Seating and / or reclining furniture with a pivotally adjustable base

Abstract

The invention relates to a piece of seating and / or reclining furniture (1). It comprises a base (20), a buttocks-supporting part (2) connected to the base (20), a leg-supporting part (3) connected to the buttocks-supporting part (2) on one side and a back-supporting part (4) connected to the buttocks-supporting part (2) on the other side, wherein the leg-supporting part (3) is designed to be pivoted in a motor-driven manner with respect to the buttocks-supporting part (2), the back-supporting part (4) is designed to be pivoted in a motor-driven manner with respect to the buttocks-supporting part (2), and the base (20) is designed to be pivoted in a motor-driven manner with respect to the buttocks-supporting part (2).

Description

[0001] HOEFER & PARTNER 194-158

[0002] OAC241004PCT-38 / AWM

[0003] 31.10.2024

[0004] Applicant:

[0005] Pampero AG

[0006] Seedammstr. 3 8808 Pfäffikon

[0007] Seating and / or reclining furniture with swivel-adjustable base

[0008] Description

[0009] The present invention relates to a seating and / or reclining furniture with a swivel-adjustable foot. In particular, the present invention relates to an upholstered furniture with a multi-part support surface and foot sections that can be swivelled to form a buttock support section.

[0010] Prior art includes seating and / or reclining furniture in which backrests, headrests, leg rests, and footrests can be pivoted relative to a buttocks support to increase user comfort. Such elements are frequently designed as supports for bed frames. Another application is in the form of deck chairs / loungers, which typically have a fixed base / foot.

[0011] Electrifying the swivel adjustment further enhances user comfort. Typically, a wired remote control sends control signals to electric motors, which, via gear units, provide the sometimes considerable forces / torque required to swivel the support components.

[0012] Based on the aforementioned prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a particularly flexible piece of furniture that is adjustable and adaptable to the user's requirements. This object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0013] According to the invention, a seating and / or reclining furniture is proposed which provides a multi-segmented seating and / or reclining surface. The segments are also referred to as support elements. The furniture has a base which establishes, preferably the only, contact with the floor. The base can be designed as a single piece or in multiple parts. A buttock support element is directly or indirectly connected to the base. The connection can, in particular, have a pivot axis via which the buttock support element can be pivoted with the base or parts of the base. In addition, the furniture has a leg support element connected to the buttock support element on one side, which is capable of supporting the legs of a user. Finally, a back support element is also provided, which is connected to the buttock support element opposite the leg support element and is capable of supporting the back of a user.The longitudinal axis of a user lying on the furniture defines its length. This allows us to speak of a foot end and a head end, while the sides connecting the foot and head ends can be referred to as the left and right sides, respectively. The leg support section is designed to pivot relative to the buttocks support section via a motor. Specifically, the leg support section can be pivoted upwards and downwards at its distal end (the side opposite the buttocks support section). The same applies to the back support section, which also has a distal end that can be pivoted upwards and downwards. To achieve independent pivoting, a first motor drive can be assigned to the leg support section and a second motor drive to the back support section.The foot is designed to pivot relative to the seat support by a motor. A third motorized / electric drive may be provided for this purpose. The foot may, in particular, be designed to pivot only. In other words, the foot may have at least one pivot axis that is horizontal and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the furniture. Put another way, a rotation axis is defined around which the foot (or a part thereof) can pivot relative to the seat support such that the end of the foot facing the floor (distal end) pivots around this same axis.With the buttock support fixed in a horizontal direction, the foot pivots between a horizontal and a vertical position such that its point of contact with the floor moves beneath the buttock support when it is raised, while the point of contact moves to a position horizontally away from the buttock support when it is lowered. The foot, or the part of it located between the aforementioned pivot axis and its distal end, can have a substantially flat shape to aesthetically match the furniture's support elements and to allow for space-saving pivoting into a position oriented essentially horizontally to the support elements. For example, the foot (or part thereof) can have a first tubular element and a second tubular element parallel to the first.Each of the tube elements has a first (proximal) end spatially aligned with the aforementioned pivot axis, while each of the second (distal) ends is spatially aligned with the point of contact with the floor. To increase stability, the tubes can be connected by a crossbar. The crossbar can be positioned at the distal end or at the opposite end. A crossbar on both sides can also be provided to further enhance the stability of the base (or foot section). The base, or its (two or more) foot sections, can be designed and configured to pivot along an axis parallel to the pivot axis between the gluteal support and the back support. This results in a highly flexible arrangement of the components of the reclining furniture and significantly improved ergonomics compared to the prior art, with a comparatively simple design.

[0014] Preferably, the foot section can have a front section facing the leg support and a rear section facing the back support. The foot sections can, in particular, pivot independently of each other relative to the buttock support. This does not preclude the foot sections from being fixed, for example, to the back support on one side and to the leg support on the other. In other words, a mechanical pivot axis can be arranged between the proximal ends of the foot sections at the buttock support, the leg support, or the back support. For example, the distance between the mechanical pivot axes can be greater than the distance between the left and right sides of the furniture. Alternatively, a closer distance between the mechanical pivot axes than the distance between the sides of the furniture is also possible.In particular, the pivot direction of the parts of a two-part foot can be configured to move in opposite directions. For example, when the buttocks support section is lowered, the distal end of the first foot section pivots towards the leg support section, while the distal end of the second foot section pivots towards the back support section. A mechanical and / or electrical coupling can enforce synchronous control of the foot sections. Of course, depending on the design, asynchronous or completely independent control of the foot sections is also possible. In this way, the buttocks support section of the furniture itself can be tilted towards the leg support section or towards the back support section. This results in significantly more degrees of freedom in the relative configuration of the support sections, which can improve user comfort and the flexibility of the furniture's design.

[0015] Preferably, the front and rear foot sections can be designed as mechanically separate parts. In other words, the front and rear foot sections can be mechanically connected only via the buttock support section and / or the back support section and / or the footrest section. In particular, the front and rear foot sections do not share a common pivot axis. This increases the flexibility in positioning the foot sections on a multi-segment lying surface.

[0016] A particularly simple, space-saving design that reduces the number of parts is achieved when the housing of an electric drive, which is intended for pivoting the back support relative to the buttocks support or for adjusting the foot support relative to the buttocks support, forms a connection between the buttocks support and a distal end of the back support or foot support, respectively. In other words, apart from the drive housing, no mechanical brace or other stiffening is provided between a proximal pivot axis of the back support and a distal pivot axis of the back support (for example, towards the head support). Similarly, a drive housing or a pair of drive housings, particularly acting solely as a brace, can be provided between a proximal pivot axis of the leg support and a distal pivot axis of the leg support (for example, towards a foot support).The housing of the drive or its gearbox can, in particular, guide the pivoting movement of the back support or leg support. The buttock support can, for example, have sheet metal structures whose distal ends accommodate the mechanical pivot axes. The distal ends of the sheet metal structures can extend essentially along a vertical axis, so that vertically arranged slots in the drive or gearbox housings provide guidance for the pivoting adjustment on both sides. The housings can be made of plastic, metal, a combination of plastic and metal, or other materials. Specifically, the housings can be injection-molded and include a threaded spindle, a slide, (knee) lever elements pivotably connected to the slide, or similar components.The sliders can in turn be connected to the buttock support or a supporting structure. The same applies to a footrest or headrest, which is pivotably mounted at a distal end of the respective housing and guided as described above.

[0017] The drive can be operatively connected to the foot or part of the foot in such a way that when the furniture is loaded, a tensile force is exerted on the drive or gearbox carriage. In other words, the drive or gearbox can perform a shortening / pulling action to raise the foot sections, preferably by engaging with a positive-locking structure of the foot / foot section. This positive-locking connection can be reversible, particularly without tools. For example, if the foot or foot section is relieved of weight or moved into an upright position by muscle power, the positive lock (e.g., in the form of a hook) can be automatically released. This allows for a rapid pivoting of the foot, enabling, for example, a transport configuration for the furniture and space-saving relocation. The positive lock can be released by a subsequent rotation of the foot or foot section.The foot section and, optionally, a rotation of a hook connected to a slide of the drive / gearbox can be easily restored, so that the connection is then secured against unintentional loosening solely by the weight forces acting on the positive locking mechanism in a standard operating position. A housing of the drive or gearbox can directly support a support or board element of the multi-segment seat / lying surface. In other words, a support structure for providing the buttock support and / or back support and / or leg support can be directly attached to the housing, in particular by screwing it on. In this way, the number of parts can be drastically reduced once again.

[0018] Preferably, a particularly flat overall configuration of the furniture according to the invention can be achieved by bringing all pivotable parts into a substantially horizontal configuration. This allows for a compact size due to the particularly small distance between an upper and a lower plane, between which all components of the furniture according to the invention can be arranged. The distance between the first plane and the second plane can be, for example, < 150 mm, in particular < 100 mm, preferably < 70 mm. This does not preclude the possibility of providing upholstery components / cushions outside the plane, which can be arranged on the furniture designed according to the invention as described above.

[0019] Preferably, all pivot adjustments can be made about fixed mechanical pivot axes defined with respect to two of the aforementioned elements. For example, bores can be provided in the aforementioned buttock support, back support, leg support, and foot or its components, through which only rotational relative movements are guided. This simplifies the mechanical design, reduces the susceptibility to errors, and minimizes the possibility of noise.

[0020] A particularly simple yet robust embodiment of the furniture according to the invention is preferably achieved by using two gear units in parallel, each with a common electric drive (electric motor). In particular, the gear units provide longitudinally oriented frame elements located in the area of ​​the flanks of the leg support section or the back support section. In other words, the two gear units are arranged essentially parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the furniture and can thus be designed as identical components. At a minimum, the gear units can be designed as mirror-symmetrical units. Both gear units can be driven by the same electric motor in a common electric drive or can represent its output.A shaft can be provided in the transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the piece of furniture, which can be designed, for example, as a metallic shaft and / or a square shaft. The square shaft can be configured to drive worm gears located in the gear units, which in turn drive threaded spindles arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the furniture. The shaft itself is driven rotaryally by the drive / electric motor. Depending on the direction of rotation of the drive or the shaft, the swivel direction can then be selected. While this provides flexible kinematics, the assembly effort is reduced by the small number of parts, resulting in a remarkably simple and cost-effective design.

[0021] Since the foot, particularly in a two-part design, can perform relative movement with respect to the ground during the pivoting movements described above, a roller and / or a sliding element can preferably be provided at a distal end (a ground contact point or two parallel ground contact areas). This prevents or minimizes potentially damaging or noise-causing relative movement between the respective ground contact area of ​​the foot and the ground.

[0022] In particular, it can be provided that a floor contact area of ​​the first leg section has two casters and a floor contact area of ​​the second leg section has two traction elements (rubber feet or similar). This prevents the furniture from accidentally moving on the floor, while also preventing friction that would otherwise occur during adjustment.

[0023] When the above disclosure refers to a back support element, a buttocks support element, and a leg support element, this merely represents a simplified basic form to illustrate the function or the fundamental structure of a piece of furniture according to the invention. Naturally, a head support element and / or a foot support element can be arranged at a distal end of the back support element and / or at a distal end of the leg support element. The respective pivoting of the foot support element relative to the leg support element and of the head support element relative to the back support element can be provided, particularly by means of an electric motor, as described above. The design of the elements "foot support element" and "head support element" can also be carried out according to the above descriptions. This applies in particular to the relative dimensions and their degrees of freedom with respect to the back support element and / or the leg support element.The leg support section and the use of the drive and gearbox housings as support structures oriented along the main axis of the furniture are therefore not necessary. A detailed explanation can be omitted for the sake of conciseness and brevity of this disclosure.

[0024] Regarding all pivot axes mentioned and explained in the above disclosure, it should be noted for the sake of simplicity that their stops / degrees of freedom are not limited to a concave configuration of the support element segments (from the user's perspective). In other words, the furniture can be configured in which the distal end of the back support section is lower (closer to the floor) than the proximal end of the back support section. The same applies to the head support section, the leg support section, and the foot support section. Similarly, the foot or its components are not limited to a configuration in which the respective distal end is positioned closer to the floor than the proximal end. In other words, depending on the position of the head support section, back support section, leg support section, or foot support section, a configuration for the foot or foot support section can be arranged.The foot sections are selected in which the proximal ends of the foot support the furniture on the floor, while the distal ends run horizontally or are even raised off the floor. In this way, significantly greater flexibility can be achieved compared to furniture known from the prior art.

[0025] The motors usable for a piece of furniture according to the invention can have push and / or pull elements, preferably in one and the same housing. In particular, a push element can be provided at a first end of a housing, which is driven, for example, by a threaded spindle within the gearbox, while an opposite element is designed as a pull element. In this way, particularly flexible drive units can be provided and particularly high degrees of freedom can be achieved in the arrangement according to the invention.

[0026] In a highly preferred design, a furniture according to the invention can dispense with a continuous, integral frame, which is merely supplemented by drive units (comprising motors, gearboxes, and housings). Instead, integral components of the supporting structure of the furniture according to the invention can be provided by the housings (in particular, injection-molded plastic housings) of gearboxes, drives, and motors. In this way, particularly small external dimensions can be achieved and the number of parts kept to a minimum.

[0027] Further details, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. It shows:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows a perspective three-dimensional representation of an embodiment of a seating and / or reclining furniture according to the invention in a horizontal configuration of the support elements;

[0029] Fig. 2 shows a perspective three-dimensional representation of an embodiment of a seating and / or reclining furniture according to the invention in a convex configuration of the support elements;

[0030] Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of a gearbox which can be used in an embodiment of a seating and / or reclining furniture according to the invention; and Fig. 4 shows a partially cut-away side view of a section of a central area (buttock support part) of an embodiment of a seating and / or reclining furniture according to the invention.

[0031] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a seating and / or reclining furniture 1 according to the invention in a horizontal configuration of the support elements: buttock support 2, leg support 3, back support 4, foot support 5, and head support 6. The buttock support 2 rests on a frame element 40 in the form of a vertical sheet metal, which thus forms part of a left and right support structure or longitudinal structure. Gear units 10 with housings 43 are provided on the facing planar elements of the frame element 40 and are operatively connected via a shaft 8. In this way, the drive 7, which is also equipped with a housing 43, can drive the shaft 8 and perform a synchronous adjustment of the two gear units 10. The frame element 40 has mechanical axes 9 at its ends, via which housings 43 of additional gear units 10 are pivotably connected and guided vertically by a slot.These housings 43 are also mechanically synchronized to each other via a shaft 8 and can be pivoted by means of an electric drive 7. The electric drive 7 is equipped with a pressure output on both sides to pivot a frame element 41 of the footrest section 5 upwards. Similarly, the backrest section 4 and a headrest section 6 attached to it are also designed to pivot independently. In contrast to the footrest section 5, the headrest section 6 has its own drive 7 to allow it to raise or lower itself relative to a short frame element 42. The headrest section 6 is supported by the housings 43 of two gear units and is screwed onto them.By connecting the headrest section 6 and the backrest section 4 via a frame element 42 that is pivotable on both sides, the motor-operated swivel angle range is doubled compared to that achievable between the leg support section 3 and the footrest section 5. The frame element 40 supports two foot sections 21, 22, 23 and 24, 25, 26 via respective axes 19. These foot sections are designed as gate elements, each in a single plane. The foot sections 21, 22, 23 and 24, 25, 26 can be individually pivoted relative to the buttock support section 2 via the mechanical axes 19. In particular, different heights and horizontal or inclined configurations of the buttock support section 2 are achieved depending on the individual orientation. This also changes the space required (enclosing area) by the seating and / or reclining furniture 1.Wiring the electric drives is not a challenge for a specialist in the field of seating and / or reclining furniture, so for the sake of clarity regarding the mechanical components, the cable routing has been omitted from the diagram. Combining the control lines into a single remote control and / or operation via a wirelessly connected user interface (e.g., smartphone, tablet, etc.) is also possible without requiring detailed information from a specialist.

[0032] Figure 2 shows an alternative configuration of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Here, the elements leg support part 3, foot support part 5, back support part 4 and head support part 6 are lowered relative to the buttock support part 2 such that their distal ends are closer to the (not shown) floor than their respective proximal ends.

[0033] Figure 3 shows a partially cutaway view of a housing 43 of a gearbox 10, which can be used as a frame element of a seating and / or reclining furniture according to the invention (see Figures 1 and 2). An electric drive (not shown) drives a worm gear 17, which in turn engages with a toothed section 16 of a threaded spindle 44. The threaded spindle 44 is mounted in the housing 43 via ball bearings 15. The threaded spindle 44 engages with a slide 13 and is thus able to drive the slide 13 in the direction of a frame element 40. Via a mechanical pivot axis 12, the slide, in conjunction with a mechanical pivot axis 11, is able to pivot the gearbox unit 10. In this process, the gearbox unit 10 rotates about a mechanical axis 9 in the frame element 40. For this purpose, the slide 13 is guided in a guide 14, which is defined by the injection-molded housing.

[0034] Figure 4 shows a cutaway detail view of a central section of a seating and / or reclining furniture designed according to the invention (see Figures 1 and 2), from which a mechanical positive-locking connection of a gear unit 10 in a housing 43 to the elements of a foot 21, 24 is evident. A threaded spindle driving the slides 13, as well as the gear elements already described in Figure 3, are not shown for clarity. Hooks 32, which engage with a respective bolt 31 in a connection 30 (or lever), are selectively pulled or pushed apart towards the center of the drawing via mechanical axes 12. If the hooks 32 are pulled towards the center of the drawing, the foot sections 21, 24 rise up. If the hook elements 32 are pushed outwards, or at least the direction of rotation of the threaded spindle is reversed, the foot sections 21, 24 pivot upwards and assume a horizontal configuration.By pivoting the foot sections 21, 24 into a vertical position, the positive locking between the hooks 32 and the bolts 31 can be manually released, thus enabling the foot sections 21, 24 to be moved into a fully horizontal configuration for shipping purposes quickly and easily. The kinematically forced pivoting movements of the hook 32 are permitted via a mechanical pivot axis 12. In addition to the foregoing written description of the invention, explicit reference is hereby made to the graphic representation of the invention in the figures for its supplementary disclosure.

[0035] Reference symbol list

[0036] 1 Seating and / or reclining furniture

[0037] 2. Buttock support part

[0038] 3 Leg support section

[0039] 4 Back support section

[0040] 5 Footrest part

[0041] 6 Headrest part

[0042] 7 Drive

[0043] 8 wave

[0044] 9 mechanical axis

[0045] 10 Gear unit

[0046] 11 mechanical axis

[0047] 12 mechanical axis

[0048] 13 sleds

[0049] 14 Leadership

[0050] 15 ball bearings

[0051] 16 teeth

[0052] 17 snail

[0053] 19-axis

[0054] 20 feet

[0055] 21, 22, 23 front foot section

[0056] 24, 25, 26 rear foot section

[0057] 30 levers

[0058] 31 bolts

[0059] 32 hooks

[0060] 40, 41, 42 Frame element

[0061] 43 cases

[0062] 44 threaded spindle

Claims

1. Claims 1. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) comprising . one foot (20) . a buttock support part (2) connected to the foot (20), . a leg support part (3) connected on one side to the buttock support part (2), and . a back support part (4) connected to the buttock support part (2) on the other hand, wherein the leg support part (3) is arranged to be pivoted motorically relative to the buttock support part (2), the back support part (4) is arranged to be pivoted motorically relative to the buttock support part (2), and the foot (20) is arranged to be pivoted motorically relative to the buttock support part (2).

2. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) wherein the foot (20) has a front foot section (21, 22, 23) facing the leg support section (3) and a rear foot section (24, 25, 26) facing the back support section (4).

3. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to claim 2, wherein the front foot section (21, 22, 23) and the rear foot section (24, 25, 26) are designed as separate parts.

4. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims 2 or 3, wherein the front foot section (21, 22, 23) is attached to the buttock support section (2) and / or the leg support section (3) and the rear foot section (24, 25, 26) on the buttock support section (2) and / or the back support section (4) and in particular the rear foot section (24, 25, 26) and the front foot section (21, 22, 23) are not both arranged on the buttock support section (2).

5. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the front foot section (21 , 22, 23) is arranged to be pivoted independently of the rear foot section (24, 25, 26) relative to the buttock support section (20), and / or wherein the rear foot section (24, 25, 26) is arranged to be pivoted independently of the front foot section (21, 22, 23) relative to the buttock support section (20).

6. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an axis (19) about which the front foot section (21, 22, 23) can be pivoted relative to the buttock support section (2) and / or an axis (19) about which the rear foot section (24, 25, 26) can be pivoted relative to the buttock support section (2), which is essentially parallel to an axis (9) about which the leg support section (3) can be pivoted relative to the buttock support section (2).

7. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims further comprising a first electric drive (7) which is configured to pivot the foot (20) or a first part thereof relative to the buttock support part (2), and in particular a second electric drive (7) which is configured to pivot the foot (20) or a second part thereof relative to the buttock support part (2).

8. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to claim 7, wherein the first and / or second electric drive (7) each have a housing (43) within which a threaded spindle (44) and a slide (13) engaging with the threaded spindle (44) are arranged, and a guide for the slide (13) is provided by the housing (43), and / or by which the buttock support part (2) is directly supported.

9. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to claim 8, wherein the first and / or second electric drive (7), in particular without tools, is / are designed to be detachable from or coupled to the foot (20) in order to bring the foot (20) into an area between a first plane, which is essentially defined by an upper surface of the buttock support part (2), and a second plane parallel to the first plane, which is essentially defined by an underside of the foot (20) in a horizontal orientation.

10. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to claim 9, wherein the first level and the second level have a distance of no more than 150 mm, in particular 100 mm, preferably 70 mm from each other.

11. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor pivoting between the buttock support part (2) and the foot (20) in particular has no linear movement component.

12. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the motorized pivoting between the buttock support part (2) and the foot (20) is effected by means of an electric drive (7) and two gear units (10) with respective housings (43), wherein the housings (43) are in particular frame elements of the leg support part (3) and / or the Represent back support part (4), which are preferably arranged on opposite sides of the leg support part (3) and / or the back support part (4).

13. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to claim 12, wherein a shaft (8) is arranged between a first gear unit (10) of the gear units (10) on the one hand and the electric drive (43) and / or a second gear unit (10) of the gear units (10) on the other hand.

14. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a floor contact area of ​​the foot (20) has a roller and / or a glider.

15. Seating and / or reclining furniture (1) according to any of the preceding claims further comprising . a foot support part (5) connected to the leg support part (3) on the other hand and / or . a head support part (6) connected to the back support part (4) on the other hand, wherein • the footrest section (5) is designed to be pivoted relative to the leg rest section (3) by motor, and / or . the headrest section (6) is set up to be swivelled relative to the backrest section (4) by motor.

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