Seating and Support Furniture

Abstract

The invention relates to a piece of seating and supporting furniture with a seating and supporting body, comprising: a height-adjustable column; a seating and supporting body, which is mounted pivotably about at least one horizontal axis between a first end position and a second end position at a first end of the height-adjustable column; a stopping mechanism, which is situated at a second end of the height-adjustable column; and a locking mechanism for releasably locking the stopping mechanism. A seating and supporting piece of furniture which allows reliable and user-friendly operation is created according to the invention in that a transfer device is used to release the locking of the stopping mechanism by the locking mechanism via the pivoting of the seating and supporting body between the first end position and the second end position.

Claims

1-35. (canceled)

36. Seating and support furniture, comprising a height-adjustable column, a seating and support corpus which is pivotably mounted about at least one horizontal axis between a first end position and a second end position on a first end of the height-adjustable column, a stopping mechanism situated at a second end of the height-adjustable column, and a locking mechanism for releasably locking the stopping mechanism, wherein a transfer device is used to release the locking of the stopping mechanism by the locking mechanism via the pivoting of the seating and support corpus between the first end position and the second end position, wherein the transfer device comprises a first transfer element, which is displaceable by the pivoting of the seating and support corpus between the first end position and the second end position, wherein the transfer device comprises a second transfer element, wherein the first transfer element is coupled to the second transfer element, wherein the second transfer element is configured as a plate bearing having an upper bearing ring and a lower bearing ring.

37. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 36, wherein the first transfer element is configured as a traction rod.

38. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 36, wherein a first end of a spring is connected to the height-adjustable column and a second end of the spring is connected to the seating and support corpus, and wherein the spring supports a pivoting of the seating and support corpus about the horizontal axis.

39. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 38, wherein the first transfer element is attached to the spring with a first end.

40. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 36, wherein the upper bearing ring and the lower bearing ring are rotatable relative to one another about a vertically extending axis.

41. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 36, wherein the second transfer element is axially displaceable in the direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of the height-adjustable column.

42. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 36, wherein the transfer device comprises a third transfer element, wherein the third transfer element is coupled to at least one of the first transfer element and the second transfer element.

43. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 42, wherein the third transfer element is configured as a Bowden cable with at least one traction element.

44. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 43, wherein the traction element of the Bowden cable is surrounded in portions by a guide sleeve.

45. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 44, wherein the guide sleeve has, at least in portions, a spiral-shaped design.

46. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 36, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a first latching element.

47. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 46, wherein the first latching element is axially displaceable in the direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of the height-adjustable column.

48. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 46, wherein the first latching element is coupled to the transfer device.

49. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 46, wherein a transfer element of the transfer device is connected to the first latching element.

50. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 46, wherein the first latching element is configured as a latching ring.

51. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 46, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a second latching element, wherein the second latching element is configured as a latching spring.

52. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 51, wherein the second latching element is releasably connectable to the height-adjustable column.

53. Seating and support furniture as claimed in claim 52, wherein the second latching element is connected to a stopping element of the stopping mechanism.

54. Stopping mechanism for use in a seating furniture, comprising a housing, a stopping element which is displaceable relative to the housing, a locking mechanism coupled to the stopping element for releasably locking the displacement of the stopping element, and a transfer device coupled to the locking mechanism, wherein the transfer device comprises a Bowden cable having at least one traction element, wherein the traction element of the Bowden cable is surrounded in portions by a guide sleeve which is designed to be expandable in an axial direction of the Bowden cable wherein the guide sleeve and the traction element have, at least in portions, a spiral-shaped design.

55. Stopping mechanism for use in a seating furniture having a height-adjustable column, comprising a housing, a stopping element which is displaceable relative to the housing, a locking mechanism coupled to the stopping element for releasably locking the displacement of the stopping element, and a transfer device coupled to the locking mechanism, wherein the transfer device comprises a transfer element configured as a plate bearing having an upper bearing ring and a lower bearing ring, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a first latching element, wherein the first latching element is coupled to the transfer device, and wherein the first latching element is axially displaceable in the direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of the height-adjustable column.

Description

[0032] The invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings using a preferred embodiment, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a sectioned side view of a seating and support furniture with a seating and support corpus in a first end position.

[0034] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in the region of the second transfer element of the transfer device of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism and the stopping mechanism of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a sectioned side view of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 1 in a second end position with an extended stopping mechanism.

[0037] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in the region of the second transfer element of the transfer device of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 4.

[0038] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism and the stopping mechanism of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 4.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a sectioned side view of an embodiment of a seating and support furniture 1 with a seating and support corpus 3 in a first end position 5a. The seating and support furniture 1 comprises a height-adjustable column 2, which is designed in three parts and comprises a first housing part 2a, a second housing part 2b, and a third housing part 2c, wherein the third housing part 2c is pushed into the second housing part 2b and is displaceable relative to the second housing part 2b. The third housing part 2c has barbs 30 on the outer circumference thereof, which brake the displacement of the third housing part 2c and serve as a stop. The height-adjustable column 2 is designed to be elongated in a vertical direction L. A seating and support corpus 3 is connected or situated on the first housing part 2a of the height-adjustable column 2, which is arranged at a first end 2d of the height-adjustable column 2, wherein the seating and support corpus 3 is pivotable about a horizontal axis 4. The pivotability of the seating and support corpus 3 is realized by a single joint 4a, which is situated on the first housing part 2a of the height-adjustable column 2. The seating and support corpus 3 has a backrest 3a and a seating surface 3b. In the first end position 5a of the seating and support corpus 3 shown here, the seating surface 3b is substantially horizontal and the backrest 3a is oriented approximately vertically, so that a person can sit on the seating and support furniture 1.

[0040] A stopping mechanism 6 is provided at an end 2e of the second housing part 2b facing away from the first housing part 2a, the structure of which is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. The stopping mechanism 6 is locked by an upstream locking mechanism 7, so that a user of the seating and support furniture 1, while sitting on it, can change the position relative to a floor on which the seating and support furniture 1 stands. The necessary movability of the seating and support furniture 1 is ensured by a roller system (not shown here), which can in particular be releasably connected to the height-adjustable column 2.

[0041] The locking mechanism 7 is coupled to a transfer device 8, wherein the transfer device 8 transfers a force generated by the pivoting movement of the seating and support corpus 3 to the locking mechanism 7, so that the unlocking of the stopping mechanism 6 can take place due to the pivoting movement of the seating and support corpus 3.

[0042] The transfer device 8 is shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2 and comprises a first transfer element 9, which is configured as a traction rod and is situated in the first housing part 2a and is pivotally coupled to a first end 9a of a spring 10 at a first end 10a. In the embodiment shown here, the spring 10 is configured as a gas spring and is pivotally coupled to a first end 10a on the first housing part 2a of the height-adjustable column 2. An end 10b opposite the first end 10a of the spring 10 is pivotally attached to the seating and support corpus 3, as can be seen in FIG. 1. The gas spring 10 thus supports the pivoting movement of the seating and support corpus 3 between the first end position 5a shown in FIG. 1 and the second end position 5b shown in FIG. 4 about the horizontal axis 4. The gas spring 10 can be activated via an actuating device 11, which is situated on the seating and support corpus 3 so that it is easily accessible for the user, so that the pivoting of the seating and support corpus 3 can take place effortlessly and easily.

[0043] A second end 9b of the traction rod 9 is pivotally connected to a second transfer element 12. The second transfer element 12 is configured as a plate bearing, which comprises an upper bearing ring 12a and a lower bearing ring 12b, wherein the upper bearing ring 12a and the lower bearing ring 12b are rotatable relative to one another about a vertical axis parallel to or in the direction L of the longitudinal extension of the height-adjustable column 2 because a ball bearing 12c is situated between the upper bearing ring 12a and the lower bearing ring 12b. The annular plate bearing 12 runs around a multi-stage spring system 13, which is configured as a gas spring and protrudes with a first end 13a into the first housing part 2a of the height-adjustable column 2 and is connected with an end 13b opposite the first end 13a to the stopping mechanism 6, as explained in more detail below.

[0044] The plate bearing 12 is axially displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal extension L of the height-adjustable column 2, wherein the plate bearing 12 is guided during the displacement by the multi-stage spring system 13, which is situated centrally in the height-adjustable column 2. An articulated rotary bearing 14 is situated between an annular base 2f of the first housing part 2a and the plate bearing 12, which is intended to allow the lower bearing plate 12b to rotate when it rests on the articulated rotary bearing 14, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0045] The transfer device 8 further comprises a third transfer element 15, which is configured as a Bowden cable. The Bowden cable 15 in this case comprises a traction means 16 or a core configured as a wire, wherein a first end 16a of the traction means 16 is coupled to the lower bearing ring 12b and a second end 16b of the traction means 16 is coupled to the locking mechanism 7. A portion of the traction means 16 in the vicinity of the first end 16a is surrounded by a spiral-shaped flexible guide sleeve 17, wherein the guide sleeve 17 is coupled with a first end 17a to the first housing part 2a of the height-adjustable column 2 and is coupled with a second end 17b to the third housing part 2c of the height-adjustable column 2. As a result, the guide sleeve 17 is correspondingly stretched when the height of the seating and support corpus 3 is adjusted, since the first end 17a and the second end 17b are spaced further apart from one another during the height adjustment jointly with the two housing parts 2a, 2c. The third housing part 2c is also displaced upwards since the second end 17b of the guide sleeve 17 is coupled to the latter, but the displacement is braked or limited by the barbs 30, so that the distance between the first housing part 2a and the third housing part 2c is enlarged at a maximum height setting of the height-adjustable column 2. This advantageously prevents a force being generated between the first end 16a and the second end 16b of the traction means 16 by a height adjustment of the column 2 and thus an unintentional unlocking of the stopping mechanism 6 following.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of the locking mechanism 7 and the stopping mechanism 6 of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 1. In this view it can be clearly seen that the locking mechanism 7 comprises a first latching element 18 configured as a latching ring. The latching ring 18 is coupled to the second end 16b of the traction means 16 of the Bowden cable 15, which is guided through the third housing part 2c, and can be displaced upward with a corresponding load by the Bowden cable 15. The latching ring 18 is preloaded in a direction towards the second end 2e of the height-adjustable column 2 by a first compression spring 19 which is fixedly connected to a housing 20 situated in the second end 2e of the height-adjustable column 2. The housing 20 is fixedly mounted in the second housing part 2b. A recess 20b is provided in a ceiling region 20a of the housing 20, through which the traction means 16 of the Bowden cable 15 is guided.

[0047] Furthermore, it can be seen in the enlarged view shown in FIG. 3 that the locking mechanism 7 comprises a second latching element 21, which is configured as a latching spring. The latching spring 21 has a hollow cylindrical design and has a radially outward projection 21a which engages into a latching edge 20c provided on the inside of the housing 20 of the locking mechanism 7 in the latching position shown here and thus a downward displacement of the second latching element 21 is prevented. The latching spring 21 is preloaded due to its inherent tension in the direction of a center of the height-adjustable column 2, that is, in the direction of a release position. The latching spring 21 is held in the latching position in that the first latching element 18, which is configured as a latching ring, is frictionally connected to an inside 21b of the second latching element 21 in the region of the projection 21a. The latching ring 18 has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the latching spring 21, so that the latching spring 21 is displaced into the latching position.

[0048] The latching spring 21 is fixedly connected via an intermediate piece 22 to the second end 13b of the spring system 13 and to the stopping mechanism 6. As a result, the second latching element 21, which is configured as a latching spring, is coupled to the stopping mechanism 6 and can thus prevent displacement of a stopping element 6a, configured as a friction piece, of the stopping mechanism 6 in the latching position shown here.

[0049] A second compression spring 23 is situated between the latching spring 21 and a base 20d of the housing 20. The second compression spring 23 preloads the stopping mechanism or the latching spring 21 in the direction of the seating and support corpus 3. This ensures that the second latching element 21 is re-engaged when the first latching element 18 is not displaced upward by the Bowden cable 15.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows the seating and support furniture 1 from FIG. 1 in a side view with a seating and support corpus 3 in a second end position 5b and extended stopping mechanism 6. In the second end position 5b, the seating and support corpus 3 is pivoted about the horizontal axis 4, supported by the spring 10, in such a way that the seating surface 3b is oriented substantially vertically and the backrest 3a is approximately horizontal, so that a person can sit-stand on a rear side of the backrest 3a in an elevated position.

[0051] As can be clearly seen in the enlarged view in the region of the second transfer element of the transfer device of the seating and support furniture in FIG. 5, the first transfer element 9, which is configured as a traction rod and is pivotally attached to the spring 10, which is now also pivoted, has been displaced upwards, so that a traction is created on the second transfer element 12, which is configured as a plate bearing, and thus the second transfer element has been displaced upwards. A corresponding traction force also acts on the traction means 16 of the third transfer element 15, which is configured as a Bowden cable and is coupled to the second transfer element 12, here the lower bearing ring 12b, so that the first latching element 18 is displaced upward against the preload of the first compression spring 19 and the second latching element 21, which is configured as a latching spring, is in the release position.

[0052] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the unlocked stopping element 6a of the stopping mechanism 6 or the second latching element 21, which is fixedly connected to the stopping element 6a, is displaced downwards due to a force acting on the seating and support corpus 3 from above, so that the stopping element 6a, which is configured as a friction piece, is pressed onto a floor on which the seating and supporting furniture 1 stands, by the weight of the user, and a corresponding braking effect arises which prevents the seating and support furniture 1 from moving. The risk of the user sliding down from the seating and support corpus 3 during the movement of the seating and support furniture 1 while sit-standing is advantageously reduced.

[0053] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the locking mechanism 7 and the stopping mechanism 6 of the seating and support furniture from FIG. 3. It can be clearly seen that the first latching element 18, which is configured as a latching ring, is displaced upwards relative to the housing 20 due to the coupling to the second end 16b of the traction means 16 of the Bowden cable 15 against the preload of the first compression spring 19, and thus the frictional connection between the first latching element 18 and the second latching element 21, which is configured as a latching spring, no longer exists, and because of the inherent tension, the latching spring 21 is displaced inwards and thus the projection 21a is no longer in engagement with the latching edge 20c. As a result, the stopping element 6a can be pressed down, due to the coupling with the released second latching element 21 and the spring system 13, by corresponding force from above on the seating and support corpus 3 in the direction of a floor on which the seating and support furniture stands, against the preload of the second compression spring 23 and thus a stopping function regardless of the height setting of the seating and support corpus 3 is provided.

[0054] The invention was explained above using an embodiment in which the pivoting movement of the seating and support corpus 3 is supported by a spring 10 and in which the transfer device is coupled to the spring 10. It goes without saying that the transfer device with one of the transfer elements can also be pivotally connected directly to the seating and support corpus, insofar as the attachment point is radially spaced from the horizontal pivot axis of the seating and support corpus.

[0055] The invention was explained above using an embodiment in which the first transfer element is pivotally mounted on the seating and support corpus or the spring in such a way that the first transfer element is pulled upwards when pivoting from the first end position to the second end position, and thus the first latching element and the second latching element are separated from one another, so that the unlocking of the locking mechanism takes place. It goes without saying that the first transfer element can also be pivotally situated on the seating and support corpus or the spring in such a way that the first transfer element is pressed downwards when pivoting from the first end position to the second end position, and thus the unlocking takes place.