FURNITURE WITH SWIVEL DEVICE FOR A SWIVEL PART

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a piece of furniture with a pivoting part, namely an office chair or armchair or kneeling chair, in particular for use in connection with training or games in a virtual reality environment, according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and similar to DE 199 15 003.

[0002] This publication discloses a controllable seating device in which the seat surface can perform a spherical movement along spherical surfaces below the seat, centered in the user's pelvic area. This movement is controlled by several linear drives and a control system. A movement "permitted" to the user is not provided, the effort involved is considerable, and the mass and electrical supply do not allow for mobile use, for example, as an office chair. Only stationary special applications are possible. Therefore, the initial qualification "similar" was chosen.

[0003] US Pat. No. 6,331,152 discloses a gimbal-mounted support device for people, but also vehicles and the like, which can also be used only in a stationary position. It has three mutually perpendicular axes, at the intersection of which the object to be pivoted is mounted. The use of this bulky kinematic system, which encompasses the object to be pivoted on all sides, in conjunction with furniture, especially an armchair or the like, is completely impossible.

[0004] The preamble of claim 1 is therefore a fictitious prior art.

[0005] The invention is explained below using an office chair as an example. However, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that all types of exercise aids, therapeutic and medical couches, stretchers, and armchairs (chairs), as well as other furniture (tables, beds, etc.) with extendable parts, can be equipped with the pivoting device according to the invention. In one embodiment, the movement is not initiated by the user, but by motors, particularly depending on a virtual environment. The user visually perceives a non-existent environment using a helmet or glasses, and the furniture on which they sit or lie performs corresponding movements.

[0006] Office chairs have a seat and a backrest above a height-adjustable support member, which is considered part of the chassis in this application. These seats and backrests are rotatable together about a common vertical axis, usually the vertical axis of the support member, and can each pivot about at least one horizontal axis, individually or independently of one another. There are mechanisms by which the pivoting movement occurs about an axis that is not fixed relative to the support member, but in which the position of the axis changes (although usually unambiguously) during pivoting.

[0007] The problem with all kinematics is, on the one hand, the relatively small space available, on the other hand, the not inconsiderable forces and moments that occur, and the desire, sometimes it is even a necessity (medical field), to eliminate the ability to pivot about individual axes, in jargon called fixation of an axis.

[0008] The invention aims to provide a mechanism that meets these requirements in a simple, cost-effective, and mechanically stable manner. The mobility should be able to be limited in a variety of ways, specifically to accommodate the user's urge to move (e.g., children with ADHD). In another embodiment, however, the movement should be dictated externally. This is particularly important in connection with game consoles or simulation situations using "virtual reality" (VR) in the form of VR glasses or VR helmets, etc. This can also be advantageous in the medical field to facilitate patient transfers, vary patient lying surfaces to prevent bedsores, etc.

[0009] According to the invention, these objectives are achieved by a piece of furniture having the features of claim 1. It is preferred that the instantaneous poles always lie at a central point fixed to the base.

[0010] In the kinematics usable in connection with the invention, which is known per se from WO 2012 / 123102 by the inventor, a horizontal axis for pivoting the seat surface is provided on a height-adjustable support part. A series of three arms arranged in series, pivotable relative to one another, is formed on the seat surface. The last of these arms is firmly connected to the backrest, and their three pivot axes intersect at a single point. This point is preferably located in the pelvic area of ​​the intended user, preferably approximately at the level of the user's center of gravity.

[0011] If the three pivot axes do not intersect at a single point, but two intersect at a single point, and the third is skewed, or if all three are skewed to each other, the moving part moves around an instantaneous center of rotation that is not fixed to the base. In many applications (normal office chairs, etc.), this is sufficient; however, in other applications, such as the medical field or use in conjunction with VR, a common intersection point is highly desirable, if not necessary.

[0012] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, which always assumes a fixed base instantaneous center of gravity. Shown are: the Fig. 1 , purely schematically, an office chair according to the invention in a perspective view from below, the Fig. 2 Detail II of the Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, the Fig. 3the mechanism according to the invention alone, with two fixed degrees of freedom, the Fig. 4 the mechanism analogous to Fig. 3 , with a fixed degree of freedom, the Fig. 5 an alternative mechanism with a fixed degree of freedom, the Fig. 6 a variant that Fig. 7 an exploded view of the essential components of the mechanism according to the invention, Fig. 8 a variant that Fig. 9 a mechanism not according to the invention, the Figs. 10, 11 and 12a-12d a variant of the mechanism according to the invention, the Figs. 13 and 14 another variant of the mechanism according to the invention and the Figs. 15 to 17 a possible arrangement of drives for carrying out the movement from the outside.

[0013] In the following, the invention will be explained primarily with reference to an office chair, whereby the terms used, such as "top", "bottom", "crosswise", "longitudinally", "front", "back", "above", "below", "in front" and the like, are always used in the common sense.

[0014] As from Fig. 1 and 2As can be seen, an office chair 1 has a chassis 3 with a footrest, legs, castors and a shock-absorbing mechanism for height adjustment, at the upper end of which a support part 2 is rotatably arranged. The support part 2 has, on the one hand, a fin 12 directed backwards in the exemplary embodiment, and on the other hand, directed forwards in the exemplary embodiment, an approximately triangular wing 22. From the wing 22, two struts 15, which are mounted on it in an articulated manner about a wing axis 4, lead to a seat bearing 16, around whose common seat axis 17 a seat surface 5 (in the case of furniture generally corresponding to the basic furniture part) can be pivoted. A four-bar linkage (without reference number) visible below this construction establishes the statically determined position and can, if necessary, be used to regulate the inclination of the seat surface in the rest position.As explained, the seat axis 17 is stationary with respect to the seat surface 5, but not with respect to the supporting part 2, to which it is articulated via the struts 15 and the wing 22.

[0015] Any armrests that may be present have not been shown for reasons of clarity; they have no causal connection to the invention.

[0016] At the rear of the seat 5 (basic furniture part) there is a base part 6 ( Fig. 2) is firmly mounted. On the base part 6, an intermediate part 7 is mounted so as to be rotatable about a base axis, on the intermediate part 7, in turn, a second arm 8 is mounted so as to be rotatable, and on this, also rotatable, a backrest part 9. The invention provides that the axes of rotation between the base part and the intermediate part 7, between the intermediate part 7 and the second arm 8, and between the second arm 8 and the backrest part 9 intersect at a central point 10. The backrest 11 (in furniture, generally corresponding to the swivel furniture part) is firmly connected (if necessary resiliently) to the backrest part 9. The individual axes are shown in the figures, but to avoid overloading, only in Fig. 6 with their reference symbols: 26-base axis, 25-intermediate axis and 24-swivel axis, the central point 10 is always indicated.

[0017] This mechanism now achieves a previously unattainable mobility around this central point 10, and thus also around three Cartesian axes (or axes parallel to it), which are not physically formed but are shown with their origin at the central point 10. These are the vertical axis Z, the transverse axis Q and the longitudinal axis L. In the individual embodiments shown, the respective locking of the pivoting around one or two of these axes is achieved by various measures that are simple and robust and, with knowledge of the invention, can also be easily combined with one another.

[0018] In the illustrated embodiment ( Fig. 2) a further mechanism, which is not necessarily used, is provided for creating a counterforce when leaning backwards: between a seat surface 18 on the underside of the seat surface 5 and a mostly curved fin surface 19 on the fin 12, a spacer rod 20 is clamped with a roller 21 at each of the upper and lower ends. Its current position is determined by its guidance in a guide opening 23 in the secondary arm 8 (see also Fig. 3 ). It may also protrude through another, but correspondingly larger, through-opening (not shown) in the backrest part 9, but its position is not affected by this; this only occurs through the guide opening 23.

[0019] The spacer rod 20 is guided in this guide opening 23 so that it can be moved longitudinally but not rotated, so that it always rolls at the correct angle along the running surfaces 18, 19 with its rollers 21. When the user leans back, the guide opening 23 shifts / rotates and thus takes the spacer rod 20 with it, subjecting it to bending stress. The weight of the user, pivotally mounted about the seat axis 17, presses against the backrest part 9 via the spacer rod 20 and the guide opening 23, preventing the user from leaning back. Of course, other such mechanisms known from the prior art can be used, but this one, with its compact design and the shape of the finned running surface 19 making it easily adaptable to different designs, is particularly suitable for combination with the pivoting mechanism according to the invention.

[0020] From the cohesion of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2It can be seen that the supporting part 2 has a fin 12 extending in the longitudinal direction L, which can of course also be designed differently; in the illustrated embodiment, it serves to fix the rotation about the axis L and the axis Q, and this in the following way: As the Fig. 4 shows, a pin 14 (optionally provided with a roller, or spring-mounted, etc.) of the backrest part 9 projects into the fin 12, which in this case is formed with a groove 12', and thus prevents rotation about the longitudinal axis L. However, due to the rotatability of the pin 14 in the groove 12' about its (not shown) longitudinal axis, there is no further axial fixation.

[0021] If you compare the Fig. 3, in which the fin 12 is designed without a groove, it can be seen that instead of the pin 14 of the backrest part 9, this has a real guide which is guided along both sides of the fin (any rollers or sliding surfaces are not shown for the sake of simplicity) by means of which, as can be seen from the comparison positions shown in dash-dotted lines, only rotation about the transverse axis Q is permitted, while both rotation about the vertical axis Z and rotation about the longitudinal axis L are prevented.

[0022] Since the attachment of such fins and / or grooves to correspondingly solid parts of a swivel chair or office chair is not always possible, Fig. 5a variant in which the rotation around the vertical axis Z is blocked, but in return, as is often desired in office chairs used for gymnastics, both a rotation around the transverse axis Q and the longitudinal axis L is possible: This is achieved by, as a comparison with the Fig. 3 As shown, the fin 12 is not permanently connected to the supporting part 2 (not shown), but rather via a parallel guide by means of two articulated parallelograms 13. This embodiment has the advantage that the actual attachment to the supporting part 2, whose shape is very freely selectable, can vary within wide limits. Furthermore, this variant is often advantageously used, particularly with other furniture, such as loungers and folding beds.

[0023] In slightly different dimensions than the mechanism described so far, the Fig. 6 a mechanism whose functioning is similar to that of Fig. 3corresponds, here you can clearly see, indicated by a rib, the connection of the backrest 11 to the backrest part 9.

[0024] The Fig. 7 shows, in the form of an exploded diagram, the detailed design of the individual components of the mechanism according to the invention: the base part 6, the intermediate part 7, the secondary arm 8 including the guide opening 23, and the backrest part 9, again with the rib indicating the backrest 11. The annular design creates a compact and mechanically extremely stable construction, capable of reliably transmitting the large forces generated by the short lever arms. Also shown are details of the bearing design, such as circlips and roller bearings; these can be provided in many different forms.

[0025] It should be noted that Fig. 6It should also be noted that the three axes between the serially arranged components 6 / 7 (24), 7 / 8 (25) and 8 / 9 (26) through their common, central intersection point 10 allow rotation around the (only imaginary) Cartesian axes Z, Q and L ( Fig. 5 ) and that, if desired, rotation about one or more of the Cartesian axes can be prevented by appropriate design of the guide 9 / 12 (13, 14).

[0026] The Fig. 8shows a variant using a kneeling chair in which a kneeling surface 27 is fixedly, springily, or adjustably connected to the seat surface 5. In this illustration, the height of the central point 10 above the support surface 28 on which the chair rests is clearly visible. Since the user's center of gravity is located in the area of ​​the central point 10 and, in most cases, noticeably below it, maintaining balance is possible without tiring strain on the nerves and / or muscles. Nevertheless, the user is encouraged to move, which improves blood circulation, particularly to the lower spine, than in a purely resting position.

[0027] The mechanism that enables the pivoting parts to move relative to the base (base axis 26) has, as can be seen from the Figs.10 and 11The following can be seen: On the base, via a base axis 26, a base arm 8 is pivotably arranged, on which in turn an intermediate arm 7 is pivotably arranged (25), on which finally a seat connecting part 6 is pivotally mounted (24). The three pivot axes 24, 25 and 26 are designed or aligned in such a way that they always intersect at one point, the central point 10. As already explained several times, this condition does not have to be fulfilled exactly. The spherical movement takes place around this central point 10 which is fixed to the base. The seat connecting part 6 is connected to the seat surface 5 in a suitable manner, either firmly or resiliently, or is formed on it.

[0028] Since the spherical pivotability of the seat surface 5 and all components connected to it around the central point 10, as stated at the beginning, depending on the orientation of the seat surface, should be kept within limits that depend on the respective field of application, one embodiment of the invention now provides ( Fig. 10 to 14 ) that a pin 14 fixed to the base extends into a recess fixed to the seat surface, namely the link opening 30, whereby the movement of the seat surface 5 and the parts of the chair connected to it is limited, preferably on all sides. Here, too, a roller, optionally spring-loaded and / or made of elastic plastic, can be attached to the pin to prevent hard impacts.

[0029] The gate opening 30 and the pin 14 are in Fig. 10 and Fig. 14 clearly visible, in the description and the claims, the component which has the gate opening 30 is also casually referred to as "gate opening 30".

[0030] The Fig. 12 shows, in four individual representations 12a to 12d, the respective extreme positions of the pin in the link opening 30, which is to be thought of as an extension of the base shaft 29.

[0031] The Fig. 13 Shows, from below, the kinematics through which the central point 10 is realized, and a link opening 30 in the form of a "true" link guide, without lateral freedom of movement, which in this illustration has the shape of a horizontal "8." The pivot always moves along the lines of the "figure 8"; the link branches out in the center. "Horizontal" means that the two "bellies" lie on the left-right axis of symmetry, thus the seat surface has the greatest lateral deflection in a slightly forward or slightly reclined position.

[0032] The Fig. 14shows a perspective bottom view of a variant of the invention, from which it can be clearly seen that the kinematics with its two arms between the end parts can be provided in a very flat manner and does not require more space than conventional kinematics of swivel chairs, etc. according to the prior art.

[0033] As stated above, the use of a kinematics 34 not according to the invention is also possible according to the Fig. 9between the base and the movable part of the furniture. This consists of a jointed parallelogram G1, which is fixedly mounted at its edge c. Opposite the side or edge c, a four-bar linkage V is provided, which shares this edge G1V with G1. This four-bar linkage V also shares the edge adjacent to G1V with the second jointed parallelogram G2, thus G2V. The two "outer" edges A and B of this movement grid pass through G1 and V, respectively, and G2 and V, as indicated by the gray stiffening triangles.

[0034] The extension of edge m of G2, which is opposite edge G2V, intersects the extension of c at the central point 10; so does the extension of the diagonal of V between the outermost vertex AB and the inner vertex GG. This intersection point, the central point 10, is always maintained in its plane under the conditions explained, during any movement of the kinematics 34.

[0035] If the motion grid is designed to be pivotable around c, as indicated by the rotary double arrow R, or if two or more such motion grids are provided which are arranged spatially obliquely to one another and have a common central point 10, a spherical movement of m around this central point is possible.

[0036] If the invention is used in conjunction with VR headsets or a VR helmet, it may be advantageous to raise the seat height so that the legs no longer reach the floor, but rest on support surfaces (pedals) that may also be movable relative to the base. This further enhances the sense of reality.

[0037] The necessary drives in this case, but also in the medical field or when a motor-assisted change in position is desired for other reasons, can either be located directly on the axes. Due to the still desired coincidence of the center of gravity (the overall center of gravity of the moving mass, possibly taking the kinematics into account) and the center of motion, only relatively low forces and moments occur. It is also possible to achieve the movements using belt drives, chain drives, or similar devices and to attach the motors / gearboxes to the base or another fixed location. With knowledge of the invention, it is not difficult for a person skilled in the art to make the appropriate selection.

[0038] The Figs. 15, 16 and 17show, purely schematically (without backrest, without armrest, without footrest, without power lines, without control lines, without central control element, without safety covers, etc., etc.), the attachment of motors 31, 32, and 33 directly to the pivot axes 24, 25, and 26 between the serially arranged components 5 / 7 (24), 7 / 8 (25), and 8 / 2 (26). Whether a motion-limiting link is provided even with such an arrangement is a question of safety philosophy and is not causally related to the invention.

[0039] Any brakes provided should be considered part of the drive system; they prevent rotation around the axes without requiring power to the motors. This saves energy. If further rotation is desired, the corresponding brake is released simultaneously. The motors are controlled and thus the position of the seat surface is controlled by a control system, which, in a conventional manner, is based on the user's movements and the images displayed on the glasses / helmet, and processes and implements these appropriately.

[0040] The dimensioning of the individual components and the choice of materials to be used are also no problem for the person skilled in the field of seating furniture manufacturing, given knowledge of the invention.

[0041] It should be specifically emphasized again that the pin and the gate opening can be attached to the respective other component; this is merely a simple kinematic reversal, familiar to any expert in the field of motion theory. The component with the gate opening, in particular, can be easily interchanged with another component with a different gate, enabling different movement patterns without any problems.

[0042] The invention is not limited to the examples shown; the shapes and dimensions of the components base part - intermediate part - second arm - backrest part can have other shapes and dimensions and can be constructed completely differently in other pieces of furniture, provided that the axes of rotation defined between them intersect only at one point, the central point 10.

[0043] It is not necessary, even with armchairs, for the base axis (9) to run vertically, as shown; particularly in medical applications and in the case of use in the VR area, tilting this axis can have positive effects.

[0044] All materials used in furniture construction for swivel mechanisms can be used, in particular steel, if necessary with rolling bearings or plain bearings with bushings made of suitable bearing metal. List of reference symbols: 01 office chair 05 Seat (base) 02 supporting part 06 Base part 03 chassis 07 Intermediate part 04 wing axis 08 Second arm (base arm) 09 backrest part 22 wing 10 Central point 23 Guide opening 11 Backrest (swivel part) 24 Swivel part axis 12 fin 25 Intermediate axle 12' Nut 26 Base axis 13 Joint parallelogram€ 27 knee area 14 cones 28 Contact area 15 Striving 29 Base wave 16 Seat bearing 30 backdrop opening 17 Seat axis 31 Motor 18 Seat surface 32 Motor 19 Fin running surface 33 Motor 20 spacer rod 34 kinematics 21 Caster(s)

Claims

1. Furniture with a basic furniture part and a pivotable furniture part which is pivotably mounted thereon by means of a pivot mechanism, wherein the pivot mechanism comprises a kinematics (34), by means of which the pivotable furniture part can execute a spherical movement relative to the basic furniture part about a moment pole lying above the basic furniture part, whereby the kinematics (34) comprises at least one basic arm (8), which is pivotably arranged on the basic furniture part by way of a basic axis (26), and an intermediate arm (7), which is pivotably (25) arranged thereon, and which is also pivotably mounted (24) on the pivotable furniture part, with the proviso that the three pivot axes (24, 25, 26) have their smallest distance above the base furniture part.

2. Furniture according to claim 1, characterised in that the moment pole is a central point (10) fixed to the base.

3. Furniture according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the three pivot axes (24, 25, 26) always intersect at one point, the central point (10).

4. Furniture according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it is an chair, in particular an office chair (1), in that it's basic furniture part is a seat (5) and the pivoting furniture part is a back (11) of the armchair.

5. Chair, in particular an office chair (1) according to claim 4, having a chassis (3) with a support part (2) to which the seat (5) is fastened, optionally pivotably, characterised in that a base part (6) is arranged on the underside of the seat (5) behind the fastening of the support part (2).

6. Chair, in particular office chair (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the supporting part (2) has a rib (12) directed towards the rear, and in that the pivoting part (9) is guided on this rib in a rotationally fixed manner. (Fig. 3)7. Chair, in particular an office chair (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the rearwardly directed support part (2) has a rib (12) with a longitudinal groove (12'), and in that the swivel part (9) is rotatably guided in the groove (12') (Fig. 4).

8. Chair, in particular an office chair (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the rearwardly directed support part (2) has a rib (12), in that this rib is mounted so as to be displaceable parallel to itself in the direction of the transverse axis (Q), and in that the swivel part (9) is guided on this rib so as to be non-rotatable. (Fig. 5)9. Chair, in particular an office armchair (1) according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterised in that a seat running surface (18) is provided on the underside of the seat (5) and a fin running surface (19) is provided on the fin (12), in that a spacer rod (20) is provided on the fin (12), and in that in that a spacer bar (20) with rollers (21) at its ends is provided between these running surfaces, the rollers of which bar roll on the running surfaces, and in that the spacer bar (20) is guided longitudinally displaceably but non-rotatably in a guide opening (23) in the second arm (8).

10. Chair, in particular an office hair (1) according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterised in that - either a pin (14) is connected to the supporting part (2), which pin projects into a link opening (30) which is connected to the seat surface (5), - or a pin (14) is connected to the seat surface (5), which pin projects into a link opening (30) which is connected to the supporting part (2). (Fig. 11)11. Chair, in particular office chair (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that the link guide (13) or the pin (12) is provided on a seat connecting part (6) on which the kinematics (34) also acts.

12. Chair, in particular an office chair (1) according to claim 11, characterised in that the link opening (30) or the pin (14) is resiliently connected to the seat connecting part (6).

13. Chair, in particular an office chair (1) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the pin (14) carries, optionally radially resiliently, a rotatable ring which comes into contact with the edge of the link opening (30).

14. Chair, in particular an office chair (1), according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the link opening (30) is a link guide which has the shape of an '8'.

15. Chair according to any of the claims 4 to 14, characterised in that at least one motor (31, 32, 33) and / or a motor-gear unit and optionally brakes are provided, with which the angular position about at least one of the axes of rotation (24, 25, 26) of the kinematics (34) is changed and fixed in a controlled manner.

16. Chair according to claim 15, characterised in that at least one motor (31, 32, 33) or a motor-gear unit is mounted on the associated axis (24, 25, 26).

17. Chair according to claim 15 or 16, characterised in that at least one motor or motor-gear unit is stationary with respect to the base and in that the drive to the axles or shafts is effected by means of belt drives, chain drives, Bowden cables or the like.