Bed base kit

Abstract

A bed base kit includes left and right side rails and a head and foot rails. The first end of the left side rail interconnects with the left end of the head rail at a left head joint. The first end of the right side rail interconnects with the right end of the head rail at a right head joint. The second end of the left side rail interconnects with the left end of the foot rail at a left foot joint. The second end of the right side rail interconnects with the right end of the foot rail at a right foot joint. The joints have male and female interconnect elements cooperatively operable to interconnect the respective ends. A center rail may also be provided for supporting a midportion of slats, with the center rail having ends that interconnect with the head and foot rail.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A bed base kit for assembling a bed base, the kit comprising:
 a left and a right side rail each having opposed first and second ends, each side rail having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer surface and an inner surface;   a head rail and a foot rail each having opposed left and right ends, the head rail and foot rail each having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer surface and an inner surface;   a plurality of slats;   wherein;   the first end of the left side rail interconnects with the left end of the head rail at a left head joint;   the first end of the right side rail interconnects with the right end of the head rail at a right head joint;   the second end of the left side rail interconnects with the left end of the foot rail at a left foot joint;   the second end of the right side rail interconnects with the right end of the foot rail at a right foot joint;   thereby forming a bed base perimeter;   each of the joints comprising a male and a female interconnect element cooperatively operable to interconnect the respective ends, one of the male and female interconnect elements provided on the respective side rail and a corresponding other of the male and female interconnect elements provide on the corresponding head or foot rail.   
     
     
         2 . The bed base kit according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the joints cooperatively interconnects by the respective side rail moving outwardly relative to a centerline of the head and foot rails, into an interconnected position, and disconnects by the respective side rail moving inwardly relative to the centerline. 
     
     
         3 . The bed base according to  claim 2 , wherein the slats have ends that engage the side rails and maintain the side rails in the outwardly moved interconnected position. 
     
     
         4 . The bed base kit according to  claim 2 , wherein the joints are dovetail joints with the respective male interconnect elements moving outwardly into the respective female interconnect elements. 
     
     
         5 . The bed base kit according to  claim 4 , wherein the dovetail joints each have lower sides that are generally horizontal in a lateral direction and upper sides that are angled upwardly in the lateral direction. 
     
     
         6 . The bed base kit according to  claim 4 , wherein the dovetail joints each have lower sides and upper sides that both are angled upwardly in the lateral direction. 
     
     
         7 . The bed base kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper surfaces of the side rails have a plurality of inwardly facing slat recesses extending downwardly therein for receiving ends of the slats, each recess having a vertical depth approximately equal to a vertical height of the slats so that an upper surface of each slat disposed in one of the recesses is generally coplanar with the upper surface of the side rails adjacent the recesses. 
     
     
         8 . The bed base kit according to  claim 7 , wherein each recess has a terminal surface that faces inwardly, each slat having length dimension such that ends of the slats engage the terminal surface to maintain the side rails in their outwardly moved interconnected positions. 
     
     
         9 . The bed base kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a center rail having opposed first and second ends, the center rail having an upper surface and a lower surface, the first end of the center rail interconnecting with a midportion of the head rail at a center head joint and the second end of the center rail interconnecting with a midportion of the foot rail at a center foot joint, each of the center joints comprising a male and a female interconnect element cooperatively operable to interconnect the respective end with the respective head or foot rail, one of the male and female interconnect elements provided on the center rail and a corresponding other of the male and female interconnect elements provide on the corresponding head or foot rail.   
     
     
         10 . The bed base kit according to  claim 9 , wherein the center joints are dovetail joints with the male and female engagement elements moving vertically into an interconnected position. 
     
     
         11 . The bed base kit according to  claim 9 , wherein the upper surface of the center rail in the interconnected position is lower than the upper surfaces of the side, head and foot rails, such that the slats are disposed on top of the center rail and have an upper surface that is generally coplanar with the upper surfaces of the side, head and foot rails. 
     
     
         12 . The bed base kit according to  claim 9 , further comprising a stretchable fabric band configured to be stretched around the bed base perimeter and to cover the outer surfaces of the side, head and foot rails in an assembled configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The bed base kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a stretchable fabric band configured to be stretched around the bed base perimeter and to cover the outer surfaces of the side, head and foot rails in an assembled configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The bed base kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the side rails and head and foot rails are open trusses, each having a upper element, a lower element, and connecting elements extending between the upper and lower elements. 
     
     
         15 . The bed base kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the left side rail and right side rail are substantially identical. 
     
     
         16 . The bed base kit according to  claim 15 , wherein the head rail and foot rail are substantially identical.