Device for triggering a gas spring and seating unit comprising adjustable backrest having a gas spring and such an apparatus

Abstract

A device for triggering a gas spring (1) comprising an actuation device (2), an actuating element (4) which is operatively connected to the actuating device (2) and which acts directly on an end trigger (3) of the gas spring (1), wherein the actuating element (4) is configured as a lever arrangement (5) which reduces or multiplies the force or path, wherein one of the levers (trigger lever (6)) presses directly onto the trigger (3), wherein the actuating device (2) comprises an electrical magnet unit (30), which is provided with electric energy via an electrical supply and can be activated via a switch unit (60), characterised in that there is a control unit (40) which can be activated via the switching unit (60) and activates the electric magnet unit (30) according to the signals of the switch unit (60), wherein the the magnet unit (30) is actuated such that for a predetermined time interval an override phase of the magnet unit (30) with an increased voltage and a subsequent holding phase with a reduced voltage are produced.

Claims

1. A device for triggering a gas spring, comprising: an actuating device including an electric magnet unit; an actuating member which is operatively connected to the actuating device and acts directly on an end side trigger of the gas spring, the actuating member being a lever mechanism comprising a triggering lever which pushes directly onto the trigger; a control device which is electrically connected to a switching unit and which activates the electric magnet unit in response to signals received from the switching unit; and an actuating device housing which completely encloses the control device and the electric magnet unit, wherein the control device activates the electric magnet unit by applying, during an override phase, an increased voltage to the electric magnet unit, and by applying, during a subsequent holding phase, a reduced voltage to the electric magnet unit, the reduced voltage being greater than zero and lower than the increased voltage, and wherein at least one of a duration of the override phase, a magnitude of the increased voltage, and a magnitude of the reduced voltage is selectable in the control device.

2. The device as in claim 1, further comprising an electric buffer storage unit, wherein the control device, upon activation during the override phase, retrieves electrical energy from the electric buffer storage unit and supplies the retrieved electrical energy to the electric magnet unit.

3. The device as in claim 2, wherein the electric buffer storage unit is a capacitor or an accumulator which, after being discharged, is recharged via the control device or an external voltage supply.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein the electric magnet unit comprises a hollow coil body and an armature body which is mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the hollow coil body, wherein the armature body is coupled to the lever mechanism of the actuating member via an actuating element.

5. The device as in claim 4, further comprising an elastic unit which generates a force that acts on the armature body in a longitudinally displaceable manner.

6. The device as in claim 5, wherein the elastic unit is a spring unit.

7. The device as in claim 5, wherein the actuating element is a cable, and the elastic unit is a compression or tension spring.

8. The device as in claim 6, further comprising an actuating device housing which completely encloses the control device and the electric magnet unit and at least partially encloses the spring unit and the actuating element.

9. The device as in claim 8, wherein the actuating device housing is arranged directly on or spaced apart from a housing of the actuating member and wherein the actuating element projects into the housing of the actuating member and is connected to an actuating lever of the lever mechanism.

10. The device as in claim 9, wherein the actuating device housing has a hollow profile with an upper side connection cap unit for connection to the housing of the actuating member.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hollow profile is a cylindrical hollow profile.

12. The device as in claim 1, wherein the triggering lever is coupled at one end so as to be pivotable about a first positionally fixed axis of rotation and pivotably connected at its other end to a first end of a connecting lever, the connecting lever being connected pivotably at a second end to an actuating lever, the actuating lever being coupled at a first end so as to be pivotable about a second positionally fixed axis of rotation and operatively connected at a second end to the actuating device.

13. A seating unit, comprising: the device for triggering a gas spring as in claim 1; and a backrest which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein the gas spring is configured to arrest rotational movement of the backrest in its respective rotational position.

14. The seating unit as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a central deactivation/activation unit which is connected to and in communication with the device for triggering a gas spring and which is configured to at least one of deactivated or activated a supply of energy to the device for triggering a gas spring and activate the switching unit.

15. An arrangement comprising a plurality of seating units as in claim 14, wherein each seating unit is connected to and in communication with the central deactivation/activation unit.

16. The arrangement as in claim 15, arranged inside an interior cabin of an aircraft.

17. A system, comprising: the device for triggering a gas spring as in claim 1; and an external electric buffer storage unit arranged separately from the device for triggering a gas spring, wherein the control device, upon activation during the override phase, retrieves electrical energy from the external electric buffer storage unit and supplies the retrieved electrical energy to the electric magnet unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention and advantageous embodiments and developments of same are described and explained in more detail below with reference to the examples illustrated in the drawing. The features which can be gathered from the description and the drawing can be used, according to the invention, individually by themselves or in a plurality in any desired combination. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a device for triggering a gas spring, comprising an actuating member with a lever mechanism and an actuating device which has an electric magnet unit and a control device, in longitudinal section in the activated state,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of the device according to FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a device for triggering a gas spring, comprising an actuating member with a lever mechanism and an actuating device which has an electric magnet unit and a control device, in longitudinal section in non-activated state,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of the device according to FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a highly schematized sectional illustration of a seating unit with a backrest which is adjustable under the action of a gas spring, with a device for triggering the gas spring, and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view of the detail of a seat arrangement with a plurality of seating units according to FIG. 5 and a central deactivation/activation unit.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

(8) FIGS. 1 to 4 show a device for triggering a gas spring 1, wherein the gas spring 1 is illustrated only on the end side, and FIGS. 1 and 2 show the device 10 in the activated state and FIGS. 3 and 4 show the device 10 in the non-activated state.

(9) The device 10 has an actuating device 2 and an actuating member 4 which is operatively connected to the actuating device 2 and acts directly on the end-side trigger 3 of the gas spring 1. The actuating member 4 is designed as a lever arrangement 5 which reduces or multiplies in terms of force and/or travel, wherein one of the levers, what is referred to as the triggering lever 6, pushes directly against the trigger 3. The triggering lever 6 is coupled at one end so as to be pivotable about a second positionally fixed axis of rotation 7 and is pivotably connected at its other end to a second lever, what is referred to as the connecting lever 8, at the end thereof. The connecting lever 8 is pivotably connected at its other end to a third lever, what is referred to as the actuating lever 9. The actuating lever 9 is coupled at its one end so as to be pivotable about a first positionally fixed axis of rotation 11 and is operatively connected at its other end to the actuating device 2. This mechanism 5 is known from EP 0 907 842 B1.

(10) The ratio of the lever portions firstly of the triggering lever 6 between the positionally fixed second axis of rotation 7 and the trigger 8 and also between the trigger 3 and the pivoting connection to the connecting lever 8 and secondly of the actuating lever 9 between the positionally fixed first axis of rotation 11 and the pivoting connection to the connecting lever 8 and also between the pivoting connection to the connecting lever 8 and the free end or operative connection to the actuating device 2 predetermines the size of the reduction or multiplication.

(11) The actuating member 4 is aligned with the gas spring 1. The actuating member 4 is subordinate in a housing 20.

(12) The actuating device 2 has a cylindrical actuating device housing 36 which, on the upper side, has a connected connection cap unit 38 which is tapered in two stages and is connected to the housing 20.

(13) Arranged inside the actuating device housing 36 is an electric magnet unit 30 which is designed as a lifting magnet, with a hollow coil body 32, in the interior cavity of which an armature body 34 is present in a manner displaceable longitudinally in the longitudinal direction L.

(14) There is a tappet unit 48 on the upper side of the armature body 34, inside which tappet unit there is connected an actuating element 22 which is guided outward through the connection cap unit 38 and is connected inside the housing 20 to the actuating lever 9 of the lever mechanism 5. The actuating element 22 is designed as a cable.

(15) The armature body 24 is under the action of a spring unit 24 which, in the exemplary embodiment, is designed as a compression spring. The spring unit 24 is supported firstly at the armature body 34 and secondly at the opposite end against the inwardly projecting wall of the connection cap unit 38.

(16) The tappet unit 48 is mounted on the lower side on a shaft securing unit 44 which, in turn, is mounted on a rubber ring unit 46 for damping purposes.

(17) Below the magnet unit 30, there is a control device 40 inside the actuating device housing 36, said control device acting upon the electric magnet unit 30 via a current cable 42, wherein said current cable 42 also leads to an externally present current supply.

(18) The control device 40 is activated via a switching unit 60, which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.

(19) FIG. 1 simultaneously schematically illustrates a master central deactivation/activation unit 80 by means of which the voltage supply of the device 10 may be deactivated/activated.

(20) The control device 40 is activated via the switching unit 60 and for its part activates the electric magnet unit 30. The control device 40 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated is configured here in such a manner that it activates the magnet unit 30 for, for example, 5 ms at 20 V (override phase) and then the voltage drops to 6 V (holding phase). Reliable triggering of the gas spring 1 is thereby ensured.

(21) FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the non-activated state. The armature body 34 is located in the upper extended position under the action of the spring unit 24. No pressure is exerted on the trigger 3 of the gas spring 1 via the lever mechanism 5 of the actuating member 4. The gas spring 1 is not activated in this state. The adjustable component which is not illustrated specifically in FIGS. 3 and 4 and to which the piston rod of the gas spring 1 is connected is therefore arrested in its position. If the actuating device 2 is then activated by actuation of the switching unit 60, the control device 40 acts upon the hollow coil body 32 of the magnet unit 30 with voltage, and therefore, because of the magnetic field thereby building up, the armature body 34 is moved downward in the longitudinal direction L with a supporting action of the spring unit and enters the interior cavity of the hollow coil body 32. This state is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The actuating lever 9 is thereby rotated counterclockwise about the first positionally fixed axis of rotation 11, and therefore the triggering lever 6, because of the coupling to the connecting lever 8, carries out a rotation in the clockwise direction about the second axis of rotation 7 and actuates the trigger of the gas spring 1, as a result of which the component connected to the piston rod of the gas spring can be moved. As soon as the magnet unit 30 is deactivated, the actuating lever 9 is rotated in the clockwise direction about the first axis of rotation 11 via the lever mechanism 5 by means of the restoring force of the gas spring 1 and the armature body 34 moves counter to the action of the spring unit 24 into the extended position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this state, no pressure is exerted on the trigger 3 via the lever mechanism 5 of the actuating member 4, and the gas spring 1 is thereby blocked with respect to the movement of its piston rod, as a result of which the component which is connected to the piston rod is fixed in its position.

(22) Since the override phase requires a relatively high amount of current, which may under some circumstances have a negative effect on the current supply network when a plurality of consumers are present, measures are provided according to the invention for reducing the current for the entire network during activation of the magnet units, said measures being designed in concrete terms as a buffer storage unit, which is not illustrated specifically in the figures. The buffer storage unit can be, for example, a capacitor or accumulator.

(23) According to the invention, upon activation first of all via the control device 40, the energy of the buffer storage unit (of the capacitor) is transmitted to the electric magnet unit 30, as a result of which the overall current network is initially not loaded. In the holding phase, the energy available through the current network is sufficient. At the same time, the control device 40 ensures that the buffer storage unit is charged up again and is available again during the next activation process.

(24) In addition, a second buffer storage unit, for example a capacitor or accumulator, can be present, said buffer storage unit being connected directly to the voltage supply and having a high capacity and from which the electrical energy can be withdrawn in the override phase. Said second buffer storage unit can be connected, for example, to a plurality of devices and reliably reduces the risk of overloading the current network.

(25) FIG. 5 illustrates in a greatly schematized manner a seating unit 70 which has a backrest 72 which is pivotable in the direction of rotation D about an axis of rotation 74. The rotational movement of the backrest 72 is coupled to the piston rod 12 of the gas spring 1, that is to say rotation of the backrest 72 is possible only if the gas spring 1 permits this rotation D by extension and retraction of its piston rod 12 or is activated via the device 10 by actuation of the switching unit 60. Backrests of this type are referred to, for example in aircraft construction, by the technical term backrest recline.

(26) FIG. 6 schematically illustrates, in a top view, an arrangement of a plurality of seating units 70 as can be present, for example, in the interior cabin of an aircraft. Each device 10 is connected in terms of communication to the master deactivation/activation unit 80either via a wired connection or a wireless connection, wherein the voltage supply of the actuating device 2 of the device 10 can be switched off and switched on again in a targeted manner by actuation of the deactivation/activation unit 80.

(27) The master deactivation/activation unit 80, by means of which the current supply can be interrupted in a targeted manner such that the switching unit 60 is ineffective increases the safety overall since, in the phases in which actuation of the gas spring is not desired, said actuation is reliably prevented.

(28) The master deactivation/activation unit 80 can also be connected to the device 10 or the devices 10 in such a manner that the device 10 or the devices 10 is or are activated via the deactivation/activation unit 80 itself, and therefore, for example, all of the backrests of seating units of seat arrangements can be promptly reset. This is advantageous, for example, in seat arrangements in trains, buses, ships (ferries) since, as a result, the staff does not have to bring each individual backrest of the seating unit into the starting position before the start of a trip. In the region of seating units of passenger vehicles, the device according to the invention provides a reasonably priced, permanently reliably functioning seat unit adjustment which is free of an electric motor, which increases the comfort and at the same time permits economic production.

(29) The device 10 according to the invention for triggering a gas spring can be used because of its compact geometry with regard to operating location and the actuating device 2 in a very wide variety of geometrical space conditions of the surrounding components, requires little space, can be produced economically, can be adapted variably to the respective requirements and also ensures permanently reliable functioning. Furthermore, high safety standards can be ensured.