EP3256674B1 - Supporting device for a furniture flap - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a support device for a furniture flap with the features of the preamble of claim 1, as well as a piece of furniture with at least one such support device.

In the prior art, support devices for furniture flaps are known in many designs. the US 8,904,600 B2 describes, for example, a hinge device for a piece of furniture with a furniture door, which comprises fastening means on the carcass side, two or three lever arms articulated thereon, and door-side fastening means also articulated on these. The task of this hinge device is to guide an opening or closing movement of a furniture door, the furniture door not being rotated about a vertical axis of rotation, but rather being moved parallel in a horizontal plane. This is achieved by parallel kinematics with two or three levers of the same length, which are rotatably mounted on the body and door at the same intervals and arrangements around vertical axes of rotation. The disadvantage of this prior art is the complex construction of the parallel kinematics and the formation of a shear gap given by the arrangement of the lever arms and the associated risk of injury when the furniture door is operated by a user.

Further support devices are, for example, from EP 2 093 361 A2 and the US 2002/0189052 A1 known.

The object of the invention is to provide a support device for a furniture flap which is improved compared to the prior art, which is particularly easy to manufacture from a technical point of view and is characterized by a high level of operational safety.

This object is achieved by a support device for a furniture flap with the features of claim 1 and a piece of furniture with at least one such support device. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The fact that the support device has a first support arm and a second support arm and the first and second support arms overlap without a gap in any position of the support device laterally to the direction of movement of the support device, a particularly stable design of the support device can be achieved, with the formation of two Support arms influences of torsional forces, bending forces or forces generally occurring during movement of the support device can be kept low. By avoiding the formation of a shear gap occurring laterally to the direction of movement of the support device between the support arms by a gap-free overlap between them, the risk of injury through, for example, trapping a hand or a finger of a user when the support device is actuated can be minimized. The overlap of the support arms without a gap laterally to the direction of movement also enables a compact construction of the support device, which can also be characterized by a high aesthetic quality due to a one-piece appearance that can thus be achieved. In the case of a support device for a flap-up flap, the gap-free overlap of the first and the second support arm is provided in a lateral direction, that is to say horizontal to the perpendicular direction of movement of the support device in this case. The fact that the first and second support arms overlap without a gap in any position of the support device laterally to the direction of movement of the support device means that the overlap in any position of the support device from a position corresponding to a closed position of a furniture flap that can be fastened to it to an open position of a furniture flap attachable furniture flap corresponding position exists.

Because, according to the invention, the first support arm and the second support arm are profiled in cross-section and are nested in one another, a support device with high stability can be manufactured in a particularly simple manner in terms of process technology. A nested arrangement of the first and second support arms enables a compact and essentially gap-free design of the support device to be achieved in a particularly simple manner. A nested arrangement of the support arms also makes it easy to meet the requirements for operational safety and aesthetics.

In that the first support arm can be connected to a furniture body at a first end, preferably arranged at the top in the assembly position, pivotable about a first pivot axis, and the second support arm at a first end, preferably arranged at the top in the assembly position, can be pivoted about a second pivot axis with a Furniture body, preferably via a housing, can be connected, the support arms can be designed as swivel arms. This can allow pivoting, that is to say also simultaneous translation and rotation, of a furniture flap that can be mounted on the support device. The connection via a Housing enables a simple structure and simple assembly of the support device.

The fact that the first support arm is connected to one another at a second end, preferably at the bottom in the assembly position, and the second support arm at a second end, preferably at the bottom in the assembly position, can result in a coupling of the movements of the swivel arms . Such an articulated connection connected to the swivel arms can also enable a furniture flap to be attached to the support device.

Because the first support arm is rotatable about a first axis of rotation and the second support arm is rotatably connected to the articulated connection about a second axis of rotation, a technically simple and effective connection of the pivot arms to the articulated connection can be made possible. A rotatable mounting of the support arms on the articulated connection can also make it possible to tilt the articulated connection when the support arms are pivoted.

Because the normal distance between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis measured along a straight line connecting them is smaller than the normal distance between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation measured along a straight line connecting them, a particularly advantageous coupling of the movement of the support arms can be achieved. Such an arrangement of the axes of rotation in relation to the pivot axes allows a particularly large pivoting range of the support device without the support arms inhibiting one another during the pivoting movement. By adapting the ratio of the normal distance between the pivot axes and the normal distance between the axes of rotation, the desired degree of tilting of the articulated connection when the support device is pivoted, and thus the desired tilting of a furniture flap that can be attached to it, can easily be set.

Because the first support arm and the second support arm touch laterally to the direction of movement of the support device or their distance from one another laterally to the direction of movement of the support device is less than or equal to 5 mm, is preferably less than or equal to 1 mm, a compact design of the support device can be made possible, which is also characterized by a high level of operational safety for a user. By touching the support arms laterally, i.e. sideways in the case of a flap, or by forming a small gap in the range of a few millimeters, the operating safety of the support device for a user can be increased in addition to the aforementioned measures and pinching can be prevented particularly effectively . A support device with a particularly small space requirement can also be made possible by such an embodiment.

Because the shape of the cross-section of the first support arm essentially corresponds to a U-profile, a design of the first support arm that is stable with little space requirement can be manufactured inexpensively and particularly simply in terms of process technology. Because the shape of the cross section of the second support arm essentially corresponds to a U-profile or a rectangle, a stable design of the second support arm can be produced in a cost-effective and technically simple manner.

Because the second support arm is arranged at least partially within the cavity formed by the profile of the first support arm in every position of the support device, a particularly compact and stable design of the support device can be achieved. The at least partial arrangement of the second support arm within the cavity formed by the profile of the first support arm allows a particularly simple implementation of a nested arrangement of the support arms and thus enables a gap-free design of the support device laterally to the direction of movement of the support device in any position thereof.

The fact that the support device has an electrical or spring-loaded mechanical drive enables a particularly advantageous embodiment of the support device.

Protection is also desired for a piece of furniture with a furniture body, a furniture flap and at least one support device for the furniture flap. Such a piece of furniture is characterized by a particularly compact design of the support device including the furniture flap. By using a support device according to the invention, additional swivel arms formed separately from the support device to support the opening or closing movement of the furniture flap can be dispensed with. The lateral nesting of the support arms without gaps in any position, i.e. in the case of flaps, for example in the lateral direction for the upward pivoting movement of the support device, results in a one-piece, compact and reliable design of a support device including furniture flap for a user. Such a piece of furniture is also characterized by the aforementioned dispensability of additional adjusting elements protruding from the furniture body due to the fact that it can be easily accessed from the side when the furniture flap is open in the interior of the furniture formed by the furniture body.

Because the support device is arranged essentially completely in the interior of the furniture interior formed by the furniture body when the furniture flap is in a closed state, no additional work or adjustments have to be carried out on the furniture flap to accommodate the support device inside the furniture. This also makes it possible for the furniture flap to lie essentially against the furniture body when it is in the closed position.

The fact that the angular position of a furniture flap mounted on the support device via the articulated connection is changed relative to the furniture body when the support device is pivoted makes it easier to reach into the interior of the furniture formed by the furniture body when the furniture flap is open. By changing the angular position of the furniture flap relative to the Furniture carcass an intuitive opening and closing process of the furniture flap can be made possible by a user when the support device is pivoted.

The fact that the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, as well as the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation run horizontally when the support device is installed, means that the support device can be used to implement a pivoting up flap, i.e. a furniture flap which is pivoted upwards to open or close.

Because the open side of the U-profile of the first support arm faces the support device of the furniture flap in the assembled state, a particularly high level of operational safety, a one-piece appearance with attractive aesthetics and a compact design of the support device including the furniture flap can be achieved.

Fig. 1a bis 1d

jeweils eine Seitenansicht einer Stützvorrichtung in verschiedenen Stellungen,

Fig. 2a bis 2c

jeweils eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Stützvorrichtung in verschiedenen Stellungen,

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht einer Schnittdarstellung einer Stützvorrichtung,

Fig. 4a bis 4d

schematische Darstellungen von verschiedenen Querschnittsformen der Stützarme einer Stützvorrichtung und

Fig. 5a und 5b

eine Seitenansicht eines Möbels mit einer Stützvorrichtung.

Further details and advantages of the present invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of the description of the figures with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. It shows:

Figures 1a to 1d

each a side view of a support device in different positions,

Figures 2a to 2c

each a perspective view of a support device in different positions,

Fig. 3

a side view of a sectional view of a support device,

Figures 4a to 4d

schematic representations of different cross-sectional shapes of the support arms of a support device and

Figures 5a and 5b

a side view of a piece of furniture with a support device.

In Fig. 1a a support device 1 is shown in a position corresponding to a closed position of a furniture flap 21. The support device 1 has a housing 10, which can be mounted on a furniture body 20, with a first support arm 11 pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis s1, and a second support arm 12 pivotably mounted about a second pivot axis s2 (not visible here). The first support arm 11 is further with a rotation axis d1 about a first rotatably mounted articulated connection 13, which is also rotatably connected to the second support arm 12 about a second axis of rotation d2. The movement of the first and the second support arm 11, 12 is thus coupled via the articulated connection 13. In this position of the support device 1, which corresponds to a closed position, the second support arm 12 is arranged essentially over its entire length protruding from the housing 10 with regard to its height extension in the cavity formed by the profile of the first support arm 11, whereby it is in the viewing direction of the Fig. 1a , so laterally or laterally to the possible counterclockwise pivoting movement of the first and second support arms 11, 12 comes to a gap-free overlap between the two support arms 11, 12. The support device also has a damping unit 16 fastened to the housing 10 which, in this position of the support device corresponding to a closed position, rests on the first support arm 11 in a maximally retracted state that occurs after the damping effect has taken place.

In Figure 1b an intermediate position of the support device 1 is shown, which corresponds to a position resulting shortly after opening or shortly before closing a furniture flap 21 that can be fastened to the support device 1. Compared to the in Fig. 1a The position shown, the first support arm 11 and the second support arm 12 are pivoted clockwise about the respective first and second pivot axis s1, s2. The first support arm 11 now no longer rests against the damping unit 16, which is therefore also in a completely extended state. Due to the inequality of the normal distance between the first and the second pivot axis s1, s2 and the normal distance between the first and the second rotational axis d1, d2 (see Fig. 3 ) the pivoting movement of the first and second support arms 11, 12 leads to a simultaneous translation and rotation of the articulated connection 13, and thus also to a translation and rotation of a furniture flap 21 that can be attached to it of the second support arm 12, in this position too, there is an overlap between the support arms 11, 12 that is free of gaps laterally or laterally to the direction of movement.

In Figure 1c a support device is shown in a position which corresponds to an almost completely open position of a furniture flap 21. In this position is the second support arm 12 is arranged essentially completely in the interior of the cavity of the first support arm 11 formed by the profile and is therefore not visible in this illustration. It can be clearly seen, however, that the articulated connection 13 compared to its in relation to the Fig. 1a given initial position is tilted, and to a lesser extent than would have been the case, for example, with a rotationally fixed connection of the articulated connection 13 to the first support arm 11. Rather, it is through the coupling of the movement of the first and second support arms 11, 12 via the articulated connection 13, the arrangement of the first and second pivot axes s1, s2, the fixed arm length of the support arms 11, 12 and the arrangement of the first and second Pivot axis s1, s2 come to a pivoting of the articulated connection 13 relative to the first support arm 11, oriented in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the support arms 11, 12 of the support device 1.

In Fig. 1d a support device 1 is shown in a position corresponding to a fully open furniture flap 21. In this position, the support arms 11, 12 have a maximum degree of nesting, the second support arm 12 being arranged essentially completely within the cavity formed by the profile of the first support arm 11. Likewise, the articulated connection 13 is pivoted to the maximum relative to the first support arm 11, as a result of which it can be achieved for a furniture flap 21 that can be mounted thereon that its lower edge is still in an area easily accessible to a user. Due to the gap-free overlap of the two support arms 11, 12 in the lateral direction, a particularly safe support device for a furniture flap results for a user, since it does not offer the possibility of reaching into a gap with the hand or fingers and pivoting them clamp the support device.

In Fig. 2a a perspective view of a support device 1 is shown, the articulated connection 13 not being shown for better visibility of the end sections of the first and second support arms 11, 12. First of all, the housing 10 and the attached damping unit 16 acting on the first support arm 11 can be seen again. The first support arm 11 can be pivoted about a first pivot axis s1 on the housing at an end 11a located at the top in the assembly position 10 stored. Analogously to this, the second support arm 12 is mounted on the housing 10 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis s2 at an end 12a arranged at the top in the assembly position. At a second end 11b of the first support arm 11, which is arranged at the bottom in the assembly position, as shown, a first axis of rotation d1 is provided for the rotatable mounting of the articulated connection 13. Again analogously to this, a second axis of rotation d2 for the rotatable mounting of the articulated connection 13 is provided at a second end 12b of the second support arm 12, which is arranged at the bottom in the assembly position as shown. The arrangement of the first axis of rotation d1 and the second axis of rotation d2 is also shown in an enlarged section A. The orientation of the first and second pivot axes s1, s2 as well as the orientation of the first and second rotational axes d1, d2 is horizontal in this exemplary embodiment, the pivoting direction of the support arms 11, 12 can thus take place in a vertical plane.

Figure 2b shows a perspective view of a support device 1, the position of which corresponds to a position of a partially open furniture flap. In this position of the support device 1, the damping unit 16 is no longer or not yet in contact with the first support arm 11. As can be seen from the detailed view A, the second support arm 12 essentially has a cross-sectional shape of a rectangle. The second support arm 12 is also partially arranged along its vertical extension in this illustration in the interior of the U-profile forming the first support arm 11.

Figure 2c shows a perspective illustration of a support device 1 in a position which corresponds to an almost completely open furniture flap 21. The first and second support arms 11, 12 are only partially shown for better visibility of the profile shapes. As can be seen in the detailed view A, the first support arm 11 has a cross-sectional shape which essentially corresponds to a U-profile. In the in Figure 2c The position of the support device 1 shown, which corresponds to an almost fully open position of a furniture flap 21, the second support arm 12 is arranged along its vertical extension in this illustration essentially completely between the vertical flanks of the U-profile forming the first support arm 11. The open side of the U-profile of the first support arm 11 is a furniture flap 21 that can be mounted on the support device 1 facing, so essentially the interior 22 formed by a furniture body 20 (see Figure 5b ) turned away. In this embodiment, the shape of the cross section of the second support arm 12 essentially corresponds to a rectangle, this cross-sectional shape being formed by two mutually facing U-profiles which are riveted butt.

In Fig. 3 a side view of a sectional illustration of a support device 1 is shown. The support device 1 is in a position corresponding to an open position of a furniture flap 21 (not shown). The housing 10 of the support device 1 can be seen with a spring-loaded mechanical drive 14 arranged therein, which acts on the first support arm 11 via a control cam 15. A damping unit 16 for damping the closing movement of a furniture cap 21 is also provided on the housing 10. At a second end 11b, the first support arm 11 is connected to an articulated connection 13 so as to be rotatable about a first axis of rotation d1. The second support arm 12 is connected to the housing 10 at a first end 12a so as to be pivotable about a second pivot axis s2. At a second end 12b, the second support arm 12 is rotatably connected to the articulated connection 13 about a second axis of rotation d2. The articulated connection 13 connected in this way results in a coupling of the movement of the first and second support arms 11, 12 when the support device 1 is actuated. As in the in Fig. 3 shown position of the support device 1 can be seen, in the position of the support device 1 corresponding to an open position of a furniture flap 21, the second support arm 12 is essentially completely overlapping with the first support arm 11, whereby there is also no formation of a gap between the two support arms 11, 12 comes, in which a user can reach laterally with his hand or fingers and this could injure himself when the support device 1 is actuated. By choosing the ratio of the normal distance between the first and second pivot axes s1, s2 measured along a straight line connecting them and the normal distance between the first and second rotational axes d1, d2 measured along a straight line connecting them, this ratio being smaller in this exemplary embodiment than 1, the desired tilting of the angular position of a mounted furniture flap 21 relative to a furniture body 20 can be achieved Pivoting a mounted support device 1 can be adapted to the height of a furniture body 20 or the height of a furniture flap 21.

In Figures 4a to 4d different designs of cross-sectional shapes of the first and second support arms 11, 12 of the support device 1 are shown schematically. The position of the support device 1 can correspond to an intermediate position between the open and closed end positions of the pivoting range of the support device 1. The first support arm 11 in each case has a cross-sectional shape that essentially corresponds to a U-profile.

In Figure 4a a variant is shown in which the second support arm 12 has a cross-sectional shape that essentially corresponds to a U-profile. The height of the second support arm 12 is partially arranged in the interior of the cavity formed by the U-profile of the first support arm 11, the open sides of the profiles of the first and second support arms 11, 12 facing each other.

In Figure 4b a variant of the support device 1 is shown in which the second support arm 12 has a cross-sectional shape which essentially corresponds to a U-profile. The second support arm 12 is again partially overlapping with the first support arm 11 along its height extension. In this embodiment, the first and the second support arm 11, 12 are nested in such a way that the profiles are each oriented in the same way.

Figure 4c shows a variant with a second support arm 12, which has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile.

In the Figure 4d The cross-sectional shape shown of the second support arm 12 corresponds essentially to the cross-sectional shape of the in FIG Figure 4c second support arm 12 shown, wherein in Figure 4d however, the cross-sectional area of the second support arm 12 turns out to be smaller.

Figure 5a shows an embodiment of a piece of furniture 2 with a support device 1. The furniture flap 21 mounted on the articulated connection 13 of the support device 1 is located in the position shown in FIG Figure 5a embodiment shown in a fully closed position.

The support device 1 is advantageously mounted in an upper region of the furniture body 20, for example on a side wall or a cover plate, over the housing 10 and, as in FIG Figure 5a shown essentially completely in the interior of the interior 22 of the furniture 2 formed by the furniture body 20. By means of a drive 14 which is not visible from the outside, the furniture flap 21 can be held in the closed position with a force that can easily be overcome by a user.

In Figure 5b an embodiment of a piece of furniture 2 with a support device 1 with a furniture flap 21 that is partially swung up is shown. The first support arm 11 and the second support arm 12 are in this intermediate position of the support device 1 in a gap-free overlap laterally to the direction of movement of the support arms 11, 12, which is achieved by the fact that the second support arm 12 partially in this and in any other position of the support device 1 is arranged within the cavity formed by the profile of the first support arm 11. Even in this position of the partially open furniture flap 21 it can be seen that the lateral accessibility of a user in the interior 22 of the furniture 2 formed by the furniture body 20 is not hindered by additional adjusting elements protruding from the furniture body 20. In addition, a drive 14 that is not visible from the outside can support or actively drive the opening or closing movement of the furniture flap 21. Such a drive 14 can also be used to hold the furniture flap 21 in an open position with a force that can easily be overcome by a user. A piece of furniture 2 with such a support device 1 for a furniture flap 21 is characterized by convenient, intuitive and safe operability, small space requirements and easy assembly.

Claims (15)

1. A support device (1) for a furniture flap (21), wherein the support device (1) can be hingedly connected to a furniture carcass (20) and a furniture flap (21), wherein the support device (1) has a first support arm (11) and a second support arm (12) and the first and second support arms (11, 12) overlap without a gap in every position of the support device (1) laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the support device (1), characterised in that the first support arm (11) and the second support arm (12) are profiled in cross-section and nested in each other.
2. A support device (1) as set forth in claim 1 wherein at a first end (11a), which is preferably arranged upwardly in the mounted position, the first support arm (11) can be connected to a furniture carcass (20) pivotably about a first pivot axis (s1) and wherein at a first end (12a), which is preferably arranged upwardly in the mounted position, the second support arm (12) can be connected to a furniture carcass (20) pivotably about a second pivot axis (s2), preferably by way of a housing (10).
3. A support device (1) as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first support arm (11) at a second end (11b), which is preferably arranged downwardly in the mounted position, and the second support arm (12) at a second end (12b), which is preferably arranged downwardly in the mounted position, are connected together by way of a hinged connection (13).
4. A support device (1) as set forth in claim 3 wherein the first support arm (11) is connected rotatably about a first axis of rotation (d1) and the second support arm (12) is connected rotatably about a second axis of rotation (d2) to the hinged connection (13).
5. A support device (1) as set forth in one of claims 2 through 4 wherein the normal spacing of the first pivot axis (s1) and the second pivot axis (s2), as measured along a straight line connecting same, is less than the normal spacing of the first axis of rotation (d1) and the second axis of rotation (d2), as measured along a straight line connecting same.
6. A support device (1) as set forth in one of claims 1 through 5 wherein the first support arm (11) and the second support arm (12) touch laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the support device (1) or their spacing relative to each other laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the support device (1) is less than or equal to 5 mm, preferably less than or equal to 1 mm.
7. A support device (1) as set forth in claim 6 wherein the shape of the cross-section of the first support arm (11) substantially corresponds to a U-shaped profile.
8. A support device (1) as set forth in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the shape of the cross-section of the second support arm (12) substantially corresponds to a U-shaped profile or a rectangle.
9. A support device (1) as set forth in one of claims 6 through 8 wherein in every position of the support device (1) the second support arm (12) is arranged at least partially within the cavity formed by the profile of the first support arm (11).
10. A support device (1) as set forth in one of claims 1 through 9 wherein the support device (1) has an electrical or spring-loaded mechanical drive (14).
11. An article of furniture (2) comprising a furniture carcass (20), a furniture flap (21) and at least one support device (1) for the furniture flap (21) as set forth in one of claims 1 through 10.
12. An article of furniture (2) as set forth in claim 11 wherein in a closed condition of the furniture flap (21) the support device (1) is arranged substantially in the interior of the internal space (22) of the article of furniture (2), that is formed by the furniture carcass (20) of the article of furniture.
13. An article of furniture (2) as set forth in claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the angular position of a furniture flap (21) mounted by way of the hinged connection (13) at the support device (1) is altered relative to the furniture carcass (20) upon pivotal movement of the support device (1).
14. An article of furniture (2) as set forth in one of claims 11 through 13 wherein the first pivot axis (s1) and the second pivot axis (s2) as well as the first axis of rotation (d1) and the second axis of rotation (d2) extend horizontally in the mounted condition of the support device (1).
15. An article of furniture (2) as set forth in one of claims 11 through 14 wherein the open side of the U-shaped profile of the first support arm (11) is towards the furniture flap (21) in the mounted condition of the support device (1).

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