Support Device Adjustable by Means of an Electric Motor

Abstract

A support device ( 2 ) adjustable by means of an electric motor for supporting cushioning of a piece of furniture for sitting and/or lying on, in particular a mattress of a bed, comprises a base part ( 4 ) and a support part ( 6 ). At least one of the parts ( 4, 6 ) has at least one lifting guide element ( 34 ) which is located thereon and acts in a wedge-like manner, and which is shaped in such a way and is or can be brought into operative connection with the adjusting element ( 32 ) such that, in the event of a relative movement between the adjusting element ( 32 ) and the lifting guide element ( 34 ) along the linear axis, the support part ( 6 ) is pivoted about the support part pivot axis ( 8 ) with respect to the base part ( 4 ).

1 . A support device adjustable by means of an electric motor, for supporting cushioning of a piece of furniture for sitting and/or lying on, in particular a mattress of a bed, comprising:
 a base part;   a support part which is connected to the base part and can be pivoted about a support part pivot axis;   an electromotive electromotive drive device which is operatively connected to the base part and the support part for pivoting adjustment of the support part with respect to the base part, and the base part and the support part are designed in such a way and are operatively connected to the drive device in such a way that the support part is adjustable between a non-adjusted starting position in which the support part rests flat on the base part, and an end position of the adjustment movement, in which the support part is arranged at an angle to the base part; and   the drive device has at least one drive train by which the drive device is in drive connection to an adjusting element that is movable translationally along a linear axis, in such a way that the adjusting element is movable between a starting position, which corresponds to the non-adjusted starting position of the support part, and an end position, which corresponds to the end position of the adjustment movement, by means of the drive device, and on at least one of the parts at least one lifting guide element which is acting in a wedge-like manner is arranged which is shaped in such a way and is or can be operatively connected to the adjusting element such that in a relative movement between the adjusting element and the lifting guide element along the linear axis, the support part is pivoted about the support part pivot axis with respect to the base part.   
     
     
         2 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lifting guide element which is acting in a wedge-like manner is arranged on the support part.   
     
     
         3 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lifting guide element is arranged in the area of the support part pivot axis on the support part.   
     
     
         4 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adjusting element is arranged on the base part.   
     
     
         5 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adjusting element is designed like a nose and projects beyond the base part and, in the starting position of the adjustment movement, is housed in a recess formed on the support part, the inner wall of which forming a resting surface for the adjusting element , the cross section of which tapers in the direction of the support part pivot axis in such a way that, in a translational movement of the adjusting element, the support part is pivotable or pivoted about the support part pivot axis in the direction of the support part pivot axis.   
     
     
         6 . The support device according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the recess is formed in the support part or in a separate component which is connected to the support part.   
     
     
         7 . The support device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the component is made of plastic, preferably designed as an injection molded part.   
     
     
         8 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electromotive drive device is designed in such a way and is operatively connected to the adjusting element that, upon actuation of the drive device, the adjusting element is moved translationally along its linear axis to adjust the support part with respect to the base part.   
     
     
         9 . The support device according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the drive device has at least one Bowden cable which is operatively connected to an electric motor and has a casing and a traction cable housed in the casing, the movable part of which is operatively connected to the adjusting element for translational movement thereof along the linear axis.   
     
     
         10 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 for adjustment of the support part with respect to the base part, the adjusting element resting on the lifting guide element moves translationally with respect thereto, with the lifting guide element being designed or shaped in such a way and operatively connected to the adjusting element in such a way that, in a translational relative movement between the adjusting element and the lifting guide element, the support part is pivoted about the support part pivot axis with respect to the base part.   
     
     
         11 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one lifting guide element has a cross section which is expanding along the linear axis of the adjusting element at least in sections.   
     
     
         12 . The support device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the lifting guide element is shaped in such a way that its cross section expands along the linear axis in such a way that the adjusting element, in the region of the starting position of the adjustment movement, rests on a section of smaller or minimum cross section of the lifting guide element, and in the area of the end position of the adjustment movement, rests on a section of larger or maximum cross section of the lifting guide element.   
     
     
         13 . The support device according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least one lifting guide element is shaped in such a way that its cross section expands in the form of an arc or a ramp at least in sections.   
     
     
         14 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a lever arrangement with at least one lever is arranged in the drive train between the base part and the support part.   
     
     
         15 . The support device according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the lever arrangement has a stand-up lever arrangement with at least one stand-up lever.   
     
     
         16 . The support device according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the stand-up lever arrangement has a first stand-up lever, one end of which is articulated and connected about a first articulation axis to the drive element or a component connected thereto, and the other end of which is articulated and connected about a second articulation axis to a second stand-up lever, the free end of which being operatively connected to the lifting guide element which is acting in a wedge-like manner, the operative connection between the second open stand-up lever and the lifting guide element being configured in such a way that, starting from the starting position of the adjustment movement, in a first kinematic phase the stand-up levers execute a translational movement when not standing up, the free end of the second stand-up lever interacting with the lifting guide element for pivoting the support part with respect to the base part, and that in a second the kinematic phase, the free end of the second stand-up lever runs against a stop, so that the stand-up levers stand up with respect to one another in a pivoting manner about the second articulation axis, whereby the support part with respect to the base part further pivots about the support part pivot axis until the end position of the adjustment movement is reached.   
     
     
         17 . The support device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adjusting element is guided along the linear axis in a linear guide which is formed on the base part.   
     
     
         18 . The support device according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the stand-up lever arrangement is guided in the linear guide.   
     
     
         19 . The support device according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the lever arrangement has a lever mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . The support device according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the lever mechanism has a first lever which is pivotably mounted on the base part about a stationary lever pivot axis parallel to the support part pivot axis, one end of a second lever being articulated to the end facing away from the lever pivot axis and articulated about a first articulation axis which is parallel to the lever pivot axis at a first connection point, the other end of which being articulated and pivotably about a second articulation axis which is parallel to the first articulation axis connected to one end of a third lever at a second connection point, the other end of which being pivotably and shiftably guided in a slot guide in the axial direction of the linear axis, wherein the end of the third lever connected to the second lever at the second connection point is guided shiftably thereon in the longitudinal direction of the support part and articulated thereto, the levers being designed in such a way and connected to the base part or the support part and the drive device and operatively connected such that   in a first kinematic phase, starting from a starting position of the adjustment movement, the first lever is pivoted about the stationary lever pivot axis, the support part resting against the second lever being pivoted about the support part pivot axis, the second lever shifting in the longitudinal direction of the support part away from the support part pivot axis, and the third lever shifting in the slot guide in the direction away from the support part pivot axis, until the third lever in the slot guide runs against a stop formed by the end of the slot guide facing away from the support part pivot axis; and   in a second kinematic phase, the first lever is pivoted further about the stationary lever pivot axis, the third lever being pivoted about the end of the slot guide facing away from the support part pivot axis, the support part lifting from the first connection point between the first lever and the second lever, and the second connection point shifting between the second lever and the third lever in the direction of the end of the support part facing away from the first pivot axis until the end position of the adjustment movement is reached.   
     
     
         21 . The support device according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the lever mechanism has a one-armed first lever which is pivotably mounted on the base part about a stationary lever pivot axis which is parallel to the support part pivot axis, and has a two-armed second lever, wherein the free end of the first lever facing away from the lever pivot axis is articulated about a first articulation axis to the second lever facing away from its ends, wherein one end of the second lever is guided in a linear guide in a translationally movable manner with respect to the lever pivot axis, and the other end of the second lever is articulated and connected to the support part shiftably thereto in the longitudinal direction, the operative connection between the lever mechanism, the drive device and the base part and the support part being configured in such a way that   in a first kinematic phase, starting from a starting position of the adjustment movement, the end of the second lever guided in the linear guide shifts in the direction of the lever pivot axis, with the other end of the second lever being located in the area of the end of the support part facing away from the support part pivot axis, whereby the support part is pivoted about the support part pivot axis; and   in a second kinematic phase, the end of the second lever facing the lever pivot axis shifts further in the direction of the lever pivot axis, while the end of the second lever facing away from the lever pivot axis shifts with respect to the support part in the direction of the support part pivot axis, whereby the support part is pivoted further about the support part pivot axis with respect to the base part until the end position of the adjustment movement is reached.