WO2005079649A1

WO2005079649A1 - Roller for furniture or appliances, and furniture or appliance part comprising one such roller

Info

Publication number: WO2005079649A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/050442
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Cornelissen; Bernhard Scheuren
Original assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding Gmbh
Priority date: 2004-02-04
Filing date: 2005-02-02
Publication date: 2005-09-01
Also published as: CN1929770A; RU2006131588A; EP1711095A1; DE102004005461A1; JP2007520294A

Abstract

The invention relates to a roller (8) for furniture or appliances, said roller being provided with an axle (9) having an extension direction, and a running wheel (10) which is rotatably mounted on said axle (9). The aim of the invention is to improve one such roller such that a furniture or appliance part provided therewith can be handled in a favourable manner. To this end, the running wheel (10) is displaceably arranged on the axle (9) in the extension direction thereof in such a way that the running wheel (10) can move on the axle (9) in the extension direction thereof, according to a value corresponding to more than a half-width (b) of the running wheel (10).

Description

Furniture or device roller and furniture or device part with such a roller

The invention first relates to a furniture or equipment roller with an axis and an impeller rotatably received on the axis, the axis having an extension direction.

Track rollers of the type in question are known and are used, for example, in movable pieces of furniture, for example roll containers or the like, and moreover also in movable devices, in particular in the case of vacuum cleaners in the area of the floor nozzle and / or in the area of the tillage of the rollable vacuum cleaner floor unit to be pulled behind by the user during the processing.

In view of the prior art described above, a technical problem of the invention is seen in improving a roller of the type in question in such a way that the furniture or appliance part provided with such a roller is more easily handled.

This problem is resolved first and foremost by the subject matter of claim 1, with the aim being that the impeller is arranged to be movable on the axis in the direction of extension of the axis in such a way that the impeller is correspondingly more than one on the axis half the width of the impeller can move in the direction of extension of the axis. As a result of this configuration, a role is created in a structurally simple manner, which facilitates steering movements by the user. The impeller can be moved along the direction of extension of the axis, so that steering forces acting on the roller are converted into an axial displacement of the impeller. For a steering radius, the dimension of the axial displacement Availability essential, which corresponds to at least half a width - the thickness measured in the axial direction - of the impeller. A displacement path of the impeller on both sides is preferably provided in the amount of a multiple of the impeller width, so further for example in the amount of one to five times. In addition, a plurality of impellers which are arranged next to one another can also be rotatably accommodated on the axle and move accordingly along the axle accommodating them under the action of a steering command. As a result of the embodiment according to the invention, frictional forces between the roller and the surface are noticeably reduced for the user compared to a roller that cannot be moved on the axis. In order to further reinforce this effect, it is provided in a preferred embodiment that the axis is curved in its direction of extension, more preferably curved in a circular arc, which further supports the steering properties of the roller designed in this way and the associated change in the frictional resistance to the ground. The curvature is thus preferably directed counter to a normal running direction of the roller, so that the impeller received on the axis automatically automatically assumes a central position on the curved axis in a linear movement, from which it migrates laterally along the axis due to acting steering forces. In order to further support the straight running properties of the roller, a further development of the subject matter of the invention provides that the impeller is spring-biased in a preferred position on the axle. This preferred position can also be any other position on the axle, so that the roller can also have a deflected preferred position. In this regard, it is further proposed that the impeller can move from the preferred position to both sides in the direction of extension of the axis by at least half a width of the impeller. The impeller also sits directly on the axle with a hub section. Alternatively, the arrangement can also be chosen so that supports the impeller on the axle via a ball or roller bearing. When a curved axis is configured, it extends over an angular range of 20 to 180 °, preferably over an angular range of approximately 90 °, so that the impeller seated on the axis extends from a preferably central preferred position by approximately 45 ° to both sides can migrate along the direction of extension of the axis. Here, the free length of the axle is more preferably more than twice the width of the impeller, and this free length further corresponds to up to 20 times the width of the impeller. For example, a free length on the order of about six times the wheel width is preferred.

The invention further relates to a furniture or appliance part with a roller, comprising an impeller rotatably received on an axis, the axis having an extension direction. In order to improve such a piece of furniture or the device part, in particular with regard to manageability when moving the same, it is proposed that the impeller be arranged to be movable on the axis in the direction of extension of the axis such that the impeller is on the axis by a corresponding amount of more than half a width of the impeller can move in the direction of extension of the axis. As a result of this configuration, a piece of furniture or appliance is created which can be steered in the simplest manner by means of the roller. This makes it easier for the user to slide the part because the selected design of the roller reduces the frictional forces to a minimum when deflecting between the roller and the surface. The impeller moves along the axis in accordance with the acting steering forces, so that, in cooperation with the point of force acting on the furniture or appliance part, the same is automatically steered. In addition to the arrangement of an impeller on the axis, the arrangement of a plurality of impellers arranged next to one another on the axis is also conceivable. In a Preferred embodiment, it is provided that the furniture or appliance part in the direction of travel, and so on in a preferred direction of travel, first has a fixed roller and then a roller with an impeller that is displaceable on the axis. As a result, a part is created which is designed to be steerable in the front area in the usual direction of travel. The fixed castor located in the rear area serves to stabilize the straight running. For example, the selected arrangement can be provided in a floor nozzle of a conventional household vacuum cleaner, in which the floor nozzle processing the floor is displaced via the handle, the user preferably pushing the floor nozzle in front of him over the handle. In order to minimize the frictional forces when turning in, the solution according to the invention is used in that in particular the front section of the floor nozzle in the preferred direction, that is to say in the direction of thrust, is provided with a steering roller according to the invention, that is to say with an impeller displaceable on an axis. In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that two fixed castors are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction and two casters with displaceable impellers are spaced apart from one another in a corresponding manner, the fixed castors and the casters being spaced apart overall in the direction of travel. As a result of this configuration, a four-point support for the furniture or appliance part is created, consisting of two fixed castors and two swivel castors, the latter - as already mentioned - preferably arranged in a preferred direction of travel in the front area of the furniture or appliance part and the force or Steering force is exerted on the part in the area of the fixed castors, more preferably between the two fixed castors arranged at a distance from one another. A configuration has proven to be particularly advantageous in which the impeller which is displaceable on the axis can be displaced on an axis which is curved in its direction of extension, as a result of which a preferred position of the impeller on the axis is automatically set, which preferential position also by spring preloading on both sides. tion of the impeller on the axis can be found automatically. Finally, it is proposed that the curvature of the axis be carried out against the direction of travel, preferably against the usual direction of travel. A common direction of travel, for example in the case of vacuum cleaners, is the feed direction in which the user pushes the vacuum cleaner together with the floor nozzle in front of it.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which only represent several exemplary embodiments. It shows:

1 shows a device part according to the invention in the form of a hand-held vacuum cleaner, which is provided with a device according to the invention having attachment rollers according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the attachment with device rollers in a first embodiment.

3 shows the enlargement of the area HI in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 3, but relating to a second embodiment;

5 shows a further bottom view of the attachment with device rollers in a third embodiment;

Figure 6 shows the section along the line VI - VI in Fig. 5.

FIG. 7 shows the enlargement of the area VLT in FIG. 5, partially in section; 8 shows a sectional view through the area of the device castors in a plan view of this area, relating to the displacement of the track rollers during a left-hand steering movement of the device;

9 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 8, but with a right-hand steering movement;

10 shows a bottom view corresponding to FIG. 5, but relating to a further embodiment of the device castors according to the invention;

11 shows a further bottom view of the attachment with an alternative arrangement of the device rollers according to the embodiment in FIG. 5.

Shown and described is first with reference to FIG. 1, a household vacuum cleaner 1 with a guide handle 2 and an attachment 4 forming a device part 3 and connected to the vacuum cleaner 1 in terms of flow technology and electricity.

The attachment 4 or device part 3 is designed as a floor nozzle and, in the usual form, has a suction channel 5 oriented transversely to the usual direction of travel r, in which tilling brushes 6 which can be driven by an electric motor are arranged.

The device part 3 according to the invention is supported on the surface to be maintained via four rollers, two fixed castors 7 being provided in a rear region in the direction of travel r and assigned to the connection region to the vacuum cleaner 1, which are arranged at a distance from one another in the axial direction are. These fixed castors 7 are therefore positioned directly in the area of action of the guide handle 2.

Furthermore, in the usual direction of travel r - which usual direction of travel r corresponds to the direction of thrust in which the user pushes the vacuum cleaner over the guide handle 2 - two further rollers are arranged near the end area of the device part 3, which act as device rollers 8 are designed in the form of castors. These are also spaced from one another transversely to the direction of travel. The arrangement of these device rollers 8 can be selected such that they are positioned on the side of the suction channel 5 facing away from the fixed rollers 7. However, an arrangement of the device rollers 8 as shown in FIG. 11 is also conceivable, in which they are positioned in the usual direction of travel r in front of the suction channel 5, ie with reference to the fixed rollers 7 on this side of the suction channel 5.

The design of the device castors 8, which are designed as castors, can differ according to the illustrations.

Thus, in a first embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3, two device rollers 8 are provided on the end of the device, each roller 8 having an impeller 10 which is rotatably mounted on a straight axis 9 which is oriented parallel to the fixed roller axis and therefore transversely to the usual direction of travel r. The impeller 10 passes through the device base 7 in the region of an impeller window 12 which is aligned with the orientation of the axis 9 and which is dimensioned in its width measured in the axial direction in such a way that the impeller 10 is axially movable on the axis 9. A window width is thus provided which enables the impeller 10 to move in the direction of extension of the axis 9 by the amount of approximately four times the width b of the impeller 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the impeller 10 can alternatively also be spring-biased on the axis 9 in a preferred position. For this purpose, compression springs 13 are provided on both sides of the impeller 10, which are supported on one end on the impeller 10 and on the other end on the device housing. As a result, the impeller 10 is biased into a central preferred position as shown in FIG. 4.

When the attachment 4 rotates through the guide shaft 2, the impeller 10 moves correspondingly against the spring force of the one compression spring 13 along the axis 9 and supports the rotation of the device 4 on the ground. The slip between the impeller 10 and the ground is reduced to a minimum, which results in a reduction in the steering forces for the user.

An alternative embodiment is shown in Figures 5 to 9. Here, the wheels 10 of the device rollers 8 are rotatably received on an arcuate curved axis 9, the curvature of the axis 9 being carried out in the opposite direction of travel r. The impeller window 12 penetrated by the impeller 10 in the device base 11 is correspondingly adapted to the curvature and to the extent of the axis 9, the curved axis 9 also extending over an angular range α of approximately 90 °.

As generally solved independently of the individual embodiments, the axis 9 is caught on both sides in the axis receptacles 14 on the device housing side. The free length of the axis 9 for the free movement of the impeller 10 corresponds in the illustrated embodiment to approximately seven times the impeller width b.

Due to the curved configuration of the axis 9, a central preferred position of the impeller 10 is set as shown in FIG. 5, from which preferred position the impeller 10 moves when it is turned in.

In a straight forward stroke in the direction of travel r, the wheels 10 tend to roll in the preferred Mittelpo position. If steering is now turned to the left (see FIG. 8), the wheels 10 move on their axes 9 to the right and, under the constraint of the axes 9, automatically pivot in the desired direction of travel. The impellers 10 have accordingly moved to the right on the respective axis 9 and thus describe a circular path on which the device part 3 will travel. In the case of a steering movement to the right (see FIG. 9), the situation is reflected accordingly.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, each impeller 10 is seated directly on the axle 9 with a hub section 15. However, it is also conceivable to arrange a ball or roller bearing in the area of the hub section 15.

It is also important that the bore 16 of each impeller 10 is adapted to accommodate the axis 9 to the radius of curvature. The smaller this radius of curvature of the curved axis 9, the larger the bore 16 in the impeller 10 compared to the axis diameter. The bore diameter 16 also increases as a function of the width b of the impeller 10. The radius of curvature of the curved axis 9 is also essential. With a smaller radius of curvature - with a certain steering angle on the vacuum cleaner 1 - the radius of the curve which is driven by the steered device rollers 8 becomes smaller.

These device casters 8, which have wheels 10 movably arranged on a curved axis 9, can be provided with compression springs 13 arranged on both sides of the wheels 10, for loading the respective wheel 10 into a central preferred position. Such a solution is shown in FIG. 10. As a result of this configuration, there is also a return movement of the impellers 10 into the central preferred position during a return stroke of the device part 3, that is to say contrary to the usual direction of travel. As a result of this configuration, straight running is ensured both in the usual direction of travel r and in the opposite direction of travel.

The compression springs 13 are dimensioned such that they can be compressed by the movement of the impellers 10 during normal steering movements in the forward stroke, that is to say in the usual direction of travel r.

FIG. 11 shows a further alternative embodiment with device rollers 8 according to the embodiment in FIGS. 5 to 9, but here the arrangement is selected such that they are arranged in front of the suction channel 5 in the usual direction of travel r.

Finally, an alternative embodiment is also conceivable, in which in particular the front-side steering area can be formed only by a device roller 8, which is further preferably arranged centrally with respect to the width extension of the device part 3. All of the features disclosed are (in themselves) essential to the invention. The disclosure content of the associated / attached priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby also included in full in the disclosure of the application, also for the purpose of including features of these documents in claims of the present application.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Furniture or equipment roller (8) with an axis (9) and a rotatably mounted on the axis (9) received impeller (10), the axis (9) having an extension direction, characterized in that the impeller (10 ) on the axis (9) in the direction of extension of the axis (9) is arranged such that the impeller (10) on the axis (9) by an amount corresponding to more than half a width (b) of the impeller (10) can move in the direction of extension of the axis (9).

2. Roller according to claim 1 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the axis (9) is curved in its direction of extension.

3. Roller according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the axis (9) is curved in a circular arc.

4. Roller according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the impeller (10) is spring-biased into a preferred position on the axle (9).

5. Roller according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the impeller (10), starting from the preferred position on both sides in the direction of extension of the axis (9) by at least half a width ( b) the impeller (10) can move.

6. Roller according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the impeller (10) with a hub portion (15) sits directly on the axle (9).

7. Roller according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curved axis extends over an angular range (α) of 20 to 180 °.

8. Roller according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the free length of the axis corresponds to more than twice the width (b) of the impeller (10).

9. Roller according to one of the several of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the free length of the axis (9) corresponds to up to twenty times the width (b) of the impeller (10).

10. Furniture or appliance part (3) with a roller (8), comprising an impeller (10) rotatably mounted on an axis (9), the axis (9) having an extension direction, characterized in that the impeller ( 10) is movably arranged on the axis (9) in the direction of extension of the axis (9) such that the impeller (10) on the axis (9) is correspondingly more than half a width (b) of the impeller (10 ) can move in the direction of extension of the axis (9).

11. Furniture or appliance part according to claim 10 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the furniture or appliance part (3) in the direction of travel (r) first a fixed roller (7) and then a roller (8) with one on the axis (9 ) has displaceable impeller (10).

12. Furniture o the device part according to one or more of claims 10 to 11 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that two fixed castors (7) are provided at a distance from one another in the axial direction and two casters (8) with displaceable impellers (10) in a corresponding manner spaced from each other, the fixed castors (7) and the casters (8) being spaced apart in the travel direction (r).

13. Furniture o the device part according to one of the several of claims 10 to 12 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the impeller (10) displaceable on the axis (9) is displaceable on an axis (9) curved in its direction of extension.

14. Furniture or appliance part according to one or more of claims 10 to 13 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curvature of the axis (9) is made against the direction of travel (r).