Patent Application
20230270260
The invention relates to a support device adjustable by means of an electric motor of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 for supporting cushioning of a piece of furniture for sitting and/or lying on, in particular a mattress of a bed.
So-called double drives are known for adjusting slatted frames, for example, said double drives having a housing designed as a separate component which is connectable to the slatted frame and in which two adjusting units are housed, one of which is used, for example, to adjust a back support part and the other to adjust a leg support part of the slatted frame. In the known double drives, the adjusting units are designed as spindle drives, with the drive being coupled to a support part to be adjusted via a link lever which is non-rotatably connected to a pivot shaft assigned to the support part to be adjusted. To adjust the support part, the spindle nut of the spindle drive presses against the link lever so that the pivot shaft and thus the support part pivots. Such double drives are known, for example, from EP 0 372 032 A1 and DE 38 42 078 A1.
DE 100 17 979 C2 discloses a furniture drive designed as a double drive, in which each adjusting unit has an electric motor-output winding device for a traction device in the form of a cable, belt or chain, which is connected in the manner of a pulley block to a pivot lever which is non-rotatably connected to a pivot shaft, which in turn is operatively connected to a support part to be adjusted. Furniture drives operating according to a similar operating principle are also known from DE 34 09 223 C2, DE 198 43 259 CI and EP 1 020 171 A1.
Double drives working according to different operating principles are also known from DE 298 11 566 U1 and DE 297 14746 U1.
An adjustable slatted frame is known from DE 39 00 384 A1, in which the adjustment of a head or leg support part of the slatted frame takes place by means of a pneumatic cylinder.
DE 296 02 947 U1 discloses a gas spring adjustment fitting for slatted frames, wherein a cable is provided for actuating the gas spring.
DE 31 03 922 A1 discloses a slatted frame in which the adjustment of a part of the upper body support, for example, takes place via a windshield wiper motor and lifting scissors.
EP 1 294 255 B1 discloses a double drive, in which the transmission of power from a linearly movable drive element to a pivoted lever, which is operatively connected to a pivot shaft which is operatively connected to a support part to be adjusted, takes place via a pulley block. Similar furniture drives are also disclosed in FR 2 727 296 A, DE 34 09 223 C2, DE 198 43 259 C1, GB 2 334 435 A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,948 A.
In addition, slatted frames are known in which the adjustment device for adjusting a support part is partially or completely integrated into a base body of the slatted frame. To this effect, DE 199 62 541 C2 shows and describes a motor-adjustable support device which has a first support part which has parallel longitudinal beams and which, in the support device known from the publication, is formed by a stationary central support part. The known support device also has further support parts which can be adjusted with respect to the first support part by drive means. In the support device known from the publication, a first longitudinal beam of the first support part is designed as a hollow profile to house the drive means, with the entire drive including a drive motor being housed in the hollow longitudinal beam. As a result, the drive motor does not project beyond the first longitudinal beam in the vertical direction, so that the support device known from the publication has an extremely low overall height. A similar support device is also known from DE 100 46 751 A1. WO 96/29970 discloses a motor-adjustable support device for a mattress of a bed, which has several successive support parts in the longitudinal direction of the support device, which can be pivoted with respect to a first support part by drive means. The support parts are mounted on an outer frame whose profile height is significantly greater than the profile height of the support parts. In the support device known from the publication, parts of the outer frame are designed as a hollow profile, with parts of the drive means for adjusting the support parts with respect to one another being housed in the hollow profile. The drive motor is arranged on an inside of a part of the outer frame.
EP 0 788 325 B1 discloses a motor-adjustable support device for a mattress of a bed, which has a first support part having a longitudinal beam and at least one second support part which can be pivoted with respect to the first support part by drive means. In the case of the known support device, the drive motor is arranged outside the base area of the support device and is fixed at a frame-like extension of the first support part.
EP 1 633 219 B1 discloses a slatted frame in which parts of the adjusting device are housed in a hollow longitudinal beam, while the drive motor is arranged outside the longitudinal beam and is in drive connection with the parts of the adjusting device housed in the longitudinal beam through a recess.
WO 2008/113401 discloses a furniture drive provided for adjusting a drawer with respect to a body of a cupboard, in which the drawer is adjusted via a flexible toothed rack which engages with a gear wheel.
EP 2 792 277 B2 discloses an electromotive furniture drive with the features of the preamble of claim 1. The furniture drive known from the publication has a housing in which a linearly movable output member is arranged, which is in drive connection with an electric motor and which, in the operating state of the furniture drive, is operatively connected to the traction cable of the Bowden cable in order to exert a tensile force on the traction cable, wherein the housing has a first attachment point for fixing the casing of the Bowden cable.
The furniture drive known from the publication is based on the idea to effect the power transmission from an electromotive drive unit, which is used, for example, to adjust the support parts of a slatted frame with respect to one another, to the support part to be adjusted via a Bowden cable with a traction cable and a casing. The furniture drive known from the publication thus breaks with the concepts of power transmission previously known, for example, from slatted frames, and provides for furniture drives what is known from other technical areas, for example, from brakes and gear shifts on bicycles, gas and clutch trains on motorcycles and from the principle of a Bowden cable known from the automotive technology. This construction results in significant technical advantages in that the degrees of freedom in terms of the arrangement of the furniture drive with respect to the support parts to be adjusted are significantly increased, a corresponding furniture drive can be implemented in a compact manner and with a low overall height, and is also simple in construction and robust.
EP 3 009 052 A1 discloses a support device which can be adjusted by means of an electric motor and has the features of the preamble of claim 1. The support device known from the publication has a base part, a support part which is connected to the base part and can pivot about a support part pivot axis, and an electromotive drive device which is operatively connected to the base part and the support part for pivoting the support part with respect to the base part, with the base part and the support part being designed in such a way and are operatively connected to the drive device in such a way that the support part can be adjusted between a non-adjusted starting position, in which the support part lies flat on the base part, and an end position of the adjustment movement, in which the support part is arranged at an angle to the base part.
It is the object of the invention to specify a support device which is adjustable by an electro motor of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1, which is further improved compared to the known support device.
This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1.
The invention provides that the drive device has at least one drive train, through which the drive device is in drive connection with an adjusting element which is movable translationally along a linear axis in such a way that the adjusting element is movable between a starting position, which corresponds to the non-adjusted starting position of the support part, and an end position, which corresponds to the end position of the adjustment movement, by means of the drive device, and on at least one of the parts at least one lifting guide element acting in a wedge-like manner is arranged which is shaped in such a way and is or can be operatively connected to the adjusting element that, when there is a relative movement between the adjusting element and the lifting guide element along the linear axis, the support part is pivoted about the support part pivot axis with respect to the base part.
The invention provides a support device, which is adjustable by an electric motor, which has a simple and robust design and is suitable for applying large adjusting forces.
Advantageous and expedient developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing. All the features described, shown in the drawing and claimed in the claims, taken in isolation and in any technically meaningful combination with one another, form the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their pooling in the claims and their back-references and regardless of their specific description or representation in the drawing. The subject and disclosure content of the present application also include sub-combinations of the claims in which at least one feature of the respective claim is omitted or replaced by another feature. The subject and disclosure content of the application also includes combinations of the individual exemplary embodiments, in which at least one feature of one exemplary embodiment is transferred to another exemplary embodiment. It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the features disclosed in the individual exemplary embodiments further improve the respective exemplary embodiment taken in isolation, i. e. independently of the other features of the exemplary embodiment.
In the figures of the drawing, identical or corresponding components are provided with the same reference numerals.
For the sake of illustration and to simplify the explanation, individual components are omitted from individual figures of the drawing. The omitted components are to be supplemented conceptually in the relevant figures.
A first exemplary embodiment of a support device according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to
Support device 2 has a base part 4 and a support part 6 which is connected to base part 4 and can pivot about a support part pivot axis 8 (cf.
Support device 2 also has an electromotive drive device 10 which is operatively connected to base part 4 and support part 6 for pivoting adjustment of support part 6 with respect to base part 4. Base part 4 and support part 6 are designed in such a way and are operatively connected to drive device 10 in such a way that support part 6 is adjustable between a non-adjusted starting position (cf.
Support part 6 carries spring elements on its upper side, on which cushioning, for example a mattress of a bed, is supported when support device 2 is used. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the spring elements are formed by spring elements made of plastic, of which only one spring element is provided with reference numeral 12 as an example in
In
It can be seen in particular from
According to the invention, drive device 10 has at least one drive train, through which drive device 10 is in drive connection with an adjusting element which is translationally movable along a linear axis such that the adjusting element is movable by means of the drive device between a starting position which corresponds to the non-adjusted starting position of the support part, and an end position which corresponds to the end position of the adjustment movement. In the exemplary embodiment shown, there are two drive trains, namely a drive train 24 assigned to the longitudinal beams 14, 18 and a drive train 26 assigned to the longitudinal beams 16, 20. Only drive train 26 is explained in more detail below. Drive train 24 is constructed accordingly.
Drive train 26 has an output member 28 that is translationally movable along a linear axis, which, in this exemplary embodiment, is formed by a slide which is guided in a linear guide 30 which is defined by longitudinal beam 20 which is formed by a U-profile. In the U-profile, the slide is translationally movable in the longitudinal direction of longitudinal beam 20 along a linear axis which runs in the longitudinal direction of longitudinal beam 20.
In this exemplary embodiment, the electromotive drive device 10 is formed by a furniture drive using a Bowden cable having a traction cable and a casing. A corresponding furniture drive is known from EP 2 792 277 B2, the content of which is hereby fully incorporated into the present application by reference. To simplify the illustration, the Bowden cable is not shown in
The output member 28 is connected to a movable part of the Bowden cable, so that it moves translationally along the linear axis when the furniture drive is actuated.
The moving part of the Bowden cable can be the traction cable of the Bowden cable, while the casing is stationary. In kinematic reversal, however, the movable part of the Bowden cable can also be the casing, while the traction cable is stationary, as is known from EP 3 157 389 A1. In order to adjust support part 6 with respect to base part 4, an adjusting element 32 is provided, which, in this exemplary embodiment, is integrally formed on output member 28. Depending on the structural design of support device 2, adjusting element 32 can also be designed as a separate component connected to the drive element in a non-shiftable manner, or it can be operatively connected to the output member 28 in some other suitable manner.
According to the invention, at least one lifting guide element 34 acting in a wedge-like manner is arranged on one of the parts (base part 4, support part 6), which is shaped in such a way and is or can be operatively connected to adjusting element 32 such that during a relative movement between adjusting element 32 and lifting guide element 34 along the linear axis, support part 6 is pivoted about support part pivot axis 8 with respect to base part 4.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, lifting guide element 34 acting in a wedge-like manner is arranged on the support part, specifically in the area of support part pivot axis 8 (cf. in particular
Thus, according to the arrangement on output member 28 guided in linear guide 30, adjusting element 32 is arranged on base part 4 in the exemplary embodiment shown.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the adjusting element 32 is designed like a nose and projects beyond base part 4 in the direction of support part 6, as can be seen in particular from
In the starting position of the adjustment movement, adjusting element 32 is housed in a recess formed on support part 6, the inner wall of which forms a contact surface for adjusting element 32, the cross section of which tapers in the direction of support part pivot axis 8 in such a way that, in a translational movement of the adjusting element 32, support part 6 is pivotable or pivoted about support part pivot axis 8 in the direction of support part pivot axis 8.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, lifting guide element 34 is formed by a molded part which is connected to longitudinal beam 20 of support part 6 and whose side facing base part 4 forms the recess and contact surface for adjusting element 32, as can be seen in particular from
In order to adjust support part 6 with respect to base part 4, the adjusting element is moved translationally with respect to lifting guide element 34 while it rests against it, lifting guide element 34 being designed or shaped in such a way and is operatively connected to adjusting element 32 in such a way that, in a translational relative movement between adjusting element 32 and lifting guide element 34, support part 6 is pivoted about support part pivot axis 8 with respect to base part 4.
In the non-adjusted starting position of the adjustment movement shown in
Starting from this starting position, the furniture drive (electromotive drive device 10) is actuated in such a way that adjusting element 32 moves along linear guide 30 translationally to the right in the drawing. During this relative movement, adjusting element 32 rests against the underside of lifting guide element 34, so that, due to the shape of lifting guide element 34, support part 6 is pivoted with respect to base part 4 about support part pivot axis 8 until the end position of the adjustment movement shown in
In
Support part 6 is returned to the starting position with respect to base part 4 when the drive device is switched on, but under the weight of the cushioning resting on support part 6 and possibly under the additional weight of a person resting on the cushioning.
Support device 2 according to the invention is simple and robust in construction and suitable for applying large adjustment forces, which are required, for example, when support part 6 is adjusted under the load of a person resting on the cushioning supported by support device 2.
The actuation of the Bowden cables assigned to drive trains 24, 26 can in principle take place by separate furniture drives which are synchronized in terms of control technology. However, in order to simplify the construction, the actuation preferably takes place by a common furniture drive which actuates both Bowden cables synchronously, as is known, for example, from EP 2 792 277 B1. In this way, the use of support part 6 during the adjustment is reliably avoided.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the drive is provided via 2 drive trains assigned to longitudinal beams 14, 18 and 16, 20, respectively. While retaining the basic principle according to the invention, a single drive train can also be used, which is arranged in the longitudinal center plane of support part 6 or base part 4.
According to the invention, a wedge-like effect is understood to mean that the relevant component performs the function of a wedge or an inclined plane, regardless of its shape and design.
Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment according to
In the exemplary embodiment shown, lever arrangement 40 has a stand-up lever arrangement 42 which functions as an adjusting element within the meaning of the invention and has at least one stand-up lever.
In detail, stand-up lever arrangement 42 (cf. in particular
The operative connection between second stand-up lever 50 and lifting guide element 52 is configured in such a way that, starting from the non-adjusted starting position of the adjustment movement (cf.
In particular from
In this case, lifting guide element 52 is shaped in such a way that its cross section expands along the linear axis in such a way that the adjusting element in the area of the starting position of the adjustment movement rests against a section of smaller or minimal cross section of lifting guide element 52 and in the area of the end position of the adjustment movement against a section of larger or maximum cross section of lifting guide element 52. As can be seen in particular from
Depending on the respective structural circumstances and requirements, lifting guide element 52 can also be shaped in such a way that its cross section expands in the form of an arc or a ramp at least in sections. Any combination of arc-shaped and straight cross-sectional sections is also possible. The kinematics of the adjustment movement is defined by the cross-sectional shape of lifting guide element 52. This also applies to the other exemplary embodiments of the invention explained above and explained in more detail below.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment from
Starting from the starting position of the adjustment movement shown in
Here, the free end of second stand-up lever 2 runs below lifting guide element 52 so that the lifting guide element is pivoted clockwise about support part pivot axis 8 in the drawing. As a result, support part 6 is pivoted in the desired manner with respect to base part 4. Because at the beginning of the adjustment movement, the free end of second stand-up lever 50 runs below lifting guide element 52, the dead center during the adjustment of support part 6 is overcome.
At the end of the first kinematic phase, the free end of second opening lever 50 runs against the end of linear guide 30 that acts as a stop, so that stand-up levers 44, 50 stand up with respect to one another pivoting about second articulation axis 2, as a result of which support part 6 moves further about support part pivot axis 8 until the end position of the adjustment movement shown in
As can be seen in particular from
Electromotive drive device 10 has an electric motor 56, which is drive-connected to a rotatably mounted threaded spindle, rotates via a worm gear, on which a spindle nut 58 is arranged, secured against rotation and movable in the axial direction. Respective spindle drives are well known to those skilled in the field of furniture drives and are therefore not explained in more detail herein.
Spindle nut 58 is connected to stand-up lever arrangement 42 by means of tabs 60, 62 which extend in the longitudinal direction of linear guide 30 and which can be formed, for example, by sheet metal strips and between which the threaded spindle is housed.
Starting from the starting position of the adjustment movement shown in
Because the Bowden cable drive has been replaced by a spindle drive, drive train 26 has a high degree of rigidity.
It is apparent to the person skilled in the art that both in the exemplary embodiments described above and in the exemplary embodiments explained in more detail below, a Bowden cable drive can be exchanged for a drive having a spindle drive.
A lifting guide 52 is attached on the underside of lever 66, which interacts with an adjusting element for adjusting support part 6 with respect to base part 4, which, in this exemplary embodiment, is designed as a roller carriage 68 (cf.
As can be seen from
Roller carriage 68 is in a tensile connection with a movable part of a Bowden cable of a Bowden cable drive.
Lever mechanism 82 has a first lever 84 which is mounted on base part 4 such that it is pivotable about a stationary lever pivot axis 86 which is parallel to support part pivot axis 8. With the end of first lever 84 facing away from lever pivot axis 86, one end of a second lever 92 is arranged at an angle and connected about a first lever pivot axis 88 parallel to lever pivot axis 86 at a first connection point 90. The other end of second lever 92 is arranged at an angle and pivotable about a second lever pivot axis 94 parallel to first lever pivot axis 88 at a second connection point 96 to one end of a third lever 98, the other end of which is guided pivotably and shiftably in a slot guide 100 in the axial direction of the linear axis. The end of third lever 98 connected to second lever 92, at second connection point 96, is guided shiftably in the longitudinal direction of support part 6 thereon and connected at an angle manner thereto.
Levers 84, 92, 98 are designed in such a way and connected to base part 4 or support part 6 and the drive device and operatively connected, that
In the first kinematic phase shown in
At the end of the first kinematic phase, third lever 98 comes to rest against the end of slot guide 100 facing lever pivot axis 6, so that a further translational movement in the direction of lever pivot axis 86 is prevented and third lever 98 is also pivoted counterclockwise. In this case, support part 6 lifts off second lever 92 at first connection point 90, with second connection point 96 shifting in the direction of the free end of support part 6, as shown in
From
Furthermore, it can be seen in particular from
A further exemplary embodiment of a support device according to the invention using a lever mechanism 102 is shown in
As in the previous exemplary embodiments, support device 2 has a base part 4 and a support part 6 which is connected to base part 4 so that it can pivot about a support part pivot axis 8. For pivoting support part 6 with respect to base part 4, an electromotive drive device (furniture drive) is provided, which is in drive connection with an adjusting element which is translationally movable along a linear axis.
The lever mechanism 102 has a one-armed first lever 104 which is mounted pivotably about a stationary lever swivel axis 106 parallel to support part pivot axis 8 on base part 4. Lever mechanism 102 also has a two-armed second lever 108, the free end of first lever 104 facing away from lever pivot axis 106 being articulated about a first lever articulation axis 110 to second lever 108 facing away from its ends. One end of second lever 108 is guided in a linear guide 112 so as to be translationally movable with respect to lever pivot axis 106, while the other end of second lever 108 is articulated and shiftably in the longitudinal direction connected to support part 6.
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the adjusting element is formed by a carriage 114 which is drive-connected to the electromotive drive device and movable in linear guide 112 under the effect thereof.
The operative connection between lever mechanism 102, the electromotive drive device and base part 4 and support part 6 is configured in such a way that
In the non-adjusted starting position of the adjustment movement, support part 6 rests flat on base part 4, with levers 104, 108 lying flat in linear guide 112. In this position, the end of second lever 108 facing support part 6 is arranged at a distance from the free end of support part 6.
Starting from this position, carriage 114 is driven by the electromotive drive device in such a way that it moves to the left in the drawing and in doing so presses against the end of the second lever guided in linear guide 112, so that this end in linear guide 112 is pressed to the left in the drawing, whereby first lever 104 is pivoted counterclockwise in the drawing about lever pivot axis 106, and second lever 108 is pivoted clockwise about the lever articulation axis 110 with respect to first lever 104.
Here, the end of second lever 108 guided on support part 6 moves in the direction of the free end of support part 6 until lever 108 runs against a stop at this free end, as shown in
With a further movement of carriage 114 in linear guide 112 to the left in the drawing, second lever 108 pivots further clockwise about lever articulation axis 110, with support part 6 being pivoted further clockwise in the drawing, as shown in
With a further movement of carriage 114 in linear guide 112 to the left in the drawing, support part 6 is pivoted further clockwise, with the end of second lever 108 guided on support part 6 beginning to move away from the free end of support part 6 in the direction of support part pivot axis 8 until the end position of the adjustment movement shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 2020 104 670.5 | Aug 2020 | DE | national |
| 20 2020 104 959.3 | Aug 2020 | DE | national |
| 10 2021 108 345.1 | Apr 2021 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/071672 | 8/3/2021 | WO |
