DK2752130T3

DK2752130T3 - Furniture

Info

Publication number: DK2752130T3
Application number: DK14000002.7T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Hubert Knott; Berthold Müller; Ulrich Dahm-Wachsmann
Original assignee: Doxa Group Ag
Priority date: 2013-01-03
Filing date: 2014-01-02
Publication date: 2018-09-17
Also published as: DE102013000021A1; EP2752130A1; DE102013000021B4; EP2752130B1

Description

Furniture

Description |00011 The invention relates to furniture according to the preamble of Claim I.

[0002) Furniture is disclosed in DE 40 01 382 A 1., said furniture comprising a fixed furniture part and a furniture part which is movable relative to the fixed furniture part, wherein the two furniture parts are opposite one another in a basic position by way of edge regions with the formation of a narrow gap, wherein the two furniture parts are opposite one another in an. operative position by way of edge regions with the formation of a wide gap, wherein the movable furniture part, is movable from the operative position in a retraction direction into the basic position and wherein the movable furniture part is movable from the basic position in an extension direction into the operative position in spite of the gap being shielded by side wails, the risk, for example, to a child playing beneath the furniture of a finger or the hand being pinched when the furniture is moved into the basic position, is not entirely eliminated. Furniture with a retractable storage area is disclosed in WO 2005 118 456 Al, in which the storage area cover is mechanically decoupled from a Lifting cylinder if an obstruction is arranged in the movement path of the storage area. A storage area in a table top is disclosed in FR 2 817 718, said storage area being closed by a cover plate, wherein the cover plate is sealed on its edges relative to the surrounding furniture by seals A drawback with the disclosed embodiments is that pinching is not sufficiently prevented in the gaps between the moved furniture pans by the gap being kept too narrow, or that due to the mechanical decoupling the movement path is altered and it is necessary to reposition the furniture part.

[0003) "A narrow gap” is to be understood as a gap which, when the items of furniture are moved together, is dimensioned such that an appendage is no longer able to be introduced, i.e pinching is not possible. Conventional furniture joints and/or dimensions of gaps in kitchen furniture may be regarded as narrow gaps. A wide gap, however, may permit pinching due to the dimensions thereof.

[0004] it is the object of the invention to propose furniture which provides the user with an increased level of safety relative to the pinching of appendages.

[0005] Proceeding front the features of the preamble of Claim 1, this object is achieved by the characterizing features of Claim 1. Advantageous and expedient developments are specified in the subclaims.

[0006] in the furniture according to the invention the edge region of the first furniture pari and/or the edge region of the second furniture pari are/is designed in such a way that the pinching of an appendage of a person is limited to a harmless, maximum clamping force by an elastic configuration of at least one of the edge regions, and/or are/is designed in such a way that the pinching of an appendage of a person is avoided through a shaping of at least one of the edge regions. By such an embodiment of the edge regions, the pinching protection is present at ail relevant points and may not be avoided, such as for example by the covers being avoided or by reaching behind the covers. The invention provides that the furniture is fully equipped with pinching protection, which protects the person, irrespective of the presence or the effectiveness of the covers and cover panels.

[0007] In this case it is essential to the invention that the first furniture part is formed by a non-elastic portion and the second furniture part is formed by an elastic portion, wherein the elastic portion Is designed as an edge region and wherein the edge region comprises a core and a cover, wherein the core is concealed with respect to the opposite furniture part by the cover and wherein the cover is moved upon a collision with deformation of the elastic core. As a result, it is possible to provide a high quality appearance to the edge region whilst maintaining the protective function [0008g Preferably, the invention provides that the core is designed with a triangular cross section and is adhesively bonded to the associated furniture part, in particular, wherein the core is arranged in such a way that a leg of the cross section extends in an outer surface of the furniture part. As a result, it is possible to reduce the need for elastic material whilst maintaining the protective function.

[0009] The invention also provides that the cover conceals the core, wherein the cover comprises, in particular, at least a first and a second leg, wherein the cover in particular also comprises an articulation by means of which the legs are articulatediy connected. As a result, it is possible to protect the core fully from dust and to guarantee user-friendly cleaning of the furniture parts. 10010J In a further embodiment it is provided that a pressure-sensitive signal element is provided in the edge region of the first furniture part and/or in the edge region of the second furniture part. In addition to the edge regions, which protect an appendage from direct injury, the signal element may in this case [verb absent] a signal is provided for further control of the furniture (00Hj One possible embodiment consists in designing the pressure-sensitive signal element as a piezoelectric element Piezoelectric elements provide direct access to electrical signals which are produced by the mechanical loading of the piezoelectric elements. They provide, therefore, simple, proven and cost-effective access to the conversion of a mechanical load, for example in the case of a clamping force, into an electrical signal.

[0012] A preferred embodiment provides that the pressure-sensitive element is designed as a binary switching element with an on-off function. In this manner, a signal may be transmitted without a specific signal evaluation to a control, for example a motor control, for the moved furniture part.

[0013] A further preferred embodiment also provides that the pressure-sensitive element is designed as a proportional switching element with a switching signal, wherein the switching signal is proportional to a force due to the pinching of an appendage of a person. By the emission of a proportional signal, it is possible to respond in a more flexible manner to the existing clamping force and situation-dependent threshold values, for example, may be used for controlling the movement. For example, slight pinching leads to the stoppage ofthe movement, whilst a high clamping force produces a rearward movement.

[0014] Generally it is regarded as advantageous for the invention if means, in particular a control før a drive, are present which stop a movement of a furniture part and/or reverse a movement direction of a furniture part as soon as there is exceeded a harmless, maximum damping force due to the pinching of an appendage (15) of a person in an elastic configuration of at least one of the edge regions. In this manner, injuries are avoided and the operating safety of such furniture is improved.

[0015] Further details of the invention are described in the drawings, with reference to schematically shown exemplary embodiments, in which.

Figures la to lc: show a first variant of furniture not according to the invention in a plurality of views;

Figure 2 shows a second variant of furniture not according to the invention;

Figures 3a, 3b: shows a variant of furniture according to the invention;

Figures 4a, 4b: shows a variant, of furniture according to the invention;

Figure 5; shows a third variant of furniture not according to the invention md

Figure 6: shows a fourth variant of furniture not according to the invention [0016] In Figures la to Sc, a first variant of the furniture 1, not according to the invention, is shown schematically in three views, in Figure la, the furniture 1 is shown in side view. The furniture 1 is configured as a lifting table 2 which comprises a first fixed furniture part 3 and a second movable furniture part 4, wherein the movable furniture part 4 in Figures la and lb is shown in an extended and/or lifted operative position A, and wherein the movable furniture part 4 in Figure I c is shown, in a retracted basic position G. The movable furniture part 4 also comprises a covering 5 by which a lifting mechanism, not shown, is concealed. In the basic position G shown in Figure lc. edge regions 11, 12 of the furniture parts 3, 4 are opposite one another. In this case, a narrow gap 7 which, has a gap width B7 is present between the edge regions 11, 12. In the operative position A shown in Figure la, the edge regions II, 12 of the furniture parts 3, 4 are also opposite one another but a wide gap 8 which has a gap width B8 is located therebetween. From the operative position A, the movable furniture part 4 is moved in a downwardly oriented retraction direction y' into the basic position G. From the basic position G the movable furniture part 4, which is formed by a table top 10 configured as a table body 9, is moved m an upwardly oriented extension direction y into the operative position A. The edge region 11 of the fixed furniture part 3 and the edge region 12 of the movable furniture part 4 are indicated in Figures la. to 1c by cross hatching The first furniture part 3 comprises a non-elastic and/or rigid portion 3a and an elastic portion 3b, wherein the elastic portion 3b is formed by the edge region 11 and consists of an elastically deformable material 13. The second furniture part. 4 comprises a non-elastic portion 4a and an elastic portion 4b, wherein the elastic portion 4b is for med by the edge portion 12. and consists of an elastically deformable material 14. If, when moved into the basic position G, an appendage 15, such as a finger 16 shown enlarged in Figure lc, is held between the furniture parts 3 and 4, and the upper furniture part 4 is moved into the basic position G, the finger 16 - without an injury occurring - is gently clamped between the elastic portions 3b and 4b of the furniture parts 3 and 4 and may be released without any noticeable expenditure of force by a movement in the direction of the arrow x from the clamped situation shown in Figure lc. In Figure lc, which shows the table surface 10 in sectional view, it may be identified that the edge region 12 and/or the elastic portion 4b forming the edge region 12 is configured with a rectangular cross section 17. J0017| In Figure 2, the furniture 101 is shown schematically as a second variant not according to the invention, said furniture in principle being designed in a comparable manner to the furniture shown in Figures la to lc and also comprising a fixed furniture pari 103 and a movable furniture part 104. In contrast thereto, the edge regions Ill, 112 and/or elastic portions 103b and. 104b which form the edge region Hi, 112, have triangular cross sections 118a, 118b. In this case the elastic portions 103b and 104b are arranged such that when observing the cross sections 118a and/or 118b, a leg 119 and/or 120 of the respective triangular cross section 118a and/or 118b extends In the extension ofan outer surface 121 and/or 122 of the respective portion 103b and/or 104b, By the change of material from the rigid portions 103a and 104a to the elastic portions 103b and 104b, edges are formed which flex in the case of collisions and prevent injuries. {0018( in Figures 3a and 3b a variant ofthe furniture 201 according to the invention is shown, wherein only a lower furniture part 203 ofthe furniture 201 is shown in detail, 'ihe lower furniture part 203 comprises a non-elastic portion 203a and an elastic portion 203b. In this ease the elastic portion 203b comprises a core 22.3 and a cover 224 and is designed as an edge region 211. The core 223 is designed to be elastic and to be adhesively bonded to the non-elastic portion 203a. If an appendage or other object, not shown, presses in the direction of the arrow y' against the cover 224, this cover flexes downwardly with the deformation ofthe elastic core 223. In this case, the cover 224 is only connected to the non-elastic portion 203a and slides, in the case of loading, on the deforming core 223 as shown schematically in. .Figure 3b When the deformed core 223 springs back, the state shown in Figure 3a is reinstated again. With such a design, a repeated activation ofthe pinching protection is possible without the appearance ofthe lower Furniture part 203 being impaired, since the cover 224 uniformly distributes the loading which is present to the elastic core 223 and thus prevents the formation of indentations and other load marks on the core 223 The core 223, in its relaxed position shown in Figure 3a, in section has a triangular cross section 218a. Relative to its cross section 218a the core 223 is designed such that said core extends with a leg 219 as an extension of an outer surface 221 ofthe lower furniture part 20.3. The cover 224 forms a contact surface 226 which in the case of loading slants and conducts an appendage, which is in danger,, out of a danger zone 228 with a movement in the retraction direction y' by a pushing-out force Kx directed away from the furniture 201 [0019] In Figures 4a and 4b a second variant of the furniture 301 according to the invention is shown, wherein only a lower furniture part 303 of the furniture 301 is shown in detail. The lower furniture part 303 comprises a non-elastic portion 303a and an elastic portion 303b, which forms an edge region 311. in. this case the elastic portion 303b comprises a core 323 and a cover 324. The core 323 is designed fo be elastic and adhesively bonded to the non-elastic portion 303a. The cover 324 comprises a first leg 324a and a second leg 324b and an articulation 324c which connects the two legs 324a and 324b in an articulated manner. If an appendage or another object., not. shown, presses against the cover 324 in the direction of the arrow y‘, this cover flexes with the deformation of the elastic core 323 downwardly, wherein for releasing a deformation space 325 the second leg 324b is pivoted by the deforming core 323 relative to the first leg 32 4a. in this case the cover 324 is only connected to the non-elastic portion 303a. and in the case of loading slides on the deforming core 323 as shown schematically in Figure 4b. When the deformed core 323 springs back, the state shown in Figure -4a is reinstated again. With such a design, the core 323 in the unloaded position is fully protected by the cover 324. The core 323, in Its relaxed position shown m Figure 4a, has in section a triangular cross section 3 18a. Relative to its cross section 318a the core 323 is designed such that it extends with a leg 3 19 parallel to an outer surface 321 of the lower furniture part 303. The cover 324 forms a contact surface 32b which, in the case of loading, slants and conducts an appendage, which is in danger, out of a danger zone 328 with a movement in the retraction direction y' by a puslung-out force Kx directed away from the furniture 301. |0020[ Figures 3a to 4b in each case show only the fixed furniture part 203 and/or 303. According to the invention, it is provided alternatively or additionally to design the movable furniture part, respectively not shown, In a corresponding manner. In principle, the embodiments shown in Figures 3a to 4a offer the advantage that by the slanted position which the? elastic portion 203b and/or 303b adopts in the case of loading, in the event of a movement, the appendage which is in danger is subjected to a pushing-out force directed away from the furniture and thus is conducted out of the danger zone. By the elastic mounting of the covers it is possible in the unloaded state to provide the elastic portions with the appearance of steps and, in particular, right-angled steps.

[00211 In Figure 5, a third variant of the furniture 401 not according to the invention is shown. The furniture 401 is shown in side view. The furniture 401 is configured as a lifting table 402 which comprises a first fixed furniture part 403 and a second movable furniture part 404, w'herein the movable furniture part 404 in Figure 5 is shown in an extended, and/or lifted operative position A. In this operative position A, edge regions 411,412 of the furniture parts 403, 404 are opposite one another and a wide gap 408 which has a gap width B408 is located therebetween. From the operative position A, the movable furniture part 404 is moved in a downwardly oriented retraction direction y' into a basic position, not shown. The edge region 4 11 of the fixed furniture part 403 and the edge region 4 I 2 of the movable furniture part 404 have a contact surface 426 and/or 427 which slants with respect to the retraction direction y' and rvhich is designed as an slanting strip region and/or as a chamfer. In this case, the contact surface 427 of the edge region 412 of the second movable furniture part 404 slants with respect to the retraction direction y* in such a way that, upon retraction, the contact surface 427 exerts on an appendage, not shown, which bears on the contact surface 427 and/or stands in the way of the contact surface 427, a pushing-out force Kx directed perpendicularly to the retraction direction y‘ and away from the furniture 401 and pushes the appendage, not shown, out of a danger zone 428 If the appendage bears on. fhe lower edge region 411 and on a covering 405 of the downwardly moving furniture part 404, the covering 405 serves as a sliding device which slides along the appendage with reduced friction. In this case, the contact surface 426 of the edge region 411 of the first furniture part 403 slants with respect to the retraction direction y! In such a. way that the contact surface 426 also exerts on an appendage, not shown, moved and/or guided in the retraction direction y' a pushing-out. force Kx also directed perpendicularly to the retraction direction y' and away from the furniture 401 and pushes the appendage, not shown, out of the danger zone 428. The contact surfaces 426 and 427 are designed as chamfers which extend in a slanting manner and which encompass the furniture 401 at any point where a risk of pinching occurs.

[0022[ In Figure 6 a fourth variant of the furniture 501 not according to the invention is shown. The furniture 501 is designed in a comparable manner to the furniture shown in Figure 5. In contrast thereto, contact surfaces 526 and 527 are not configured to extend in a slanting manner but to extend in a convex manner. The contact surfaces 526 and 527 thus form chamfers which extend in a convex manner and which encompass the furniture 501 at any point where a risk of pinching occurs.

[0023] An embodiment of the contact surfaces extending in a slanting and/or convex manner, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, also has the advantage that dirt particles and crumbs are not deposited thereon but are conducted to the floor so that contact surfaces which are designed in this manner in principle require an effort in terms of cleaning which is as small as is required for the side wail surfaces. Moreover, such contact surfaces and/or edges are suitable for combining form and function and thus thereby form functional design elements.

[0024] Figure 7 shows a schematic embodiment of the furniture in. which a pressure-sensitive element 600 is arranged below the regions 111, 112. This element 600 may be configured as a binary switching element, for example, in the form of a short circuit switch or as a proportional switching element, for example in the form of a piezo film or the like. If, therefore, with the movement of the furniture part 104 toward the furniture part 103, an appendage is pinched in the region between the regions I11, 112, after exceeding a harmless clamping force on the pressure-sensitive element 600 a signal is generated which may be used as a control signal, for example, for stopping the movement It is also conceivable to use the control signal additionally as a control signal for a reverse movement in the opposing direction so that a pinched appendage is immediately released again.

[0025] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown or described. However, it encompasses developments of the invention within the scope of the protected claims.

List of reference numerals: [0026] 1 Furniture 2 Lifting table 3 Fixed furniture part 3a Non-elastic portion of 3 3b Elastic portion of 3 4 Movable furniture part 4a Non-elastic portion of 4 4b Elastic portion of 4 5 Covering 6 Absent Ί, 8 Narrow and/or wide gap 9 Table body 10 Table surface II, 12 Edge region 13, 14 Elastically deformable material 15 Appendage 16 Finger 17 Rectangular cross section 101 Furniture 103 Fixed furniture part 103b Elastic portion 104 Movable furniture part 104b Elastic portion III, 112 Edge region 118a, 118b Triangular cross section 119, 120 Leg 121,122 Outer surface 201 Furniture 203 Lower furniture part 203a Non-elastic portion 203b Elastic portion 211 Edge region 218a Triangular cross section 219 Leg 221 Outer surface 223 Core 224 Cover 226 Contact surface 228 Danger zone 301 Furniture 303 Lower furniture part. 303a Non-elastic portion 303b Elastic portion 311 Edge region 318a Triangular cross section 319 Leg 321 Outer surface 323 Core 324 Cover 324a, 324b Leg of 324 324c Articulation of 324 325 Deformation space 326 Contact surface 328 Danger zone 401 Furniture 402 Lifting table 403, 404 Fixed and/or movable furniture part 405 Covering 41 i, 412 Edge region 408 Wide gap 426, 427 Contact surface 428 Danger zone 501 Furniture 526, 527 Contact surface 600 .Pressure-sensitive signal element A Operative position B7, B8, B408 Gap width of 7 and/or 8 and/or 408 G Basic position

Kx Pushing-out force y Extension direction y' Retraction direction

Claims

Furniture (1; 101; 201; 301; 401; 501) comprising a fixed furniture part (3; 203; 303; 403) and a movable furniture part (3; 203; 303; 403) 4; 404), wherein the two furniture pieces (3; 203; 303; 403; 4; 404) in a basic position (G) face each other with edge areas (11, 12; 111, 112; 411, 412) forming a narrow slot (7) having a gap width (B7) of not more than 3 mm in particular, where the two furniture parts (3; 203; 303; 403; 4; 404) in a working position (A) face each other with edge areas (11, 12; 111, 112; 411, 412) to form a wide gap (8) having a gap width (B8) of at least at least 15 mm, whereby the movable furniture part (4; 404) can be moved from the working position (A) in a run-in direction (y'j to the basic position (G), and wherein the movable furniture part (4; 404) can be moved from the basic position (G) in an exit direction (y) to the working position (A), where the first furniture part (3; 203; 303) edge area (11; 111) and / or the edge area (12) of the second furniture part (4); 112) is designed such that clamping of a person's body joints (15) is limited to a harmless maximum clamping force with an elastic embodiment of at least one of the edge regions (11, 12; 111, 112), and / or clamping of a person's body joints (15) are avoided by forming at least one of the edge regions (411, 412); characterized in that the first furniture part (203; 303) comprises a non-elastic section (203a; 303a) and the second furniture part (202; 303) an elastic section (203b; 303b), wherein the elastic section (203b; 303b) is configured as edge region (211; 311), wherein edge region (211; 311) comprises a core (223; 323) and a shield (224; 324), the core (223; 323) being covered by the shield (223; 3234). toward the opposite piece of furniture and wherein the cover (224; 324) is moved by a collision during deformation of the elastic core (223; 323).

Furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the core (223; 323) has a triangular cross-section (218a; 318a) and in particular is adhered to the associated furniture part (203; 303), where the core (223; 323) is arranged. such that a catheter (219; 319) of the cross-section (218a; 218b) extends into an outer surface (221; 321) of the furniture portion (203; 303).

Furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (324) covers the core (323), wherein the cover (324) comprises at least one first and a second leg (324a, 324b), the cover (324) in particular also comprising a joint (324c), with which the legs (324a, 324b) are jointed.

Furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge area of the second furniture part is designed in such a way that it exhibits a contact surface which, in load cases in relation to the running-in direction, is inclined in such a way that the contact surface when running into a the resting body joint exerts a perpendicular to the running-in direction and away from the furniture directed pushing force and pushes the body joint out of a risk zone, and / or that the first movable furniture part (203; 303) edge area (205; 305) is designed in such a way that this exhibits a contact surface (226; 326) which, in load cases relative to the running-in direction (y '), is inclined in such a way that the contacting surface (226; 326) exerts a perpendicular at a body direction guided in the running-in direction (y') the running-in direction (y ') and away from the furniture (201; 301) directed pushing force (Kx) and pushing the body joint out of a risk zone (228; 328).

Furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edge area (11; 111) and / or the edge area (12; 112) of the first furniture part (3; 203; 303) and / or in the second furniture part (4) is provided. a pressure-sensitive signal element (600).

Furniture according to claim 5, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive signal element (600) is designed as a piezoelectric element.

Furniture according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive element is designed as a binary switch element with an on / off function.

Furniture according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive element is formed as a proportional switch element with a switch signal, the switch signal being proportional to a force due to the pinching of a person's body joint (15).

Furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are provided, in particular a control for a drive mechanism which stops the movement of a furniture part and / or reverses the direction of movement of a furniture part as soon as a harmless maximum clamping force is exceeded. as a result of clamping a person's body joints (15) in an elastic embodiment of at least one of the edge regions (11, 12; 111, 112).