1. The Great Team1 Week 5 : Patent Search And Selection Analysis Bunk Bed Converter Adam Brown Blaine Gardner Sarah Gleaton Jimmy Jiang Addisu Lemlem Lee Tschaepe 6/14/2006

2. The Great Team2 Week 5 : Patent Search Bunk Bed Converter Adam Brown Blaine Gardner Sarah Gleaton Jimmy Jiang Addisu Lemlem Lee Tschaepe

3. The Great Team3 Patent No. 3,886,604 Title: Bunk bed construction Inventor: Tom Ewing Date: June 3, 1975 Description: This invention concerns a method of making bunk beds more structurally safe. Its focus is on the connection point between the horizontal braces that hold the vertical posts in place, preventing the bed from collapsing. Its components include two unthreaded high tensile rods, which constrain movement in the vertical direction, and a threaded high tensile rod that prevents the horizontal brace from rotating.

4. The Great Team4 Patent No. 4,999,864 Title: Bed Movable to Plural Positions Inventor: Paul B. Crews Date: March 19, 1991 Description: This invention concerns a method of moving the upper bunk to a different position using a track system. The horizontal brace that is level with the upper mattress has grooves in it, which allow the upper mattress frame to slide over. The rear slider on the mattress frame comes up, while the front slider falls into a recess, allowing the bed to pivot into a nearly horizontal position.

5. The Great Team5 Title: Space-saving Bed Inventor: Robert C. Lyne Jr. Date: April 2, 1996 Description: This design features a stationary frame with a vertical movable platform. Counterweights allow the platform to be elevated or lowered with minimum force. The lines and pulley are arranged so that the counterweights have a 2:1 mechanical advantage with respect to the platform. Patent No. 5,502,850

6. The Great Team6 Title: Adjustable height bed Assignee: Invacare Corporation Date: January 6, 2006 Description: This basic design uses an electric motor and two drive shafts to automatically move the bed platform up and down on a stationary frame. This adjustable bed includes a universal, or interchangeable, bed end that can be used at either end of the bed and that can be connected with a motor drive assembly. The bed end may also include a removable manual crank that is attached to the bed end. Patent No. 6,983,495

7. The Great Team7 Patent #4,179,763 Title: Folding bunk bed unit Date: December 25, 1979 Description: A folding bunk bed unit where the top bunk folds down to sit on top of bottom bunk

8. The Great Team8 Patent #4,483,027 Title: Foldable bunk bed assembly Date: November 20, 1984 Description: a wall bed that folds out into bunk beds

9. The Great Team9

10. 10 Objectives Review Designs Develop Evaluation Criteria for Designs Determine the Importance of Criteria Calculate Total Weighted Score of each Design Design Selection Selection Analysis

11. The Great Team11 Hinge Design This design allows the top mattress to be moved down to an even level with the bottom mattress using two hydraulic or spring arms. The arms are mounted on a brace below the bottom mattress, with the rear arm slightly offset below the front arm. They are attached to the top mattress frame Additionally, it has a leg that can be pulled out for support in the king position.

12. The Great Team12 Diagonally Sliding Design Description The frame and lower bed are stationary The upper bed is attached to the frame at one end and a diagonal track at the other The upper bed can be detached from the frame and held as it slides down next to the lower bed

13. The Great Team13 Fold Over

14. The Great Team14 Slotted Design

15. The Great Team15 Bottom bunk slides out through a track sub- assembly Foldable corner legs provide support for bottom bunk bed in extended position Counterweight or Spring helps lower the top bunk slowly Counterweight or Spring can also provides force to lift the top mattress back up to the bunk position Slider Design

16. The Great Team16 Selection Criteria Stability Safety Ease of Use Cost Ease of Assembly Reliability Aesthetics Durability

17. The Great Team17 Pair-wise Comparison

18. The Great Team18 Evaluation Matrix