WO2014040728A1

WO2014040728A1 - Electromotive furniture drive

Info

Publication number: WO2014040728A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/002729
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eckhart Dewert; Johannnes SCHNEIDER; Jörg HENLE
Original assignee: De Werth Group Ag
Priority date: 2012-09-14
Filing date: 2013-09-11
Publication date: 2014-03-20
Also published as: DE112013004478A5

Abstract

The invention relates to an electromotive furniture drive for adjusting furniture parts relative to one another. According to the invention, a drive unit is provided which is connected or can be connected to a rotatable component via a flexible shaft (48) in a rotationally driving manner, said component being operatively connected or operatively connectable to a furniture part to be adjusted.

Description

Electromotive furniture drive

The invention relates to an electromotive furniture drive referred to in the preamble of claim 1 for adjusting parts of a piece of furniture relative to each other.

Such furniture drives are well known and are used for example as Versteilantriebe for adjusting parts of a slatted frame relative to each other.

EP 0 372 032 B1 discloses a furniture drive which has a drive means which moves linearly along a linear movement axis for swiveling a pivoting element pivotable about a pivot axis in a mounting position of the furniture drive with a part of the furniture to be adjusted. In the known furniture drive, the linearly movable drive element is formed by a spindle nut of a spindle drive, while the Swivel element is formed by a pivot lever which is rotatably connected to a pivot shaft, which is in operative connection with the part of the furniture to be adjusted. Here, the spindle nut acts on the pivot shaft facing away from the end of the pivot lever loose. According to a corresponding operating principle working furniture drives are known in particular in the form of so-called double drives, which are used to equip or retrofit an adjustable slatted frame with an electric motor adjustment drive. In the known double drives two drive units are arranged in a common housing, of which in the mounting position of the furniture drive, for example, one serves to adjust a back support part of the slatted frame and the other for adjusting a leg support part of the slatted frame.

Similar furniture drives are also known from DE 38 42 078 C2, EP 0 583 660 Bl and DE 100 46 750 C1.

Another concept to provide an electromotive adjustable support means is to integrate the electromotive furniture drive completely or at least partially into the support means.

By DE 199 625 41 C2 an electric motor adjustable support means is known, which has a mutually parallel longitudinal beams exhibiting first support member which is formed in the known from the document support means by a stationary central support member. The known support means further comprises further support members which are adjustable by drive means relative to the first support member. In the known from the document support means is a first longitudinal spar of the first Support member for receiving parts of the drive means formed as a hollow profile, wherein the entire drive including the electric motor is received in the first longitudinal spar. Due to this, the electric motor does not overhang in the vertical direction of the first longitudinal beam, so that the known support device has an extremely low overall height. In addition, the known from the document support on an attractive appearance, because they are not externally of a conventional, non-motorized

Support device is to be distinguished.

By WO 96/29970 a motor-adjustable support means for a mattress of a bed is known, which has a plurality of in the longitudinal direction of the support means consecutive support members which are pivotable by drive means relative to a first support member. The support members are mounted on an outer frame whose profile height is substantially greater than the profile height of the support members. In the support device known from the publication parts of the outer frame are formed as a hollow profile, are received in the parts of the drive means for adjusting the support members relative to each other. The drive motor is disposed on an inner side of a part of the outer frame.

WO 2004/107 923 discloses an electromotively adjustable support device, which differs from the support device described above in that parts of the drive means are accommodated in a longitudinal beam of the support device designed as a hollow profile, while the actual drive motor is outside the support device Longitudinal Holmes is arranged.

Electromotive adjustable support devices are also known from WO2010 / 118828, WO2004 / 107924 and WO 2004/006725.

The invention has for its object to provide an electromotive furniture drive for adjusting parts of a furniture relative to each other, which is designed so that the possibilities are extended in terms of equipment or retrofitting a support device with an electromotive furniture drive.

The invention is distinguished from the prevailing in the prior art thoughts, the torque transmission between a drive unit or its drive motor and a rotatably driven component, which is in operative connection with a component to be adjusted of the furniture for adjusting the same, for example, to use rigid connecting shafts. Rather, the invention provides a completely novel drive concept for furniture, in which the torque transmission between a drive unit and the component rotatably drivable takes place via a flexible shaft.

A flexible shaft in the sense of the invention is understood to mean a shaft which is elastically deformable, so that the orientation of the drive-side shaft end and the driven-side shaft end can be changed relative to one another without impairing the basic function of torque transmission. Due to the flexibility of the shaft, therefore, the orientation of the drive-side shaft end relative to the output-side shaft end, for example, in the design of an electrical tromotically adjustable support means are changed, wherein the orientation of the shaft ends to each other in the mounting position of the furniture drive to the support means is determined by the then selected mounting position.

The use of a flexible shaft results in respect of the arrangement of the drive unit relative to the rotationally driven component and thus also to be adjusted to the component of the furniture extensive freedom, which are limited only by deformability of the shaft. The only boundary condition to be considered in the positioning of the shaft ends relative to one another and thus in the arrangement of the drive unit relative to the rotationally driven component is that the shaft is not deformed so strongly that the torque transmission is impaired.

A particular advantage of the furniture drive according to the invention is that the drive unit can be positioned anywhere relative to the rotationally driven component and thus to the adjusting component of the furniture. In a slatted frame, it is for example possible to attach the housing of the drive unit to a frame of the slatted base, for example on a spar, or on the underside of the slatted frame or to dispense with attachment to the slatted frame and the housing of the drive unit rather loose on the Place floor under the slatted base. With regard to the supply of voltage supply and / or control lines to the drive unit, this also gives rise to further freedoms.

By means of the furniture drive according to the invention can be any suitable components of furniture in terms adjust their inclination and / or their height. For example, the furniture drive according to the invention can be used to adjust the height of a table top or parts of a chair or other seating furniture. Particularly well, the furniture drive according to the invention for the adjustment of parts of a support means for supporting a padding of a seat and / or reclining furniture, for example in the form of a slatted frame suitable.

According to the respective requirements, the furniture drive according to the invention may have a single drive unit or at least two and thus a plurality of drive units. In this case, each drive unit can have a single drive motor or at least two and therefore a plurality of drive motors, to each of which a flexible shaft is assigned. According to the invention, each drive unit or each drive motor can drive a flexible shaft. However, it is also possible that a drive unit or a drive motor drives at least two flexible shafts.

The flexible shaft of the furniture drive according to the invention can be configured according to the respective requirements in any suitable manner. An extraordinarily advantageous development of the invention provides that the flexible shaft is a flexible shaft. A flexible shaft typically has a shaft tendon consisting of several layers of oppositely helically wound wires. The shaft tendon rotates in a metal or plastic hose and is lubricated with grease. Such flexible shafts are available as relatively simple and inexpensive standard components in different lengths and Diameters available and are suitable for the transmission of high torques.

An advantageous development of the invention provides that the flexible shaft is connected to the rotatably driven component such that an adjustment of the adjusting component of the furniture from an unadjusted initial position in the direction of an end position of the adjustment corresponds to a rotation of the flexible shaft in a preferred direction of rotation. In this embodiment, the flexible shaft in the adjustment of the component to be adjusted in the direction of the end position of the adjustment, in which usually a large torque is required, charged in its preferred direction of rotation.

A load of the shaft against the preferred direction of rotation then corresponds to a provision of the component of the furniture in the undistorted starting position, usually only a small torque is applied, for example, if a headboard of a slatted base under the load of a person resting on the slatted person back should be adjusted to the starting position. In this way, therefore, use is made of the properties of a flexible rotational shaft provided with a preferred direction of rotation, for example a flexible shaft, in a particularly favorable manner.

Another advantageous development of the invention provides that the furniture drive has a housing in which at least two drive units are received, wherein the housing has openings through which the drive units respectively associated with flexible waves are led out of the housing. Due to the flexibility of the shafts used, the drive housing can be ger be arranged suitable location, in particular on a support means which is to be adjusted by means of the electric motor motor motor drive attached. From the fact that the orientation of the drive-side and output-side shaft ends can be freely selected relative to each other in the design of the furniture drive, the drive unit can be particularly particularly flat designed so that they attached at any suitable location, for example within the profile height of the side rails of a slatted frame can be. In such a constellation, the overall height of the electromotive support device is defined solely by the support device itself and not enlarged by the drive unit. Accordingly, the invention offers in particular the possibility to provide particularly flat-mounted electromotive support means. According to the respective requirements, the housing of the drive unit can be designed, for example, liquid-tight in order to use the electromotive furniture drive on a nursing bed.

An electromotively adjustable support device according to the invention for supporting a padding of a sitting or lying furniture, in particular a mattress of a bed, specified in claim 5. The teaching of claim 5 provides that the pivot axis about which the two support members are pivotable relative to each other, is defined by a hinge assembly, which is formed as separate from the longitudinal beam of at least one support member and connected to the same component. The invention thus solves the extent of the idea of the components of a Joint, which is required for a pivotal connection of two support members together, as far as possible in one piece with the longitudinal beams, for example in the form of injection molded parts. Rather, according to the invention, a joint assembly formed as a separate component is provided, with which the longitudinal members are connected.

By selecting longitudinal beams of different lengths, support devices, for example slatted frames, which have support parts of different lengths can thus be produced using the same joint assembly. If, for example, in the case of a slatted frame, a stationary middle part (buttock support part) which has a plurality of slats is desired, the longitudinal spars of the middle part are selected to be correspondingly long. If, on the other hand, a central part is desired which has only two slats, then correspondingly short longitudinal struts are selected, wherein in each case the same joint assembly can be used. In this way, results in a highly modular design, in which support means, such as slatted frames, using the same components to different requirements with respect to the length of the individual support parts can be adjusted.

According to the invention, it is basically sufficient if the joint assembly is designed as a separate component to only one longitudinal member of the support members to be adjusted relative to one another, that is to say in one piece with the other longitudinal member.

An advantageous development of the invention, however, provides that the joint assembly as separate to the longitudinal beams of both support members and connected to the same Component is formed. In this way, the freedom in terms of the choice of the length of the support members are further increased.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the joint assembly carries an adjustment for adjusting the support members relative to each other about the pivot axis.

An advantageous development of the abovementioned embodiment provides that the adjusting unit has a drivable input member which is in rotational drive connection with a rotary drive device or can be brought. The adjusting unit is in this case designed such that it converts a rotational movement of the input member into a pivoting movement of the longitudinal members to each other.

Another advantageous development of the invention provides that the joint assembly has means for implementing a rotation of the rotationally driven input member in a pivoting movement of the support members relative to each other about the pivot axis. In this embodiment, a rotation of the input member is converted into a pivotal movement of the support members relative to each other.

Another advantageous development of the invention provides that the rotatably driven input member is a rotatably mounted threaded spindle of a spindle drive, on the rotation and in the axial direction movable a spindle nut is arranged, which is in operative connection with at least one of the support members to be adjusted. Such spindle drives are available as simple, cost-effective and robust standard components and are suitable for transmitting large forces. In kinematic Reversal of the aforementioned embodiment, the rotationally driven input member may also be a stationary, rotatably driven spindle nut which is arranged on a rotationally secured, movable in the axial direction of the spindle nut threaded spindle.

A development of the embodiment in which the threaded spindle forms the rotatably driven input member, provides that the threaded spindle is in rotary drive connection with a flexible shaft, in particular rotatably connected to the same.

An operative connection between the rotatably driven input member and a support member to be adjusted can be made in any suitable manner. In that regard, an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the spindle nut via a rope, band or chain-shaped traction means with at least one of the support members to be adjusted in operative connection to pivot the same relative to each other.

In the aforementioned embodiment, one end of the traction means is expediently fixed to the spindle nut and the other end is fixed away from the pivot axis on one of the support parts, wherein the traction means is guided between its ends via at least one deflection arranged on the other support part, as is a further development the invention provides.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment with reference to the accompanying highly schematic drawing. All described, illustrated in the drawings and claimed in the claims features taken alone as well as in any suitable combination with each other, the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims and their dependency and regardless of their description or representation in the drawing.

It shows:

1 highly schematically the structure of a support device according to the invention in the form of a slatted frame,

Fig. 2 in relation to FIG. 1 enlarged scale a

Detail of Fig. 1 in the area of a

Pivot axis between two support members in a first adjustment position and Fig. 3 in the same representation as Fig. 2 the

Support parts according to FIG. 2 in a second

Adjustment position.

In Fig. 1, an embodiment of an electromotive adjustable support device according to the invention is shown, which is designed as a slatted frame 2. The illustration in the drawing is reduced to the elements required for the understanding of the invention, so that, for example, the slats of the slatted base 2 are omitted.

The slatted frame 2 in this embodiment has a stationary middle support part 4, a thigh support part 6, a leg support part 8, an upper body support part 10 and a head support part 12. Each in the longitudinal direction of Slatted frames 2 adjoining support parts, so for example the middle support member 4 and the thigh support member 6, are pivotally and pivotally connected to each other about a horizontal pivot axis relative to each other, wherein for pivoting the support members relative to each other an inventive electromotive furniture drive is used. Incidentally, the structure of a slatted base is generally known to the person skilled in the art and will therefore not be explained in more detail here.

The central support member 4 has two laterally, so transversely to the longitudinal direction of the slatted frame 2 spaced apart longitudinal beams 14, 14 ^' on. In this way, the upper body support member 10 has two laterally spaced apart longitudinal beams 16, 16 '.

The operation of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the connection between the longitudinal beam 14 of the central support member 4 and the longitudinal spar 16 of the upper body support member 10. The connection between the further longitudinal spar 14 'of the central support member 4 and the further longitudinal spar 16' of the upper body support member 10 is designed accordingly and is therefore not explained in detail. Equally correspondingly, in each case the connection of the further supporting parts adjoining one another in the longitudinal direction of the slatted frame 2 is configured, it is therefore likewise not explained in any more detail. The slatted frame 2 has a construction symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal center plane.

Fig. 2 shows in relation to FIG. 1 enlarged scale a detail in the region of the connection of the longitudinal beams 14, 16 with each other. The longitudinal beams 14, 16 are pivotable about a pivot axis 18 relative to each other connected. The pivot axis 18 is inventively defined by a hinge assembly 20 which is formed in this embodiment as to the longitudinal beams 14, 16 separate component and connected to the longitudinal beams 14, 16. The joint assembly 20 has a first joint part 22 and a pivotable about the pivot axis 18 relative to the first joint part 22 second joint part 24, wherein the first joint part 22 with the longitudinal spar 14 and the second joint part 24 is connected to the longitudinal spar 16.

The hinge parts 22,24 may for example consist of plastic or metal. The same applies to the longitudinal beams 14, 16, which may also consist of a different material, such as wood.

The joint assembly 20 carries an adjusting unit 26 for the gift of the longitudinal beams 14, 16 and thus the support members 4, 10 relative to each other about the pivot axis 18th

The adjusting unit 26 has a rotatably driven input member, which is formed in this embodiment by a threaded spindle 28, on the rotation and in the axial direction of the threaded spindle 28 adjustably a spindle nut 30 is arranged. On the spindle nut 30, one end of a tension band 32 is fixed, which is guided over a first deflection 34, which is arranged on the second joint part 24. The tension band 32 is further guided via a second deflection 36, which is likewise arranged on the second joint part 24 via a carrier element 38. The other end of the drawstring 32 is secured to a pin 40 which is disposed on the first hinge part 22.

If the threaded spindle 28 is rotated so that the spindle nut 30 in the direction of an arrow 42, ie in FIG. 2 to the left, the second joint part 24 is pivoted relative to the first joint part 22 and thus the longitudinal spar 16 relative to the longitudinal spar 14 in the direction of an arrow 44, ie in Fig. 2 in the counterclockwise direction.

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 2 in an adjustment position from an outward perspective, in which the longitudinal spar 16 is pivoted relative to the longitudinal spar 14.

As a rotary drive device for rotational driving of the threaded spindle 28, a furniture drive according to the invention is provided, which (see Fig. 1) has a drive unit received in a housing 46, which is in rotational drive connection with the threaded spindle 28 via a flexible shaft 48. The flexible shaft may be a commercially available flexible shaft having a shaft chord consisting of multiple layers of oppositely helically wound wires and rotated in a metal or plastic hose and lubricated with grease.

A corresponding flexible shaft 48 'is provided to drive an adjusting unit, which is arranged in the region of a connection of the longitudinal spar 14' with the longitudinal spar 16 ^' . To adjust the upper body support member 10 relative to the central support member 4, the flexible shafts 48, 48 'are rotationally driven synchronously or nearly synchronously. The drive units or drive motors assigned to them can, for example, be synchronized in terms of control technology for this purpose. However, it is also possible to drive the two shafts 48, 48 'by a common drive motor, for example with the interposition of a gear arrangement, so that a synchronization is unnecessary.

The manner in which a flexible shaft is rotationally driven by means of an electric motor is well known to the person skilled in the art and will therefore not be explained in more detail here.

Due to the structure according to the invention, slatted frames with support members of different lengths can be produced using the same joint assemblies. To produce a slatted base with a relatively long central support part 4, correspondingly long longitudinal beams 14, 14 ^' are used, while for producing a slatted base with a relatively short central support part 4 correspondingly short longitudinal beams 14, 14' are used.

The use of flexible shafts as a rotary drive of the adjusting units results in respect of the positioning of the housing 46 extensive freedom.

The invention thus provides a highly adaptable to the particular circumstances support means.

Claims

claims

1. Electromotive furniture drive for adjusting parts of a furniture relative to each other, with a drive unit which is connected via a flexible shaft (48) with a rotatably driven component in rotary drive connection or can be brought, which in turn is in operative connection with a part of the furniture to be adjusted or brought is.

2. Furniture drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible shaft (48) is a flexible shaft.

3. Furniture drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible shaft (48) is connectable or connected to the rotatably driven component such that an adjustment of the part to be adjusted of the furniture from an undistorted starting position in the direction of an end position of the locking movement of a Rotation of the flexible shaft in a preferred direction of rotation corresponds.

4. Furniture drive according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the furniture drive comprises a housing (46) in which at least one drive unit is received, wherein the housing has at least one opening through which the drive unit associated with this flexible shaft (48) from the Housing (46) is led out.

5. Electromotive adjustable support means for upholstering a sitting or lying furniture, in particular a mattress of a bed, in particular with at least one electromotive furniture drive according to one of claims 1 to 4, with at least two longitudinal bars (14, 16) having support members (4, 10th ) pivotally interconnected about a pivot axis (18) relative to each other, the pivot axis (18) being defined by a hinge assembly (20) formed as a separate member from and integral with the longitudinal spar (14, 16) of at least one support member connected is.

6. Support device according to claim 5, characterized in that the joint assembly (20) as of the longitudinal beams (14, 16) of the two support members (4, 10) is separate and connected to the same component formed.

7. Support device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the joint assembly (20) carries an adjusting unit (26) for pivoting the support members (4, 10) relative to each other about the pivot axis (18).

8. Support device according to claim 7, characterized in that the adjusting unit (26) has a rotatably driven input member which is in rotary drive connection with a rotary drive device or can be brought.

9. Support device according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotary drive device comprises a furniture drive according to one of claims 1 to 4.

10. Support device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the joint assembly means for implementing a rotation of the rotatably driven input member in a pivotal movement of the support members (4, 10) relative to each other about the pivot axis (18).

11. Support device according to claim 10, characterized in that the rotatably driven input member is a rotatably mounted threaded spindle of a spindle drive, on the rotationally and axially movable spindle nut is arranged, which is in operative connection with at least one of the support members to be adjusted.

12. Support device according to claim 11, characterized in that the threaded spindle is in rotary drive connection with a flexible shaft, in particular rotatably connected to the same.

13. Support device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the spindle nut via a rope, belt or chain-shaped traction means with at least one of the support members to be adjusted in operative connection to pivot the same relative to each other.

14. Support device according to claim 13, characterized in that one end of the traction means on the Spindle nut and the other end is fixed away from the pivot axis on one of the support members, wherein the traction means is guided between its ends via at least one arranged on the other support member deflection.