ACTUATING DRIVE FOR FURNITURE FLAPS

• US 20170044812A1
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Julius BLUM GmbH (BLUM Verwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Julius BLUM GmbH (BLUM Verwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: SCHLUGE, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 10,407,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1058 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/02 specially for preventing the slamming of swinging wings during final closing movement, e.g. jamb stops
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/492 Spring tensioners, tension sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/618 Transmission ratio variation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/696 Screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/12 by manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/20 characterised by the movement transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/30 characterised by the type of motion
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/73 Single use of elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 21/44 for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions

Abstract

Actuating drive for moving a flap of an item of furniture, comprising: a housing, at least one actuating arm, which is pivotably mounted on or in the housing, for the moving flap, a spring apparatus for applying force to the actuating arm, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a force of the spring apparatus onto the actuating arm, an adjusting apparatus by means of which a lever geometry of the transmission mechanism and/or the force of the spring apparatus, which force acts on the actuating arm, can be variably adjusted, a damping apparatus by means of which a movement of the actuating arm can be damped by a damping power in the event of a damping stroke, wherein the adjusting apparatus is coupled to the damping apparatus by means of a coupling apparatus, the position of the damping apparatus relative to the housing and/or the damping stroke of the damping apparatus and/or the damping power of the damping apparatus can be variably adjusted.

Claims

1. An actuating drive for moving a flap of an article of furniture, comprising:

a housing,

at least one actuating arm mounted pivotably to or in the housing for moving the flap,

a spring device for applying force to the actuating arm,

a transmission mechanism for transmitting a force of the spring device to the actuating arm,

an adjusting device by which a lever geometry of the transmission mechanism and/or the force of the spring device that acts on the actuating arm can be variably adjusted, and

a damping device by which, in a damping stroke, a movement of the actuating arm can be damped with a damping power,

wherein the adjusting device is coupled to the damping device by way of a coupling device, wherein by an adjustment of the adjusting device by way of the coupling device, the position of the damping device relative to the housing and/or the damping stroke of the damping device and/or the damping power of the damping device can be variably adjusted.

2. The actuating drive according to claim 1, wherein the actuating arm is urged by the spring device in the closing direction within a first range of pivotal angle and in the opening direction within a second range of pivotal angle, wherein the actuating arm has between the first and second ranges of pivotal angle a dead point position in which the actuating arm is urged by the spring device neither in the closing direction nor in the opening direction.

3. The actuating drive according to claim 2, wherein the dead point position of the actuating arm is variably adjustable by the adjusting device.

4. The actuating drive according to claim 3, wherein starting from an operational commencement position of the actuating arm, the damping device damps a movement of the actuating arm, wherein by adjustment of the dead point position of the actuating arm by way of the coupling device, a corresponding displacement of the operational commencement position of the damping device is effected.

5. The actuating drive according to claim 4, wherein the adjusting device has a displaceable actuating member, wherein both the dead point position of the actuating arm and/or the operational commencement position of the damping device and/or the force of the spring device acting in the opening direction on the actuating arm is variably adjustable by displacement of the actuating member in or along a guide (21).

6. The actuating drive according to claim 5, wherein the coupling device has at least one lever mounted rotatably about a pivot axis, wherein the guide is arranged or provided on said lever.

7. The actuating drive according to claim 6, wherein the position of the actuating member is displaceable in or on the guide in the direction towards to and away from the pivot axis of the lever, wherein the relative spacing between the actuating member and the pivot axis of the lever can be reduced and increased in a direction along a notional connecting line between the actuating member and the pivot axis of the lever.

8. The actuating drive according to claim 7, wherein the position of the actuating member is adjustable by the adjusting device in or at the guide in a direction extending transversely to said notional connecting line.

9. The actuating drive according to claim 5, wherein the adjustable device has an adjustment wheel, wherein the position of the actuating member in or at the guide is adjustable by rotation of the adjustment wheel.

10. The actuating drive according to claim 1, wherein the damping device has a moveably mounted actuating element for applying a force to the damping device, wherein the actuating element of the damping device can be acted upon by an abutment element motionally coupled to the actuating arm.

11. The actuating drive according to claim 10, wherein the actuating element of the damping device is in the form of a push rod mounted linearly displaceably relative to a cylinder of the damping device.

12. The actuating drive according to claim 10, wherein the abutment element motionally coupled to the actuating arm is in the form of a pivotably mounted lever.

13. The actuating drive according to claim 12, wherein the lever in the form of the abutment element has a curved portion for acting on the damping device.

14. The actuating drive according to claim 1, wherein the damping device has a linear damper in the form of a fluid damper.

15. An arrangement comprising a flap of an article of furniture and an actuating drive according to claim 1, wherein the flap is moveable by the actuating drive, starting from a vertical closed position, into an open position above a furniture carcass.