Patent Application
20060156963
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to German Patent Application No. 10 2004 063 580.3, filed Dec. 27, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a piece of furniture, preferably a table, having a stationary supporting device and a furniture segment, preferably a table leaf, which can be moved horizontally with respect to the supporting device, as well as having an operating device for moving the furniture segment.
Such pieces of furniture, in the case of which individual furniture segments can be moved horizontally with respect to a stationary supporting device, are known in various forms. The horizontal mobility of the furniture segments permits a more flexible utilization of the piece of furniture in that the furniture segments can usually be moved between a space-saving not-in-use position and a moved-out in-use position depending on the demand. Tables, particularly dining tables, for example, are wide-spread which, depending on the position of at least one movable leaf segment, offer a variable number of spaces.
A particularly simple construction is provided in the case of a large number of shelf systems and tables, in the case of which an additional leaf can be pulled out when needed. Otherwise, this additional leaf is arranged in a space-saving manner under a main leaf or a shelf in a not-in-use position.
European Patent Document EP 0 663 164 A1 discloses a table which has a main leaf and two additional leaves and whose additional leaves are in each case constructed to be swivelable about a table leg, so that they can be moved under the main leaf in a not-in-use position and beside the main leaf and flush with the main leaf in an in-use position. The guiding of the additional leaves at the table legs is implemented such that a swiveling of the additional leaves simultaneously results in a vertical position change, so that it is achieved that, in their in-use position, the table leaves have a flush surface with the main leaf and, in their not-in-use position, they are arranged underneath the main leaf.
For changing between a not-in-use and an in-use position, in the described state of the art, the corresponding furniture segments are usually directly guided manually. The furniture segments are changed into the desired position either by a pulling or a swiveling movement, if necessary, by using an operating device directly connected with the furniture segment. Such changing of the furniture segments from their not-in-use position to their in-use position is considered to be disadvantageous when a complex sequence of movements is required, in which several movement phases with different moving directions follow one another. Such a sequence of movements is difficult to carry out manually.
It is an object of the invention to provide a piece of furniture with a horizontally movable furniture segment which is advantageous with respect to the state of the art and which is to permit particularly an easy operation for changing between a not-in-use and an in-use position of the furniture segment.
According to the invention, a piece of furniture, preferably a table, is disclosed which has a stationary supporting device and at least one furniture segment, preferably a table leaf, which can be horizontally moved with respect to the supporting device, as well as an operating device for moving the furniture segment, the operating device being disposed to be swivelably movable about a vertical axis and being operatively connected with the furniture segment by means of a control device, the control device being constructed for converting a swiveling movement of the operating device into a furniture segment movement different from the swiveling movement of the operating device. The furniture segment preferably has an in-use surface extending essentially horizontally, whose position can be changed relative to the supporting device depending on the demand between a first end position, such as a not-in-use position, in which it does not project beyond the overall dimensions of the remaining piece of furniture, and a second end position, such as an in-use position, in which it is accessible for being used. The operating device is preferably further developed such that it is easily accessible for a manual operation. It is—preferably manually—swiveled about the vertical axis, in which case, in a swiveling starting position, the furniture segment is arranged in the first end position and, in swiveling end position, the furniture segment is arranged in the second end position. A swiveling angle between the swiveling starting position and the swiveling end position preferably amounts to less than 360°, particularly between 150° and 180°. The control device is used for converting the swiveling movement of the operating device to the movement of the furniture segment. The movement of the furniture segment may be a translatory as well as a rotatory movement or may be further developed as a combination of a translatory and a rotatory movement. By means of the control device, it is achieved that the swiveling movement of the operating device differs from the furniture segment movement, which is advantageous particularly when the furniture segment movement from the not-in use position into the in-use position is of a complex type, so that a direct movement of the furniture segment or a movement of an operating device which is directly connected with the furniture segment would have presented the problem that an operator would have to carry out the complex furniture segment movement and, depending on the intermediate position of the movable furniture segment, would have to adapt the force applied to the piece of furniture with respect to the direction. In addition, a space-saving furniture segment movement can be achieved without the requirement that the ergonomically advantageous control movement has to adapt itself. In addition to the construction having a movable furniture segment, constructions are also expedient and included in the invention in which several movable furniture segments are provided. These can be movable by separate or joint operating devices and/or control devices. Constructions having two furniture segments which are arranged symmetrically to one another on the piece of furniture, and constructions in which three or more movable furniture segments are provided which can be moved horizontally radially with respect to a joint center are disclosed.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed for converting the swiveling movement of the operating device to a vertical furniture segment movement. As a result of the swiveling movement of the operating device, the furniture segment is therefore moved horizontally as well as vertically. The vertical movement of the furniture segment is preferably a translatory movement. The horizontal and the vertical movement do not have to take place proportionally to one another. In contrast, it is conceivable and may be expedient that the swiveling movement of the operating device has individual swiveling angle ranges over a total swiveling angle from the swiveling starting position to the swiveling end position, in which swiveling angle ranges the horizontal or the vertical movement of the furniture segment is interrupted. This is, for example, expedient when first a certain horizontal or vertical position is to be reached before a vertical or horizontal movement can be carried out that builds up on the latter, in order to avoid a collision between the movable furniture segment and other parts of the piece of furniture.
In a further development of the invention, the control device has a first control element with a horizontally extending first control groove and a first control pin engaging in the first control groove. In this case, the control element is preferably a control cam which can be swiveled about the vertical axis and is non-rotatably connected with the operating device, and the first control pin is preferably connected in one piece with the furniture segment. Such a connecting link guide for the horizontal movement of the furniture segment represents a simple and reliable possibility for converting the swiveling movement of the operating element to the movement of the furniture segment. In this context, a control groove is also a recess penetrating the control element. The first control groove is constructed such that, at least in partial areas, it has a changing distance from the vertical axis, so that the first control pin engaging in the first control groove, as a function of its position in the first control groove, has a different distance from the vertical axis. As a result, it is achieved that the swiveling position of the first control element about the vertical axis results in a defined position of the first control pin relative to the vertical axis or, inversely, the position of the first control pin influences the swiveling position of the first control element. Preferably, either the first control groove or the first control pin is fixedly connected with the furniture segment. In this case, it is particularly preferable for the first control pin to be fixedly connected with the furniture segment and for the furniture segment, as a whole, to be guided in a translatory fashion. In such an embodiment, a swiveling movement of the first control groove causes a translatory deflection of the furniture segment. The extent of the deflection of the furniture segment or of the first control pin depends on the further development of the first control groove. The first control groove can interact with a first control bolt which is guided in a straight line and not radially with respect to the vertical axis provides two groove sections, which each extend largely radially, originating from the swiveling starting position of the first control device, the first control pin is guided in the first groove section, until an imaginary connection line between the first control pin and the vertical swiveling axis encloses approximately a right angle with respect to the moving direction of the first control pin. In this position of the first control element, the first control pin changes into the second groove section in that it is guided essentially opposite to the direction in the first groove section radially to the outside. Such a first control groove makes it possible to achieve a wide translatory movement of the furniture segment or of the first control pin by means of a small swiveling movement of the control element. The first control element is preferably non-rotatably connected with the operating device, so that the swiveling angle of the operating device is identical with the swiveling angle of the control element. However, the insertion of a transmission is also expedient by means of which the rate of the swiveling movement of the control element can be increased or reduced with respect to the rate of the swiveling movement of the operating device. Furthermore, an embodiment may also be expedient in which the first control pin is non-rotatably or in one piece is connected with the operating element, and the first control element is connected in one piece with the furniture segment. If, in the case of such an embodiment, the furniture segment is constructed for a purely translatory horizontal movement, by means of a swiveling movement of the operating device and therefore a swiveling movement of the first control pin, the first control groove is translatorily displaced together with the furniture segment.
In a further development of the invention, the control device has a second control element with a second control groove preferably equidistantly surrounding the vertical axis and a second control pin engaging in the second control groove. This second control element can be a cylinder sleeve swivelable about the vertical axis and non-rotatably connected with the operating device, and the second control pin can be connected in one piece with the supporting device. By means of this second control element, it becomes possible to cause a vertical movement of the furniture segment as a result of the swiveling movement of the operating device. In this further development, a swiveling movement of the second control element as a result of a swiveling movement of the operating device has the result that the control element is translatorily displaced relative to the control pin when the control pin in the course of the swiveling movement of the second control element, reaches an ascending section of the second control groove. The translatory displacement is a function of the swiveling angle between the second control pin and the second control element with the second control groove. It is particularly advantageous for the control groove to extend equidistantly to the vertical axis because a radial movement of the contact point between the second control groove and the second control pin which is connected with an undesirable friction is thereby avoided. The operating device can non-rotatably, particular in one piece, be connected with the second control element. However, it may also be expedient to provide a transmission by which a rate of the swiveling movement of the operating device is increased or reduced with respect to a rate of the swiveling movement of the control element. An embodiment is considered to be particularly preferable in which the second control pin is fixedly connected with the supporting device by means of a column-shaped section of the supporting device and the second control element in the form of a cylinder sleeve with the second control groove is pushed onto this column-shaped section. The outside diameter of the column-shaped section and the inside diameter of the cylinder sleeve are preferably dimensioned such that the cylinder sleeve is non-tiltably guided on the column section but can move translatorily and rotatorily relative to the column section.
In a further development of the invention, the first control element and the second control element are constructed as a one-piece control element. In this case, it is preferred that this one-piece control element is non-rotatably, particularly in one piece, connected with the operating device. By means of the swiveling movement of the operating device, an identical swiveling movement of the one-piece control element is caused, whereby the control element, as a result of the second control groove and the second control pin, is swiveled as a whole and is vertically moved together with the operating device. The first and the second control groove are equally swiveled along with the one-piece control element and therefore, on the one hand, cause the vertical movement of the control element and, on the other hand, cause the vertical and horizontal movement of the furniture segment operatively connected with the first control groove.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed such that a swiveling movement of the operating device has swiveling angle ranges in which an essentially, preferably exclusively, horizontal or essentially, preferably exclusively, vertical movement is caused, the first control groove preferably having at least one groove section with a uniform distance to the vertical axis or the second control groove having at least one horizontal groove section. Such swiveling angle ranges, in which no horizontal or no vertical movement of the furniture segment is caused, is expedient because, as a result, complex movement sequences of the furniture segment are permitted for reaching the in-use position of the furniture segment. Thus, it becomes possible, for example, to provide a vertical movement of the furniture segment only starting from a certain swiveling angle of the operating device, at which a horizontal movement of the furniture segment has been concluded so far that no collision with other parts of the piece of furniture has to be feared during a vertical movement of the furniture segment. With respect to the horizontal movement of the furniture segment and of the first control groove, an omission of a horizontal movement of the furniture segment can be achieved by a further development of the groove, in which the groove has a uniform distance from the vertical axis in the corresponding swiveling angle range. As a result, it is achieved that the horizontal position of the first control pin does not change because of a swiveling movement of the operating device in this swiveling range. With respect to the second control groove and the second control pin, an omission of a vertical movement of the furniture segment can be achieved in that the second control groove in the questionable swiveling angle range has a horizontal construction, so that the second control element during a swiveling in this range carries out no translatory movement.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed such that an operating movement of the operating device from a swiveling starting position into a swiveling end position causes a movement of the furniture segment with at least three movement phases, in which case a swiveling angle range of the operating movement of the operating device is assigned to each of these movement phases and, in a first swiveling angle range, by means of the control device, a horizontal movement of the furniture segment into a first direction is caused; in a second swiveling angle range, no horizontal movement of the furniture segment is caused; and in a third swiveling angle range, a horizontal movement of the furniture segment is caused into a second direction, preferably opposite to the first direction. The control device constructed in this manner achieves a particularly stable positioning of the furniture segment in an in-use position. As a result of the third movement phase, the furniture segment can be pressed against a component of the furniture which is fixed to the supporting device, so that an increased stability of the furniture segment in this in-use position is achieved. It is particularly advantageous for the furniture segment to be vertically moved between the first and the third horizontal movement phase in order to reach the range of a stationary stop on the piece of furniture which is fixed to the supporting device, against which stop, it is pulled with the second movement phase. A further development of the control device for a third movement phase is considered to be particularly advantageous which causes a movement which exceeds the movement required for the pure contact because, as a result, a bracing of the furniture segment is achieved by which the stability is increased and the tolerances which are unavoidable in the control device are compensated.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed such that, in the first and third swiveling angle range, no vertical movement of the furniture segment and, in the second swiveling angle range, a vertical movement, in the upward direction, is caused by the control device. An overall movement of the furniture segment is thereby achieved during which, after reaching a maximal horizontal deflection, the furniture segment is vertically moved in order to arrive in the vertical area of a stop fixed to the supporting device. The control device is constructed such that, when the end of this swiveling angle range has been reached, the furniture segment in the vertical direction is in the desired in-use position and, by means of the horizontal displacement toward a stop fixed to the piece of furniture is in contact with the stop and can thereby be stabilized.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed such that, as a result of a swiveling movement of the operating device in a swiveling angle range starting from the swiveling starting position, a lowering of the furniture segment is caused. Such a lowering movement permits the arranging of the furniture segment in a not-in-use position which is particularly protected from being seen. The protection from being seen can be achieved, for example, by means of a shielding apron fixed to the supporting device in the area of the not-in use position. By means of the lowering, the furniture segment is displaced to a level which permits a horizontal displacement by passing through under this protective apron. Such a protection against being seen and a correspondingly adapted control device are considered to be particularly advantageous for tables. In the case of tables, a section for a shielding from view can be provided which, for example, extends around a leaf fixed to the supporting device and from the outer edge of the leaf downward.
In a further development of the invention, the operating device is constructed to be radially displaceable with respect to the vertical axis. Such a radially displaceable operating device is expedient for a simple operation. When the furniture segment is to be moved from one position to another, for example, from a not-in-use position into an in-use position, the operating device can be radially pulled out, so that the swiveling lever becomes as large as possible and, as a result, the swiveling becomes as easy as possible. In addition, the radial displacement of the operating device toward the outside creates a better accessibility of the operating device. After the conclusion of the swiveling movement of the operating device, the latter can be displaced again radially toward the inside, so that it hinders neither the accessibility to the piece of furniture or to the furniture segment, nor interferes with the aesthetic appearance of the piece of furniture.
In a further development of the invention, the supporting device has at least one recess adapted to the operating device, and the operating device is constructed so that it can be slid into this recess, in a swiveling end position and/or a swiveling starting position.
Together with the operating device, such a recess in the supporting device is used as a locking device. When the operating device is slid into the recess, a swiveling movement of the operating device is no longer possible. This locks the movable furniture segment with respect to its horizontal and vertical position. The recess can be arranged in the area of the operating device in the swiveling starting position or the swiveling end position, and also at different intermediate positions between the swiveling starting position and the swiveling end position. As a result, it is achieved that the furniture segment can be locked in different positions, so that, for example, depending on the requirement, the furniture segment can be moved different distances vertically and horizontally and can be locked in the respectively desired position.
In a further development of the invention, the piece of furniture has two horizontally movable furniture segments, such as table leaves, which are operatively connected with the operating device by means of the control device. The control device can be constructed for the symmetrical movement of both furniture segments in reaction to the swiveling movement of the operating device.
Such a symmetrical arrangement of movable furniture segments is, on the one hand, expedient for aesthetic reasons and, on the other hand, is mechanically expedient because the center of gravity of such a piece of furniture does not change as a result of the movement of the furniture segments. This is an advantage when designing the supporting device.
A piece of furniture is particularly preferable which has a joint control element for both furniture segments, such as a control cam with two congruent first control grooves arranged on opposite sides of the vertical axis.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed such that, in the swiveling starting position of the operating device, the movable furniture segment is arranged completely under a horizontally stationary furniture segment of the piece of furniture, and that, in the swiveling end position of the operating device, the movable furniture segment is arranged at least partially not under the horizontally stationary furniture segment. Such a piece of furniture is characterized by a low space requirement when the furniture segment is not in use.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed such that, in the swiveling end position, an upward pointing surface of the movable furniture segment is arranged to be in an alignment with an upward pointing surface of the horizontally stationary furniture segment.
This results in a uniform surface, for example, a table top, which can be utilized particularly advantageously. On the one hand, such a swiveling end position can be reached in that, in the course of the swiveling movement of the operating device, the movable furniture segment is successively moved horizontally and vertically, and can, on the other hand, be reached in that the movable furniture segment is moved horizontally toward the outside, and the horizontally stationary furniture segment is subsequently vertically lowered.
In a further development of the invention, the control device is constructed for the horizontal movement of a vertically stationary and for the vertical movement of a horizontally stationary furniture segment, in the swiveling end position, the horizontally stationary furniture segment being lowered to the level of the horizontally movable furniture segment.
In a further development of the invention, the supporting device has a supporting column, which, at least in sections, has an outside diameter adapted to an inside diameter of the cylinder sleeve.
These and additional characteristics of preferred further developments of the invention are indicated, in addition to the claims, also in the specification and the drawings. The individual characteristics can in each case be implemented separately or combined in the form of subcombinations in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields and can represent advantageous constructions, which can be protected separately and for which protection is claimed here.
Embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in detail in the following.
a to 1d are perspective views of a table according to the invention diagonally from below in four different move-out stages of additional leaves; and
a to 2h are schematic views of the method of operation of the connecting link guide for the horizontal movement of the additional leaves.
a to 1d illustrate a table according to the invention having a supporting device 10, a main leaf 12 and two additional leaves 14a, 14b. The supporting device 10 has a base 16 with which a supporting column 18 is connected in one piece. In a manner not shown in
The control element 32 is operatively connected with the guiding system 20 and the additional leaves 14a, 14b by way of a second connecting link guide 50. On the part of the control cam 34, the connecting link guide 50 has two control recesses 52 and, on the part of the guiding system 20 or of the additional leaves 14a, 14b, has two control pins 54a, 54b. The first control pin 54a is constructed in one piece with one of the guiding strips 28 of the additional leaf 14a, and the second control pin 54b is constructed in one piece with one of the guiding strips 26 of the additional leaf 14b. In order to achieve an identical spacing of both control pins 54a, 54b from the center axis 42, although the control pin 54a is assigned to the additional leaf 14 with the interior guiding strips 28 and the control pin 54b of the additional leaf 14b is assigned to the exterior guiding strips 26, an auxiliary arm is fastened to one of the guiding strips 28 and reaches over one guiding strip 26 and on whose end the control pin 54a is provided.
In a manner not visible in the drawing, a total of four holes are provided in the supporting column 18, two holes respectively being situated opposite one another in the wall of the supporting column 18. The first pair of holes is arranged such that, in a swiveling starting position illustrated in
a illustrates the table with the moved-in additional leaves 14a, 14b. In this condition, the additional leaves 14a, 14b are situated in the not-in-use position underneath the table and the useful table surface is thereby limited to the surface of the main leaf 12. The control element 32 and the operating rod 38 are in their swiveling starting position, in which case the control pin 48 of the supporting column 18 is arranged at one end 46a of the control recess 46, and the control pins 54a, 54b of the guiding strips 26, 28 are each arranged at one end 52a of the respective control recess 52 of the control cam 34. In this not-in-use position, the operating rod 38 is pushed through the holes provided for this purpose in the supporting column 18, so that an accidental swiveling of the operating rod 38 and of the control element 32 cannot take place.
b shows a second stage of the moving-out of the additional leaves 14a, 14b. This moving-out is achieved by a manual operation of the operating rod 38. For this purpose, it is pulled out of its not-in-use position illustrated in
In the stage illustrated in
d illustrates the functional condition of the table with completely moved-out additional leaves 14a, 14b, the leaves 14a, 14b forming a plane surface together with the main leaf 12. In this condition, the control pin 48 of the supporting column 18 is arranged at the end 46e of the second horizontal section 46d. By means of the position in the second horizontal section 46d, it is achieved that the weight loading the cylinder sleeve 36 generates no torque about the vertical center axis 42 upon the cylinder sleeve, as occurs in the ascending section 46c. The control pins 54a, 54b are each situated at the end 52h of the control recesses 52. As a result of the swiveling movement of the operating rod 38 and of the control element 32 between the conditions illustrated in
a to 2h have the purpose of illustrating the horizontal movement of the additional leaves 14a, 14b and the interaction of the swivelably disposed control cam 32 and the control recesses 52 with the control pins 54a, 54b. For reasons of simplification, only one respectively of the guiding strips 26 of the additional leaf 14b with the control pin 54b as well as the control cam 34 with the control recess 52 is illustrated in the drawings.
a shows the starting position before the moving-out of the additional leaf 14b by a swiveling movement of the control cam 34. In this condition, the control pin 54b is situated at the end 52a of the control recess 52.
b shows a condition after the swiveling of the control cam 34 by approximately 10°. The control pin 54b was driven forward within a first recess section 54b which is oriented essentially radially with respect to the vertical center axis 42, in which case the guiding strip 26 was displaced in the direction of its orientation. The starting position 26a is illustrated by a broken line in order to permit an easier recognition of the movement of the guiding strip 26.
In the stage illustrated in
In the condition illustrated in
e shows a stage in which the control cam 34 is swiveled approximately 85° with respect to its starting position. The control pin 54 has reached the fourth section 52e of the control recess 52. This section again has a circular-arc-shaped construction. In the stage illustrated in
In condition 2f, the control cam 34 is swiveled by approximately 150° with respect to its starting position. In comparison to the condition illustrated in
In the condition illustrated in
In the condition illustrated in
The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2004 063 580.3 | Dec 2004 | DE | national |
