KR102609219B1 - A retraction device for retracting movable parts of an appliance or furniture item into an end position. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a retraction device for retracting a movable part of a household appliance or item of furniture into an end position, comprising a driver, the driver being guided along a guide path and coupled to an accumulator, having a resting position and an end position. movable between positions, wherein the guide path includes an angled end section, wherein the driver enters the seating position with at least one guide pin within the angled end section to release the accumulator of the movable part. and wherein the guide path comprises an avoidance section, in which the driver is directed to a retraction device pivotable in the end position with the at least one guide pin to avoid the accumulator. The invention also relates to items of home appliances or furniture having movable parts, and in particular to sliding doors having a retraction device.

Description

A retraction device for retracting movable parts of an appliance or furniture item into an end position.

The present invention relates to a retraction device for retracting a movable part of a household appliance or item of furniture into an end position, comprising a driver, the driver being guided along a guide path and coupled to an accumulator, having a resting position and an end position. movable between positions, wherein the guide path includes an angled end section, wherein the driver enters the seating position with at least one guide pin within the angled end section to release the accumulator of the movable part. and wherein the guide path comprises an avoidance section, in which the driver is directed to a retraction device pivotable in the end position with the at least one guide pin to avoid the accumulator. The invention also relates to items of home appliances or furniture having movable parts, and in particular to sliding doors having a retraction device.

These retraction devices are used for the automatic retraction of movable parts in household appliances or items of furniture, for example sliding doors or drawers, from a predetermined position to an end position.

The end position may be a closed or open position of the movable part. A further area of application for such a retraction device could also be covers, storage compartments or the like in the automotive sector that can be moved by means of a sliding movement.

Such a retraction device is known from document DE 93 11 238 U1, which includes a displaceably guided driver with a fork-shaped receptacle called a driver fork.

The object of the present invention is to provide a retraction device for items of furniture or household appliances and movable parts, wherein, if the activator is in an incorrect position, the driver of the retraction device provides the additional retraction required for this function. It can be retracted again by moving the movable parts without a spring.

The driver is guided using two guide pins spaced from the other within a guide curve, where the guide pins include an angled end section at one end. Additionally, the driver is coupled to the retraction spring. The activator is arranged on the movable part, which is coupled into the driver fork as it moves in the direction of the end position and is pulled by the driver with the action of a spring force into the end position. As the movable furniture part moves back to its end position, the driver is also moved by the activator, where the retraction spring is tensioned. At the end of the guide curve, the driver's leading guide pin is cut into the angled end section of the guide curve, whereby the driver fork releases the activator and the driver tilts. When the retraction spring is tensioned, the driver remains in this parked position, from which it moves only when the activator is retracted again.

In case of improper use or after installation of the system, a situation may occur where the driver moves from the resting position into the end position without the activator being engaged with the driver fork. During the movement of the movable furniture part in the direction of the end position, a material-damaging collision of the activator and the driver may occur. In the mentioned document, the driver includes an approach bevel at which the activator operates in this position. A recess is provided in the guide curve of the driver, which allows tilting movement of the driver in a retracted position, whereby the driver avoids and the activator moves over the driver fork. A restoring spring is provided to rotate the driver fork back to the starting position when it reaches the activator.

This object is achieved by a retraction device or an item of home appliance or furniture having the characteristics of each independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and improvements are the subject of the dependent claims.

Figure 1A shows a schematic top view of a retraction device comprising an open housing with a driver in the end position.
FIG. 1B shows when the driver is in the seating position in the retraction device of FIG. 1A.
Figures 2a and 2b show a modified pre-tension spring in the retraction device of Figures 1a and 1b.
Figure 3a shows a plan view of the rear side of the retraction device of Figure 1a.
Figure 3b is a detailed view of Figure 3a.
Figure 4a shows the retraction device according to Figure 3a with the driver in the avoidance position.
Figure 4b shows the detail of Figure 4a in detail.
Figure 5 shows the retraction device according to Figure 3a installed on an item of furniture.
Figures 6a to 6c show retraction devices in the item of furniture according to Figure 5 at various positions on the furniture door.
Figure 7 schematically shows the spring force profile within the retraction device.

In the retraction device according to the invention, the outer contour of the driver and/or the avoidance section of the guide path of the driver are shaped so that when turning, the driver experiences a restoring torque by means of the accumulator. By means of a corresponding design of the avoidance section, a driver that is rotated by an incorrectly positioned activator can therefore be rotated again into exact engagement with the driver without the need for an additional restoring spring to be provided. Accordingly, the structure of the retraction device can be simplified accordingly. Alternatively or additionally, the torque acting on the driver may be formed by the external contour of the driver pressing at least one section on a fixed section of the retraction device, wherein said external contour is caused by the accumulator rotating. Formed to experience resilience. The stationary section can be formed, for example, by the edge of a linear section of the guide path or by the housing of the retraction device.

The charging of the accumulator can be combined when rotating by two operating mechanisms, namely by a correspondingly formed avoidance section or by a correspondingly formed external contour, where one or the other mechanism is provided for the section of the pivot movement.

In an advantageous design of the retraction device, the accumulator is a restoring spring that is tensioned when the driver moves from the end position to the resting position. The avoidance section is then preferably formed such that the restoring spring is also tensioned when the driver rotates into the avoidance section. The driver may, for example, include a side access bevel for rotation by the activator, which drives towards the driver from the outside and thus avoids the activator. The activator then reaches the area of the driver where it can be coupled, for example, with a drive fork. In this state, the driver can return to its normal position. Due to the short tension of the retraction spring, a force acts on the guide pin of the driver, moving the guide pin out of the avoidance section and thus pivoting the driver again.

This is achieved, for example, by an avoidance section extending transversely to the linear section of the guide path, where preferably the avoidance section encloses an angle of less than 90° with the linear section. The avoidance section, spaced at this angle from the linear section of the guide path, ensures that when the driver rotates without changing its position, the driver's plunging guide pins are rotated around other guide pins that are not located within the avoidance section. It extends within the circle of practice. A guide path that deviates inward from this circular path combines the sliding and pivoting movements of the driver and moves behind the driver with the tension of the retraction spring.

In another advantageous design of the retraction device, the driver is connected to a linearly displaceable carriage, which is coupled to an accumulator. The driver is preferably combined with a damping unit to slow down the retraction movement from the resting position to the end position. In this way, the retraction device is provided with a damping function and becomes a retraction and damping device. The damping unit is preferably designed as a linear damper arranged between the carriage and the housing of the retraction device.

In another advantageous design of the retraction device, the retraction spring is connected to the carriage via a coupling part, where the coupling part is guided via two additional guide paths, at least one of which is curved and provides pivot and slide movements. Perform the combination of The carriage preferably includes a pressure head that presses the coupling part. The pressure head comprises at least two differently aligned contact surfaces and/or at least one curved surface against which the coupling part is pressed.

The contact of the coupling part on the first contact surface of the pressure head starts from the end position and is transmitted directly to the retraction spring. When moving towards the seating position, the contact point on the second contact surface having a different inclination than the first contact surface is displaced by the pivot movement of the coupling part. The retraction spring acts only through an “inclined plane” on the carriage, whereby only a portion of the spring force acts in the direction of movement on the carriage. Less spring force on the carriage puts the driver in a seated position. Since the driver can be lifted from the seating position, there is no perceived mechanical resistance and noise is low. When the driver moves out of the resting position and engages the activator, an increase in spring force results in the required self-retraction.

In another advantageous design of the retraction device, a pre-tension adjustment unit is provided for pre-tensioning the retraction spring. Additionally, an adjustment unit may be provided for the damping action of the damping device. Two adjustment units enable optimal adaptation of the retraction and damping curves to the mass of the moving parts of the household appliance or item of furniture.

An item of household appliance or furniture according to the invention having at least one movable part, in particular a sliding door, may comprise at least one such retraction device for retracting the movable part to the end position.

The present invention is explained in more detail hereinafter based on exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

An exemplary embodiment of the retraction device 10 according to the present application is shown in a schematic top view in Figure 1a, where the housing 11 of the retraction device is shown as open to ensure a view of the internal structure of the retraction device. It is shown.

In all drawings of this application, like reference numerals identify identical or identically functioning components. Terms used in the scope of the description such as “left”, “right”, “upper”, and “lower” relate to the examples in the drawings. In the exemplary embodiments described below, the retraction device 10 is shown in relation to an item of furniture. It should not be interpreted as limited to this. The retraction device according to the present application can also be used to retract covers, storage compartments, etc. that are linearly displaceable to one or both end-positions for retraction of movable parts in the field of home appliances or automobiles.

In the retraction device 10 , a driver 12 is arranged in the upper region of the housing, which is guided to be pivotable and displaceable along a guide path 13 formed in the housing 11 . The driver 12 includes a driver fork 121 in the middle section, which protrudes beyond the outer edge of the housing 11, into which an activator of the movable furniture part (not described in more detail here) can be engaged. there is.

Guide pins 122 and 123 are formed on the driver 12 on the side of the driver fork 121 in each case to guide the driver 12 within the guide path 13. Driver 12 is mounted within guide path 13 using guide pins 122 and 123. The guide path 13 comprises an intermediate linear section 131 and also an angled end section 132 on one side and an avoidance section 133 on the other side.

The aforementioned activator fixed to the movable furniture part engages with the driver fork (121). Assuming that the activator is engaged with the driver fork 121 when it is located in the end position corresponding to FIG. 1A, the driver 12 is in a parked position according to the movement of the furniture part as shown in FIG. 1B. Move inside. During this exemplary opening movement the leading guide pin 122 is in this case cut into the angled end section 132, thereby pivoting the driver 12 and thus releasing the activator from the driver fork 121 so that the furniture part Can be moved more freely.

Additionally, the carriage 14 coupled to the driver 2 is guided and linearly displaced within the housing 11. This coupling is achieved in the present case by a guide slot 141 on the carriage 14, into which a guide pin 122 engages for coupling and is transverse to the linear section 131 of the guide path 13. It is preserved as

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the movement of the carriage 14 is damped relative to the housing 11 by the carriage 14 connected to one side of a linear damper 15, which is fixed to the other side of the housing 11. do. The retraction device 10 is thus designed as a damping and retraction device that retracts the furniture part in a damping manner into the end position.

The linear damper 15 includes a cylinder 151 and the piston has a piston rod 152, in the case shown the cylinder 151 is connected to the carriage 14 and the piston rod 152 is connected to the housing 11. is connected to Alternatively, the linear damper 15 may also be arranged in the reverse direction, such that the cylinder 151 is connected to the housing 11 and the piston rod 152 is connected to the carriage 14.

The coupling between the linear damper 15 and the housing 11 may be immutable, such as the way the piston rod 152 is held in a permanent position within the housing 11. In this embodiment, the adjustment unit 153 is additionally provided and can be manually set via the externally accessible setting lever 154 using the position of the piston rod 152 within the housing 11. The damping action can be varied by means of the adjustment unit 153 and thus the retraction device 10 can be adapted according to personal preferences with respect to the mass of the movable furniture part and the dynamics of the retraction process.

In the opening movement, the front end of the carriage 14 is formed by a pressure head 142, which presses the coupling part 16 connected to one end of the retraction spring 17. The coupling part 16 is essentially formed in an L-shape, with the longer leg aligned in the direction of movement of the carriage 14 and the shorter leg pointing downward in Figure 1a. A receptacle 161 for the end of the retraction spring 17 is formed on this shorter leg.

The opposite end of the retraction spring 17 is fixed in the spring receptacle, which secures this side of the retraction spring 17 in relation to the housing 11 .

Similar to what has been described in relation to the linear damper 15, the end of the retraction spring 17 can be permanently fixed within the housing 11. In this exemplary embodiment, a pre-tension adjustment unit 171 is provided, through which the corresponding end of the retraction spring 17 is passively positioned within the housing 11 to adjust the adjustment slide 172. With the help of , the retraction spring 17 can be manually displaced to set the spring pre-tension. The retraction device 10 can therefore also be matched to the mass of the moving furniture part.

The retraction device 10 is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b by the illustrated method in the same position as in FIGS. 1a and 1b, but the spring pre-tension of the retraction spring 17 is set lower. .

The linear movement of the carriage 14 is transmitted by the coupling part 16 to the right end of the retraction spring 17 in FIGS. 1a,b and 2a,b. In this case, transmission is carried out between the carriage 14 and the retraction spring 17 using a force transmission ratio that changes during the movement of the carriage 14. This will be explained in more detail in Figure 7. The avoidance function depending on the application of the driver 12 can fundamentally also be implemented using a fixed combination of the co-moving end of the retraction spring 17 and the carriage 14 .

In FIG. 3 a , the retraction device 10 according to FIG. 1 is shown once again with respect to the rear side and also with respect to the top view of the open housing 11 . Figure 3b shows a detailed enlargement of the retraction device 10 in the area of the guide path 13.

In the normal operation of the retraction device 10, when the driver 12 is in the end position, it is assumed that the activator of the movable furniture part is located in the driver fork 121. However, an operating situation may arise in which the driver 12 is located in the end position and the movable furniture part is not located in the end position, so that the activator can also be located outside the driver fork 121.

When the movable furniture part moves to the end position within the position shown in Fig. 3A, the activator moves towards the driver 12. Such a driver may include an approach bevel 124 opposite which the activator operates. Due to the avoidance section 133 , the driver 12 also tilts into this end position and specifically wraps around the guide pin 122 , where the guide pin 123 cuts into the avoidance section 133 .

This state is shown in Figure 4a and an enlarged detailed view of Figure 4b. The avoidance section 133 is aligned so that the driver 12 moves slightly in the opening direction when the guide pin 123 is cut into the avoidance section 133. This is achieved because the avoidance section 133 is aligned transversely to the linear section 131 and encloses an angle of less than 90°. If the avoidance section 133 is formed as a circular path section perpendicularly incident on the linear section 131 and with a radius corresponding to the spacing of the guide pins 122, 123, the driver 12 determines the position of the guide pin 122. You can pivot to evade without changing . The avoidance section 133 extends at all points forward of the circular path section visible from the linear section 131, with the result that the guide pin 122 is pushed back.

In each comparison between FIGS. 3A and 4A or between FIGS. 3B and 4B, the pushing back of the guide pin 122 can be better seen in the more extended position of the piston rod 152 of the linear damper 15. there is. The movement performed by the carriage 14 in this case is shown in Figure 4b as the distance Δx. The retraction spring 17 is also slightly stretched with movement due to the distance Δx. The spring tension of the retraction spring 17 exerts a restoring torque through the cooperation of the guide pin 123 and the avoidance curve 133, so that when the activator reaches the area of the driver fork 121, the driver moves as shown in Figure 3a. and can pivot back to the aligned state as shown in Figure 3b. Afterwards, the normal operating state of the retraction device 10 is achieved again. Accordingly, this restoring torque is advantageously achieved by application through the presence of the retraction spring 17, so that no additional spring elements are required to obtain the restoring torque.

In the pivot movement section of the driver 12 , tensioning of the retraction spring 17 may also occur due to the external contour of the driver 12 . For example, in the exemplary embodiment shown, at the end of the return pivot process, the right outer edge (in the drawing) of the driver 12 is either stretched while the retraction spring 17 is individually pivoting down. During pivoting, the retraction spring 17 presses the edge of the housing 11 in such a way that it relaxes, which results in the mentioned restoring force.

The retraction device 10 according to the above-described drawing is shown in FIG. 5 installed within an item of furniture. Only one corner area where the retraction device 10 is installed is shown on the item of furniture. Specifically, a section of the side wall 1 of the item of furniture is shown, as well as a sliding door 2 which is guided for displacement via a slide fitting 3 with rollers 4 on a runway 5. .

The activator 6, which interacts with the driver 12 of the retraction device 10, is arranged on the slide fitting 3. The slide fitting (3) also includes a second activator (6'), which also provides an end position opposite the open position of the sliding door (2) with a retraction or retraction and damping function. May interact with a traction device (not shown).

Figure 5 shows the normal operating state of the retraction device 10 with the driver 12 in the seating position with the sliding door 2 partially open and the retraction spring 17 relaxed.

The sequence of the three positions of the sliding door 2 is shown in Figures 6a to 6c, where in Figure 6a the driver 12 is in the end position but the activator 6 is not yet received in the driver fork 121. Indicates a non-normal operating state of the retraction device 10. The driving of the activator 6 on the approach bevel 124 of the driver 12 is shown in Figure 6b, which allows avoidance of the driver 12 without damaging material deformation.

Finally, Figure 6c shows the driver 12 pivoted again with the relief of the retraction spring 17. The normal operating state of the retraction device 10 is again achieved, in which the sliding door 2 is in the end position like the driver 12 and the activator 6 is again engaged with the driver fork 121.

The coupling of the retraction spring 17 and the carriage 14 through the coupling part 16 is as described above in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

In this case, the coupling proceeds from the end position, so that the carriage 14 and the receptacle 161 of the retraction spring 17 are first formed to move linearly with each other. The coupling part 16 is mounted on or within the two guide paths 164, 165 for the purpose of assisting the two guide pins 162, 163. In this case, the guide path 164 is formed linearly and guides the first guide pin 162. The coupling part 16 may move along a guide path 164 where this guide may also allow rotation of the coupling part 16 about the guide pin 162 . The mentioned additional second guide pin 163 is arranged at the distal end of the horizontally aligned arm of the coupling part 16 . The additional guide path 165 along which this second guide pin 163 drives is curved, such that the coupling part 16 pivots around the first guide pin 162 while it moves.

At the beginning of the opening movement out of the end position, the coupling part 16 presses with the guide pin 163 against the first contact section 143 of the pressure head 142. The first contact section extends at a slight angle on the pressure head 142 of the carriage 14 . Towards the end of the opening movement, just before the driver 12 is tilted into the seating position, the guide pin 163 follows its additional guide curve 165 on the second contact section 144 on the pressure head 142. As a result of the movement, it is now aligned substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage 14. In this position, the retraction spring 17 no longer achieves its spring force by tensioning the carriage 14, but rather by the inclination of the second contact surface 144 and the interaction of the coupling part 16. Through it, only its friction acts. This also indicates a stronger drop in the spring force acting on the driver 12 in this area.

Figure 7 shows the achieved spring force profile in spring force curve 21. The spring force curve 21 is shown in comparison with the normal spring force curve 22 that appears when the end of the retraction spring 17 is directly coupled to the carriage 14.

In the diagram of Figure 7, the deflection x of the driver 12 is shown on the horizontal axis and the spring force F acting on the driver 12 is shown on the vertical axis. The deflection x=0 represents when the driver 12 is in the end position, and the deflection x=xmax corresponds to the resting position.

Attaching the retraction spring 17 directly to the carriage 14 results in the expected linear relationship between the deflection x of the driver 12 and the spring force F acting thereon, following the normal spring force curve 22, Here, the spring force F at the end position x= 0 is equal to the spring pre-tension force F0.

When attaching the retraction spring 17 to the carriage 14 via the coupling part 16 implemented in the exemplary embodiment shown, the corresponding spring force curve 21 first also deflects the driver 12 It represents a linear relationship between x and the spring force F proceeding from the end position and acting on it. In contrast, just before reaching the seating position, the spring force F acting on the driver 12 decreases strongly and reaches values that can be even less than the pre-tension force F0 in the end position.

Since no strong spring force is applied to the driver 12 within the guide curve 13 in the seating position, it is possible to lift the driver 12 out of the seating position without any perceived mechanical resistance and with low noise. If the driver 12 then moves out of the resting position and engages the activator, the then strongly rising spring force results in the required self-retraction.

Instead of the raised guide pins 122,123 on the driver 12 and the pressurized guide path 13 on the housing 11, equivalent means could also be used to guide the driver 12, for example on the housing 12. There will be at least one elevated guide web on the top and a corresponding guide element on the driver.

Terms such as “guide path” and “guide pin” also include equivalent designs; This also applies to the guide of the coupling part 16.

1 side wall
2 sliding door
3 slide fitting
4 rollers
5 runway
6 Activator
6' 2nd activator
10 Retraction device
11 housing
12 drivers
121 driver fork
122, 123 guide pin
124 approach bevel
13 guided routes
131 linear section
132 Angled End Section
133 Avoidance Section
14 carriage
141 guide slot
142 pressure head
143 first contact section
144 second contact section
15 linear damper
151 cylinder
152 piston rod
153 control unit
154 Setting lever
16 Coupling parts
161 receptacle
162, 163 guide pin
164, 165 guide route
17 Retraction spring
171 Pre-tension adjustment unit
172 adjustable slides
21 Spring force curve
22 Normal spring force curve
x bias
Bias within xmax settling position
Δx displacement
F spring force
F0 spring pre-tension force

Claims (15)

In the retraction device (10) for pulling the movable parts of furniture or home appliances to the end position,
a driver (12) guided along a guide path (13) and coupled to a force accumulator, movable between said end-position and parked position;
where - the guide path (13) has an angled end for the driver (12) to enter the seating position with at least one guide pin (122, 123) to release the activator (6) of the movable part. Contains an angled end section 132,
where - the guide path (13) has an evasion section wherein the driver (12) can pivot in the end position with the at least one guide pin (122, 123) to evade the activator (6). ) includes section (133);
Characterized in that the avoidance section 133 or the outer contour of the driver 12 is formed such that upon pivoting of the driver 12, the driver 12 experiences a restoring torque due to the force accumulator. However,
The driver (12) is connected to a linearly displaceable carriage (14),
The carriage 14 is turn coupled to the accumulator,
The accumulator is coupled to the carriage 14 through a coupling part 16,
The coupling part 16 is guided through two additional guide paths 164 and 165, at least one of which is in turn curved and performs a combined pivot movement and a slide movement.
Retraction device (10).
According to claim 1,
The force accumulator is a retraction spring (17) that is tensioned with the movement of the driver from the end position into the seating position,
Retraction device (10).
According to clause 2,
The avoidance section is such that the retraction spring 17 is tensioned upon rotation of the driver into the end position.
Retraction device (10).
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the avoidance section (133) extends perpendicularly to the linear section (131) of the guide path (13).
Retraction device (10).
According to clause 4,
The avoidance section 133 surrounds an angle of less than 90° with the linear section 131.
Retraction device (10).
delete According to claims 1 to 5,
The driver 12 is coupled to a damping unit to slow the retraction movement from the seating position into the end position.
Retraction device (10).
According to clause 7,
The damping unit is designed as a linear damper 15, and the damping unit is disposed between the housing 11 of the retraction device 10 and the carriage 14.
Retraction device (10).

delete 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carriage (14) comprises a pressure head (141) pressing against the coupling part (16).
Retraction device (10).
According to clause 10,
The pressure head (141) comprises at least two differently aligned contact surfaces (142, 143) or at least one curved contact surface that presses against the coupling part (16).
Retraction device (10).
According to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The driver 12 includes a side approach bevel 124.
Retraction device (10).

According to any one of claims 2 to 5,
A pre-tension adjustment unit 171 is provided for pre-tension (F0) of the retraction spring 17.
Retraction device (10).
In clause 7,
An adjustment unit 153 is provided for the damping operation of the damping unit.
Retraction device (10).
Has at least one movable part,
An item of household appliance or furniture comprising at least one retracting device (10) corresponding to claim 1 for retracting the movable part into an end position.