[0001] Comfortable seating furniture is designed primarily to enable good seating, relaxation
and rest. Many people, and particularly older people, are however limited in their
mobility and motor functions and find it difficult to sit in such an article of furniture.
Sitting down usually requires little effort, but the strength in arms and legs required
for standing up again is often lacking. In order to obviate this drawback of normally
comfortable seating furniture, adjustable armchairs have been specially developed
for senior citizens and people with a physical disability: the so-called stand-up
chairs. These adjustable chairs are characterized in that a construction is arranged
in the chair under the seat which enables raising and tilting of the seat, and often
also the seat back. Such stand-up chairs are described inter alia in EP-A-1 031 337,
WO-A-98/29082, DE-A-198 44 240, GB-A-2 344 512.
[0002] In these known constructions the raising movement of the chair is combined with the
tilting of the chair seat and seat back. Owing to this combined movement the legs
of the person sitting in the chair are stretched, while his or her back is pushed
forward. Both movements together help the person to stand up without great effort.
Conversely, a person standing in front of the chair can be helped into the sitting
position by carrying out the combined movement in opposite direction.
[0003] These known constructions have a number of drawbacks. The construction is formed
integrally with the chair, is incorporated into the chair in the space under and/or
adjacently of the seat. For the user this means that, when standing-up becomes more
difficult, he or she must purchase another chair and cannot make use of his/her own
familiar, comfortable chair. The choice from the range of stand-up furniture is limited
and the investment in a new article of furniture is usually considerable.
[0004] US-A-4 786 107 discloses an auxiliary device intended for addition to an article
of seating furniture with a seat back, for instance a chair or settee, which auxiliary
device comprises:
a first frame for placing on the ground;
a second frame disposed movably relative to the first frame;
support means present on the second frame for supporting an article of seating furniture;
and
drive means operative between the first frame and the second frame for displacing
the second frame relative to those zones of the first frame with which this latter
can support on the floor,
the effective length of the support means being adjustable.
[0005] A high degree of flexibility in the application and use of the auxiliary device of
said type is obtained with an auxiliary device of said type wherein the effective
width of the support means is adjustable.
[0006] It is important that this adjustability can be used such that the first frame substantially
does not protrude outside the support means or outside the chair supported thereby.
This prevents the possibility of a user or other people bumping against the first
frame. It is however recommended to make said length and/or width as great as possible.
This enhances the stability of the auxiliary device in combination with the seating
furniture supported thereby.
[0007] Advantageously, the auxiliary device according to the invention may be characterized
in that the support means comprises two front plates and two rear plates, said plates
being supported by the second frame in a way such that they are individually laterally
adjustable.
[0008] A stable positioning of the seating furniture on the plates is secured with an embodiment,
in which each plate has a general rectangular form and is provided with two upright
walls extending along its two outer sides.
[0009] The auxiliary device is preferably embodied such that the drive means are adapted
to raise and/or tilt the second frame relative to those zones of the first frame with
which this latter can support on the floor.
[0010] A very simple and inexpensive, but nevertheless mechanically very stable embodiment
of the auxiliary device according to the invention has the special feature that the
first frame comprises two frame parts which can swivel in mutually opposing directions,
of which one comprises at least one wheel or roller and the other frame part has at
least one fixed convex tilting surface such that, when these frame parts are swivelled
toward each other, the second frame is displaced relative to those zones of the first
frame with which this latter can support on the floor.
[0011] When the position of the first and the second frame is changed, a tilting takes place
wherein said frame part rolls over the convex tilting surface, while the other frame
part rolls over the ground with the at least one wheel or the at least one roller.
[0012] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the above stated auxiliary device
can have the special feature that on its side remote from said wheel or said roller
the second frame bears a number of wheels or rollers necessary for mechanical stability
which in the lowest position of the second frame, together with said wheel or said
wheels or roll or rollers, make the auxiliary device movable over the ground.
[0013] With this embodiment the auxiliary device, optionally with a chair supported thereby,
can be moved over the ground easily in said lowest position of the second frame. The
wheels or rollers can be fixed or swivellable.
[0014] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the auxiliary device has the special
feature that the second frame is provided on its underside with a third frame which
is disposed for rotation about a substantially vertical axis relative to the second
frame and which supports on the ground in the lowest position of the second frame
and in this position rotatably supports the first and second frame. The swivel angular
position of the auxiliary device, and thereby that of a chair supported thereby, can
hereby be adjusted as desired.
[0015] Attention is generally drawn to the fact that the length and width of the support
means, and optionally of the first frame, at the front and the rear can be adjusted
together or, if desired, on an individual basis.
[0016] In yet another embodiment, the auxiliary device has the special feature that it comprises
fixation means for fixing an article of seating furniture supported by the support
means to these support means. Such fixation means can in some circumstances enhance
the mechanical stability of the combination of the auxiliary device according to the
invention and a chair supported thereby. These fixation means are attached on one
side to the article of furniture, for instance to the legs, and on the other side
to the support means.
[0017] The invention further relates to an assembly of at least two auxiliary devices as
according to the above stated specification for jointly supporting an article of multi-seat
furniture. This assembly according to the invention has the special feature that the
auxiliary devices are coupled electrically and/or mechanically such that the movements
of the second frames relative to the first frames are substantially the same.
[0018] The auxiliary device can be constructed with small overall dimensions. A relatively
narrow zone on two sides of the second frame can be used to support a chair. A small
remaining zone in the middle of the upper part of the second frame can be higher and
provides space for drive means, for instance a hydraulic or electric actuator, which
provides for the relative displacement of the second frame and the first frame.
[0019] The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings
of a number of exemplary embodiments, to which the invention is not limited.
[0020] In the drawings:
Fig. 1, 2 and 3 show side views of an auxiliary device according to the invention
in respectively the lowest position or rest position, a raised position and a highest
position, in which the second frame is not only raised but has also undergone a forward
tilting, wherein the seat back part of a chair is raised further than the front part
of the chair;
Fig. 4, 5 and 6 show side views of the auxiliary devices of Fig. 1, 2 and 3 on smaller
scale, wherein a chair is supported by the auxiliary device;
Fig. 7 shows a more detailed perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the auxiliary
device according to the invention;
Fig. 8 and 9 show respectively the raised and the low or rest position of an auxiliary
device, on the one side of which the first frame is provided with a set of wheels
and on the other side of which the second frame is provided with a set of wheels;
Fig. 10 and 11 show respectively the raised and the low or rest position of an auxiliary
device, the second frame of which is provided on its underside with a turntable base;
and
Fig. 12 and 13 are perspective views of tubes with support plates for the legs of
a chair in two mutually differing, laterally adjusted positions.
[0021] The operating principle of the mechanism of auxiliary device 1 is described with
reference to Fig. 1, 2 and 3. Drive 4 is placed between two torsion tubes 2 and 3
placed parallel to each other. Mounted on torsion tube 2 is one pair of rods 5, the
outer ends of which end in tilting supports 6. On torsion tube 3 is mounted one pair
of rods 7, the outer ends of which are provided with support wheels 8. From the low
or rest position drawn in Fig. 1 the drive rotates the two torsion tubes 2 and 3 simultaneously,
whereby support wheels 8 move in the direction of tilting supports 6. The tilting
supports tilt about a fixed point. The movement of both pairs of rods 5 and 7 results
in raising of the two torsion tubes 2 and 3. The pair of rods 9 provides for the synchronization
of the movements of the pair of rods 5 and the pair of rods 7. A raised position of
the mechanism is drawn in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 shows the highest position of the mechanism.
The characteristic of the auxiliary device can be set subject to the lengths of the
two rod pairs 5 and 7, the distance between torsion tubes 2 and 3 and the position
of rotation points 10 and 11. The auxiliary device can as required thus raise, tilt
or perform a combination of raising and tilting.
[0022] Fig. 4, 5 and 6 show the practical use of auxiliary device 1 as stand-up aid for
use under a comfortable article of seating furniture 30. From the low or rest position
(Fig. 4) the raising and tilting movement are initiated simultaneously at the chosen
characteristic of the auxiliary device (Fig. 5). In the highest position (Fig. 6)
the chair is raised about 10 cm and the seat part is tilted through an angle of about
15 degrees. Actuator 4 for moving the auxiliary device can take a mechanical or electrical
form, with a preference for electrical. The movement of the stand-up aid is controlled
by the user seated in the article of furniture. In order to prevent wear to the floor
surface by the tilting or wheel supports under the auxiliary device, a wear-resistant
strip or shallow U-shaped channel can be arranged on the path of the wheel supports.
[0023] Fig. 7 shows the preferred embodiment of the auxiliary device for use as stand-up
aid under seating furniture. The support surface for the chair is formed by two rear
plates 12 and two front plates 13. Adjustment of the auxiliary device to the dimensions
of the chair is possible in that rear plates 12 can be displaced relative to front
plates 13 by sliding tubes 14a in or out of tubes 14. In width direction of the chair
displacement of the left-hand side of the auxiliary device relative to the right-hand
side takes place by sliding tubes 2a, 15a and 3a in or out of tubes 2, 15 and 3 respectively.
Tubes 2a, 3a, 15a can be fixed in a chosen position relative to tubes 2, 3, 15 by
means of locking screws 23, 24, 25. In the same manner tube 14a can be fixed in a
chosen position relative to tube 14 by means of locking screws 26, 36. For use under
wide seating furniture with a plurality of mutually adjacent seats, the two sides
of the auxiliary device can be placed further apart by applying extra-long connecting
tubes.
[0024] In Fig. 8 the preferred embodiment of auxiliary device 1 for use as stand-up aid
under an article of seating furniture is provided with one additional pair of wheels
16. When the auxiliary device is moved from an active position as shown in Fig. 8
to the lowest position, these wheels 16 will make contact at a given moment with the
floor surface and the auxiliary device will begin to support on these wheels 16. The
arranging of the additional wheels 16 makes the stand-up aid with chair movable in
the lowest or rest position as shown in Fig. 9.
[0025] In Fig. 10 the preferred embodiment of auxiliary device 1 for use as stand-up aid
under an article of seating furniture is provided with a turntable base 17. As the
auxiliary device is moved from a raised position as shown in Fig. 10 to the lowest
position, this turntable base 17 will make contact at a given moment with the floor
surface and auxiliary device 1 will begin to support on this turntable base 17. The
arranging of turntable base 17 under the stand-up aid with chair provides the option,
in the lowest or rest position as shown in Fig. 11, of first rotating the article
of furniture before setting the stand-up aid into operation to enable standing up
from the chair. When the chair is used at a dining table or writing table, the turntable
base provides the opportunity to turn to a position in which there is sufficient space
to stand up.
[0026] Fig. 12 and 13 show the tube 14a which bears rear plate 12 such that it is laterally
adjustable as according to arrow 19. This lateral adjustability is realized by making
use of a plate 18 which is rigidly coupled to tube 14a and provided with continuous
slotted holes 20 which extend in transverse direction and are used to secure rear
plate 12 in a chosen transverse position by means of screw bolts.
[0027] Not drawn are clamps which are clamped fixedly to the legs of the article of furniture
and fastened by means of screws to the four plates 18 which support these legs.
[0028] Fig. 7 in particular shows clearly that according to the invention the effective
length and the effective width of the support means as well as the effective length
and the effective width of the first frame are adjustable in this embodiment.
1. Auxiliary device (1) intended for addition to an article of seating furniture with
a seat back, for instance a chair or settee, which auxiliary device comprises:
a first frame (5, 7) for placing on the ground;
a second frame (14) disposed movably relative to the first frame;
support means (12, 13) present on the second frame for supporting an article of seating
furniture; and
drive means (4) operative between the first frame and the second frame for displacing
the second frame relative to those zones of the first frame with which this latter
can support on the floor,
the effective length of the support means being adjustable,
characterized in that
the effective width of the support means is adjustable.
2. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support means comprises two front
plates and two rear plates, said plates being supported by the second frame in a way
such that they are individually laterally adjustable.
3. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 2, in which each plate has a general rectangular
form and is provided with two upright walls extending along its two outer sides.
4. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means are adapted to raise
and/or tilt the second frame relative to those zones of the first frame with which
this latter can support on the floor.
5. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises two frame
parts (2, 3) which can swivel in mutually opposing directions of which one comprises
at least one wheel or roller (8) and the other frame part has at least one fixed convex
tilting surface such that, when these frame parts are swivelled toward each other,
the second frame is displaced relative to those zones of the first frame with which
this latter can support on the floor.
6. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 5, wherein on its side remote from said wheel
or said roller the second frame bears a number of wheels or rollers necessary for
mechanical stability which in the lowest position of the second frame, together with
said wheel or said wheels or roll or rollers, make the auxiliary device movable over
the ground.
7. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second frame is provided on its
underside with a third frame (17) which is disposed for rotation about a substantially
vertical axis and which supports on the ground in the lowest position of the second
frame and in this position rotatably supports the first and second frame.
8. Auxiliary device as claimed in claim 1, comprising fixation means for fixing an article
of seating furniture supported by the support means to these support means.
9. Assembly of at least two auxiliary devices as claimed in any of the foregoing claims,
for jointly supporting an article of multi-seat furniture, wherein the auxiliary devices
are coupled electrically and/or mechanically such that the movements of the second
frames relative to the first frames are substantially the same.
1. Hilfsvorrichtung (1) zur Ausrüstung eines Sitzmöbels mit einer Rückenlehne, z.B. eines
Sessels oder eines Sofas, wobei die Hilfsvorrichtung umfasst:
einen ersten Rahmen (5,7) zum Stellen auf einen Untergrund;
einen zweiten Rahmen (14), der relativ in Bezug auf den ersten Rahmen beweglich angeordnet
ist; Unterstützungsmittel (12,13), die auf dem zweiten Rahmen sich befinden zum Unterstützen
eines Sitzmöbels; und Antriebsmittel (4), die zwischen dem ersten Rahmen und dem zweiten
Rahmen wirken zum Versetzen des zweiten Rahmens bezogen auf solche Zonen des ersten
Rahmens, mit welchen letzterer auf dem Boden abstützen kann,
wobei die wirksame Länge der Unterstützungsmittel einstellbar ist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
die wirksame Breite der Unterstützungsmittel einstellbar ist.
2. Hilfsvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, worin die Unterstützungsmittel zwei vordere und
zwei hintere Platten umfassen, wobei die Platten durch den zweiten Rahmen auf eine
solche Weise unterstützt sind, dass sie individuell in Querrichtung einstellbar sind.
3. Hilfsvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 2, bei welcher jede Platte eine generell rechteckige
Form aufweist und versehen ist mit zwei senkrechten Wänden, die sich entlang deren
zwei Außenseiten erstrecken.
4. Hilfsvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, worin die Antriebsmittel ausgebildet sind zum Heben
und/oder Neigen des zweiten Rahmens in Bezug auf diejenigen Zonen des ersten Rahmens,
mit denen letzterer auf dem Boden abstützen kann.
5. Hilfsvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, worin der erste Rahmen zwei Rahmenteile (2,3) umfasst,
die in zu einander entgegen gesetzte Richtungen schwenken können, von denen einer
mindestens ein Rad oder eine Rolle (8) aufweist, und wobei der andere Rahmenteil mindestens
eine feste konvexe Neigoberfläche derart aufweist, dass, wenn diese Rahmenteile zueinander
geschwenkt werden, der zweite Rahmen versetzt wird in Bezug auf diejenigen Zonen des
ersten Rahmens, mit denen letzterer auf dem Boden abstützen kann.
6. Hilfsvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 5, worin der zweite Rahmen an seiner von dem Rad oder
der Rolle entfernten Seite eine Anzahl von Rädern oder Rollen trägt, die erforderlich
ist für die mechanische Stabilität, welche in der niedrigsten Position des zweiten
Rahmens, zusammen mit besagtem Rad oder besagten Rädern oder Rolle oder Rollen, die
Hilfsvorrichtung über dem Untergrund beweglich macht.
7. Hilfsvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, worin der zweite Rahmen an seiner Unterseite mit
einem dritten Rahmen (17) versehen ist, der zur Drehung um eine im Wesentlichen senkrechte
Achse angeordnet ist und der in der niedrigsten Position des zweiten Rahmens auf dem
Untergrund abstützt und in dieser Position den ersten und zweiten Rahmen drehbar unterstützt.
8. Hilfsvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1,
umfassend Befestigungsmittel zum Befestigen eines durch die Unterstützungsmittel gestützten
Sitzmöbels an diesen Unterstützungsmitteln.
9. Anordnung von mindestens zwei Hilfsvorrichtungen gemäß irgendeinem der vorhergehenden
Ansprüche, zur gemeinsamen Unterstützung eines mehrplätzigen Sitzmöbels, worin die
Hilfsvorrichtungen elektrisch und/oder mechanisch miteinander derart gekoppelt sind,
dass die Bewegungen der zweiten Rahmen im Bezug auf die ersten Rahmen im Wesentlichen
dieselben sind.
1. Dispositif auxiliaire attachable à un meuble d'assise avec un dossier, par exemple
une chaise ou un canapé, lequel dispositif auxiliaire comprend :
un premier cadre pour le placer sur le sol ;
un second cadre placé de manière mobile par rapport au premier cadre ;
des moyens de support présents sur le second cadre pour soutenir un meuble d'assise
; et
des moyens de commande fonctionnant entre le premier cadre et le second cadre pour
déplacer le second cadre par rapport aux zones du premier cadre avec lesquelles ce
dernier peut reposer sur le sol,
la longueur effective du moyen de support étant réglable,
caractérisé en ce que
la largeur effective du moyen de support est réglable.
2. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le moyen de support comprend
deux plaques avant et deux plaques arrière, lesdites plaques étant soutenues par le
second cadre de manière à ce qu'elles soient réglables latéralement de manière individuelle.
3. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 2, dans lequel chaque plaque présente
une forme généralement rectangulaire et est munie de deux parois verticales s'étendant
le long de ses deux côtés extérieurs.
4. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les moyens de commande
sont adaptés pour soulever et/ou incliner le second cadre par rapport aux zones du
premier cadre avec lesquelles ce dernier peut reposer sur le sol.
5. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le premier cadre comprend
deux parties de cadre qui peuvent pivoter dans des directions mutuellement opposées
dont l'une comprend au moins une roue ou un galet et l'autre partie de cadre présente
au moins une face de bascule convexe fixe de manière à ce que lorsque ces parties
de cadre sont pivotées en direction l'une de l'autre, le second cadre est déplacé
par rapport aux zones du premier cadre avec lesquelles ce dernier peut reposer sur
le sol.
6. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 5, dans lequel sur son côté éloigné de
ladite roue ou dudit galet, le second cadre supporte un nombre de roues ou de galets
nécessaires à la stabilité mécanique, qui dans la position la plus basse du second
cadre, avec ladite ou lesdites roue(s) ou ledit ou lesdits galet(s), rendent le dispositif
auxiliaire mobile sur le sol.
7. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le second cadre est muni
sur son côté inférieur d'un troisième cadre qui est placé pour tourner sur un axe
essentiellement vertical et qui repose sur le sol dans la position la plus basse du
second cadre et dans cette position soutient de manière rotative les premier et second
cadres.
8. Dispositif auxiliaire selon la revendication 1 comprenant des moyens de fixation pour
fixer un meuble d'assise soutenu par les moyens de support sur ces moyens de support.
9. Assemblage d'au moins deux dispositifs auxiliaires selon l'une quelconque des revendications
précédentes, pour conjointement soutenir un meuble multi-assises, dans lequel les
dispositifs auxiliaires sont couplés électriquement et/ou mécaniquement de manière
à ce que les mouvements des seconds cadres par rapport aux premiers cadres soient
essentiellement les mêmes.