FURNITURE INCLUDING A MOVEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

Title: FURNITURE COMPRISING A MOVEMENT SYSTEM The invention relates to a piece of furniture (100) comprising a base (200), the furniture (100) also comprising a movement system including at least one rolling element (400) mounted to move relative to the base (200) between: - a retracted position, and - an extended position. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: FURNITURE COMPRISING A MOVEMENT SYSTEM Field of invention

[0001] The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of furniture.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to furniture comprising a movement system. State of the art

[0003] It is known from the patent document published under number FR2990609, in the name of the applicant, a piece of furniture incorporating a movement system.

[0004] In this case, the furniture takes the form of a table including a base on which the movement system is mounted.

[0005] It is recalled that furniture is defined as being a piece of furniture such as a table, a seat, a sideboard, this list not being exhaustive.

[0006] It is also recalled that the base is defined as being the set of feet of a piece of furniture and the crosspieces which join them.

[0007] The movement system comprises at least one wheel which comes into contact with the ground when the furniture is intended to be moved.

[0008] Also, to move furniture according to the patent document published under number FR2990609, a user must lift the furniture to tilt it and put the or each wheel in contact with the ground. The user then maintains his effort to lift the furniture and move it by rolling it.

[0009] It is therefore understood that the user must provide a continuous effort to lift and keep the furniture raised when moving it.

[0010] When the furniture is heavy, such an effort can become tiring for the user, especially when several pieces of furniture have to be moved successively.

[0011] Furthermore, such an effort, when repeated numerous times, can lead to a risk of musculoskeletal disorders appearing for the user.

[0012] The furniture according to the patent document published under number FR2990609 further comprises, for each wheel, a cover intended to protect the wheel with which it is associated.

[0013] However, the presence of such a hood greatly harms the aesthetics of the furniture.

[0014] Indeed, each hood forms a protrusion which can be unsightly even when an integration effort is made.

[0015] Finally, even if their purpose is to protect the wheels, the hoods, by forming protrusions, can easily be struck by the feet of people located at proximity to the furniture.

[0016] This can then cause the hoods to deform, further harming their appearance and / or generating friction on the wheels, which leads to them braking and requires the user to make an additional effort to move the furniture.

[0017] In the worst case, damage to the cover can harm the integrity of the wheel and render the movement system inoperable.

[0018] Damage to the covers is particularly evident when the latter are made of plastic and attached to the base. Alternatively, the covers may be integrally formed with the body of the base, for example by casting, in which case their deformation is limited, or even impossible. On the other hand, by being integrally formed, the covers become brittle and may no longer guarantee protection for the wheel with which they are associated. Objectives of the invention

[0019] The invention aims in particular to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0020] More specifically, the invention aims to propose furniture comprising a movement system making it possible to limit the physical effort required by a user wishing to move the furniture.

[0021] The invention also aims to provide such furniture which is easy for a user to move.

[0022] The invention further aims to provide such furniture whose reliability and aesthetics are increased compared to furniture of the state of the art. Statement of the invention

[0023] These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved thanks to the invention which has as its subject a piece of furniture comprising a base including at least three points of contact defining a plane for placing the furniture on a floor, the furniture also comprising a movement system including at least one rolling element, characterized in that said at least one rolling element is mounted to move relative to the base between: - a retracted position in which the or each rolling element is housed in the base so that the furniture rests on the installation surface of the base, and - an extended position, in which the or each rolling element protrudes at least partially from the base so that the furniture rests on the or each rolling element and on one or two contact points of the base.

[0024] Thanks to the extended position of the or each rolling element, the effort to be exerted by a user wishing to move the furniture is limited compared to the solutions according to the prior art.

[0025] Indeed, the user only has to exert and maintain a pushing force on the furniture to place the furniture in balance on the or each rolling element. This then proves easier than for the solutions of the prior art for which the user must lift and keep the furniture raised to bring the rolling elements into contact with the ground and thus allow the furniture to move.

[0026] Furthermore, in its retracted position, the or each rolling element does not harm the stability of the furniture since the latter can rest on its installation surface.

[0027] According to an advantageous aspect, the or each rolling element comprises a chassis and a wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis, the chassis being rotatably mounted on the base along an axis of rotation, between its retracted position and its extended position.

[0028] The rotational mobility of the chassis makes it possible to limit the size of the or each rolling element in that in the retracted position, the chassis can extend substantially parallel to the ground on which the furniture rests. This proves particularly effective when the chassis has a height greater than its width and depth.

[0029] According to an advantageous aspect, in its extended position, the or each rolling element forms, with the laying plane, an angle strictly greater than 90° so as to prevent the rolling element from returning to the retracted position under the effect of the weight of the furniture.

[0030] Thus, when the furniture rests on the or each rolling element, the weight of the furniture tends to keep the or each rolling element in the extended position for the benefit of the ease of moving the furniture. In other words, with an angle of less than 90°, the weight of the furniture could cause the or each rolling element to return to the retracted position, making moving the furniture difficult, or even impossible.

[0031] According to an advantageous aspect, the furniture also comprises a device for controlling the movement system.

[0032] The control device makes it easier to move the furniture by making it possible to control the movement of the or each rolling element from its retracted position to its extended position, or vice versa.

[0033] According to an advantageous aspect, the control device comprises: - a return element intended to push the rolling element towards its extended position; - a handle, and - a linkage connecting the or each rolling element to the handle to move the rolling element to its retracted position from its extended position, against the return element.

[0034] Such a control device allows automatic placement of the or each rolling element in its extended position as soon as the furniture is no longer resting on its installation plan. In other words, as soon as the furniture is tilted, the or each rolling element is automatically placed in its extended position, allowing the furniture to be moved. Thus, to allow a user to move the furniture, the latter only has to tilt the furniture to allow the deployment of the movement system and thus facilitate the movement of the furniture.

[0035] According to an advantageous aspect, the control device comprises: - a return element intended to push the rolling element back to its retracted position, and - a handle, and - a linkage connecting the or each rolling element to the handle to move the rolling element to its exit position from its retracted position, against the return element.

[0036] Such a control device allows automatic placement of the or each rolling element in its retracted position as soon as the furniture is tilted. In other words, as soon as the furniture is tilted, the or each rolling element is automatically placed in its retracted position allowing the furniture to be positioned stably on the floor. Thus, without a user acting simultaneously on the furniture and the handle, the latter maintains a stable position allowing it to be used in complete safety.

[0037] According to an advantageous aspect, the movement system comprises two rolling elements arranged opposite one another.

[0038] The use of two rolling elements allows on the one hand a better distribution of the mass of the furniture on the ground, so as to limit the traces on the ground left by the movement of the furniture, and on the other hand to improve the movement of the furniture which then has several points of contact with the ground.

[0039] According to an advantageous aspect, the base comprises a base and a central column, the or each rolling element being rotatably mounted on the base, said base comprising a housing for at least partial reception of the or each rolling element in its retracted position.

[0040] The base ensures the stability of the furniture by receiving, in its housing, the or each rolling element in the retracted position. In other words, thanks to the housing of the base, the or each rolling element does not hinder the stability of the furniture which then rests on its installation surface.

[0041] In addition, the housing makes it possible to make the or each rolling element invisible, or almost invisible, in its retracted position, which benefits the general aesthetics of the furniture.

[0042] According to an advantageous aspect, the furniture also comprises a useful part supported by the base, said useful part including a gripping area of the furniture, the handle of the control device being located in said gripping area. grip.

[0043] The location of the handle in the useful part of the furniture makes it even easier to move the furniture in that the user does not have to adopt an uncomfortable position to manipulate the movement system in order to position the or each rolling element in its extended position or in its retracted position.

[0044] The invention also relates to a method of moving furniture as previously described, characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting of: - tilt the furniture in relation to a floor so as to form a non-zero angle between the laying surface and a floor on which the furniture is intended to rest, - place the or each rolling element in its extended position, and - move the furniture by exerting and maintaining a force on the furniture to position the installation surface substantially parallel to said floor so that the furniture rests only on the or each rolling element.

[0045] By using the method described above, moving furniture according to the invention is easy and limits the effort required by a user. Indeed, unlike the solutions of the prior art, the user does not have to exert and maintain an effort to lift the furniture to move it but only has to temporarily lift the furniture before pressing on it to allow it to move.

[0046] The effort required to lift the furniture, particularly when the latter has a high mass, is therefore reduced over time, which limits user fatigue. Figures

[0047] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given as an illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings described below.

[0048] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] is a schematic representation of a piece of furniture according to the invention, in a position of use.

[0049] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic representation of furniture according to the invention, in an intermediate position between the use position and a moving position.

[0050] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of furniture according to the invention, in the moving position.

[0051] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic front view representation of a detail of a base of the furniture according to the invention.

[0052] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective representation of a part of a furniture movement system according to the invention Detailed description of the invention

[0053] With reference to [Fig.l], a piece of furniture 100 according to the invention is now described.

[0054] The furniture 100 comprises a base 200 and a useful part 300 carried by the base 200.

[0055] For the purposes of understanding, the definitions of the terms “furniture”, “base” and “useful part” are given below.

[0056] Furniture is defined as being a piece of furniture such as a table, a seat, a sideboard, this list not being exhaustive.

[0057] The base is defined as being the set of feet of a piece of furniture and the crosspieces which join them. A base can therefore comprise a central column possibly coupled to a base or even a plurality of feet.

[0058] The useful part of a piece of furniture is defined as the part with which users interact.

[0059] According to the embodiment illustrated by [Fig.l], the furniture 100 is a table. The useful part 300 is formed by the tray on which users can place objects such as dishes for example.

[0060] The useful part 300 includes a gripping area 310 of the furniture 100. The gripping area 310 makes it easier for a user to grip the furniture 100, as will be explained later.

[0061] Without distorting the spirit of the invention, for a seat the useful part 300 is formed by the seat and the backrest, and for a sideboard the useful part 300 is formed by the uprights, the shelves and any drawers.

[0062] As illustrated by [Fig.l], the base 200 comprises a central column 210 and a base 220.

[0063] The central column 210 is secured to the useful part 300 by a first end 211 and secured to the base 220 by a second end 212 opposite the first end 211.

[0064] Furthermore, the base 200 includes at least three contact points defining a laying plane P of the furniture on a floor S.

[0065] More specifically, each of the contact points is formed by a pad 213.

[0066] In this case, the base 200 incorporates four pads 213 secured to the base 220. To ensure the stability of the furniture, at least one of the pads 213 is mounted adjustable on the base 220.

[0067] To facilitate its movement, the furniture 100 also includes a movement system.

[0068] The movement system includes at least one rolling element 400 mounted to move relative to the base 200.

[0069] More precisely, said at least one rolling element 400 is movable between: - a retracted position in which the or each rolling element 400 is housed in the base 200 so that the furniture 100 rests on the laying plane P of the base 200, and - an extended position, in which the or each rolling element 400 protrudes at least partially from the base 200 so that the furniture 100 rests on the or each rolling element 400 and on one or two contact points of the base 200.

[0070] The retracted position of the or each rolling element 400 is illustrated by [Fig.l] and the extended position of the or each rolling element 400 is illustrated by Figures 2 to 4.

[0071] In its retracted position, the or each rolling element 400 is received at least partially in a housing 221 (visible in [Fig.4]) made in the base 220.

[0072] To move from the retracted position to the extended position, or vice versa, the or each rolling element 400 is rotatably mounted on the base 220.

[0073] With reference to [Fig.5], the or each rolling element 400 comprises a chassis 410 and a wheel 420 rotatably mounted on the chassis 410.

[0074] The chassis 410 is rotatably mounted on the base 200 along an axis of rotation R, which allows the pivoting of the or each rolling element 400 relative to the base 220.

[0075] When it is in its extended position, the or each rolling element 400 forms, with the laying plane P, an angle A (visible in [Fig.4]) strictly greater than 90° so as to prevent the rolling element 400 from returning to the retracted position under the effect of the weight of the furniture 100.

[0076] With reference to [Fig. 4], when it is in its extended position, the or each rolling element 400 sees its wheel 420 extend beyond a transverse plane PT so that the weight of the furniture 100 pushes the or each rolling element 400 towards the outside of the base 220, that is to say towards its extended position. The transverse plane PT is transverse to the laying plane P.

[0077] Preferably, the movement system comprises two rolling elements 400 arranged opposite one another.

[0078] In a variant not shown, the furniture 100 may comprise only a single rolling element 400 then taking the form of a roller allowing distribution of the weight of the furniture 100 on the floor S.

[0079] The two rolling elements 400 are advantageously arranged on either side of the gripping zone 310.

[0080] In their extended position, the two rolling elements 400 go in a divergent direction so that the weight of the furniture 100 does not cause them to return to the retracted position.

[0081] To allow the passage of the or each rolling element 400 from its retracted position to its extended position, or vice versa, the furniture 100 also comprises a device for controlling the movement system.

[0082] With reference to Figures 1 to 5, the control device comprises: - a 510 recall element; - a 520 handle, and - a linkage 530 connecting the or each rolling element 400 to the handle 520.

[0083] The handle 520 of the control device is advantageously located in said gripping zone 310.

[0084] The linkage 530 is connected to the chassis 410 of the or each rolling element 400 by means of a rod 535 secured to the chassis 410.

[0085] According to a first embodiment, the return element 510 is intended to push the rolling element 400 towards its extended position, and the handle 520 and the linkage 530 make it possible to move the rolling element 400 to its retracted position from its extended position, against the return element 510.

[0086] According to this first embodiment, the return element 510 is a torsion spring which, by tending to recover an original configuration, that is to say a configuration without constraint or stress, pulls the rolling element towards its extended position.

[0087] In other words, without manipulation of the handle 520, the control device is configured to automatically position, via the return element 510, the rolling element 400 in its position extended from the housing 221.

[0088] According to a second embodiment, the return element 510 is intended to push the rolling element 400 towards its retracted position and the handle 520 and the linkage 530 make it possible to move the rolling element 400 to its exit position from its retracted position, against the return element 510.

[0089] According to this second embodiment, the return element 510 is a traction spring which, by tending to recover an original configuration, that is to say a configuration without constraint or stress, pulls the rolling element towards its retracted position in the housing 221.

[0090] In other words, without manipulation of the handle 520, the control device is configured to automatically position, via the return element 510, the rolling element 400 in its retracted position.

[0091] On the other hand, the manipulation of the handle 520 by a user causes, via the linkage 530, a movement of the rolling element 400 towards its extended position.

[0092] In the case of furniture comprising two rolling elements 400, the manipulation of the handle 520 makes it possible to act simultaneously on the two rolling elements 400.

[0093] For this, the linkage 530 comprises a force doubling mechanism at like the shoe brake mechanisms which allow the two shoes to be moved against a wheel to brake it by operating a single handle.

[0094] The movement of the furniture 100 according to the invention is carried out by means of a movement method described below.

[0095] The method comprises the steps of: - tilt the furniture 100 relative to the floor S so as to form a non-zero angle between the laying plane P and the floor S, - place the or each rolling element 400 in its extended position, and - move the furniture 100 by exerting and maintaining a force on the furniture to position the laying plane P substantially parallel to the floor S so that the furniture 100 rests only on the or each rolling element 400.

[0096] More specifically, with reference to [Fig.l], the tilting is carried out by using the gripping area 310 to lift the furniture 100 and tilt it as illustrated by the first arrow FL

[0097] According to the first embodiment, the inclination of the furniture 100 makes it possible to position the or each rolling element 400 in the extended position without any particular action. Indeed, since the or each rolling element 400 is not blocked by the floor S, it can freely adopt the extended position so that when the user releases his effort to lift the furniture 100, the latter rests on the or each rolling element 400 and on two contact points of the base 200 as illustrated in [Fig.2].

[0098] According to the second embodiment, when tilting the furniture 100, the user manipulates the handle 520 to place the or each rolling element 400 in the extended position, until the user releases his lifting force so that the furniture 100 rests on the or each rolling element 400 and on two contact points of the base 200 as illustrated by [Fig.2].

[0099] When the furniture 100 rests on the or each rolling element 400 and on two contact points of the base 200, the user exerts and maintains a support force on the furniture as illustrated by the second arrow F2 in [Fig.2] to position the furniture 100 in a displacement position as illustrated by [Fig.3].

[0100] In the moving position, the furniture 100 rests only on the or each rolling element 400.

[0101] The user, while maintaining the support force, can move the furniture 100 on the floor S to its place of use.

[0102] When the furniture 100 is at its place of use, the user tilts the furniture again according to the first arrow F1 then positions the or each rolling element 400 in its retracted position.

[0103] According to the first embodiment, the user manipulates the handle 520 to place the or each rolling element 400 in the retracted position.

[0104] According to the second embodiment, the inclination of the furniture 100 makes it possible to position the or each rolling element 400 in the retracted position without any particular action. Indeed, since the or each rolling element 400 is not blocked by the floor S, it can freely adopt the retracted position.

[0105] When the or each rolling element 400 is in its retracted position, the user releases his tilting force so that the furniture 100 rests on its contact points as illustrated by [Fig.l].

[0106] Such furniture 100 offers easy movement requiring little effort compared to solutions according to the prior art.

[0107] Indeed, unlike the solutions of the prior art for which the movement requires a constant lifting effort on the part of the user, the furniture 100 according to the invention requires a support effort on the furniture to keep it balanced during the movement.

[0108] The support force being less tiring than the lifting force, the user is less tired when moving furniture 100 according to the invention compared to the solutions according to the prior art.

Claims

Claims

1. Furniture (100) comprising a base (200) including at least three contact points defining a laying plane (P) of the furniture on a floor (S), the furniture (100) also comprising a movement system including at least one rolling element (400), characterized in that said at least one rolling element (400) is mounted to move relative to the base (200) between: - a retracted position in which the or each rolling element (400) is housed in the base (200) so that the furniture (100) rests on the laying plane (P) of the base (200), and - an extended position, in which the or each rolling element (400) projects at least partially from the base (200) so that the furniture (100) rests on the or each rolling element (100) and on one or two contact points of the base (200).

2. Furniture (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the or each rolling element (400) comprises a chassis (410) and a wheel (420) rotatably mounted on the chassis (410), the chassis (410) being rotatably mounted on the base (200) along an axis of rotation (R), between its retracted position and its extended position.

3. Furniture (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in its extended position, the or each rolling element (400) forms, with the laying plane (P), an angle (A) strictly greater than 90° so as to prevent the rolling element (400) from returning to the retracted position under the effect of the weight of the furniture (100).

4. Furniture (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises a device for controlling the movement system.

5. Furniture (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control device comprises: - a return element (510) intended to push the rolling element (400) towards its extended position, and - a handle (520) and a linkage (530) connecting the or each rolling element (400) to the handle (520) to move the rolling element (400) to its retracted position from its extended position, against the return element (510).

6. Furniture (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the control device comprises: - a return element (510) intended to push the rolling element (400) towards its retracted position; - a handle (520), and - a linkage (530) connecting the or each rolling element (400) to the handle (520) to move the rolling element (400) to its exit position from its retracted position, against the return element (510).

7. Furniture (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement system comprises two rolling elements (400) arranged opposite one another.

8. Furniture (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the base (200) comprises a base (220) and a central column (210), the or each rolling element (400) being rotatably mounted on the base (220), said base (220) comprising a housing (221) for at least partial reception of the or each rolling element (400) in its retracted position.

9. Furniture (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that it also comprises a useful part (300) supported by the base (200), said useful part including a gripping zone (310) of the furniture (100), the handle (520) of the control device being located in said gripping zone (310).

10. Method for moving a piece of furniture (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - tilting the piece of furniture (100) relative to a floor (S) so as to form a non-zero angle between the laying plane (P) and a floor (S) on which the piece of furniture (100) is intended to rest, - placing the or each rolling element (400) in its extended position, and - moving the piece of furniture (100) by exerting and maintaining a force on the piece of furniture (100) to position the laying plane (P) substantially parallel to said floor (S) so that the piece of furniture (100) rests only on the or each rolling element (400).

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