Device for connecting a belt of a height adjustable furniture piece

Abstract

A height adjustable furniture piece includes a device for connecting a belt to the furniture piece. The device includes two support elements, each including a first extension member and a second extension member that is telescopically arranged with respect to the first extension member. The belt is fixed to the first extension member and a spring element connects the belt and the first extension member. The belt is deflected by pulleys such that a relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the first support element results in a synchronous relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the second support element. The spring element includes a spring force that assists lifting of the second extension member against the force of gravity.

Claims

1. A device for connecting a belt of a height adjustable furniture piece, the device comprising: a first support element and at least a second support element, each of the support elements comprising a first extension member, and a second extension member being telescopically arranged with respect to the first extension member; the belt being fixed to the first extension member of the second support element; and a spring element, the belt being connected to the spring element, the spring element being connected to the first extension member of the first support element; a conversion mechanism provided between the spring element and the belt; a rope connecting the belt with the conversion mechanism; and a rigid sheet fixed to the belt and guided by pulleys; wherein the belt is deflected by pulleys such that a relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the first support element results in a synchronous relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the second support element; and wherein the spring element comprises a spring force that assists lifting of the second extension member against the force of gravity; wherein the conversion mechanism is fixed to the second extension member of the first support element; wherein the rope is guided by the pulleys, the pulleys being fixed to the second extension member of the first support element.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-tensioning device for adjusting the pretension of the spring element.

3. A device for connecting a belt of a height adjustable furniture piece, the device comprising: a first support element and at least a second support element, each of the support elements comprising a first extension member, and a second extension member being telescopically arranged with respect to the first extension member; the belt being fixed to the first extension member of the second support element; and a spring element, the belt being connected to the spring element, the spring element being connected to the first extension member of the first support element; wherein the belt is deflected by pulleys such that a relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the first support element results in a synchronous relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the second support element; and wherein the spring element comprises a spring force that assists lifting of the second extension member against the force of gravity; a first small rigid sheet, the first small rigid sheet being fixed to the belt together with a rope, wherein the belt is sandwiched between the rope and a second small rigid sheet.

4. A height adjustable furniture piece, the furniture piece comprising: a device for connecting a belt to the furniture piece, the device comprising a first support element and at least a second support element, each of the support elements comprising a first extension member, and a second extension member being telescopically arranged with respect to the first extension member; the belt being fixed to the first extension member of the second support element; and a spring element, the belt being connected to the spring element, the spring element being connected to the first extension member of the first support element; wherein the belt is deflected by pulleys such that a relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the first support element results in a synchronous relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the second support element; and wherein the spring element comprises a spring force that assists lifting of the second extension member against the force of gravity; a first small rigid sheet, the first small rigid sheet being fixed to the belt together with a rope, wherein the belt is sandwiched between the rope and a second small rigid sheet.

5. A height adjustable furniture piece, the furniture piece comprising: a device for connecting a belt to the furniture piece, the device comprising a first support element and at least a second support element, each of the support elements comprising a first extension member, and a second extension member being telescopically arranged with respect to the first extension member; the belt being fixed to the first extension member of the second support element; and a spring element, the belt being connected to the spring element, the spring element being connected to the first extension member of the first support element; a conversion mechanism provided between the spring element and the belt; a rope connecting the belt with the conversion mechanism; and a rigid sheet fixed to the belt and guided by pulleys; wherein the belt is deflected by the pulleys such that a relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the first support element results in a synchronous relative displacement between the first extension member and the second extension member of the second support element; and wherein the spring element comprises a spring force that assists lifting of the second extension member against the force of gravity; wherein the conversion mechanism is fixed to the second extension member of the first support element; wherein the rope is guided by the pulleys, the pulleys being fixed to the second extension member of the first support element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Details, further advantages and developments of the invention will be described in more detail on the basis of the following embodiments, referring to the attached illustrations.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a height-adjustable table without a spring element as known from prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a height-adjustable table with a spring element as known from prior art;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a height-adjustable support element of a furniture piece as known from prior art;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematically view of an height-adjustable support element of a furniture piece according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of an height-adjustable support element of a furniture piece according to the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows an increased view of the details indicated in FIG. 5 with A;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a rotated view of the support element shown in FIG. 5.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a rotated view of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows an example for a height-adjustable furniture piece with two support elements 1 and 2, further comprising first extension members 4 standing on the ground. The furniture piece comprises a movable upper part including second extension members 5. Furthermore, pulleys 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 are connected to the movable upper part. The furniture piece further comprises two belts 6 the ends of which are fixed to the first extension members 4. Resulting from the kinematics of the belts 6 and the pulleys 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, a change in height of the movable part of the furniture piece is synchronised in both of the support elements 1 and 2.

(11) FIG. 2 shows, as an example, the furniture piece from FIG. 1, further comprising a spring element 30 one end 32 of which is fixed to the movable part of the furniture piece, and the other end 31 of which is fixed to the belt 6. The spring force of the spring element 30 acts against a downward-movement of the movable part of the furniture piece, which means it acts against the force of gravity of the movable part of the furniture piece.

(12) FIG. 3 shows the first support element 1 shown in FIG. 2 in detail. The pulley 8 is rotatably supported on the movable part of the furniture piece and guides the belt 6 towards the pulley 9. Another belt 6 is guided by pulley 13. Further, each belt 6 is fixed at the first extension member 4 of the first support element 1.

(13) FIG. 4 shows a part of a height adjustable furniture piece, especially a first support element 1 according to the invention. The remaining parts of the furniture piece which are not shown in FIG. 4 correspond to FIG. 1. In comparison with the support element 1 shown in FIG. 3, the belt 6 shown in FIG. 4 is connected to a rigid sheet 23. The rigid sheet 23 is guided by pulleys 28, 29 which are fixed to the second extension member 5 which is part of the movable part of a furniture piece. A rope 24 is fixed to one end of the belt 6 and guided by the pulleys 28, 29. Further, the other end of the rope 24 is fixed to a conversion mechanism 21 which is rotatably supported on the second extension member 5 which is part of the movable part of the furniture piece. A further rope 25 is fixed at its one end to the conversion mechanism 21. The other end of the rope 25 is fixed to a spring element 20 which in turn is fixed to the first extension member 4 standing on the ground. Further, it is possible that a device 22 for adjusting the pretension of the spring element 20 is provided between the spring element 20 and the first extension member 4.

(14) Furthermore, the construction for movement synchronisation of two support elements as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 requires that each of the two belts 6 having the same length. Otherwise, the furniture piece cannot move up and down since the kinematical system is blocking This condition (requirement that each of the belt 6 has the same length) is also valid for the construction as shown in FIG. 4, in the figurative sense. However, in the construction as shown in FIG. 4, in comparison with the construction as shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the belt 6 is replaced by the arrangement, in the following named as functional chain consisting of spring element 20, rope 25, conversion mechanism 21 and rope 24. However, in case of moving the movable part of the furniture piece up and down, the spring element 20 changes its length. And further, if the conversion mechanism 21 is rotating, the change of the lengths of the ropes 24 and 25 is not equal. According to that, the functional chain changes its length when moving the movable part of the furniture piece up and down.

(15) However, as mentioned above, the construction as shown in FIG. 4 comprises the second belt 6a which is arranged as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. And further, the second belt 6a does not change its length in case of moving the movable part of the furniture piece. Therefore, there would be a problem with a construction as shown in FIG. 4 in case of moving the movable part of the furniture piece, since the functional chain changes its length unlike the second belt 6a which does not change its length. Therefore, the change in length of the functional chain has to be compensated. For compensation of the change in length of the functional chain there are provided two pulleys 28 and 29, which are guiding the rope 24 as well as the rigid sheet 23. By means of the kinematical system of the pulleys 28 and 29 which are guiding the rope 24 and the rigid sheet 23 the length of the functional chain (consisting of spring element 20, rope 25, conversion mechanism 21 and rope 24) can be adapted during moving the movable part of the furniture piece.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a constructional implementation of a part of the elements described in FIG. 4. Further, FIG. 5 shows that the rope 25 is wound up on a helical part of the conversion mechanism 21. Further, the rope 24 can be fixed to the belt 6 by clenching.

(17) As a further embodiment, it is possible that a further small rigid sheet is fixed to the belt 6 together with the rope 24, wherein the belt 6 is sandwiched between rope 24 and the further small rigid sheet 27.

(18) FIG. 6 shows the details of FIG. 5 indicated with A, wherein the pulleys 28 and 29 correspond to the pulleys 28 and 29 shown in FIG. 4.

(19) FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are rotated views of FIG. 5. It can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8 that the rope 25 is wound up on the helical part of the conversion mechanism 21.