ES3034604T3 - Seating furniture with stand-up aid - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to seating furniture comprising: a. a seat, b. a backrest with an integrated or separate headrest, c. a seat and backrest adjustment mechanism for adjusting the seat and backrest from an upright initial position to a reclined position, d. a footrest with a footrest adjustment mechanism for extending and retracting the footrest, e. a base frame for supporting the seating furniture on a supporting surface, the base frame comprising a tilting mechanism for tilting the seating furniture, f. a lifting device for raising the seat and backrest from the upright initial position to a raised position, g. an actuator for actuating the seat and backrest adjustment mechanism, the footrest adjustment mechanism, the tilting mechanism and the lifting device, wherein 1. - starting from the vertical initial position, actuating the actuator in a first direction activates the lifting device, g2. - from the initial vertical position, actuating the actuator in a second (opposite) direction activates the footrest adjustment mechanism to extend the footrest and activates the seat and backrest adjustment mechanism to adjust the seat and backrest to the reclined position, and g3. - from the reclined position - further actuating the actuator in the second direction causes the tilting mechanism to be actuated to tilt the seat and backrest to a reclined position, the tilting mechanism causing the footrest to be raised and the backrest to be lowered relative to the supporting surface. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Sitting furniture with assistance to stand up

The invention relates to seating furniture with assistance for standing up.

The advantage of a chair with a stand-up aid is that the chair can be lifted and moved forward using a remote control or a push-button control, allowing the user to easily rise from the cushions. This feature is particularly gentle on the back, as no sudden effort is required when rising. However, this mechanism also makes sitting particularly smooth and comfortable.

Such chairs are usually designed as so-called relaxation chairs, which also offer the ability to extend a footrest and tilt the backrest back. Several actuators are often used to implement the various seating positions. However, to reduce electrical costs, it has also been proposed that both the rise assistance, the extension of the footrest, and the actuation of the seat/backrest adjustment mechanism be achieved with a single actuator.

A corresponding armchair is known, for example, from document DE 20 2019 100 213 U1. Activating the actuator in a first direction activates the stand-up aid. If, on the other hand, the actuator is actuated in the second direction from the upright basic position, the footrest extends, and the seat and backrest adjust to a reclined position.

Documents BE 1018 255 A3 and DE 200 00926 U1 use a reversible actuator to activate a stand-up aid, to activate the footrest and to place the seat in a first reclined position and a second reclined position.

Document US 9241 855 B2 discloses a furniture member including a frame, a slide member, first and second bars, an axle, and first and second leg members. The frame includes a chair portion movable relative to a base between nominal, reclined, and elevated positions.

Mechanical and motorized sofas are also known in practice. These sofas allow the patient to recline backward from a basic position, raising the foot area and lowering the head area. In the reclined position, the head can be approximately level with the feet or even assume the lowest position of the body. This position is also known as the Trendelenburg position.

Based on this, the invention was based on the goal of further improving the seating comfort of furniture without having to provide additional actuators.

According to the invention, the objective is achieved by means of a seating furniture with the following characteristics:

a. a seat,

b. a backrest with integrated or separate headrest,

c. a seat-back adjustment mechanism for adjusting the seat and backrest from an initial upright position to a reclined position,

d. a footrest having a footrest adjustment mechanism for extending and retracting the footrest,

e. a base frame for supporting the seating furniture on a support surface, wherein the base frame comprises a tilting mechanism for tilting the seating furniture,

f. a standing aid for raising the seat and backrest from the initial upright position to a raised position,

g. an actuator for actuating the seat back adjustment mechanism, the footrest adjustment mechanism, the tilt mechanism and the stand-up aid, wherein

g1. - from the vertical initial position, actuating the actuator in a first direction activates the stand-up aid,

g2. - from the initial vertical position, actuating the actuator in a second (opposite) direction activates the footrest adjustment mechanism to extend the footrest and activates the seat-back adjustment mechanism to adjust the seat and backrest to the reclined position, and

g3. - starting from the reclined position, a further actuation of the actuator in the second direction causes an actuation of the tilting mechanism to tilt the seat and backrest to a tilted position, the tilting mechanism causing the footrest to be raised and the backrest to be lowered relative to the support surface.

To implement the tilting movement, the base frame of the seating furniture has a first frame part and a second frame part connected to each other by hinges around a transverse axis, the tilting mechanism being designed for relative adjustment of the first and second frame parts around the transverse axis. Furthermore, the seat-back adjustment mechanism has a stop element that blocks further rotation of the backrest relative to the seat between the reclined position and the tilted position, such that the angle between the seat and backrest in the reclined position is the same as in the tilted position.

The additional provision of a tilt position, in which the seating furniture tilts further backward from the reclined position, is achieved by means of the tilt mechanism coupled to the base frame of the seating furniture.

The basic vertical position of the seating furniture is defined as a position in which the seat is oriented essentially horizontally, i.e. at an angle of 0°/-10° to the horizontal. The backrest is essentially vertical or aligned at an angle of 0°/-10° to the vertical.

In the context of the invention, the term "elevated position" refers to a position in which at least the rear region of the seat is elevated, resulting in a seat surface that is slightly inclined forward. The angle between the seat and the backrest can remain essentially unchanged between the upright basic position and the elevated position. In the elevated position, the seat has an angle essentially in the range of 25°/-20° relative to the horizontal.

The reclined position of the seating furniture is characterized, on the one hand, by an extended footrest and a rearward-sloping backrest. The front portion of the seat is preferably arranged slightly higher than in the upright basic position. In the reclined position, the angle between the seat and the backrest surface is particularly increased compared to the upright basic position. An angle between the seat and backrest in the reclined position of 120°/-20° is considered particularly comfortable.

Compared to the reclined position, the reclined position is primarily characterized by the footrest being at a greater distance and the backrest being at a smaller distance from the support surface. The reclined position promotes blood circulation and the breakdown of fluid accumulations in the lower extremities. It can also be optionally provided that the distance between the footrest and the support surface in the reclined position is approximately equal to or greater than the distance between the backrest and the support surface, to further intensify this effect.

Further developments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

A particularly simple way of adjusting the seating furniture is when the actuator is designed as a linear actuator, coupled with a first end to the base frame and a second end to the seat. The base frame may have a rotatably mounted shaft extending transversely to the seating furniture, the actuator being coupled with a first end to the shaft for rotation.

According to another embodiment, when the actuator is actuated in the first direction, the shaft is rotated to a first stop, which blocks further rotation of the shaft, such that further actuation of the actuator in the first direction activates the stand-up aid to raise the seat and backrest to the raised position. In addition, a second stop may be provided connected to the seat or backrest adjustment mechanism, which blocks further rotation of the shaft in the event of active contact with the shaft when the actuator is actuated in the second direction, so that further actuation activates adjustment of the seat and backrest to the inclined position.

The tilting mechanism has at least one lever link, one end of which is non-rotatably connected to the shaft and the other end of which is hingedly coupled to the second frame part of the base frame, with further actuation of the actuator in the second direction, starting from the reclined position, which leads to rotation of the shaft and a resulting relative adjustment of the first and second frame parts about the transverse axis. The at least one lever link may have a first actuating lever and a second actuating lever, the first actuating lever being non-rotatably connected at one end to the shaft which is rotatably mounted on the first frame part and being hingedly coupled at its other end to the second actuating lever, which in turn is hingedly connected to the second frame part of the base frame.

According to a further embodiment of the base frame, the first frame part may have two front support legs, two rear support legs, and two rear support rollers, the base frame being supported in the raised position, in the upright base position, and in the reclined position on the front support legs and the rear support rollers of the first frame part L4. The second frame part has front support rollers that are used in the tilted position, in which the base frame rests on the front support rollers of the second frame part and the rear legs of the first frame part on the support surface. The rear support legs ensure that the seating furniture is held securely, while the front support rollers roll on the support surface during the tilting process, thus making it possible to shorten the distance between the front support rollers of the second frame part and the rear support legs of the first frame part and, in this way, to adjust the two frame parts to each other.

In this embodiment, it would also be conceivable for the base frame to rest in an intermediate position on both the front support rollers of the second frame part and the rear support rollers of the first frame part, thus allowing the seating furniture to be easily moved. This intermediate position is conveniently accessible separately via a remote control or an operating button, which can then be used when the seating furniture needs to be adjusted in the room.

According to an alternative embodiment of the base frame, the support rollers on the first frame part can also be omitted, so that the base frame is supported in the raised position, in the vertical base position and in the reclined position on the front and rear support legs of the first frame part and the base frame is supported in the inclined position on the front support rollers of the second frame part and the rear support legs of the first frame part.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in greater detail with reference to the following description and drawing.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of the seating furniture in the basic upright position,

Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the seating furniture in the raised basic position (stand-up aid activated),

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the seating furniture in the position with the footrest extended,

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the seating furniture in the reclined position,

Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of the seating furniture in the tilted position,

Fig. 6 is a three-dimensional detailed view in the front area of the base frame,

Fig. 7a is a side view of the rotating frame of the base frame during adjustment of the seat and backrests in the reclined position,

Fig. 7b is a three-dimensional view of Fig. 7a,

Fig. 8a is a side view of the rotating frame of the base frame during actuation of the lifting aid,

Fig. 8b is a three-dimensional view of Fig. 8a,

Fig. 9 is a three-dimensional representation of the back of the seating furniture.

Fig. 1 shows a piece of seating furniture according to the invention in its basic upright position. Specifically, only the mechanics are shown, so that the padding and side reinforcements have been omitted in particular to better explain the invention. The seating furniture has a seat 1, a backrest 2, and a footrest 3. In addition, a base frame 4 is provided for resting the seating furniture on a support surface 5.

By actuating an actuator 6 in a first (rotational) direction, a standing aid 7 is activated to raise the seat 1 and the backrest 2 from the vertical basic position according to Fig. 1 to a raised position according to Fig. 2. If the actuator 6 is actuated in a second, opposite (rotational) direction from the vertical basic position according to Fig. 1, a footrest adjustment mechanism 8 is activated to extend the footrest 3 to the position shown in Fig. 3. Possibly the front end of the seat 1 is also slightly raised. A further actuation of the actuator 6 in the second direction activates a seat adjustment mechanism 91 and a backrest adjustment mechanism 92, whereby the seat 1 and the backrest 2 are adjusted to the reclined position shown in Fig. 4.

Starting from the reclined position shown in Fig. 4, a further actuation of the actuator 6 in the second direction causes the actuation of a tilting mechanism 10, whereby the seat 1 and the backrest 2 are tilted into the inclined position shown in Fig. 5. The tilting mechanism 10 causes the footrest 3 to be raised and a headrest 21 integrated or separate from the backrest 2 to be lowered relative to the supporting surface 5.

The base frame 4 is described in more detail below with reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It essentially consists of a first frame part 41 and a second frame part 42, which are hingedly connected to one another around a transverse axis 43. The base frame 4 also has a fixing flange 44, which is fixedly arranged in a central region of the first frame part 41 and extends upwards from the supporting surface 5.

Furthermore, the first frame part 41 provides two front support legs 45, two rear support legs 46 and two rear support rollers 47, the base frame 4 being supported in the raised position, in the vertical basic position and in the reclined position on the front support legs 45 and the rear support rollers 47 of the first frame part. The second frame part 42, on the other hand, only has front support rollers 48, which are only used during the tilting process, so that the base frame is supported in the inclined position according to Fig. 5 on the front support rollers 48 of the second frame part 42 and the rear support legs 46 of the first frame part 41 in the support area 5. The rear support rollers 47 of the first frame part 41 are therefore fixed between the front support legs 45 and the rear support legs 46 on the first frame part 41. The rear support legs 46 define the pivot point about which the seating furniture tilts backwards during the tilting process. The front support rollers 48 of the second frame part 42 roll on the support surface 5 during the tilting process.

The base frame 4 also has a pivot frame 49, which is shown in more detail in Figs. 7a to 8b. It essentially consists of two parallel lateral pivot levers 491, 492, which are hinged at one end about a common hinge axis 497 on the mounting flange 44 of the first frame part 41. In a central area, the two pivot levers 491, 492 are connected to one another via a cross member 494. At the ends of the pivot levers 491, 492 opposite the hinge axis 497, a shaft 493 extending transversely to the pivot levers 491, 492 is pivotally hinged, to which a coupling arm 495 is pivotally attached approximately in the middle.

In the embodiment shown, the actuator 6 is designed as a linear motor with a nut 62 which can be linearly adjusted via a spindle 61. At the end of the actuator 6, on the motor side, a coupling hole 63 is provided, with which the actuator 6 is hingedly connected to the coupling arm 495 around a second hinge axis 498. The nut 62 is coupled to the seat 1 via a connecting element 11.

The various positions according to Figs. 1 to 5 are achieved by each moving the nut 62 along the spindle 61. In other words, each position of the seating furniture is defined by a characteristic distance between the coupling hole 63 or the second connecting axis 498 and the nut 62. By actuating the actuator 6, the nut 62 can be moved along the spindle 61 to the respectively desired distance from the coupling hole 63, at which the chair assumes the position assigned to the distance. When the actuator rotates in the first rotational direction, the distance between the coupling hole 63 and the nut 62 is shortened, while actuation in the opposite second rotational direction increases the distance.

In the vertical basic position, the nut 62 is in a central position on the spindle 61, where it is at a distance a1 from the coupling hole 63. If the actuator 6 is actuated in a first direction (direction of rotation of the spindle 61), the nut 62 moves in the direction of the coupling hole 63 and thus shortens the distance between the coupling hole 63 and the nut 62. This in turn activates the standing aid so that the seat 1 and the backrest 2 move to the raised position according to Fig. 2. In this position, the nut 62 is only a distance a0 from the coupling hole 23. During this actuation of the actuator 6, the connection of the nut 62 to the seat 1 via the connecting element 11 acts as a pillar, so that a pulling force in the direction of arrow 499 (Fig. 7a) acts on the coupling arm 495 in the region of the coupling hole 63. After the coupling arm 495 is non-rotatably connected to the shaft 493, this pulling force causes the shaft 493 to rotate clockwise until two first actuating levers 101, which are non-rotatably connected to the shaft 493, come into contact with a first stop 500 and prevent further rotation of the shaft 493 (Fig. 7a and 7b).

According to Fig. 2, the standing aid 7 is essentially formed by two lifting bars 71 and the pivoting frame 49. For this purpose, the two lifting bars 71 are likewise hinged at their lower ends to the two lateral fixing flanges 44 of the base frame 4 so that they can pivot about a third hinge axis 72. The upper ends of the lifting bars 71 are each hinged to a lateral coupling element 12 about a fourth hinge axis 73. The first coupling elements 12 are laterally fixedly connected to the seat 1 or to an associated seat frame. After the rotating frame 49 is rotatable about the first hinge axis 497 and is connected to the actuator 6 via the coupling arm 495 on the other hand, a pulling force in the direction of arrow 499 causes the lever link 71 and the rotating frame 49 to pivot about the third hinge axis 72 or the first hinge axis 497 until the shortest distance a0 between the coupling hole 63 and the nut 62 is reached according to Fig. 2. The seat 1 and the backrest 2 are in a raised position compared to the vertical basic position according to Fig. 1, in which the raised position of the seat 1 and the backrest 2 are also likewise inclined forward to facilitate getting up or sitting down. If the actuator 6, starting from the raised position according to Fig. 2, is actuated in the second, opposite direction, the seating furniture initially again assumes the vertical basic position according to Fig. 1.

Starting from the vertical basic position according to Fig. 1, a further drive of the motor 6 in the second direction causes a further displacement of the nut 62 in the direction of an increase in the distance between the nut 62 and the coupling hole 63, which in turn initially actuates the footrest adjustment mechanism 8, causing the footrest 3 to extend. The footrest adjustment mechanism is designed, for example, as a scissor mechanism. The implementation of the footrest 3 with the aid of the footrest adjustment mechanism 8 is well known to those skilled in the art and is ultimately based on the fact that the seat 1 is moved at least rearward, the footrest adjustment mechanism 8 connected to the seat 1 or the seat adjustment mechanism 91 causes the footrest 3 to extend. The angle between the seat 1 and the backrest 2 hardly changes or does not change at all when the footrest 3 is extended.

The backrest 2 is coupled to the seat and the seat adjustment mechanism 91 by a backrest adjustment mechanism 92. In the region of the backrest adjustment mechanism 92, spring elements 921 are provided which initially only extend the footrest 3 and do not yet adjust the backrest 2 relative to the seat 1 when the actuator is activated from the upright basic position according to Fig. 1 to the reclined position according to Fig. 4. Only when the footrest 3 is extended and the actuator 6 is further actuated, the backrest 2 is adjusted against the force of the spring elements 921, thereby increasing the angle between the seat 1 and the backrest 2 by the backrest adjustment mechanism 92. Furthermore, the front region of the seat 1 can be raised.

In order that, starting from the reclined position according to Fig. 4, a further actuation of the actuator in the direction of increasing the distance between the nut 62 and the coupling hole 63 does not cause a further inclination of the backrest 2 relative to the seat 1, the backrest adjustment mechanism has a stop element 922 (Fig. 9), which blocks further rotation of the backrest 2 relative to the seat 1 between the reclined position according to Fig. 4 and the inclined position according to Fig. 5. The stop element 922 now causes the actuator 6 to exert a compressive force on the coupling arm 495 in the direction of the arrow 501, so that the shaft 493 rotates counterclockwise in Fig. 8a.

This counterclockwise rotational movement activates the tilting mechanism 10, which comprises a first drive lever 101 and a second drive lever 102, each located on either side of the seating furniture. The first two drive levers 101 are each non-rotatably connected at one end to the shaft 493 of the rotating frame 49. The second operating levers 102 are hingedly connected to the other end of the first drive levers 101, which are in turn hingedly connected at their other end to the second frame part 42, specifically at the opposite end away from the front support rollers 48. A counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 493 then causes a relative adjustment of the first frame part 41 with respect to the second frame part 42 around the transverse axis 43, the two frame parts 41, 42 forming an X (Fig. 5). The first frame part 41 rests on its rear support legs 46 on the support surface 5 and forms the tilt axis around which the seating furniture tilts. The front support rollers 48 of the second frame part roll on the support surface 5 during the tilting process in the sense of a shortening of the distance between the (fixed) rear support legs 46 and the front support rollers 48. Starting from the reclined position according to Fig. 4, the footrest 3, the seat 1 and the backrest 2 are tilted backwards as a unit during the tilting process, so that the footrest 3 is raised and the headrest 21 is lowered with respect to the support surface 5.

If the direction of rotation of the motor is reversed, starting from the inclined position according to Fig. 5, the reclined position according to Fig. 4 is first reached, before the footrest 3 is retracted and the vertical basic position is reached again.

If the seating furniture is adjusted without load by a person, the spring element 921 may cause the shaft 493 to rotate in the direction of arrow 501 before the backrest 2 is tilted relative to the seat 1. In order to prevent the shaft 493 from rotating beyond a maximum rotation position by the actuator 6 and thus damaging the motor, a second stop 13 may be provided on the seat 1 or on the seat adjustment mechanism 91 or at another suitable point (Fig. 6), which blocks rotation of the shaft 493 until the seating furniture has reached the reclined position shown in Fig. 4.

Claims (8)

1. Sitting furniture comprising a. a seat (1), b. a backrest (2) with an integrated or separate headrest (21), c. a seat-back adjustment mechanism (91, 92) for adjusting the seat (1) and the backrest (2) from an initial upright position to a reclined position, d. a footrest (3) having a footrest adjustment mechanism (8) for extending and retracting the footrest (3), e. a base frame (4) for supporting the seating furniture on a support surface (5), wherein the base frame (4) comprises a tilting mechanism (10) for tilting the seating furniture, f. a standing aid (7) for raising the seat (1) and the backrest (2) from the initial vertical position to a raised position, g. an actuator (6) for actuating the seat/backrest adjustment mechanism (91, 92), the footrest adjustment mechanism, the tilt mechanism (10) and the stand-up aid (7), wherein g1. - starting from the vertical initial position, actuating the actuator (6) in a first direction activates the stand-up aid (7), g2. - starting from the initial vertical position, actuation of the actuator (6) in a second (opposite) direction activates the footrest adjustment mechanism (8) to extend the footrest and activates the seat-backrest adjustment mechanism (91, 92) to adjust the seat (1) and the backrest (2) to the reclined position, and g3. - starting from the reclined position - a further actuation of the actuator (6) in the second direction causes an actuation of the tilting mechanism (10) to tilt the seat (1) and the backrest (2) to an inclined position, the tilting mechanism (10) raising the footrest (3) and lowering the backrest (2) with respect to the supporting surface (5), characterized because The base frame (4) has a first frame part (41) and a second frame part (42) which are hingedly connected to each other around a transverse axis (43) and the tilting mechanism (10) is designed for relative adjustment of the first frame part (41) and the second frame part (42) around the transverse axis (43) and The seat-back adjustment mechanism (91, 92) has a stop element (922) that blocks further rotation of the backrest (2) relative to the seat (1) between the reclined position and the inclined position, so that the angle between the seat (1) and the backrest (2) in the reclined position is the same as in the inclined position. 2. Seating furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator (6) is designed as a linear actuator which is coupled at a first end to the base frame and at a second end to the seat (1). 3. Seating furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the base frame (4) has a rotatably mounted shaft (493) extending transversely to the seating furniture and the actuator (6) is coupled with a first end to the shaft (493) to rotate the same. 4. Seating furniture according to claim 3, characterized in that, when the actuator (6) is actuated in the first direction, the shaft (493) rotates to a first stop (500), which blocks further rotation of the shaft (493) such that a further actuation of the actuator (6) in the first direction activates the standing aid (7) to raise the seat (1) and the backrest (2) to the raised position. 5. Seating furniture according to claim 4, characterized in that a second stop (13) is provided which is connected to the seat (1) or to the seat-back adjustment mechanism (91, 92) and which blocks further rotation of the shaft (493) in case of active contact with the shaft (493) when the actuator (6) is actuated in the second direction. 6. Seating furniture according to claim 3, characterized in that the tilting mechanism (10) has at least one lever link, one end of which is non-rotatably connected to the shaft (493) and the other end of which is hingedly coupled to the second frame part (42) of the base frame (4), with further actuation of the actuator (6) in the second direction, from the reclined position, which leads to rotation of the shaft (493) and a resulting relative adjustment of the first and second frame parts (41, 42) around the transverse axis (43). 7. Seating furniture according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least one lever link has a first drive lever (101) and a second drive lever (102), the first drive lever (101) being non-rotatably connected at one end to the shaft (493) which is rotatably mounted on the first frame part (41) and being hingedly coupled at its other end to the second drive lever (102), which in turn is hingedly connected to the second frame part (42) of the base frame (4). 8. Seating furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the first frame part (41) has two front support legs (45), two rear support legs (46) and two rear support rollers (47), the base frame (4) being supported on the front support legs and the rear support rollers (47) of the first frame part (41) in the raised position and in the reclined position, and the second frame part (42) has two front support rollers (48), the base frame (4) being supported in the reclined position on the front support rollers (47) of the second frame part (42) and the rear support legs (46) of the first frame part (41) on the support surface (5).