REDESIGNING THE MURPHY BED

Robert Knowlton
Michael Miller
Michael Baldwin

March 3, 2010

Team 2I

Executive Summary (w the world population at an all time high)

With the world’s population continuing to grow, the need for additional living space is growing
just as rapidly. This group looked into the market of college dorm rooms and realized that the
minimal amount of space allotted can be utilized more efficiently. Therefore, our engineering
team came up with the idea redesign of the Murphy bed that attaches a pivoting desktop to the
back of the bed in order to combine two separate entities into one, space saving device.

Our design team individually performed external searches of the current market and interviewed
customers. Our team then brought all of our data together in which we chose our major design
concepts. We then proceeded to score the concept ideas based on weighted criteria that came
from customer’s input. As a result, the team formed its final design: a single Murphy bed that is
folded up along the horizontal axis contained in a wooden shell with a pivoting desktop
underneath. This desk acts as support when the bed is in use, and it will pivot down as the bed is
folded up. In addition, wooden cabinetry will be added around the bed in order to provide
storage space. As former dorm occupants, any additional space would have been a delight, so
our teams push into this market should yield success.
Table of Contents

Executive Summary………………………….…………....…………….1
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………..3
1.1. Background………………………………………………………3
1.2. Task Description………………………………………………….3
2. Problem Definition…………………………………………………...3
3. Customer Need Assessment………...……………………………...3-4
3.1. Gathering Customer Input………………………………………..3-4
3.2. Weighting Customer Needs………………………………………...4
4. Engineering Specifications…………………………………….…..4-6
4.1. Establishing Target Specifications……………………..………...…...4-5
4.2. Relating Specifications to Customer Needs…………………………..…5
4.3. Revised Problem Statement………………………………………..…5-6
5. Concept Generation………………………………….…………....6-7
5.1. External Search……………………………………………….…..6
5.2. Design Concepts……………………………………...……...…6-7
6. Concept Selection……………………………………….……...…7-8
7. Final Design…………………………………………….………...…8
8. Conclusions and Recommendations……………………..……….….9
9. References……………………………………………….…….…9-10
10. Appendices………………………………………………..…....11-19

2
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Group 2I is a furniture company which specializes in creative designs for Murphy beds. A
Murphy bed is a bed that pivots up into a vertical position usually into a closet or other type of
feature. From past experiences of living in Pennsylvania State University’s dorm rooms, we
know that there is a need for space efficiency in college dorm rooms and apartments. “The
average dorm room is 12 by 19 feet—before you split the space with a roommate and subtract
space for essentials like your bed and desk. However, don’t fret—for the 2006 school year, the
National Retail Federation still reported a $3.82 billion market for dorm furnishings” [ref. 1].
With such a small space available for students to occupy, space efficiency plays an important
role in determining what to bring to college.

1.2 Task Description

The overall task we face is to convert a Murphy bed into a space efficient Murphy bed and desk.
The product must combine as many aspects of a desk and bed as possible. The design should also
have storage space for any anything college students would need to use on a regular basis. The
design must be able to transition from bed to desk easily with only a small amount of consumer
work. The design must be as space efficient as possible because college dorm rooms are small
and crammed. Since college students are already on a small budget, our design must be as
affordable as possible for college students. Our design could also be purchased by universities or
individual home owners.

2. Problem Definition
Since we were not given a specific problem to tackle regarding our redesign project, it took quite
a while to commit to solving a problem faced by our fellow college students. However, after
considering a few minor inconveniences that would hardly be considered full-fledged problems,
we finally narrowed down our search to lack of space in college housing. Whether you live in
one of Penn State’s dorms with an egg carton ceiling or an overpriced apartment on the outskirts
of town, it is likely that you have often found yourself lacking floor space as well as storage
space. From here, we decided to focus on the space of college dorms in particular since every
student on campus has some sort of opinion of the first room they were crammed into during
their first year at Pennsylvania State University. For this, we broke down our efforts into
maximizing the comfort, floor space, desk space, and general storage space before realizing the
significant effect that a Murphy bed could have on the transformation of a college dorm room.
However, while designing this, we had to work within the constraints of the size of a college
dorm room as well as the size of a college budget.

3. Customer Needs Assessment

3.1 Gathering Customer Input
In order for us to determine how we should construct this new bed, our group went out and
interviewed potential customers to gather their input on the idea. From these interviews, we
were able to focus on certain aspects that most of the potential customers asked for. Our design
team went around to college students living in dorms and apartments; we then proceeded to ask

3
them several baseline questions about the Murphy bed and what they would like to see changed.
See Appendix A for list of questions and results. From these answers and additional comments,
our team was able to formulate basic ideas that consumers wanted to be incorporated into this
design. To supplement these interviews, we also had discussions with other engineering teams to
get their input on the idea. Through a reciprocal process, our team was able to learn more about
the basic consumer needs required for a successful design through additional comments, ideas,
and potential pitfalls the other design team suggested. After these interviews and group
discussions, our team was able to pinpoint the specific consumer needs required for a successful
design. These included space efficiency, price, strength, transition time, accessibility, safety, and
lifetime. These are the needs that the customers were concerned about and in which our team
needed to design around.

3.2 Weighting of Customer Needs

Customer input is a very valuable tool when it comes to designing a product. Determining which
of these input needs is most important is even more crucial to the design process. One way to
decide which need is more valuable to the customer than another is by weighing them. The team
therefore created an Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) matrix to determine the importance of
the consumer needs. A brief summary is shown on the right in
Table 1: Weighted Customer
Table 1. The full AHP can be found in Appendix B. By Needs for Murphy Bed
interpreting our teams weighted results, space efficiency is the
Consumer Weighting
most important criteria with price, safety, and lifetime as the least Needs (from AHP)
important customer needs. Space efficiency allows customers to Space Efficient 22.5%
utilize the space they are given to the maximum extent. A low Price 9.2%
price allows penny pinched college students to afford our product. Strength 13.0%
Strength refers to the strength and durability of materials to Transition Time 19.5%
accommodate the weight and strain from the bed and desk without Accessibility 17.4%
the materials failing. Transition time was the second most Safety 9.2%
important criteria. The customer wants to be able to convert from Lifetime 9.2%
a bed to a desk with minimal amount of time wasted and with as little effort as possible.
Accessibility was a big concern for the customers. They wanted to know if they would be able
to access all of their items whether the bed or desk was in use. This need was one that would
probably give our team the biggest problem. Safety and lifetime were the two least important
consumer needs. They wanted the bed to last long and to be safe to open and close repeatedly
without fear of injury. Overall, the customer’s main concerns were space efficiency, transition
time, and accessibility, and these are the needs our team must take into account to design a
Murphy bed that will be accepted by our customers.

4. Engineering Specifications
4.1 Establishing Target Specifications and Metrics
Based on the consumer input we have outlined above, we developed six target specifications. We
first need a strong material with a high yield strength that will support the weight that will be

4
added to the frame. Our first thought was to use oak because of its appearance, but many more
materials can be used. The second specification is that we need high tension springs that can be
used to assist the consumer while raising and lowering the bed. Third, we need the overall cost to
be as cheap as possible to make the product more affordable to consumers. Another specification
is that the bed must utilize high yield strength supports to support the motion of the bed. The
design must also have a small footprint; meaning the design must be space efficient for the
consumer. This means drawers and a desk must have a useful size. Finally, the bed must have
rubber dampers that will be used to isolate pinch points and protect against damage as the desk
pivots. As a safety concern, the bed must have safety features so consumers will not be injured
when using the product.

4.2 Relationship of Engineering Specifications to Customer Needs

The relationship between
the consumer needs and Engineering Specifications
engineering

Footprint Size
Support Yield
High Tension
Frame Yield

Damping
Elements
Strength

Strength
specifications are

Springs

Rubber
Cost
provided in Figure 1.
When analyzing the
chart, our group took a
broad approach to each Space efficient x
Consumer Needs

engineering specification Price x x

to see how the Strength x x
specifications could Transition Time x x x
affect the design over its Accessibility x x
lifetime. The engineering Safety x
targets are only estimates Lifetime x x x
2
based off of our Units psi lb/in $ psi ft lb-s/ft
knowledge at this time. 20x103 1000 3000 20x103 45 80
These targets are subject Engineering Targets
to change as the design progresses, and we
Figure 1. Relationship between Engineering
find that the design would need to support a
Specifications and Consumer Needs
different weight.

4.3 Revised Problem Statement

Since space is a major concern of any college student, the design must be as space efficient as
possible. In order to meet the market at Penn State, our design must be able to fit into a standard
dorm room. Our product will include a standard Murphy bed; however, it will also include a
desk, drawers and a bookshelf to maximize space efficiency. The bed frame will need high
tension springs to ease the transition of the bed from its stored position to its usable position. The
design must be able to support the weight of the user while they sleep or when they are working
on their desk. Rubber damping elements will be used to provide safety and prevent damage

5
during transition between the desk and bed. This product will also incorporate lighting into the
design so that the light could be used when the bed is up or down. The design will include an
electrical system so the consumer will be able to plug in their electronics on their desk. The team
will focus on the desk attached to the bed and side cabinetry for the final model. The projected
retail price is around $3000.

5. Concept Generation
5.1 External Search
There are several existing patents and commercial products that proved useful in exploring the
structural and mechanical options generally used to create Murphy beds. Since our redesign
focuses on the storage and accessibility rather than the traditional mechanical components, it is
difficult to quantitatively benchmark most products that we came across during our external
search. We did, however, discover many valuable structural and mechanical features that were
of much assistance in creating our initial design concepts. The earliest patent we were able to
find for a combination bed and desk was issued in 1978 and was a fairly simple structure with a
more complex four-bar hinge system for lowering the bed surface. Although this concept
featured a full-size desk surface and a few drawers, it was way too primitive to be examined with
much depth.

We were able to find one patent from the 1980s, but the need for a work and computer desk
seemed far from the forefront of bed design at that time. At the turn of the twenty-first century,
many patents emerged incorporating desks on the underside of Murphy beds- a few of which we
were also able to find similarly in commercial products. One of the most useful patents
considered when creating our designs was that of the “Furniture Combination bed and desk [ref
2],” which was issued in 2006 and featured a hinged desk under a side-folding bed with room for
shelving and miscellaneous storage space above.
Searching current products in this area, we found many wooden Murphy beds with either shelves
or a desk, but few that had the full utilization of storage space and accessibility that we were
looking for. After some searching, we discovered “The Tale [ref 3]” Computer bed, which
closely matched the patent that proved so helpful before. Although fairly simple and streamline,
this model lacks the extra storage capacity and structural stability necessary to carry the load of a
college student’s dorm life. However, this model proved to be an integral backbone for our
future designs as a team. The commercial Murphy beds featuring storage and/or a desk surface
currently range anywhere from $800-5000, which had to be closely considered when trying to
minimize price of our design. After viewing some useful applications of overhead lighting,
pivoting shelves, and hinge systems of some of these products, we were ready to start developing
design concepts for our final product. Appendix C contains information on external searches.

5.2 Design Concepts

Once we had sufficiently determined our customers’ needs and researched prior designs on the
subject, our group met in an isolated room in order to generate some design concepts. Our first
concept was a tall, vertically-folding Murphy bed with one fixed shelf above an extendable desk
that concealed additional shelves when in the closed position. Although this concept took up

6
very little floor space, the hinge for the desk may be structurally unstable and lacked the
necessary shelf space and accessibility that we were looking for.

Our second design concept also folded upright to take up minimal floor space, but this also
caused some shelves to be inaccessible in the closed position. This concept, however, did
incorporate some drawers and specialized cubby holes for the storage of pens and other office
supplies. The top shelf was designed to pivot over the corner of the bed for use in either the
closed or open position, which made the shelving much more accessible if it was implemented
correctly. Made of mostly wood, this frame fulfilled most of our needs, but still lacked a deep
desk surface due to the amount of shelves located under the bed. This concept first tackled the
problem of desk lighting with one large light covering the desk surface.

Concept three featured three L-shaped, hinged shelves that served as both support and storage
space for optimal efficiency. This bed folded up long ways to cover minimal floor space, which
also restricted the depth of the desk surface that we aim to maximize. The feature that
distinguished this concept from the rest, however, was the addition of fixed shelving on each side
“hutch” or external bed frame. The general idea was to incorporate fixed shelving in order to
reduce the number of moving parts and to make the shelves accessible from multiple directions
in the open position. This concept however, did not make any advancement on the lighting
problem. See appendix D for photos of these design concepts.

Our fourth design concept- a hybrid of the three previously mentioned concepts- similarly
represented the overall shelving structure of the third design, but integrated some low-profile
lighting and removed the bottom shelf, which was deemed unnecessary with the additional
shelving. Drafting this final concept made us able to create a short checklist of key components
that had to be involved in our final design-1) a pivoting desk and bookshelf, 2) built-in shelves
and drawers, 3) desk lamp (not fluorescent), and 4) a white or cork board. Pulling these ideas
together, we were able to create a basic idea to run with into the latter stages of development.

Our fifth and final concept was not sketched during the concept brainstorming session, but was
decided upon amongst our group as the best option for fulfilling our target goals set at the
beginning of our search. Since Concept four had been decided to be the best hybrid of our first
three concepts, we decided to take the concept one step further by turning the bed ninety degrees,
so it folds up sideways. By doing this, we were able to minimize depth of the bed frame while
maximizing our desk and shelf space. Since the bed folds onto its side rather than vertically, we
were able to use the extra ceiling clearance to add an additional set of fixed shelving above the
bed which would be accessible in both the flat and upright positions of the bed.

6. Concept Selection
After our group obtained customer input and created general design concepts, we had to finalize
our design selection. Using our individual design concepts, every member of our team
introduced their own idea, and the team decided on which concepts to use. We accomplished

7
this by creating a selection matrix (See Appendix E for the full matrix). The three concepts that
were introduced where: a collapsible desk, single pivot desk, and a double pivot desks. The team
used the weighted percentages from the AHP, and then proceeded to compare the three concepts
in each category by ranking them 1 through 5. As shown in Figure 2, the double pivot desk
finished first with the collapsible desk
Concepts
finishing last. The score and rank make
Collapsible Single Double
logical sense because the ability to
desk pivot desk pivot desk
pivot is more useful than a collapsible
Total Score 1.83 3.26 4.13
desk in which desk items would need
Rank 3 2 1
to be taken off. Our team’s solution
What Next none combine combine
was to combine the ideas of the single
and double pivot desks into one. This
Figure 2. Concept Selection Matrix
would allow us to create a superior
product for our final design.

7. Final Design
The final product will be made of wood to enhance aesthetics. The overall size will be 10 feet by
6 feet by 4.5 feet and include a 7 foot by 4.5 foot opening for the bed. A detailed drawing can be
found in Appendix F. The product will include a pivoting desk that will remain horizontal at all
times. It will also include a bookshelf above the desk. On either side of the bed will be two
customizable shelving units. This design will include two desk lamps attached to the top
bookshelf so the consumer can use them while the bed is up or down. Above the desk will be a
white board or cork board which will be chosen by the consumer. An electrical outlet system will
be incorporated into the desk and an extension cord will connect the system to a wall outlet. This
will prevent cords from getting in the way as the product pivots. The estimated manufacturing
cost of our product will be about $2000.

Figure 3. A Diametric view of the design with the bed up and down

8
8. Conclusions and Recommendations
Our team believes that this design fulfills all of the consumers needs. This design is space
efficient, accessible, has a quick transition time, and is strong and safe. The final price is within
the range of competitor prices. The electrical system and lighting built into the design will make
the product stand out compared to competing designs. These features can change the way
competitors think about Murphy bed designs. This design is recommended for dorms and small
apartments where residents are trying to be space efficient. The best way to get this design
marketed would be to travel to universities to sell our product when dorms go under renovations
and to find a retailer like IKEA to sell our product. Although this exact design may not be
patented, there are several patents that we could be infringing on. The team considered two
options: selling our idea to another competitor who is paying royalties for the design or by
paying royalties to the current patent owners. This design has the potential to reach the market no
matter what the team decides.

9. References:
[1] Bradley, Krista. "Your Guide to Dorm Room Supply & Storage: Helping you smartly fill
your closets and corners." CollegeView. Hobsons, Inc, Web. 22 Feb 2010.

[2] Monestier, Juan Carlos. "Furniture combination bed and desk." Google. 2010. Google, Web.
28 Feb 2010. <http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=9TZ9AAAAEBAJ>.
[3] "The Computer Bed - Euro FlyingBed." Smart Beds from FlyingBeds. 2010. FlyingBeds,
Web. 28 Feb 2010. <http://www.flyingbeds.com/14.SmartBeds/Tale-ComputerBed.htm>.

[4] "Murphy Bed Company." Murphy Bed Company. 2009. Murphy Bed Co., Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<www.murphybedcompany.com>.
[5] "How to Build a Murphy Bed." eHow. 2010. eHow, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.ehow.com/how_2078364_build-murphy-bed.html>.
[6] Reppas, George S. "convertable bed with desk." Google. 2010. Google, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=s-gMAAAAEBAJ>.

[7] Reppas, George S. "convertable furniture unit." Google. 2010. Google, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=G04wAAAAEBAJ>.
[8] Sherman, Loren. " Transfigurable furniture unit." Google. 2010. Google, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=bzMJAAAAEBAJ>.
[9] Lim, Jerry. "Folding Bed." Google. 2010. Google, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=DVgQAAAAEBAJ&dq=murphy+bed+AND
+desk>.

9
[10] "Murphy Beds Came First, Then Wall beds, Now Flying Beds." Flying Beds. 2010. Flying
Beds, Web. 28 Feb 2010. <http://www.flyingbeds.com/Expresso.Cherry-
twin_808/index.htm>.
[11] "Single Bunk Bed." Smart Beds. 2010. Flying Beds, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.flyingbeds.com/14.SmartBeds/Tama_DeskBed.htm>.
[12] "Elsa Murphy Bed with Drop Down Table." Wall Bed Factory. 2010. Wall bed Factory,
Web. 28 Feb 2010. <http://www.wallbedfactory.com/furniture/murphy-beds/elsa-drop-
down-table-murphy-bed>.
[13] "Abbott Library Bed." Wall Bed Factory. 2010. Wall bed Factory, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.wallbedfactory.com/furniture/murphy-beds/abbott-library-murphy-bed2>.

[14] "Murphy Beds and Cabinets." USA Murphy Beds & Custom Cabinets. 2010. USA Murphy
Beds & Custom Cabinets, Web. 28 Feb 2010.
<http://www.usamurphybeds.com/murphybeds/deskmurphybed.html>.

10
Appendix A: Interview Results

1) What five things do you use the most on your desk?

(7)-pens/pencils; (6)- lamp, books, paper; (5)-computer; (3)-speakers, calculator, stapler

2) Do you prefer ceiling lighting or a desk lamp?

lamp (6) – ceiling (2)

3) Do you prefer dry erase or cork boards?

white (4) – cork(2) – both 1

4) What is the optimal height of a bed from the floor?

Average: 2-3 feet

5) Would you like a retractable desk connected to your bed?

Yes (6) – no (1)

6) What 5 items would you like to have on your desk?

N/A – too similar to Q1

7) How many desk drawers do you use consistently?

2 drawers + shelves

8) How much weight can you lift over your head?

About 80 lbs

11
Appendix B: Analytic Hierarchical Process

AHP

transition time
Space Efficient

accessibility
Strength

lifetime

Weight
safety
Price

Total
Space Efficient x 2 3 1 1 2 2 11 22.5%
Price 0.5 x 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 4.5 9.2%
Strength 0.33 1 x 2 1 1 1 6.33 13.0%
transition time 1 2 0.5 x 2 2 2 9.5 19.5%
accessibility 1 2 1 0.5 x 2 2 8.5 17.4%
safety 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 x 1 4.5 9.2%
lifetime 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 x 4.5 9.2%
total 48.83 100.0%

12
Appendix C: External Search Results

[1] Furniture Combination bed and desk –# 7140052

- hinged desk remains horizontal in open and closed positions
- side-folding mechanism
-multiple small springs for easy lifting
- wooden bed frame
- parallelogram desk support system
- motor for easy transition

[2] Combination bed and desk – #4070715

- stationary desk surface with folding bed behind (above)
- bed lays flat on top of desk surface when both are lowered
- internal four-bar spring system
- 4 desk drawers
- internally-wired overhead lighting

[3] Convertible bed with computer desk –# 6508526

- bed folded on side and behind bed
- multiple configurations of desk and bed
- desk drawers and shelf
- description emphasizes cost and accessibility
- top (bed) surface described as having multiple uses- buffet, credenza, conference table, etc.

[4] Convertible furniture unit – #4318195

- desk surface with vertically-folding bed above
- hinged desk collapses forward in order to open bed

[5] Transfigurable furniture unit – #6401276

- fold-down desk under vertically- folding bed
- 4 high-tension springs connected to bed platform around bracket behind point of rotation
- shelf above bed frame
- support bars on each side for easy lifting and lowering
- 4 piece front bracket extends to support desk surface

[6] Folding bed – #6779208

- horizontally-folding desk
- spring-loaded locking mechanisms
-separate bracket system for bed and desk

13
Products:
[7] Misc. Desk
~ cherry construction
~ low-profile overhead lighting
~ vertically-folding bed with cabinet and drawers on side
~ fold-down desk surface under bed surface

[8] The Computer Bed “The Tale”

~ $3650
~ side-folding twin bed with hinged desk surface underneath
~ fixed shelf above bed for additional book storage
~ particle board available in 6 finishes – white, maple, white oak, walnut, cherry, and wenge
~ mattress included
~ 85”W X 53”H X 39(33)”D

[9] Desk Bed (Tama)

~ $5,386
~ vertically-folding double bed with hinged desk and upper shelf
~ 6 color choices (see above)
~ aluminum frame
~ easy to open and close
~ 72”W X 90”H X 81”D
~ no fixed shelving

[10] Elsa Drop Table

~ $2,324
~ 100% green maple and oak
~ small fold-down desk surface

[11] Abbott Library Bed

~ about $5500
~ available In 9 different finishes and 2 sizes (queen and full)
~ optional shelving fixed on either side of the bed (12 full book shelves maxed out)
~ air-piston mechanism for easy opening/closing
~ 100% green wood

[12] The Desk Murphy Bed

~ $1179(twin) - $1579(queen)
~ maple or oak construction
~ vertically-folding bed with desk hinged from the floor

14
Appendix D: Initial Designs
Concept 1 – Vertically-folding Murphy bed with hinged top shelf and desk

Concept 2 – Single Pivoting desk

15
Concept 3 – Double Pivoting desk with built in shelving

Concept 4 – Double Pivoting desk with shelving on the side of the bed

16
Appendix E: Concept Selection Matrix

Concept Selection Matrix

Collapsible desk Single pivot desk Double pivot desk
Consumer Weight Weighted Weighted Weighted
Needs Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score
Space Efficient 0.225 1 0.23 3 0.68 4 0.90
Price 0.092 2 0.18 3 0.28 2 0.18
Strength 0.130 1 0.13 2 0.26 5 0.65
transition time 0.195 2 0.39 5 0.98 5 0.98
accessibility 0.174 2 0.35 3 0.52 5 0.87
safety 0.092 3 0.28 3 0.28 3 0.28
lifetime 0.092 3 0.28 3 0.28 3 0.28
Total Score 1.83 3.26 4.13
Rank 3 2 1
Whats next? none combine combine

17
Appendix F: Final Design

18
19