EP2315897A1

EP2315897A1 - Automatic furniture flap-type detection

Info

Publication number: EP2315897A1
Application number: EP09775563A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas Vogel; Christian Theimer
Original assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
Current assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
Priority date: 2008-08-29
Filing date: 2009-07-16
Publication date: 2011-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2029-07-16
Also published as: AT507282A1; CN102131997B; WO2010022413A1; AT507282B1; CN102131997A; JP5623403B2; US20110169388A1; US8692497B2; JP2012500916A; HUE025112T2; EP2315897B1

Abstract

Electromotive furniture-flap drive, characterized by an identification device for automatically identifying the type of furniture flap in the installed state of the furniture flap drive (1).

Description

Automatic furniture flap type recognition

The present invention relates to an electromotive furniture flap drive.

Such a furniture flap drive is apparent for example from the Austrian patent application A 696/2007.

Furniture damper actuators are currently available in different versions on the market, depending on which type of furniture flap to be driven by the furniture flap drive. As described in detail in DE 20 2006 000 535 U1, furniture flaps have become known in different designs or types.

For example, there are furniture flaps known as folding up, in which the flap is fastened by means of hinges to the underside of the cabinet lid.

Furthermore, there are two-part executed flaps, wherein a first part flap is pivotally connected to the furniture body and a second part flap is pivotally connected to the first part flap. When transferring the flap into the open position, the first partial flap is pivoted upward away from the furniture body, wherein the second partial flap is also pivoted upwards to the furniture body, so that the flap is folded in the open position (folding flap).

For swing doors, the flap is pivoted over the furniture body away to the rear.

If the flap preferably carries out a movement essentially parallel to the front side of the furniture body during its entire opening or closing path, this is referred to as a high-lift flap.

This terminology should also be maintained in the context of the present invention, the list of different types of furniture flap is not meant to be understood. The advantage of the above-mentioned Austrian patent application A 696/2007 is that it is possible to replace a defective in the first component electric drive a furniture flap drive, without the second component of the furniture flap drive, which has the actuator arm, and also referred to as a mechanical actuator be able to remove from the furniture body.

Depending on the furniture flap type different mechanical actuators are used, which is mainly in the different design of the control lever

- Or the lever mechanism, of which the lever is a part - different from each other to perform the respective characteristic movement of the furniture flap. The mechanical actuator is usually always provided with a spring package, which serves to balance the weight of the furniture flap within certain limits or balance.

In the prior art, it is necessary to manually determine which type of flap is present, for example, depending on which is used to drive which furniture flap type, the electric motor to make different presets on the electric motor. This applies both in one-piece furniture flap drives as well as in two-part design, as shown in the Austrian patent application A 696/2007. This brings with it the problem that under certain circumstances, incorrect input of operating parameters or the like can occur.

The object of the invention is to remedy this problem.

This object is achieved by a furniture flap drive with the features of claim 1.

By providing an identification device for automatic identification of the furniture flap type, the furniture flap drive itself can recognize which furniture flap type it should be used for. Since it is possible to provide in advance in an electronic memory of the furniture flap drive for each furniture flap drive the desired operating parameters, the Furniture flap drive after identification automatically select the correct operating parameters. A manual error input is therefore excluded.

The identification device can be realized in many ways. The automatic identification of the furniture flap type must work at least in the mounting state of the furniture flap drive. Depending on the embodiment of the identification device, however, it is even possible to determine even before mounting the furniture flap drive in a furniture body in which furniture flap type of the furniture flap drive is to be used. This is particularly the case with two-piece furniture flap drives the case when the identification device already derived from characteristics of the second component, which has the actuating arm and is designed differently for each type of furniture flap, which furniture flap type is present. In itself, however, it is sufficient if the identification of the furniture flap type takes place only in the assembled state of the furniture flap drive.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The invention can be used particularly advantageously if it is provided that the furniture flap drive has a first component having the electric motor and a second component having the actuating arm, wherein the first and the second component are detachably fastened to one another.

Based on the fact that the fronts of the furniture flaps in the individual types of furniture flaps move at different distances from the furniture body during the opening process, the identification device can be designed to recognize using at least one optical sensor with which it is connected, How far does the furniture flap move away from the furniture body and from that on the furniture flap type.

Alternatively it can be provided that the identification device using at least two inductive sensors, which are arranged along the pivoting range of the actuating arm (preferably in the vicinity of the pivot point), the Furniture flap type identified. Depending on which of the sensors is run over by the actuating arm, it can be deduced which type of furniture flap is present.

Again alternatively, it may be provided that the second component has a coding which codes the type of flap for which the second component is intended, wherein the first component has a reading device for reading the coding, which is in communication with the identification device.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the identification device is in communication with a displacement measuring device, preferably an angle measuring device, through which the furniture flap or the actuating arm between its two end positions (closed or lower end position or open or upper end position ) zurücklegbare way, preferably the corresponding angle, can be determined, wherein the identification device identifies the type of flap depending on the measurement result of the displacement measuring device.

This embodiment makes use of the knowledge that different types of furniture flap by different lengths paths, which from the actuator arm or the

Furniture flap between its two end positions (closed position of the furniture flap or opening position of the furniture flap) can be covered, from each other. For example, the traversable angular range is one

Folding flap (HF) approx. 120 °. For a high-lift flap (HL) it is approx. 140 °, while for a high swing flap (HS) the control arm has an angular range of approx.

130 ° can cover. These angles are each measured starting from the position at which the furniture flap on the furniture body (possibly under

Retention of a slight gap to the furniture body to allow a

Touch-latch release) on the furniture body in the closed end position is applied. The angle measurement can optionally also starting from a through the pivot point of

Stellarms vertical imaginary lines done. The concrete numbers may change slightly.

In general, the exact angles can of course vary depending on the manufacturer or it may be possible that others Furniture flap types are to be distinguished from each other as the previously mentioned. However, this does not present a problem, since only a finite number of a priori known different mechanical actuators, which can be combined with the first component, which has the electric drive, are available for a specific furniture flap drive. It must therefore be measured only once at the factory for each of the types of valves that are to be distinguished from each other, which way or which angle range of the actuator arm or the furniture flap for each of the flap types can cover each.

Of course, it would be conceivable to use not only one of the above-mentioned identification options, but to carry out two or more of the mentioned identification methods simultaneously. This will generally not be necessary.

Regardless of the embodiment according to which the identification device is designed, it can be provided that the furniture flap drive in dependence on the identification carried out by the identification device, control parameters such as speed profiles (ie, for example, the angular velocity and / or the angular acceleration as a function of the swivel angle the actuating arm or as a function of time) or the like for an electric motor sets.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention is a

Collision monitoring device for detecting a collision of the furniture flap driven in the assembled state by the furniture flap drive provided with the furniture body or a foreign body.

It can be provided that the collision monitoring device has a speed and / or an acceleration measuring device for the actuating arm.

Protection is also desired for a piece of furniture with a furniture flap drive according to one of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the setting arm is connected to a furniture flap. Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the figures and the associated description of the figures. Showing:

Fig. 1a, 1b, 1c, for example, three different types of furniture flap, Fig. 2a, 2b, 2c, the formation of the furniture flap drive for each of the in the

Fig. 1a, 1b, 1c shown furniture flap types,

3a, 3b a flow chart (for reasons of space) of a concrete

Example of an identification of the furniture flap type with the aid of a path measuring device, wherein additionally a collision monitoring device is initialized,

4a, 4b, 4c, 4d examples in connection with collision monitoring in an HF furniture flap,

5a, 5b show an embodiment of a first component to which three differently shaped second components can be attached, in perspective view and corresponding

Top views

6a to 6e an embodiment of an identification device, in which different codes are arranged on the second component and the first component has a corresponding reading device,

7a, 7b, 7c show a further embodiment of an identification device with an optical sensor, FIGS. 8a to 8d show an application of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, and FIGS. 9a, 9b show a further embodiment of an identification device which has inductive sensors.

1 a shows a furniture flap 3 movably mounted on a furniture carcass 2 in the form of a fold-up flap (HF). The corresponding design of the furniture flap drive 1 is shown in FIG. 2a. The angle φ is measured between two imaginary lines, one of which runs parallel to the longitudinal extent of the actuator arm 4. The second straight line extends at least approximately vertically and through the pivot point of the actuating arm 4. On the plate 5, the furniture flap 3 shown in Fig. 1a can be attached. FIGS. 1b and 2b show the corresponding representations for a high-pivoting flap. FIGS. 1c and 2c show the corresponding illustrations for a high-lift flap.

It can be seen that due to the different respectively desired movement behavior of the furniture flap 3, the exact construction of the lever mechanism is different. In each case, however, the electromotive driving the movement of the furniture flap 3 by the actuator 4.

FIGS. 3a and 3b show a flow chart for an automatic parameterization of the electric motor as a function of the automatically identified respective type of furniture flap. In this case, an identification device is used as an example, which closes from the angle range φ which can be returned by the actuating arm 4 or the furniture flap 3 between the two end positions to the respective flap type. When starting the parameterization, the furniture flap 3 should be in an intermediate position between the two end positions.

At the beginning there is a binary query as to whether the position furniture flap 3 is larger (the direction away from the furniture body 2 is to be considered as a positive direction hereinafter) as a predetermined trigger threshold of the path measuring device. The displacement measuring device is designed here as a rotary potentiometer, which measures absolute angle values in the form of increments and forwards them to the identification device. It should also be mentioned that a CPU of the identification device as well as electronic memory and optionally further circuits in all embodiments of the invention may be formed on the mainboard of the electromotive furniture flap drive, for example in its control or regulating device.

Depending on whether the furniture flap is located closer to the open position (left branch of the flow chart) or closer to the closed position (right branch of the flow chart), the result of the query is either "yes" or "no". The

Furniture flap 3 is then driven by an electric motor in the direction of the more distant end position until the absolute value of the angular velocity of the

Stellarms 4 _falls below a predetermined threshold CO _THRESHOLD . If this falls short of, you know that the furniture flap in the closed (lower) or open (upper) end position has arrived (in the following, only the left branch to be discussed, the right branch is analog) The then output from the rotary potentiometer value is stored as ΨU _NT E _N. Then, the furniture flap 3 is driven in the direction of the upper (open) end position again until it abuts the furniture body 2, which in turn manifests itself in that the absolute value of the angular velocity of the _{actuator arm 4} falls below the predetermined threshold value CO _THRESHOLD . The measurement value of the rotary potentiometer then present is stored as the upper end position Φ _OBE N. From the difference of cpuN _TE N and Φ _OBE N, the total angular range Δφ that can be returned by the actuator arm can be determined. It is now decided with the help of two binary queries, which is present in this case three possible furniture flap types (HF, HL or HS). Since a high-lift flap has the smallest legible angular range, it is first queried whether the entire traversable angle range Δφ is below the total expected traversable angular range Φ _LEVEL J _{HF of} a fold-up flap. If this is the case, the identification is completed positively and the desired control parameters for a folding folder can be loaded. If this is not the case, then no folding flap can be present. Then it is queried whether the entire traversable angle range Δφ is greater than the entire angular range <P _LEVE L_ _HL , which is to be expected for a high-lift flap. If this is the case, the furniture flap 3 is positively identified as a high-lift flap and the corresponding control parameters can be loaded. If this is not the case, then a high pivoting flap must be present and again the required control parameters can be loaded. This, of course, requires the prior knowledge that the corresponding furniture flap drive 1 should be used from the outset only in these three different furniture flap types. Otherwise, correspondingly more queries would have to be performed.

After successful identification, a reference run "Close" can be carried out until the angular range φ covered is greater than the difference (P _OBE N - Ψ _OF F- If this condition is met, the collision parameters thus determined for the The corresponding collision parameters do not have to be recorded continuously, but it is sufficient to record them for certain discrete points of weakness.) Φ _0FF is an offset angle that is used for this purpose , the shutdown position of the electric motor something To put before the respective end position, so that no collision with the furniture body 2 takes place.

Subsequently, a corresponding reference movement for the opening movement is performed (FIG. 3b). The thus determined collision parameters can also be stored.

The entire process is analogous (right branch), if initially the flap was in the closed position.

Examples of the collision parameters for the angular acceleration α recorded during the reference run "closing" are shown in Fig. 4a. It can be seen that the collision monitoring device, depending on the measured angular acceleration while retaining a certain offset, defines the step function which is then used for the angular acceleration Collision monitoring should be used.

A collision can either be a "regular" collision of the furniture flap 3 with the furniture body 2. However, a foreign body, such as a user's hand, may collide, an example of a collision that occurs during the opening process Hochfaltklappe, which is detected by the acceleration monitoring is shown in Fig. 4b.

A corresponding example of the closing movement is shown in FIG. 4c.

4d shows how collision monitoring is set up while maintaining a predetermined offset for the parameter "speed." In all embodiments, the collision monitoring can be either only one of the given parameters (for example angular velocity ω or angular acceleration α) or combinations support the parameter.

5a and 5b schematically show the principle of an embodiment, according to which the furniture drive 1 each consists of two components 7, 8 detachably fastened to each other (in addition, a cover flap could be provided which can be seen in FIG. 2). The electric motor and the corresponding electronic circuits are arranged in the first component 7. The mechanical actuating unit is designed as a second component 8. Depending on which furniture flap type is to be used, a corresponding second component 8 is used.

FIG. 6 shows a first component 7, which is equipped with a reading device which is used for reading out a coding arranged on the second component 8.

In the embodiment shown, the reading device has two spring-mounted pins 9, which can be pressed into the first component 7 and then close an electrical contact, which is registered by the identification device.

In the present example, the second component 8 for a pop-up flap (FIG. 6c) has no bore, the component 8 for a high pivot flap (FIG. 6d) has a bore 10 and the second component 8 for a high-lift flap (FIG. 6d) has two holes 10 , These holes 10 are positioned so that when assembling the first component 7 and the second component 8, none (in the case of HF), one (in the case of HS) or both (in the case of HL) pins 9 can penetrate into a bore 10. If a pin 9 penetrates into a bore 10, it is not pressed into the first component 7 and therefore does not close any electrical contact. In this way, an identification of the second component 8 can take place.

Alternatively, it could also be provided that a transponder is provided on the second component 8 and a corresponding reading unit is provided on the first component 7.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7, the furniture drive 1 is provided with an optical sensor 11 whose measuring signals can be fed to a distance measuring device. This is in turn connected to an identification device. The mode of operation is shown in FIG. 8 for different furniture flap types.

It can be seen, for example, that when the furniture flap 3 is designed as a folding door 3, folding the furniture flap 3 results in a situation in which the measuring beam (indicated by a horizontal dashed line) of the optical sensor 11 no longer impinges on the furniture flap 3. It can be concluded from this that there is a fold-over flap. In Fig. 8b is a Hochschwenkklappe before. It can be seen that the distance of the Hochschwenkklappe from the vertical dotted line (the distance of the optical sensor 11 from the dashed vertical line should be the same in all Fig. Δa to 8d) is greater than the distance, which, for example in the case of FIG. 8c is present where the furniture flap 3 is designed as a high lift flap.

In this way, an identification of the furniture flap type can be done by the identification device.

It may be advantageous during the reference run to carry out an error check to the effect that care is taken to see whether the furniture flap 3 has traveled a certain minimum distance (minimum angular travel). Otherwise, the problem may arise that in the event of a collision of the furniture flap 3 before reaching the end position, a misidentification of the flap type comes, which also has the consequence that the electric motor moves only over a limited angular range.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, two inductive sensors 12 are provided, which are connected to the identification device. Depending on the furniture flap type, a different number of inductive sensors 2 are run over by a lever or the setting arm 2 of the lever mechanism during a complete movement of the furniture flap 3. For example, in the case of a furniture flap 3 designed as HF, neither of the two inductive sensors 12 is run over. When trained as HL furniture flap 3 one of the two inductive sensors 12 is run over. When trained as HS furniture flap 3 two inductive sensors 12 are run over.

Legend:

ω angular velocity α angular acceleration φ angle

ΨOBEN upper end position cpuNTEN lower end position

Δφ determined angle range ψLevei_HF limit angle for HF detection ψLeveLHL limit angle for H L detection <PoFF. Winkelloffset

W _THRE S _HOLD Threshold value for angular velocity detected at end position (furniture flap is at standstill)

Claims

Patent claims

1. Electromotive furniture flap drive characterized by an identification device for automatic identification of

Furniture flap type in the assembled state of the furniture flap drive (1).

2. furniture flap drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the furniture flap drive (1) has an electric motor having the first component (7) and the actuating arm having a second component (8), wherein the first and the second component (7, 8) releasably can be attached to each other.

3. furniture flap drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the identification device with at least one optical sensor (11) is in communication, which measures the distance to the furniture flap (3) in the assembled state.

4. furniture flap drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the furniture flap drive (1) along the pivoting range of the actuating arm (4) and preferably in the vicinity of the fulcrum at least two inductive

Sensors (12) are arranged, which are in communication with the identification device.

5. furniture flap drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second component (8) has a coding which codes the type of flap, for which the second component (8) is determined, wherein the first component (7) a reading device for reading having the coding associated with the identification device.

6. furniture flap drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the identification device with a displacement measuring device, preferably an angle measuring device, is in communication through which the actuator arm (4) zurücklegbare between its two end positions, preferably the corresponding angle (φ), is determinable, with the Identification device in dependence of

Measurement result of the path measuring device identified the type of flap.

7. furniture flap drive according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the furniture flap drive (1) in dependence of the

Identification device carried out identification control or

Sets control parameters, for example, speed profiles or the like, for the electric motor.

8. furniture flap drive according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by a collision monitoring device for detecting a collision in the assembled state of the furniture flap drive (1) driven furniture flap (3) with the furniture body (2) or a foreign body.

9. furniture flap drive according to claim 8, characterized in that the

Collision monitoring device comprises a speed and / or an acceleration measuring device for the actuating arm (4).

10. Furniture with a furniture flap drive (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the actuating arm (4) with a furniture flap (3) is connected.