Ensuring the Safety of Foldaway Beds with ISO 10131

With increasing urbanization and the need to optimize living spaces, foldaway beds (or murphy beds) have emerged as an ingenious solution for maximizing available space in small homes and condos. However, this equipment presents mechanical risks that require a rigorous safety assessment. Expert in furniture testing, Micom Laboratories implements test protocols based on the ISO 10131 standard to verify the conformity and durability of foldaway beds.

Understanding ISO 10131 and Its Impact on Murphy Beds’ Safety

ISO 10131 is one of the main international standards governing the safety testing of foldaway beds. It consists of two distinct parts:

• ISO 10131-1: Safety requirements – This section details the criteria that a Murphy bed must meet to ensure safe use. In particular, it covers structural stability, the risk of crushing or unexpected closure, and the durability of support mechanisms.
• ISO 10131-2: Test methods – This part defines the test procedures to be followed to assess the performance of foldaway beds, including static and dynamic load tests and handling cycles.

These two parts provide quality engineers and manufacturers with a clear and precise technical basis for ensuring that their products comply with the safety standards applicable in different countries.

Analysis of Design Challenges and ISO 10131 Requirements

The design of foldaway beds involves major technical and mechanical challenges that manufacturers must consider to ensure both safety and functionality. The main challenges are as follows:

• Stability under load: According to Micom Laboratories tests, beds must be able to withstand a static load equivalent to 1.5 times the nominal weight of a user (up to 200 kg for certain overload tests) while maintaining perfect stability. This requirement ensures that the bed does not tip over or collapse under normal or accidental use.
• Controlled closing mechanism: A survey by the European Consumer Product Safety Agency (EPCPA) reveals that 8% of incidents involving foldaway beds are due to uncontrolled closing, resulting in injury. The ISO standard imposes specific requirements to prevent these risks, such as the addition of anti-quick-closing devices and tests of resistance to involuntary opening/closing.
• Durability and duty cycles: Hinge, spring and damper mechanisms must withstand intensive use. Laboratory tests include repeated opening/closing cycles, simulating use over a period of around 27 years, or approximately 10,000 cycles (based on one opening/closing per day). This test is designed to detect premature wear and manufacturing defects.

Micom’s Scientific Approach: Validation with Quantifiable Tests

1. 1. Sample conditioning and preparation to ISO 554
2. All tests are preceded by a climatic conditioning phase to simulate actual temperature and humidity conditions. This eliminates the risk of results being altered by unusual extremes during testing. Beds are subjected to stable conditions to ensure consistent results over a prolonged period.
3. 2. Mechanism durability tests
4. Micom Laboratories carries out rigorous opening and closing tests, simulating up to 10,000 cycles. These results quantify the durability of the components, guaranteeing trouble-free use over many years. This test is the most difficult for manufacturers to comply with. On several occasions, a bed has failed at less than 1,000 cycles.
5. 3. Opening and Closing force tests
6. ISO 10131 stipulates that the force required to manipulate the bed (open or close) must remain within safe limits. Micom plots force curves as a function of opening angle, ensuring that the force required does not exceed 40-50 N (newtons), the average force an adult could exert without risk of injury. Any mechanism requiring force in excess of this threshold is likely to cause an accident or injury to the user.
7. 4. Resistance to accidental closure
8. According to a study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 10% of foldaway bed accidents involve unintentional closures. We carry out specific tests to measure the bed’s ability to resist unwanted external forces. Beds must be able to withstand an accidental force equivalent to 100 N without triggering involuntary movement.
9. 5. Assessment of wall fasteners
10. Foldaway bed anchors are often subjected to extreme forces. Micom tests the strength of wall fasteners by applying repeated loads. According to our analyses, the tested fasteners can withstand loads of up to 2,000 N, ensuring that the bed remains securely fastened to the wall even under conditions of intensive use.

In Conclusion

As a laboratory specializing in furniture testing, Micom Laboratories is a leader in foldaway bed testing, offering comprehensive solutions and technical analysis based on quantitative data. Our tests, carried out in accordance with the requirements of ISO 10131 and other international standards, enable manufacturers to validate the safety and durability of their products. The quantified results provide assurance to manufacturers that their products can withstand real-life conditions while protecting users from potential risks.

Visit our website page on foldaway bed safety testing services to find out more, or contact our experts today.