CN117481478A

CN117481478A - Method for operating a seat unit, electric swing drive and seat unit

Info

Publication number: CN117481478A
Application number: CN202311426138.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 雷晓春; 孙泽明
Original assignee: Ruimai Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Ruimai Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2023-10-31
Filing date: 2023-10-31
Publication date: 2024-02-02

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating an electrically driven seat unit, wherein the seat unit comprises a seat part, a backrest, a footrest and an electric swing drive, by means of which the seat unit can be swung back and forth, characterized in that the seat unit can be operated in a swing mode in which the seat unit successively executes a plurality of swing phases within a total swing time period, and in which the seat unit swings during the plurality of swing phases at respective swing speeds for respective swing times, wherein the swing speeds of at least two successive swing phases differ. The invention further relates to an electric rocking drive and a seat unit.

Description

Method for operating a seat unit, electric swing drive and seat unit

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for operating a seat unit, an electric rocking drive and a seat unit.

Background

A variety of seating units for use in a movable seating unit are known in the art, such as a sofa or a seat having a variety of posture position changing functions. Along with the improvement of the living standard of people, the comfort requirements on sofas and seats are also increasingly improved. In known designs, the movable seating units are generally provided with mechanical extension means, whereby the seating units can be shifted between a sitting position, a TV position (or a rest position) and a lying position, the footrests of the seating units extending forward when the seating units are shifted from the sitting position to the TV position, the angle between the backrest and the seat being substantially unchanged, and the footrests being further raised forward and upwards than the TV position when the seating units are shifted from the TV position to the lying position, the backrest being significantly reclined. At the same time, this type of movable seat is usually also provided with a swinging function, i.e. the mechanical extension means of the seat unit can swing back and forth in relation to the base or floor as a whole. The above-described posture changing and swinging functions of the seat between the sitting posture position, the TV posture position and the lying posture position can be accomplished by means of an electric power.

However, the seat units in the prior art often cannot meet the demands of people for increasing comfort level due to the single engraving plate of the swing mode.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, the present invention is to provide an improved operation method of a seat unit, an electric swing driving device with a more reasonable structure, and a seat unit with a simple structure, more convenient operation and higher comfort.

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problem, the present invention provides a method for operating an electrically driven seat unit, wherein the seat unit comprises a seat part, a backrest, a footrest and an electric swing drive, by means of which the seat unit can be swung back and forth. The seat unit can work in a swinging mode, in the swinging mode, the seat unit sequentially carries out a plurality of swinging stages in the total swinging duration, and the seat unit swings in the corresponding swinging time at corresponding swinging speeds in the swinging stages respectively, wherein the swinging speeds of at least two successive swinging stages are different.

In the case of a wobble mode operation, the wobble speeds of two adjacent wobble phases differ, that is to say the wobble frequencies differ, among a plurality of wobble phases which are carried out one after the other. Preferably, the oscillation speed of the temporally preceding oscillation phase is greater than the oscillation speed of the temporally following oscillation phase. This facilitates the user to go to sleep in a comfortable posture. Alternatively, of course, the oscillation speed of the temporally preceding oscillation phase may also be smaller than the oscillation speed of the temporally following oscillation phase.

In a preferred embodiment, the oscillation times of at least two successive oscillation phases differ. Alternatively, however, the swing times of successive swing phases may also be identical.

In a preferred embodiment, in the swing mode, the seat unit successively carries out at least a first swing phase in which the seat unit swings at a first swing speed for a first time, a second swing phase in which the seat unit swings at a second swing speed different from the first swing speed for a second time, and a third swing phase in which the seat unit swings at a third swing speed different from the second swing speed for a third time.

Alternatively, the wobble pattern may also comprise fewer or more wobble phases. For example comprising only two rocking phases or comprising four, five or more rocking phases.

In a preferred embodiment, the seat unit is convertible between a sitting position, in which the backrest stands up, a TV position, and/or a lying position, in which the footrest is folded under the seat; in the TV pose position, the backrest stands up and the footrest extends in front of the seat; in the recumbent position, the backrest is reclined and the footrest extends forward of the seat.

In this embodiment, preferably, the seating unit's attitude position is detected, allowing the seating unit to operate in a swing mode when the seating unit is in the reclined position. Accordingly, the seat unit is not allowed to operate in the swing mode when in a posture position other than the lying posture position, for example, in a sitting posture position or a TV posture position.

When the seat unit is in the reclined position, the user tends to lie in the recumbent position accordingly with their head and back reclined or reclined at the back of the seat unit with their legs extending forward with the footrests. The user in this posture position is more likely to fall asleep in the swing mode of the seat unit.

Alternatively, however, it is also possible to decide whether or not to allow the seat unit to operate in the swing mode independently of the attitude position of the seat unit.

In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of oscillation phases are carried out repeatedly and cyclically.

Alternatively, the plurality of swing attitudes may also be performed only once in sequence.

In a preferred embodiment, the oscillation speed and/or the oscillation time and/or the total oscillation time period are adjustable. The adjustment may be performed in a stepwise manner or continuously. For example, the swing speed may be divided into several gears having a fixed value, or may be arbitrarily changed within a range of values.

In this embodiment, the oscillation speed and/or the oscillation time and/or the total oscillation time period are/is adjusted by the user's operation. Alternatively, biological data of a user of the seat unit is detected, and operating parameters of the swing mode are automatically adjusted according to the detected biological data, wherein the parameters comprise swing speed, swing time and total swing duration.

In this embodiment, it is particularly preferred that the biological data include heart rate, respiratory rate, center of gravity position of the user.

Therefore, the current physiological state of the user can be accurately judged, and the running parameters of the swing mode can be flexibly adjusted. For example, when the heart rate of the user is detected to be slowed and the respiratory rate is reduced, the swing speed is automatically reduced or the current swing time is reduced to zero, so that the swing mode is ended, and the sleeping of the user is prevented from being disturbed.

To solve the technical problem, the invention also relates to an electric swing driving device, which comprises:

the driving assembly comprises a driving motor and a driving worm which is rotationally driven by the driving motor;

the transmission assembly comprises a first transmission stage and a second transmission stage,

an actuating mechanism comprising an actuating member, wherein a driving torque provided by the driving motor is transmitted to the actuating member via the first gear stage and the second gear stage, thereby effecting a reciprocating movement of the actuating member,

wherein the first transmission stage comprises a worm wheel which cooperates with the drive worm, and the second transmission stage comprises an auxiliary reduction transmission mechanism which cooperates with each other.

Therefore, two-stage transmission of the electric swing driving device is realized through the worm gear structure and the auxiliary speed reduction transmission mechanism, so that the swing frequency is effectively reduced through a simple structure, and more comfortable use experience is provided for a user.

In a preferred embodiment, the electric rocking drive is used to rock the seat unit back and forth, wherein the electric rocking drive further comprises a control device, which is designed to control the electric rocking drive to operate the seat unit in accordance with the method described above.

In a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary reduction gear comprises a first pulley and a second pulley which interact with each other. In an alternative embodiment, the auxiliary reduction gear mechanism may also be formed by mutually cooperating gear wheels.

In a preferred embodiment, the first pulley is connected coaxially and rotationally fixed to the worm wheel.

In a preferred embodiment, the second pulley is coupled to the actuator via a crank linkage. The crank and link mechanism can be implemented in a variety of ways including, for example, co-operating cams and links, co-operating crank arms and links, and the like.

In this embodiment, it is particularly preferred that the actuating element can be connected to a corresponding component of the seat unit (for example a pivot link of a mechanical extension device of the seat unit). The driving torque is converted into a reciprocating torque through a crank-link mechanism.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention also relates to a seat unit comprising a seat, a backrest, a footrest, an electric swing drive and a control device, which is designed to control the electric swing drive to operate the seat unit in accordance with the method described above. The electric swing driving device includes:

In a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary reduction gear comprises a first pulley and a second pulley which interact with each other.

In a preferred embodiment, the second pulley is coupled to the actuating member by a crank mechanism and comprises a seat, a backrest, a footrest and an electric swing drive as described above, the electric swing drive comprising a control device designed to control the electric swing drive to operate the seat unit in accordance with the method described above.

Reference numerals

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a movable seating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates another perspective view of the seating unit shown in FIG. 1;

fig. 3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of an electric swing drive according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a top view of the electric swing drive of FIG. 3;

fig. 5 schematically shows a flow chart of a method according to a first embodiment of the invention;

fig. 6 schematically shows a flow chart of a method according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments of the present invention will be made clearly and fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is evident that the embodiments described are only some, but not all embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any inventive effort, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Reference herein to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic can be included in at least one implementation of the invention. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, are merely for convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present invention. It is also to be noted herein that the term "front-rear direction" or "front-rear direction of the seat unit" refers to a direction in which the backrest and the footstool of the seat unit refer to the seat portion, wherein the direction "rear" refers to a direction toward the backrest, and the direction "front" refers to a direction toward the footstool. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and the like, are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying a relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may include one or more of the feature, either explicitly or implicitly. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," and the like, are used for distinguishing between similar objects and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the data so used may be interchanged where appropriate such that embodiments of the invention described herein may be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.

First, a seating unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is exemplarily shown in fig. 1. The seat unit includes: a base unit 1 and a linkage structure 2 supported above the ground by the base unit 1.

The seat unit is provided with two linkage structures 2 which are arranged in parallel in a mirror symmetry manner on the left side and the right side, and the linkage structures 2 are connected through the rear cross beam 24, so that synchronous movement of the two is realized. The linkage 2 comprises a multi-bar linkage, wherein the linkage 2 comprises a seat support 21 for attaching the seat of the seat unit, a back support 22 for attaching the back of the seat unit, and a leg extension 23 for attaching the footrest, wherein the back support 21 is pivotably connected to the rear of the linkage 2, and the leg extension is movably connected to the front of the linkage 2. For simplicity, the seat, backrest and footrests are not shown. The backrest support 21 can be pivoted and tilted relative to the seat support 21 by the linkage 2, and the leg stretching device is stretched and folded, so that the posture position of the seat unit is changed among the sitting position, the TV posture position and the lying posture position.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, not shown, the seating unit may also be shifted between a sitting position and a lying position only or between a sitting position and a TV position only.

The seating unit shown in fig. 1 further comprises a first electric drive 3 for effecting a change of the seating unit's attitude position, comprising a linear actuator, by extension and retraction of which the seating unit is effected between a sitting and/or TV and/or lying attitude position. However, in an embodiment not shown, the change of the position of the seat unit between the sitting position and/or the TV position and/or the lying position can also be effected manually.

Furthermore, the seat unit can also be operated in a swivel mode in which the linkage 2 of the seat unit, together with the seat, backrest and footrest, swings back and forth in relation to the ground as a whole. For this purpose, the seat unit further comprises an electric rocking drive 4.

The linkage on one side is omitted from fig. 2 for clarity. The electric swing drive 4 comprises a drive housing 40 fixedly connected with respect to the base unit 1 and a drive assembly 41, a transmission assembly 42 and an actuation mechanism 43 movable with respect to the drive housing 40, at least partially arranged in said drive housing 40.

Fig. 3 shows in particular a perspective view of the electric wobble drive 4.

The drive assembly 41 includes a drive motor 410 and a drive worm 411 rotatably driven by the drive motor 410.

The transmission assembly 42 includes a first gear stage and a second gear stage. The first gear stage comprises a worm wheel 421, which worm wheel 421 cooperates with a drive worm 411 to achieve a first stage reduction gear. The second gear stage is configured as an auxiliary reduction gear. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the auxiliary reduction gear comprises cooperating first and second pulleys 422, 423 with a drive belt 424 between the first and second pulleys 422, 423. The first pulley 422 is coaxially arranged and rotatably connected with the worm wheel 421, and is rotatably arranged in the drive housing 40 by a bearing so as to be rotatable together at the same angular velocity as the worm wheel 421. The stationary transmission shaft 425 passes through the center of the second pulley 423 and is arranged in parallel with the rotation axis of the first pulley 422. The second pulley 423 is rotatably arranged in the drive housing 40 by means of said stationary transmission shaft 425 and its bearings, wherein the diameter of the first pulley 422 is smaller than the diameter of the second pulley 423, whereby a reduction transmission of the second stage is achieved.

In an embodiment not shown, however, the auxiliary reduction gear may also comprise a cooperating gear.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the actuating mechanism 43 comprises a crank 431 coupled to the fixed transmission shaft 425, a transmission arm 432 coupled to said crank 431 and an actuating member 433 coupled to the linkage 2.

As shown in fig. 4, crank 431 and drive arm 432 constitute an eccentric drive assembly. The second pulley 423 rotates about its rotation axis x by a fixed transmission shaft 425; crank 431 is fixedly connected at one end to fixed drive shaft 425 in a rotationally fixed manner and is pivotally connected at the other end to drive arm 432 about eccentric axis y. Thereby converting the rotational moment outputted by the fixed transmission shaft 425 into a linear moment of the reciprocating motion, and thus swinging the seat unit back and forth by means of the actuator 433. In this embodiment, the actuating member 433 is fixedly attached to the rear cross member 24. However, in an embodiment not shown, the actuating member 433 may also be connected to other components of the linkage 2.

The seating unit further comprises a control device by means of which the electric swing drive can be controlled so that the seating unit operates in a swing mode.

The following describes a method for operating a seat unit with reference to fig. 5 and 6.

Fig. 5 shows a first embodiment of the method. In this embodiment, first, in a first step S1, the power supply of the seat unit is turned on. In a second step S2, the seat unit is switched to the swing operation mode by the user' S operation turning on the electric swing drive 4 for performing the swing operation. Subsequently, in a third step S3, the seat unit is operated in a swing mode. In the swing operating mode, the seat unit successively executes a plurality of swing phases p in the total swing time period T, during which the seat unit swings at a respective swing speed v in a respective swing time T, wherein the swing speeds v of two successive swing phases p differ. According to a first embodiment of the method, three swing phases are provided, namely a first swing phase p1, a second swing phase p2 and a third swing phase p3. In the first swing phase p1, the seat unit swings at a first swing speed v1 for a first swing time t1, where t1 is 5 minutes; in the second swing phase p2, the seat unit swings at a second swing speed v2 for a second swing time t2, wherein t2 is 15 minutes; in the third swing phase p3, the seat unit swings at a third swing speed v3 for a third swing time t3, where t3 is 15 minutes. The first swing speed v1 is higher than the second swing speed v2, and the second swing speed v2 is higher than the third swing speed v3. I.e. the wobble speed decreases in sequence during the total wobble period T.

In the first embodiment of the method, the first swing phase p1, the second swing phase p2 and the third swing phase p3 may be performed only once sequentially, i.e. the swing total time period T is set to the sum of the first time T1, the second time T2 and the third time T3. Alternatively, however, the individual oscillation phases can also be carried out cyclically in sequence. I.e. the total length of wobble T is set to a multiple of the sum of the first time T1, the second time T2 and the third time T3.

After the third step S3 has continued until the total period of oscillation T, i.e. after the completion of each phase of oscillation, the control device automatically turns off the electric oscillating drive 4 in a fourth step S4, ending the oscillation mode operation.

In a further development of the first embodiment, in a third step S3, i.e. when the total oscillation time period T has not yet ended, the oscillation speed v and/or the oscillation time T are manually set as desired by the user and subsequently run at the set oscillation speed and oscillation time. For example, when the seat unit is operated in the swing mode at the second swing speed v2 during the second swing phase p2, the user can modify the swing speed to the first swing speed v1 and the swing time to the third swing time t3 by a manual input, for example, by an operation of the hand controller. Thus, the seat unit continues to run at a faster swing speed for 15 minutes, followed by ending the swing mode.

In a further development of the first embodiment, in a third step S3, i.e. when the total oscillation time period T has not yet ended, the oscillation speed v, the oscillation time T, and then the adjusted oscillation speed and the oscillation time are automatically set as a function of the biological data of the user, are allowed. For example, when the seat unit is operated in the swing mode during the first swing phase p1 at the first swing speed v1, the control device detects biological data of the user, for example the current heart rate, the breathing speed of the user. If the heart rate and/or the respiration rate falls below a prescribed first threshold value, the control device automatically adjusts the swing speed to a third swing speed v3 and the swing time to a third swing time t3. Thus, the seat unit continues to operate at a slower swing speed for 15 minutes, followed by ending the swing mode. Alternatively, if the heart rate and/or the respiration rate falls below a defined second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is lower than the first threshold value, the control device automatically turns off the power-off swing drive device 4, thereby ending the swing mode prematurely. For this purpose, the control device comprises a detection module for detecting biological data.

Alternatively, in the third step S3, i.e. when the total swing time period T has not yet ended, the swing operation is allowed to be suspended or otherwise stopped in accordance with the manual operation of the user.

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of the method. The second embodiment is basically similar to the first embodiment shown in fig. 5, except that the judgment step S0 is performed after the power supply of the seat unit is turned on by the first step S1, before the electric swing driving device 4 is turned on by the second step S2. In the judging step S0, detecting the current posture position of the seat unit, and judging whether to allow the implementation of the second step S2 according to the detection result, wherein when the seat unit is currently in the lying posture position, the electric swing driving device 4 is allowed to be started in the second step S2; and when the seating unit is not in the reclined position, the electric swing drive 4 is not allowed to be turned on in the second step S2. That is, in the second embodiment of the method, the seating unit is in the reclined position is a precondition for allowing the seating unit to operate in a swing mode.

Claims

1. Method for operating an electrically driven seat unit, wherein the seat unit comprises a seat part, a backrest, a footrest and an electric rocking drive, by means of which the seat unit can be rocked back and forth, characterized in that the seat unit can be operated in a rocking mode in which the seat unit successively executes a plurality of rocking phases within a total rocking time period, during which the seat unit is rocked at a respective rocking speed for a respective rocking time period, wherein the rocking speeds of at least two successive rocking phases differ.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the oscillation times of at least two successive oscillation phases differ.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the swing mode the seat unit successively carries out at least a first swing phase in which the seat unit swings at a first swing speed for a first time, a second swing phase in which the seat unit swings at a second swing speed different from the first swing speed for a second time, and a third swing phase in which the seat unit swings at a third swing speed different from the second swing speed for a third time.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the seating unit is convertible between a sitting position, in which the backrest stands up, a TV position, and/or a lying position, in which the footrest is folded under the seat; in the TV pose position, the backrest stands up and the footrest extends in front of the seat; in the recumbent position, the backrest is reclined and the footrest extends forward of the seat.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the seating unit is detected in a reclined position, allowing the seating unit to operate in a swing mode.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of swing phases are performed repeatedly and cyclically.

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the oscillation speed and/or the oscillation time and/or the total duration of the oscillation are adjustable.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the oscillation speed and/or the oscillation time and/or the total duration of oscillation are adjusted by means of a user operation.

9. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that biological data of the user of the seat unit are detected, and the swing speed and/or swing time and/or total swing duration are automatically adjusted in dependence on the detected biological data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the biological data comprises heart rate, respiratory rate, center of gravity position of the user.

11. An electric swing driving device is characterized in that,

the electric swing driving device includes:

12. The electric swing drive according to claim 11, for swinging the seat unit back and forth, wherein the electric swing drive further comprises a control device designed to control the electric swing drive to operate the seat unit according to the method of any of the preceding claims 1 to 10.

13. The electric swing drive of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary reduction gear includes first and second pulleys that cooperate with each other.

14. The electric swing drive of claim 13, wherein the first pulley is coaxially and rotationally fixed connected with the worm gear.

15. The electric swing drive of claim 13, wherein the second pulley is coupled to the actuator via a crank linkage.

16. A seating unit comprising a seat, a backrest, a footrest, an electric swing drive and a control device designed to control the electric swing drive to operate the seating unit according to the method of any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the electric swing drive comprises:

17. The electric swing drive of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary reduction gear includes first and second pulleys that cooperate with each other.

18. The electric swing drive of claim 17, wherein the first pulley is coaxially and rotationally fixed connected with the worm gear.

19. The electric swing drive of claim 18, wherein the second pulley is coupled to the actuator via a crank linkage.