1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a drive device for a furniture part movable in a furniture carcass, comprising an ejection device lockable in a locked position for moving the movable furniture part from a closed position into an open position, wherein the ejection device is unlockable by over-pressing the movable furniture part into an over-pressing position which is behind the closed position in a closing direction, whereby the movable furniture part is movable by the ejection device in an opening direction, wherein the movable furniture part is also movable from the closed position into the open position by pulling on the movable furniture part, wherein the ejection device remains in the locked position upon opening by pulling, and a coupling device for coupling the drive device to the movable furniture part or to the furniture carcass. The invention further concerns an article of furniture having such a drive device.
2. Description of Related Art
So-called touch latch mechanisms have already been known for many years in the furniture fitting industry, in which an ejection device is unlocked by pressing against the movable furniture part which is in the closed position, whereupon the movable furniture part (for example, a drawer or a furniture flap) is ejected in the opening direction.
In simple touch latch mechanisms of a different general kind, the ejection device is disposed anywhere on the furniture carcass and ejects the movable furniture part at least during the first opening travel. There is no coupling device for coupling the drive device to the movable furniture part. Rather, there is only an abutment surface against which the movable furniture part directly or indirectly bears. If, in the case of such a drive device, instead of over-pressing the movable furniture part, the movable furniture part is simply pulled starting from the closed position, then the movable furniture part is lifted away from the abutment surface without triggering a movement in the drive device.
Conversely, in WO 2012/149587 A1, which is also of a different general kind, a coupling device remains in a coupling position upon ejection of the movable furniture part whereas, however, the locking device with the cardioid-shaped guide path is no longer in the locking position when opening the movable furniture part by pulling. Rather, there is provided an evasion passage by which the locking pin can evasively pass through the “heart” of the cardioid when opening by pulling. The locking position is therefore preserved upon opening by pulling.
In WO 2011/015663 A1, which relates to a different general kind of device, the coupling position between the drive device and the movable furniture part or furniture carcass is also maintained in the same fashion upon opening by pulling, but unlocking of the lockable ejection device is implemented both upon unlocking by over-pressing and also upon unlocking by pulling.
In comparison, WO 2009/114886 A1, disclosing a device of the general kind set forth herein, discloses a kind of overload protection device in which the ejection device remains in a locking position upon opening by pulling (see FIG. 30c). The catch fork, however, is pivoted against the force of a spring by a pin associated with the furniture carcass whereby the drive device is no longer coupled to the furniture carcass upon opening by pulling. A disadvantage with that structure is that, upon such opening by pulling, the drive device has to be unlocked upon reclosing the furniture part so that it is only after that that the pin can be coupled to the catch element again.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a drive device which is an alternative or which is improved over the state of the art. In particular, the invention seeks to avoid the disadvantages of the state of the art defining the general kind of drive device involved here.
That is achieved by a drive device having features described herein. In accordance therewith, it is provided that the coupling device is in a coupling position upon ejection of the movable furniture part by the ejection device, wherein the coupling device is movable loosely with respect to the ejection device upon opening by pulling. Accordingly, the coupling device remains in a coupling position at least portion-wise upon opening by pulling and the coupling device can be movable free of a spring loading of an overload spring. In addition, no unlocking has to be effected upon reclosing as, when the furniture part is pushed in, the components of the coupling device can be simply coupled together again.
The “loose” movement of the coupling device with respect to the ejection device can be defined in other words by stating that, upon opening by pulling, the coupling device is movable independently of the ejection device. To put it another away, the coupling device is not connected to the ejection device upon opening by pulling. In that case, the coupling device can be movable with a translatory component with respect to the drive device, wherein, for example, the coupling device is movable without a spring loading in a linear portion of a guide path.
Basically it can be provided that the coupling device is in a coupling position during the entire opening travel of the movable furniture part. It is, however, preferably provided that, upon opening by pulling, the coupling device remains in the coupling position only in a first opening travel portion which is in front of the closed position in the opening direction. In that case, the first opening travel portion can be between 10 mm and 100 mm, preferably between 20 mm and 70 mm, in length.
It is particularly preferably provided for the loose movement that the coupling device has a transmission abutment, by way of which the coupling device bears against a triggering abutment of the ejection device in the closed position and in an over-pressing region between the closed position and the over-pressing position, whereas upon opening by pulling the transmission abutment lifts away from the triggering abutment or moves away therefrom so that there is no longer any contact between the transmission abutment and the triggering abutment.
In an embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the drive device has a base plate. It is particularly preferably provided in that respect that the ejection device has a preferably cardioid-shaped guide path in the base plate, an ejection slider which is movable preferably linearly along the base plate, a locking lever mounted pivotably to the ejection slider, a locking pin mounted to the locking lever and displaceable in the guide path and an ejection force storage means fixed on the one hand to the base plate and on the other hand to the ejection slider. With such a structure, basically, the triggering abutment can be provided on any component, for example, on the ejection slider of the ejection device. It is preferably provided, however, that the triggering abutment of the ejection device is on the locking lever.
In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the coupling device has a coupling slider displaceable at least portion-wise linearly in the base plate and a catch element mounted movably, preferably pivotably, on the coupling slider, for a coupling entrainment portion arranged on the furniture carcass or on the movable furniture part, wherein the coupling slider and the catch element are displaceable along a portion-wise linear guide path in the base plate, having an angled end portion. It is preferably provided in that case that the transmission abutment of the coupling device is provided on the coupling slider.
In order to integrate not just the function of active ejection by over-pressing into the drive device, the drive device can preferably also have a retraction device for retraction of the movable furniture part from an open position into the closed position. For coupling the retraction device to the furniture carcass or to the movable furniture part, it can be provided in that case that the retraction device can be brought into engagement by way of a retraction catch element with a retraction entrainment portion which is separate from the coupling entrainment portion.
If the ejection device and the retraction device of the drive device form a common structural unit, it is preferably provided that the retraction device can be at least portion-wise coupled to the coupling device by way of the retraction catch element and upon opening by pulling a retraction force storage means of the retraction device can be stressed along the first opening travel portion. Thus, the coupling device is in the coupling position, upon retraction by the retraction device.
Basically, however, the retraction device and the ejection device do not have to be in the form of a structural unit. Rather, it can also often happen that a drive device according to the invention is to be retrofitted in already existing movable furniture parts or in extension guide assemblies. In that case, for example, retraction devices which each have a retraction entrainment portion are already provided in the extension guide assemblies. Accordingly, in that case, only the ejection device has to be retrofitted, in which case then two separate entrainment portions (retraction entrainment portion and coupling entrainment portion) are provided for making the connection or coupling between the drive device and the furniture carcass or the movable furniture part.
An article of furniture may have a furniture carcass, a furniture part movable relative to the furniture carcass and a drive device according to the invention for the movable furniture part. In that respect it can, in principle, be provided that the drive device is disposed on the furniture carcass and a coupling entrainment portion is associated with the movable furniture part. In a preferred embodiment, however, it is provided that the drive device is disposed on the movable furniture part, wherein the coupling device has a coupling entrainment portion which is associated with the furniture carcass and which can be brought into engagement with the catch element.
Further details and advantages of the present invention are described more fully hereinafter by means of the specific description with reference to the embodiments by way of example illustrated in the drawings in which:
The coupling entrainment portion 16 is also visible in
It will be seen from the exploded view in
Arranged on the locking lever 11 is the locking pin 12 which is displaceable in the guide path 9 in the base plate 8. The triggering abutment 7 is also provided on the locking lever 11. In matching relationship therewith, the transmission abutment 6 is provided on the coupling slider 14. The catch element 15 is mounted pivotably to the coupling slider 14 by way of the axis of rotation X. The coupling slider 14 and the catch element 15 are mounted displaceably by way of the guide pins 39 and 40 in the guide path 17 in the base plate 8. The guide path 17 has an angled end portion 18 for the guide pin 39. The coupling slider 14 and the catch element 15, jointly with a coupling entrainment portion 16 which is not shown in
If now, starting from that position shown in
As soon as that position is reached, the ejection force storage means 13 is no longer locked and the ejection slider can move relative to the base plate 8 into the position of
At the end of the ejection movement, the drive device 1 is in the position shown in
Such a drive device 1 as shown in
In order, however, to provide a drive device 1 in the form of a structural unit having an ejection device 4 and a retraction device 19, attention is directed to the embodiment shown in
In
If now the movable furniture part 3 is not unlocked and ejected by over-pressing, as shown in
With a further movement of the movable furniture part 3 in the opening direction OR, the drive device 1 passes into the position shown in
The present invention thus provides a drive device 1 in which the coupling device 5 is freely movable upon opening by pulling in relation to the ejection device 4. In that way, the ejection device 4 can remain in the locked position V upon opening by pulling. At the same time, however, upon closing, the appropriate coupling position K of the drive device 1 is immediately restored.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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A 296/2013 | Apr 2013 | AT | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
8056992 | Gassner | Nov 2011 | B2 |
8622493 | Roeck | Jan 2014 | B2 |
9386850 | Dubach | Jul 2016 | B2 |
20080191592 | Dubach | Aug 2008 | A1 |
20100041484 | Gassner | Feb 2010 | A1 |
20100314981 | Koenig et al. | Dec 2010 | A1 |
20120001441 | Juan et al. | Jan 2012 | A1 |
20120294555 | Roeck | Nov 2012 | A1 |
20130140970 | Dubach | Jun 2013 | A1 |
20140021841 | Brunnmayr | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20140210329 | Brunnmayr | Jul 2014 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
511444 | Dec 2012 | AT |
101668457 | Mar 2010 | CN |
102762127 | Oct 2012 | CN |
102917617 | Feb 2013 | CN |
10 2010 036 903 | Sep 2011 | DE |
20 2011 000 362 | Sep 2011 | DE |
WO 2012084595 | Jun 2012 | DE |
10 2011 002 212 | Oct 2012 | DE |
2 294 944 | Mar 2011 | EP |
2 374 369 | Oct 2011 | EP |
2011-5243 | Jan 2011 | JP |
2013-500806 | Jan 2013 | JP |
2009114886 | Sep 2009 | WO |
2011015663 | Feb 2011 | WO |
2011143682 | Nov 2011 | WO |
2012010590 | Jan 2012 | WO |
2012149587 | Nov 2012 | WO |
Entry |
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International Search Report issued Jul. 1, 2014 in corresponding International Application No. PCT/AT2014/000055 (with English translation). |
Austrian Search Report issued Jan. 14, 2014 in corresponding Austrian Patent Application No. 296/2013 (with English translation). |
Search Report issued Sep. 8, 2016 in corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 201480020571.X (English Translation). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150374123 A1 | Dec 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/AT2014/000055 | Mar 2014 | US |
Child | 14844460 | US |