Seating with stand-up aid

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a piece of seating furniture with a standing aid and in particular to a piece of seating furniture with at least three adjacent seating units, such as a sofa designed as a three-seater, wherein at least one of the seating units has a standing aid.

[0002] A piece of seating furniture according to the preamble of claim 1 is essentially derived from IT RE20 130 041 A1.

[0003] Seating furniture with a standing aid or standing aids for seating furniture are generally known and serve to make it easier for a person sitting on the furniture to get up from the seating furniture.

[0004] Such seating furniture with a stand-up aid typically has a fitting that supports a seat component and can be adjusted between a first and a second position. In the second position, the seat component mounted on the fitting is inclined more forward and is positioned higher overall than in the first position. Such fittings are also referred to generically in this context as "stand-up aid fittings" and are generally known; see, for example, German patent applications DE 44 17 616 A1 or DE 20 2004 004 541 U1. Accordingly, the function and design of such stand-up aid fittings will not be discussed in detail here, as those skilled in the art are already familiar with their basic function and design.

[0005] Lift-assist mechanisms are typically found in armchairs such as TV or recliner chairs. These chairs have a relatively solid and robust frame or base into which a lift-assist mechanism is integrated. This mechanism, in turn, supports the chair's seating unit, which essentially consists of a seat and backrest. If such chairs—after removing the armrests—are placed side by side and connected, multi-seater sofas with several seating units and lift-assist mechanisms can be created.

[0006] However, since each individual chair is already relatively massive and bulky, the overall impression of the resulting multi-seater is all the more imposing, as each individual seat unit has its own frame. Furthermore, because the frame of each seat unit rests on the floor, the resulting multi-seater is not raised off the floor. "Ground clearance" in this sense means that the underside of each seat unit is raised a certain distance from the floor on which the furniture stands, allowing, for example, easy vacuuming and / or mopping underneath. This is precisely what is impossible without ground clearance, which also reinforces the furniture's bulky appearance.

[0007] For further background information, reference is made here to US 2020 / 0055605A1. This document describes a seating arrangement for an aircraft in which three seat units are mounted on the crossbeams of a wing frame. One of the two end seats, and in particular its seat cushion, is articulated to the crossbeams via a lifting mechanism consisting of several lever elements, such that pivoting these lever elements raises the entire seat cushion by a specific amount.

[0008] The invention is based on the objective of providing a piece of seating furniture with several adjacent seating units or a sofa designed as a multi-seater with integrated standing aid, which creates the most delicate overall impression possible and is off the floor.

[0009] This problem is solved with a piece of seating furniture having the features of claim 1.

[0010] The seating furniture according to the invention has at least three seating units arranged side by side and can therefore also be referred to as a three-seater if it has exactly three seating units. Each of these seating units has a seat and a backrest attached to the seat, and it can be provided in particular that the respective backrest is attached to the seat by means of an adjustment fitting in order to be able to adjust the inclination of the backrest relative to the seat.

[0011] The at least three seating units, which are preferably identical, are supported by a continuous supporting structure on which all seating units of the furniture are supported. In particular, the supporting structure comprises a crossbeam that runs beneath the at least three seating units and is essentially flush with the two outermost seating units, which can also be referred to as end seating units. The two ends of the crossbeam, which are referred to here as the first and second ends for differentiation, are therefore essentially flush with the outer surfaces of the two end seating units, allowing them to be mounted on the crossbeam.

[0012] The crossbeam is supported on the floor by two columns, with a first column at the first end and a second column at the second end of the crossbeam. The crossbeam thus spans the clear space between the two columns like a single-span beam and is spaced from the floor by the columns, so that the seating can be considered to be raised off the floor, as there is sufficient space beneath the seating units to allow for mopping and / or vacuuming underneath the furniture, or to allow a robotic vacuum cleaner to move underneath it.

[0013] According to the invention, it is further provided that at least one seat part of the at least three seating units, but in particular the seat part of that seating unit to which another of the at least three seating units, such as the two end seating units, is / are adjacent on both sides, is mounted on the crossbeam by means of a fitting that can be adjusted between a first position and a second position, wherein the seat part mounted on the fitting is inclined more forward and is positioned higher in the second position than in the first position. In other words, at least one seat part of the at least three seating units, but preferably at least the seat part of a seating unit that does not form an end seating unit, is mounted on the crossbeam by means of a stand-up aid fitting.

[0014] The seating furniture according to the invention is therefore not only freestanding; rather, all seating units are supported by a common supporting structure. The individual seating units thus do not each have their own separate body; instead, the at least three seating units share a single supporting structure, thereby eliminating the need for a large number of components. Since the individual seating units do not have their own separate bodies, the seating furniture according to the invention creates a particularly delicate overall impression, which is further enhanced by the furniture's freestanding position.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the invention, the crossbeam is composed of at least three crossbeam sections, each of which is rigidly connected to one another in pairs, in particular by screws, with a seat part of one of the at least three seat units arranged above each crossbeam section. Each seat unit is thus assigned its own crossbeam section, on which it is optionally mounted via a corresponding standing aid fitting.

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be discussed. Further embodiments may also be apparent from the dependent claims, the description of the figures, and the drawings.

[0017] The seating furniture according to the invention is thus characterized by a certain modularity, which, for example, makes it possible to expand a three-seater into a four-seater. For this purpose, the connection between two interconnected crossbeam sections simply needs to be released, and then another crossbeam section inserted between the two previously interconnected crossbeam sections. A further seat unit can then be mounted on this second crossbeam section, optionally with the addition of a lift-assist mechanism. Conversely, if, for example, there is insufficient space available to set up the seating furniture according to the invention, the middle crossbeam section with the seat unit mounted on it can be removed, and the two end seat units, or the crossbeam sections on which they are mounted, can be connected to each other, creating a two-seater that can also be used in confined spaces.

[0018] While it is possible to additionally support a central crossbeam section on the ground using an auxiliary support to prevent any deflection of the crossbeam, such deflections are not to be expected, especially in the case of a three-seater, if the crossbeam is designed with sufficient rigidity. Therefore, it is sufficient to support the crossbeam on the ground only by the two supports at its two ends, so that the crossbeam is not supported on the ground by any further support between the two supports at its two ends.

[0019] Furthermore, undesirable deflections of the crossbeam can be prevented by making it sufficiently rigid, for which purpose each crossbeam section can comprise at least two parallel tubes, in particular rectangular tubes, at both ends of which an end plate is welded, which makes it possible to bolt adjacent crossbeam sections together in a rigid manner.

[0020] According to a further embodiment, the crossbeam, apart from the two supports, can be the lowest component of the seating furniture, particularly in the second position of the lift-assist mechanism. The ground clearance of the seating furniture is thus not affected by any attachments such as extendable footrests or side panels, which is desirable to allow, for example, a robotic vacuum cleaner to operate underneath the seating furniture.

[0021] The invention will now be described in the following by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a seating furniture according to the invention in the form of a three-seater; Fig. 2 shows the seating furniture of the Fig. 1 in a partially disassembled state; Fig. 3 shows the seating furniture of the Fig. 1 in a state in which the lift-assist mechanism of the middle seat unit is in its second position; Fig. 4 perspective side and rear views of a seat unit of the seating furniture of the Fig. 1 shows; and Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of two interconnected crossbeam sections of the seating furniture according to the invention.

[0022] The Fig. 1Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a seating furniture 10 according to the invention, which in this case is a three-seater, meaning that the seating furniture 10 has three adjacent seating units 12. The three seating units 12 are essentially identical and each has a seat section 14 and a back section 16 attached to the respective seat section 14, which is hinged to the respective seat section 14 so that the inclination of the back section 16 can be adjusted independently of the inclination of the seat section 14. Although side sections 26 serving as armrests are mounted on the two end seating units 12 and in particular on their respective seat sections 14, the seating units 12 of the seating furniture 10 are nevertheless essentially identical.

[0023] The three seating units 12 are mounted on a supporting structure designated here in its entirety by the reference symbol "18". The supporting structure 18 has a crossbeam 20 running transversely beneath the three seating units (see in particular the Fig. 3 ), at each of whose two ends a support 22 is attached. At the lower end of the supports 22, essentially horizontally extending runners 28 or runner-like feet 28 are formed, over which the supporting structure 18 and thus the entire seating furniture 10 rests on the floor and which ensure a secure stand for the seating furniture 10.

[0024] Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the crossbeam 20 is supported on the ground only by the two supports 22 at its two ends, and that no further support is provided between the two end supports 22. The crossbeam 20 thus spans the entire distance between the two supports 22 and therefore, in a structural sense, forms a simply supported beam that bears the load from the three seating units 12.

[0025] In the embodiment shown here, the seat part 14 of each seat unit 12 is mounted on the crossbeam 20 by means of a standing aid fitting 24, which is not described in detail here, whereby the standing aid fitting 24 is only present in the middle seat unit 12 of the Fig. 3 as well as in the Fig. 4 more precisely recognizable. Although such lifting aid fittings are generally known, the basic function and basic construction of such fittings should be noted in the following. Fig. 4Reference is made to the following, which can be deduced that the standing aid fitting 24 comprises two coupling levers 36 of different lengths, which are articulated on the one hand to the cross member 20 or the respective cross member sections 30 and on the other hand to the underside of the respective seat part 14, whereby the different lengths of the two coupling levers 36 are essentially responsible for the fact that a seat part 12 mounted on the standing aid fitting 24 is tilted forwards and lifted upwards when the standing aid fitting 24 is moved from a first position to its second position.

[0026] In the embodiment shown here, the side parts 26 are attached to the seat parts 14 and thus move forward and upward when the standing aid fitting 24 is moved into its second position. Alternatively, the side parts 26 can also be attached to the support structure 18 and, in particular, to the two ends of the crossbeam 20, and thus remain stationary when the standing aid fitting 24 is moved into its second position.

[0027] Each of these standing aid fittings 24 has a first position ( Fig. 1 ) and a second position according to the middle seat unit 12 of the Fig. 3The seat section 14, mounted on the standing aid fitting 24, is inclined more forward in the second position and is positioned higher overall than in the first position. The respective standing aid fitting 24 can, for example, be spring-loaded or moved from its first position to its second position by means of an electric motor (not shown), which makes it easier for a person sitting on the respective seat section 14 to stand up from the seating furniture 10.

[0028] Since all three seating units 12 are mounted on the crossbeam 20, the seating furniture 10 is free of the floor. Furthermore, the seating furniture 10 according to the invention creates a delicate overall impression due to the fact that the individual seating units 12 are not supported on the floor by relatively massive frames.

[0029] Again Fig. 2The seating units 12 of the seating furniture 10 according to the invention can be removed and separated from one another, for example, for transport purposes. For this purpose, the crossbeam 20 is composed of several crossbeam sections 30, and in the embodiment shown here, specifically of three crossbeam sections 30; see also the Fig. 5 Figure 2 shows two interconnected crossbeam sections 30. The crossbeam sections 30 are identical in design and each has two parallel tubes 32, which can be rectangular tubes. An end plate 34 is welded to each end of the respective tubes 32, allowing adjacent crossbeam sections 30 to be rigidly bolted together. The outer end plates 34 of the two outer crossbeam sections 30 serve to attach the supports 22 to the crossbeam 20.

[0030] How the Figs. 1 to 4 As can further be seen, a footrest or leg rest 38 is attached to the front end of the seat section 14 of each seat unit 12 by means of a scissor fitting 40. In the retracted position of the scissor fitting 40 shown here, the respective footrest or leg rest 38 is located above the crossbeam 20, so that the ground clearance of the seating unit 10 is not affected by the footrest or leg rest 38.

[0031] Furthermore, the respective scissor mechanism 40 can be extended from the retracted position shown here, allowing a person sitting on the respective seat unit 12 to rest their legs on the leg rest 38. The respective scissor mechanism 40 can be moved into its extended position regardless of the position of the respective stand-up mechanism 24. Therefore, if, for example, the backrest 16 is slightly tilted backwards in the second position of the stand-up mechanism 24 and the scissor mechanism 40 is extended, a comfortable relaxing, reading, or television position can be set up.

[0032] For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the seat parts (14), the back parts (16), the leg supports (38) and the side parts are of course upholstered, but the upholstery is not shown here for the sake of clarity. Reference symbol list

[0033] 10 Seating furniture 12 Seating unit 14 Seat section 16 Back section 18 Support structure 20 Crossbeam 22 Support 24 Stand-up aid fitting 26 Side panel 28 Skid 30 Crossbeam section 32 Tubes 34 Front plate 36 Coupling lever 38 Foot / leg support 40 Scissor fitting

Claims

1. Seating furniture (10) comprising: - at least three seating units (12) which are arranged next to one another and which each have a seat part (14) and a back part (16) attached to the seat part (14), in particular a back part (16) which is adjustable in inclination with respect to the seat part (14); and - a support structure (18) for supporting the at least three seating units (12), wherein the support structure (18) comprises a cross member (20), which extends under the at least three seating units (12) and which has a first end and a second end, and a first and a second support (22) for supporting the cross member (20) on the floor, wherein the first support (22) is attached to the first end and the second support (22) is attached to the second end of the cross member (20); wherein at least one seat part (14) of the at least three seating units (12), but in particular the seat part (14) of that seating unit (12) of the at least three seating units (12) which is adjoined at both sides by another one of the at least three seating units (12) in each case, is mounted at the cross member (20) by means of a fitting (24) which is adjustable between a first position and a second position; wherein the seat part (14) mounted at the fitting (24) is inclined more to the front in the second position and is disposed higher in its entirety than in the first position; wherein the cross member (20) comprises at least three cross member sections (30) which are connected to one another in pairs in a flexurally rigid manner, in particular screwed to one another, wherein a respective seat part (14) of one of the at least three seating units (12) is arranged above each cross member section (30).

2. Seating furniture (10) according to claim 1, wherein each cross member section (30) comprises two tubes (32) extending parallel to one another, in particular rectangular tubes, wherein an end plate (34) is welded to each of the two ends of the respective tubes (32).

3. Seating furniture (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross member (20) is supported on the floor only by the two supports (22) at its two ends and is not supported on the floor by any further support between the two supports (22) at its two ends.

4. Seating furniture (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross member (20) is the component of the seating furniture (10) that is disposed the lowest apart from the two supports (22).

5. Seating furniture (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least three seating units (12) are of identical design.