EP4434405A1 - Support device adjustable by electric motor - Google Patents

Abstract

An electromotorically adjustable support device 2 for upholstery of a piece of seating and/or reclining furniture, in particular a mattress of a box spring bed, has a first support part 12, to which a second support part 14 is pivotably connected, to the end of which facing away from the first support part 12 a third support part 16 is pivotably connected. A pivot lever 28 pivotably mounted about a pivot lever pivot axis 30 serves to pivotally adjust the second support part 14 relative to the first support part 12. According to the invention, the second support part 14 has a guide 32 for the end of the pivot lever 28 facing away from the pivot lever pivot axis 30, wherein the guide 32 carries an adjustment means for pivotally adjusting the third support part 16 relative to the second support part 14.

Description

The invention relates to an electromotorically adjustable support device of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 for the upholstery of a seating and/or reclining furniture, in particular a mattress of a box-spring bed.

Corresponding support devices are generally known and have support parts that can be pivoted relative to one another by means of an electric motor and can be adjusted, for example, between a lying position and a sitting position of the furniture. For example, corresponding support devices in the form of slatted frames are known in which the support parts are provided with springy slats on the side facing the upholstery. Support devices for a mattress of a box spring bed, on the other hand, have support parts that are provided with plates on which the mattress of the box spring bed rests when in use.

The number of support parts can be selected within wide limits according to the respective requirements. In the simplest case, the support device is designed with 2 parts and has a stationary support part that functions, for example, as a buttocks support part and to which a back support part is connected in a pivoting manner. In an extension of a corresponding structure, the support device can be designed with 3 parts and additionally have a head/neck support part that is connected to the end of the upper body support part facing away from the buttocks support part. and is pivotally adjustable relative to the same. In an extension of a corresponding construction, the support device can also be designed with 5 members and additionally have a calf support part which is connected to the end of the leg support part facing away from the buttock support part and is pivotally adjustable relative to the same.

Through DE 100 46 751 A1 a support device with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known. The support device known from the document is designed with 5 parts and has a first support part in the form of a buttocks support part, to which a second support part in the form of an upper body support part is pivotably connected. A third support part in the form of a head/neck support part is pivotably connected to the end of the second support part facing away from the first support part. A pivot lever mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot lever pivot axis is provided for pivotally adjusting the second support part relative to the first support part. In the known support device, the head/neck support part is coupled to the upper body support part via a toggle lever arrangement so that when the upper body support part is adjusted, the head/neck support part is also adjusted.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a support device of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1, the functionality of which is improved compared to the known support device.

This object is solved by the invention defined in claim 1.

According to the invention, the second support part has a guide for the end of the pivot lever facing away from the pivot lever pivot axis, wherein the guide carries an adjustment means for pivotally adjusting the third support part relative to the second support part.

The invention is based on the idea of realizing an adjustability of the head/neck support part independently of the adjustment of the upper body support part using simple means.

For this purpose, a guide provided according to the invention on the second support part, which can in particular be the upper body support part, for the pivot lever, which serves to adjust the second support part, has a dual function. On the one hand, the guide guides the end of the pivot lever during its relative movement to the second support part. On the other hand, the guide serves as a mechanical carrier for an adjustment means for adjusting the third support part, which can in particular be the head/neck support part. In this case, the adjusting means can in particular be or have an electric motor drive unit, by means of which the head/neck support part can be adjusted independently of the upper body support part relative to the latter.

In this way, an independent adjustment of the head/neck support part is realized with a relatively low design effort and thus the functionality of the support device according to the invention is improved compared to the known support device.

Because the head/neck support part is adjustable independently of the upper body support part, a user can better adapt the adjustment position to his personal needs, so that the comfort of the support device according to the invention is improved.

Due to the inventive dual function of the guide, the design effort required to achieve this gain in functionality and comfort is relatively low.

The structure of the support device according to the invention can be selected within wide limits according to the respective requirements and circumstances. For example, the support device according to the invention can be designed as a slatted frame in which the support parts are provided with springy slats on the side facing the upholstery. In particular, however, the support device according to the invention can also be provided for supporting a mattress of a box spring bed, with the support parts having plates, for example made of wood, on the side facing the mattress, on which the mattress rests.

An extremely advantageous development of the invention provides that the guide extends beyond a pivot axis between the second and the third support part in the direction of the free end of the third support part. In this way, the guide has a projection over the second support part in the longitudinal direction of the support device in the direction of the third support part. This projection opens up the possibility of realizing support devices with different lengths of the second support part and the third support part with one and the same structural unit consisting of the guide and the adjustment means. For example, a relatively short third support part can be used as a head/neck support part with a relatively long The second support part can be combined as an upper body support part if only adjustability over a relatively short length is required or desired in the area of the head or neck.

The design of the guide can be selected within wide limits according to the respective requirements and circumstances. An advantageous development of the invention provides that the guide is designed as a guide rail. This results in a particularly simple structure. The guide rail can be connected in a suitable manner to the back, i.e. the side of the second support part facing away from the upholstery, for example by screwing.

An advantageous development of the aforementioned embodiment provides that the guide is formed by two rail-like guide elements, in particular made of metal, which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support device. Corresponding guide elements can be formed, for example, by profile elements made of metal, which are simple and relatively inexpensive.

In order to reduce the friction between the pivot lever and the guide arranged on the back of the second support part during the adjustment movement, an advantageous development of the invention provides that at least one roller is arranged on the free end of the pivot lever, which is guided in or on the guide. In this case, it is basically sufficient if the free end of the pivot lever is provided with a single roller. If the guide is formed by two guide elements spaced apart from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support device, two rollers spaced apart from one another according to the distance between the guide elements can also be provided instead of a single roller.

The adjustment means can be designed in a variety of ways according to the respective requirements and circumstances. A particularly advantageous development of the invention provides that the adjustment means has an electromotive drive unit with a base body designed in particular as a drive housing and an output member which is operatively connected to the third support part for adjusting the same relative to the second support part between a starting position of the adjustment movement in which the third support part is the second support part spans a common support plane, and an end position of the adjustment movement in which the third support part is pivotally adjusted relative to the second support part. In this way, the adjustment of the third support part relative to the second support part is carried out by an electric motor.

A particularly simple development of the aforementioned embodiment provides that the base body of the electromotive drive unit is fastened to the guide.

In the aforementioned embodiments with the electromotive drive unit, the same can be designed in a variety of ways. An advantageous development of the invention provides that the output element of the electromotive drive unit is linearly movable and is operatively connected to the third support part via an adjusting element in such a way that the third support part is pivoted relative to the second support part when the output element moves linearly. Corresponding linear drives are available as relatively simple and inexpensive standard assemblies.

An advantageous development of the aforementioned embodiment provides that the adjusting element is a further pivot lever which is mounted on the base body of the electromotive drive unit so as to be pivotable about a further pivot lever pivot axis and is operatively connected to the output element of the electromotive drive unit such that the further pivot lever is pivoted about the further pivot lever pivot axis during a linear movement of the output element. In this embodiment, the adjusting mechanism for adjusting the third support part relative to the second support part is particularly simple and robust.

Another advantageous development of the aforementioned embodiments provides that the electric motor drive unit has a spindle drive. Corresponding spindle drives are available as relatively simple, inexpensive and robust standard assemblies and are suitable for transmitting large forces.

A further development of the aforementioned embodiment provides that the output member of the drive unit is formed by a threaded spindle which is mounted in a rotationally secure manner and movable in its axial direction and on which a stationary Spindle nut is arranged, which is in rotary drive connection with an electric motor of the electromotive drive unit. Alternatively, the output member can also be formed by a spindle nut, which is arranged in a rotationally secure manner and movable in the axial direction on a stationary threaded spindle, which is in rotary drive connection with an electric motor of the electromotive drive device.

In the interests of a simple construction, another advantageous development of the invention provides that the adjusting member loosely acts on the third support part for adjusting the same.

In order to reduce the friction between the adjusting member and the third support part during its adjustment, another advantageous development of the invention provides that the adjusting member carries at least one roller for contact with the third support part.

Another advantageous development of the invention provides that the first support part is a stationary buttocks support part, the second support part is an upper body support part and the third support part is a head/neck support part.

A seating and/or reclining furniture according to the invention, in particular a box spring bed, is specified in claim 15 and has a support device according to the invention.

With regard to the support parts, the back is understood to mean the side of the support parts facing away from the upholstery when the support device is in use.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached, highly schematic drawing using an exemplary embodiment. It is clear to the person skilled in the art that the individual features of an exemplary embodiment each develop the exemplary embodiment on their own, i.e. independently of the other features. It is therefore also clear to the person skilled in the art that all the features described, shown in the drawing and claimed in the patent claims, taken on their own and in any technically reasonable combination with one another, form the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their summary in the patent claims and their references, and regardless of their specific description or representation in the drawing. The subject matter and disclosure content of the present application also includes Sub-combinations of the patent claims in which at least one feature of a patent claim is omitted or replaced by another feature.

Fig. 1

in einer schematischen Perspektivansicht ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Stützeinrichtung in einer Ausgangsposition der Verstellbewegung,

Fig. 2

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 1 die Stützeinrichtung gemäß Fig. 1, wobei ein Außenrahmen der Stützeinrichtung weggelassen ist,

Fig. 3

die Stützeinrichtung gemäß Fig. 2 in einer Seitenansicht,

Fig. 4

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 1 die Stützeinrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 in einer Verstellposition, in der ein Rückenstützteil und ein Kopf/Nackenstützteil relativ zu einem Gesäßstützteil verstellt sind,

Fig. 5

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 4 die Stützeinrichtung gemäß Fig. 4, wobei zusätzlich das Kopf-/Nackenstützteil relativ zu dem Rückenstützteil verstellt ist,

Fig. 6

in einer Perspektivansicht eine erfindungsgemäße Baueinheit aus einer elektromotorischen Antriebseinheit und einer Führung,

Fig. 7

in gleicher Darstellung, jedoch in gegenüber Fig. 6 vergrößertem Maßstab die Baueinheit gemäß Fig. 6, wobei eine Gehäusehälfte des Gehäuses der elektromotorischen Antriebseinheit weggelassen ist,

Fig. 8

eine Einzelheit aus Fig. 4 im Bereich des Kopf-/Nackenstützteils in einer Verstellposition, in der das Kopf-/Nackenstützteil relativ zu dem Rückenstützteil nicht verstellt ist,

Fig. 9

die Einzelheit gemäß Fig. 8 in einer Verstellposition, in der das Kopf- /Nackenstützteil relativ zu dem Rückenstützteil verstellt ist und

Fig. 10

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 3 die Stützeinrichtung gemäß Fig. 3, wobei ausschließlich das Kopf-/Nackenstützteil relativ zu dem Rückenstützteil verstellt ist.

It shows:

Fig.1

in a schematic perspective view an embodiment of a support device according to the invention in a starting position of the adjustment movement,

Fig. 2

in the same representation as Fig.1 the support device according to Fig.1 , wherein an outer frame of the support device is omitted,

Fig.3

the support device according to Fig. 2 in a side view,

Fig.4

in the same representation as Fig.1 the support device according to Fig.1 in an adjustment position in which a back support part and a head/neck support part are adjusted relative to a buttock support part,

Fig.5

in the same representation as Fig.4 the support device according to Fig.4 , whereby the head/neck support part is additionally adjusted relative to the back support part,

Fig.6

in a perspective view a structural unit according to the invention comprising an electric motor drive unit and a guide,

Fig.7

in the same representation, but in opposite Fig.6 enlarged scale the construction unit according to Fig.6 , wherein one housing half of the housing of the electric motor drive unit is omitted,

Fig.8

a detail from Fig.4 in the area of the head/neck support part in an adjustment position in which the head/neck support part is not adjusted relative to the back support part,

Fig.9

the detail according to Fig.8 in an adjustment position in which the head/neck support part is adjusted relative to the back support part and

Fig.10

in the same representation as Fig.3 the support device according to Fig.3 , whereby only the head/neck support part is adjusted relative to the back support part.

The following is based on reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 10 an embodiment of a support device according to the invention is explained in more detail. In individual figures of the drawing, individual components of the support device have been omitted for the purpose of illustrating the structure of the support device according to the invention and to simplify the illustration. In the relevant figures, the omitted components are to be added in a conceptual manner.

In Fig.1 an embodiment of a support device 2 according to the invention is shown, which in this embodiment is designed to support a box spring mattress. To simplify the illustration, the box spring mattress is not shown in the drawing. However, the structure and functioning of a corresponding box spring mattress are generally known to those skilled in the art and are therefore not explained in more detail here.

The support device 2 has an outer frame 4 and a longitudinal cross member 6 extending in the longitudinal direction of the support device 2. The outer frame 4 is in Fig.1 shown, but omitted in the other figures to simplify the illustration.

In the embodiment shown, the longitudinal cross member 6 is made of metal and is provided at its ends with support parts 8, 10 (cf. Fig.4 ) made of plastic, with which the longitudinal cross member 6 is supported on the outer frame 4 (cf. Fig.1 ).

The support device 2 has a stationary buttock support part 12 (first support part), to which a back support part (second support part) 14 is connected so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis. The end of the back support part 14 facing away from the buttock support part 12 is connected to a A head/neck support part 16 (third support part) is connected in a pivotable manner. To support a box spring mattress, the support parts 12, 14 and 16 in the illustrated embodiment are designed as plates and can be made of wood, for example.

The back support part 14 is connected to the buttocks support part 12 via hinges 18, 20, while the head/neck support part 16 is connected to the back support part 14 via hinges 22, 24.

The seat support part 12 is connected to the upper side of a housing 26 for a pivot drive of a single-arm pivot lever 28, which is mounted on the longitudinal cross member 6 so as to be pivotable about a pivot lever pivot axis 30 (cf. Fig.4 ). To simplify the illustration, details of the swivel drive for the swivel lever 28 are not shown in the drawing. However, corresponding swivel drives are generally known to the person skilled in the art and are therefore not explained in more detail here. A corresponding swivel drive is known to the person skilled in the art, for example, by EN 10 2013 110 096 A1 known.

According to the invention, the back support part 14 (second support part) has a guide 32 for the end of the pivot lever 28 facing away from the pivot lever pivot axis 30 (see, for example, Fig.5 )

In the illustrated embodiment, the guide 32 is designed as a guide rail which is formed by two rail-like guide elements 34, 36 spaced apart from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support device.

As is particularly evident from Fig.5 As can be seen, the guide 32 extends beyond a pivot axis between the back support part 14 and the head/neck support part 16 in the direction of the free end of the head/neck support part 16 and thus forms a projection over the back support part 14 in the longitudinal direction of the support device 2.

According to the invention, the guide 32 carries an adjustment means for pivotally adjusting the head/neck support part 16 relative to the back support part 14.

The pivot lever 28 carries at its free end (cf. Fig.5 ) Rollers 38, 40, with which the pivot lever 28 is guided on the guide elements 34, 36 of the guide 32.

In the embodiment shown, the adjustment means comprise an electromotive drive unit 42 with a base body designed as a drive housing 44 and an output member which is operatively connected to the head/neck support part 16 for adjusting the same relative to the back support part 14 between a starting position of the adjustment movement in which the head/neck support part 16 forms a common support plane with the back support part 14 (cf. Fig.4 ), and an end position of the adjustment movement in which the head/neck support part 16 is pivotally adjusted relative to the back support part 14 (cf. Fig.5 ).

The drive housing 44 of the drive unit 42 is attached to the guide element 36 by screwing. The guide elements 34, 36 are connected to one another by a rod-shaped connecting element 46. In this way, the guide 32 forms a structural unit with the electromotive drive unit 42, which forms an essential element of the embodiment shown.

The structure of the electric motor drive unit 42 is described below using Fig.7 explained in more detail:
In the embodiment shown, the electromotive drive unit 42 has a spindle drive 48 with a threaded spindle 50 and a spindle nut 52. The output member of the electromotive drive unit 42 is formed in the embodiment shown by the threaded spindle 50, which is mounted in the drive housing 44 in a rotationally secure manner and movable in its axial direction. A stationary spindle nut 52 is arranged on the threaded spindle 50, which is rotatably mounted by means of a ball bearing 54 and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a worm wheel 56 of a worm gear, which is in engagement with a worm, which is connected to the output shaft of a Fig.7 not shown electric motor 58 (cf. Fig.6 ) is formed. In this way, the spindle nut 52 is in rotary drive connection with the electric motor 58 of the electromotive drive unit 42.

The threaded spindle 50 as the output element of the electromotive drive unit 42 is operatively connected to the head/neck support part 16 via an adjusting element such that with a linear movement of the threaded spindle 50 the head/neck support part 16 is pivoted relative to the back support part 14.

In the illustrated embodiment, the adjusting member is a further single-armed pivot lever 60, which is mounted in the drive housing 44 of the electromotive drive unit 42 so as to be pivotable about a further pivot lever pivot axis 62 and is operatively connected to the threaded spindle 50 as the output member of the electromotive drive unit 42 in such a way that, during a linear movement of the threaded spindle 50, the further pivot lever 60 is pivoted about the further pivot lever pivot axis 62.

In order to cooperate with the further pivot lever 60, the threaded spindle 50 has a slide 64 made of plastic at its end facing the pivot lever 60, which slide 64 engages eccentrically to the further pivot lever pivot axis 62 on a linkage lever 66 which is connected to the further pivot lever 60 in a rotationally fixed manner.

The further pivot lever 60 carries at its free end a further roller 68, with which the pivot lever 60 rests against the rear side of the head/neck support part 16 and loosely acts on the same for pivoting.

The functioning of the support device 2 according to the invention is as follows:
Based on the Fig.3 In the initial position of the adjustment movement shown in FIG. 1, in which the support parts 12, 14 and 16 span a common support plane, the pivot lever 28 is pivoted counterclockwise in the drawing to adjust the back support part 14 relative to the stationary buttock support part 12 until the Fig.4 shown position of the adjustment movement is reached.

Fig.8 shows the head/neck support part 16 in a position in which it forms a common support plane together with the back support part 14. To adjust the head/neck support part 16 relative to the back support part 14, the electric motor 58 drives the spindle nut 52 in such a way that the threaded spindle 50 with its slide 64 presses against the free end of the link lever 66, so that the further pivot lever 60 pivots counterclockwise in the drawing about the further pivot lever pivot axis 62 until the Fig.9 The end position of the adjustment movement shown is reached.

Because the head/neck support part 16 is assigned its own electric motor drive unit 42, the head/neck support part 16 can be moved by actuating this electric motor drive unit 42 independently of an adjustment of the back support part 14 relative to the back support part 14, as in Fig.10 In this way, the adjustment options for the support parts 12, 14 and 16 relative to each other are expanded, thereby increasing comfort for the user.

Because the guide 32 projects beyond the pivot axis between the back support part 14 and the head/neck support part 16 in the direction of the head/neck support part 16, support devices with different length ratios between the length of the head/neck support part 16 and the length of the back support part 14 can be constructed using one and the same structural unit comprising guide 32 and drive unit 42. In this way, the production of different support devices is simplified and made more cost-effective.

List of reference symbols:

2

Support device

4

Outer frame

6

Longitudinal traverse

8

Support part

10

Support part

12

Buttock support part

14

Back support part

16

Head/neck support

18

hinge

20

hinge

22

hinge

24

hinge

26

Housing

28

Swivel lever

30

Swing lever pivot axis

32

guide

34

Guide element

36

Guide element

38

role

40

role

42

electric motor drive unit

44

Drive housing

46

Connecting element

48

Spindle drive

50

Threaded spindle

52

Spindle nut

54

Ball bearings

56

Worm wheel

58

Electric motor

60

additional swivel lever

62

additional swivel lever swivel axis

64

Slider

66

Control lever

68

further role

Claims (15)

Electromotorically adjustable support device (2) for an upholstery of a seating and/or reclining furniture, in particular a mattress of a box-spring bed, with a first support part (12) to which a second support part (14) is pivotably connected, with the end of which facing away from the first support part (12) a third support part (16) is pivotably connected, with a pivot lever (28) pivotably mounted about a pivot lever pivot axis (30) for pivotally adjusting the second support part (14) relative to the first support part (12), characterized by that the second support part (14) has a guide (32) for the end of the pivot lever (28) facing away from the pivot lever pivot axis (30) and that the guide (32) carries an adjustment means for pivotally adjusting the third support part (16) relative to the second support part (14). Support device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide (32) extends beyond a pivot axis between the second support part (14) and the third support part (16) in the direction of the free end of the third support part (16). Support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide (32) is designed as a guide rail. Support device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide (32) is formed by two rail-like guide elements (34, 36), in particular made of metal, spaced apart from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the support device. Support device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one roller (38, 40) is arranged on the free end of the pivot lever (28), which is guided in or on the guide (32). Support device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting means has an electromotive drive unit (42) with a base body designed in particular as a drive housing (44) and an output member which is operatively connected to the third support part (16) for adjusting the same relative to the second support part (14) between a starting position of the adjusting movement, in which the third support part (16) spans a common support plane with the second support part (14), and an end position of the adjusting movement, in which the third support part (16) is pivotally adjusted relative to the second support part (14). Support device according to claim 6, characterized in that the base body of the electromotive drive unit (42) is fastened to the guide (32). Support device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the output member of the electromotive drive unit (42) is linearly movable and is operatively connected to the third support part (16) via an adjusting member such that, during a linear movement of the output member, the third support part (16) is pivoted relative to the second support part (14). Support device according to claim 8, characterized in that the adjusting member is a further pivot lever (60) which is mounted on the base body of the electromotive drive unit (42) so as to be pivotable about a further pivot lever pivot axis (62) and is operatively connected to the output member of the electromotive drive unit (42) such that, during a linear movement of the output member, the further pivot lever (60) is pivoted about the further pivot lever pivot axis (62). Support device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the electromotive drive unit has a spindle drive (48). Support device according to claim 10, characterized in that the output member of the drive unit is formed by a threaded spindle (50) which is mounted in a rotationally secure manner and movable in its axial direction, and on which a stationary spindle nut (52) is arranged which is in rotary drive connection with an electric motor (58) of the electromotive drive unit (42). Support device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the adjusting member loosely acts on the third support part (16) for adjusting the same. Support device according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the adjusting member carries at least one roller (68) for contact with the third support part (16). Support device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first support part (12) is a stationary buttocks support part, the second support part (14) is an upper body support part and the third support part (16) is a head/neck support part. Seating and/or reclining furniture, in particular a box-spring bed, with a support device (2) according to one of the preceding claims.

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