Abstract:
Motor-driven support apparatus for the upholstery of a piece of furniture used to sit on or lie down on, especially for a mattress for a bed. Apparatus includes a first support element having first and second longitudinal rails, and a second supporting element displaceable by a drive. The second support element is pivotable relative to the first support element. The first longitudinal rail is hollow profiled to receive parts of the drive. A drive motor is outside the first longitudinal rail, with an end opposite an output shaft of the drive motor. A recess is formed in a wall of the first rail faces the second rail. The output shaft of the drive motor, or a first transmission element, protrudes into the first rail, through the recess, and engages a second transmission element inside the first rail.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of application no. PCT/EP2004/005403, filed May 19, 2004, which claims the priority of German application no. 103 25 796.9, filed Jun. 5, 2003, and each of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0002]     This application relates to applicant&#39;s concurrently filed application no. [applicant&#39;s ref. 7465], entitled “Modular System for Assembling a Motorized Adjustable Support Apparatus for the Upholstery of Furniture for Sitting and/or Lying”. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The invention relates to a motorized adjustable support apparatus of the type for upholstery on furniture for lying or sitting, in particular a bed mattress. More particularly, the invention relates to a motorized adjustable support apparatus for the upholstery of a piece of furniture that includes a first support element having first and second longitudinal rails, a second support element displaceable by a drive, and the second support element being pivotable relative to the first support element. Even more particularly, the first longitudinal rail may be hollow to receive parts of the drive.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Support apparatuses of this type are commonly known, for example, in the form of slatted frames and serve, for example, as level support surfaces for bed mattresses.  
         [0005]     From DE 199 62 541 C2 a motorized adjustable support apparatus of the type mentioned is known, which includes a first support element, which includes longitudinal rails parallel to one another and is realized as a fixed central support element in the support apparatus, as described in the publication. That known support apparatus also includes additional support elements, which through drive means can be adjusted relative to the first support element. In the support apparatus described in the publication a first longitudinal rail of the first support element is realized as a hollow section to contain parts of the drive element, wherein the entire drive element including the drive motor is housed in the hollow first longitudinal rail. The drive motor thus does not project above the first longitudinal rail, thus giving the known support apparatus an exceptionally low height. Furthermore, the support apparatus described in the publication includes a very pleasing appearance, since it is not externally distinguishable from a conventional support apparatus, that is, one that is not motorized and adjustable.  
         [0006]     From WO 96/29970 a motorized adjustable support apparatus for a bed mattress is known, which features arranged tandemly in the support apparatus a plurality of support elements, which through drive element can be pivoted relative to the first support element. The support elements are mounted on an outer frame, the profile height of which is significantly greater than the profile height of the support elements. In the support apparatus known from the publication, parts of the outer frame are realized as hollow section, wherein parts of the drive element for adjusting the support elements relative to one another are housed in the hollow section. The drive motor is situated on an inside of a part of the outer frame.  
         [0007]     DE 695 07 158 T2 and EP 0 788 325 B1 each describe a motorized adjustable support apparatus for a bed mattress, which features a first support with a longitudinal rail and at least a second support element, which through drive means can be pivoted relative to the first support element. In the known support apparatus the drive motor is disposed outside the surface area of the support apparatus and is secured on a frame-like extension of the first support element.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     An object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art devices.  
         [0009]     An object of the invention is to provide a motorized adjustable support apparatus of the type for upholstery on furniture for lying or sitting, in particular a bed mattress.  
         [0010]     A further object of the invention is to provide a motorized adjustable support apparatus for the upholstery of a piece of furniture that includes a first support element having first and second longitudinal rails, a second support element displaceable by a drive, and the second support element being pivotable relative to the first support element.  
         [0011]     A further object of the invention is to provide a first longitudinal rail which may be hollow to receive parts of the drive for this type of support apparatus.  
         [0012]     Another object of the invention is to provide a motorized adjustable support apparatus of the type for upholstery on furniture that has a low structural height and can be manufactured in a simple and economical manner.  
         [0013]     These and other objects have been achieved through the features of the invention set forth below.  
         [0014]     In sum, the invention includes a motorized adjustable support apparatus for the upholstery of a piece of furniture that houses as much of the drive element, in particular a gear assembly of the drive element, as possible in a hollow first longitudinal rail of a first support element, while locating the drive motor outside the first longitudinal rail. With the drive motor located outside the first longitudinal rail and only, for example, a first gear element rotatably connected with the output shaft of the drive motor extending into the interior of the first longitudinal rail, greater freedom in gear arrangement is achieved than is found in embodiments in which all components of the drive element are disposed in the hollow longitudinal rail. In particular, the invention facilitates an especially simple and therefore economical gear arrangement, thus allowing the inventive support apparatus to be manufactured in an especially simple and therefore economical manner.  
         [0015]     With the drive motor disposed, for example, on a lateral wall of the first longitudinal rail, which faces the other longitudinal rail and in which the recess is formed, the drive motor is at least partly concealed when the first longitudinal rail is viewed from the side and is therefore not visible in the background.  
         [0016]     With the drive motor not disposed on an outer frame of the support apparatus, yet instead directly present on one of the support elements, an especially compact and space-saving construction is achieved.  
         [0017]     Within the scope of the invention a support is understood as a component bearing suspension elements, for example flexible slats, for supporting upholstery and, when the upholstery is supported, absorbs the resulting bearing pressures. The support elements can be realized, for example, as longitudinal rails of the support apparatus, which rails are connected to one another via transverse rails and feature suspension elements, for example, flexible slats, on their upper surfaces. On the other hand an outer frame of a slatted frame, which is present only for lying the slatted frame in a bedstead, yet which bears no suspension elements, does not constitute a support within the scope of the invention.  
         [0018]     According to the invention it is possible in principle that the end of the drive motor bearing the output shaft can project partly through the recess and into the interior of the first longitudinal rail. It is advantageous, however, if the drive motor is disposed substantially completely outside the first longitudinal rail. In this embodiment only the output shaft of the drive motor or the first gear element in a driven connection with the output shaft can project into the interior of the longitudinal rail.  
         [0019]     According to the invention an optional transverse rail of the first support can be realized as a hollow section and house portions of the drive element, whereby the recess is then formed in the optional transverse rail and the drive motor is disposed on the transverse rail.  
         [0020]     According to the invention a suitable gear arrangement can be selected according to preference, and the gear assembly in the simplest case includes only two gear elements; namely, for example, the first gear element extending through the recess and into the interior of the first longitudinal rail, and the second gear element present in the interior of the longitudinal rail. It is also possible, however, to have additional gear elements in the portion of the gear assembly disposed in the interior of the first longitudinal rail and/or in a portion of the gear assembly outside the longitudinal rail.  
         [0021]     To facilitate an especially simple and therefore economical, while at the same time robust construction, an exceptionally advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the first gear element is realized as a worm of a worm gear assembly, the worm wheel of which is disposed in the interior of the first longitudinal rail and constitutes the second gear element.  
         [0022]     Worm gear assemblies of this type are available as simple and economical, as well as robust standard assemblies, and facilitate a high level of transmission even at a single gear setting. According to the invention, multiple worm gear assemblies can be coupled tandemly if necessary. As a kinematic reversal of this embodiment, the first drive element can also be realized as a worm wheel of a worm gear assembly, the worm gear of which is housed in the first longitudinal rail and constitutes the second gear element.  
         [0023]     In the embodiment set forth above a rotational drive relationship between the worm gear and the gear elements forming the output shaft can in principle be provided between the worm gear and the output shaft of the drive motor. To facilitate an especially simple and thereby economical construction, it is advantageous, however, if the worm gear is connected nonrotatably to the output shaft of the drive motor, in particular, formed onto or integral with the output shaft of the drive motor.  
         [0024]     To achieve an especially low construction profile of the inventive support apparatus, an especially advantageous improvement of the invention provides that the drive motor is located almost completely within the profile height of the first longitudinal rail in side view, in such a manner that the drive motor projects only insignificantly or not at all above the first longitudinal rail.  
         [0025]     It is advantageous if the supports bear suspension elements, in particular flexible elements, such as slats, on which the upholstery of the furniture for sitting and/or lying rests when the support apparatus is used. The shape, size and number of suspension elements can be freely selected according to specific requirements.  
         [0026]     The transmission of the drive torque of the drive motor to a support to be adjusted can be realized in a suitable manner according to preference. In an advantageous embodiment, the drive motor is in a driven connection with a linearly moving drive element, which is disposed in the interior of the first longitudinal rail and is in an actuating connection with a support element to be adjusted. In this embodiment, the rotational movement of the output shaft of the drive motor is transformed into a linear movement of the linearly moving drive element. In this embodiment a pivoting of a shaft connected nonrotatably to a support element to be adjusted is achieved in an especially simple manner.  
         [0027]     An improvement of the embodiment mentioned above provides that the linearly moving drive element is a spindle nut, which is mounted resistant to torsion and axially movable on a threaded spindle in a driven connection with the drive motor. In this embodiment, the rotational motion of the output shaft of the drive motor is transformed into linear motion by a spindle drive. Spindle drives of this type are available as simple and economical standard building components. They are suitable for transmitting heavy forces and are especially robust.  
         [0028]     In a kinematic reversal of the embodiment described above the linearly moving drive element can also be a threaded spindle nonrotatably mounted and axially movable and to which a fixed spindle nut is connected, which is rotatably connected with the drive motor.  
         [0029]     In the two embodiments named above, the spindle drive is advantageously housed in the interior of the first longitudinal rail.  
         [0030]     Another improvement of the invention provides that the rotational axis of the output shaft of the drive motor of the first gear element forms with the longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal rail, and with a linear motion axis of the linear motion drive element as well, a sharp angle, in particular an angle of approximately 90°. If the angle between the rotational axis of the first gear element and the longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal rail is approximately 90°, an especially simple and therefore economical construction is achieved, as the; gear assembly can be realized as a single worm gear assembly, the rotational axis of the worm gear and the rotational axis of the worm wheel being nearly perpendicular to one another.  
         [0031]     To achieve a compact and low construction, it is advantageous if the profile height of the first longitudinal rail is less than 100 mm, preferably less than 85 mm.  
         [0032]     In principle the first support element can be a moving support element. For example, it can pivot relative to another support element. An embodiment of the invention, however, provides that the first support element is a fixed support element. In this embodiment, the drive motor is disposed on a fixed support element, so that it is fixed into position as well. In this embodiment the construction is especially simple and therefore economical.  
         [0033]     Another improvement or embodiment of the invention provides that the recess is formed in the first longitudinal rail at a region or site removed from the ends of the first longitudinal rail.  
         [0034]     To make the drive motor even less visible and thereby further improve the appearance of the inventive support apparatus, an improvement provides that the drive motor is preferably contained in a box-like housing. The housing can fully or almost fully enclose the drive motor and thereby conceal it.  
         [0035]     According to the particular requirements, the housing can be detachably connected to the longitudinal rail or can constitute a single piece with the first longitudinal rail, as is provided in improvements of the invention.  
         [0036]     It is advantageous if the support apparatus is realized as a slatted frame, as is provided in an improvement of the invention.  
         [0037]     The invention is explained in further detail below in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which embodiments of the inventive support apparatus are illustrated. All features described or illustrated in the drawing thereby constitute on their own or in any given combination the objects of the invention, independent of their summary in the patent claims or the retraction thereof as well as independent of their formulation or illustration in the description or drawing, respectively. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0038]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view from above of a first embodiment of an inventive support apparatus in the form of a slatted frame;  
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view from below of the support apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a detail of the support apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein a half of a first longitudinal rail realized as a hollow section is omitted;  
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is a view from above of the longitudinal rail as shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0042]      FIG. 5  is the longitudinal rail as shown in  FIG. 4 , wherein the second half of the longitudinal rail is illustrated;  
         [0043]      FIG. 6  is a section along a line VI-VI in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0044]      FIG. 7  is a second embodiment of an inventive support apparatus in the same view used in  FIG. 5 ; and  
         [0045]      FIG. 8  is a section along line VIII-VIII in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0046]     In the drawing identical and corresponding components are labeled with the same number.  
         [0047]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of an inventive motorized adjustable support apparatus  2  for the upholstery of a chair or bed, which in this embodiment serves to support a bed mattress. The support apparatus  2  includes a plurality of support elements arranged tandemly lengthwise of the support apparatus  2 .  
         [0048]     In this embodiment the support apparatus  2  includes in particular a first support element  4 , which in this embodiment constitutes a fixed center support element of the support apparatus  2  and is connected to an outer frame  6  of the support apparatus  2 .  
         [0049]     Connected hingedly and pivotally about a horizontal pivot axle to a side of the center support element  4  is a lumbar support  8 , the side of which facing away from the center support element  4  is connected hingedly and pivotally about a horizontal pivot axle to an upper body support  10 , the side of which facing away from the lumbar support  8  is connected hingedly and pivotally about a horizontal pivot axle to a head support  12 .  
         [0050]     Connected hingedly and pivotally about a horizontal axle to the side of the center support element  4  facing away from the lumbar support  8  is a leg support  14 , the side of which facing away from the center support element  4  is connected hingedly and pivotally about a horizontal pivot axis to a calf support  16 .  
         [0051]     To adjust the supports  8 ,  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  relative to one another as well as relative to the center support element  4  additional electromechanical drive element, which are described in further detail below, are provided. Power supply and control element for power supply and controlling the drive element are not shown in the illustration.  
         [0052]     On their upper surfaces, the supports  4 ,  8 ,  10 , 12 , 14 , 16  bear suspension elements, which in this embodiment are realized as flexible slats, of which only one slat in the illustration is labeled with the number  18 . In the scope of the invention, a support is understood as any part of the support apparatus that directly bears slats  18  or other suspension elements for supporting the upholstery. The outer frame  6  therefore does not constitute a support in the scope of the invention.  
         [0053]     The supports  4 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16  are shown in  FIG. 1  in a first final adjustment setting of the adjustment movement, which forms a sitting position of the support apparatus  2 . In another final adjustment setting of the adjustment movement not shown in the illustration the supports  4 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16  form a virtually level support surface for the upholstery not shown in the illustration.  
         [0054]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view from below of the support apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The center support element  4  includes a first longitudinal rail  20  running lengthwise of the support apparatus  2  and a second longitudinal rail  22  running lengthwise of the support apparatus  2 . In this embodiment, the longitudinal rails  20 ,  22  are realized as hollow sections to house portions of the drive element and run virtually parallel to one another.  
         [0055]     According to the invention a drive motor  24  is present outside the first longitudinal rail  20  and is disposed on and secured to a side wall  26  of the first longitudinal rail  20  opposite the second longitudinal rail  22 . Not shown in  FIG. 2  and therefore explained in further detail here is the fact that in the side wall  26  a recess is formed, through which in this embodiment a first gear element in a rotationally driven connection with the output shaft of the drive motor  24  projects into the first longitudinal rail  20  and engages a second gear element housed in the interior of the first longitudinal rail  20 .  
         [0056]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the first longitudinal rail  20 , wherein, for reasons of clarity, half of the first longitudinal rail  20  is omitted. As is visible in  FIG. 3 , the first longitudinal rail  20  is realized as a hollow section, wherein in this embodiment all components of the drive element except for the drive motor  24  are contained in the hollow interior of the first longitudinal rail  20 . In particular, the drive element in this embodiment features a worm gear drive, the worm gear  28  of which is formed with or provided on the output shaft of the drive motor  24 , and projects into the interior of the first longitudinal rail  20  and engages a nonrotatably mounted worm wheel  30 . The worm wheel  30  is nonrotatably connected to a threaded spindle  32  mounted rotatably in the interior of the first longitudinal rail  20 , on which a spindle nut  36  movable in axial relation to the threaded spindle  32  in the direction of a double-arrow  34  is mounted resistant to torsion and forms a linearly movable drive element of the drive element. Connected with high tensile strength to the spindle nut  36  is an end of a chain  38 , the other end of which engages a chain segment  40  and is secured thereto. The chain segment  40  is connected nonrotatably to a shaft  42  mounted rotatably on the first longitudinal rail  20  as well as the second longitudinal rail  22  and connected nonrotatably to an adjustment lever  44 , which serves to pivot the lumbar support  8 , the upper body support  10  and the head support  12 .  
         [0057]     To pivot the lumbar support  8 , the upper body support  10  and the head support  12  relative to the center support element  4 , the drive motor  24  drives the threaded spindle  32  in such a manner that the spindle nut  36  screws to the right in  FIG. 3 . Owing to the secure connection, under tension, between the spindle nut  36  and the chain segment  40  connection via the chain  38 , the chain segment  40  thus pivots clockwise in  FIG. 3 , whereby the shaft  42  and the adjustment lever  44  also pivot clockwise in  FIG. 3  and thus move lumbar support  8 , upper body support  10  and head support  12  from its starting position, in which these supports span a substantially level surface, into the final position of the adjustment movement illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Since the transmission of the pivoting motion from the pivot lever  44  to the supports  8 ,  10 ,  12  occurs in a way familiar to one knowledgeable in the art, the associated components are not described in further detail here.  
         [0058]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  the second longitudinal rail  22  houses a drive element, to which a drive motor is connected and which facilitates the adjustment of leg support  14  and calf support  16  in a manner not further explained here.  
         [0059]     The driving force of the drive motor  24  is transmitted from the side of the first longitudinal rail  20  through a transmission mechanism not illustrated in the drawing to the side of the second longitudinal rail  22 , so that the drive force of the drive motor  24  is conducted on a longitudinal center plane of the support apparatus  2  substantially symmetrically to lumbar support  8 , upper body support  10  and head support  12 . In a corresponding manner, the drive force of the driving motor  24  is transmitted from the second support  22  to the first support  20  via a transmission mechanism not illustrated in the drawing, so that the drive force of the drive motor  24  is conducted substantially symmetrically to the leg support  14  and the calf support  16  on a longitudinal center plane of the support apparatus  2 .  
         [0060]     In a modification of this embodiment it is also possible to provide two drive motors for adjusting the supports  8 ,  10 ,  12 , of which one is disposed on the first longitudinal rail  20  and the other is disposed on the second longitudinal rail  22 , these drive motors being synchronously controlled. In a corresponding manner it is also possible to provide two synchronously controlled drive motors for adjusting the leg support  14  and the calf support  16 , one being disposed on the first longitudinal rail  20  and the other being disposed on the second longitudinal rail  22 .  
         [0061]     As  FIG. 3  illustrates, the drive motor  24  is located within a profile height of the first longitudinal rail  20 , in such a manner, that the drive motor  24  does not vertically project above the first longitudinal rail  20 .  
         [0062]     The support apparatus  2  thus has an especially low height.  
         [0063]     As  FIG. 3  also illustrates that a rotation axis  46  of the worm gear  28  extends perpendicularly out of the drawing plane and forms, with a dotted line  48  pictured in  FIG. 3  representing the rotational axis  48  of the worm wheel  30 , an angle of approximately 90°. The gear assembly formed by the worm gear drive  28 ,  30  thus has an especially simple and compact construction.  
         [0064]     Because the center support element  4  is a fixed support element, which is not moved when the other supports  8 ,  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  are adjusted, the drive motor  24  always remains fixed in its position. The construction is thus further simplified.  
         [0065]      FIG. 4  shows a view from above of the first longitudinal rail  20 , wherein a portion of the first longitudinal rail  20  is omitted for clarity. From the illustration it is visible that the drive motor  24  is disposed on a side wall  26  of the first longitudinal rail  20  opposite the second longitudinal rail  22  not pictured in  FIG. 4 , the attachment of which can be provided according to preference. In particular, the drive motor  24  can be detachably fastened to the first longitudinal rail  20 . In particular, it is possible to arrange the drive motor  24  at an angular position, which engages the interior of the first longitudinal rail  20  at an angle and is in particular fastened integrally or formfitting in the interior of the longitudinal rail  20  by a suitable element according to preference.  
         [0066]     As  FIG. 4  also illustrates, the rotational axis, represented by dotted line  46  in  FIG. 4 , of the worm gear  28  formed on the output shaft of the drive motor  24  defines with the longitudinal axis, represented by a dotted line  50  in  FIG. 4 , of the first longitudinal rail  20 , which in this embodiment overlaps the linear adjustment axis of spindle nut  34 , an angle of approximately 90°.  
         [0067]      FIG. 5  is a view from above in accordance with  FIG. 4 , wherein a part of the longitudinal rail  20  omitted in  FIG. 4  is illustrated.  
         [0068]     As  FIG. 6  illustrates, which shows a section along line VI-VI in  FIG. 5 , a housing  52  of the drive motor  24  is disposed substantially completely outside a hollow interior  54  of the first longitudinal rail  20 . The output shaft of the drive motor  24  and the worm gear  28  provided, such as by being formed on the output shaft, project through a recess labeled  56  in  FIG. 6  in the lateral wall  26  of the first longitudinal rail  20  and into the interior of the first longitudinal rail  20  and engages the worm wheel  30  housed in the interior of the first longitudinal rail  20 .  
         [0069]     In  FIG. 7  another embodiment of an inventive support apparatus is illustrated, which differs from the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  in that the drive motor  24  is disposed in a box-like housing  58 , which in this embodiment is detachably connected to the first longitudinal rail  20 .  
         [0070]      FIG. 8  shows a section along a line VIII-VIII in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0071]     The inventive support apparatus includes a compact and space-saving construction, because the drive motor  24  is, first, located within the profile height of the first longitudinal rail  20  and thereby does not project above the first longitudinal rail  20  and, secondly, is disposed between the opposing side walls of the first longitudinal rail  20  and the second longitudinal rail  22 . Furthermore, the inventive device  2  includes an especially simple construction and can therefore be manufactured in an especially economical manner, in particular owing to the use of a simple worm gear assembly to transmit the drive torque of the drive motor  24  to the supports to be adjusted.  
         [0072]     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto.