EP2247220B1 - Power-assisted pull-out system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an extension system for the power-assisted method of a linearly movably mounted on a body thrust element with a between the thrust element and the body mediating a force spring element.

The term "pusher" is used in the context of the present application on behalf of all elements that are retracted into a body and extended, such as drawers and drawers for living, kitchen, office and storage furniture, sanitary facilities, electronics cabinets, computer racks etc. Furthermore, the term "pusher elements" also includes, for example, linearly movable parts in vehicles, for example drawers or console elements in cars. The term "body" in connection with the present application refers to the mostly stationary counterpart to the linearly displaceably mounted thrust element.

The present invention will be described with reference to a thrust element mounted linearly on a body. Here are in the description and the appended claims components and elements and their arrangement and function in relation to the pusher or the body called and described in detail. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the arrangement and function of the components and elements with respect to the pusher and body may be reversed, as it only depends on the relative movement of the body and pusher. Ie. Reference herein to the pusher (or body) means that according to the invention, the corresponding reference to the body (or pusher) is intended to be encompassed. The claims are to be construed in terms of their scope of protection so that the terms pusher and body also can be reversed.

The pull-out system according to the invention serves to provide power assistance in the movement of a push element movably mounted on a carcass by means of a linear guide. A linear guide can be a conventional plain bearing in a simple design or a roller or roller bearing or a ball bearing in a higher quality design. For a comfortable and stable method of pushing elements on a carcass usually ball bearing telescopic rails are used. For linear guides, the pusher is moved or moved between a fully extended position (final extension position) and a fully retracted position (insertion end position).

Power assisted feed systems for linear guides have long been known and are constantly being developed. They usually provide the power assist on the last leg just before the plug-in end position. The thrust element is first inserted by an operator to a predetermined insertion depth, from where then takes place on the last stretch of a force support when retracting through the feeder system to Einschubendposition. The operator then usually has to spend no more own power, but the rest of insertion or collection is accomplished by the feeder system alone. The power assistance is usually done using spring forces.

Most retraction systems operate on the principle that on one of the two relatively movable elements (body or pusher) a biased towards the Einschubendposition locking element is held locked in a standby position. The second element movable relative thereto is brought into frictional engagement during insertion with the locking element which is waiting in the ready position and is resiliently biased in the direction of the insertion end position, as soon as a certain insertion position has been reached. Upon engagement, the locked standby position of the locking element is released so that it is pulled by the spring tension in the Einschubendposition. Examples of such retraction systems are in the DE 10 2004 006 092 A1 and the DE 10 2005 057 190 A1 disclosed.

Furthermore, it is known to combine Einzugssysteme with damping systems, so that the retraction on the last path to Einschubendposition not only power assisted, but also damped or braked. In many cases, it is desirable that the self-closing on the last path to Einschubendposition not jerky or very fast, but slowly and without hard or loud stop, even if the thrust element is inserted with great force or much momentum. Examples of applications for such damping systems are kitchen drawers, pharmacy cabinets, etc., which are often pushed with impetus in everyday life and yet are to be moved gently into the insertion end position.

A disadvantage of known feeder systems is that a locking element is biased held in a standby position and this must be brought to perform the power assisted feed with another element engaged or coupled. In the reverse direction of travel, it must be disengaged again or decoupled. Such intake systems are mechanically complex, susceptible to failure and damage and practice only on the last stretch of a force in the direction of insertion, which starts only at a certain retraction position. The power assistance is thus abruptly when reaching this retraction position. A support of the extraction or extension of the thrust element is not provided by the known feeder systems.

The object of the present invention was thus to overcome the known disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a drawer system which provides a force assistance both in the insertion into the insertion end position and in the extract in the direction of the extension end position.

This object is achieved by an extension system for the power assisted method of a linearly movable on a body thrust element with a between the thrust element and the body a force mediating spring element, wherein on the thrust element, a first articulation point is provided, via which the thrust element in a hinged connection is resiliently biased supported on the body via the spring element, wherein the spring element is connected to the body and a second pivot point is provided, which is supported on the one hand via the spring element resiliently biased to the body and on the other hand connected via a push rod to the first pivot point.

The present invention can provide force assistance with both a single push-pull system on insertion in the push-in end position and on pull-out in the direction of the pull-out end position.

The provided on the thrust element first articulation point is spring-biased via the spring element with the body in combination. The resilient bias thus exerts a force on the first articulation point on the push element from a support point on the carcass. If this force is not perpendicular to the direction of travel, it has a component acting parallel to the direction of travel, which acts either in the insertion direction or in the extension direction and provides a force assistance in this direction.

In the pull-out system according to the invention, the spring element is connected to the body and there is provided a second pivot point, which is spring-biased on the one hand supported on the body and on the other hand connected via a push rod with the first pivot point. The push rod keeps the distance between the two articulation points constant. The spring force supported on the body first acts on the second articulation point and is further transmitted via the push rod and the first articulation point to the thrust element for a force-assisted method.

In one embodiment of the drawer system according to the invention, the spring element comprises a compression spring, ie a spring, in which the spring force causes an extension of the spring, preferably a gas spring or a helical compression spring. Preferably, the spring element comprises a gas spring with a cushioning, ie a damping device which has a damping effect each exerts on the movement before reaching the insertion and / or Auszugendposition. Particularly preferred is a hydraulically acting end position damping.

In an alternative embodiment of the pull-out system according to the invention, the spring element comprises a tension spring, preferably a gas tension spring or a spiral tension spring.

It is inventively particularly useful that means are provided which direct the spring force so that a thrust force is exerted on the first articulation point on the thrust element. This is particularly important in those embodiments in which not a compression spring is provided directly between the first articulation point on the thrust element and the second articulation point on the body. In the case of a tension spring, the tensile force which normally results in a shortening of the spring is to be deflected so that the spring force acts in the direction of an extension of the spring and thus of a thrust.

In a preferred embodiment of the pull-out system according to the invention, the force of the spring element acts perpendicular to the direction of travel of the push element. About the first and second articulation points and the push rod, a proportion of this force acting perpendicular to the travel direction at an angle to the push element for a power assisted retraction or extension is transmitted. Alternatively, the spring force can act obliquely to the direction of travel of the thrust element, but the angle should not be more than 45 ° to the vertical, preferably not more than 20 ° to the direction of travel, otherwise in one direction parallel to the direction of travel thrust, in the opposite Direction, however, a train is exerted on the pusher. However, it is desirable that a thrust be exerted in both directions.

It is preferred in all variants of the extension system according to the invention that when fully pushed into the insertion end push element of the first articulation point is arranged on the thrust element relative to the second articulation point on the body in the direction parallel to the linear travel further towards the Einschubendposition and at fully in the pullout end position extended thrust element is further arranged in the direction of the pullout end position.

In this preferred arrangement of the articulation points, since the spring element always exerts a thrust force on the first articulation point on the thrust element, the thrust element in the retracted state is always resiliently biased in the direction of the insertion end position. A thrust element is thus held biased by the spring force in the closed state. The extension of the thrust element takes place, starting from the Einschubendposition, initially under force against the bias of the spring element. The spring force of the spring element counteracts the extension until the first pivot point in the direction of travel on the same Height with the second pivot point is, that is, until the first pivot point is in a plane perpendicular to the linear travel and through the second pivot point. This position of the first point of articulation is also referred to herein as the "dead center" of the force assisted method. In this position, the force exerted by the spring element and exerted on the first articulation point force of the spring element acts perpendicular to the linear travel. At dead center, there is no force component of the spring force parallel to the direction of travel and thus neither a force component in the insertion nor in the extension direction. As soon as the "dead center" is overcome, the force acting on the pusher element no longer in the insertion direction, but in the extension direction and provides a force support for the extract.

The force support preferably acts on the pull-out until the pull-out end position. The maximum extension of the thrust element is then determined or limited, inter alia, on the maximum travel. Alternatively, it is possible to separate one of the connections of the system according to the invention with the push element or the body or within the system from a defined extension position, to allow a still further extract. The disengagement of the system with the body or pusher element may, for example, occur at the articulation points or within the spring element and is achieved by means known per se which are familiar to the person skilled in the art on the basis of his general expert knowledge. Such means for disabling or disengaging are not central to the present invention.

Drawers, shelves and similarly designed push elements usually have a bottom plate. Preferably, the pull-out system according to the invention is mounted in or parallel to the plane of the bottom plate. The articulation points can be arranged on the bottom plate of the thrust element and a corresponding plate on the body. Furthermore, at least one articulation point can also be arranged on a rail element of a telescopic extension. Alternatively, installation of the pull-out system according to the invention can also take place laterally of the push element, in particular for push elements with higher side walls, such as drawers or drawers.

In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one damper is further provided, which dampens the insertion and / or the extension of the pushing element before and up to the insertion end position and / or before and up to the pull-out end position.

For this purpose, preferably air dampers or oil dampers are provided, which are mounted in such a way on the body and / or the thrust element that the damping effect begins shortly before reaching the insertion or Auszugendposition. Alternatively, a damper is provided on the spring element which dampens the movement of the spring element when the spring is deflected in the direction of the insertion end position or the extension end position. This variant has the Advantage that only a single damping element required, which causes a damping both the insertion and the extract.

Figur 1

zeigt ein Auszugsystem nach dem Stand der Technik, beispielsweise der EP 1 635 025 A1 , für das kraftunterstützte Verfahren eines an einem Korpus linear verfahrbar gelagerten Schubelementes in Explosionsdarstellung.

Figur 2

zeigt das Auszugsystem aus Figur 1 in der Ansicht von unten und mit Durchsicht durch das Korpuselement in eingeschobenem Zustand (oben) und in ausgezogenem Zustand (unten) in perspektivischer Darstellung.

Figur 3

zeigt eine Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Auszugsystems für das kraftunterstützte Verfahren eines an einem Korpus linear verfahrbar gelagerten Schubelementes in Explosionsdarstellung, jedoch ohne Darstellung von Korpus und Schubelement.

Figur 4

zeigt das Auszugsystem der Ausführungsform gemäß Figur 3 in eingeschobenem Zustand (oben) und in ausgezogenem Zustand (unten) in perspektivischer Darstellung.

Figur 5

zeigt eine weitere alternative Ausführungsform eines Federelementes für ein erfindungsgemäßes Auszugsystem in Explosionsdarstellung.

Figur 6

zeigt die Ausführungsform eines Federelementes gemäß Figur 5 in eingeschobenem Zustand (oben) und in ausgezogenem Zustand (unten) in perspektivischer Darstellung.

Further advantages, features and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1

shows a drawer system according to the prior art, for example the EP 1 635 025 A1 , For the power assisted method of a linearly movably mounted on a body thrust element in an exploded view.

FIG. 2

shows the pull-out system FIG. 1 in the view from below and with a view through the body element in the inserted state (above) and in the extended state (below) in a perspective view.

FIG. 3

shows an embodiment of an extract system according to the invention for the power assisted method of a linearly movably mounted on a body thrust element in an exploded view, but without showing the body and pusher.

FIG. 4

shows the drawer system of the embodiment according to FIG. 3 in the inserted state (above) and in the extended state (below) in a perspective view.

FIG. 5

shows a further alternative embodiment of a spring element for an inventive extraction system in an exploded view.

FIG. 6

shows the embodiment of a spring element according to FIG. 5 in the inserted state (above) and in the extended state (below) in a perspective view.

The FIGS. 1 and 2 show in exploded view and from below different views of the same drawer system according to the prior art with a pusher element 1 and a body 2, of which in the FIGS. 1 and 2 at least the sections are shown that have meaning for the pullout system. In this first variant of the pullout system, a force mediating spring element 4 is arranged between the first pivot point 5 on the pusher element 1 and the second pivot point 6 on the body 2, so that the spring element 4 on an increase in the distance between the first pivot point 5 and the second pivot point 6 directed force exerts. In other words, the first articulation point 5 is spring-loaded against the body 2 via the spring element 4.

The thrust element 1 and the body 2 are mounted on a ball-bearing telescopic rail 3 linearly movable against each other. On the thrust element 1 designed as an air damper damper 8 are arranged, wherein one of the damper 8 attenuates the insertion of the thrust element in the Einschubendposition on the last path and the second damper 9 attenuates the extraction of the thrust element in the Auszugsendposition. On the body 2 corresponding stops are provided which abut on the corresponding damper 8 shortly before reaching the respective end positions.

In FIG. 2 (Above) is reproduced in addition to the representation of the extension system, the division of the forces exerted by the spring element 4 on the pivot point 5 forces in the directions perpendicular and parallel to the travel. It is clear that a proportion of the spring force acts in the insertion direction and thus keeps the pusher in the closed state. When the thrust element is pulled out, a force is initially applied against the force component acting parallel to the spring force until the spring element 4 and thus also the spring force exerted by the spring element 4 are perpendicular to the travel path, which is referred to herein as the "dead center" of the force-assisted method , In this "dead center" there is no force component of the spring force parallel to the travel direction "A" and thus no power assistance in the direction of the insert or the drawer. Once the "dead center" is overcome in the extension direction, the spring element in turn exerts a force acting in parallel to the travel in the extension direction force on the thrust element and thus provides a force support for the extract, as in FIG. 2 (below) is shown. Since the extension is limited by a stop, the spring force keeps the pushing element in the extended position with a bias.

The Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the extract system according to the invention for the power assisted method of a linearly movably mounted on a body thrust element in exploded view or in perspective, but without representation of the body and pusher. Here, the second pivot point 6 is spring-biased on the one hand via the spring element 4 supported on the body and on the other hand connected via a push rod 7 with the first pivot point 5. The pivot point 6 is rotatably arranged herein on a sliding member 10, wherein the sliding member 10 is guided in a slot of a guide member 9 perpendicular to the direction of travel of the thrust element relative to the body. The guide member 9 is rigidly connected to a rail member of the telescopic rail 3, which in turn is mounted on the body, not shown. The spring force is exercised in this case by a tension spring 11, which is designed as a spiral spring. On the spring element 11 there is further provided a damper 8 which dampens the movement mediated by the spring force both in the vicinity of the insertion end position and in the vicinity of the extension end position, both of which are achieved when the spring contracts.

The Figures 5 and 6 show a further alternative embodiment of a spring element for an inventive pull-out system, wherein FIG. 5 an exploded view and FIG. 6 the spring element in the inserted state (above) and in the extended state (below) in a perspective view. The spring element comprises a substantially cylindrical spring housing 12 with a spiral spring (pressure spring) 11 arranged therein and a rod 13 guided out of the housing and acted upon by the spring. A plate, on which a damper is provided, extends from the housing 12, which then engages a member secured to the rod 13 and passed through a slot in the housing 12 in the direction of the damper 8 and dampens the movement as the spring member moves to the extended end position.

reference numeral

1

push element

2

corpus

3

telescopic rail

4

spring element

5

first articulation point on the thrust element

6

second articulation point on the body

7

pushrod

8th

damper

9

guide element

10

Slide

11

spring element

12

spring housing

13

pole

A

Linear travel of the second pivot point 6 on the body. 2

Claims (6)

1. Pull-out system for the power-assisted movement of a thrust element (1), being linearly movable mounted on a body (2), with a spring element (4) providing a force between the thrust element (1) and the body (2), wherein a first pivot point (5) is provided at the thrust element (1), by means of which the thrust element is supported in a hinged connection by means of the spring element (4) in an elastically prestressed manner on the body (2), characterized in that
   the spring element (4) is connected to the body (2) and a second pivot point (6) is provided, which on the one hand by means of the spring element (4) is supported in an elastically prestressed manner on the body (2) and which on the other hand is connected to the first pivot point (5) by means of a push rod (7).
2. Pull-out system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (4) comprises a compression spring, preferably a gas pressure spring or a compression coil spring.
3. Pull-out system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (4) comprises a tension spring, preferably a gas traction spring or a tension coil spring.
4. Pull-out system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are provided which control the spring force in such a way that a thrust power is applied to the first pivot point (5) on the thrust element (1).
5. Pull-out system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in case the thrust element (1) is completely slid in the final insertion position, the first pivot point (5) on the thrust element (1) is arranged in the direction parallel to the linear traverse path (A) closer in the direction of the final insertion position with respect to the second pivot point (6) on the body (2) and in case the thrust element (1) is completely pulled out in the final pull-out position, is arranged closer in the direction of the final pull-out position.
6. Pull-out system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that further at least one damper (8), preferably an air damper or an oil damper, is provided which damps the insertion and/or the pull-out of the thrust element (1) before and until the final insertion position and/or before and until the final pull-out position.

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