Patent Grant
8025334
The invention relates to a piece of furniture, in particular a body support structure, including for example a piece of furniture for sitting on or a piece of furniture for lying on, such as, for example, chair, armchair, stool, bed or sofa.
DE 37 00 447 A1 discloses a piece of furniture for sitting on, in which the body weight of a person is detected via the loading of a seat part and in which the leaning force required in order to adjust the inclination of the back part is to be adjusted as a function of the weight force of the person. This automatic adaptation takes place by a spring being compressed by the weight force of the person, with the backrest carrier acting against this compressed spring. A disadvantage of a piece of furniture of this type for sitting on is that, here, only the weight force acting on the seat part can be detected. A weight force introduced via the back part or armrests which may be present cannot be correctly detected by the mechanism, since it is dissipated via the coupling of the carrier of the back part also to the seat carrier. This may possibly result in too weak a reaction force of the carrier of the back part.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,318 discloses a control device for the inclination of a chair comprising a weighing device which causes an adjustment of a tension device for a leaf spring which supports an inclination of the seat, the adjustment travel being dependent on the weight of a user. A control device of this type has the disadvantage that the weighing of a user and therefore the setting of the leaf spring take place under load and are therefore sluggish and consequently slow and inaccurate.
The object on which the invention is based is to develop a body support structure, such as a piece of furniture, in particular a piece of furniture for sitting on, in which a spring mechanism which supports a reclining of a person can be adapted to the weight of the person, while weighing is to be smooth and is to take place quickly and accurately. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to develop a body support structure, such as a piece of furniture, in particular a piece of furniture for sitting or lying on, with a weighing mechanism for controlling the spring mechanism, in which the weighing mechanism can be produced cost-effectively.
The body support structure according to one aspect of the invention has a base, on which at least one seat is articulated, the seat comprising a seat part and a back part, an inclination of the seat about at least one axis of rotation being supported by at least one spring mechanism acting between the seat and the base, the spring mechanism comprising a lever arm and a support, the support being movable out of a position of rest along a curve into different working positions, the support assuming the position of rest when the seat is nonloaded, the support assuming one of the working positions as a function of a weight force with which a person sitting in an upright sitting posture loads the seat, the support being movable freely of a engaging force, which can be generated by the lever arm (51), between its position of rest and one of the working positions, as long as the person is sitting on the seat in the upright sitting posture, the support being engaged by the lever arm by means of the engaging force when the person reclines from his upright sitting posture against the back part into a rearwardly inclined sitting posture, a reaction force of the spring mechanism on the seat being adaptable to the respective weight force of the person by means of the working position of the support. A spring mechanism is thereby available, in which a fixing of the spring mechanism to a set value takes place only when the person reclines. The support and the lever lowerable onto the support thus come into contact with one another only when the person using the piece of furniture reclines and a supporting of the inclination movement is required. Such a low-friction setting of the spring mechanism allows an accurate setting of the spring mechanism, since, even then, an unbraked adjustment of the support under the lever is still possible when the person loads the seat with his entire weight. This ensures that the spring mechanism can reach, uninfluenced, the set value which corresponds to the weight of the person. Furthermore, as soon as the person sits upright, the spring mechanism can set itself to a change in the load. This makes it possible, for example, to vary the set value when the person grasps heavy files. By the set value being readjusted in this way, in particular, accidents can be prevented, since increased loading which takes place in the upright sitting posture always gives rise to a tauter supporting of an inclination movement by means of the spring mechanism.
In one aspect, the invention provides for designing the lever arm as a spring element and, in particular, as a leaf spring. A version of this type makes it possible to have a slender form of construction and to generate high spring forces.
Alternatively or additionally, the invention provides for designing the support as a spring element and, in particular, as a helical spring. By means of a design of this type, particularly compact spring mechanisms can be implemented.
In one aspect, the invention provides for absorbing a torque which is generated about the axis of rotation of the seat by the person sitting in the upright sitting posture on the seat by means of a prestress of the spring element. The unbraked movability of the support can thereby be ensured without additional outlay, even in the case of furniture designs in which the axis of rotation about which the seat is inclined does not lie directly below the center of gravity of a person sitting upright.
There is also provision for absorbing the abovementioned torque by means of an additional spring supporting the lever arm. A design of this type is advantageous particularly when the support is designed as a spring element, since no prestress can be generated by the latter without influencing the smoothness of the spring mechanism.
In one aspect, the invention also provides for absorbing the abovementioned torque by means of a temporary blocking of the rotational movement of the seat about the axis of rotation. By means of a design of this type, particularly high torques can be absorbed at low outlay. For this purpose, the invention provides, in particular, a blocking mechanism which comprises, in particular, a toggle lever which bears under prestress against an abutment, the prestress being capable of being generated by a spring element.
Furthermore, in one aspect, the invention provides for moving the support by means of an operating element. In particular, a handwheel with a weight scale is provided as operating element. A positioning of the support by means of a handwheel is suitable particularly for pieces of furniture which are regularly used by only one person.
According to one aspect of the invention, the base comprises at least one lower part, one middle part and one upper part, the seat being articulated on the upper part, the upper part being guided upward or downward on the middle part, the upper part being supported on the middle part by at least one weighing mechanism, the upper part moving with respect to the middle part, during a first loading of the seat with the first weight force, out of a first position into a second position, counter to a restoring force of the weighing mechanism, with a first weighing movement over a first weighing distance, the upper part moving with respect to the middle part, during a second loading of the seat with the second weight force, out of the first position into a third position, counter to the restoring force of the weighing mechanism, with a second weighing movement over a second weighing distance, this weighing movement of the upper part over the weighing distance being convertible into a traveling movement of the support of the spring mechanism by means of at least one movement converter. A piece of furniture can thereby be implemented which is set automatically to persons of different weight. Due to this automatic self-setting of the piece of furniture, even high loads which may occur in various components if supporting is incorrectly set are avoided. The individual components can thus have comparatively light and therefore cost-effective dimensioning. Due to the sole articulation of the seat on the upper part and to the supporting of the upper part on the middle part by the second spring element, the weight force can be detected, irrespective of whether it acts on a seat part and/or a back part and/or armrests of the seat. Furthermore, by an inclination movement of the seat being supported by the first spring element and by the spring force of the first spring element being set as a function of the weight force, this ensures a reaction of the seat which is oriented in terms of the weight force which exerts load on the entire seat. The essence of the invention, therefore, is the use of a first spring element for supporting the inclination movement of the seat, the use of a second spring element for detecting the weight force acting on the entire seat and, finally, the variation in the spring force of the first spring element as a function of the weighing distance which brings about the weight force against the second spring element. In one embodiment, the weight-dependent variation in the spring force of the first spring element is brought about by a displaceable support which can be adjusted contactlessly and therefore very smoothly and quickly as a function of the weight of the user, as long as the user does not recline in the seat. Due to the smooth movement of the spring mechanism, even the weight of a light person who sits down slowly and gently can be detected correctly. The weight of a heavy person who lets himself fall into the seat can likewise be detected correctly. The movement converter operates as a link between the weighing mechanism and the spring mechanism.
In one aspect, the invention provides a mechanical and/or electrical and/or electronic and/or pneumatic and/or hydraulic movement converter between the weighing mechanism (WM) and the spring mechanism. This also makes it possible to produce pieces of furniture for special applications, for example for vehicles.
In one aspect, the invention provides, furthermore, for using the middle part and the upper part as components of the movement converter. The movement converter can thereby be constructed cost-effectively with few components.
Furthermore, in one aspect, the invention provides for guiding the support on the curve, the curve running, in the position of rest of the piece of furniture, at an approximately constant spacing with respect to the lever arm or to the leaf spring designed as a lever arm. Owing to the run of the curve, it is possible to take into account a lowering of the lever arm during the traveling movement of the support and therefore to prevent the lever from coming to lie prematurely on the support.
A design variant of the invention provides for the support to move motorized along the curve. A continuous mechanical connection between the weighing mechanism and the spring mechanism may thereby be dispensed with.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is also provision for detecting the weighing distance electrically or electronically. As a result of this, too, a continuous mechanical connection between the weighing mechanism and the spring mechanism may be dispensed with.
In one aspect, the invention provides for articulating the spring element of the spring mechanism on the upper part and for supporting the seat with respect to the upper part. An unfalsified detection of the loading of the seat between the upper part and the middle part is thereby possible.
Furthermore, in one aspect, the invention provides for arranging a height adjustment device between the lower part and the middle part. A conventional height adjustment device can thereby be used, since this is arranged independently of the spring mechanism, the weighing mechanism and the movement converter.
According to a design variant, there is provision for arranging a height adjustment device between the middle part and the upper part. In such an arrangement of the height adjustment device, it is possible to integrate the height adjustment device into the weighing mechanism.
In one aspect, the invention provides solely a vertical component for each weighing movement. Particularly accurate weighing is thereby possible, since even the slightest falsifications are avoided.
A design variant of the invention provides a vertical component and a horizontal component for each weighing movement, the vertical component being greater than the horizontal component. Numerous additional variants are thereby available for the design of the weighing mechanism, a falsification of the weighing result nevertheless being kept within the tolerance range. It is particularly advantageous if the vertical component has at least four times the value of the horizontal component. A measurement error is thereby reduced to an acceptable size.
In one aspect, the invention also provides for implementing the movement converter by a drive body guided movably on the upper part, with a slot, and a pin which is arranged on the middle part and which is guided in or on the slot. It is thereby possible to implement a mechanically smoothly and accurately operating movement conversion in which, for example, a rotational movement is generated and is converted into a sliding movement.
In one aspect, the invention provides for arranging the weighing mechanism centrically with respect to a vertically standing axis of rotation of the piece of furniture. The weighing mechanism can thereby be installed in a space-saving way particularly in swivel chairs.
In particular, in one aspect the invention provides for forming the weighing mechanism by the height adjustment device. A particularly space-saving and cost-effective design is thereby possible, since some components fulfill functions of the height adjustment device and functions of the weighing mechanism.
In one aspect, the invention provides a height adjustment device which comprises a settable spring, an axial bearing and the spring element, the settable spring comprising a pressure tube and a piston rod movable in the latter. In a height adjustment device of this type, the spring element may also assume the function of the spring element of a weighing mechanism.
In one aspect, the invention provides for arranging between the axial bearing and the spring element an adaptor which is designed, in particular, as a cup. A compact design is thereby possible, the cup, together with its slits, serving as a device for fastening at least one movement converter.
The invention provides, in one particular embodiment, a movement converter which comprises at least one Bowden cable and at least one lever mechanism. Owing to a movement converter constructed in this way, a cost-effective and flexible connection between the weighing mechanism and the movement converter is possible.
Furthermore, in one aspect, the invention provides for supplementing the movement converter by a coupling which is arranged on the pressure tube of the settable spring, the coupling comprising a lower ring, an upper ring and an inner ring. The movement converter can thereby be decoupled in a simple way from a rotational movement of the seat about the vertical axis of rotation.
In one aspect, the invention also provides a seat having at least two carriers. As a result, seats of different width can be produced by means of the same components.
Furthermore, in one aspect, the invention provides for equipping each carrier of the seat with a specific spring mechanism, the latter being connected to a specific weighing mechanism via a specific movement converter. As a result, each carrier of the seat can be supported against an inclination movement about its horizontal axis of rotation in accordance with its individual load.
Alternatively, the invention provides for assigning a specific spring mechanism to each carrier and for connecting the spring mechanisms to a central weighing mechanism by means of a movement converter. The piece of furniture can thereby be produced cost-effectively, since only one weighing mechanism is required for controlling the spring mechanisms.
In one aspect, the invention also provides for designing the carriers with an upper leg and a lower leg, the carriers in each case being supported with their upper leg on a spring element of the respective spring mechanism. A space-saving arrangement of the spring mechanism between the legs is thereby possible.
In one aspect, the invention provides, furthermore, for connecting the legs of the carrier to one another by means of spokes. Forces can thereby be transmitted between the legs of a carrier in a directed manner, in order to determine desirably the bending behavior of the carrier.
The piece of furniture according to the invention comprises a weighing mechanism which is formed by a height adjustment device, the height adjustment device comprising a settable spring with a pressure tube and with a piston rod movable in the pressure tube, an axial bearing and a spring element, the weighing mechanism having a device for fastening a movement converter. A height adjustment device modified in this way can also be used as a weighing mechanism to which a movement converter can be connected.
Further details of the invention are described by means of exemplary embodiments illustrated diagrammatically in the drawing in which:
a-1d show diagrammatic views of four basic variants of a piece of furniture designed as a chair;
e-1h show diagrammatic views of a standing and sitting person;
a-2c show a diagrammatic illustration of a piece of furniture according to the invention in two positions;
a-4c show diagrammatic illustrations of further design variants of a piece of furniture according to the invention;
a-5c show a diagrammatic illustration of a further piece of furniture according to the invention in a nonloaded and a loaded position;
a-6e show five variants of a weighing mechanism, a spring mechanism and a movement converter of a piece of furniture according to the invention;
a-7f show six illustrations of a further design variant of a piece of furniture according to the invention;
a-8c show three illustrations of a movement converter;
a-9c show diagrammatic illustrations of three further design variants of a piece of furniture according to the invention, and
a-10d show four illustrations of a further design variant of a piece of furniture according to the invention.
a to 1d illustrate four basic variants of a body support structure 1 according to the invention, which are shown for example and without limitation as a piece of furniture for sitting on 2 in the form of a chair 3. All four pieces of furniture 1 comprise essentially a lower part 4, a middle part 5, an upper part 6 and a seat 7. It should be understood that the invention can also be incorporated, without limitation, into other body support structures such as beds, sofas, benches, vehicle and/or aircraft seats, etc. All the components 4, 5, 6 carrying the seat 7 are also designated in summary as a base C. The seat 7 is in each case articulated on the upper part 6 which is connected to the middle part 5. The middle part 5 is carried by the lower part 4. The lower part 4 is designed in
e to 1h show diagrammatic views of a person P and of a piece of furniture 1. In
a and 2b show diagrammatic illustrations of a piece of furniture 1 according to the invention in two positions I (see
In
In
The difference between the levels N1 and N2 of the upper part 6 in positions I and II is designated as the weighing distance W1, and the spacing between the positions S1 and S2 of the slide 26 is designated as the displacement distance V1.
The upper part 6 and the middle part 5 thus form with one another a movement converter 41 which converts the weighing movement against the second spring element 37 into a displacement movement, by which the first spring element 20 is influenced in its reaction force R1 or R2 on the seat 7. The second spring element 37 or the spring mechanism SM is influenced as a function of the weighing movement, although the weighing movement cannot be influenced by an inclination movement of a person sitting on the piece of furniture 1 and reclining. The weight force 40 of the person is detected completely, independently of his position on the seat 7, solely due to the articulation of the seat 7 on the upper part 6. The seat 7, shown in
The movement converter 41, the weighing mechanism WM and the spring mechanism are illustrated in three positions I, II and III. In position I, shown by thick unbroken lines, the arrangement is nonloaded. The arrangement is therefore not loaded by a person sitting on the seat, not illustrated. When the arrangement is loaded via the seat, not illustrated, with a first weight force 40 of a first person, the upper part 6 is lowered counter to a second spring element 37 in the direction of an arrow y′ downward toward a middle part 5 into the second position II. The second position II is illustrated by thin unbroken lines. Lowering takes place according to the articulation of the upper part 6 on the middle part 5 via two parallel arms 31 and 32 on a circular path 42.
When the arrangement is loaded via the seat, not illustrated, with a second weight force 40a of a second person which is greater than the first weight force, the upper part 6 is lowered counter to the second spring element 37 in the direction of the arrow y′ downward toward the middle part 5 into the third position III. The third position III is illustrated by thin broken lines. Lowering again takes place according to the articulation of the upper part 6 on the middle part 5 via two parallel arms 31 and 32 on the circular path 42. In positions I and II, the upper part has levels N1 and N2, the difference of which corresponds to a weighing distance W1. This weighing distance W1 is converted via a drive 43 and an output 44 into a displacement distance V1 which is defined as a path difference between positions S1 and S2 of a slide 26. The drive 43 comprises a guide 28 on the upper part 6 and an inclined plane 30 on the middle part 5. These two components give rise, due to a lowering of the guide 28 together with the upper part 6, to a lateral displacement movement of the slide 26 which forms the output 44. In other words, the upper part 6, together with the middle part 5 or with the transmission mechanism operating as a movement converter 41, forms a gear 45 for converting a weighing movement into a displacement movement. In positions I and III, the upper part has the level N1 and a level N3, the difference of which corresponds to a weighing distance W2. This weighing distance W2 is converted via the gear 45 into a displacement distance V2 which is defined as the path difference between the position S1 and a position S3 of the slide 26. The slide 26 slides in the guide 28 from the position S1 into the position S2, a support 25, fastened vertically movably to the slide 26, for a first spring element 20 moving on the upper part 6 along a curved path 46 which runs at an approximately constant spacing with respect to a curved run of the first spring element 26 designed as a leaf spring 21. By the path 46 being coordinated with the run of the leaf spring 21, it is possible to avoid a jamming of the support 25 under the spring element 20 in any position of the support 25 or slide 26 and to ensure a smooth movement of the support 25. The smooth movement of the support 25 is implemented by the formation of an interspace 95, 96 and 97 in any position of the support 25, insofar as the piece of furniture 1 is not loaded by a reclining person. As regards the structural implementation of the interspaces, reference is made to
Furthermore, with regard to the weighing movement on the circular path 42,
a and 4b show two variants of a piece of furniture 1 in a diagrammatic illustration. In both variants, the illustration of a lower part of the piece of furniture 1 has been dispensed with.
a and 5b show a further design variant of a piece of furniture 1 according to the invention in two different positions I and II, the illustration of a lower part of the piece of furniture 1 having been dispensed with in both figures. An upper part 6 is guided movably upward and downward on a middle part 5 by means of an arm 31 rotatably about axes of rotation 33, 34 and a roller 55 guided on a cam 54 and is supported on the middle part 5 via a second spring element 37. Arranged on the upper part 6 is a first spring element 20, on which a seat 7 articulated on the upper part 6 rotatably about an axis of rotation 16 is supported with a projection 22 against an inclination movement about the axis of rotation 16 in a direction of rotation w. A displacement of a support 25 under the first spring element 20 designed as a leaf spring 21 is achieved by means of a movement converter 41 which connects a weighing mechanism WM and a spring mechanism SM to one another. The movement converter 41 comprises an articulated lever 56 which is composed of a lower lever 56a and an upper lever 56b. The lower lever 56a is connected fixedly to the middle part 5 and is connected to the upper lever 56b in a rotationally articulated manner about an axis of rotation 57. The upper lever 56b carries the support 25 which is articulated on this rotatably about an axis of rotation 58. A lowering of the upper part 6 together with the seat 7 as a result of loading of the seat 7 by a weight force 40 causes a displacement movement of the support 25 out of a position S1 into a position S2, said displacement movement being caused by the articulated lever 56. The movement converter 41 converts a weighing movement of the upper part 6, in which the support 25 is taken up on the upper part 6, into a displacement movement directed laterally in the direction of an arrow x. In the position II of the piece of furniture 1, as illustrated in
a to 6e illustrate diagrammatically further design variants of weighing mechanisms WM and movement converters 41 for pieces of furniture 1 according to the invention. The arrangement shown in
The design variant, illustrated in
The arrangement illustrated in
d shows a purely mechanical variant. In this, an upper part 6 is guided with a column 61 in a bore 60 of a middle part 5, a second spring element 37 designed as a helical spring 38 being arranged between the column 61 and the middle part 5. A slide 26 is guided in a way known from previous exemplary embodiments on a boom 63 of the upper part 6 in a guide 28. The slide 26 has a support 25 and cooperates with an inclined plane 30. As a result, during a weighing movement of the upper part 6, the slide 26 is moved laterally under a first spring element 20. When the movement converter 41 is relieved of a weight force causing the weighing movement, a tension spring 49 draws the slide 26 in the direction of the column 61 again.
The arrangement illustrated in
In the design variants illustrated in
a shows a perspective illustration of a piece of furniture 1 according to the invention. The piece of furniture 1 stands in a nonloaded position I and comprises a base C and a seat 7 arranged on the latter. The base C comprises a lower part 4, a two-part middle part 5a, 5b and a two-part upper part 6a, 6b. The lower part 4 comprises a base 75 with wheels W, a height adjustment device 12 and a carrier 76 arranged on the latter. The carrier 76 has two carrying arms 76a and 76b, on which the middle parts 5a, 5b are arranged. On each of these two middle parts 5a, 5b is articulated one of the upper parts 6a, 6b (see also
In
c illustrates the piece of furniture 1 without the cloth covering and without the height adjustment device and the base, once again in the nonloaded position I. It can be seen in this view that the upper parts 6a, 6b of the piece of furniture 1 are not connected to one another directly. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the carriers 77, 78, too, are connected to one another only by means of the cloth covering, not illustrated. According to design variants indicated by broken lines, the upper parts 6a, 6b and/or the carriers 77, 78 are connected by means of at least one flexible or rigid crossmember 81 or 82. Alternatively or additionally to this, there is also provision for connecting the upper part 6a and the carrier 78 and/or the upper part 6b and the carrier 79 via at least one diagonal crossmember. The upper legs 77a and 78a of the two carriers 77 and 78 are supported in each case with projections 22a and 22b on spring elements 20a, 20b of the two spring mechanisms SM, the spring elements 20a, 20b being designed as leaf springs 21a and 21b.
d illustrates a sectional view, from a direction IXd shown in
e again depicts, in an enlarged illustration, the right movement converter 41a shown in
f then shows a position II in which the seat 7, not illustrated, is loaded with a weight force of a person sitting upright. In comparison with
a to 8c show once again in detail the weighing and inclination on a further structural unit consisting of the weighing mechanism WM, movement converter 41a and spring mechanism SM, the structural unit being modified slightly, as compared with
a illustrates a further design variant of a piece of furniture 1 according to the invention. The piece of furniture 1 is designed as a piece of furniture 2 for sitting on or as a chair 3 and comprises a seat 7 which is arranged on a base C. The chair 3 is shown in a nonloaded position I. The base C comprises a lower part 4, a middle part 5 and an upper part 6. The middle part 5 is formed essentially by a housing 200 which is designed as a quiver 201 and is plugged in a bore 202 of the lower part 4. The upper part 6 comprises a carrier 203 for the seat 7 and is connected to the middle part 5 by means of a height adjustment device 12. The height adjustment device 12 comprises a settable spring AS designed as a pneumatic spring 204, an axial bearing 208 and a spring element designed as a helical spring 38. A pressure tube 205 of the pneumatic spring 204 is fastened in a known way in a bore 206 of the carrier 203. In addition to the pressure tube 205, the pneumatic spring 204 comprises a piston rod 207 which is guided in the pressure tube 205. The axial bearing 208 comprises an upper disk-shaped ring 209 and a lower pot-shaped ring 210 which has a collar 211. The axial bearing 208 is fastened to a free end 207a of the piston rod 207. The pneumatic spring 204 is supported via the collar 211 of the axial bearing 208 on a bottom 212 of the middle part 5 via the helical spring 38. Above the helical spring 38, the pneumatic spring 204 is guided slidably with its pressure tube 205 on the lower part 5. A weighing mechanism WM is thus formed between the middle part 5 and the upper part 6 by the height adjustment device 12. A movement converter 41 comprises a Bowden cable 213 and a lever mechanism LM designed as a lever 214. The Bowden cable 213 consists of a wire 215 and of a hose 216 in which the wire 215 is guided. The lever 214 is fastened to the upper part 6 or the carrier 203 rotatably about an axis of rotation 217. The lever 214 has a lower free end 214a and an upper free end 214b. On the upper free end 214b is formed a long hole 218 in which a support 25 is guided. The support 25 is movable on a sliding surface 219 of the carrier 203 under a spring element 20 designed as a leaf spring 21 in the direction of an arrow x′, the traveling movement being generated by a rotation of the lever 214 about its axis of rotation 217. The lower end 214a of the lever 214 is connected to the collar 211 of the lower ring 210 of the axial bearing 208 by means of the wire 215 of the Bowden cable 213. The housing 200 which forms the middle part 5 and the carrier 203 form in each case a counterbearing 220, 221 for the hose 216 in which the wire 215 is guided. During a loading of the seat 7, the lowering of the upper part 6 counter to the helical spring 38 leads, independently of a height setting preselected by means of the pneumatic spring 204, to a traveling movement of the support 25 in the direction of the arrow x′. The wire 215 of the Bowden cable 213 is drawn downward by the lower ring 210 of the axial bearing 208 in the direction of an arrow y′. The lower ring 210 of the axial bearing 208 forms a fastening device CD for the Bowden cable 213. After a relief of the seat 7, a spring 222 draws the lever 214 back again into the position shown in
b illustrates a view of a detail of the chair 3 shown in
c illustrates once again the view, known from
a-10d illustrate a design variant of the seat shown in
a shows a side view of a chair 3. The chair 3 comprises a base C and a seat 7. The base C comprises a lower part 4, which receives a middle part 5 in a bore 202, and an upper part 6, which is connected to the middle part 5 via a weighing mechanism WM designed as a height adjustment device 12. In the side view illustrated, a carrier 77 can be seen, which is articulated on the upper part 6 with an upper leg 77a rotatably about an axis of rotation 16 and rotatably with a lower leg 77b about an axis of rotation 84. The chair 3 also has a second carrier which is concealed by the first carrier 77 in the illustration of
The two legs 77a and 77b are connected to one another via a plurality of linking members 79. The two carriers 77 of the seat 7 are supported on the upper part 6 in each case via a spring mechanism SM. The seat 7 is rotatable together with the upper part 6 about a vertical axis of rotation 39 with respect to the middle part 5 and to the lower part 4. The weighing mechanism WM comprises a settable spring AS which is designed as a pneumatic spring 204. The upper part 6 comprises a carrier 76 which is composed of two mirror-symmetrically designed carrying arms 76a, only one of the carrying arms 76a being visible in the illustration of
b shows an enlarged and slightly perspective illustration of the chair 3 shown in
c shows a perspective view of the adaptor 239 of the lower leg 77b, the middle part 5 and all the components lying between these. For the sake of clarity, once again, of the upper part 6 with the carrying arm 76a, only one of the carrying arms is illustrated. When the upper part 6 is loaded via the seat, not illustrated, the upper part 6, together with the pneumatic spring 204, is compressed with respect to the middle part 5. The rotor system RS comprises a lower ring 242, an upper ring 243 and an inner ring 243a. These are arranged on the pressure tube 205 of the pneumatic spring 204. The lower ring 242 is mounted on the pressure tube 205 rotatably about the longitudinal axis 39 of the latter and forms a counterbearing 244 for the hoses 241a and 241b of the Bowden cables 234a and 234b. The middle part 5 is designed as a housing 200 and forms a further counterbearing 246 for the hoses 241a and 241b of the Bowden cables 234a and 234b. The upper ring 243 is mounted on the pressure tube 205 rotatably about the longitudinal axis 39 of the latter and vertically displaceably in the direction of the longitudinal axis 39 or in the directions of the arrows y′ and y. The wires 240a and 240b of the lower Bowden cables 234a and 234b are fastened to the upper ring 243. The inner ring 243a is mounted in the upper ring 234 and is freely rotatable about the axis of rotation 39 with respect to the upper ring 234 and with respect to the pressure tube 205. A wire 240c of the upper Bowden cable 241c is fastened to the inner ring 243a. In a comparable way, a wire of a further upper Bowden cable, not illustrated, is fastened in a slit 234b of a tab 243c belonging to the inner ring 243a. This further upper Bowden cable, not illustrated, is connected to the second spring mechanism which is arranged on the second carrier, not illustrated. The movement converter 41 thus connects the weighing mechanism WM to two spring mechanisms SM, each of the two spring mechanisms SM assuming half the supporting of an inclination movement of the seat 7 about the axis of rotation 16. The hose 241c of the upper Bowden cable 234c is supported on the lower leg 237 in the carrier arm 76a. During a rotation of the seat or of the upper part 6 in a direction of rotation v or v′ about the axis of rotation 39, the upper Bowden cables 234c rotate together with the pneumatic spring 204 and with the inner ring 243a fastened to the pressure tube 205. Due to the lower Bowden cables 234a and 234b connected to the stationary middle part 5, the rings 242 and 243 are held in their position shown in
d, then, shows the weighing mechanism WM and the movement converter 41 in a sectional view, a hatching of the parts shown in section having been dispensed with so as to keep the illustration clearer. The weighing mechanism WM comprises the pneumatic spring with a piston rod 207 guided in the pressure tube 205, an axial bearing 208, a cup 262 and a helical spring 38. The cup 262 is supported with a collar 263 on the helical spring 38, and the pneumatic spring 204 stands on the axial bearing 208 in the cup 262, the piston rod 207 of the pneumatic spring 204 penetrating through a bottom 264 of the cup 262, and the axial bearing 208 being fastened to a free end 265 of the piston rod 207. The axial bearing 208 allows a free rotatability of the pneumatic spring 204 and of the upper part 6 fastened to the latter, together with the seat, not illustrated, about the axis of rotation 39. The pneumatic spring 204 is guided rotatably with its pressure tube 205, above the helical spring 38, in a housing 200 formed by the middle part 5. The collar 263 of the cup 262 has two slits 265a and 265b, in which the wires 240a and 240b of the Bowden cables 234a and 234b are suspended.
The slits 265a and 265b in each case form a device CD for fastening the Bowden cables 234a and 234b of the movement converter 41. By means of abutments 266a and 266b, the middle part 5 forms the counterbearing 246 for the hoses 241a and 241b of the Bowden cables 234a and 234b. A height adjustment of the pneumatic spring 204, in which the piston rod 207 moves further in the pressure tube 205 in the direction of the arrow y or moves further out of the pressure tube 205 in the direction of the arrow y′, is compensated by the S-shaped run of the Bowden cables 234a and 234b (see also
The invention is not restricted to exemplary embodiments illustrated or described. On the contrary, it embraces developments of the invention within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2006 014 109 | Mar 2006 | DE | national |
| 10 2006 020 006 | Apr 2006 | DE | national |
| 10 2006 020 007 | Apr 2006 | DE | national |
| 10 2006 034 307 | Jul 2006 | DE | national |
| 10 2006 035 553 | Jul 2006 | DE | national |
| 10 2006 039 606 | Aug 2006 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/225,336, filed Sep. 18, 2008 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,857,390, which was the National Stage under 35 U.S.C. Section 371 of International Application No. PCT/IB2007/00734, filed Mar. 22, 2007, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12225336 | US | |
| Child | 12958798 | US |
