Abstract:
A spring system in particular for upholstery and/or mattresses of push-carriage seats, furniture for sitting on or lying on or the like, having a plurality of successively spaced-apart slats ( 20 ), in particular resilient slats, and having supporting bodies ( 21 ) for supporting the slats directly or indirectly on a carrying structure. The bearing points or bearing regions ( 27 ) of the slats ( 20 ), in which the slats ( 20 ) are supported by the supporting bodies ( 21 ), are arranged exclusively between the slat ends ( 31, 32 ).

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Phase Under Chapter II of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2006/008006 having an International Filing Date of 12 Aug. 2006, which claims priority on German Patent Application Nos. 10 2005 039 432.9 having a filing date of 18 Aug. 2005 and 10 2006 031 999.0 having a filing date of 11 Jul. 2006. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention relates to a spring system, in particular for upholstery and/or mattresses of push-carriage seats, furniture for sitting on or lying on or the like, having a plurality of successively spaced-apart slats, in particular resilient slats, and having supporting bodies for supporting the slats directly or indirectly on a carrying structure. 
     2. Related Art 
     Push-carriage seats and furniture for sitting on or lying on usually have a spring system comprising a so-called slatted base. The slatted base of the spring system has a plurality of slats, in particular resilient slats, located one beside the other at parallel spacings. The resilient slats are usually connected by supporting bodies to longitudinal members of a rectangular frame, which is part of the spring system. Various embodiments of supporting bodies are known in the prior art. In all of these embodiments, the ends of the resilient slats, arranged on opposite sides, are supported on the frame by the supporting bodies. This type of support results in the slat ends being secured in spatial terms, but at least in the movement capability of the slat ends being restricted to a considerable extent. Furthermore, an external frame, on the longitudinal members of which the slat ends are supported, is necessary in each case. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is, in particular, to provide a spring system for upholstery and/or mattresses of push-carriage seats, furniture for sitting on or lying on or the like, in which there is no longer any need for an external frame for supporting the resilient-slat ends and/or good movement capability of the slat ends is made possible. 
     A spring system for achieving this object is a spring system, in particular for upholstery and/or mattresses of push-carriage seats, furniture for sitting on or lying on or the like, having a plurality of successively spaced-apart slats, in particular resilient slats, and having supporting bodies for supporting the slats directly or indirectly on a carrying structure, characterized in that the bearing points or bearing regions of the slats, in which the slats are supported by the supporting bodies, are arranged exclusively between the slat ends. 
     Since the bearing regions or bearing points, in which the slats are supported by the supporting bodies, rather than being arranged on the slat ends arranged on opposite sides, are arranged exclusively between these slat ends, i.e. at a distance from the slat ends, it is possible to dispense with an external frame for supporting the supporting bodies. The slats are supported by the supporting bodies here preferably such that the slat ends can be moved in at least one plane, preferably a plurality of planes, running at an angle to the slat plane. Since the slat ends, in the case of the present invention, are thus not secured directly in spatial terms, they are capable of movement, even if the supporting bodies do not have any resilient properties. That is to say, even if only the slats have resilient properties, a certain movement capability of the slat ends is achieved according to the invention. 
     It is particularly preferred, however, for the supporting bodies to be wholly or at least partially resilient, this providing better assistance, in relation to the prior art, to the movement of a user whose is resting against upholstery or lying on a mattress supported by the spring system according to the invention. The movement capability of the slat ends provides for particularly good adaptability of the spring system to the contour of a user&#39;s body. 
     The bearing points or bearing regions, in which the slats are supported by the supporting bodies, are preferably spaced apart from the respectively adjacent slat ends by at least 3 cm, preferably at least 5 cm, particularly preferably at least 10 cm, in order to make possible the best possible movement capability of the slat ends. In relation to the slat length, the distance of the bearing regions from the respectively adjacent slat ends may alternatively be at least ⅙ to ⅕ of the slat length. 
     Each slat is assigned at least two bearing regions or bearing points, which are arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner in relation to the respective slat center. In a particular embodiment, those bearing regions or bearing points in which preferably directly successive slats are supported by supporting bodies are spaced apart in each case by the same distance from the respective slat center, in which case these bearing regions or bearing points form an at least more or less rectilinear longitudinal row in particular in the direction transverse to the slats. It is possible here for the supporting bodies of a longitudinal row to be arranged on a longitudinal carrier of the carrying structure of the spring system, the longitudinal carrier running, in particular, transversely to the slats. As seen in a plan view of the spring system, the longitudinal carriers are advantageously arranged between the slat ends. 
     As far as the supporting bodies are concerned, they can thus be fastened on the slats by means of a snap-in connection. The position of the supporting bodies, which support the slats, can preferably be changed relative to the respective slat in order to allow particularly good adaptability of the spring system to individual contours of users&#39; bodies. In a desired position of the supporting bodies, the latter can advantageously be secured individually or jointly by arresting means in their respective position in relation to the slat. 
     In a preferred embodiment, at least one, preferably all, of the slats, is/are assigned stimulation elements for the basal stimulation of a user who is leaning on the spring system—indirectly via upholstery or a mattress—or of a user who is lying or sitting on the spring system. The stimulation elements are preferably designed as resilient wing elements which have supporting surfaces above the slat plane for resiliently supporting upholstery, a mattress or the like. 
     The slats, preferably the slat ends, have arranged on them lateral guide elements which are designed such that a lateral movement of upholstery, mattresses or the like butting against the spring system is limited and/or prevented. There is therefore no need for any additional external frame in order to prevent undesirable lateral movement or slipping of the mattress or of the upholstery. Furthermore, provision may be made to fasten the upholstery, the mattress or the like directly on these lateral guide elements. The lateral guide elements expediently have guide surfaces which run perpendicularly to the slat plane and butt laterally against the mattress or the upholstery. The upholstery or the mattress is thus arranged between the lateral guide elements. It is advantageously possible to change the position of the lateral guide elements relative to the longitudinal slat direction, in which case either upholstery or mattresses of different widths can be used or a certain amount of lateral movement of the same may be permitted. The lateral guide elements may be formed by wing elements which can be tilted wholly or partially relative to the slat plane. 
     In a particular embodiment, a knitted fabric, in particular a three-dimensional knitted fabric, may be positioned on the slats and is connected thereto preferably by a snap-in connection, in particular clamping or clip profiles. Such a knitted fabric can effectively reduce the interspaces between the individual slats in order to provide, for example, upholstery with a good bearing surface without it being necessary for the individual slats to be placed in position with narrower spacings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Further features of the invention can be gathered from the subclaims, from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and from the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic illustration, in perspective, of a push-carriage seat with a spring system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal section through the backrest of the push carriage according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a plan view of a detail of the backrest of the push carriage; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic cross section through the seat surface of the push carriage with a spring system according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic plan view of the seat surface from  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The spring system according to the invention will be explained with reference to a push-carriage seat  10 , which may be part of a stroller or of a means of transporting disabled children or young people. The use of the spring system, of course, is not restricted to push-carriage seats. It may be used, for example, as a spring system for mattresses of a bed and as a spring system for upholstered furniture or the like. 
     The push-carriage seat  10  is fastened in a releasable manner on a chassis (not illustrated). The seat  10  here has a horizontal seat surface  11  and a backrest  12  which runs at an angle to the seat surface and can be adjusted in inclination in relation to the seat surface  11 . The seat surface  11  and backrest  12  form a common structure which is mounted such that it can be displaced, in a manner which will not be explained in specific detail, on a substructure  13  made of two parallel guide rails  14  and a crossmember  15  which connects the rails at their ends. 
     As will be described hereinbelow, both the seat surface  11  and the backrest  12  have respective spring systems  16  and  17  according to the invention. 
     The spring system  17  of the backrest  12  has two longitudinal profiles or longitudinal carriers  18 ,  19 , which run parallel to one another and, as carrying structure, form part of the spring system  17 . Of course, a large number of other embodiments of carrying structures are also conceivable within the context of the invention without departing from the concept according to the invention. The longitudinal carriers  18 ,  19  have connected to them slats  20 , in particular resilient slats, which run transversely to the longitudinal carriers and follow one after the other from top to bottom. A backrest cushion (not illustrated) is positioned on these slats  20  during use. 
     The longitudinal carriers  18 ,  19  are connected to the slats  20 , in turn, via supporting bodies  21 . For this purpose, starting from a base  22 , the supporting bodies  21  each have two supporting-body arms  23 ,  24  which extend in the direction of the respective slat  20  and are connected to one another at the ends via a transverse profile  25 . The transverse profile  25  has a supporting or bearing portion  26  which is curved in the direction of the supporting-body base  22 , extends in the longitudinal direction of the slat  20  and has its curvature adapted to the outer curvature of the slat  20 . The respective slat  20  butts against this supporting portion  26  by way of a region or portion  27  of its underside  28 . The slat  20  is thus supported by the supporting body  21  in its region  27  which butts against the supporting portion  26 . 
     The slat  20  is supported in captive fashion on the supporting portion  26 , i.e. the situation where the slat  20  is undesirably displaced or drops out of the spring system  17  is prevented. For this purpose, the transverse profile  25  has protrusions  29  on opposite sides. The protrusions  29  engage in grooves  30  which are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the slat  20  and run in the longitudinal slat direction. Since both the supporting-body arms  23 ,  24  and the supporting portion  26  are elastic, it is possible for the slat  20 , as the spring system  17  is assembled, to engage in the protrusions  29  and be connected to the supporting bodies  21  in the manner of a snap-in connection, i.e. as a result, the slats  20  are clamped on the supporting bodies  21 . The bases  22  of the supporting bodies  21  are fastened on the longitudinal carriers  18 ,  19  in particular are screwed thereto. 
     As a result of the particular construction of the backrest spring system  17 , the bearing regions, in which the respective slats  20  are supported by the supporting portions  26  of the supporting bodies  21 , are arranged in each case between the ends  31 ,  32  of the slats  20 . The slat ends  31 ,  32  are thus unsupported. 
     Stimulation elements  34  for the basal stimulation of a user who is leaning on the spring system  17  are distributed in the longitudinal direction over the top side  33  of each slat  20 . The stimulation elements  34  are designed as wing-like elements which are clamped on the slats. The wing elements  34  have an upwardly curved abutment surface  35 , which butts against the top side  33  of the slats  20 . Starting from this abutment surface  35 , two wing arms  36 ,  37  with supporting plates  38  at the ends extend upward in relation to the slat plane, i.e. in the direction of a cushion (not illustrated) of the backrest  12 . The supporting plates  38  run slightly obliquely in relation to the slat plane. The wing arms  36 ,  37  here are elastic, in which case they additionally provide resilient support for the backrest  12 . Correspondingly, when first placed in position on the backrest  12 , the cushion would initially rest on the supporting plates  38  of the wing arms  36 ,  37 . However, the loading of the cushion during use and/or the weight of the cushion itself causes these plates to bend in the direction of the slat plane, in which case the cushion butts both against the supporting plates  38  of the wing arms  36 ,  37  and against the slats  20 . The supporting plates  38 , which run obliquely in relation to the slat plane when they are not subjected to loading, run more or less parallel to this plane when they are subjected to loading. The wing elements  34  are designed such that they can be displaced in the longitudinal slat direction. 
     Since the slat ends  31 ,  32  are unsupported and the supporting bodies  21 , furthermore, are elastic, the spring system  17  of the backrest  12  has particular torsional properties. In particular if the slats  20  are produced from suitable resilient material, on account of the freedom of movement thereof—depending on the loading to which they are subjected by a user leaning on the backrest—the slat ends  31 ,  32  can move out of the slat plane in the upward, downward or lateral direction or, if appropriate, even about the longitudinal slat axis. 
     Lateral guide elements  39  are arranged in each case at the ends  30 ,  31  of each slat  20 . The lateral guide element  39  has a cap-like portion  40  by means of which it is plugged onto the respective slat end  30 ,  31 . The lateral guide element  39  also has a more or less oval guide surface, namely a plate  41 , which runs perpendicularly in relation to the slat  20 . This oval plate  41  serves to limit lateral movements of the cushion (not illustrated), which is arranged between the plates  41 , in the longitudinal slat direction and/or to prevent lateral movements. The lateral guide elements  39  may be designed such that it is possible to change the position thereof—within limits—relative to the slat in the longitudinal slat direction. 
     As can be seen, in particular, in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the bearing regions  27  of successive slats  30 , that is to say those regions in which the slats  20  are supported by the supporting portions  26 , are each arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner in relation to the corresponding slat center. Accordingly, in relation to the respective slat center, supporting portions  26  are arranged on respectively opposite sides of the slats  20 , as seen in the longitudinal slat direction, at identical distances from the slat center. 
     Furthermore, as can be seen, in particular, in  FIG. 2 , the backrest  12  is curved slightly in longitudinal section and is thus adapted to the contours of a user&#39;s body. 
     The backrest  12  is connected in a pivotable manner to the seat surface  11 . For this purpose, a profile tube  33 , which is connected to the longitudinal carriers  16  and has two angled arms  35 , is articulated on the seat surface  11  such that it can be pivoted, in a manner which will not be explained in specific detail, via tilting bearings  42 ,  43 . The respective inclination of the backrest  12  can be adjusted via an inclination adjuster  44 , which is similarly not illustrated in specific detail. 
     The spring system  16  of the seat surface  11  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) is largely identical to the spring system  17  of the backrest  12 . In particular, the spring system  16 , in a manner similar to the spring system  17 , has slats  20  which are supported by means of supporting bodies  21  between the slat ends  31 ,  32 . The supporting bodies  21  of the seat surface  11  are identical to the supporting bodies  21  of the backrest  12 . It is also the case that the slats  20  of the seat surface  11  are supported in regions  27 , which are arranged between the slat ends  31 ,  32 , in which case these ends  31 ,  32  are unsupported. 
     The bases  22  of the supporting bodies  21  of the seat surface  11  are each connected to longitudinal slats  45  running in the longitudinal seat-surface direction. Arranged on these longitudinal slats  45 , in turn, are transverse profiles  46  which run perpendicularly in relation to the same. The seat surface  11  is connected to sleeve-like base parts  47  arranged on opposite sides. The sleeve-like base parts  47  are supported in a displaceable manner in the guide rails  14  of the push-carriage seat  10  for the purpose of adjusting the position of the push-carriage seat  10  relative to the push carriage (not illustrated). 
     It should be pointed out that, for the sake of simplicity, the lateral guide elements  39  at the ends  31 ,  32  of the slats  20  of the seat surface  11  have been omitted from  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
     
         
           10  Push-carriage seat 
           11  Seat surface 
           12  Backrest 
           13  Substructure 
           14  Guide rail 
           15  Crossmember 
           16  Seat-surface spring system 
           17  Backrest spring system 
           18  Longitudinal carrier 
           19  Longitudinal carrier 
           20  Slats 
           21  Supporting body 
           22  Supporting-body base 
           23  Supporting-body arm 
           24  Supporting-body arm 
           25  Transverse profile 
           26  Supporting portion 
           27  Bearing region 
           28  Slat underside 
           29  Protrusions 
           30  Slat groove 
           31  Slat end 
           32  Slat end 
           33  Slat top side 
           34  Wing element 
           35  Abutment surface 
           36  Wing arm 
           37  Wing arm 
           38  Supporting plate 
           39  Limiting profile 
           40  Lug-like portion 
           41  Plate 
           42  Tilting bearing 
           43  Tilting bearing 
           44  Inclination adjuster 
           45  Longitudinal slats 
           46  Transverse profile 
           47  Sleeve-like base part