TWI722437B - Piston-cylinder unit and telescopic column, in particular for a piece of sit-stand furniture comprising a piston-cylinder unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a piston-cylinder unit (10), comprising a first cylinder (12) having a first longitudinal cylinder axis, a first piston arrangement (14) that is inserted into the first cylinder (12) and comprises a first piston rod (16), which pushes through the first cylinder (12) at a first end face (S1-1), and a first piston (18), which divides the interior of the first cylinder (12) into a first working chamber (A1-1) and a second working chamber (A2-1), the first working chamber (A1-1) being arranged on one side of the first end face (S1-1) and the second working chamber (A2-1) being arranged on a side of a second end face (S2-1) of the first cylinder (12), which second end face is opposite the first end face (S1-1), a second cylinder (22), comprising a second longitudinal cylinder axis that is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal cylinder axis and a second piston arrangement (24) that is inserted into the second cylinder (22) and comprises a second piston rod (26), which pushes through the second cylinder (22) at a second end face (S2-2) of the second cylinder (22), which second end face is opposite the first end face (S1-1) of the first cylinder (12), and a second piston (28), which divides the interior of the second cylinder (22) into a first working chamber (A1-2) and a second working chamber (A2-2), the second working chamber (A1-2) of the second cylinder (22) being arranged on one side of the second end face (S2-2) of the second cylinder (22) and the first working chamber (A1-2) of the second cylinder (22) being arranged on a side of a first end face (S1-2) of the second cylinder (22), which first end face is opposite the second end face (S2-2) of the second cylinder (22), the first piston (18) or the second piston (28) comprising a valve (30), which is designed so as to connect the first working chamber (A1-1, A1-2) and the second working chamber (A2-1, A2-2) of the respective cylinders (12, 22) to one another when in an open state, the piston-cylinder unit (10) being designed such that fluid can be exchanged between the first working chamber (A1-1) of the first cylinder (12) and the second working chamber (A2-2) of the second cylinder (22) and/or fluid can be exchanged between the first working chamber (A1-2) of the second cylinder (22) and the second working chamber (A2-1) of the first cylinder (12). Furthermore, the present invention relates to a telescopic column (100), in which such a piston-cylinder unit (10) is arranged.

Description

Piston-cylinder unit and telescopic column, especially a piece of sitting-stand furniture including piston-cylinder unit

The present invention relates to a piston-cylinder unit, which includes: a first cylinder having a first cylinder longitudinal axis; a first piston device inserted into the first cylinder and including a first piston pushed through the first cylinder at a first end surface Rod, and including a first piston that divides the interior of the first cylinder into a first working chamber and a second working chamber, the first working chamber is arranged on one side of the first end surface, and the second working chamber is arranged in the first cylinder On one side of the second end surface, the second end surface is opposite to the first end surface; the second cylinder has a second cylinder longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first cylinder; and a second piston device inserted into the first cylinder The second cylinder includes a second piston rod pushed through the second cylinder at the second end surface of the second cylinder, the second end surface being opposite to the first end surface of the first cylinder, and includes dividing the interior of the second cylinder into The second piston of the first working chamber and the second working chamber, the second working chamber of the second cylinder is arranged on one side of the second end surface of the second cylinder, and the first working chamber of the second cylinder is arranged on the second cylinder On one side of the first end surface, the first end surface is opposite to the second end surface of the second cylinder. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a telescopic column, which includes a piston-cylinder unit.

For example, in an office work place, in addition to the usual office chairs or office swivel chairs, sometimes you also want to provide standing aids, which are combined with an adjustable height desk to improve the user’s posture and reduce its The tightness of the back, or for example, can simply provide alternative working positions that the user can take.

According to the current prior art, there are office swivel chairs or standing aids, which include individual adjustment elements for small or medium adjustment distances of the chair and corresponding longer adjustment distances for the standing aids. In each case, the adjustment element covers the sitting or standing area.

Therefore, two different products are required to allow both sitting and standing functions.

In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide an adjustment element that has an adjustment distance or stroke that is particularly long relative to the retraction length. In this case, an object of the present invention is especially to provide an adjustment element for a piece of furniture, which is suitable as a piece of sitting furniture and a piece of standing furniture, and by corresponding to a long adjustment distance, It is used to achieve a low sitting height and a height that allows a piece of furniture to function as a standing aid.

According to the first aspect, the object of the present invention is achieved by a piston-cylinder unit, which includes: a first cylinder having a first cylinder longitudinal axis; a first piston device inserted into the first cylinder and included in the first cylinder One end surface pushes through the first piston rod of the first cylinder, and includes a first piston that divides the interior of the first cylinder into a first working chamber and a second working chamber, the first working chamber is arranged on one side of the first end surface And the second working chamber is arranged on one side of the second end surface of the first cylinder, the second end surface is opposite to the first end surface; the second cylinder has a second cylinder substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first cylinder A longitudinal axis; and a second piston device inserted into the second cylinder and including a second piston rod pushed through the second cylinder at the second end surface of the second cylinder, the second end surface being relative to the first cylinder End surface, and includes a second piston that divides the interior of the second cylinder into a first working chamber and a second working chamber. The second working chamber of the second cylinder is arranged on one side of the second end surface of the second cylinder, and the first The first working chamber of the second cylinder is arranged on one side of the first end surface of the second cylinder, and the first end surface is opposite to the second end surface of the second cylinder; the first piston or the second piston includes a valve, which is designed as When opened, the first working chamber and the second working chamber of the individual cylinders are connected to each other; and the piston-cylinder unit is designed so that fluid can be between the first working chamber of the first cylinder and the second working chamber of the second cylinder Exchange, and/or fluid can be exchanged between the first working chamber of the second cylinder and the second working chamber of the first cylinder.

Since one piston of the piston-cylinder unit includes a valve, and the other piston of the piston-cylinder unit does not include a valve, although the fluid can be exchanged with the working chamber of the other cylinder in each case, the two opposing piston devices (the first The first and second piston devices) act as a single piston device and have a longer stroke distance.

The maximum stroke distance to be reached by the piston-cylinder unit is greater than its withdrawal length. As a result, the piston-cylinder unit according to the present invention is suitable for several applications where a relatively compact adjustment element is required, which has a long stroke distance relative to the retraction length, especially as an adjustment element for a piece of furniture The furniture is intended to be used as both a chair and a standing aid, for example. This type of furniture is also referred to as a piece of sitting-stand furniture below.

It should be noted that the term "cylinder" should not be regarded as limited to cylindrical components, but instead includes any "cylindrical cavity". Therefore, the first piston device and the second piston device, for example, can also be inserted into separate cylindrical cavities, which can be arranged inside a common housing.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the expression "substantially parallel" in this case also clearly intends to include the following configuration: the cylinder longitudinal axes of the first and second cylinders are arranged at a small angle of up to approximately 15˚ with each other.

In particular, the first working chamber of the first cylinder may be connected to the second working chamber of the second cylinder via at least a first connecting passage, and/or the first working chamber of the second cylinder may be connected to the second working chamber of the second tank via at least a second connecting passage The second working room of the first tank. For example, by defining the cross section of at least one first connection channel and at least one second connection channel in a predetermined manner, the working fluid can be exchanged relatively directly. The expression "connecting channel" should be understood here to mean that fluids can be exchanged through one or more connecting channels. This means that the expression "connected channels" should not be understood as being limited to components such as pipes or hoses, but instead implies any "channel-like" free space that connects corresponding working rooms to each other.

The piston including the valve may have an actuation member that is designed to open the valve when it is actuated and close the valve when it is not. This can ensure that the piston-cylinder unit is operated or switched in a particularly preferred manner. When the actuation part is activated, the piston rod can be extended and withdrawn; if the actuation part is not actuated, the piston-cylinder unit can have a buffer lock.

The maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit can be particularly preferably greater than the length of the retracted piston-cylinder unit; the maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit can preferably be approximately twice as long as the retracted piston-cylinder unit. As a result of this nature, the piston-cylinder unit is especially ideally used as an adjustment element for, for example, a piece of sitting-stand furniture, which requires the adjustment element to have a relatively compact retraction length and a relatively long stroke distance.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit may be at least 300 mm, preferably approximately 440 mm. This relatively long stroke or adjustment distance is advantageous for an adjustment element applied as a piece of furniture, which is intended to be used as both a chair and a standing aid.

Incidentally, the first piston rod of the first piston device may have substantially the same diameter as the second piston rod of the second piston device. Equally speaking, the first piston of the first piston device may have substantially the same diameter as the second piston of the second piston device. If the two piston rods and the two pistons both have approximately the same diameter, the two-piston device therefore also generates approximately the same extension force and locking force, and both piston rods can be retracted and extended approximately simultaneously and at approximately the same speed. However, the two piston rods and the two pistons may not have the same diameter. In this case, the sequence of withdrawal and extension of the piston rod may be affected or defined by small differences (for example, differences in the diameter of the piston rod).

In an advantageous specific aspect, the gas can be set as the working fluid in the piston-cylinder unit, especially in the working chambers of the first and second cylinders. In this advantageous specific aspect, the first cylinder and the first piston device form a first gas spring, and the second cylinder and the second piston device form a second gas spring. Gas springs are relatively cheap and easy to manufacture, and equally constitute a means that are extremely suitable for application as adjustment elements, for example, they are used in furniture and automobile tailgates...etc.

Instead of a selective and advantageous specific aspect, gas and hydraulic oil can be provided in the piston-cylinder unit as the working fluid. By using hydraulic oil, the diameter or width of the second cylinder can be reduced, and therefore the diameter or width of the piston-cylinder unit, because the gas spring is replaced by a single-acting hydraulic cylinder.

According to the second aspect, the object according to the present invention is solved by a telescopic column, which is especially used for a piece of sitting-and-standing furniture. The telescopic column includes: a bottom telescopic tube; a middle telescopic tube; Sliding; and the top telescopic tube, which is slidable relative to the middle telescopic tube; the piston-cylinder unit according to the first aspect of the present invention is arranged in the middle telescopic tube; and when the telescopic column and the piston-cylinder unit are in an extended state, The first piston rod of the first piston device extends in the top telescopic tube, and the second piston rod of the second piston device extends in the bottom telescopic tube.

The piston-cylinder unit according to the first aspect of the present invention makes it possible for the maximum stroke distance of the telescopic column according to the present invention to be greater than its retracted length. As a result, the telescopic column according to the invention is suitable for applications requiring a relatively long stroke distance, especially for example as a support element for a piece of furniture and at the same time as an adjustment element, which furniture is intended to be used as both a chair and a standing aid. Other applications are also conceivable, for example as a foot of a corresponding desk with the required long adjustment distance.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the middle telescopic tube can slide inside the bottom telescopic tube, and the top telescopic tube can slide inside the middle telescopic tube. As a result, the telescopic column gradually shrinks upward. This is normal for telescopic columns used as chairs or standing aids (especially a piece of sitting and standing furniture), and it is also advantageous due to improved stability. This is due to the relative diameter of the telescopic tube. Achieved by reducing the lower end and tapering towards the upper end. During the load, the bottom telescopic tube absorbs the most force, which is why the expedient is to arrange the telescopic tube with the largest diameter at the bottom, or configure the telescopic tube so that the middle telescopic tube can slide inside the bottom telescopic tube , And the top telescopic tube can slide inside the middle telescopic tube.

Furthermore, the telescopic column may also include a supporting element, which is connected to the top telescopic tube at the upper end of the top telescopic tube, and forms a receiving container for the first piston rod, the supporting element is designed to be coupled to a functional part of a piece of furniture , Especially coupled to the user's seat and/or bearing surface of a piece of sitting-stand furniture. The function of such a supporting element can be as a connecting element between the telescopic column and the seat and/or bearing surface for the back or buttocks of the user, and for example, can be in the form of a seat support. In another application of the telescopic column, for example, in a desk, the function of the supporting element can correspondingly be used as a connecting element between the telescopic column and other components (such as a desktop or the like). It should be noted that this supporting element can preferably be designed as a cone; however, any other shape is also possible.

In an advantageous specific aspect, the telescopic column may also include a trigger mechanism for triggering the piston-cylinder unit, which is especially used for activating the actuation component of the piston-cylinder unit. In this case, the trigger mechanism can be arranged on the supporting element, for example. Furthermore, in this advantageous specific aspect, the trigger mechanism can be especially configured as a pressure member, for example, it can be actuated by a lever to be pressed and/or pulled by the user. When actuated, the pressure member can then press on the actuating member, thereby opening the valve in the piston and adjusting the piston-cylinder unit. Such a trigger mechanism can be configured to actuate the longitudinal adjustment of the telescopic column. If the trigger mechanism is arranged on the supporting element, the user can easily reach it ergonomically. Incidentally, users are accustomed to deploying the trigger mechanism on the support element of a conventional office chair, and when the telescopic column is used as a support element and an adjustment element (especially in a piece of sitting-stand furniture), the user can intuitively Adjust the telescopic column. However, it should be noted that trigger mechanisms with different configurations and implementations are also conceivable, for example, the trigger mechanism is configured on the bottom piston rod, or the trigger mechanism is actuated by a button or a different actuation element instead of a lever.

If the telescopic column also includes a bearing device (which is arranged at the lower end of the telescopic tube at the bottom) and a receiving container for the second piston rod, and the bearing device also includes at least one axial bearing, the telescopic column can be fixed or fixed relative to the bearing device. The stationary part rotates, this configuration can especially be designed as the base of a telescopic column. This is particularly desirable and advantageous when used as a telescopic column for office chairs, standing aids or sitting and standing aids. However, it should be noted that it is also possible to design the telescopic column so that it cannot rotate. Similarly, by setting a stop means, it is possible to restrict the rotation of the telescopic column.

In a particularly advantageous variant, the telescopic column may also include a drive tube connected to the piston-cylinder unit and arranged around the second piston rod of the second piston device, the drive tube being designed to transfer the rotation of the piston-cylinder unit to The upper part of the axial bearing. Since the drive tube transfers the rotation of the piston-cylinder unit to the upper part of the axial bearing, the drive tube maintains the direction between the middle of the telescopic column and the axial bearing. If such a drive tube is not provided, the bottom or second piston rod will rotate the axial bearing and therefore will be exposed to lateral forces. For example, when the telescopic column is used as a piece of furniture, chair or standing This can happen during the rotation of the support element of the assistive device.

1 to 5, described is a piston-cylinder unit 10 according to a first specific aspect of the present invention. The piston-cylinder unit 10 includes: a first cylinder 12; a first piston device 14, which is inserted into the first cylinder 12 and includes a first piston rod 16 and a first piston 18; a second cylinder 22; and a second piston device 24, It is inserted into the second cylinder 22 and includes a second piston rod 26 and a second piston 28. The first cylinder 12 is substantially parallel to the second cylinder 22, and the first piston rod 16 is substantially parallel to the second piston rod 26. The first piston rod 16 is pushed through the first cylinder 12 at the first end surface S1-1, and the second piston rod 26 is pushed through the second cylinder 22 at the second end surface S2-2 of the second cylinder 22, the second end surface It is opposite to the first end surface S1-1 of the first cylinder 12. The first piston 18 divides the inside of the first cylinder 12 into a first working chamber A1-1 and a second working chamber A2-1. The first working room A1-1 is arranged on one side of the first end face S1-1, and the second working room A2-1 is arranged on one side of the second end face S2-1 of the first cylinder 12. The second end face It is relative to the first end surface S1-1. The second piston 28 divides the inside of the second cylinder 22 into a first working chamber A1-2 and a second working chamber A2-2. The second working room A1-2 of the second cylinder 22 is arranged on one side of the second end surface S2-2 of the second cylinder 22, and the first working room A1-2 of the second cylinder 22 is arranged between the second cylinder 22 On one side of the first end surface S1-2, the first end surface is opposite to the second end surface S2-2 of the second cylinder 22. The first piston 18 includes a valve, a throttle valve or a nozzle bore. In the open state, the valve, throttle valve or nozzle bore connects the first working chamber A1-1 and the second working chamber A2-1 of the first cylinder 12 to each other, and in the closed state, disconnects the first working chamber A1-1 of the first cylinder 12 The connection between one studio A1-1 and the second studio A2-1. The second piston 28 does not include a valve or a bore, and accordingly, the first working chamber A1-2 and the second working chamber A2-2 of the second cylinder 22 are not directly connected to each other inside the second cylinder 22. The first cylinder 12 and the second cylinder 22 can also be arranged in a common shell to form a cylindrical cavity.

It should be noted that instead of alternative specific aspects, the second piston 28 instead of the first piston 18 may include a valve, a throttle valve or a nozzle bore, then the first working chamber A1-2 and the second working chamber of the second cylinder 22 A2-2 may be connected to each other accordingly, and the first working chamber A1-1 and the second working chamber A2-1 of the first cylinder 12 may not be directly connected inside the first cylinder.

The piston-cylinder unit 10 is designed so that fluid can be exchanged between the first working chamber A1-1 of the first cylinder 12 and the second working chamber A2-2 of the second cylinder 22, and/or the fluid can be exchanged in the second cylinder The first working chamber A1-2 of 22 and the second working chamber A2-1 of the first cylinder 12 are exchanged.

Since the first piston 18 of the piston-cylinder unit 10 includes a valve and the second piston 28 of the piston-cylinder unit 10 does not include a valve, although the fluid can be combined with the working chambers A1-1, A2 of other cylinders 12 and 22 in each case -1, A1-2, A2-2 exchanged, but the two opposed piston devices 14, 24 (first and second piston devices) together with the individually associated cylinders 12, 22 (first and second cylinders) are also referred to below The gas springs 12 and 22 (first and second gas springs), because the first embodiment uses gas as a working fluid, it functions as a single piston device or a gas spring, and has a longer stroke distance. This means that the two gas springs 12, 22 are retracted and extended approximately at the same time.

The maximum stroke distance to be reached by the piston-cylinder unit 10 is greater than its retracted length. As a result, the piston-cylinder unit 10 according to the present invention is suitable for several applications in which a relatively compact adjustment element is required, which has a stroke distance that is very long relative to the retraction length, for example, especially for one piece Adjusting elements for sitting and standing furniture.

In the first specific aspect, the first working chamber A1-1 of the first cylinder 12 can be connected via at least the first connecting channel 20 (which, for example, is in the form of a connecting pipe or a connecting hose, especially a high-pressure hose) The second working chamber A2-2 of the second cylinder 22, and/or the first working chamber A1-2 of the second cylinder 22 may be connected via at least a second connecting passage 30 (which is, for example, a connecting pipe or a connecting hose Form, especially a high-pressure hose) and connected to the second working chamber A2-1 of the first cylinder 12. This means that the exchange of the above-mentioned fluids between the working rooms A1-1 and A2-2 and the working rooms A2-1 and A1-2 can advantageously be carried out through the connecting channels 20, 30. The expression "connection channel" should be understood here to mean that fluids can be exchanged through one or more connection channels. This means that the expression "connection channel" should not be understood as being limited to components such as pipes or hoses, but implies any "channel-like" free space that connects corresponding working rooms to each other. The connecting channels 20, 30 can therefore also be in the form of a channel system or similar, as listed in the introductory part of the specification, which for example are also inside a common housing.

The first piston 18 including the valve in the first specific aspect may include an actuation member 17 that opens the valve when activated and closes the valve when not. If the actuating member 17 is thus actuated (especially pressed) by the user, the fluid can be exchanged among all working rooms A1-1, A2-1, A1-2, A2-2, and the piston-cylinder unit 10 Can be withdrawn and extended. If the actuating member 17 is not actuated, the piston-cylinder unit 10 has a buffer lock.

The maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit 10 may be greater than the length of the withdrawn piston-cylinder unit 10. The maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit 10 may be approximately twice as long as the retracted piston-cylinder unit 10, which corresponds to approximately 440 mm in the first specific aspect. This relatively long stroke or adjustment distance is extremely desirable for use as an adjustment element for a piece of sitting-stand furniture.

In the first specific aspect, the first piston rod 16 of the first piston device 14 may also have substantially the same diameter as the second piston rod 26 of the second piston device 14. Equally speaking, the first piston 18 of the first piston device 14 may have substantially the same diameter as the second piston 28 of the second piston device 24. If the two piston rods 16, 26 and the two pistons 18, 28 have approximately the same diameter, the two piston devices 14, 24 produce approximately the same extension force and locking force, and if the valve of the first piston 18 is opened, the two piston rods 16, 26 can withdraw and extend approximately simultaneously and approximately at the same speed. If the valve is closed, there is no extension force. It is not clearly defined which gas spring 12, 22 extends first. The sequence of extension and withdrawal can be affected or defined by small differences (for example, differences in the diameter of the piston rod).

In the first specific aspect, the gas can be provided in the working chambers A1-1, A2-1, A1-2, and A2-2 of the first cylinder 12 and the second cylinder 22 of the piston-cylinder unit 10 as a working fluid. As mentioned earlier, the first cylinder 12 and the first piston device 14 form the first gas spring 12, and the second cylinder 22 and the second piston device 24 form the second gas spring 22.

6 to 9, described is a telescopic column 50 according to a specific aspect of the present invention, in which a piston-cylinder unit 10 is installed. The telescopic column 50 includes a bottom telescopic tube 52, a middle telescopic tube 54, and a top telescopic tube 56. The middle telescopic tube 54 can slide relative to the bottom telescopic tube 52, especially but not necessarily inside the bottom telescopic tube 52, and the top telescopic tube 56 can slide relative to the middle telescopic tube 54, especially but not necessarily inside the middle telescopic tube 54. The piston-cylinder unit 10 according to the first specific aspect is arranged in the intermediate telescopic tube 54.

It should be noted that, as an alternative to the piston-cylinder unit 10 according to the first specific aspect, the piston-cylinder unit 100 according to the second specific aspect of the present invention (which is described below with reference to FIG. 10) can also be configured in The telescopic column 50.

Furthermore, the telescopic column 50 may include a supporting element 58 which may be connected to the top telescopic tube 56 at the upper end of the top telescopic tube 56 and may form a receiving container for the first piston rod 16. In a better specific aspect, the supporting element 58 can be coupled to a seat and/or bearing surface of a piece of sitting-stand furniture for the user's back or buttocks, and its function can be used as a telescopic column 50 and for the user's back Or the connecting element between the seat of the buttocks and/or the bearing surface. For other applications of the telescopic column (for example, for desks), the supporting element 58 can be coupled to a desk or the like correspondingly. The supporting element 58 can preferably be designed as a cone, but other shapes are also possible. The trigger mechanism 60 for triggering the piston-cylinder unit 10 (especially for activating the actuating member 17 of the piston-cylinder unit 10) can be arranged on the telescopic column 50, for example, especially on the supporting element 58. In this advantageous specific aspect, the trigger mechanism 60 can be configured as a pressure member, which can be actuated by a lever that is pressed and/or pulled by the user, for example. When actuated, the pressure member can press on the actuating member 17, thereby opening the valve in the first piston 18 and adjusting the piston-cylinder unit 10. Such a trigger mechanism, for example, configured on the supporting element 58 may be configured to actuate the longitudinal adjustment of the telescopic column 50. If the trigger mechanism 60 is arranged on the supporting element 58, the user can easily reach it ergonomically. Incidentally, the user is accustomed to let the trigger mechanism 60 be arranged on the support element 58 of the conventional office chair, and when the telescopic column 50 is used as a support element and an adjustment element (especially in a piece of standing furniture), use The user can intuitively adjust the telescopic column 50 longitudinally.

The telescopic column 50 can preferably be designed such that when the telescopic column 50 is used for a piece of rotatable furniture (for example, a piece of sitting-stand furniture) and rotates, the gas springs 12, 22 cannot be subjected to lateral force. load. For this purpose, the first gas spring 12 (whose piston 18 includes a valve) may only be fixed at its end. The fixing member may be designed to compensate for small tilt and no moment or lateral force acts on the gas spring 12. The cylinder 22 of the downward facing second gas spring 22 (the piston 28 contained therein does not include a valve or boring) can be rigidly connected to the intermediate telescopic tube 54 by a guide 68, in which the first gas spring 12 can also be fixed. The lower end.

In order to remove the load by the lateral force, the second piston rod 26 may be supported on an axial bearing 66 or especially on an axial ball bearing, wherein the ball rolls on the disc of the bearing device 62. The bearing device 62 may preferably be provided on the lower end of the bottom telescopic tube 52 and may include a receiving container 64 for the second piston rod 26. The stationary part of the bearing device 62 may be connected to the bottom telescopic tube 52 so that it cannot rotate; the receiving container 64 may be provided in the rotating part of the bearing device 62.

Since the second gas spring 22 and therefore the second piston device 26 can be eccentrically arranged with respect to the rotating shaft, the driving tube 70 can preferably be arranged around the second piston rod 26. This drive tube 70 can transfer the rotation of the piston-cylinder unit 10 to the upper rotating part of the axial bearing 66, so that the orientation between the intermediate telescopic tube 54 and the bearing device 62 can be maintained. If this drive tube 70 is not provided, the second gas spring 22 or the second piston rod 26 will rotate the axial bearing 66 and therefore will be exposed to lateral forces. In order to further eliminate the lateral forces acting on the gas springs 12, 22, another rod 72 can be provided, which can be connected to the guide 68 and can be guided in the longitudinal groove of the drive tube 70 (not shown). As a result, the stability of the overall configuration with respect to the moments and lateral forces acting on the gas springs 12 and 22 can be further improved.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a piston-cylinder unit 100 according to a second specific aspect of the present invention.

In this alternative and advantageous specific aspect, gas and hydraulic oil can be set as the working fluid in the piston-cylinder unit 100. By using hydraulic oil, the diameter of the piston-cylinder unit 100 can be reduced, and therefore the diameter of the telescopic column 50, where the piston-cylinder unit 100 can be installed as an alternative to the piston-cylinder unit 10 of the first specific aspect. The gas spring in the first embodiment can be replaced by a single-acting hydraulic cylinder. These hydraulic cylinders 112, 122 are rigid locking cylinders. If it is intended to have resilience, as shown in FIG. 10, the gas can generate resilience independent of stroke in the cylinders 112, 122 by separating the pistons 118, 128. The seals 138, 148 on the pistons 118, 128 are more stressed than the seals 136, 146 on the piston rods 116, 126. The seals 136, 146 on the piston rods 116, 126 are not exposed to any misused force, but only the seals resist the filling pressure. However, leakage in these seals 136, 146 causes oil loss.

If the telescopic column 50 is equipped with the piston-cylinder unit 100 according to the second specific aspect and actuated upside down, gas can enter the cylinders 112, 122. If the telescopic column is actuated in the correct position, the cylinders 112, 122 will be empty again.

10‧‧‧Piston-cylinder unit 12‧‧‧First cylinder 14‧‧‧The first piston device 16‧‧‧The first piston rod 17‧‧‧ Actuating parts 18‧‧‧First Piston 20‧‧‧First connection channel 22‧‧‧Second cylinder 24‧‧‧Second Piston Device 26‧‧‧Second Piston Rod 28‧‧‧Second Piston 30‧‧‧Second connection channel 50‧‧‧Telescopic column 52‧‧‧Bottom telescopic tube 54‧‧‧Intermediate telescopic tube 56‧‧‧Top telescopic tube 58‧‧‧Supporting element 60‧‧‧Trigger mechanism 62‧‧‧Bearing device 64‧‧‧Receiving container 66‧‧‧Axial bearing 68‧‧‧Guide 70‧‧‧Drive tube 72‧‧‧ bar 100‧‧‧Piston-cylinder unit 112‧‧‧Hydraulic Cylinder 114‧‧‧First Piston Device 116‧‧‧Piston rod 118‧‧‧Separating Piston 120‧‧‧First connection channel 122‧‧‧Hydraulic cylinder 124‧‧‧Second Piston Device 126‧‧‧Piston rod 128‧‧‧Separating Piston 130‧‧‧Second connection channel 136‧‧‧Sealed 138‧‧‧Sealed 146‧‧‧Sealed 148‧‧‧Sealed A1-1‧‧‧First Studio A1-2‧‧‧First Studio A2-1‧‧‧The second studio A2-2‧‧‧Second Studio AR1-1‧‧‧First Studio AR1-2‧‧‧First Studio AR2-1‧‧‧Second Studio AR2-2‧‧‧Second Studio S1-1‧‧‧First end S1-2‧‧‧First end S2-1‧‧‧Second end face S2-2‧‧‧Second end face SF1-1‧‧‧First end SF1-2‧‧‧First end SF2-1‧‧‧Second end face SF2-2‧‧‧Second end face

The present invention will be explained in more detail below based on preferred specific aspects and with reference to accompanying drawings. In detail:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a piston-cylinder unit in a retracted state according to a first specific aspect of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the piston-cylinder unit in an extended state according to a first specific aspect.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the piston-cylinder unit in a semi-extended state according to a first specific aspect.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the piston-cylinder unit according to the first specific aspect.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the piston-cylinder unit according to the first specific aspect.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a telescopic column in an extended state according to a specific aspect of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the telescopic column in the extended state and a side view of the piston-cylinder unit according to the first specific aspect, the unit being installed in the telescopic column in the extended state.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the retractable column in the retracted state and a side view of the piston-cylinder unit according to the first specific aspect, the unit being installed in the retractable column in the retracted state.

Fig. 9 is a bottom cross-sectional view of the telescopic column in an extended state and a bottom side view of the piston-cylinder unit according to the first specific aspect, the unit being installed in the telescopic column in the extended state.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a piston-cylinder unit according to a second specific aspect of the present invention.

12‧‧‧First cylinder

16‧‧‧The first piston rod

17‧‧‧ Actuating parts

20‧‧‧First connection channel

22‧‧‧Second cylinder

26‧‧‧Second Piston Rod

50‧‧‧Telescopic column

52‧‧‧Bottom telescopic tube

54‧‧‧Intermediate telescopic tube

56‧‧‧Top telescopic tube

58‧‧‧Supporting element

60‧‧‧Trigger mechanism

62‧‧‧Bearing device

64‧‧‧Receiving container

66‧‧‧Axial bearing

68‧‧‧Guide

70‧‧‧Drive tube

72‧‧‧ bar

S1-1‧‧‧First end

S1-2‧‧‧First end

S2-1‧‧‧Second end face

S2-2‧‧‧Second end face

Claims (15)

A piston-cylinder unit (10; 100), which includes: The first cylinder (12; 112), which has a first cylinder longitudinal axis, The first piston device (14; 114), which is inserted into the first cylinder (12; 112) and includes: a first piston rod (16; 116), which pushes on the first end surface (S1-1; SF1-1) Passing through the first cylinder (12; 112); and the first piston (18; 118), which divides the interior of the first cylinder (12; 112) into a first working chamber (A1-1; AR1-1) And a second working room (A2-1; AR2-1), the first working room (A1-1; AR1-1) is arranged on one side of the first end face (S1-1; SF1-1), and The second working chamber (A2-1; AR2-1) is arranged on one side of the second end surface (S2-1; SF2-1) of the first cylinder (12; 112), and the second end surface is opposite to The first end surface (S1-1; SF1-1), A second cylinder (22; 122) having a second cylinder longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first cylinder, and The second piston device (24; 124) is inserted into the second cylinder (22; 122) and includes: a second piston rod (26; 126) on the second end surface of the second cylinder (22; 122) (S2-2; SF2-2) Push through the second cylinder (22; 122), and the second end surface is opposite to the first end surface (S1-1; SF1- 1); and a second piston (28; 128), which divides the interior of the second cylinder (22; 122) into a first working chamber (A1-2; AR1-2) and a second working chamber (A2-2) AR2-2), the second working chamber (A1-2; AR1-2) of the second cylinder (22; 122) is arranged on the second end surface (S2-2) of the second cylinder (22; 122) ; SF2-2) on one side, and the first working chamber (A1-2; AR1-2) of the second cylinder (22; 122) is arranged on the first end surface of the second cylinder (22; 122) On one side of (S1-2; SF1-2), the first end surface is opposite to the second end surface (S2-2; SF2-2) of the second cylinder (22; 122), The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) is characterized in that the first piston (18; 118) or the second piston (28; 128) includes a valve designed to make the individual cylinder (12, 22; 112, 122) the first studio (A1-1, A1-2; AR1-1, AR1-2) and the second studio (A2-1, A2-2; AR2-1, AR2- 2) Connect to each other, The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) is designed so that fluid can flow in the first working chamber (A1-1; AR1-1) of the first cylinder (12; 112) and the second cylinder (22; 122) ) In the second working chamber (A2-2; AR2-2), and/or fluid can be in the first working chamber (A1-2; AR1-2) of the second cylinder (22; 122) Exchange with the second working chamber (A2-1; AR2-1) of the first cylinder (12; 112). The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the first working chamber (A1-1; AR1-1) of the first cylinder (12; 112) passes through at least a first connecting passage ( 20; 120) and the second working chamber (A2-2; AR2-2) connected to the second cylinder (22; 122), and/or the first working chamber of the second cylinder (22; 122) (A1-2; AR1-2) is connected to the second working chamber (A2-1; AR2-1) of the first cylinder (12; 112) via at least a second connecting passage (30; 130). The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the piston (18, 28; 118, 128) including the valve has an actuating member (17), which is designed to be actuated Open the valve when it is time and close it when it is not actuated. The piston-cylinder unit (10) according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) is greater than the length of the withdrawn piston-cylinder unit (10; 100); preferably The maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) is approximately twice as long as the retracted piston-cylinder unit (10; 100). The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the maximum stroke of the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) is at least 300 mm, preferably approximately 440 mm. The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) according to the first item of the scope of patent application, wherein the first piston rod (16; 116) of the first piston device (14; 114) is substantially the same as the second piston device ( 24; 124) the diameter of the second piston rod (26; 126). The piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) according to the first item of the patent application, wherein the first piston (18; 118) of the first piston device (14; 114) has substantially the same as the second piston device (24 124) the diameter of the second piston (28; 128). The piston-cylinder unit (10) according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein gas is set as the working fluid in the piston-cylinder unit (10), especially in the first cylinder (12) and the second cylinder (22) ) In the studio (A1-1, A2-1, A1-2, A2-2). The piston-cylinder unit (100) according to any one of items 1 to 7 in the scope of patent application, wherein gas and hydraulic oil are provided in the piston-cylinder unit (100) as a working fluid. A telescopic column (50), which comprises: The bottom telescopic tube (52), The middle telescopic tube (54), which is slidable relative to the bottom telescopic tube (52), and The top telescopic tube (56), which is slidable relative to the middle telescopic tube (54), The telescopic column (50) is characterized in that: the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) according to any one of items 1 to 9 of the scope of patent application (10; 100) is arranged in the intermediate telescopic tube (54); and when the telescopic column ( 50) and when the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) is in an extended state, the first piston rod (16; 116) of the first piston device (14; 114) extends in the top telescopic tube (56), And the second piston rod (26; 126) of the second piston device (24; 124) extends in the bottom telescopic tube (52). The telescopic column (50) according to the tenth item of the scope of patent application, wherein the middle telescopic tube (54) can slide inside the bottom telescopic tube (52), and the top telescopic tube (56) can slide in the middle telescopic tube (54) ) Internal sliding. According to the tenth item of the scope of patent application, the telescopic column (50) further includes a supporting element (58), which is connected to the top telescopic tube (56) at the upper end of the top telescopic tube (56), and is formed for the A receiving container for a piston rod (16; 116), wherein the supporting element (58) is designed to be coupled to a functional part of a piece of furniture, in particular to the seat and/or bearing surface of a user of a piece of furniture . According to the telescopic column (50) of the 12th item of the scope of patent application, it further comprises a trigger mechanism (60) for triggering the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100), which is especially used for activating the piston-cylinder unit (10) ) Of the actuation component (17). The telescopic column (50) according to any one of the tenth to thirteenth items in the scope of patent application, which further includes a bearing device (62), which is arranged at the lower end of the bottom telescopic tube (52) and includes a second piston rod (26; 126) The receiving container (64), wherein the bearing device (62) also includes at least one axial bearing (66). The telescopic column (50) according to item 14 of the scope of patent application further includes a drive pipe (70) connected to the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) and arranged in the second piston device (24; 124) Around the second piston rod (26; 126), wherein the drive tube (70) is designed to transfer the rotation of the piston-cylinder unit (10; 100) to the upper part of the axial bearing (66).

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