Patent Publication Number: US-11047161-B2

Title: Furniture drive

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a furniture drive for moving a furniture part movably supported relative to a furniture carcass, the furniture drive comprising a housing having a first housing wall to be fixed to a furniture carcass and a second housing wall which is at least partially spaced from the first housing wall. At least the first housing wall includes at least one guide device for guiding a fastening means. 
     The invention further concerns an item of furniture comprising a furniture carcass, a furniture part movably supported relative to the furniture carcass and a furniture drive of the type to be described. 
     WO 2017/059471 A shows in  FIGS. 5 a , 5 b    a furniture fitting in the form of a furniture drive for moving furniture flaps, and the furniture fitting can be mounted to a furniture carcass by a fastening device. The fastening device includes at least two fastening elements configured to be inserted into a common cylindrical bore. By rotating an arresting element, the fastening elements can be moved into an expanded position, so that the fastening elements, in the expanded position, are held within the bore in a force-locking manner. 
     DE 20 2016 101 285 U1 discloses a furniture drive for moving furniture flaps, in which the furniture drive includes a recess for receiving a pin. In a first mounting step, the pin is pre-mounted to a furniture carcass, and, in a subsequent mounting step, the furniture drive is locked to the pin by introducing the pre-mounted pin into the recess, whereby the furniture drive can be fixed to the furniture carcass. 
     DE 10 2007 049 143 A1 discloses a furniture fitting to be mounted to a chipboard plate. A supporting body is arranged in an expanded space of the furniture fitting, the expanded space being configured so as to broaden towards the chipboard plate. The supporting body is configured to receive a screw and rests against the chipboard plate in the mounted condition, so that in a region of the expanded space, the danger of tearing out the screw and a breaking out of the wood material from the chipboard plate can be reduced. 
     The housing of such furniture drives is usually mounted to a furniture carcass by fastening means, for example by screws. For this purpose, the housing of the furniture drive includes a guide device (for example a hole or a cylindrical portion) for guiding and/or receiving the fastening means. Upon screwing the housing to the furniture carcass and/or upon moving heavy furniture parts, it may happen that the housing is deformed, twisted or sagged due to the occurring forces. Thereby, an undesired relative movement between the two housing walls takes place, whereby the hinge axis members of the furniture drive are displaced relative to one another and the frictional forces are massively increased. In some cases, this may eventually lead to the fact that the movable furniture part can no longer be moved or can only be sluggishly actuated due to the restraints of the furniture drive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention a propose a furniture drive of the type mentioned in the introductory part, thereby avoiding the drawbacks as discussed above. 
     According to the invention, at least one supporting body is provided. The supporting body is configured so as to be separate from the at least one guide device for guiding the fastening means, at least partially surrounds the at least one guide device, and is firmly connected to the first housing wall as well as to the second housing wall, so that a movement of the second housing wall relative to the first housing wall is restrained. 
     In other words, at least one supporting body is provided for stabilizing the housing, and the at least one supporting body is arranged between the first and second housing wall and is firmly connected to both the first housing wall and the second housing wall. The guide device for receiving and/or guiding the fastening means is thereby at least partially surrounded by the at least one supporting body. Therefore, the guide device is stabilized by the supporting body and is largely decoupled form the remaining portions of the housing wall. In this way, the housing walls can be stabilized to one another, so that the parallel positions of the hinge axis members of the furniture drive can also be maintained to one another. 
     According to an embodiment, the at least one supporting body is configured so as to be V-shaped or U-shaped. The at least one supporting body can have at least two limbs forming a preferably acute angle to one another. 
     According to a further embodiment, the at least one supporting body surrounds the guide device over an angle range of at least 180°. 
     The at least one supporting body, which is preferably made of metal, can be welded, riveted or clinched to the first housing wall and/or the second housing wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following description of figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1 a , 1 b    show an item of furniture with a furniture part movably supported relative a furniture carcass, and a furniture drive for moving the movable furniture part, 
         FIG. 2  shows the furniture drive in a perspective view, 
         FIG. 3  shows the housing of the furniture drive in an exploded view, 
         FIG. 4 a , 4 b    show the first housing wall in a perspective view and in a side view, 
         FIG. 5 a , 5 b    show a cross-sectional view of the furniture drive and an enlarged detail view thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1 a    shows a perspective view of an item of furniture  1 , in which a movable furniture part  3  is pivotally supported by a furniture drive  4  about a horizontally extending pivoting axis relative to a furniture carcass  2 . By the furniture drive  4 , the movable furniture part  3  can be moved from a vertical closed position into an elevated position relative to the furniture carcass  2  (and in the opposite direction). The furniture drive  4  includes a housing  5  having a first housing wall  5   a  to be fixed to the furniture carcass  2 , and an actuating arm  6  configured to be pivoted relative to the housing  5  for moving the movable furniture part  3 . A spring device  7  is provided for applying a force to the actuating arm  6 , and the spring device  7  at least partially compensates for a weight of the movable furniture part  3 . As a result, the opening movement of the movable furniture part  3  can be facilitated for an operator. By a locking device  23  (see  FIG. 1 b   ), the actuating arm  6  can be releasably locked to a fitting portion  22  to be fixed to the movable furniture part  3 . 
       FIG. 1 b    shows the furniture drive  4  according to a possible embodiment. The spring device  7  (for example, at least one helical spring configured as a compression spring) is supported on the first housing wall  5   a . The spring device  7  is supported on a stationary hinge axis member A and presses against the hinge axis member B. The hinge axis member B is supported on a first lever end of a two-armed deflection lever  9 , and the deflection lever  9  is pivotally mounted about the hinge axis member C. The second lever end of the deflection lever  9  is connected via the hinge axis member D to a push lever  10 , and the push lever  10  is hingedly connected to a pivoting lever  12  which is pivotally mounted about the pivoting axis E. By an actuation of an adjustment device  13 , the distance of a pin  11  relative to the hinge axis member E can be adjusted along a guide of the pivoting lever  12 . As a result, the operative lever arm between the pin  11  and the hinge axis member E can be varied, so that a torque from the spring device  7  applied to the actuating arm  6  can be adjusted according to the respective weight of the movable furniture part  3 . The pivoting lever  12  is hingedly connected to a first lever  8  and a second lever  14  via the hinge axis members F and G. The first lever  8  and the second lever  14  are hingedly connected to the actuating arm  6  via the hinge axis members H and I. 
       FIG. 2  shows the furniture drive  4  in a perspective view. The housing  5  includes a first housing wall  5   a  configured to bear against the furniture carcass  2 , and a second housing wall  5   b . The first housing wall  5   a  and the second housing wall  5   b  are at least partially spaced from one another. By first and second fasteners  16   a  and  16   b , for example in the form of screws, the first housing wall  5   a  can be fixed to the furniture carcass  2 . The second housing wall  5   b  is held on the first housing wall  5   a  by at least one supporting body  21   a ,  21   b  or a plurality of supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  ( FIG. 3 ). The housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  can be configured so as to be identical in construction apart from mirror-inverted components (i.e., mirror image), so that the comments expressed here in connection with the first housing portion  5   a  in each case do also apply for the second housing portion  5   b  (and vice versa). Such a symmetric configuration of the furniture drive  4  has the particular advantage that the furniture drive  4 , in addition to a simple production, can alternatively be fixed to a left or to a right sidewall of the furniture carcass  2 . Each of the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  includes a plurality of protrusions  15   a - 15   h  spaced from each other, and the protrusions  15   a - 15   h  are configured to bear against the furniture carcass  2 . Accordingly, a large part of the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  are spaced from the furniture carcass  2  in the mounted condition of the furniture drive  4 . 
     Visible are, preferably window-shaped, supporting rims  17   a  and  17   b  protruding from the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  and surrounding the fasteners  16   a ,  16   b  at least partially in the mounted position. Each of the supporting rims  17   a  and  17   b  is configured to bear against the furniture carcass  2  so that the housing  5  is connected, preferably exclusively, to the furniture carcass  2  via the protrusions  15   a - 15   h  and via the supporting rims  17   a ,  17   b  in the mounted condition. Within the supporting rims  17   a ,  17   b , fastening locations  18  of supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  (see  FIG. 3 ) are arranged, and the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are firmly connected to the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b , preferably by welding, riveting or clinching. The protrusions  15   a - 15   h  and/or the supporting rims  17   a ,  17   b  can be configured as embossings. 
       FIG. 3  shows the housing  5  in an exploded view. The two housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  are substantially plate-shaped and can be identical (mirror image) in construction. Visible are the protrusions  15   a - 15   h  and the supporting rims  17   a ,  17   b  by which the housing  5  can be supported on the furniture carcass  2  in the mounted condition. Each of the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  includes at least one guide device  19   a ,  19   b  for guiding a fastener  16   a ,  16   b  (see  FIG. 2 ), and at least one supporting body  21   a ,  21   b  is formed separately from the guide devices  19   a ,  19   b . In the mounted position, each of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  is connected to the plate-shaped housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  and at least partially surround the guide devices  19   a ,  19   b  so that a movement of the two housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  relative to one another is prevented or restrained. In the shown embodiment, two supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are provided, and the two supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the housing  5 . The supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are thereby formed as V-shaped profile portions, and the fastening locations  18  of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  engage in corresponding recesses  18   a  of the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  in the mounted position. 
       FIG. 4 a    shows the first housing wall  5   a  with the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  for stabilizing the second housing wall  5   b . Each of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  can have two limbs  20   a ,  20   b  connected to one another, and the limbs  20   a ,  20   b  form a preferably acute angle to one another. Each of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b , on a side facing towards the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b , includes a fastening location (fastening projection)  18  engaging in the recesses  18   a  ( FIG. 3 ) of the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b . In the shown figure, the first supporting body  21   a  and the second supporting body  21   b  are arranged so that an orientation of each supporting body is offset relative to the other by 180° (i.e., as shown in  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   , one limb of the first supporting body  21   a  is located above the corresponding guide device  19   a , while one limb of the second supporting body  21   b  is located below the corresponding guide device  19   b  such that the orientations of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are offset by) 180°. Thus the second housing wall  5   b  can be stabilized relative to the first housing wall  5   a  in a plurality of movement directions. 
       FIG. 4 b    shows a side view of the first housing wall  5   a , in which the arrangement of the first and second supporting body  21   a ,  21   b  relative to the guide devices  19   a ,  19   b  is shown in greater detail. The fastening locations (fastening projections)  18  of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are thereby arranged with a distance as large as possible relative to a middle axis of the guide devices  19   a ,  19   b , whereby an improved moment of resistance is brought about when the furniture drive  4  is loaded. Each of the supporting rims  17   a ,  17   b  can be configured as an embossing, whereby the risk of a deformation of the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b  can be reduced upon screwing to the furniture carcass  2 . In the shown figure, the fastening locations  18  of the supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b  are arranged in a, preferably equilateral, triangle, so that the furniture drive  4  is suitable for receiving high loads due to the shown triangular support. 
       FIG. 5 a    shows a cross-sectional view of the furniture drive  4 , while  FIG. 5 b    shows the encircled region of  FIG. 5 a    in an enlarged view. The guide device  19   b  for receiving and/or guiding the fastener  16   b , preferably a screw, can have a two-part or a multi-part configuration, and additionally includes a cylindrical portion  24  ( FIG. 5 b   ), for example in the form of a sleeve, for guiding the fastener  16   b . The supporting body  21   b  is configured so as to be separate from that guide device  19   b . In other words, the supporting body  21   b  is not provided for guiding the fastener  16   b  and is therefore configured so as not to contact the guide device  19   b . Visible are the fastening locations (fastening projections)  18  of the supporting body  21   b , the fastening locations  18  being firmly connected to the first housing wall  5   a  on the one hand and to the second housing wall  5   b  on the other hand. Further visible are the transversely protruding supporting rims  17   b  for stabilizing the housing walls  5   a ,  5   b , and the supporting rims  17   b  may be produced by an embossing operation for example. The first housing wall  5   a  is to be fixed to the furniture carcass  2  by the fastener  16   a ,  16   b . The second housing wall  5   b , on the contrary, is supported on the first housing wall  5   a  by at least one or a plurality of supporting bodies  21   a ,  21   b.