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(11) | EP 1 172 048 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A shelf support and a device for moving said support |
(57) This invention relates to a shelf support and a device for moving said support (2)
along a path wherein said device comprises an arm (1) that is pivotally and fixedly
connected to a base (9), about an axis of rotation (6) at one end of the arm (1) and
said shelf support (2) is pivotally suspended by a support shaft (5) which is pivotally
connected to said arm (1), which shaft (5) is spaced apart form said axis of rotation
(6), said device comprising:
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TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to a shelf support and a device for moving said shelf support. It should be understood that the term shelf support should be construed in a broad way, to include any device comprising a shelf (or a similar means), e.g. a cupboard.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Devices of this type are used to lower shelves and cupboards form a position high up on a wall to a position lower down in order to facilitate access to articles placed high up, which fulfils a big need, especially for disabled persons. A typical area of application is the raising and lowering of shelves in an overhead cupboard in a kitchen.
[0003] A number of such devices are known. Reference can be made, for example, to NO-163 162, DE- 1 554 464, DE-3 215 572, DE-3 914 307, DE-2 721 307, EP-242811, EP-661015, EP-402283, DE-3 635 592, DE-2 919 610, DE-3 433 137 and DE-2 524 406. The devices according to these publications function along the principle that the cupboard or shelves are guided vertically, or in some cases slantwise, on rails or by devices of arms of a parallelogram configuration. These raising and lowering devices are set to guide the cupboard/shelves along a fixed path, which in the case of the rail-guided devices is a straight line, whereas it is a circular arc in the case of the devices which make use of arms of parallelogram configuration. The path which the cupboard/shelves follow is fixed once and for all when the device is installed.
[0004] None of these known devices makes it possible to lower an overhead cupboard below the level of a kitchen counter or a work bench. Rail guides running on the outside of the kitchen counter would be inconceivable, as these would prevent normal use of the kitchen counter. Nor do the parallelogram-guided devices provide any possibility of lowering, for example, an overhead cupboard below the kitchen counter. The lowering facility is limited by the length of arms, which in turn is limited by the height of the ceiling or the depth of the cupboard. For many disabled persons this may be insufficient to enable them to reach the top shelves in the overhead cupboard.
[0005] The raising and lowering devices, which function with the aid of arms of parallelogram configuration, have arms consisting of several links, which inevitably results in a certain slack and above all the danger of the arms "scissoring" the wrong way when the arms assume a position parallel to or almost parallel to one another. A second problem with the parallelogram mechanism is that when the sides (the arms) of the parallelogram approach one another a great moment of force is exerted on the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism must therefore be dimensioned so as to be very strong or, alternatively, the moment of force must be compensated by means of weights or springs. Since the moment of force varies greatly depending upon the weight of the shelves, the weight or springs will not be able to compensate satisfactorily.
[0006] From WO 97/00631 there is known a shelves support and device, which solves the above problems. However, also this known device does present some disadvantages. A major problem is its expensive design. Despite its supreme functionality in comparison with existing prior art devices, it has been difficult to get it onto the market due to its high cost. A further disadvantage is that the device according to WO 97/00631 uses an endless device, e.g. an endless chain, for transmitting rotational movement. Firstly, this is a rather expensive solution. Secondly it might be difficult to adjust the length of such an endless device. Thirdly it controls rotational movement in both directions, which possibly might cause injures, since there is no releasing mechanism that could disengage the force that is mechanically transmitted by the endless device.
BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the invention to eliminate or at least minimize the above defined problems, which is achieved by a device based on the principles disclosed in WO 97/00631 and which is characterized by the elongate rotation transmission device having one inner end and one outer end, wherein said inner end is fixedly attached in relation to said base and said outer end is fixedly attached to said rotating device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] In the following the invention will be explained more in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein
- Fig. 1
- shows one embodiment according to the invention in a side view in an upper position
- Fig. 2 A-B
- shows slightly different side views of a device as shown in Fig. 1 in two different upper positions,
- Fig. 3
- shows in a schematic way the tension acting in a cable in different positions,
- Fig. 4
- shows a front view of the device shown in fig. 1,
- Figs. 5 A-B
- show a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention, having a releasing mechanism, in an unreleased position,
- Fig. 6 A-B
- show a slightly modified embodiment according to Figs. 5 partly, in a released position,
- Figs. 7-12
- show specific features of different embodiments of details for the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] In Fig. 1 there is shown a first embodiment of a device according to the invention, in a side view. There is schematically shown a shelf support 2, which supports a number of shelves 3. A preferred application would be a shelf support 2 forming a part of a kitchen cupboard positioned above the kitchen counter. On the back of the shelf support 2 there is fixedly attached a bracket device 40, which can be seen as a rotating device 16. The bracket 40 is preferably attached to the cupboard by means of screws or similar attachment means (not shown). The bracket 40 comprises an arcuate portion 41 at the upper end thereof. The arcuate portion 41 has a surface 42 which is displaced along a radius R1. The bracket 40 is connected to an arm 1 by means of a shaft 5. The shaft 5 is preferably a separate part but may also be a stub shaft integrated with the arm 1 or the bracket 40. The arm 1 and the bracket 40 may pivot in relation to each other about the shaft 5. At the lower end the arm 1 is pivotally attached to a second a shaft 6, which is positioned within a second bracket 50, which may be seen as load transmitting device 13. The second bracket 50 is fixedly attached to a base portion 9, which is attached to a wall (or similar) by means of appropriate attachment means, e.g. screws. As shown in this embodiment, the second bracket 50 may be integral with the base portion 9. Also the second bracket 50 comprises an arcuate portion 51 which is positioned at its upper portion and which has a surface 52 being displaced along a constant radius R2. In the preferred embodiment R1 is the same as R2, as will be explained further below. Between the first 40 and the second 50 bracket there is arranged a flexible rotation transmitting device 14, e.g. a steel cable, a chain or the like. At its upper end 14A the rotation transmitting device 14, e.g. cable, it is fixedly attached to the bracket 40 and positioned such that it 14 is in contact with the arcuate surface 42. At its lower end 14B the flexible device 14 is adjustably attached to the second bracket 50, preferably by means of a threaded bore 58 and a screw 59 which is attached to the outer end of the flexible device 14, such that the length of the cable 14 extending between the brackets 40, 50 may be adjusted.
[0010] Within the lower half (inner half) of the arm 1 (about 1/3 from its inner end) there is arranged (integral or attached) a first lifting bracket 34 having a shaft/pin, protruding into a hole 33 at one end of a lifting device 30. At the upper end of the lifting device 30 there is a second hole 32, which is pivotally arranged about a shaft/pin within a second lifting bracket 31, which is fixedly attached to the upper part of the base portion 9. The lifting device 30 preferably is a kind of an electrically powered thread/gear mechanism, by means of which the arm 1 may be moved up and down. The lifting device 30 may also be in the form of a hydraulic or pneumatic device, or anything else known in the art suitable for lifting and lowering an arm. Thanks to arranging the lower part of the lifting device 30 closer to the inner shaft 6 then the outer shaft 5 of the arm, a large movement of the shelf support 2 obtained despite a rather limited movement of the lifting device 30. This is a big advantage, since normally it is better to use a lifting device that can be moved a limited distance back and forth, but that can take relatively much load. The opposite is more difficult and normally less reliable due to the desire of preferably using a limited amount of a space available for mounting of the lifting device.
[0011] In figs. 2A and fig. 2B there are shown two different positions of a device according to the invention. In fig. 2A the device is in its innermost position such that the arm 1 and the shelf support 2 are substantially vertically arranged in a position adjacent the base 9 which is attached to e.g. a wall. It can be seen that the device forms are very compact unit in its innermost position. In fig. 2B there is shown a position where the device is in an outer position, but where the arm 1 is slightly above being horizontal. Furthermore this schematic view shows that a shaft/pin 32 may be arranged in a hole which is formed in a bracket 9A that is integral with the base 9.
[0012] In fig. 3 there is shown the basically same device as in fig. 1 and figs. 2 but in one position where the arm has been lowered to a position where it is below a horizontal level. It can be understood that the force S2 acting in the cable 14 in the lower position is much larger than it is S1 in an upper position (supposing the same load F exerted by the cupboard 2, 3), because the lever arm A2 is much smaller in the lower position than it A1 is in the upper position. This is achieved by positioning the lower axis 6 off-centred in relation to the centre C of the radius R2 of the arcuate surface 52 and displaced a distance L outwardly in relation to the base 9. This arrangement provides for extra security, since if the cable should break it will happen when the cupboard is in its lowermost position. For the skilled man it is evident that this kind of security may be achieved by forming the arcuate portions in many different manners. Furthermore it is evident that any other position, than the lowermost position, may be used for having the maximum load in the cable, e.g. by positioning the shafts 5, 6 differently in relation to the arcuated surfaces 42, 52. However, in most applications it appears to be preferred that the cable (if damaged) should brake at the lowermost position of the cupboard.
[0013] In fig. 4 there is shown a perspective front view of the device shown in figs. 1-3. As can be seen in this figure the base portion 9 is made of a plate like base part 9B having a frame of protruding edges 9C. Furthermore it shows that two cables 14 are used. Moreover the arm 1 is made of a plate like base part 1C which at its sides is arranged with reinforcing ribs1A, 1B. Thanks to this design lengthy pivoting attachments are formed for the shaft 5, 6 for the arm 1, which provides for strength and stable movement. Furthermore the adjustability of the cables 14, which can be made independently one from the other, makes it possible to exactly adjust the path of movement of the device. It should be understood that one and the same size of the device may be used for different sizes of cupboards. Moreover it is possible to use one such device to move a number of cupboards which are clamped together sidewise. As is evident it is the maximum capacity of the device, concerning load, which sets the limit.
[0014] In fig. 5A there is shown a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment, with an integrated security mechanism, in an unreleased position. It is shown that the arm 1 is divided into a base portion 1D and top portion 1E, which are joined to each other by means of a shaft 60. The top portion 1E may pivot about the shaft 60 in an inward direction, from the position shown in fig. 5A. The top portion 1E cannot pivot in the other direction, since an extension 61 of the base portion 1D extends above the position for the shaft 60, which accordingly forms a limit stop for the top portion 1E. In the same manner as described above, the rotating device 16 is pivotally attached to a shaft 5 at the top of the arm 1, i.e. at the top end of the top portion 1E. Since the load from the shelf support 2 (not shown) provides a torque at force (see fig. 3) in the rotating device 16, the top portion 1E will be urged against the stop limit 61. In some arrangements it may be desired to use a locking mechanism to securely hold the top portion 1D against the stop limit 61, especially when the arm is in its innermost position (vertical). Such locking mechanism could comprise an excenter bolt that would move with the lifting device, which bolt could push a locking pin into engagement in a hole. In other aspects the device function as described above.
[0015] In fig. 5B there is shown a front view of a slightly modified device as shown in fig. 5A. It can be seen that the top portion 1E of the arm 1 is modified and made up of two different pieces 64, 65. One of the pieces 64 is made of rod like device being pivotally attached to the intermediate shaft/axis 60 and with its top end to the upper shaft 5. The other piece 65, which is triangular shaped, has its widest part pivotally attached to the intermediate shaft 60 and its top edge pivotally attached to the outer shaft 5.
[0016] Thanks to the flexible wire 14 and the use of an extra pivoting shaft 60 the cupboard now have the possibility to move around 360° at its lower end. Accordingly, the cupboard may tilt about the shaft 5 more than 180° at the same time as it may pivot about 10 extra shaft 60 180°. Hence, the cupboard has many different possibilities to "move away" in order to eliminate possible squeezing actions or similar.
[0017] In fig. 6A there is shown principally the same as already has been described in figures 5A and 5B. There is shown a cupboard 3 being fixedly attached to the bracket 40 which is pivotally attached to top portion 1E of the arm 1. The top portion 1E is pivotally arranged above the bracket 40 by means of the shaft 5, and also in relation to the base portion 1D of the arm about the intermediate shaft 60. The base portion 9 is fixedly attached to a wall. Furthermore, fig. 6A shows that the base portion 1D of the arm is arranged with a cable controlling device 1F. This cable controlling device 1F will assist in controlling the position of the cupboard 3 during a pivoting action about the intermediate shaft 60.
[0018] In Fig. 6B there is shown the same device as in Fig. 6A, but in a released position. It can be seen that the top portion 1E of the arm 1 has pivoted inwardly due to an upwardly directed force having been applied to the cupboard 3. The force is produced due to the cupboard hitting an object 100 on its way down. Thanks to the rotation transmitting device 14 being flexible, the pivoting device 16 and the top portion 1E may pivot about the shaft 60, which consequently also produces a pivoting movement of the shelf support 2/cupboard. Accordingly this mechanism may eliminate possible injuries. It should be noted that the cable controlling device 1F would assist in controlling the movement of the cupboard 3 in relation to the object 100. Depending on the position of the front edge of the cable controlling device 1F, the cupboard will move along different paths during a continued downward movement of the arm 1. With a cable controlling device as shown in fig. 6B, a continued rotation of the base portion 1D of the arm will cause the cupboard to tilt inwardly, since the edge of the cable controlling device 1F will exert a pulling action in the cable 14 which moves the upper part of the cupboard 3 inwardly at the same time as the top portion 1E of the arm also provides an inwardly acting force when pivoting about the intermediate shaft 60. It is evident that the positioning of the cable controlling device 1F can be altered into many different positions, to alter the movement of the cupboard 3 to follow different desired paths. Furthermore it is evident that if no cable controlling device is used the cupboard 3 would be free to tilt forwardly and/or backwardly, since the cable 14 would then allow such a tilting movement.
[0019] In Fig. 7 there is shown an interlocking device (as described in general terms above), which can lock the top portion 1E of the arm to the base portion 1D of the arm. The interlocking mechanism comprises a first rod 92 which is pivotally attached the lowermost bracket 40 at a position spaced from the shaft 6 for the arm 1. The top end of the first rod 92 is in its turn pivotally attached to a second rod 90, which is movably arranged within a sleeve 91. Above the sleeve 91, within the top portion 1D of the arm there is arranged a female interlocking device 93, which may be penetrated by the movable rod 90 (see the innermost position) such that the arm parts 1D, 1E are secured to each other in a non-pivoting manner.
[0020] In Fig. 8 there is shown a preferred embodiment of a bracket 50, which also can be seen as the load transmitting device 13. The bracket is preferably made by string casting, such that a regular smooth arcuate surface 52 is formed. Preferably it is also form with longitudinal through holes in order to optimise the use of goods. Further more it is shown that there is a hole 53 for attaching the shaft 6 for the arm 1. Moreover, it is shown that the bracket 50 can be adjustably attached to the base portion 9, by means of attaching it with a screw 54 which cooperates with a slot 56 and by means of which the brackets 50 can be somewhat tilted about an attachment shaft 55, e.g. to adjust in relation to irregularities of a wall.
[0021] In Fig. 9 there is shown a schematic view of the same kind of bracket 50 as in Fig. 8, but with a different adjusting mechanism. Here the adjustment is in the form of a threaded screw 56, which passes through the bracket 50 and cooperates with a threaded bolt 57, fixedly attached to the base portion 9. By being pivotally arranged about the shaft 55, the bracket 50 may be tilted.
[0022] In Fig. 10 there is shown principally the same as in Fig. 8. However, this cross sectional view also shows the existence of a through hole 58, having a specific configuration, which is intended for cooperation with an adjustment mechanism 59 for adjusting the length of the cable 14. To provide for some resiliency a dish spring 14D may be arranged adjacent the end stop 14C of the cable 14.
[0023] In Fig. 11 there is shown a cross sectional view of a bracket 40 intended for attachment at the top of the arm 1. It is shown that this bracket can also be arranged with a mounting device 47 for attachment of the outer end 14B of the cable 14. Possibly also this end may be arranged with an adjusting mechanism. Further more it is shown that there are arranged three through holes, which are intended for different purposes, i.e. the arm shaft 5 and two holes 48, 49 for fixing the bracket to the shelf support 2. In fig. 12 there is shown the same kind of bracket 40 in a perspective view. It shows that a recess 44 provides space for the lifting mechanism 30 when the device is in its innermost position.
[0024] It should be understood that the invention is not limited to what is described above but may be varied within the scope of the appended claims. For instance, it is evident that many different kind of materials may be used to produce different details of the device, e.g. aluminium, steel, plastics, etc. Also many different kind of producing techniques may be used for the different details, e.g. form moulding, string casting, forging, etc. It is also evident that the arm 1 may be divided into two or more parallelly arranged arms.
[0025] It is also evident that any male/female connection described, e.g. the pivoting attachment device of the lifting device 30, may be made one or the other way, i.e. the pin/shaft being attached to the lifting device or the bracket and vice versa. Further it is evident that many kind of shafts/pins may be used to arrange for any of the axes described above. Finally it is evident that the device 92 that provides the locking action for the locking rod 90 may be attached in many different positions (e.g. to the base portion 9) but still providing the same kind of function.
1. A shelf support and a device for moving said support (2) along a path wherein said
device comprises an arm (1) that is pivotally and fixedly connected to a base (9),
about an axis of rotation (6) at one end of the arm (1) and said shelf support (2)
is pivotally suspended by a support shaft (5) which is pivotally connected to said
arm (1), which shaft (5) is spaced apart form said axis of rotation (6), said device
comprising:
- a load transmission device (13) at the axis of rotation (6), which load transmission device (13) is operationally fixed, connected to the base (9),
- at least one rotating device (16) pivotally mounted in the arm (1) about said support shaft (5),
- an elongate rotation transmission device (14), which extends at least from the load transmission device (13) to the rotating device (16), and wherein said,
- rotating means (16) is operationally fixed connected to said support (2), so that when the arm (1) is turned about the axis of rotation (6) the load transmission device (13) transmits the relative rotational movement between the arm (1) and the load transmission device (13) via the rotation transmission device (14) to the rotating device (16), so that the position of the support (2) is controlled dependent upon the position of the arm (1) characterized in said elongate rotation transmission device (14) having one inner end (14A) and one outer end (14B) wherein said inner end (14A) is operationally fixed attached in relation to said base (9) and said outer end (14B) is operationally fixed attached to said rotating device (16).
2. A shelf support and device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said ends (14A, 14B) is adjustably attached, such that the length
of said rotational transmission device (14) may be adjusted.
3. A shelf support and device according to claim 1, characterized in that said load transmission device (13) is in the form of fixed support having an arcuate
surface (13A), preferably displaced along a constant radius (R), and which surface
(13A) interacts with said rotation transmission device (14).
4. A shelf support and device according to claim 3, characterized in that said surface (13A) extends a delimited portion of a circle preferably 45-270°, and
more preferred 60 - 180°.
5. A shelf support and device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said load transmission device (13) and its lower end is operationally fixed attached
to said base portion (9), preferably by being integral therewith.
6. A shelf support and device according to claim 1, characterized in that said rotating device (16) is arranged with an arcuate surface (16A), preferably displaced
along a constant radius (R2).
7. A shelf support and device according to claim 6, characterized in that said surface (16A) extends a delimited portion of a circle preferably 45 - 270°,
and more preferred 60 - 180°.
8. A shelf support and device according to claim 7, characterized in that the lower end of said rotating device (16) is operationally fixed attached, preferably
by being integral, to a support structure which is fixedly joint with, preferably
by be integral, to said shelf support (2).
9. A shelf support and device according to claim 1, characterized in that said arm, adjacent the outer end thereof, is divided into a base (1D) and a top portion
(1E), such that said portion may pivot about intermediate axis (60).
10. A shelf support and device according to claim 9, characterized in that a cable controlling device (1F) is arranged on said base portion (1D), for retaining
the elongate flexible device (14).