Articulated Fitting For A Head Part Frame Of A Foldable Mattress Frame

An articulated fitting which is arranged symmetrically on two sides of a head part frame (4) and a foldable lying frame (3) which are maintained on a base frame (1) with several four-bar mechanisms (2A-2B-2C-1; 2D-2B-34A-36) which are connected by means of a folding rod assembly (22) and wherein a locking iron (10) is connected to a guide element (34) and guided in a slider and a locking pin (9) of the head part frame (4) engages therein and locks in a flat lying position, optionally in an inclined relaxed position or a steep sitting position, wherein a release lever (17) provided with locking lobes (18, 19) extends between the four-bar mechanism and a locking journal (12) on the locking iron (10) in a spring-loaded non-positive fit or a locking lever with locking lobes extends between the four-bar mechanism and a locking iron member is guided in a spring-loaded non-positive fit with a guide pin in a guide track in an unlocking lever which is coupled to the locking iron (10).

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Description

Articulated fitting, which is arranged symmetrically on two sides of a head part frame of a foldable lying frame, which is maintained in an articulated manner on a base frame with a first four-bar mechanism, which is connected by means of a guide element to a head part frame joint joining the head part frame with a lying part frame, and wherein the guide element is linked to a second four-bar mechanism comprising a coupler and a guide element extension of the guide element situated in the direction of the lying frame, which is part of the first four-bar mechanism, and a coupling element which is connected to an angle lever in a joint at the end of the guide element extension, the other lever arm of which is part of a folding rod assembly of the lying part frame,

and wherein a locking iron with at least one locking notch is connected to the guide element in a flexible manner, and is guided, sliding between limits, in a slider plate, and wherein a locking pin engages in this slider arrangement, said pin being fastened to the head part frame, so that the frame can be locked in a flat lying position, optionally in an inclined relaxed position or a steep sitting position by raising the lying part frame, and released to be brought back to the lying position.

Such an articulated fitting is well-known from DE 693 10 133 T2. In this invention, the coupling element consists of sections which are connected in a flexible manner and which can be joined in a rigid stretched position, and is linked to the slider arrangement, so that the lock, and the locking iron, are released after substantially lifting the lying part frame. When the frame is lowered later on, it is returned to the lying position. Since the lying frame is substantially heavier than the head part, changing from one position to another is also quite difficult.

It is the aim of the invention to make possible an easier and secure adjustment of the head part in relation to the lying part frame, and to guarantee that the head part frame counterbalances the lying part frame concerning the linkage to the base frame, when the lying part frame is folded.

This object is met in such a way, that a release lever provided with locking lobes extends between the joint at the end of the guide element extension of the guide element of the first four-bar mechanism and a locking journal on the locking iron in a spring-loaded non-positive fit; or a locking lever with locking lobes, at one side, extends from a joint at the end of the guide element neighbouring the lying part frame, said element being part of the first four-bar mechanism, to a locking iron joint at the locking iron, and at the other side of said joint, is guided in guide track in an unlocking lever, by means of a guide pin in a spring-loaded non-positive fit, the other end of said lever being coupled to the locking iron.

Favourable embodiments of the invention are indicated in the subclaims.

In a first embodiment, the locking iron, possessing a recess, in which the different locking positions are determined by locking notches, is pressed upward by a spring in such a way that the pin of the head part frame is pressed into the respective locking notch. When the head part frame is raised to unlock, a release lever with one lobe for each locking position presses against a journal of the locking iron with the appropriate lobe, pushing back the locking iron far enough to disengage the locking pin from the locking notch. The pin is then retained in a recess of the slider above the locking notches. Furthermore, when the lying part frame is tilted upward, a lobe of the locking lever pushes back the locking iron as to disengage the locking pin from the momentarily occupied locking notch, it then being retained in a recess of the slider above the locking notches.

This fitting permits locking the head part frame in several positions.

For this purpose a locking iron is employed, which possesses a recess with several locking notches determining the locking positions. A locking pin on the head part frame engages in these locking notches and thereby fixes the position of the head part frame. The locking iron is pressed upward by a spring so that the locking pin is pressed against the head part frame into the respective locking notch. The locking iron possesses a laterally projecting journal, which causes the locking iron to recede when the head part frame is raised, thus disengaging the locking pin from the locking notch. A slider gliding on the locking iron covers the locking notch with a projecting part of its recess, thereby keeping the locking pin in the recess. Now the head part frame is freely movable.

When the lying part frame is raised, the release lever is also pressed against the journal with one of its lobes. The locking iron is pushed back and the locking pin moves from the locking notch into the recess of the slider above the locking notches. When the lying part frame is reclined, the locking pin of the head part frame is pushed forward so that it engages in the locking notch for the horizontal position.

The locking iron is supported at one end of a connecting element, the other end of which is linked to a guide element of the second four-bar mechanism. A spring is tensioned between the connecting element and the guide element of the four-bar mechanism, around the joint of the locking iron, pressing the locking iron upward.

The slider is guided on the locking iron by means of at least one angled edge on mobile on the locking iron. A guide pin in the slider engages in a slot of the locking iron. Thus, the slider slides on the locking iron, with respect to the length of the slot, and covers a part of the recess of the locking iron. The slider also possesses a recess, which is a little bit longer than the recess of the locking iron with the two locking notches. The recess of the slider frees a maximum of two locking notches, and it possesses a projecting part, which covers a locking notch when the slider slides downward. The locking pin of the head part frame is thereby maintained above the respective covered locking notch.

In a second embodiment the respective position is determined by the locking iron with one recess and one locking notch and by a locking lever with one locking lobe; and the locking pin which is fastened to the head part frame is actuated by a spring. For the inclined relaxed position of the head part frame it is pushed into the locking notch and for the lying position it is pushed against the locking lobe, so that when the head part frame is raised to change from the lying position to the relaxed position, the locking pin slides from the locking lobe into the locking notch, and when the head part frame is raised further, the locking pin slides in a longitudinal recess of a slider, which is maintained on the locking iron in a longitudinally sliding manner and covers the locking notch, so that the head part frame, when reclined to the lying position, engages on the locking lobe.

The fitting permits locking the tilting head part frame of the device in one lying position and in one or more inclined positions. Also, the lying part frame is foldable, so that the entire device can easily be stowed away. The fitting is fastened to a base frame by means of a four-bar mechanism. A locking pin is attached at the head part frame, which is guided in a longitudinal recess in a locking iron of the fitting. The locking pin determines the position of the head part frame. In the relaxed position the locking pin rests in a locking notch of the locking iron. In the lying position the locking pin presses against the locking lobe of a locking lever. A spring actuates the locking iron and the locking lever in such a way, that the locking pin rests either in the locking notch or against the locking lobe. When the head part frame is raised, the locking pin slides from the locking lobe to the locking notch and fixes the head part frame in the relaxed position. When the head part frame is raised further, the locking pin disengages from the locking notch, a slider on the locking iron then covers the locking notch and the head part frame can be returned to the lying position, the locking pin then sitting close to the locking lobe. The movement of the locking iron is attained by its pivoted attachment on the locking lever. The spring which presses the recess of the locking iron and the locking lever against the locking pins is tensioned between the locking lever, near the locking lobe, and the end of the locking iron opposite the locking notch. An unlocking lever serves to release the locking lever, one end of said unlocking lever being pivoted on the locking iron. It presents a guide track, in which a guide pin of the locking lever is guided, guiding the locking lever against the spring pressure.

The locking lever is pivoted on a guide element of the second four-bar mechanism. When the head part frame or the lying part frame is tilted upward, it is turned by means of a control lever fastened at the end of the locking lever facing the locking lobe. Thus, the locking iron is pulled in such a way, that the locking pin is ejected from the locking notch, thereby releasing the head part frame.

Two forms of embodiment are described in the figures by way of example.

FIG. 1 shows the fitting of the first kind, head part frame in a horizontal position.

FIG. 2 shows the fitting, head part frame inclined.

FIG. 3 shows the fitting, lying part frame raised

FIG. 4 shows the fitting of the second kind, head part frame in a horizontal position.

FIG. 5 shows the fitting, head part frame inclined.

FIG. 6 shows the fitting, lying part frame raised.

FIG. 7 shows a total view of FIG. 5

FIG. 8 shows in detail the locking iron with the slider, the locking lever and the unlocking lever in an exploded view.

In FIG. 1 the fitting of the first kind is shown with the head part frame 4 set to a horizontal position. The fitting is fastened to the base frame 1. A first four-bar mechanism 2A-2B-2C-1 supports the lying part frame 3 and the head part frame 4, the lying frame 3 being supported by an angle lever 21 and is connected with the head part frame 4 in a joint 5. The folding rod assembly 22 is operated by a foot part not represented here.

The head part frame 4 is held in a locking iron 10 by a locking pin 9, which, in a recess 11, exhibits preferably two locking notches 23.24. A slider 14 slides laterally on the locking iron 10 and is guided by a guide pin 37 in a slot 13. The slider 14 exhibits the recess 15 with an extension 15A, which can release one locking notch at a time.

The locking iron 10 is held—via a connecting element 6 with the pivot 8—in the pivot 20 at a guide element 34 of a second four-bar mechanism 2D-2B-34A-36. A spring 7 around the pivot 8, extending between the connecting element 6 and the locking iron 10, presses the locking iron 10 upward and the locking pin 9 against the respective locking notch 23, 24.

A release lever 17, which is connected with an angle lever 21 of the folding rod assembly 22 at a hinge point E, possesses the two locking lobes 18, 19. When the head part frame 4 is raised, those press against a locking journal 12 of the locking iron 10 and thus lift the locking pin 9 from the currently occupied locking notch 23, 24. In the case shown here, the lock is released by the locking lobe 18. The slider 14 slides downward on the locking iron 10 and the projecting part 16 of the slider recess covers the locking notch. The locking pin 9 then rests on the projecting part 16 beside the locking notches, and the head part frame is freed.

In FIG. 2, the same fitting is represented with the head part frame 4 tilted upward. Here all parts of the fitting work together as described for FIG. 1. But in this case the locking pin 9 engages in the second locking notch of the locking iron 10. When either the head part is raised further or the foot part is raised, the lock is released, by the now effective lobe 19 which pushes against the retracting locking journal 12 and lifts the locking iron 10.

In FIG. 3 the device is shown with the lying part frame 3 tilted upward, which causes the joint 5 between the head part frame 4 and the lying part frame to move downward. The slider 14 is situated at the side and is guided by the guide pin 37 all the way to the bottom of the slot 13, and the locking pin 9 of the locking iron 10 is in a free position in the recess 11 of the locking iron 10 and in the recess 15 of the slider 14. The retracting journal 12 strikes the release lever 17. When the lying part frame 3 is raised further, the locking iron 10 is supported by the journal 12 of the release lever 17 and the locking pin 9 of the locking iron 10 moves into the upper recess. This corresponds to the horizontal position of the head part frame. When the lying part frame 3 is again reclined to a horizontal position, also the head part frame 4 is again locked in the horizontal position.

In FIG. 4 the fitting of the second kind is shown with the head part frame 4 placed horizontally. The fitting is fastened to the base frame 1. A first four-bar mechanism 2A-2B-2C-l supports the lying part frame 3 and the head part frame 4, the lying part frame 3 being connected with the head part frame 4 in a joint 5. A second four-bar mechanism 2D-2B-34A-36 is coupled to the first four-bar mechanism consisting of a base frame section 1 and a guide element 2C at the side of the head part. The second four-bar mechanism consists of an upper extension 2D of the guide element 2C at the side of the foot part, the transverse coupler 2B, a section 34A of a guide element 34 extending from the guide element joint D at the side of the head part to the joint 5 between the head part 4 and the foot part frame 3, and a coupling element 36, which extends from the section 34A in a joint G to a joint E at the upper end of the guide element extension 2D. The joints E-C-D-G of the second four-bar mechanism are designated accordingly. An angle lever 21 acts upon the upper joint E of the guide element extension 2 D. Said lever is fastened in an articulated manner at the lying part frame 3 and, at the other end, is linked to a folding rod assembly 22. Thereby the two four-bar mechanisms are operated when the foot part 3 is raised, so that the second four-bar mechanism 2D-2B-34A-36, which is connected with the locking iron 10 in a locking iron joint 8 and with a unlocking lever 44 in joints 32.33, causes a release of the locking pin 9 within the locking iron 10 and the slider 11.

The head part frame 4 is guided by its locking pin 9 in the recess 11 of the locking iron 10. The locking lever 40 is fastened to the guide element 34 via the joint 33. At one end the locking lever 40 exhibits a locking lobe 43, against which the locking pin 9 sits close in the lying position. At the other end, the locking lever 40 is connected with a control link 30 via the joint 32, said control link being fastened to the lying part frame 3 via a joint 31. Thus a rise of the lying frame 3 is transferred to the locking lever 40.

The locking iron 10, which exhibits at least one locking notch 23, is fastened in the locking iron joint 8 at the locking lever 40. A spring 50 is tensioned between the end of 51 of the locking iron 10 which is distant from the locking notch 23 and the spring suspension 52 of the locking lever 40, and thus presses one edge of a recess 11, together with the locking notches 23 of the locking iron 10, against the locking pin 9. The unlocking lever 44 is fastened in a hinge point 42 at the locking iron 10. A guide pin 41 of the locking lever 40 is guided the guide track 46 of said lever. When the head part frame 4 is raised, the locking lever 40 with its locking lobe 43 is thus moved aside by the locking pin 9 and the pin released. On the locking iron 10 a slider 14 is attached, which slides in a slot 13 on a guide pin 37, which covers the locking notch 23 when the locking iron 10 is lifted by raising the head part frame 4 or the lying part frame 3, and thus permits to recline the locking iron 10 and the head part frame 4 to the lying position.

When folding up the frame parts 3, 4 the slewing motion of the lying part frame 3 is transferred to the locking lever 40 via the angle lever 21, which is fastened to the second four-bar mechanism in the joint E and via the control link 30. Thus the locking pin 9 is released and the head part frame is also brought to the inclined position.

In FIG. 5, the same fitting is represented with the head part frame 4 tilted upward. Here all parts of the fitting work together as described for FIG. 4. In this case the locking pin 9 of the head part frame 4 engages in the locking notch 23 and the locking lobe 43 is turned away from the locking pin 9. The extension 15A in the guide way 15 of the slider 14 releases the locking notch 23 for the entry of the locking pin 9.

In FIG. 6 the fitting of the second kind is represented with the lying part frame 3 raised in the folding direction FR, which causes the frame joint 5 to move downward. The guide pin 41 is positioned at the outer end of the guide track 46 and pulls the locking iron 10 in such a way that the locking pin 9 disengages from the locking notch. The slider 14, guided by the slot 13, slides down completely and covers the locking notch 23; and the locking pin 9 is in a free position in the recesses 11 and 15. The lying part frame 3 can be inclined steeply and the head part frame 4, because of the joint 5, likewise attains a steep position.

FIG. 7 shows a total side view of FIG. 5. The head part frame 4 is angled towards the lying part frame 3 in the joint 5. Both frame parts 3, 4 are supported at the base frame 1 by the two four-bar mechanisms 2A-2B-2C-1; 2D-2B-34A-36, and the other end of the lying part frame 3 is supported by a leg 60, which is connected to the folding rod assembly 22 by means of the angle lever 21 at the upper four-bar mechanism. In addition, a foot part 61 with a second leg 62 which are shown as they are folded backwards, are linked to the lying part frame 3 via a bridge element 63.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the locking, retracting and unlocking parts in different scale. The correlations of the bearings 8, 42 are represented by dash-dotted lines between the locking iron 10, the locking lever 40 and the unlocking lever 44. Furthermore, the guide slots 15, 11 and the guiding edges of the slider 14 and the locking iron 10 as well as the slider recess 15A and the locking notch 23 and also the journal 37 are shown in relation to the slot 13 by dash-dotted lines.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

  • 1 base frame
  • 2A-2B-2C-1 first four-bar mechanism
  • 2D-2B-34A-36 second four-bar mechanism
  • 2A guide element of 1, facing head part frame
  • 2C guide element of 1, facing lying part frame
  • 2D guide element extension
  • 2B transverse coupler 2A-2C
  • A-B-C-D joints 1st four-bar mechanism
  • E-C-D-G joints of 2nd four-bar mechanism
  • 3 lying part frame
  • 4 head part frame
  • 5 joint of head part frame
  • 6 connecting element
  • 7 spring
  • 8 locking iron joint
  • 10 locking iron
  • 11 recess in locking iron
  • 12 locking journal
  • 13 slot in locking iron 10
  • 14 slider
  • 15 recess in slider
  • 15A extension of 15
  • 16 projecting part
  • 17 release lever
  • 18 locking lobe for horizontal position
  • 19 locking lobe for inclined position
  • 20 rotation axis of the joint lever
  • 21 angle lever
  • 22 folding rod assembly
  • 23 1st locking notch of 10
  • 24 2nd locking notch of 10
  • 26 hinge point of 10
  • 30 control link
  • 31 upper hinge point of control lever
  • 32 lower hinge point of control lever
  • 33 hinge point of locking lever
  • 34 guide element
  • 34A section of 34 of the 2nd four-bar mechanism
  • 36 coupling element of 2nd four-bar mechanism
  • 37 guide pin
  • 40 locking lever
  • 41 guide pin
  • 42 hinge point of unlocking lever
  • 44 unlocking lever
  • 46 guide track
  • 50 spring
  • 51 working point of spring on the locking iron
  • 52 spring suspension on the locking lever
  • 60 leg
  • 61 foot part
  • 62 2nd leg
  • 63 bridge element
  • FR folding direction

Claims

1. Articulated fitting, which is arranged symmetrically on two sides of a head part frame (4) of a foldable lying frame (3), which is maintained in an articulated manner on a base frame (1) with a first four-bar mechanism (2A-2B-2C-1), which is connected by means of a guide element (34) to a head part frame joint (5) joining the head part frame (4) with a lying part frame (3), and wherein the guide element (34) is linked to a second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) comprising a coupler (2B) and a guide element extension (2D) of the guide element (2C) situated in the direction of the lying frame, which is part of the first four-bar mechanism, and a coupling element (36) which is connected to an angle lever (21) in a joint (E) at the end of the guide element extension (2D), the other lever arm of which is part of a folding rod assembly (22) of the lying part frame (3),

and wherein a locking iron (10) with at least one locking notch (23, 24) is connected to the guide element (34) in a flexible manner, and is guided, sliding between limits, in a slider plate (14) and wherein
a locking pin (9) engages in this slider arrangement (10, 14), said pin being fastened to the head part frame (4), so that the frame can be locked in a flat lying position, optionally in an inclined relaxed position or a steep sitting position by raising the lying part frame (3), and released to be brought back to the lying position, characterized in that
a release lever (17) provided with locking lobes (18, 19) extends between the joint (E) at the end of the guide element extension (2D) of the guide element (2C) of the first four-bar mechanism and a locking journal (12) on the locking iron (10) in a spring-loaded non-positive fit; or a locking lever (40) with locking lobes (43), at one side, extends from a joint (32) at the end of the guide element (2C) neighbouring the lying part frame, said element being part of the first four-bar mechanism, to a locking iron joint (8) at the locking iron (10), and at the other side of said joint (8), is guided in guide track (46) in an unlocking lever (44), by means of a guide pin (41) in a spring-loaded non-positive fit, the other end of said lever being coupled to the locking iron (10).

2. Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective position is determined by the locking iron (10) with a recess (11) and a first locking notch (23) and a second locking notch (24) or by a locking lobe (43) on a locking lever (40), and that the locking pin (9) is spring-loaded and, in the relaxed position, is pressed into the first locking notch (23) and, in the lying position, is pressed into a second locking notch (24) or against the locking lobe (43), and that when the head part frame (4) is raised to change from the lying position to the relaxed position, the locking pin (9) slides from the second locking notch (24) or the locking lobe (43) into the first locking notch (23), and when the head part frame (4) is raised further, the locking pin (9) slides in a longitudinal recess (15) of a slider (14), which is maintained on the locking iron (10) in a longitudinally sliding manner, and which guides the locking pin (9) past the locking notch (23), so that the head part frame (4) when reclined to the lying position, engages on the locking lobe (43).

3. Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking iron (10) is pivoted on the locking lever (40) in a joint (42).

4. Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that a spring (50) is tensioned between, on one side, the locking lever (40) where it is fastened near the locking lobe (43) and, on the other side, the end of the locking iron (10) where it is fastened opposite of the first locking notch (23) and that it presses the notch-side of the locking iron against the locking pin (9).

5. Articulated fitting according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking lever (40) is coupled to a guide element (34) of the second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) and that, when the lying part frame (3) is tilted upward, it is turned by means of a control link (30), acting upon the end of the locking lever (40) across from the locking lobe (43), so that when the guide pin (41) reaches its limit stop in the guide track (46), the locking iron (10) is pulled in such a way, that the locking pin (9) is ejected from the locking notch (23), thus releasing the head part frame (4).

6. Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the release lever (17) is coupled at a joint (E) of the second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) and that the locking iron (10) carries a locking journal (12) upon which the respective lobe (18, 19) of the release lever (17) is supported in the relevant position when the head part frame (4) is lifted, causing a release of the respective locking notch (23, 24) of the locking iron (10) from the locking pin (9) when the frame is lifted up further.

7. Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that when the lying part frame (3) is folded upward, the release lever (17), with one of its lobes (18, 19), pushes back the locking iron (10) far enough to release the locking pin (9) from the relevant locking notch (23, 24), so that it is maintained in the recess (15) of the slider (14) above the locking notches (23, 24).

8. Articulated fitting according to claim 7, characterized in that when the lying part frame (3) is reclined, the locking pin (9) engages in the locking notch (23) for the lying position.

9. Articulated fitting according to claim 7, characterized in that the bottom end of the locking iron (10) is coupled to a connecting element (6), the other end of which is coupled to a guide element (34) of the second four-bar mechanism (2D-2B-34A-36) positioned at the joint (5) of the head part frame (4), and that a spring tensions the connecting element (6) against the guide element (34).

10. Articulated fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the slider (14) on the locking iron (10) covers one of the locking notches (23, 24) with a part (16) projecting into a recess (15).

11. Articulated fitting according to claim 7, characterized in that the slider (14) is guided by a guide pin (37) in a slot (13) in the locking iron (10) and that it is guided on the locking iron (10) by means of at least one angled edge on its longitudinal side.

Patent History
Publication number: 20070277311
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 10, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 6, 2007
Inventor: Jean Brossier (Coulaines)
Application Number: 10/592,642
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 5/174.000
International Classification: A47C 20/14 (20060101);