Piece of furniture with a movable furniture component

• US 7,331,643 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Julius BLUM GmbH (BLUM Verwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Julius BLUM GmbH (BLUM Verwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: Huber, Edgar, Scheffknecht, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/270,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 3123195-3198, 312/333, 312/215, 312/222, 312/334.2, 3123191-3193, 312/334.3, 312/330.1, 312/331, 70 85- 88
• US Class Current: 312/319.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/457 operated by electrically-powered actuation means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/463 self-opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/649 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/214 Disengaging means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/232 by automatically acting means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/412 for the final closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/426 for the initial opening movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furniture, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

A piece of furniture with a movable furniture component, in particular a drawer or door, includes a drive unit and a device for the mechanical transmission of force from the drive unit to the movable furniture component or the body of the furniture. In particular, a pin is arranged on a lever that can be powered by the drive unit, for the ejection and/or insertion of the movable furniture component. The device for the mechanical transmission of force is arranged in a guide track for the transmission of tensile and thrust forces.

Claims

1. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture, said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component, said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track, said device comprising a pin having a castor arranged thereon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said drive unit and said device are to be arranged on the body of the piece of furniture, and said guide track is to be arranged on the movable furniture component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control unit for regulating an operation of said drive unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising at least one sensor for generating signals to be fed to said control unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is arranged and operable to be moved between two end positions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising at least one sensor for detecting whether said device is located at one of the two end positions, said at least one sensor being operable to generate signals to be fed to said control unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said at least one sensor comprises an optical sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said drive unit further comprises at least one of a current-measurement device, a voltage-measurement device, and a position-measurement device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said drive unit further comprises said position-measurement device integrated in said electric motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is operable to move the movable furniture component between a closed end position and an open end position, said device being shaped and arranged to be inserted into said guide track or removed from said guide track between the closed end position and the open end position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said guide track comprises a groove or recess.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said guide track is located in mounting component to be secured to the movable furniture component or to the body of the piece of furniture.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device or said guide track is to be arranged on the movable furniture component.

14. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture a predetermined distance said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track;

wherein said device comprises a pin on a lever to be powered by said drive unit, a length of said lever being less than the predetermined distance.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the length of said lever is less than half of the predetermined distance.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the length of said lever is less than one-third of the predetermined distance.

17. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture, said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component, said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track;

wherein said device comprises a pin on a lever to be powered by said drive unit.

18. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture, said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component, said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track;

wherein said guide track is curved.

19. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture along a direction of movement, said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component, said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track;

wherein a tangent to a portion of said guide track is parallel to the direction of movement.

20. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture, said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component, said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track;

wherein said guide track is a level curve.

21. An apparatus for moving a movable furniture component of a piece of furniture, said apparatus comprising:

a drive unit comprising an electric motor; and

a device for mechanically transmitting force from said drive unit to the movable furniture component or a body of the piece of furniture so as to eject and/or insert the movable furniture component, said device being arranged in a guide track shaped and arranged to transmit tensile and thrust forces, said guide track having at least one position for allowing insertion or removal of said device from said guide track;

wherein said guide track has two ends, at least a first one of said two ends of said guide track being open; and

wherein a second one of said two ends of said guide track is closed, said guide track extending diagonally to a direction of movement of the movable furniture component at said closed second one of said two ends.