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3 plis à lattes

English translation: triple-fold slatted [mechanism]

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:3 plis à lattes
English translation:triple-fold slatted [mechanism]
Entered by: Steven Capsuto

09:02 Dec 21, 2003
French to English translations [PRO]
Furniture / Household Appliances / furniture
French term or phrase: 3 plis à lattes
In the phrase 'Mécanique 3 plis à lattes'

It's talking about different sofa bed systems - I know that we're talking about wooden 'slats' here as the base - but what's the full meaning?
Many thanks.
Rachel Mackay
Local time: 04:06
triple-fold slatted [mechanism]
Explanation:
Actually, I think the technical term for a sofa-bed mechanism with three folding points is a "three-movement mechanism" (see http://www.mscsoftware.com/support/library/conf/adams/euro/2... but the average consumer wouldn't understand that.

For the term "slatted mechanism" in reference to sofa beds, see http://www.sofabedworld.co.uk/pages/executive.htm. The variant "wood slats mechanism" (which strikes me as awkward) can be found at http://www.bonbon.co.uk/milanobedding/mb/I-COSBYUK.htm .

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Note added at 2 hrs 15 mins (2003-12-21 11:17:24 GMT)
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I don\'t buy the idea of it meaning \"three-ply wooden slats.\" Yes, the English word \"ply\" can mean layer of wood, but I don\'t think the French word \"pli\" can. Wouldn\'t three-ply slats would be something like \"lattes trois épaisseurs\"? At any rate, \"3 plis\" seems to modify \"mécanique\" rather than the \"lattes\" -- at least that\'s how I\'m reading it.

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Note added at 2 hrs 19 mins (2003-12-21 11:22:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I see what you mean now about \"ply\" being a flat surface. I just don\'t know if you can get that from the French \"pli.\"
Selected response from:

Steven Capsuto
United States
Local time: 23:06
Grading comment
Thanks. This suited the best.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4triple-fold slatted [mechanism]
Steven Capsuto
4 +2Tri-Fold sofa bed with three slat racks
RHELLER
4 +2triple-fold, as above
Bourth (X)
2 -1A folding bed with three plies
Roddy Stegemann


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): -1
A folding bed with three plies


Explanation:
Could it be a sofa that when unfolded twice yields a full bed in three parts

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Note added at 2003-12-21 09:46:22 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In further response to Steven\'s remarks and entry. I should think that the word ply has more than one meaning. Steven has interpreted it to mean \"a fold\" or \"a crease\", whereas my interpreation is that of a flat surface, such as a piece of ply-wood. One could easily replace the word ply with folding part and achieve the same end.

Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 20:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Monique Laville: Yes.
11 mins
  -> Thanks.
disagree  Steven Capsuto: Plis doesn't translate as plies. In reply to the comment below: the 3-part bed in the first doc. I cite is called in the text a "two-movement bed". I was extropolating that to mean that what you're translating would be a three-movement/triple-fold bed.
19 mins
  -> Your pictures are very nice, but all of them and the accompanying text suggest a bed with three folding parts.
disagree  Tony M: No, 'ply' can't be used to mean a hinged flap like this
9 hrs
  -> And why not? When the folds are stacked in their sofa state, they are just like toilet paper!
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
3 plis à lattes
triple-fold slatted [mechanism]


Explanation:
Actually, I think the technical term for a sofa-bed mechanism with three folding points is a "three-movement mechanism" (see http://www.mscsoftware.com/support/library/conf/adams/euro/2... but the average consumer wouldn't understand that.

For the term "slatted mechanism" in reference to sofa beds, see http://www.sofabedworld.co.uk/pages/executive.htm. The variant "wood slats mechanism" (which strikes me as awkward) can be found at http://www.bonbon.co.uk/milanobedding/mb/I-COSBYUK.htm .

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 15 mins (2003-12-21 11:17:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I don\'t buy the idea of it meaning \"three-ply wooden slats.\" Yes, the English word \"ply\" can mean layer of wood, but I don\'t think the French word \"pli\" can. Wouldn\'t three-ply slats would be something like \"lattes trois épaisseurs\"? At any rate, \"3 plis\" seems to modify \"mécanique\" rather than the \"lattes\" -- at least that\'s how I\'m reading it.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 19 mins (2003-12-21 11:22:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I see what you mean now about \"ply\" being a flat surface. I just don\'t know if you can get that from the French \"pli.\"

Steven Capsuto
United States
Local time: 23:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks. This suited the best.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Roddy Stegemann: The text that accompanies your pictures suggest two-hinges, two movements, and three hinged or folding parts.
14 mins
  -> Right, but the text (in the first document, at least) calls that a two-movement bed. So this is a three-movement bed.
agree  donovan983
1 hr
agree  Tony M: Yes on your descirption, though do note that French 'pli' can be used as 'ply', as in things like "3-ply toilet tissue"
8 hrs
agree  Jose Paez
12 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
3 plis à lattes
Tri-Fold sofa bed with three slat racks


Explanation:
Tri-fold:
A convertible futon sofa-bed frame that utilizes three slat racks. The futon mattress can hang over the back of the frame, be folded under itself on the seat rack, or lay flat as a chaise lounge style seat. The tri-fold allows the futon mattress to fold twice along its usually shorter width.

Bi-Fold and Tri-Fold: The New Sofa-beds of The Nineties

There are two major differences between the bi-fold and tri-fold frame types. The first difference is the number of times the futon mattress must fold when converting from the sitting to sleeping position. The tri-fold requires the futon mattress to be folded twice while the bi-fold requires that the mattress fold only once. The second major difference between the two frame designs is that the tri-fold utilizes the shorter "width" of the mattress for seating while the bi-fold utilizes the longer "length". This gives the inherent advantage to the bi-fold because it looks much more like a conventional sofa-bed than does the tri-fold. It also provides a larger seating area for the consumer.



    Reference: http://www.futonexpo.net/futonframes.php3
RHELLER
United States
Local time: 21:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sarahl (X): have your futon ready for me, okay?
9 hrs
agree  Roddy Stegemann: Yes, this also works. Futons are very solid resting places, even when they are placed on the floor.
10 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
triple-fold, as above


Explanation:
but the term is misleading,since a triple-fold convertible in fact has only two folds, but four hinging points. Each "fold" requires two hinges set a double mattress thickness apart. In the folded position, the whole thing is 3 mattress/slat/frame thicknesses thick. This for the convertibles where the bed part folds away under the seat, not the clic-clac variety.

So in a way the "ply" interpretation is correct.

Bourth (X)
Local time: 05:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 46

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
1 hr
agree  Roddy Stegemann: Yes, just like 3-ply toilet paper and ply-wood. Stacked layers in sofa position.
10 hrs
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