The same floor area can serve different purposes as its furniture moves. A studio switches between day and night layouts, a bed rises toward the ceiling, and a table hangs from cables. Other mechanisms take on recurring chores, including cooking, bed-making and folding clothes.

FIG. 01

Make the same studio a living room by day and a bedroom by night

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 43A, FIG. 43B
PUBLICATIONUS20150247338A1
Make the same studio a living room by day and a bedroom by night.
FIG. 01US20150247338A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Make the same studio a living room by day and a bedroom by night.

Make the same studio a living room by day and a bedroom by night.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed apartment changes its furniture layout between a daytime living space and a nighttime bedroom within the same small dwelling.

YO! LtdFIG. 01
ASSIGNEE
YO! Ltd
PRIORITY
2012-09-12
PUBLISHED
2015-09-03
PUBLICATION
US20150247338A1
INVENTORS
Simon Woodroffe
ORIGINAL
FIG. 02

Raise the bed to the ceiling until it effectively disappears

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 4, FIG. 5
PUBLICATIONUS20230189982A1
Raise the bed to the ceiling until it effectively disappears.
FIG. 02US20230189982A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Raise the bed to the ceiling until it effectively disappears.

Raise the bed to the ceiling until it effectively disappears.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed furniture system raises the bed into a shroud near the ceiling, concealing it with its bedding when it is not in use.

Ori IncFIG. 02
ASSIGNEE
Ori Inc
PRIORITY
2018-11-09
PUBLISHED
2023-06-22
PUBLICATION
US20230189982A1
INVENTORS
Carlos Rubio / Chad Bean / Ivan Fernandez de Casadevante / Hasier Larrea-Tamayo / Robert T. Hsiung / Daniel Ritts
ORIGINAL
FIG. 03

Lower the table from the ceiling instead of standing it on the floor

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C
PUBLICATIONUS20150000569A1
Lower the table from the ceiling instead of standing it on the floor.
FIG. 03US20150000569A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Lower the table from the ceiling instead of standing it on the floor.

Lower the table from the ceiling instead of standing it on the floor.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed work surface hangs from ceiling-mounted cables and lowers to a usable height, then returns overhead after use.

IndividualFIG. 03
ASSIGNEE
Individual
PRIORITY
2013-06-27
PUBLISHED
2015-01-01
PUBLICATION
US20150000569A1
INVENTORS
Joseph Casino
ORIGINAL
FIG. 04

Use cameras and robot arms to make the bed automatically

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1
PUBLICATIONUS7036164B2
Use cameras and robot arms to make the bed automatically.
FIG. 04US7036164B2
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Use cameras and robot arms to make the bed automatically.

Use cameras and robot arms to make the bed automatically.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed system reads the state of the bedding with a camera and uses a movable arm to push, pull or lift it into place.

IndividualFIG. 04
ASSIGNEE
Individual
PRIORITY
2003-03-05
PUBLISHED
2006-05-02
PUBLICATION
US7036164B2
INVENTORS
Stephen Lang Dickerson
ORIGINAL
FIG. 05

Line up four robot arms to cook in the kitchen

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 2
PUBLICATIONUS20210394371A1
Line up four robot arms to cook in the kitchen.
FIG. 05US20210394371A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Line up four robot arms to cook in the kitchen.

Line up four robot arms to cook in the kitchen.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed cooking system combines movable arms with exchangeable cooking attachments along a shared worktop.

Sony CorporationFIG. 05
ASSIGNEE
Sony Corporation
PRIORITY
2018-10-05
PUBLISHED
2021-12-23
PUBLICATION
US20210394371A1
INVENTORS
Yuto Ishizu / Shigeki Ono / Tatsushi Nashida / Mitsuo Okumura / Tomoko Takahashi / Ayaka Sato / Ikuto Yoshikawa
ORIGINAL
FIG. 06

Make the refrigerator door become a window only when needed

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1, FIG. 2
PUBLICATIONUS10274250B2
Make the refrigerator door become a window only when needed.
FIG. 06US10274250B2
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Make the refrigerator door become a window only when needed.

Make the refrigerator door become a window only when needed.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed refrigerator door includes a transparent region that lets the user see inside while keeping the door closed.

LG Electronics Inc.FIG. 06
ASSIGNEE
LG Electronics Inc.
PRIORITY
2014-10-17
PUBLISHED
2019-04-30
PUBLICATION
US10274250B2
INVENTORS
Sangoh Kim / Hangbok Lee / Jaeyoul Lee / Minsub Kim / Jungkyu Son / Jaehyun Soh / Eugene Suh / Nami Kim
ORIGINAL
FIG. 07

Project toilet and faucet controls into mid-air

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 28, FIG. 29
PUBLICATIONUS20240210806A1
Project toilet and faucet controls into mid-air.
FIG. 07US20240210806A1
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Project toilet and faucet controls into mid-air.

Project toilet and faucet controls into mid-air.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed bathroom controls use images projected into space as an interface for fixtures such as toilets and faucets.

Kohler Mira Limited / Kohler Co.FIG. 07
ASSIGNEE
Kohler Mira Limited / Kohler Co.
PRIORITY
2020-04-24
PUBLISHED
2024-06-27
PUBLICATION
US20240210806A1
INVENTORS
Kevin Peel / Craig Fitton / Nigel Sansum / Chanseol Chung
ORIGINAL
FIG. 08

Measure urine and body temperature simply by sitting on the toilet

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1, FIG. 2
PUBLICATIONUS4961431A
Measure urine and body temperature simply by sitting on the toilet.
FIG. 08US4961431A
Patent drawing illustrating the concept: Measure urine and body temperature simply by sitting on the toilet.

Measure urine and body temperature simply by sitting on the toilet.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

The proposed toilet combines urine sampling with body-temperature sensing and a display for the measurements.

Toto LtdFIG. 08
ASSIGNEE
Toto Ltd
PRIORITY
1987-01-27
PUBLISHED
1990-10-09
PUBLICATION
US4961431A
INVENTORS
Takao Ikenaga / Toshifumi Shigematsu / Akio Kusumoto / Masatoshi Yada / Kimiyoshi Yamamoto
ORIGINAL
FIG. 09

Feed in clothes and let the machine orient and fold them

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1
PUBLICATIONUS20230257928A1
The system first locates and positions the garment, then passes it to the folding mechanism.
FIG. 09US20230257928A1
Patent FIG. 1 showing a clothing organizing apparatus with rollers, position sensors, gripping components and a folding mechanism.

The system first locates and positions the garment, then passes it to the folding mechanism.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

Samsung Electronics' "Clothing classification apparatus and clothing organizing apparatus including same" targets a stubbornly manual part of laundry: getting a loose garment into a known orientation before it can be folded. FIG. 1 shows the overall organizing apparatus.

The patent moves clothing between opposed rollers, uses sensors to determine where the garment passes, and changes roller direction to induce an initial grip point. Instead of merely making a smarter wardrobe, it turns straightening, locating and folding into one continuous machine process.

Samsung Electronics Co LtdFIG. 09
ASSIGNEE
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
PRIORITY
2020-10-22
PUBLISHED
2023-08-17
PUBLICATION
US20230257928A1
INVENTORS
Daesoo Kim / YoungJae Chae / Jaehong Kim
ORIGINAL
FIG. 10

Finally, make the entire house unfold outward and upward into two floors

SOURCE FIGURESFIG. 1A, FIG. 1B
PUBLICATIONUS20240254754A1
The structure packs down for transport, then expands sideways and upward to create a larger two-story home.
FIG. 10US20240254754A1
Patent drawings of an expandable house changing from a compact folded state into a two-floor living space.

The structure packs down for transport, then expands sideways and upward to create a larger two-story home.

Drag to pan when zoomed. Use + / − to zoom, 0 to fit, arrow keys to pan, and Alt + arrow keys for the previous or next FIG.

What is it?

US20240254754A1 describes a house that expands in more than one direction. The two drawings shown here are FIG. 1A, the collapsed configuration, and FIG. 1B, the fully expanded two-floor form. FIG. 2 in the original publication shows the sequence for opening the outer walls, floors, upper level and roof.

The patent describes side expansion sections opening first, followed by the center of the second level rising and stored floor panels sliding outward to create the upper floor. Instead of rearranging furniture inside a fixed shell, the shell of the home itself becomes a mechanism.

A&C Future IncFIG. 10
ASSIGNEE
A&C Future Inc
PRIORITY
2023-01-30
PUBLISHED
2024-08-01
PUBLICATION
US20240254754A1
INVENTORS
Zhuangboyu Zhou / Ju Gao / Jiuqi Wang / Sichen Li / Xunmin Jiang / Shoue Chen / Han Qin / Jiayang Qin
ORIGINAL

AFTER THE FIGURES

What these ten figures reveal

These ten proposals give familiar parts of the home new states. Beds and tables retreat overhead, a room changes use between day and night, and a compact house expands into two floors.

Other mechanisms take on the work around those spaces, from cooking and making the bed to measuring health information and folding clothes. The home becomes an active participant in its occupants’ routines.

SOURCES

Primary sources

  1. US20150247338A1 — Residential apartment
  2. US20230189982A1 — Systems and methods for improved operation of moveable robotic elements
  3. US20150000569A1 — Concealable suspended surfaces
  4. US7036164B2 — Automatic bed making apparatus
  5. US20210394371A1 — Cooking arm and cooking system
  6. US10274250B2 — Refrigerator
  7. US20240210806A1 — Systems and methods for controlling a plumbing fixture, smart mirror, and the like using projected images
  8. US4961431A — Toilet device with health examination system
  9. US20230257928A1 — Clothing classification apparatus and clothing organizing apparatus including same
  10. US20240254754A1 — Two floor expandable house structure
YO! LtdOriSonyLG ElectronicsKohlerTOTOSmart HomeFurnitureRoboticsKitchenBathroomArchitecture

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