Mechanism for concealing movable walls of children's furniture

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of children's products and their accessories, and it relates to a mechanism for hiding a movable wall of children's furniture, which mechanism comprises a shaft with ends equipped with a resilient element, wherein the shaft is connected to the movable wall made of flexible material and fixed on the structure of the children's furniture. According to the invention, the shaft is configured to move longitudinally along guides, and each of the guides is formed by an upper strip and a lower strip, and the lower strip is equipped with a rack. Each end of the shaft is equipped with a gear wheel fixed on a carriage equipped with at least two rollers configured to roll between the upper strip and the lower strip. The resilient element is arranged in the body of the carriage, one end of the resilient element is connected to the carriage, and the other end is connected to the gear wheel mounted on the rack. One end of the movable wall is tightly fixed relative to the shaft, and the other end is movable, wherein the surface of the movable wall is in contact with the shaft. The proposed solution solves the problem of synchronous, uniform, smooth and controlled movement of the movable wall over its entire width.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of children's products and accessories, and to a mechanism for concealing a movable wall, the mechanism being configured to achieve synchronized movement of the movable wall, intended for use in the structure of children's furniture, particularly as part of a children's bed, cradle, or playpen. Background Technology

[0002] Prior art discloses mechanisms for concealing and moving movable walls, which are incorporated into the structure of children's furniture to facilitate access to spaces inhabited by children. This furniture may include children's beds, playpens, cradles, tents, children's rooms, and other products with enclosing elements configured to be movable.

[0003] Known concealment mechanisms are typically implemented in the form of cable or belt rebound elements or elastic tension members. These solutions are generally characterized by their relatively simple structure; however, they have several significant drawbacks. In particular, in known concealment mechanisms, the concealment force is applied asymmetrically and transmitted without any synchronicity between opposite portions of the movable wall. This causes the movable wall to skew during movement, resulting in uneven concealment, increased friction, localized overload, deformation, or even damage to the movable wall, which is most often made of flexible materials. This also reduces operational stability and safety, creates the risk of being caught, and may be accompanied by increased noise levels during operation.

[0004] The applicant is aware of several technical solutions, among which the following are the closest in terms of combination of basic features.

[0005] Patent EP4489620B1, dated December 10, 2025, discloses a mechanism for concealing a movable wall. This mechanism includes a movable wall made of a flexible material, one end of which is fixed to the structure of a child's furniture (i.e., a bed), and an elastic tension member attached to its other end. A disadvantage of this embodiment is that the concealment force is generated by the elastic deformation of the elastic tension member and is directly transmitted to that end of the movable wall. This results in uneven load distribution, localized material stretching, self-deformation, and, over time, a decrease in strength or damage to the movable wall. Furthermore, this embodiment allows for uncontrolled concealment of the movable wall, leading to wall skewing and uneven tension distribution.

[0006] Application CN113425123A, filed on September 24, 2021, discloses a mechanism for concealing a movable wall. This mechanism includes a movable wall made of a flexible material, one end of which is fixed to the structure of a child's furniture (i.e., a bed), and a tension spring attached to the other end. A disadvantage of this embodiment is that the concealing force is directly generated by the elastic deformation of the spring and transmitted point-by-point to that end of the movable wall. This results in load concentration, uneven tension distribution across the width of the movable wall, and skewing of the movable wall during movement. The use of a tension spring can cause the movable wall to move unintentionally due to the accumulation and sudden release of elastic energy, leading to uncontrolled movement of the movable wall, dynamic loads on structural elements, deformation of the flexible material, and reduced operational safety.

[0007] Patent CN209750534U, dated December 10, 2019, discloses a mechanism for concealing a movable wall. This mechanism includes a movable wall made of a flexible material, one end of which is fixed to the structure of a child's furniture (i.e., a bed). In one embodiment, an elastic tension member is attached to its other end, and in another embodiment, a tension spring is attached to its other end. A disadvantage of this embodiment is that the concealing force is generated directly by the elastic deformation of the elastic element. This results in uneven load distribution across the width of the movable wall, localized overload at the attachment point, and gradual damage to the flexible material. This also causes asynchronous movement and skewness of the movable wall, leading to instability in its position.

[0008] Patent GB2472853A, dated February 23, 2011, discloses a mechanism for concealing a movable wall. This mechanism includes a movable wall, one end of which is fixed to the structure of a child's furniture (i.e., a bed), and the other end of which has rollers on both sides configured to roll along guides formed into longitudinal grooves in the wall of the bed. Unlike the mechanisms for concealing movable walls according to patents EP4489620B1, CN113425123A, and CN209750534U (where concealment is performed by elastic deformation of elastic and / or spring-loaded elements), in this solution, the concealment of the movable wall is performed by its movement and is achieved by a mechanically guided assembly with rollers without the use of spring-loaded tension elements. The disadvantage of this embodiment is that the movement of the movable wall is accomplished through its free movement along the guide, therefore the wall's movement speed is directly dependent on the applied force and gravity, leading to unintended descent of the wall in the event of user release and impact loads on the structural elements. Another disadvantage is the limited descent stroke of the movable wall, which is structurally determined by the bed's geometry, particularly by the width and construction of its bottom. To lower the movable wall as low as possible for access to the interior space, the bed's height must be at least equal to the width of its bottom, complicating the adaptation of the mechanism to products with other overall dimensions. Furthermore, fabricating the guide as a longitudinal groove directly in the bed's wall requires specially formed side elements with predetermined geometry and tolerances, increasing the complexity and precision of part manufacturing and causing the bed's wall to become brittle in the grooved area, reducing its stiffness and load-bearing capacity, rendering the mechanism unusable without prior structural adjustments to the product.

[0009] Patent EP3884811B1, dated September 11, 2024, discloses a mechanism for concealing a movable wall. This mechanism includes a shaft with an end provided with a spring-loaded element. The shaft is connected to and fixed to a movable wall made of a flexible material and to a structure of children's furniture. The shaft is configured to rotate about its axis at a fixed spatial position. One end of the movable wall is firmly fixed relative to the shaft, and the other end is fixed to the shaft. A disadvantage of this embodiment is that concealing the movable wall is performed by winding it onto the shaft. Therefore, during rotation, multiple layers of the flexible material overlap, and the diameter of the shaft gradually changes. This embodiment causes torque to accumulate and be transmitted to the movable wall, resulting in uneven concealment in the width direction and increased load at the attachment point. The increased outer diameter of the winding layers leads to a larger size of the concealment mechanism itself, and it also requires isolation from the external environment, as dust, lint, or foreign particles entering the winding area can cause obstruction of movement, uneven winding, and jamming of the mechanism, complicating the structure of the concealment mechanism.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need to develop a mechanism for concealing a movable wall, which has a structural arrangement that ensures the automatic, uniform, smooth and synchronous concealment of the movable wall. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to form a mechanism for concealing a movable wall in children's furniture, wherein the mechanism can be integrated into various types of children's furniture to ensure controlled, synchronized, uniform, and smooth concealment of the movable wall. This enables the achievement of the following technical effects: increasing the stability, synchronization, and uniformity of the concealment of the movable wall across its entire width; increasing the structural versatility, operational safety, structural reliability, and ease of use of the mechanism; and reducing the dynamic load and wear of the mechanism components (especially the movable wall itself).

[0012] The objective is achieved by forming a mechanism for concealing a movable wall in children's furniture. This mechanism includes a shaft having an end equipped with a resilient element, wherein the shaft is connected to and fixed to the movable wall, which is made of a flexible material, and to the structure of the children's furniture. According to the invention, the shaft is configured to move longitudinally along guides, each of which is formed by an upper strip and a lower strip, the lower strip being equipped with a rack. Each end of the shaft is equipped with a gear fixed to a carriage, the carriage being equipped with at least two rollers configured to roll between the upper and lower strips of the guides. The resilient element is arranged in the body of the carriage, one end of which is connected to the carriage, and the other end is connected to the gear mounted on the rack. Simultaneously, one end of the movable wall is fixed firmly relative to the shaft, while the other end is movable, wherein the surface of the movable wall contacts the shaft.

[0013] This arrangement ensures synchronized movement of the shaft along the guide through the interaction of the rollers and the guide, as well as the interaction of the gears and the rack, thus preventing shaft misalignment and uneven concealment of the movable wall. Each spring element disposed in the body of the carriage ensures that forces are transmitted to the gears and the shaft, and keeps the operation of the concealment mechanism stable during the movement of the movable wall. The rollers roll between the upper and lower strips of the guide, ensuring the stabilization of the carriage's spatial position, reducing friction, and ensuring smooth movement of the carriage, thereby reducing the force applied by the user, while the interaction of the gears and the rack eliminates accidental movement during concealment. The surface of the movable wall contacts the shaft, ensuring a uniform concealment distribution across the entire width of the movable wall, preventing localized overloading of the material, and preventing folding or sagging. The kinematic connection of the elements of the mechanism ensures the stability of the shaft, preventing it from moving spontaneously. This combination of features ensures that the movable wall maintains positional stability even under dynamic loads, which is particularly important for children's furniture.

[0014] According to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, each springback element is arranged coaxially with the gear. This embodiment ensures torque transmission without displacement of the force-applying axis relative to the rotational axis of the gear. Therefore, the torque is transmitted uniformly across the entire width of gear engagement, thereby ensuring stable interaction between the gear and the rack. The coaxial arrangement avoids skewing, undesirable radial and bending load components, and additional lateral forces on the carriage. Furthermore, this arrangement reduces the size of the assembly and increases its structural compactness.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the rebound element is a torsion spring. This embodiment ensures the accumulation of potential energy and its gradual, controlled release during the rotation of the gear, thereby generating a stable rotational force. The torsion spring ensures that the movable wall is smoothly concealed without accidental movement or impact loads, thereby improving durability under cyclic loads, enhancing ease of use, and reducing wear on the movable wall.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the main body of each carriage is provided with four rollers. This embodiment ensures that the carriage is stably positioned between the upper and lower strips of the guide and avoids its skewing. The presence of the four rollers allows for uniform load distribution on the plane of the guide, minimizes backlash, and ensures smooth rolling without jamming, thereby improving the accuracy of shaft movement, reducing the coefficient of friction, and extending the service life of the mechanism.

[0017] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the guide is equipped with a carriage travel limiter. This embodiment ensures that the extreme positions of the shaft are clearly defined and prevents the carriage from moving beyond the working area boundary of the guide. The travel limiter functions as a mechanical stop, which prevents overload of gear meshing or excessive stretching of the spring element, thereby improving reliability and operational safety, and preventing damage to the movable wall.

[0018] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shaft is non-rotatable relative to the gear. This embodiment reduces additional friction between the shaft and the surfaces of the movable wall, reduces energy loss, and reduces mechanical load on the assembly. Reducing the number of relatively moving surfaces contributes to improved overall durability of the mechanism and reduces wear on the movable wall through stable and constant-velocity movement of the shaft. Furthermore, reducing additional friction helps to lower noise levels during operation.

[0019] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shaft is configured to rotate. This embodiment ensures the rolling of the movable wall as the carriage moves together with the shaft, thereby helping to uniformly conceal the movable wall across its width and preventing folding. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more fully understand the present invention and its advantages, its feasible embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals denote the same parts, and the drawings illustrate the following: Figure 1 An overall view of the mechanism used to conceal the movable wall is shown. Figure 2 An inside view of the carriage on the guide is shown. Figure 3 An inside view of the carriage on the guide is shown. Figure 4 An external view of the carriage on the guide is shown. Figure 5 A cross-sectional view is shown of a mechanism installed in children's furniture to conceal a movable wall. Figure 6 A view shows a mechanism installed in the children's furniture to conceal the movable wall in the closed position. Figure 7 A view shows a mechanism installed in the children's furniture to conceal the movable wall in the open position.

[0021] Key reference numerals: 1-Movable wall, 2-axis, 3-Rebound element, 4-Guide, 5-Upper strip, 6-Lower strip, 7-Rack, 8-Gear 9-Carriage, 10-roller 11-Main Body 12-One end, 13-The other end, 14-Limiter 15-Connecting elements, 16-bar, 17-Children's Bed 18-Guide groove, 19-pole, 20-groove, 21-Intermediate components.

[0022] The illustrative materials used to explain the present invention and the specific exemplary embodiments disclosed herein do not limit the scope of the claimed rights in any way, but are only used to illustrate the essence of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] According to the present invention, a mechanism for concealing a movable wall for children's furniture includes a shaft (2) having an end equipped with a spring element (3), wherein the shaft (2) is connected to and fixed to the movable wall (1) made of a flexible material.

[0024] The mechanism for concealing the movable wall (1) is designed to adjust the position of the movable wall, i.e., the open position and the closed position. The movable wall (1) is fixed to the structure of the children's furniture and is made of a flexible material (especially fabric or polymer material), or in the form of a set of thin metal or bamboo strips that are interconnected so as to be flexible.

[0025] Figure 1 An overall view of the mechanism for concealing the movable wall (1) is shown, wherein the shaft (2) is made in the form of an elongated cylindrical element, which may be metal, plastic, or composite material, and the shaft is arranged laterally relative to the direction of movement of the movable wall (1). The shaft (2) is mounted so that it can move longitudinally along guides (4) arranged on both sides of the structure of the children's furniture. In various embodiments, the shaft (2) may be solid or hollow, may have a circular or polygonal cross-section, and may also include internal reinforcing elements to prevent it from bending under load.

[0026] Meanwhile, each guide (4) is formed by an upper strip (5) and a lower strip (6), which are arranged parallel to each other to form a longitudinal channel therebetween. The strips (5, 6) can be made in the form of molded metal or polymer elements, wherein their inner surfaces can be smooth or provided with rolling tracks for the rollers (10). The lower strip (6) is provided with a rack (7), which can be integrally formed with the strip (6) or fixed to the strip (6) as a separate element. The rack (7) is configured to mesh with a gear (8) and has a tooth profile corresponding to the profile of the gear (8) for transmitting torque without slippage.

[0027] Each end of the shaft (2) is provided with a gear (8) fixed to the carriage (9), and in a preferred embodiment, the shaft (2) is non-rotatable relative to the gear (8), that is, it is connected to the gear (8) by means of a connecting element (15), and the gear (8) is pivotally fixed to the carriage (9), such as Figure 2 As shown. That is, when the shaft (2) is tightly fixed relative to the gear (8), the longitudinal movement of the shaft (2) along the guide (4) is accompanied only by the rotation of the gear (8) relative to the carriage (9). In another embodiment, the shaft (2) is directly connected to the gear (8) without intermediate elements and is configured to rotate. That is, when the shaft (2) is mounted so that it can rotate with the gear (8), the shaft (2) also rotates about its axis as the gear (8) rotates.

[0028] Each carriage (9) includes a body (11) to which a roller (10) is attached, and the roller may be made in the form of a cylindrical or spherical element. The number of rollers (10) may be at least two; however, in a preferred embodiment, there are four rollers arranged to ensure contact with the upper strip (5) and lower strip (6) of the guide (4), thereby stabilizing the position of the carriage (9). As the rollers (10) roll between the strips (5, 6), smooth movement of the carriage (9) is ensured without substantial sliding friction, thereby improving the durability of the mechanism. In another embodiment, each carriage (9) may be provided with two rollers (10) having a larger diameter, or for example, eight rollers (10) may be provided.

[0029] The springback element (3) is arranged in the body (11) of the carriage (9), such as Figure 3As shown, and in a preferred embodiment, the spring element is a torsion spring. The spring element (3) may be arranged coaxially with the gear (8), wherein one end of the spring element (3) is fixed in the body (11) of the carriage (9), and the other end is connected to the gear (8), which is mounted on the rack (7). In other embodiments, the spring element (3) may be made in the form of a helical spring, a flat spring, or other spring element capable of generating torque. The spring element (3) is used to generate a constant bias force that ensures reliable meshing of the gear (8) with the rack (7) and compensates for possible backlash or load unevenness.

[0030] Figure 4 An exterior view of the carriage (9) on the guide (4) is shown.

[0031] When the other end (13) of the movable wall (1) is fixed and the movable wall (1) is in the closed position, the spring element (3) is in a state of initial torsional deformation and generates internal torque. In this position, the rotation of the gear (8) relative to the body (11) is blocked, which prevents the carriage (9) from moving along the guide (4) and correspondingly prevents the shaft (2) from moving along the guide (4). At the same time, one end (12) of the movable wall (1) is tightly fixed relative to the shaft (2). After the other end (13) is released, the blockage is removed, and the energy accumulated in the spring element (3) is converted into torque, which is transmitted to the gear (8), which begins to rotate and interacts with the rack (7) fixed along the guide (4). Since the rack (7) is tightly fixed relative to the furniture structure, the rotation of the gear (8) causes the carriage (9) to translate along the guide (4). Rollers (10) mounted on the carriage (9) roll between the upper strip (5) and the lower strip (6) of the guide (4), thereby ensuring smooth and stable movement. The synchronous movement of the carriage (9) on both sides causes the shaft (2) to move longitudinally along the guide (4), thereby enabling the shaft (2) to conceal the movable wall (1).

[0032] Figure 5 A mechanism for concealing a movable wall (1) installed in children's furniture is shown. One end (12) of the movable wall (1) is firmly fixed relative to a shaft (2). In this exemplary embodiment, one end (12) of the movable wall (1) is fixed to a rod (16), which is immovably installed in the children's furniture; in another exemplary embodiment, the end (12) may be directly fixed to the structure of the children's furniture, or fixed to a strip, track, or fixed by means of straps, hooks, fasteners, etc. Meanwhile, the surface of the movable wall (1) is in contact with the shaft (2), that is, the movable wall (1) extends around the shaft (2) over its entire width. The other end (13) of the movable wall is not shown in this figure.

[0033] Figure 6 An exemplary use of a mechanism for performing concealment in a child's bed is shown, wherein the movable wall (1) is in the closed position.

[0034] Figure 7 An exemplary use of a mechanism for performing concealment in a child's bed is shown, wherein the movable wall (1) is in the open position.

[0035] The aforementioned mechanism for concealing the movable wall (1) can be installed in various parts of the structure of the children's furniture according to the method of moving the movable wall (1).

[0036] In particular, in one embodiment, such as Figures 6 to 7 As shown, the mechanism can be integrated into the bottom of a crib (17). In this case, the guide (4) is arranged horizontally or substantially horizontally along the inner surface of the structure, and the shaft (2) moves along the guide (4) in the horizontal plane, and the movable wall (1) moves accordingly from top to bottom or from bottom to top. The other end (13) of the movable wall (1) is configured to move from an open position to a closed position. The crib (17) is provided with a guide groove (18) along which the movable wall (1) moves, and the other end (13) of the movable wall (1) is fixed to a rod (19) having an end provided with a pin (not shown) that interacts with a groove (20) formed in the structure of the crib (17), and the movable wall (1) is fixed in the closed position by means of the pin. In this embodiment, the mechanism can be used, for example, to adjust the height of the movable wall of a crib, playpen, or cradle. In another embodiment, the mechanism can be integrated into the top panel of the children's furniture, wherein its arrangement and operating principle remain unchanged.

[0037] In another embodiment, the mechanism can be installed in the side wall of the children's furniture. In this case, the guide (4) is arranged vertically, and the shaft (2) is installed so that it can move vertically, and the movable wall (1) moves accordingly from left to right or from right to left depending on which side it is installed on. At the same time, the structure of the mechanism remains unchanged, and the only difference is the orientation of the guide (4) relative to the overall geometry of the product. Therefore, the mechanism can be used in children's tents, children's rooms, and the movable wall (1) can be used as a door, wherein the other end (13) of the movable wall (1) is fixed in the closed position, for example by means of straps, straps, buttons, fasteners, Velcro, rods, pin slot connectors, etc.

[0038] In each of the mentioned embodiments, the operating principle of the mechanism remains unchanged: the longitudinal movement of the shaft (2) along the guide (4) is accompanied by the interaction of the gear (8) and rack (7) and the deformation of the springback element (3), which ensures the controlled adjustment of the position of the movable wall (1). The vertical or horizontal spatial arrangement of the mechanism only determines the direction of movement of the movable wall (1), but does not change the kinematic scheme of the interaction of its constituent elements.

[0039] To limit the extreme positions of the carriage (9) and the shaft (2) respectively, the guide (4) is provided with a limiter (14), such as Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the limiter (14) can be made in the form of a protrusion, stop or insert to prevent the carriage (9) from moving beyond the working length of the guide (4), thereby avoiding excessive concealment or complete loosening of the movable wall (1) and ensuring safe operation of the children's furniture.

[0040] In addition, to smoothly and harmoniously conceal the movable wall (1), the mechanism or children's furniture may also be provided with intermediate elements (21), such as... Figure 1 As shown, it serves as a sliding surface for a movable wall (1).

[0041] Therefore, the present invention can form a concealment mechanism in which the movable wall moves synchronously, uniformly and in a controlled manner across its entire width, which enables the aforementioned technical effects, namely, improving the concealment stability and uniformity of the movable wall, reducing the dynamic load on the components of the mechanism, and improving the operational safety and reliability of the structure.

Claims

1. A mechanism for concealing a movable wall (1) of children's furniture, the mechanism comprising a shaft (2) having an end equipped with a spring-loaded element (3), and the shaft (2) being connected to and fixed to the movable wall (1) made of a flexible material and to the structure of the children's furniture, wherein The shaft (2) is configured to move longitudinally along the guide (4), and each of the guides is formed by an upper strip (5) and a lower strip (6), and the lower strip (6) is equipped with a rack (7), and each end of the shaft (2) is equipped with a gear (8) fixed on a carriage (9), the carriage (9) is equipped with at least two rollers (10) configured to roll between the upper strip (5) and the lower strip (6) of the guide (4), the spring element (3) is arranged in the body (11) of the carriage (9), one end of the spring element is connected to the carriage (9), and the other end is connected to the gear (8) mounted on the rack (7), and one end (12) of the movable wall (1) is fixed relative to the shaft (2), while the other end (13) is movable, and the surface of the movable wall (1) is in contact with the shaft (2).

2. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, Each springback element (3) is arranged coaxially with the gear (8).

3. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The springback element (3) is a torsion spring.

4. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The main body (11) of each carriage (9) is equipped with four rollers (10).

5. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The guide (4) is equipped with a carriage (9) travel limiter (14).

6. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The shaft (2) is not rotatable relative to the gear (8).

7. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein, The shaft (2) is configured to rotate.

Images