EP0079530B1 - Lockable rocking device for seats of sitting furniture - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a lockable rocker device according to the preamble of claim 1.

From US-A-4 328 943, such a lockable rocker device for seat parts of seating furniture is known, in which a length-adjustable gas spring for height adjustment of the seat part is held in the rocker body. In the rocker body, a slide is slidably arranged on a pivot axis between the rocker body and the base plate attached to the seat part by means of an operating lever which, depending on the position of the slide, engages in a groove or in an open recess in the base plate. When it engages in the groove, the base plate with the seat part on the one hand and the rocker body on the other hand are locked together. In another opposite position of the slide, these parts are freely pivotable against each other. The slide is pushed over a leaf spring, which lies on the trigger pin of the gas spring. In the locked position of the base plate and rocker body, it is not possible to actuate the gas spring. When the slide is moved into the position in which the rocker body and base plate are not locked relative to each other, the release pin can be pressed in and thus the height can be adjusted. A height adjustment of the seat part is therefore only possible when the rocking device is in its rocking position.

From DE-A-24 32 248 a lockable rocker device for seat parts of seating furniture with a base plate which can be fastened to the respective seat part and a rocker body which is pivotable about a pivot axis against the restoring force of a spring is known. The rocker body is connected to a gas spring for height adjustment of the seat part. A locking device for locking the base plate and rocker or for releasing this locking device is provided, which has a slide which is displaceably guided between two end positions by means of an operating lever received by it. The operating lever is used to operate the gas spring. A slide piece guided in the rocker body serves as a slide, to which a rocker arm is articulated, which carries a bolt with a head which can be displaced in a keyhole-like opening in the base plate. The operating lever engages in an actuating lever which is vertically displaceable in the rocker body and by means of which a release pin of the length-adjustable gas spring can be actuated to adjust the height of the seat part.

From DE-U-75 10 478 a lockable rocker device for seat parts of seating furniture is known, in which a slide designed as a wedge can be pushed by means of an operating lever between a base plate carrying the seat part and a rocker body connected to a chair frame, thereby producing a locking mechanism can.

From EP-A-0 050 465 a height adjustment device for chairs is known, which has a tubular fastening element to be attached to a seat part, to which a length-adjustable gas spring for height adjustment of the seat part can be attached. Openings are diametrically opposite one another in the fastening part, in which an operating lever is supported on both sides, which lies in the area between the two openings against a trigger pin of the gas spring.

The invention has for its object to provide a rocker of the generic type so that it can be used either for backward or forward tilting seating, and that in all positions of the slide a height adjustment of the chair is possible.

This object is achieved by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. The operating lever can be used in the slide arranged in the rocker body selectively from two different sides, and of course in the direction of displacement of the slide, so that the rocker can be used either for one of the mentioned inclination purposes. In both cases, the operating lever is located in a position that is easily accessible to the user underneath the seat part. The good effect of the slide is maintained even with pivoting movements to adjust the height of the seating furniture, the actuation of the gas spring being possible in any position of the slide.

The measures according to claim 2 ensure that the operating lever for the displacement movements is guided precisely. In addition, the bearing openings serve at the same time to support the operating lever when it is still to perform pivoting movements, which is the case, for example, when the slide is also used to actuate a gas spring release pin which is part of a height-adjustable chair column, as is also the case with State of the art is provided.

Through the measures according to claim 3 it is achieved in a simple manner that the operating lever maintains its predetermined position and is also easy to replace. The measures according to claim 4 specify a particularly easy-to-use locking mechanism for the operating lever in the slide.

The measures according to claim 5 further specify how the slide is held in two end positions that can be felt by the user.

Through the development according to claim 6 it is achieved that in the locked position, the base plate and thus also the seat part has no pivoting play with respect to the rocker body, without the actuating forces required for moving the operating lever with the slide becoming disproportionately large.

The embodiment according to claim 7 makes it possible in a simple manner to also use the slider - as already mentioned - for actuating a release pin of a length-adjustable gas spring as part of the chair column.

Fig. 1

ein nach vorn neigbares Sitzmöbel mit einer Wippvorrichtung nach der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

ein nach hinten neigbares Sitzmöbel mit einer Wippvorrichtung nach der Erfindung,

Fig. 3

einen vertikalen Längsschnitt durch die Wippvorrichtung entsprechend der Schnittlinie III-III in Fig. 4,

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf die Wippvorrichtung in teilweise aufgebrochener Darstellung,

Fig. 5

einen Vertikalschnitt durch die Wippvorrichtung gemäß der Schnittlinie V-V in Fig. 4 und

Fig. 6

eine Stirnansicht auf die Wippvorrichtung gemäß dem Sichtpfeil VI in Fig. 3 in teilweise aufgebrochener Darstellung.

Further advantages and features of the invention result from the description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. It shows

Fig. 1

a forwardly tiltable seating with a rocking device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a back-tiltable seating with a rocking device according to the invention,

Fig. 3

4 shows a vertical longitudinal section through the seesaw device according to section line III-III in FIG. 4,

Fig. 4

a plan view of the rocker in a partially broken away view,

Fig. 5

a vertical section through the rocker according to the section line VV in Fig. 4 and

Fig. 6

an end view of the rocker according to the arrow VI in Fig. 3 in a partially broken away view.

The typewriter chair shown in FIG. 1 has a base frame 3 which is supported on rollers 1 and can be moved relative to the floor 2 and to which a height-adjustable chair column 4 is attached in the center, which consists of a guide tube 5 and a length-adjustable gas spring 6 fitted in it. Such length-adjustable gas springs 6 are known for example from DE-PS 18 12 282 (corresponding to US-PS 3 656 593). The use of these gas springs together with a guide tube 5 as chair columns 4 is known for example from DE-PS 19 31 012 (corresponding to US Pat. No. 3,711,054), to which reference may be made in each case to avoid repetition. At the upper end of the gas spring 6, a rocker device 7, which will be described in more detail below, is fastened, which in turn is fastened to the underside of a seat part 8, to which a backrest 9 is optionally attached. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the seat part 8, together with the backrest 9, can be inclined from a normal sitting position shown in dashed lines into a forward-inclined position - shown in an extended line. Such inclination or rocking options are provided for example in typewriter chairs.

2 is a so-called executive chair, the seat part 8 'with backrest 9' of a normal sitting position shown in broken lines can be tilted or tilted into a position inclined backwards. As can be seen from the drawing, the rocker device 7 in this embodiment is pivoted relative to the embodiment according to FIG. 1 by 180 ° about the axis 10 of the chair column 4. Otherwise, the structure is the same as in Fig. 1, so that the same reference numerals are used can and a new description is not necessary.

The rocking device has a base plate 11 made of sheet steel in the form of an elongated rectangle. On the two long sides of the base plate 11, webs 12 are bent vertically downwards. In the vicinity of the corners, fastening bores 13 are provided, which are used to pass fastening screws 14, by means of which the seat part 8 or 8 'is fastened to the base plate 11.

In the webs 12 a pair of mutually opposite and mutually aligned bearing bores 15 are formed, in which a rocker body 17 is pivotally mounted about an axle pin 18. In the rocker body 17, which is designed as a cast part, for example made of aluminum, a conical receptacle 19 is formed for the correspondingly conical upper end of the gas spring 6, so that a firm clamping connection between the rocker body 17 and the gas spring 6 can be produced. In the usual way, a release pin 20 protrudes from the upper end face of the gas spring 6 to trigger a length adjustment of the gas spring.

The rocker body 17 is also provided with a spring abutment 21, which is laterally provided with a cup-shaped boundary wall 22 which is open at the bottom. An opening 23 is formed in the substantially plate-shaped abutment 21, through which a pendulum pin 24 is guided, which is pivotably mounted with an upper cross piece 25 in a trough-shaped support 26 in the top of the base plate 11 and through an opening 27 in the base plate 11 through this and through the opening 23 of the abutment 21 is performed. The lower free end of the pendulum pin 24 is provided with a thread 28, onto which a rotary knob-like clamping nut 29 is screwed. Between the clamping nut 29 and the spring abutment 21, two helical springs 30, 31 arranged in one another are arranged with opposite winding directions. On the pendulum pin 24 and within the springs 30, 31 there is an approximately hollow cylindrical suspension and damping element 32, for example made of foamed polyurethane, which also bears on the one hand against the spring abutment 21 and on the other hand against the clamping nut 29. By suitable selection and dimensioning of the springs 30 and 31 and the suspension and damping member 32 on the one hand and by appropriate pre-tensioning of the rotary knob-like clamping nut 29 on the other hand, the forces can be set which prevent the base plate 11 from being pivoted about the axle pin 18 from that shown in FIG. 3 Counteract the position of the base plate 11 shown in dashed lines in the inclined position of the base plate 11 shown in dashed lines. Since the rocker body 17 is firmly connected to the gas spring 6, it does not change its position here. The maximum inclination of the base plate 11 shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 is determined by a stop surface 33 which is formed on the rocker body 17, specifically in the region of the receptacle 19 for the gas spring 6.

An upwardly open recess 34 is formed in the rocker body 17, in which a slide 35 is arranged to be horizontally displaceable in the direction 36 on the axle pin 18 and to be pivoted vertically in the direction 37. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 3, the slide 35 has an upper actuating tongue 38 which is in all displacement positions lies along the displacement direction 36 on the release pin 20 of the gas spring 6. The disk 35 stiffened on its upper side with ribs 39 has in its central region a web wall 40 in which an elongated hole 41 is formed which extends approximately in the pivoting direction 37 and through which the axle pin 18 is guided, the smaller diameter of which is only slightly larger, than the diameter of the axle pin 18, so that the slide 35 is guided largely without play in the sliding direction 36, but can be moved in accordance with the pivoting direction 37. So that such pivoting movements can be carried out, the slide 35 is supported on its end facing away from the actuating tongue 38 for the trigger pin 20 by means of a molded-on groove-shaped support 42 on the abutment 21.

In the slide 35, an approximately S-shaped wire spring 43 is arranged, which is fixed with its upper end in an opening 44 adjacent to the support 42 in the slide 35. This spring 43 rests with its upper bow 45 against the axle pin 18. With its lower arch 46, it bears against an associated inner wall 47 of the slide 35. On the axle pin 18, two recesses 48, 49 are formed at a distance from one another, into which the upper arc 45 of the spring 43 engages in the two end positions of the slide 35 in accordance with its sliding direction 36, whereby the slide 35 can be released in the two end positions is snapped into place.

An operating lever 50 can be fastened in the lower part of the slide in the manner described below. In a common vertical plane with the axle pin 18, that is to say parallel and below this, openings 53 are formed in the two side walls 51, 52 of the rocker body 17, through which the essentially round-rod-shaped control lever 50 provided with an operating handle 54 by one or the other other side can be introduced. In a lower middle holding section 55 of the slide 35, a locking bolt 56 is arranged to be displaceable in the sliding direction 36. This locking bolt 56 is penetrated by a lower end section 57 of the spring 43 which adjoins the lower arch 46 of the spring 43 and which pushes the locking bolt 56 into a locking position - on the left in FIG. 3. This end section 57 projects downward through corresponding recesses 58, 59 in the slide 35 and in the rocker body 17. It can thus be gripped from below and pressed by loosening the locking bolt 56 - to the right in FIG. 3.

The operating lever 50 is provided with a flattened area 60 at its free end and has a lower locking recess 61. The flattened area 60 of the operating lever 50 can be inserted into a correspondingly adapted receptacle 62 associated with the one end of the locking bolt 56 in the holding section 55 of the slide 35, as mentioned - from both sides, i.e. through the side wall 51 or the side wall 52. To insert the locking bolt 56 from the position shown in Fig. 3 by appropriate elastic displacement of the end portion 57 of the spring 43 is shifted so that the flattened region 60 of the operating lever 50 can be inserted into the receptacle 62. The end section 57 is then released, as a result of which the locking bolt 56 is pushed back into the locking position shown in FIG. 3. While the slide 35 is preferably made of plastic, the locking bolt 56 is accordingly made of metal.

In a bore 63 of the slide 35, specifically in the area of the actuating tongue 38, a locking bolt 64 is arranged approximately vertically, the bottom of which rests on the rocker body 17. In a horizontal end position of the slide 35, the upper end face 65 of this locking bolt 64 is located in the region of an opening 66 in the base plate 11. It is the end position in which the upper arch 45 of the spring 43 corresponds to the illustration in FIG. 5 in the recess 48 is engaged. In this end position, the base plate 11 can thus be pivoted into the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3 against the force of the springs 30, 31, 32 up to the stop surface 33. In the other horizontal end position of the slide 35, the upper end face 65 of the locking bolt 64 bears against the underside of the base plate 11, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4. This end position corresponds to the locking of the recess 49 with the spring 43. In this position, the rocker body 17 is blocked relative to the base plate 11. An inclination for the seat part 8 or 8 'is therefore excluded in this position.

In the locked position described last, the locking bolt 64 rests with its underside 67 on an adjusting bolt 68 which is arranged so as to be adjustable in its longitudinal direction in a corresponding threaded bore 69 of the rocker body 17. It has a slot 70 at its free end projecting downward from the seesaw body 17, so that an adjustment by means of a screwdriver or the like can be carried out. In a groove 71 of the adjusting bolt 68 is an O-ring 72 or the like. arranged, which serves as a self-locking anti-rotation for the adjusting bolt 68. This adjusting bolt 68 can be adjusted in its axial position so that the locking bolt 64 rests practically free of play on the one hand against the base plate 11 and on the other hand against the adjusting bolt 68, so that in the locking position the base plate 11 with the seat part 8 or 8 'on the one hand does not wobble , on the other hand, however, a displacement of the slide 35 by means of the operating lever 50 with moderate effort is possible. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the locking bolt 64 is so long that the vertical movements of the slide 35 corresponding to the pivoting direction 37 for actuating the release pin 20 can be easily carried out, namely in both horizontal end positions of the slide 35.

If a piece of seating furniture - as shown in FIG. 2 - is to be designed to be tiltable to the rear, then the rocking device is attached to the seat part 8 'in such a way that the spring assembly is arranged towards the front. The operating lever 50 is then attached as shown in solid lines in FIG. 5. It then protrudes - as seen from the user sitting on the seat part 8 '- to the right hand of the user.

If, on the other hand, the seating furniture - as shown in FIG. 1 - is to be designed such that it can be tilted forward, as is desirable, for example, for typewriter chairs, then the rocking device is installed in such a way that the spring assembly lies to the rear. In this case, the operating lever - as indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 5 - is inserted through the opening 53 in the other side wall 52 and snapped into the disk 35 in the manner described. The direction of the operating lever 50, i.e. H. its operating position in this case is identical to that in the case according to FIG. 2. Only the actuation directions for moving the slide in direction 36 are reversed in both cases. The operating position can be reversed (Fig.1).

Height adjustments by actuating the gas spring are the same in both cases, d. H. to push the release pin 20 into the gas spring, the operating handle 54 of the operating lever 50 is pulled upward. Since the operating lever is supported in the opening 53 serving as the bearing opening, the slide 35 is pivoted about the support 42, as a result of which the actuating tongue 38 pushes the trigger pin into the gas spring. At the end of the height adjustment, that is to say when the operating lever 50 is released, the slide 35 is pushed upwards again by the release pin 20, to a maximum until the axle pin 18 bears against the lower end of the elongated hole 41.

If desired, the gas spring 6 can also be held in the receptacle 19 by means of a displaceable clamping jaw, as described in DE-OS 24 32 248 and also in DE-OS 24 28 776 (corresponding to US Pat. No. 3,995,824) . An eccentric attachment according to DE-OS 28 36 666 (corresponding to US Pat. No. 4,283,033) is also possible.

Claims (8)

1. A lockable tilting device for the seats of sitting furniture, comprising a base plate (11) securable to the respective seat and a tilting body (17) which is pivotably connected with a spring (30, 32) around a pivot axis (18) against the restoring force of this spring (30, 32), the tilting body (17) being connected with a gas spring (6) for the height adjustment of the seat, the gas spring (6) being in turn connected with a chair frame of the sitting furniture, a locking device being provided which is actuatable by displacement of a slide (35) by means of an operating lever (50) secured in a receptacle of the slide (35), which is arranged displaceable on the pivot axis (axial bolt 18) in the tilting body (17), the locking device being provided for locking the base plate (11) and the tilting body (17) respectively for releasing this locking between two end positions, for this purpose a locking bolt (64) being arranged at the slide (35), the locking bolt (64) resting between the base plate (11) and the tilting body (17) in one end position of the slide (35), and in the other end position protruding at least on one side into an opening (66), characterized in that the slide (35) has a receptacle for the operating lever (50) which receptacle is accessible via two sides which are diametrically opposite to each other, and in that the slide (35) is pivotable towards the pivot axis (axial bolt 18) as an actuation lever for the gas spring (6).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that a bearing opening (53) in the tilting body (17) is associated to both sides of the receptacle.
3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating lever (50) is locked against rotation but releasable in the receptacle of the slide (35).
4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that a locking bolt (56), which is passed through a matching locking recess (61) in the operating lever (50) and which is removeable from this locking position against the force of a spring (43), is arranged in the receptacle in the slide (35).
5. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the slide (35) is displaceable between two end positions, in which a detent device (spring 43) releasably locks the slide (35) and the pivot axis (axial bolt 18) with each other.
6. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking bolt (64), in the one end position of the slide (35), rests against an adjustment bolt (68) which is arranged such that it is axially adjustable in the tilting body (17).
7. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking bolt (64) is supported freely displaceably in the slide (35).
8. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of springs (30, 31, 32) are provided.

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