CN114340448A

CN114340448A - Adjustable hardness device and resting furniture comprising such a device

Info

Publication number: CN114340448A
Application number: CN202080060467.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 阿方索·索兰斯索兰斯
Original assignee: Must Buy Adjacent Co
Current assignee: Must Buy Adjacent Co
Priority date: 2019-09-04
Filing date: 2020-07-23
Publication date: 2022-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2040-07-23
Also published as: ES2809494B2; BR112022003478A2; CN114340448B; ES2809494A1; EP3808223A4; US20220295999A1; WO2021044068A1; EP3808223A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adjustable force device for resting furniture, comprising a plurality of elastic elements and at least one rigid base element, the elastic elements resting on the rigid base element such that the elastic elements are compressed when subjected to a pressure and return to their original shape when the pressure is removed, wherein at least some of the elastic elements comprise: a head member on an upper portion of the elastic member; a tension transmission means applied to the head piece, the tension transmission means being connected to a device for actuating the tension transmission means such that operation of the actuating device causes compression of the one or more connected elastic elements by the respective tension transmission means.

Description

Adjustable hardness device and resting furniture comprising such a device

The present invention relates to an adjustable firmness apparatus which is adjustable in its firmness by means of, for example, an externally actuated control device, and to a piece of resting furniture comprising such an apparatus.

The resting furniture is furniture with a resting function. Examples of resting furniture are mattresses, couches, chairs, armchairs, sofas, pillows, cushions and the like. Although the present invention is particularly suited for mattresses, chairs, armchairs and sofas, the invention is not necessarily limited to such applications.

The known adjustable firmness apparatuses enable the user to set the firmness of the resting element by means of a mechanism which enables the firmness to be adjusted to suit each user at any time.

The adjustable firmness apparatuses currently available on the market act through various systems, such as: using the air cells as an intermediate layer of the mattress or as an insert in one of the foam layers; the upper part of the spring block uses a string; or systems are used which change the working height of the elastic element from the bottom of these systems to change the initial length of the elastic element.

More specifically, the document european patent ES2414656 discloses a furniture device comprising a system for adjusting the stiffness by separating two plates adjacent to a set of elastic elements. The system has a deforming member that moves one of the plates vertically to increase or decrease the deformation of the resilient member from an underlying portion of the resilient member. One problem with invention ES2414656 is the actuation area, since the plate acts on the entire elastic group (resilient group), while another problem with ES2414656 is the inability to maintain the height of the elastic element over the entire trajectory of the plate.

Patent PCT WO2014117995 discloses a mattress with adjustable firmness and height. The stiffness is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the tension generated on some of the inelastic cords situated in the upper part of the spring block, which are parallel to the resting surface, while the height is adjusted by a cam pushing the elastic element along the lower part. One problem with this invention is that it provides a low level of comfort, since the firmness is adjusted by the tension of some of the cords transverse to the mattress, causing the sleeping person's body to rest on the cords rather than the springs.

Patent PCT WO2005053466 discloses a spring mattress with adjustable firmness using one or more air chambers under the springs. By inflating or deflating these cells, the initial length of the springs can be changed by compressing the springs from the lower surface of the cells. One major problem with this invention is that it is difficult to maintain the height of the upper layer of the spring constant as the air chamber is inflated or deflated.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose an adjustable firmness apparatus for resting furniture which does not suffer from the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Accordingly, the present invention discloses an adjustable firmness apparatus which uses a head member to compress one or more elastic elements along the upper portion, the head member absorbing an amount of energy from each element such that the actuation zone of the apparatus has the required force.

More specifically, the present invention discloses a device capable of adjusting the stiffness by modifying or absorbing the elastic force exerted by one or more elastic members on one or more layers of the resting furniture. According to the invention, the stiffness is adjusted by reducing/increasing the density of the active elastic elements per unit resting surface area, thereby reducing/increasing the pressure exerted by the elastic member on the user. In order to reduce the density of the elastic elements per unit of surface (or the working area if only a single elastic element is involved), the overall elastic constant of a group of elastic elements, and therefore also of the resting furniture, is reduced. This is achieved by using a head piece on top of each elastic element and means for transmitting a pulling force to the head piece to compress the elastic element on each elastic element that the user wishes to activate/deactivate, thereby absorbing part of the elastic energy by reducing the sum of the elastic constants of the set.

The invention discloses a variable stiffness device and resting furniture comprising such a device.

More specifically, the present invention discloses an adjustable firmness apparatus comprising a resting surface, a plurality of elastic elements located below the resting surface, and at least one rigid base element on which the elastic elements rest in such a way that the elastic elements compress when subjected to pressure from the resting surface and return to their original shape when the pressure is removed, wherein at least some of the elastic elements comprise:

-a head part on the upper part of the elastic element;

-a tension transmission means applied to the head piece,

the tension transmission means is connected to the actuating device of the tension transmission means in such a way that operation of the actuating device causes the connected one or more elastic elements to compress via the respective tension transmission means.

The one or more elastic elements are compressed by the upper head piece and the rigid elements in the base in such a way that the cord preferably passes along the rigid elements, the ends of the cord being attached to the head piece so that the head piece can exert a pulling force on the cord, thereby compressing the one or more elastic elements. Since the elastic element is elastic, the element returns to its original shape as soon as the pressure exerted on the elastic element ceases.

The means for transferring the pulling force from the actuator to the elastic element may preferably be any flexible element that only transfers the pulling force and never transfers the compression force. More preferably, the tension transmitting means is a rope, wire or cable.

The means for driving the rope may be an electric linear or rotary actuator, or may be done manually using a manual crank system. The actuating device preferably has means for adjusting its operation so that different amounts of compression can be produced. Even more preferably, the actuation device is an electric, mechanical or hydraulic linear actuator, or an electric, mechanical or hydraulic rotary actuator. In the present invention, a hydraulic actuator is considered to be an actuator that transmits force or torque using pressurized fluid or gas, which is a definition generally used in the art to which the present invention pertains.

The actuation device may preferably: operate with a control device attached via a bluetooth receiver and a computer application by cable, by radio frequency device, by RFID device; operating with a mobile network or wireless device; operated by an electronic or computerized artificial intelligence system, or manually with a manually actuated hand crank and/or cam system.

The actuating device is preferably fixed on a rigid base element. The actuating device may be located, for example, on, below or even inside the rigid base element.

The aforementioned elastic element is preferably a spring or a set of springs, or a foam block or a set of foam blocks.

The rigid base element may preferably comprise a plate or a combination of plates, a support structure or a combination of support structures. The rigid base member may preferably be composed of one or more materials, such as wood, metal, polymer or resin bonded fibers.

The adjustable firmness apparatus which is the subject of the present invention is intended to be incorporated in any piece of furniture designed for rest/comfort, one or more of which may be contained in the same piece of furniture. Although the apparatus is particularly suitable for mattresses, chairs, armchairs, sofas and easy chairs, the invention is not necessarily limited to these applications. The adjustable firmness apparatus which is the subject of the present invention may be inserted into a layer of resting furniture.

Finally, the furniture item that is the subject of the invention has an adjustable hardness device that can absorb part of the elastic potential energy of one or more elastic elements, through a flexible medium for transmitting tensile forces attached to the head piece, exerting a force on the elastic elements to compress said elements, thus adjusting the pressure exerted by the one or more elastic elements on the user of the product.

More specifically, the invention discloses a piece of resting furniture comprising an adjustable force device which compresses some elastic elements in such a way that they compress when subjected to a pressure from a resting surface and return to their original shape when the pressure is removed.

To provide a better understanding, some of the figures show various embodiments of an adjustable firmness apparatus which is the subject of the invention, which figures serve as illustrative but non-limiting examples.

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus in a neutral position in a maximum mattress firmness configuration.

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the adjustable firmness apparatus of the front view in a contracted position in a minimum mattress firmness configuration.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of a second embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus controlled by a linear actuator, wherein some of the internal components of the adjustable firmness apparatus can be seen.

Figure 4 shows a cross section of a third embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus controlled by a rotary actuator.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the adjustable firmness apparatus of the previous figures in a neutral position.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the adjustable firmness apparatus of the previous figures in a contracted position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus having a foam block as a resilient element.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus having a profiled foam block as a resilient element.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus having a set of foam blocks as resilient elements.

Fig. 1 shows a set of elastic elements 1, 11 positioned on a rigid plate 4. The linear actuator 3 is located on the plate 4. Some of the elastic elements 11 have a head part 2. As shown, the force F is transmitted from the actuator, passing along the rigid base 4. The means (e.g. a wire or rope 6) for transmitting the force F is connected to the coupling part 8 of the transmission means to the actuator for driving the transmission means. When the force F is transmitted along the rigid plate 4, the force F vector changes direction according to a component perpendicular to the elastic element. The force F is finally exerted on the head part on the upper surface of the affected elastic elements 11 to exert a pressure, causing these elastic elements 11 to compress. Although the effect of the force F has been represented, fig. 1 shows an example of a neutral position of the elastic element, in which no force F is generated. In the neutral position, the device presents a maximum stiffness, which is transmitted to the resting surface of the resting furniture on which it is mounted (neither the resting surface nor the furniture is shown in the figures).

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the same device as in fig. 1, wherein the elastic element 11 is compressed, resulting in a minimum stiffness of the device.

In fig. 1 and 2, the elastic element is a pocket (pocket) made of a material having elastic properties.

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus having a rigid base in the form of a structure 5, a linear actuator 3 being located within said structure 5 and the task of the wire 6 being to compress the elastic element 11 by means of the head part 2 being located above the elastic element 11. In the example shown, the elastic element 11 comprises a pocketed spring 12.

Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus similar to the previous figures, with the difference that the method of actuation, as the wire 6 is tightened using a rotary actuator 7, the rotary actuator 7 converts its driving torque into a pulling force on the wire. The remaining elements are similar to the previous embodiments and are identified using the same reference numerals.

Fig. 5 and 6 show a fourth embodiment of an adjustable firmness apparatus similar to the apparatus described above, wherein the apparatus has a rigid base in the form of a structure 5 and some resilient elements 1, 11 in the form of pocket springs. In this embodiment, some of the elastic elements 11 can be compressed as desired, while other elastic elements 1 cannot be compressed. Fig. 5 shows a neutral position in which all elastic elements 1, 11 are at the same height, since the rope or wire is not under tension. This situation represents the maximum stiffness of the device. Fig. 6 shows the maximum tension state of the rope or wire, wherein the selected elastic element 11 is contracted by the force exerted by the actuating device. This leads to a reduced density of elastic elements per unit surface area. This situation therefore represents a minimum stiffness of the device. Between the neutral position (fig. 5) and the maximum tension position (fig. 6), there are an infinite number of elastic element compression points, which means an infinite range of different stiffness levels. For this purpose, the force applied by the actuating device must be adjustable.

Fig. 7, 8 and 9 show three adjustable firmness apparatuses, respectively, with a rigid base in the form of a structure 5 and some resilient elements 1, 11 made of foam. Figure 7 shows a single foam block 11. However, a single block of foam has a plurality of head pieces 2, which head pieces 2 can be actuated by an actuating device (not shown in the figures). Figure 8 shows various elongate shaped foam blocks, some of which are non-actuatable resilient elements 1 and others of which the resilient elements 11 are foam block elements which can be actuated. The foam block that can be actuated has a plurality of head parts 2 for taking up compressive forces. Finally, fig. 9 shows a set of individual foam blocks, wherein each foam block is a resilient element. Likewise, the device has a resilient element 11, which resilient element 11 may or may not be actuated.

The apparatus shown in figures 1 to 9 may be located inside a piece of resting furniture (not shown) as part of an apparatus for providing stiffness to a resting surface. For example, the illustrated device may be located immediately below the resting surface (where the upper portion of the resilient element is in contact with the resting surface), or the illustrated device may include one of various comfort layers in the piece of furniture. The elastic element of the device that is the subject of the present invention can be generally obtained as an elastic element of resting furniture of known type.

The features shown in each of the different embodiments may be applied to other embodiments and combined with each other. Thus, the base used in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 2 may be applied to other embodiments by, for example, fixing the actuating device to the lower part of the plate 4. The base is usually fixed, for example, by fixing it to the rest of a piece of resting furniture. The types of resilient elements may likewise be interchanged. For example, the resilient elements may be used in the form of differently sized foam blocks, individual foam blocks, springs, pocketed springs, hollow elements made of resilient material, chambers and sections made of synthetic material, etc.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it is understood that these are non-limiting examples of the invention for which many variations in details, whether structural or otherwise, may be made, which may become apparent to those skilled in the art once they have an understanding of the subject matter disclosed in this specification, claims and drawings. Accordingly, all modifications and equivalents should be included within the scope of the invention if they are to be considered as falling within the broadest scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adjustable force apparatus for resting furniture comprising a plurality of resilient elements and at least one rigid base element, the resilient elements resting on the rigid base element in such a way that they compress when subjected to a pressure and return to their original shape when the pressure is removed, wherein at least some of the resilient elements comprise:

a head part on an upper portion of the elastic element;

a tension transmitting means applied to the head member,

characterised in that the tension transmission means is connected to the actuating device of the tension transmission means such that operation of the actuating device causes compression of one or more connected resilient elements via the respective tension transmission means such that a neutral position represents a maximum stiffness of the device, whereas when a selected resilient element is compressed by the actuator, the stiffness of the device is reduced by a reduction in the effective resilient element density per unit surface area.

2. Adjustable force device for resting furniture according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the tensile force transmitting means is a rope, a wire or a cable.

3. Adjustable force device for resting furniture according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the elastic element is a spring or a set of springs, or a foam block or a set of foam blocks.

4. Adjustable force apparatus for resting furniture according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the actuation apparatus has means for adjusting the operation of the actuation apparatus, so that different magnitudes of compression can be produced.

5. Adjustable force apparatus for a resting furniture according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rigid base element comprises a plate or a combination of plates, a support structure or a combination of support structures.

6. Adjustable force device for resting furniture according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the actuation device is an electric, mechanical or hydraulic linear actuator or an electric, mechanical or hydraulic rotary actuator.

7. Adjustable force apparatus for resting furniture according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the actuation apparatus is able to: operate with a control device attached via a bluetooth receiver and a computer application by cable, by radio frequency device, by RFID device; operating with a mobile network or wireless device; operated by an electronic or computerized artificial intelligence system, or manually with a manually actuated hand crank and/or cam system.

8. Adjustable force device for resting furniture according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the actuation device is fixed to the rigid base element.

9. A resting furniture, characterized in that it comprises an adjustable force device according to any of claims 1-8.

10. A resting furniture according to claim 9, characterised in that it comprises a resting surface, the elastic element being positioned such that it compresses when subjected to a pressure from the surface and returns to its original shape when this pressure is removed.

11. An article of furniture according to any preceding claim, wherein the article of furniture is a mattress, a chair, an armchair or a sofa.