Piece of furniture

#The present invention concerns an article of furniture comprising a furniture carcass, a two-part furniture flap having a first flap part—preferably arranged upwardly in a mounted position—and a second flap part—preferably arranged downwardly in a mounted position—and at least one support device for the furniture flap, wherein the support device is hingedly connected to the furniture carcass and the furniture flap, and a support device for a two-part furniture flap.

#Articles of furniture with support devices for two-part furniture flaps as well as such support devices per se are known in many different configurations from the state of the art like for example EP 1 959 077 A1 and DE 1529652 B1. For supporting and moving for example two-part upwardly folding flaps of such articles of furniture in that respect use is usually made of a control arm which acts on one of the hingedly connected flap parts thereof. By virtue of a control arm which is usually pivotable about a horizontal axis, an articulated furniture flap can be guided and also supported in the opening and closing movements. A disadvantage with the articles of furniture known in the state of the art, having such control devices for moving the furniture flaps, is the control arm which is separate from the flap parts. When opening the furniture flap the arm usually pivots out of the interior of the carcass of the article of furniture and usually also still projects therefrom in the open position of the furniture flap, in particular if the arm acts on the lower flap part of a two-part upwardly folding flap. By virtue of the control arm of such a support device, that pivots outwardly and projects from the interior of the furniture carcass, besides causing difficulty in gaining lateral access to the interior of the furniture carcass when the furniture flap is opened, injuries can also occur due to the hand or finger of a user being pinched between the control arm and the furniture carcass or a flap part.

#Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide an article of furniture which is improved over the state of the art, having a furniture carcass, a two-part furniture flap and a support device hingedly connected to the furniture carcass and the furniture flap, as well as such a support device for a two-part furniture flap.

#Further details and advantages of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter by means of the specific description with reference to the embodiments by way of example illustrated in the drawing in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an article of furniture with a two-part furniture flap,

#FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view of an article of furniture with a two-part furniture flap and a support device in a completely opened position,

#FIG. 1 shows an article of furniture 1 with a two-part furniture flap 3 fixed to a furniture carcass 2 in an upwardly folded, that is to say opened, position. In this arrangement the two-part furniture flap 3 comprises a first flap part 31 and a second flap part 32, wherein there is provided a handle 6 for better operability by a user at the lower edge of the second flap part 32. The support device 4 is concealed by the furniture flap 3 in this view.

#FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view of an article of furniture 1 in an opened position approximately corresponding to FIG. 1. In this arrangement the article of furniture comprises the furniture carcass 2, the support device 4 fixed thereto and the two-part furniture flap 3 with a first flap part 31 and a second flap part 32. A handle 6 for actuation of the furniture flap 3 is provided on the second flap part 32. The housing 48 of the support device 4 is mounted in an upwardly disposed region of the furniture carcass 2, in which case mounting of the support device 4 can be effected at a side wall of the furniture carcass 2 or also at the underside of the top panel of the furniture carcass 2. The first flap part 31 of the furniture flap 3 is connected to the housing 48 by way of a first hinged connection 46. As will be further apparent hereinafter this first hinged connection can be a four-point concealed cup hinge. The first flap part 31 can also additionally be fixed to a guide portion 45 of the support device 4. The second flap part 32 is connected to the first hinge part 31 with a second hinged connection 47. The second hinged connection 47 between the flap parts 31, 32 can be a two-point concealed cup hinge, as will be further apparent hereinafter. The first hinge lever 41 is also mounted rotatably to the housing 48. That first hinge lever 41 engages the transmission portion 40 at a first articulation point 43. The second hinge lever 42 in turn engages the second articulation point 44 of the transmission portion 40. The second hinge lever 42 is hingedly connected to the second flap part 32, in the embodiment shown here that connection is made by way of the second hinged connection 47. In this position corresponding to the open position of the furniture flap 3 the first hinge lever 41, the transmission portion 40 and the second hinge lever 42 are substantially aligned with each other. It will also be clearly visible from this view that access to the interior 20 of the furniture carcass 2 is not impeded by components projecting therefrom. The support device 4 can also have an electric drive 5 which cannot be seen from the exterior.

#In the sectional view of the article of furniture 1 shown in FIG. 3 the two-part furniture flap 3 is in an intermediate position between the completely opened and the completely closed state. The pivotal movement of the first hinge lever 41, which is caused by the setting angle of the first flap part 31 which is reduced in comparison with FIG. 2, relative to the furniture carcass 2, is transmitted by the transmission portion 40 to the setting angle between the second flap part 32 and the first flap part 31 with the second hinge lever 42 so that upon closure of the two-part furniture flap 3 there is a pivotal movement of the second flap part 32 with respect to the first flap part 31. Transmission of the setting angle of the first flap part 31 to the setting angle of the second flap part 32 in relation thereto is made possible by the transmission portion 40 which is guided linearly on a guide portion 45 and which bears against the inside of the first flap part 31 over the entire range of pivotal movement, and thus allows controlled pivotal movement of the second flap part 32 with respect to the first flap part 31 upon opening or closing of the two-part furniture flap 3.