housing having an open side. A panel can be disposed relative to the cabinet housing and moveable between a first position and a second position spaced away from the cabinet housing. A linkage can be mounted to the panel, and at least two pads can be mounted to the linkage. Each of the at least two pads can have surface on which a person can sit or recline.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of furniture comprising:
 a cabinet housing having an open side;   a panel disposed relative to the cabinet housing and moveable between a first position wherein the panel at least partially closes the open side and a second position spaced away from the cabinet housing;   a linkage having a first end fixed relative to the cabinet housing and a second end mounted to the panel; and   at least two pads mounted to the linkage and each having a surface on which a person can sit or recline;   wherein the linkage is adapted to cause each surface to be disposed vertically within the cabinet when the panel is in the first position and to urge the surfaces to be disposed horizontally outside the cabinet housing as the panel is moved to the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The article of furniture of  claim 1  wherein the linkage includes a vertical support associated with each of the respective at least two pads. 
     
     
         3 . The article of furniture of  claim 2  wherein the vertical support includes a movement-enabling mechanism such that the vertical support is adapted to move in a direction in-line with a movement of the panel between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The article of furniture of  claim 2  wherein each of the at least two pads are pivotally mounted with the associated vertical support. 
     
     
         5 . The article of furniture of  claim 4  wherein each of the at least two pads further includes a first pad end and a second pad end, distal from the first pad end, and wherein the first pad end is oriented at a vertically upper position, compared with the second pad end, when the panel is in the first position, and wherein the first pad end is oriented in a horizontal position more proximate to the panel, compared with the second pad end, when the panel is in the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The article of furniture of  claim 4  wherein each of the at least two pads is adapted to be pivotally urged between a vertically disposed position to a horizontally disposed position as the panel is spaced from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The article of furniture of  claim 6  wherein the at least two pads includes a first pad most proximate to the panel and a second pad, and wherein first pad is adapted to be pivotally urged to the horizontally disposed position prior to the second pad being pivotally urged from the vertically disposed position to the horizontally disposed position. 
     
     
         8 . The article of furniture of  claim 4  wherein the linkage further includes a set of folding panels positioned between adjacent vertical supports. 
     
     
         9 . The article of furniture of  claim 8  wherein the set of folding panels fold between a compressed state and an expanded state, in a direction in-line with a movement of the panel between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The article of furniture of  claim 9  wherein the set of folding panels are hingedly mounted to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The article of furniture of  claim 9  wherein the set of folding panels fold in an origami-like fashion. 
     
     
         12 . The article of furniture of  claim 9  wherein the set of folding panels are mounted with one of the at least two pads such that the folding of the set of folding panels between the compressed state and the expanded state urges the one of the at least two pads to pivot about the pivotable mounting from a vertically disposed position to a horizontally disposed position. 
     
     
         13 . The article of furniture of  claim 12  wherein the set of folding panels arranged in the compressed state defines a seat for receiving a bottom end of the one of the at least two pads in the vertically disposed position. 
     
     
         14 . The article of furniture of  claim 1  wherein the at least two pads are coplanar when the panel is in a second position fully spaced away from the cabinet housing. 
     
     
         15 . The article of furniture of  claim 1  wherein the one of the at least two pads most proximate to the panel is pivotally mounted to a portion of the panel. 
     
     
         16 . The article of furniture of  claim 1  wherein the linkage is adapted to urge each of the at least two pads from a vertically disposed position to a horizontally disposed position in the same cascading movement. 
     
     
         17 . The article of furniture of  claim 16  wherein the cascading movement includes a similarly oriented rotational movement of each of the at least two pads about a pivotal mounting between the respective pad and the linkage. 
     
     
         18 . The article of furniture of  claim 1  wherein the linkage includes a telescoping vertical support. 
     
     
         19 . The article of furniture of  claim 1  wherein the linkage is mounted to a rear portion of the cabinet housing, opposite the open side. 
     
     
         20 . A convertible furniture system comprising:
 a cabinet housing having at least one open side;   a panel slidably disposed relative to the at least one open side and slidable between a retracted position at the at least one open side and an extended position distal from the at least one open side;   an expandable mechanism mounted to the panel adapted to expand as the panel is caused to slide toward the extended position; and   a plurality of pads mounted to the expandable mechanism;   wherein the pads in the plurality of pads are disposed vertically adjacent to each other within the cabinet housing when the panel is in the retracted position and wherein the expandable mechanism is configured to sequentially move the pads in the plurality of pads to a horizontal disposition adjacent to each other when the panel is moved toward the extended position.