EP2255698B1 - Seating furniture with an extendable footrest - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a chair, in particular armchair, with a seat and an approximately lower leg length lower than the seat arranged, extendable footboard for setting up the feet of a user and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the footboard between a solid position and a retracted position.

A footboard of a chair allows the user of the chair to park his feet in a comfortable position on the footboard, which is located in front of the seat and about a lower leg length lower than the seat. Since the footboard protrudes forward relative to the seat of the chair, the footboard, for example, when the user wants to sit on the chair or get up from it, can disturb. For this reason, the toe board can be moved between an extended position, i. a use position, and a retracted position, i. a non-use position, be adjusted by linear, horizontal insertion and removal. For this purpose, the footboard is attached to the chair via a rail system.

In order for the user to be able to assume a comfortable seating position on the seating furniture, the footrest must be positioned close to the floor in its position of use. This has the consequence that the seating only has a low ground clearance, which proves to be disadvantageous for example when cleaning the floor below the chair. The arrangement of the footboard close to the floor can even when moving the seat from one position to another, for which the seating may have rollers, cause problems when objects or obstacles are to be overcome.

Therefore, a footboard differs from a so-called foot of a chair, which is used for comfortably storing the legs or feet of a user in a lying position. Foot parts are therefore usually designed for Vorschwenken, the foot parts can be pivoted from a lower, rear position to an upper, forward position. However, footboards, in contrast to footboards, in any case limit in the forward position, i. the position of use, the ground clearance of the chair not.

Accordingly, in the DE 32 23 597 A1 a chair with a footboard for laying down the legs described, which is not a footboard in the context of the invention. In the US 4,765,684 A Furthermore, a chair is described, which has neither a footboard nor a footboard, but a knee brace or tibial support.

The present invention is therefore based on the object, the aforementioned and previously described in more detail seating in such a way and further, that a greater ground clearance is achieved without diminishing the seating comfort.

This object is achieved in a chair with the features of the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting mechanism is designed such that the footboard in the retracted position in an upper position and in the extended position is held in a lower position.

The invention is based on the recognition that the footboard in the extended position and in the retracted position can be arranged at different heights relative to the floor. In this way, a comfortable sitting position is achieved with the footplate extended and at the same time a high ground clearance achieved when the toe board is arranged in the retracted position for the user. It is therefore not necessary to arrange the seating position at a greater distance from the floor so that a higher ground clearance is achieved under the footboard. Too high seating position can significantly limit the comfort of sitting down and getting up.

The seating furniture according to the invention makes it possible to selectively increase the ground clearance of the chair if this is necessary. For this, the footboard only needs to be adjusted to the retracted position. If no increased ground clearance is required, the footboard can be adjusted to the extended position, thus allowing the user to assume a comfortable sitting position.

The chair can be a chair, a sofa, a couch, a garden furniture or the like. The chair may alternatively or additionally comprise rollers for moving the chair. If necessary, the seating can be designed so that the seating can be moved together with the user located thereon. In addition, in the seating furniture additionally a foot part of the type mentioned for pivoting from a lower, rear position may be provided in an upper, forward position. By adjusting the footrest of the seat according to the invention is avoided in this case that it comes to a disability of the footboard and footboard when one of the two components, in particular both components, is adjusted / are.

In a first preferred embodiment of the chair, the footboard is arranged in the retracted position below the seat. In the extended position, however, the footboard protrudes from the seat. As a result, on the one hand a comfortable seating position allows and on the other hand ensures that the footboard is arranged space and space saving in the retracted position. For this reason, the toe board is preferably located completely in the retracted position below the seat and in the extended position completely in front of the seat. However, this is not necessary.

For an easy adjustment of the footrest may alternatively or additionally be provided that the adjustment mechanism has a pivoting mechanism and that the pivoting mechanism is designed to adjust the footrest between the lower position and the upper position. The adjustment of the toe board from the lower position to the upper position can thus be realized by a simple pivoting of the swivel mechanism.

In this context, it is preferred if the pivoting mechanism is held displaceably on the seating furniture via a separate displacement mechanism. In this way, the adjustment mechanism can be relatively easily formed. The swivel mechanism then only takes over the height adjustment of the footboard, while the retraction and removal of the footrest is realized via the displacement mechanism. The displacement mechanism may be formed as a rail system with at least one rail. In this case, the rail can be slidably held in a fixed guide or vice versa. The established Component of the rail system is then preferably fixed to a side part of the chair. Known from the prior art alternatives to the rail system described are also conceivable.

In order to achieve an automatic or automatic adjustment of the pivoting mechanism without an additional intervention of the user, a control means may be provided which comes into contact with the pivoting mechanism when moving the footboard into the inserted position and causes pivoting of the pivoting mechanism such that the footrest is moved to the upper position. To adjust the Fußbretts this or the pivoting mechanism must be moved only in the direction of the control means, which causes as a result of the sliding movement, for example, an adjustment of the Fußbretts from the lower position to the upper position. A structurally simple solution is that the control means, preferably as a fixed mounted on the seat furniture control bolt or control block, protrudes into the adjustment of the pivot mechanism between the extended and the retracted position.

So that the toe board can be secured in the upper position against unintentional lowering, without the user for this purpose further operations must be performed, the adjustment mechanism may have a securing means, wherein the securing means the pivoting mechanism in the retracted position against a Fußbrett from the upper position Lowering pivoting secures. In this case, the securing means preferably comes into contact with the pivoting mechanism in the inserted position, that a pivoting movement of the pivoting mechanism, which would have a lowering of the footboard result is prevented.

In this context it can be provided that the securing means is formed by the control means. In this way, a structurally simple embodiment of the seat can be realized with a small number of components.

In a structurally simple embodiment of the pivot mechanism is provided that it has at least one pivotable support arm for adjusting the footboard between the lower position and the upper position. In particular, the support arm will be connected to the footboard in such a way that a pivoting of the support arm for adjusting the footrest from the lower position leads to the upper position or vice versa. In order for the toe board to be stably held by the swivel mechanism, even if the operator stands with his full body weight on the footrest, the swivel mechanism may preferably have at least two support arms.

To ensure that the toe board in the extended position occupies the lower position without user intervention, it is expedient if the swivel mechanism has a spring means, wherein the swivel mechanism is spring-loaded such that an adjustment of the toe board from the upper position to the lower position is effected. As a result, the footboard automatically assumes the lower position in the extended position and can only be adjusted from this lower position by overcoming the restoring force of the spring means. In a constructive simple embodiment of the pivoting mechanism, the at least one support arm is spring-loaded by the spring means. In particular, the support arm is directly connected to the spring means.

In order to enable a comfortable and uniform adjustment of the footrest, it can be provided that the at least one support arm of the swivel mechanism carries a roller which comes into abutment with the control means for adjusting the footrest in the upper position, preferably rolls on this.

Alternatively it can be provided that the pivoting mechanism has at least two support arms and a control lever and that the control lever is pivotally connected to the support arms. In this way, the footboard can be stably supported by at least two brackets. At the same time, it is ensured by the control lever that the at least two support arms always move together, in particular pivot, to bring the toe board from the lower position to the upper position.

In a corresponding, structurally simple embodiment of the pivoting mechanism of the control lever is connected via the spring means with at least one support arm. The restoring force of the spring means then acts directly on one of the support arms and the control lever. By the connection of the control lever with at least one further support arm, the restoring force of the spring means also acts indirectly on these at least one further support arm.

Thus, the pivoting mechanism structurally simple design, but nevertheless can be reliably adjusted precisely, it makes sense that the control lever comprises at least two pivotally interconnected control members. The connection of the control members is preferably provided between the support arms or between each two support arms of the pivot mechanism.

The operator can easily adjust the toe board from the retracted position to the extended position and back when the recliner mechanism includes a lever member for adjusting the toe board including an operating section accessible from the outside of the seat. The lever element protrudes so far in particular with respect to the outside of the chair so that the lever element can be operated easily. The lever element is preferably a hand lever or foot lever. In this case, a hand lever is understood as one that can be grasped by the user sitting on the seat. A lever member disposed near the floor constitutes a foot lever. Lever members which are designed as hand levers and foot levers are also contemplated. can be operated both by hand and with the foot.

In a structurally simple embodiment of the adjusting mechanism, the lever element is fastened to a rail element, which is displaceably guided along a fixed rail of the seat. As a result, damage to the pivot mechanism is also avoided when high forces, such as by operating the lever member with the foot, act on the lever member.

In order to ensure a stable arrangement of the footboard in any position, it may be advantageous if two substantially identical adjusting mechanisms are provided. The two adjustment mechanisms are then preferably each associated with one of the two opposite lateral edges of the seat, the seat and / or the footrest of the chair. In particular, the two adjustment mechanisms are assigned to different side parts of the seat and possibly fixed there. The adjustment mechanisms can be designed mirror-symmetrically to a vertical center plane of the chair in a simple manner.

Fig. 1

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Sitzmöbels mit einem Fußbrett in der ausgezogenen Position in einer schematischen Schnittansicht,

Fig. 2

den Verstellmechanismus des Sitzmöbels aus Fig. 1 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht,

Fig. 3

das Sitzmöbel mit dem Fußbrett zwischen der eingezogenen Position und der ausgezogenen Position in einer Ansicht gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

das Sitzmöbel mit dem Fußbrett in der eingezogenen Position in einer Ansicht gemäß Fig. 1

Fig. 5

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Sitzmöbels mit einem Fußbrett in der ausgezogenen Position in einer schematischen Schnittansicht,

Fig. 6

den Verstellmechanismus des Sitzmöbels aus Fig. 5 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht und

Fig. 7

das Sitzmöbel mit dem Fußbrett in der eingezogenen Position in einer Ansicht gemäß Fig. 5.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrative drawing. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

A first embodiment of a seat according to the invention with a footrest in the extended position in a schematic sectional view,

Fig. 2

the adjustment mechanism of the chair Fig. 1 in a perspective view,

Fig. 3

the chair with the footboard between the retracted position and the extended position in a view according to Fig. 1 .

Fig. 4

the seating with the toe board in the retracted position in a view according to Fig. 1

Fig. 5

A second embodiment of a seat according to the invention with a Fußbrett in the extended position in a schematic sectional view,

Fig. 6

the adjustment mechanism of the chair Fig. 5 in a perspective view and

Fig. 7

the seating with the toe board in the retracted position in a view according to Fig. 5 ,

In the Fig. 1 is designed as a chair seating 1 is shown schematically in a vertical sectional view.
The sectional plane corresponds to the center plane of the chair 1, which comprises two side parts 2, of which in the Fig. 1 as a result of the sectional view, only the rear side part 2 is shown in the viewing direction. Between the two side panels 2 there is a seat 3, a backrest 4 and an adjustable footrest 5. The adjustable footrest 5 is shown in an extended position, in which a user who has taken a seat on the seating 1, comfortably his feet can set up on the footboard 5. The footboard 5 is formed in the illustrated seating 1 as a one-piece, rectangular plate-shaped component. However, the geometry of the footboard 5 is of minor importance with respect to the present invention.

The footboard 5 is fixed on opposite sides, each with an adjusting mechanism 6 on one of the two side parts 2 of the chair 1. The adjusting mechanisms 6 of the chair 1 are in the Essentially identically formed, which is why the representation of both adjusting mechanisms 6 in the drawing is unnecessary. The adjustment mechanism 6 shown has, on the one hand, a displacement mechanism 7 in the form of a rail system and, on the other hand, a pivoting mechanism 8. The displacement mechanism 7 has a fixed rail 9 arranged on the side part 2 of the seat 1 and a rail 10 displaceably guided along the fixed rail 9 and carrying the pivoting mechanism 8.

In the Fig. 2 the adjusting mechanism 7 is shown separately in a perspective view. The adjusting mechanism 6 has a front and a rear support arm 11,12, which are both pivotally fixed to the sliding rail 10. At the lower end of the support arms 11,12 the footrest 5 is pivotally mounted. The two support arms 11,12 are interconnected via a control lever 13, wherein the control lever 13 is pivotally connected to each support arm 11,12. The control lever 13 is designed in two parts, wherein the two control members 14,15 of the control lever 13 are pivotally connected to each other. The rear arm 11 and the rear upper control member 14 of the control lever 13 are connected to a spring means 16 in the form of a spiral spring. The restoring force of the spring means 16 ensures that the pivoting mechanism 8 in the extended position of the footrest 5 in the in the Fig. 1 shown lower position remains.

At the rear end of the slidably mounted rail 10, a lever member 17 is mounted, which has a relation to the seating 1 outwardly abkragenden connecting portion 18 and an adjoining, pointing upwards Operating section 19 includes. As a result of the outwardly projecting connecting portion 18 of the operating portion 19 from the outside of the chair 1 is easily accessible by the operator. The operating section 19 is designed such that it can be accessed by the operator who has taken place on the seating 1, and operated as a hand lever. The lever member 17 can also be operated by a standing next to the seating 1 person with the foot as a pedal.

From the in the Fig. 1 illustrated extended position in which the footboard 5 protrudes forward relative to the seat 3, the footboard 5 can be moved backwards, so that the footboard 5 comes into an area below the seat 3, as shown in the Fig. 3 is shown. During this displacement, the displaceably guided rail 10 of the adjusting mechanism 6 is pushed back along the rail 9 fixed to the side part 2. The position of the pivoting mechanism 8 remains unchanged and the footboard 5 in the lower position.

On the side panels 2 of the chair 1 control means 20 designed as a control pin are provided, which protrude into the further adjustment of the pivoting mechanisms 8. Due to this, the control lever 13 of the swing mechanism 8 comes into abutment with the control means 20 when the foot board 5 is shifted further backward. The control means 20 initially comes into abutment with a projecting portion of the control lever 13. The movement of the control lever 13 is thereby initially blocked by the control means 20. If the displaceably guided rail 10 is moved further from this position to the rear, this leads to a pivoting of the two with the toe board 5 connected support arms 11,12. In this case, the included between the rear arm 11 and the rear control member 14 of the control lever 13 angle increases, whereby the provided between the rear arm 11 and the rear control member 14 of the control lever 13 spring means 16 is pulled apart against its restoring force.

When pivoting the pivot mechanism 8 consequently the restoring force of the arranged between the rear arm 11 and the rear control member 14 of the control lever 13 spring means 16 must be overcome. When pivoting the pivoting mechanism 8 connected to the footboard 5 ends of the support arms 11,12 and thus the toe board 5 itself are pivoted upwards. The footboard 5 is always aligned parallel to the floor in the illustrated embodiment.

When the footboard 5 in the in the Fig. 4 is shown, the position of the rear control member 14 of the control lever 13 has lowered so far that the rear control member 14 engages under the control means 20 and rests against this. As a result, a provision of the footrest 5 in the lower position due to the restoring force of the spring means 16 is prevented.

The two control members 14,15 of the control lever 13 are pivoted to each other when adjusting from the extended position to the retracted position, starting from a stretched arrangement. The two support arms 11,12 are in the direction of displacement about their connection points 21,22 with the displaceably arranged rail 10, starting from a substantially vertical position in one Tilted position. This pivoting has a lifting of the footboard 5 in the upper position result. The pivoting mechanism 8 is held in the retracted position only by a blockage of the pivoting mechanism 8, resulting from the arrangement of acting in this function as a securing means against lowering of the Fußbretts 5 control means 20 with respect to the pivoting mechanism 8, in particular the pivot lever 13 ,

If the pivoting mechanism 8 from in the Fig. 4 shown retracted position slightly to the left, ie forward in the direction of in the Fig. 1 shifted withdrawn position shown, the blocking of the pivot mechanism 13 is canceled by the control means 20 and the Fußbrett 5 pivoted downwardly due to the restoring force of the spring means 16, wherein the arranged between the rear arm 11 and the control lever 13 spring means 16 contracts. The Fußbrett 5 can then in the in the Fig. 1 shown extended position to be moved, with only the displaceably arranged rail 10 is moved along the side part 2 of the seat 1 fixed rail 9.

That in the Fig. 1 . 3 and 4 Seating furniture 1 shown has rollers 23, which allow a method of the chair 1. Thus, in the process of the chair 1, the required ground clearance is achieved, the footboard in the manner described above in the in the Fig. 4 shown retracted position can be adjusted.

In the Fig. 5 an alternative seating 1 'is shown, which is comparable to the seating 1 according to Fig. 1 to 4 is trained. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used below for the same components.

In the in the Fig. 5 Seating furniture 1 ', the adjusting mechanism 6' also has a displacement mechanism 7 and a pivot mechanism 8 'held displaceably on it. The adjusting mechanism 6 'is the sake of clarity separately in Fig. 6 shown, in the in the Fig. 5 position shown.

The pivot mechanism 8 'comprises two support arms 11', 12 'with which the footboard 5 is connected. Unlike in the Fig. 1 Seating furniture 1 shown, the two support arms 11 ', 12' in the chair 1 'not connected via a control lever. The rear support arm 11 ', however, is still spring-loaded such that the toe board 5 is held in the lower position or pivoted into the lower position, provided that this pivoting movement is not otherwise blocked. For this purpose, the pivoting mechanism 8 'on a spring means 16' in the form of a coil spring, which is fixed at one end to the rear support arm 11 'and at the opposite end to the displaceably arranged rail 10.

Another difference between those in the Fig. 1 and 5 seat furniture shown 1,1 'is that in the chair 1', the control means 20 'is formed as a control block. This also protrudes into the displacement of the pivot mechanism 8 ', so that the pivot mechanism 8' comes in the process of the footboard 5 back under the seat 3 with the control means 20 'in abutment. The system on the control means 20 'is about achieved a role 24, which is supported by the rear arm 11 '.

By the system of the roller 24 on the control means 20 'of the chair 1' further displacement of the roller 24 is blocked to the rear. If the slidably guided rail 10 is still further displaced to the rear, there is a pivoting of the rear support arm 11 'against the restoring force of the spring means 16' to the connection 21 'with the displaceably arranged rail 10. Although between the rear support arm 11' and the Front support arm 12 'is no direct connection in the form of a control lever is given as a result of the coupling on the footboard 5 at the same time also the front support arm 12' around the connection 22 'with the displaceably arranged rail 10.

During the pivoting of the two support arms 11 ', 12' and the adjustment of the footboard 5 from the lower position to the upper position by further displacement of the slidably guided rail 10 to the rear rolls the roller 24 on the control means 20 'from. Thus, the adjustment of the footboard 5 from the lower position to the upper position comfortable and evenly, the control means 20 'at the front lower end to a rounding 25, along which the roller 24 rolls when adjusting the Fußbretts 5.

Has the footboard 5 reaches the top position, as in the Fig. 6 is shown, the roller 24 engages under the control means 20 '. In this case, the control means 20 'prevents a gift of the rear support arm 11', whereby the footboard 5 would be pivoted back into the lower position. The control means 20 'ultimately also assumes the function of Securing device which prevents unintentional lowering of the footboard.

The rear support arm 11 'also has a recess 26 which comes into abutment in the retracted position of the footboard 5 with a bolt 27. At the same time, the front support arm 12 'comes into contact with a further bolt 28. It is therefore occupied by the pivoting mechanism 8 'in the retracted position of the footboard 5 a defined position, this position is stabilized at the same time by contact with the bolt 27,28.

The completeness is also pointed out that as an alternative to the previously described embodiment of the pivot mechanism 8 ', the roller and / or the spring means 16' could also be assigned to the front support arm 12 '. Nevertheless, in principle the same functionality would be achieved since both support arms 11 ', 12' are coupled to one another via the footboard 5.

Claims (16)

1. Seating furniture (1, 1'), in particular an armchair, with a seat (3) and an extendible footrest (5) arranged approximately one lower leg-length lower than the seat (3) for supporting the feet of the user and an adjusting mechanism (6, 6') for shifting the footrest (5) between an extended position and a retracted position, characterised in that the adjusting mechanism (6, 6') is designed so that the footrest (5) in the retracted position is maintained in an upper position and in the extended position in a lower position.
2. Seating furniture according to claim 1, characterised in that the footrest (5) in the retracted position is arranged below the seat (3) of the seating furniture (1, 1') and the footrest (5) in the extended position protrudes beyond the seat (3).
3. Seating furniture according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the adjusting mechanism (6, 6') has a swivelling mechanism (8, 8') and in that the swivelling mechanism (8, 8') is designed to shift the footrest (5) between the lower position and the upper position.
4. Seating furniture according to claim 3, characterised in that the swivelling mechanism (8, 8') is secured to the seating furniture (1) in a sliding manner via a separate sliding mechanism (7).
5. Seating furniture according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that a control means (20, 20'), preferably a control pin or guide block, is provided, which when the footrest (5) is slid into the retracted position comes up against the swivelling mechanism (8, 8') and brings about a swivelling of the swivelling mechanism (8, 8') such that the footrest is shifted into the upper position.
6. Seating furniture according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the adjusting mechanism (6, 6') has securing means and in that the securing means secures the swivelling mechanism (8, 8') in the retracted position from swivelling the footrest (5) downwards from the upper position.
7. Seating furniture according to claim 6, characterised in that the securing means is formed by the control means (20, 20').
8. Seating furniture according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the swivelling mechanism (8,8') has at least one swivelling support arm (11, 12; 11, 12') for shifting the footrest (5) between the lower position and the upper position.
9. Seating furniture according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that the swivelling mechanism (8, 8') has spring means (16, 16') and in that the swivelling mechanism (8, 8'), preferably the at least one support arm (8, 8'), is spring-loaded in such a way as to cause the shifting of the footrest from the upper position to the lower position.
10. Seating furniture according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the at least one support arm (11') of the swivelling mechanism (8') carries a roller (24), which for shifting the footrest (5) into the upper position comes up against the control means (20'), preferably rolling against this.
11. Seating furniture according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the swivelling mechanism (8) has at least two support arms (11, 12) and a control lever (13) and in that the control lever (13) is connected in a swivelling manner to the support arms (11, 12).
12. Seating furniture according to claim 11, characterised in that the control lever (13) is connected via the spring elements (16) with at least one support arm (11).
13. Seating furniture according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the control lever (13) comprises at least two control elements (14, 15) connected together in a swivelling manner.
14. Seating furniture according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the adjusting mechanism (6, 6') has a lever element (17), preferably a hand lever and/or a foot lever, for shifting the footrest (5) and in that the operating part (19) of the lever element (17) is accessible from the outside of the seating furniture (1, 1').
15. Seating furniture according to claim 14, characterised in that the lever element (17) is secured to the shift mechanism (7), in particular a rail (10) that runs in a sliding manner along a stationary rail (9) of the seating furniture (1, 1').
16. Seating furniture according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterised in that two essentially identical adjusting mechanisms (6, 6') are provided.

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