Flap drive system

Abstract

The invention relates to a flap drive system for a flap which is movably mounted on a furniture carcass. The flap drive system is arranged on a sidewall of the furniture carcass. The flap drive system includes a mechanical actuating unit having an actuating arm that can be connected to the flap and an accumulator acting upon the actuating arm, and an electric drive, fastened on the mechanical actuating unit for driving the flap. The electric drive has at least one electric motor, and a gear stage which allows the transmission of force from the electric drive onto the mechanical actuating unit. The gear stage is designed as a separate component, and has a housing that is independent from the mechanical actuating unit and the electric drive or an independent mounting plate.

Claims

1. A flap drive device comprising: a mechanical actuating unit including an actuating arm to be connected to a movable flap of an article of furniture, and a force storage member acting on said actuating arm, said mechanical actuating unit having a planar mounting surface; an electric drive linked to said mechanical actuating unit for driving said actuating arm to move the flap, said electric drive having an electric motor and a planar mounting surface; and a plate-shaped transmission stage for transmitting force from said electric drive to said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage comprising a self-contained housing independent of said mechanical actuating unit and said electric drive, said transmission stage having a first planar mounting surface mounted to said planar mounting surface of said mechanical actuating unit so that said first planar mounting surface and said planar mounting surface of said mechanical actuating unit bear flat against each other, and having a second planar mounting surface mounted to said planar mounting surface of said electric drive so that said second planar mounting surface and said planar mounting surface of said electric drive bear flat against each other, said first planar mounting surface and said second planar mounting surface being substantially parallel.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage comprises a first transmission stage, said electric drive including a second transmission stage.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage includes a transmission configured to locally displace transmission of force from said electric drive to said mechanical actuating unit.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage includes a transmission configured to cause an increase or a reduction in a length of a travel path defined by a projection of said transmission stage.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage includes a transmission configured to cause an increase or reduction in torque from said electric motor to said mechanical actuating unit.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage has at least one drive mounting, said electric drive being mounted to said at least one drive mounting.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage is fixed to said mechanical actuating unit.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage is fixed to said electric drive.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission stage is configured to be fixed to said mechanical actuating unit even if said mechanical actuating unit is already mounted to a furniture carcass of the article of furniture.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage, and said electric drive are configured to be connected together so that flat side surfaces of said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage, and said electric drive lie against each other.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage, and said electric drive are configured to be releasably assembled together.

12. An article of furniture comprising: a furniture carcass; a flap movably mounted to said furniture carcass; and a flap drive device including: a mechanical actuating unit including an actuating arm connected to said movable flap, and a force storage member acting on said actuating arm, said mechanical actuating unit having a planar mounting surface; an electric drive linked to said mechanical actuating unit for driving said actuating arm to move said flap, said electric drive having an electric motor and a planar mounting surface; and a plate-shaped transmission stage for transmitting force from said electric drive to said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage comprising a self-contained housing independent of said mechanical actuating unit and said electric drive, said transmission stage having a first planar mounting surface mounted to said planar mounting surface of said mechanical actuating unit so that said first planar mounting surface and said planar mounting surface of said mechanical actuating unit bear flat against each other, and having a second planar mounting surface mounted to said planar mounting surface of said electric drive so that said second planar mounting surface and said planar mounting surface of said electric drive bear flat against each other, said first planar mounting surface and said second planar mounting surface being substantially parallel.

13. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage comprises a first transmission stage, said electric drive including a second transmission stage.

14. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage includes a transmission configured to locally displace transmission of force from said electric drive to said mechanical actuating unit.

15. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage includes a transmission configured to cause an increase or a reduction in a length of a travel path defined by a projection of said transmission stage.

16. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage includes a transmission configured to cause an increase or reduction in torque from said electric motor to said mechanical actuating unit.

17. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage has at least one drive mounting, said electric drive being mounted to said at least one drive mounting.

18. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage is fixed to said mechanical actuating unit.

19. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage is fixed to said electric drive.

20. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage is configured to be fixed to said mechanical actuating unit even if said mechanical actuating unit is already mounted to said furniture carcass.

21. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage, and said electric drive are configured to be connected together so that flat side surfaces of said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage, and said electric drive lie against each other.

22. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said mechanical actuating unit, said transmission stage, and said electric drive are configured to be releasably assembled together.

23. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said transmission stage is fixed to the furniture carcass.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein said electric drive has a pin projecting into a receiving section of said second planar mounting surface of said transmission stage so as to transmit force from said electric drive to said transmission stage.

25. The article of furniture according to claim 12, wherein said electric drive has a pin projecting into a receiving section of said second planar mounting surface of said transmission stage so as to transmit force from said electric drive to said transmission stage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further details and advantages of the present invention are described with reference to the specific description hereinafter. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a view of an exploded flap drive system according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of an assembled flap drive system according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of the interior of a transmission stage,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view of an article of furniture with a flap drive system for moving a furniture flap, and

(6) FIGS. 5a through 5e show a diagrammatic view illustrating the procedure of installing and assembling the flap drive system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a flap drive system 15 comprising a mechanical actuating unit 3, a transmission stage 1 and an electric drive 2. It will be seen from FIG. 1 that the transmission stage 1 represents a self-contained component separate from the mechanical actuating unit 3 and the electric drive 2.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a flap drive system 15 on which the three assembliesnamely the transmission stage 1, the electric drive 2 and the mechanical actuating unit 3are connected together.

(9) FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the transmission stage 1 comprising a right-hand (second) housing portion 5 and a left-hand (first) housing portion 6 between which there is a transmission 4. A pin (not shown here) of the electric drive is introduced into the pin receiving section 8 through an opening 12 in the right-hand housing portion 5. The projection 11 in turn acts through the opening 13 of the left-hand housing portion 6 on a corresponding receiving means (not shown) in the mechanical actuating unit 3. The electric drive 2 is mounted to the drive mounting 14 of the transmission stage 1, in which case the above-mentioned pin of the electric drive 2 projects into the pin receiving section 8. The pin of the electric drive 2 drives the mechanical actuating unit by way of the intermediate gear 9 and the projection 11. This embodiment involves both a lateral displacement of the transmission of force to the mechanical actuating unit 3 and also, by suitable dimensioning of the gears (7, 9, 10), an increase or reduction in the torque. The external shape of the drive mounting 14 of the transmission stage 1 ensures that the same electric drive 2 can be used for different mechanical actuating units 3 and also for different transmission stages 1. Suitable dimensioning of the gear 10 and a suitable choice for the position of the projection 11 on the gear 10 make it possible to increase or reduce the length of the travel path covered by the projection 11. It will be appreciated that the transmission stage 1 can also be designed in such a way that there is neither a change in position nor a change in torque due to the transmission stage 1.

(10) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an article of furniture 16 having a furniture carcass 17 and a flap 18 movable relative thereto. In the illustrated embodiment, the flap 18 is in the form of an upwardly pivotable flap. All other known types of flap can advantageously also be used. At least one flap drive system 15 is to be fixed on a side wall of the furniture carcass 17 for moving the flap 18. The electric drive 2 of the flap drive system 15 acts by way of the transmission stage 1 on the mechanical actuating unit 3. The mechanical actuating unit 3 has an actuating arm 19 which in this embodiment is in the form of a lever mechanism. The flap 18 is movable in further succession by way of the actuating arm 19. It will be appreciated that the actuating arm 19 of the mechanical actuating unit 3 can equally be in the form of a one-piece lever or the mechanical actuating unit 3 could be designed, for example, with a drive stub to which a further lever arm can be connected to move the flap 18.

(11) FIGS. 5a through 5e show the diagrammatic installation and assembly procedure for a furniture drive system 15 on a side wall of the furniture carcass 17.

(12) As can already be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 the mechanical actuating unit 3, the transmission stage 1 and the electric drive 2 are formed with flat side walls by way of which they can be connected together.

(13) FIG. 5a shows a possible installation variant in which, as the first step, the mechanical actuating unit 3 is fixed with its left-hand (first) side surface 31 to a side wall of the furniture carcass 17. At the opposite (second) side surface 32, the mechanical actuating unit 3 has a plate-like configuration (see FIG. 1). The mechanical actuating unit 3 has a very narrow width D1, in a preferred embodiment being of a width D1 of less than between 2 and 3 cm.

(14) As shown in FIG. 5b, the left-hand (first) housing portion 6 of the transmission stage 1which also has a plate-shaped configurationis fixed to the second side surface 32 of the mechanical actuating unit 3, the transmission of force being effected by way of the projection 11 (see also FIG. 3). In this case, the projection 11 extends into the mechanical actuating unit 3 to such an extent that the second side surface 32 of the mechanical actuating unit 3 and the first housing portion 6 of the transmission stage 1 bear flat against each other (FIG. 5c). As just mentioned in relation to the mechanical actuating unit 3, the transmission stage 1 also has a flat configuration and in the preferred embodiment has a width D2 of less than 2 cm.

(15) The right-hand (second) housing portion 5 of the transmission stage 1 is also once again in the form of a flat plate on which is arranged the left-hand (first) side surface 21 of the electric drive 2also in the form of a flat plate 21 (FIG. 5d). The transmission of force to the transmission stage 1 takes place by way of the pin 20 of the electric drive 2, by the pin 20 of the electric drive 2 projecting into the pin receiving section 8 (not shown, see FIG. 3). Here too, once again, the pin 20 projects into the transmission stage 1 to such an extent that the plate 21 of the electric drive 2 and the plate 5 of the transmission stage 1 bear flat against each other (FIG. 5e).

(16) The electric drive 2 in this case also has a very flat construction, of a preferred width D3 of less than between 4 and 5 cm.

(17) That therefore involves an overall width for the flap drive system 15 in the installed condition, which is approximately the same as the width D1 of the mechanical actuating unit 3 plus the width D2 of the transmission stage 1 plus the width D3 of the electric drive 2. That can be achieved in that way as the transmission mechanisms (the pin 20 and the projection 11) project into the corresponding units (transmission stage 1 and mechanical actuating unit 3).

(18) The fact that the transmission stage 1 can be arranged at the mechanical actuating unit 3 and the electric drive 2 at the transmission stage 1, by way of the flat side surfaces 32, 6, 5, 21 thereof, achieves an overall structure which is extremely compact. Because the electric drive 2 can be connected into the transmission stage 1 and the transmission stage 1 into the mechanical actuating unit 3 by plug connections, it is further possible to provide that they can be easily released from each other again.

(19) The overall structure of all three units 1, 2 and 3 can thus be arranged in extremely compact fashion at a side wall of a furniture carcass 17 and in that way requires little space in the furniture carcass 17.

(20) Even if the invention has been specifically described by means of the illustrated embodiment it will be appreciated that the subject-matter of the application is not limited to that embodiment. Rather features and modifications which serve to carry the idea of the invention into effect are certainly conceivable and wanted. For example, the electric drive 2 can have a further (second) transmission stage 40.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(21) 1 transmission stage 2 electric drive 3 mechanical actuating unit 4 transmission 5 right-hand housing portion 6 left-hand housing portion 7 gear of the pin receiving means 8 pin receiving means 9 intermediate gear 10 gear of the projection 11 projection 12 opening for pin of the electric drive 13 opening for projection 14 drive mounting 15 flap drive system 16 article of furniture 17 furniture carcass 18 flap 19 actuating arm 20 pin of the electric drive 21 left-hand side surface of the electric drive 31 left-hand side surface of the mechanical actuating unit 32 right-hand side surface of the mechanical actuating unit D1 width of the mechanical actuating unit 3 D2 width of the transmission stage 1 D3 width of the electric drive 2