Convertible sitting/reclining furniture article

• US 4,672,696 A
• Filed: 03/13/1986
• Issued: 06/16/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ferdinand Lusch Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Ferdinand Lusch Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Horenkamp, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Holko, Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/839,134
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 5/17, 5/18 R, 5/18 B, 5/19, 5/20, 5/21, 5/14, 5/36, 297/338, 297/345, 108/145, 248/421
• US Class Current: 5/17
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 17/134 by lifting or tilting

Abstract

A convertible sitting/reclining furniture article comprises a main frame and a seat element which is supported at a predetermined elevation above ground. A bed frame can be pulled out of and pushed into the main frame in a drawer-like manner and includes a front side, a rear side and two lateral sides. An extension element is mounted on the bed frame for displacement between a retracted position and an extended position in which the extension element is disposed at the predetermined elevation to form an extension of the seat element by a five-bar kinematic linkage at each of the lateral sides of the bed frame. Each of the kinematic linkages includes a steering lever pivotally mounted at a first region of the extension element and at a first portion of the bed frame, and two steering links more remote from the front side of the bed frame than the steering lever and adjacent to the steering lever. The steering links are articulately connected to one another at a connection region and one of them is pivotally connected to a second region of the extension element while the other is pivotally connected to a second portion of the bed frame which is spaced from said first portion by a distance exceeding the distance between the first and second regions of the extension element. The steering links assume a straight-line orientation with respect to one another in the extended position of the extension element to block the connection region against pivoting in at least one of its pivoting directions.

Claims

1. A sitting furniture article convertible into a reclining furniture article, comprising, in combination

a main frame;

a seat element;

means for supporting said seat element at a predetermined elevation above ground;

a bed frame which can be pulled out of, and pushed into said main frame in a drawer-like manner, including a front side, a rear said, and two lateral sides;

an extension element;

means for mounting said extension element on said bed frame for displacement between a retracted position through an intermediate position to an extended position, in which extended position said extension element is disposed at said predetermined elevation to form an extension of said seat element, said mounting means including a five-bar kinematic linkage at each of said lateral sides of said bed frame, said five-bar kinematic linkage being operable in successive first and second four-bar kinematic linkage phases, each of said five-bar kinematic linkages including

a steering lever pivotally mounted at a first region of said extension element, and at a first portion of said bed frame, and arranged close to said front side of said bed frame, and

two steering links arranged more remotely from said front side of said bed frame than said steering lever, adjacent to said steering lever, and pivotably connected to one another at a connection region,

one of said steering links being pivotally connected to a second region of said extension element at a predetermined distance from said first region, while the other of said steering links is pivotally connected to a second portion of said bed frame which is spaced from said first portion by a prearranged distance exceeding said predetermined distance,

said steering links assuming a straight-line orientation with respect to one another in the extended position of said extension element to lock said connection region against pivoting in at least one pivoting direction thereof,

two abutment pins stationarily mounted on said extension element and on said bed frame, respectively, at regions of the respective steering links, and in directions towards said steering lever, and away from said steering links, and

a tension spring connected at each of said kinematic linkages with one end thereof at said first region of said extension element, and with the other end thereof at said connecting region of said steering links,

whereby, upon said extension element being pivotally moved in said first phase from said retracted position frontwise to said intermediate position in a first angular direction, said one of said steering links is constrained to follow movement of said extension element until the other of said steering links abuts one of said abutment pins, being temporarily immobilized thereby, so that, upon reaching said intermediate position and subsequent pivotable movement of said extension element in a second angular direction opposite to said first angular direction towards said extended position in said second phase, said spring urges said connecting region towards said steering lever, and said one of said steering links is constrained to move in said first angular direction until it abuts the other of said abutment pins, at which time said second steering link points in a direction similar to that of said first steering link, and said extension element has reached said extended position;

while in an actuated return movement of said extension element rearwise from said extended position to said intermediate position in said first angular direction, said one of said steering links is caused to assume a direction different from that of the other of said first steering links, and thereafter, upon movement of said extension element further rearwise, and away from said intermediate position, said one of said steering links is again constrained to follow movement of said extension element, until said extension element has reached said retracted position.

2. The sitting furniture article as defined in claim 1, wherein said steering links includes respective abutment noses at their regions facing the respective abutment pins.