SEATING/RECLINING-FURNITURE

Abstract

The invention relates to seating/reclining furniture, in particular an armchair or a chair, having a back part, a seat part and an adjustable footrest arrangement that is pivotable relative to the seat part between an inwardly folded basic position beneath a seating surface of the seat part and an outwardly folded position of use, wherein the footrest arrangement comprises a frame and a foot part pivotable relative to the frame, and wherein an adjustment member variable in length by means of an actuating motor for pivoting the foot part is supported at a front cross strut fixed to a frame and is connected to a movable rear adjustment traverse.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. Seating/reclining furniture having a back part, a seat part and an adjustable footrest arrangement that is pivotable between an inwardly folded basic position beneath a seating surface of the seat part and an outwardly folded position of use relative to the seat part, wherein the footrest arrangement comprises a frame and a foot part pivotable relative to the frame; wherein an adjustment member variable in length by means of an actuating motor is supported for pivoting the foot part at a front cross strut fixed to a frame and is connected to a rear actuating member rotatable relative to the frame; and wherein the actuating member is connected to the foot part via an adjustment arrangement.

17. The furniture in accordance with claim 16, wherein the actuation member comprises a crossbar that is rotatably supported at the frame, that is rotatable by means of the adjustment member and whose rotation can be converted into an adjustment movement of the adjustment arrangement.

18. The furniture in accordance with claim 17, wherein the adjustment member is connected in an articulated manner to an actuating tab rotationally fixedly connected to the crossbar.

19. The furniture in accordance with claim 18, wherein a pivot axle about which the adjustment member and the actuating tab are pivotable relative to one another does not intersect a longitudinal axis along which the adjustment member is variable in length.

20. The furniture in accordance with claim 16, wherein the adjustment member comprises an actuating motor and a housing having a control element that can be moved in and out by means of the actuating motor, with the actuating motor, the housing, and the control member being arranged between the front cross strut and the rear actuating member.

21. The furniture in accordance with claim 16, wherein the frame comprises a left side strut and a right side strut, with the side struts being connected to one another by the front cross strut.

22. The furniture in accordance with claim 16, wherein the foot part has a foot support that is movable between a moved in basic position and a moved out position of use, with the movement of the foot support being derived from the pivot movement of the foot part.

23. The furniture in accordance with claim 16, wherein the actuating member is additionally coupled to a mechanism for lowering a seat, with the seat lowering being simultaneously actuated with an adjustment of the foot part.

24. An adjustable footrest arrangement, wherein the footrest arrangement is pivotable between an inwardly folded basic position and an outwardly folded position of use; wherein the footrest arrangement comprises a frame and a foot part pivotable relative to the frame; wherein an adjustment member variable in length by means of an actuating motor is supported for pivoting the foot part at a front cross strut fixed to a frame and is connected to a rear actuating member rotatable relative to the frame; and wherein the actuating member is connected to the foot part via an adjustment arrangement.

25. The adjustable footrest arrangement in accordance with claim 24, wherein the adjustable footrest arrangement is for a seating/reclining furniture having a back part, a seat part and an adjustable footrest arrangement that is pivotable between an inwardly folded basic position beneath a seating surface of the seat part and an outwardly folded position of use relative to the seat part.

26. Seating/reclining furniture having a back part, a seat part and a footrest arrangement that is adjustable by a motor and that is pivotable between an inwardly folded basic position beneath a seating surface of the seat part and an outwardly folded position of use relative to the seat part, wherein the footrest arrangement comprises a frame and a foot part pivotable relative to the frame; wherein an adjustment member that is variable in length by means of an actuating motor is supported for pivoting the foot part at a front cross strut fixed to a frame and is connected to a movable rear adjustment traverse; and wherein the adjustment traverse is connected to the foot part via an adjustment arrangement.

27. The furniture in accordance with claim 26, wherein the adjustment member comprises an actuating motor and a housing having a control element that can be moved in and out by means of the actuating motor, with the actuating motor, the housing, and the control member being arranged between the front cross strut and the rear adjustment traverse.

28. The furniture in accordance with claim 26, wherein the frame comprises a left side strut and a right side strut, with the side struts being connected to one another by the front cross strut.

29. The furniture in accordance with claim 28, wherein the rear adjustment traverse is respectively connected to the side struts of the frame via one or a plurality of mutually connected articulated levers.

30. The furniture in accordance with claim 26, wherein the frame is substantially of U shape and is open to the rear.

31. The furniture in accordance with claim 26, wherein the foot part has a foot support that is movable between a moved in basic position and a moved out position of use relative to the foot part, with the movement of the foot support being derived from the pivot movement of the foot part.

32. The furniture in accordance with claim 26, wherein a construction space for the footrest arrangement is provided beneath the seating surface of the seat part and is bounded to the rear by the back part extending up to and beneath the seating surface or up to and beneath the seat part.

33. The furniture in accordance with claim 26, wherein the back part is pivotably connected to the seat part about a pivot axle and is adjustable in inclination with respect to the seat part.

34. The furniture in accordance with any one of the claims 26, wherein a cantilever chair support structure supporting the seat part and the back part is provided that has at least one support hoop that comprises a base section, an at least approximately horizontally extending horizontal section and an articulated section connecting the base section and the horizontal section to one another and allowing a pivoting of the horizontal section relative to the base section, with the back part being pivotably supported at the horizontal section about a horizontal axis and with the seat part being movably guided in a compulsory manner along the articulated section.

35. A footrest arrangement that can be adjusted by a motor, wherein the footrest arrangement is pivotable between an inwardly folded basic position and an outwardly folded position of use; wherein the footrest arrangement comprises a frame and a foot part pivotable relative to the frame; wherein an adjustment member that is variable in length by means of an actuating motor for pivoting the foot part is supported at a front cross strut fixed to a frame and is connected to a movable rear adjustment traverse; and wherein the adjustment traverse is connected to the foot part via an adjustment arrangement.

36. The footrest arrangement in accordance with claim 35, wherein the adjustable footrest arrangement is configured for a seating/reclining furniture having a back part, a seat part and a footrest arrangement that is adjustable by a motor and that is pivotable between an inwardly folded basic position beneath a seating surface of the seat part and an outwardly folded position of use relative to the seat part.

Description

[0031] Possible embodiments of both the seating/reclining furniture in accordance with the invention and the footrest arrangements in accordance with the invention are also indicated in the dependent claims, in the description and in the Figures.

[0032] The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15.

[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of seating/reclining furniture in accordance with the invention. It is a so-called relax chair that has a seat part 13 having a seating surface 15 and a back part 11. The seat part 13 and the back part 11 are supported by a foot 43 that is here formed as a so-called star base, but can generally also be of a different design.

[0034] The seat part 13 is supported at the perpendicular column of the foot 43 via a gas pressure spring, not shown, for which a recess, not shown here, is provided (cf. FIGS. 4 to 8) that is integrated into a footrest arrangement (cf. FIGS. 3 to 8) to which the seat part 13 is attached. The seat part can be vertically adjusted by means of the gas pressure spring. The footrest arrangement is located beneath the seating surface 15 or beneath the seat part 13.

[0035] This concept of a combination of a footrest arrangement and of a vertical seat adjustment is generally known so that it will not be looked at in any more detail here.

[0036] The seating/reclining furniture in accordance with the invention is furthermore provided with a seat lowering function that is likewise generally known. This is coupled to the adjustment movement of a foot part 19 (FIG. 2) of the footrest arrangement, and indeed such that the seat part 13 is lowered in the rear region on the outward folding of the foot part 19 into the position of use in accordance with FIG. 2. The seating surface 15 of the seat part 13 is hereby inclined more to the rear, with the height of the seating surface 15 remaining substantially unchanged in the front region. The different seat inclination between the basic position with an inwardly folded foot part 19 in accordance with FIG. 1 and the position of use with an outwardly folded foot part 19 in accordance with FIG. 2 can be recognized by a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0037] An additional foot support 19a, which extends the foot part 19 in the outwardly folded position of use of the footrest arrangement, is displaceable relative to the foot part 19.

[0038] A footrest arrangement having the above-explained functionality will be described in more detail in the following with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a footrest arrangement in accordance with the invention that has a lever arrangement 45 that effects the displacement of the foot support 19a relative to the foot part 19 when the foot part 19 is pivoted relative to a frame 17. Such a concept is generally known so that it will not be looked at in any more detail.

[0040] Side views of the footrest arrangement in accordance with FIG. 3 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows the outwardly folded position of use, whereas FIG. 5 shows the inwardly folded basic position.

[0041] A cup-like, downwardly open recess 57 for the above-mentioned gas pressure spring for the vertical adjustment via which the footrest arrangement and thus the seat part 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are supported at the respective foot 43 of the seating/reclining furniture is not shown in FIG. 3, but is in contrast shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The recess 57 is pivotable relative to the frame 17 about a rotating rod 47 that is coupled to struts 69 of the frame 17 extending in the longitudinal direction. These two struts 69 of the frame 17 are connected to a front cross strut 25 and to a rear strut 69 that are in turn connected to side struts 41 that serve for fastening the footrest arrangement to the seat part 13.

[0042] In the rear region, a crossbar 31 extends between the two side struts 41 and is rotatably supported at these two side struts 41. In a manner known per se, the crossbar is connected to the foot part 19 via an adjustment arrangement 29 not shown in FIG. 3, but shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein the adjustment arrangement 29 comprises to the left and right in each case in the region of the side strut 41 a plurality of levers 61, 63, 65, 67 that are connected to one another in an articulated manner and that are pivotally connected to a tab 71 of the foot part 19. Front curved levers 67 of the adjustment arrangement 29 are each connected, to an axle 51 rotatable with the tab 71.

[0043] When the adjustment arrangement 29 acts on the foot part 19, the foot part 19 is pivoted about an axis 49 relative to the frame 17. This axis 49 extends in the region of the front cross strut 25 of the frame 17 and thus behind the axles 51 at which the front curved levers 67 of the adjustment arrangement 29 are each connected in an articulated manner to the foot part 19.

[0044] The adjustment arrangement 29 is effective when the crossbar 31 is rotated relative to the frame 17. For this purpose, short, straight rear levers 61 of the adjustment arrangement 29 are each rotationally fixedly connected to the crossbar 31.

[0045] The comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5 shows how the levers 61, 63, 65, 67 of the adjustment arrangement 29 pivot the foot part 19 on a rotation of the crossbar 31 between the outwardly folded position of use in accordance with FIG. 4 and the inwardly folded basic position in accordance with FIG. 5.

[0046] The rotation of the crossbar 31 takes place by an adjustment member 23 variable in length. The adjustment member 23 comprises an actuating motor 21 as well as a housing 22 having a control element 39 that can be moved in and out by means of the actuating motor 21. By moving the control element 39 in and out, the effective length of this adjustment member 23 is varied between the front cross strut 25 and a tab 55 attached to the rear end of the housing 22. For illustration, the end region of the control element 39 by which the control element 39 is coupled to a tab 53 projecting obliquely rearwardly downwardly from the front cross strut 25 is also shown in the inwardly moved (FIG. 3) or outwardly moved (FIG. 5) position with respect to the housing 22. This illustrates the possible length variation of the adjustment member 23 formed by the motor 21, the housing 22 and the control element 29.

[0047] The tab 55 of the adjustment member 23 is coupled in an articulated manner to a curved actuation tab 33 that is connected at its other end rotationally fixedly to the crossbar 31 and that forms a rear actuation member 27 together with it.

[0048] The comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5 shows how the rear actuation tab 33 is pivoted by a length variation of the adjustment member 23, how thereby a rotation of the crossbar 31 is effected and how hereby the foot part 19 is pivoted via the adjustment arrangement 29.

[0049] To fold the foot part 19 inwardly starting from the outwardly folded position of use in accordance with FIG. 4 into the basic position in accordance with FIG. 5, the control element 39 is moved in by means of the actuating motor 21. Since the control element 39 is supported at the front cross strut 25 fixed to the frame, the tab 55 is hereby pulled to the front along a longitudinal axis 37 of the adjustment member 23, whereby the actuation tab 33 is pivoted clockwise and the crossbar 31 is correspondingly rotated clockwise. To pivot the foot part 19 back into the position of use in accordance with FIG. 4 again, the control element 39 is moved out again, whereby the tab 55 pressed rearwardly along the longitudinal axis 37 in this respect pivots the actuation tab 33 counterclockwise and thus accordingly rotates the crossbar 31 counterclockwise.

[0050] To implement a sufficiently large adjustment path or pivot path, the spacing of a pivot axle 35 between the tab 55 of the adjustment member 23 and the actuation tab 33, on the one hand, and the longitudinal axis 37 of the adjustment member 23, on the other hand, and the shape and the length of the curved actuation tab 33 are dimensioned such that the adjustment member 23 can move to the front and to the rear beneath the crossbar 31, i.e. the adjustment member 23 can move past the crossbar 31. The adjustment member 23 does not have to engage directly at the crossbar 31 to be able to rotate it due to this design. In this manner, the adjustment path or stroke available by the length variation of the adjustment member 23 is converted into the rotation of the crossbar 31.

[0051] The embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 8 corresponds to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 5, with a different kind of representation being chosen. Components provided with the same reference numerals correspond to one another. Whereas FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the footrest arrangement in accordance with the invention from above, FIGS. 6 to 8 each represent a view of the footrest arrangement from below. The cup-shaped recess 57 for the above-mentioned gas pressure spring (not shown) serving for the vertical adjustment of the footrest arrangement and thus of the seat part 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2) can in particular respectively be recognized in FIGS. 6 to 8. The recess 57 is connected to a board 59 and via levers 60 to the rotating rod 47. The frame 17 fastened to the seat part 13, on the one hand, and the recess 57 supported at the foot 43 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the seating/reclining furniture, on the other hand, are hereby pivotable relative to one another.

[0052] As already mentioned above, this pivot movement between the frame 17 and the recess 57 is effected by rotating the crossbar 31 that is connected via a lever arrangement 73 to the levers 60 that are in turn rotationally fixedly connected to the rotating rod 47 rotatably supported at the frame 17.

[0053] A rotation of the crossbar 31 by means of the adjustment member 23 in accordance with the invention consequently has two effects: Starting from the basic position (cf. also FIG. 1), the foot part 19 is outwardly folded and the foot support 19a is moved out, on the one hand, and the frame 17 is pivoted downwardly relative to the recess 57 about the rotating rod 47, on the other hand, whereby the seat part 13 is lowered, i.e. is given a greater inclination to the rear. This seat lowering is reversed when the foot part 19 is inwardly folded again by rotation the crossbar 31 in the opposite direction.

[0054] The adjustment of a foot part and the actuation of a mechanism for seat lowering thus take place simultaneously in accordance with the invention by a single, motor-powered adjustment arrangement that in particular engages at a common actuation memberat the crossbar 31 in the embodimentwherein the actuation member is coupled both to the foot part and to the mechanism for the seat lowering.

[0055] FIG. 9 shows a simplified side view of an embodiment of seating/reclining furniture in accordance with the invention. It is in this respect a so-called relax chair having a cantilever chair support structure. This structure respectively comprises a support hoop 141 at the left side and at the right side that comprises a base section 143, an at least approximately horizontally extending horizontal section 145 and an articulated section 147 that connects the base section 143 and the horizontal section 145 to one another and allows a pivoting of the horizontal section 145 relative to the base section 143 and thus a swinging of the seat part 113 and of the back part 111. The back part 111 is pivotably supported about a horizontal axis 149 at the horizontal section 145. The seat part 113 is movably guided in a compulsory manner (not shown) along the articulated section 147.

[0056] A footrest arrangement in accordance with the invention that is located in an inwardly folded basic position is shown schematically by solid lines beneath the seat part 113. The footrest arrangement comprises a frame 117 fixedly connected to the seat part and a foot part 119 pivotable relative to the frame 117. In an outwardly folded position of use, the seat part 113 is extended by the outwardly folded foot part 119 indicated by a dashed line.

[0057] Such armchairs having a cantilever chair support structure are generally known. Since the back part 111 is pulled downwardly, that is extends up to and beneath the seating surface 115 or the seat part 113, only a limited installation depth is available for the footrest arrangement. It was previously not possible in such an installation position to provide a footrest arrangement that can be adjusted by a motor without impairing its functionality and its possibilities for use.

[0058] FIG. 10 shows a schematic plan view of a footrest arrangement in accordance with the invention. The frame 117 comprises two side struts 133 that can be fastened to a seating/reclining part and that are connected to one another in the front region by a cross strut 125. The frame 117 is of U shape and is open to the rear. The foot part 119 is connected to the frame 117 pivotable about an axle 151. An additional foot support 119a, which extends the foot part 119 in the outwardly folded position of use of the footrest arrangement shown, is displaceable relative to the foot part 119, as indicated by the double arrow. The adjustment mechanism provided for this purpose and with which the sliding movement of the foot support 119a relative to the foot part 119 is derived from the pivot movement of the foot part 119 relative to the frame is not shown in FIG. 10.

[0059] The foot part 119 is coupled to the left and to the right by means of an adjustment arrangement 129 only indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 10 to an adjustment traverse 127 that extends in the region between the two side struts 133. This adjustment traverse 127 is movable relative to the side struts 133, and indeed pivotable about an axle 153 fixed with respect to the side struts 133. The coupling of the cross traverse 127 to the two side struts 133 takes place in each case by one or more articulated levers that are only shown schematically in FIG. 10.

[0060] An adjustment member 123 having an actuating motor 121 only indicated schematically and a control member 131 variable in length is effective between the front cross strut 125 fixed to the frame and the rear adjustment traverse 127, The adjustment member 123 is respectively connected in an articulated manner to the cross strut 125 and to the adjustment traverse 125.

[0061] In the outwardly folded position of use of the foot part 119 shown in FIG. 10, the adjustment member 123 has its shortest longitudinal extent between the cross strut 125 and the adjustment traverse 127. If the actuating motor 121 is actuated, the effective length of the control element 131 varies, for example by moving a spindle driven by means of the actuating motor 121 out of a housing. The adjustment traverse 127 is hereby pressed to the rear and is adjusted relative to the frame 117, in particular pivoted in a manner determined by the coupling of the adjustment traverse 127 to the frame 117, as is indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10. This adjustment movement of the adjustment traverse 27 pivots the foot part 119 into the inwardly folded basic position.

[0062] The adjustment mechanism, not shown, effective between the foot part 119 and the foot support 119a in this respect effects the moving in of the foot support 119a. This movement of the foot support 119a is derived from the pivot movement of the foot part 119.

[0063] In the detailed plan view of a footrest arrangement in accordance with the invention in accordance with FIG. 11, a lever arrangement 155 is shown that effects the displacement of the foot support 119a relative to the foot part 119 when the foot part 119 is pivoted relative to the frame 117. Such a concept is generally known so that it will not be looked at in any more detail.

[0064] Side views of the footrest arrangement in accordance with FIG. 11 are shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 shows the outwardly folded position of use, whereas FIG. 13 shows the inwardly folded basic position.

[0065] The adjustment traverse 127 is connected to the two side struts 133 of the frame 117 in an articulated manner at the left and right respectively by an arcuate lever 127 and a lever 173 coupled in an articulated manner via a crossbar 147 rotatable relative to the frame 117. The adjustment arrangement 129 comprises the arcuate levers 135 as well as two further lever pairs 163, 161. The arcuate levers 161 are each coupled in an articulated manner to the foot part 119 about an axis 159. This axis 159 is spaced apart from the pivot axle 151 about which the foot part 119 is pivotable relative to the frame 117.

[0066] The two middle levers 163 of the adjustment arrangement 129, that each comprise two lever arms extending approximately at right angles to one another, are each coupled between the two arcuate levers 161, 135 and are connected in an articulated manner to the respective side strut 133.

[0067] FIGS. 11 to 13 additionally show the actuating motor 121 as well as a housing 122 having the control element 131 movable in and out by means of the actuating motor 121. The effective length of this adjustment member between the front cross strut 125 and the rear adjustment traverse 127 is varied by moving the control element 131 in and out for acting on the adjustment traverse 127 and thus for pivoting the foot part 119. For illustration, the end region of the control element 131 by which the control element 131 is coupled to the front cross strut is also shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 showing the outwardly folded position of use in the moved out position relative to the front cross strut 125 that would result if the control element 131 were to be moved out without moving the rear adjustment traverse 127. This illustrates the possible length variation of the adjustment member formed by the motor 121, the housing 122 and the control element 131.

[0068] The comparison of FIGS. 12 and 13 shows how the foot part 119 is pivoted over the adjustment arrangement 129 by the movement of the rear adjustment traverse 127.

[0069] To fold the foot part 119 inwardly into the basic position in accordance with FIG. 13, starting from the outwardly folded position of use in accordance with FIG. 12, the control element 131 is moved out by means of the actuating motor 121. Since the control element 131 is supported at the front cross strut 125 fixed to the frame, the rear adjustment traverse 127 is hereby pressed to the rear and is pivoted in so doing. To pivot the foot part 119 back into the position of use in accordance with FIG. 12 again, the control element 131 is moved in again, whereby the adjustment traverse 127 is again pulled to the front and pivoted back.

[0070] In accordance with the invention, the adjustment traverse 172 pivotable to the front and to the rear relative to the frame 117 is acted on from the front in that a construction space is used for the actuating motor 121 and for the adjustment member 123 formed here by the housing 122 and the control element (cf. FIG. 10), namely the space between the front cross strut 125 and the rear adjustment traverse 127.

[0071] In this respect, the inward folding of the foot part 119 takes place by reducing the effective length of the adjustment member and the outward folding of the foot part 119 takes place by increasing the effective length of the adjustment member.

[0072] An embodiment of a footrest arrangement in accordance with the invention is shown from below in FIGS. 14 and 15, and indeed in the outwardly folded position of use in FIG. 14 and in the inwardly folded basic position in FIG. 15. The footrest arrangement is shown in FIG. 15 somewhat larger with respect to the representation of FIG. 14.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0073] 11 back part

[0074] 13 seat part

[0075] 15 seating surface

[0076] 17 frame

[0077] 19 foot part

[0078] 19a foot support

[0079] 21 actuating motor

[0080] 22 housing

[0081] 23 adjustment member

[0082] 25 front transverse strut

[0083] 27 rear actuation member

[0084] 29 adjustment arrangement

[0085] 31 crossbar

[0086] 33 actuation tab

[0087] 35 pivot axle

[0088] 37 longitudinal axis

[0089] 39 control element

[0090] 41 side strut

[0091] 43 foot

[0092] 45 lever arrangement

[0093] 47 rotating rod

[0094] 49 axis

[0095] 51 axis

[0096] 53 tab

[0097] 55 tab

[0098] 57 recess

[0099] 59 board

[0100] 60 lever

[0101] 61 lever

[0102] 63 lever

[0103] 65 lever

[0104] 67 lever

[0105] 69 strut

[0106] 71 tab

[0107] 73 lever arrangement

[0108] 111 back part

[0109] 113 seat part

[0110] 115 seating surface

[0111] 117 frame

[0112] 119 foot part

[0113] 119a foot support

[0114] 121 actuating motor

[0115] 123 adjustment member

[0116] 122 housing

[0117] 125 front transverse strut

[0118] 127 rear adjustment traverse

[0119] 129 adjustment arrangement

[0120] 131 control element

[0121] 133 side strut

[0122] 135 articulated lever

[0123] 137 articulated lever

[0124] 139 pivot axle

[0125] 141 support hoop

[0126] 143 base section

[0127] 145 horizontal section

[0128] 147 articulated section

[0129] 149 axis

[0130] 151 axle

[0131] 153 axle

[0132] 155 lever arrangement

[0133] 157 crossbar

[0134] 159 axis

[0135] 161 lever

[0136] 163 lever