EP2710923A1 - Furniture and device for controlling the movement of a piece of furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (2,16,21) has an electrically operated actuator (4) so that furniture (3) is movable driven relative to the furniture main portion (5) by actuator in the assembled state of device depending on the operation of actuator. The recovery portions are provided for obtaining electrical energy from a present form of energy not spacer-bonded in the vicinity of the recovery portion. The recovery portion for electrical power supply is provided with existing electrically operated activators (17,18,20,22) for triggering the operation of actuator by a control action from the outside.

Description

State of the art

In the furniture sector furniture with a furniture body to which a driven movably guided furniture part is added, known.

The movement influence of the furniture part or its movement specification takes place in particular via a movable actuator by means of a drive, which moves the furniture part relative to the furniture body in motion, in particular in at least one direction of movement of the furniture part.

Purpose and advantages of the invention

Object of the present invention is to improve the operation of arrangements in the aforementioned type, especially with regard to ease of use of the furniture or on a drive-side assembly and / or operating costs.

This object is solved by the independent claims.

The dependent claims are directed to expedient and advantageous variants of the invention.

The invention relates to a device for controlling the movement of a movably received on a furniture body furniture part, wherein the device comprises an electrically operable actuator, so that in the mounted state of the device depending on the operation of the actuator, the furniture part is driven relative to the furniture body by means of the actuator movable ,

The actuator may for example be a driven pivotable or linearly driven movable element. Depending on the movement or change in position of the actuator, the furniture part is moved out relative to the furniture body or herausschwenkbar and / or movable in the opposite direction.

The furniture part can be moved completely driven by a possible path of movement or be movable only over a section and otherwise by manual action of a person.

The actuator is movable in particular via an electric motor. The device comprises in particular a control unit, for example a control or control unit, which controls the operation of the actuator, in particular its movement or its drive.

The furniture part may be, for example, a drawer, an extract, a furniture door or a furniture flap.

The first essential aspect of the invention is that recovery means are provided for recovering electrical energy from an energy source present in the vicinity of the recovery means, the recovery means being designed to supply electrical power to an existing electrically operating activator, and the activator for triggering the operation of

Actuator is provided by an operating action from the outside.

Advantageously, in particular, no wired supply to the activator must be provided or installed by a remote or external energy source. This is advantageous in terms of the installation and the state of use of the furniture.

The activator is used in particular to initiate a desired operating state with regard to the driven movement of the furniture part, depending on the user's request. The activator can, for example, a control element such. B. be an actuatable switch. The activator may preferably be operable from the outside or an operating side of the furniture, in particular be present on the furniture body or on the furniture part. Thus, for example, based on a done via the activator operator or trigger action by a person, for. B. by manual operation, electrical energy for the operation of the activator on the extraction means are provided. It can be delivered by the action of the person, the non-wired form of energy, which is then provided by the extraction means in electrical energy for the operation of the activator. With the associated power supply of the activator, this triggers the operation of the actuator, so that in the sequence of the driven actuator, the movable furniture part is driven driven as desired by the user. In this case, the actuator may have a wired, in particular conventional power supply or have a different power supply.

The activator may be remote from the control unit and / or the drive of the actuator. If no cable connection of the activator is set up, advantageously a wireless communication between the activator z. B. set up via the activator signals and a receiver of the signals, so that in the sequence of the command for operating the actuator is carried out and thus the furniture part is driven driven. The communication between the activator and the actuator or the receiver acting on the actuator happens in particular by means of a signal transmission by radio.

Advantageously, the necessary amount of electrical energy for signal transmission from the transmitter of the activator to the receiver in the order that possibly z. B. alone the mechanical energy form such. B. pressure forces, which is provided by an external action by a person on the activator, is sufficient that the electrical energy generated by the extraction means allows the signal transmission.

Thus, it is particularly advantageous possible to operate the activator completely independent of an external power supply network.

It is particularly advantageous if the activator is designed as an RFID chip (RFID: radio-frequency identification) or comprises such. In this case, the energy can be collected in the form of electromagnetic radiation and processed energetically, in particular passive RFIDs are used. A passive transponder removes the operating voltage from the electromagnetic field, whereby a part of the energy is reflected to a reading device.

Another essential aspect of the invention is that extraction means are provided for obtaining electrical energy from an energy source that is not conducted in the vicinity of the extraction means, the extraction means being designed to supply the actuator with electrical energy.

The above-mentioned advantages arise accordingly for the operation of the actuator. In this case, therefore, the driven movement of the movable furniture part is made possible by the actuator or its drive by electrical energy generated by the extraction means.

Particularly advantageously, both the activator and the actuator can be operated with the electrical energy alone, which is provided by the means of extraction. The operation of the furniture can thus be realized completely detached from an external or wired near reaching energy supply.

The forms of energy accessible to the means of production for the generation of electrical energy are based on a wide variety of phenomena or, in particular, comprise mechanical energy, electromagnetic or thermal energy. For example, light energy or energy from radio waves or energy from sound or

Pressure wave events are used.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the extraction means comprise a conversion element which is designed to generate electrical energy upon application of force to the conversion element. With the conversion element, for example, mechanical effects, wherein a force or a pressure acts on the conversion element, are used to generate electrical energy. The conversion element can be acted upon directly or indirectly, for example by pressure or force transmission from the point of action, for example, to the furniture carcass or the furniture part to the conversion element where the actual conversion into electrical energy takes place. The energy production described is based in particular on the piezoelectric effect, wherein the extraction means comprise in particular a piezoelectric element.

It is also advantageous that the extraction means comprise a radio switch with a piezoelectric element. Advantageously, the electrical energy which is necessary for a radio signal of the radio switch can be provided by the piezoelectric element. In this case, in particular by a manual operation or -auslösung the wireless switch on the piezoelectric element effective or usable mechanical energy or pressure energy is converted into electrical voltage. It is also advantageous that wirelessly by acting on the radio switch, the transmission of a signal from the radio switch a receiving unit is realized. The receiving unit communicates with the control unit or is in particular part of the control unit. The control unit then processes the received signal from the radio switch and triggers depending on the drive of the actuator or controls it so that in the sequence the driven movement of the furniture part takes place in the desired manner.

According to an advantageous modification of the subject invention, the extraction means are configured to generate electrical energy from a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field. Thus, for example, radio waves can be used to generate electrical energy. This is advantageous because radio waves are usually permanent or everywhere.

Further, it is advantageous that the extraction means comprise a transponder with an antenna, so that in the presence of a high-frequency alternating electromagnetic field, the high-frequency energy is used for the production of electrical energy.

This is a particularly convenient and advantageous variant for energy generation. In particular, the form of energy used to obtain the electrical energy is advantageously not present on a body-bound basis and is not linked to an action of the user of the furniture.

A further advantageous variant of the invention is characterized in that the extraction means comprise mechanical components which are designed to produce a structure-borne noise in the furniture carcass and / or the movably received furniture part upon exposure from outside to a body. The body is in particular part of the mechanical components. By means of the body, the structure-borne sound is generated depending on the type and / or duration of the external influence. With the generated structure-borne noise, an energy form is then provided which is used in full or in part by the extraction means for generating the electrical energy becomes, whereby the electrical operation of the actuator and / or the activator is enabled.

Advantageously, if necessary, a structure-borne sound can be provided and used in such a way that is not or barely detectable by the human ear, which is not problematic for the user in that otherwise a structure-borne sound that is clearly audible to a person may be perceived as unpleasant.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the extraction means are configured to use a body sound associated with the furniture body and / or the movably received furniture part for the generation of electrical energy. Thus, it is advantageously possible to use over all physically present areas of the furniture there existing structure-borne sound for generating electrical energy.

A further advantageous embodiment of the subject invention is characterized in that the extraction means are adapted to recover electrical energy from thermal energy. So you can in particular regularly occurring amounts of heat on furniture use, for example, due to sunlight on the furniture or in the environment or z. B. in kitchen furniture by heat generated during cooking. This is economically or ecologically advantageous.

Alternatively, it is also advantageous to obtain electrical energy from light energy. Light energy as well as thermal energy is usually at the sites of furniture regularly available, so that here an advantageous variant for the generation of electrical energy according to the invention is provided. For power generation z. B. may be provided a photovoltaic unit.

It is also advantageous that the extraction means are formed of an existing in the vicinity outside of the furniture body form of energy that is different from an electrical Energy differs to gain electrical energy. Thus, for example, mechanical forces or sound or air flow effects, light and temperature can be used for the use of electrical energy. For example, forms of energy that can be used to enter into electrical energy by entering a room by persons in the floor or in walls of the room in which the furniture is located, which include impact sound and vibrations.

A further advantageous variant of the invention provides that the extraction means are designed to obtain electrical energy from an energy form present on or in the furniture body and / or the movable furniture part, which differs from an electrical energy. This makes it possible to use the energy forms that are not tied to the furniture itself.

It is also particularly advantageous to use the kinetic energy of moving in normal operation furniture part on the extraction means for obtaining the electrical energy. The movable furniture part is moved in normal operation via a technical drive unit, for example via an electric motor for driving the actuator, or a person or manually conditionally.

For example, a furniture drawer, which is moved by retracting and inserting or a furniture flap, which is moved out by pivoting and swiveling; provide the kinetic energy or supply derived energy. Also, a touch of the furniture body or the furniture part by a person from the outside and the associated vibration or pressure forces on the furniture can be used for energy.

In particular, it is advantageous that storage means for storing the electrical energy obtained by the extraction means are present. For example, a rechargeable battery or a rechargeable battery or a capacitor be provided to store the electrical energy obtained with the extraction means and in particular to give it back to a power consumer, with a time delay. The stored energy is used in particular for the electrical operation of the actuator and / or the activator or other current-operated device on the furniture.

However, the energy stored in the storage means can also be used for the operation of other energy consumers or electrical appliances.

This can advantageously also provide larger amounts of energy or voltages, which is particularly necessary for actuators for moving larger furniture parts or, with higher loading.

Moreover, it is advantageous in phases in which the actuator or the activator does not require any electrical energy to store the electrical energy gained by the extraction means so that it is not lost.

Another essential aspect of the invention is that audio means are provided with which the operation of the actuator can be triggered depending on a structure-borne noise detectable in the furniture body and / or in the furniture part. In particular, it is advantageous that depending on a structure-borne noise, which is caused for example by an operating action from the outside, so for example, an action on the furniture by a person, the triggering of the actuator is possible. This represents a particularly elegant variant of a triggering action for the driven movement of the furniture part.

It is particularly advantageous that the audio means comprise sound elements which, depending on the operating action, generate a structure-borne noise in the furniture carcass and / or in the furniture part, which can be detected and processed by a control unit which controls the operation of the actuator. So can advantageously via the sound elements Structure-borne sound are generated, via which the control units and thus the operation of the actuator can be triggered,

It is further proposed that, according to an advantageous variant of the invention, the control unit is designed to use a stored prescribable profile of structure-borne noise in the furniture carcass and / or in the furniture part for controlling the operation of the actuator. The profile is stored in particular in the control unit, for example in or on corresponding storage means. This is advantageously a comparison of a stored profile with a detectable profile possible what z. B. with the aid of a computing unit of the control unit, which in particular in accordance with the detected profile and a stored profile, wherein the match must move at least to a predeterminable degree, this is detected and the actuator is controlled or triggered. So it is advantageously possible to deliberately use predetermined actions from the outside on the furniture for the actuation of the actuator. The deposited profiles can z. B. be generated with a read-in process.

On the other hand, an accidental external impact on the furniture, for example, an unconscious or unwanted bumping the furniture, however, does not lead to a triggering of the actuator, which is desired. Because then no or not sufficiently high agreement between the deposited or deliberately given profile and the recorded profile is achieved due to the contagion. The corresponding control processes are advantageously controlled or implemented by the control unit.

Finally, it is also advantageous that the control unit is designed to detect an actual profile of a structure-borne noise existing in the furniture body and / or in the furniture part and / or subject the actuator to a comparison with a reference profile of structure-borne noise in the furniture body and / or stored in the control unit. or in the furniture part head for. Thus, the actuator and thus the movement of the furniture part can be controlled or controlled by specifiable reference profiles of a structure-borne sound very specifically.

This is advantageous in terms of a convenient and easy operation of the furniture.

Finally, the invention also relates to a piece of furniture with a device according to one of the above-mentioned embodiments.

In this way, the advantages explained in connection with the device according to the invention can be realized on a piece of furniture according to the invention.

figure description

Further features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to schematically illustrated embodiments of the invention.

Here, partly the same reference numerals are used for corresponding parts of the different embodiments.

The FIGS. 1 to 3 show highly schematic each one inventive furniture or a device according to the invention on a piece of furniture. It only one of two opposite side walls of the furniture is shown or more details are not shown.

FIG. 1 relates to an inventive furniture 1 and a device 2 according to the invention for controlling the movement of a movable furniture part designed as a furniture flap 3. Based on the closed state shown, the furniture flap 3 is received by means of a hinge 4 designed as a guide means relative to a fixed furniture body 5 of the furniture 1 about a vertical plane perpendicular to the drawing axis 6 in the direction of P1 or opposite thereto pivotally. Parts of Device 2 are present both in the upper and in the lower region of the furniture body 5. The hinge 4 arranged at the top of the furniture 1 comprises, for example, two hinge elements 4a and 4b which articulate between the furniture body 5 and a side wall 5a of the furniture body 5 and the furniture flap 3.

In the FIGS. 1 to 3 is the furniture body 5 closed position of the furniture flap 3 shown. In this case, a closing gap 7 with a width a is formed between an inside 3a of the furniture flap 3 and an end face 5b of the furniture body 5.

The hinge elements 4a and 4b and the hinge 4 form an electrically operable actuator of the device 2, for which purpose an electric motor 8 acting on the hinge is provided, so that the furniture flap 3 can be pivoted relative to the furniture body 5. The device 2 also includes a control unit 9 for controlling the operation of the hinge 4 and the electric motor 8. The control unit 9 comprises in particular a computer or computer unit and storage means.

For the initiation or the triggering of a driven opening movement of the furniture flap 3 according to movement arrow P1 from the in FIG. 1 shown closed position by means of the actuator or the hinge 4, a user can act on a front side 3b of the furniture flap 3 by pressure according to the force F and thus pivot the furniture flap 3 slightly opposite to the direction P1. In this case, the inside 3a of the furniture flap 3 comes into contact with a accommodated in the lower region of the furniture 1 displaceable actuator 10 and switching element of the device 2. The actuator 10 is a biased spring 11 which presses against the actuator 10, according to the double arrow P2 slightly displaceable. With the actuator 10 audio means are coupled to trigger the operation of the actuator depending on a detectable in the furniture 1 structure-borne sound and open the furniture flap 3, for example, driven. The audio means comprise sound elements, which here by way of example comprise a jagged on one side formed mechanical component 12 on the actuating element 10 and a cooperating further mechanical component 13 which is fixed relative to the furniture body 5. In a displacement movement of the actuating element 10 by pressing the furniture flap 3, the component 12 is rubbed past with its corrugated side on a likewise corrugated side of the component 13. This results in a structure-borne noise in the furniture 1. The structure-borne sound is detected by the control unit or a unit 14, the sensor means comprises, for example, a microphone 15. The detected structure-borne sound can serve as a triggering signal for driving the actuator or the hinge 4 and / or converted and used as non-wired existing energy form via the extraction means into electrical energy.

FIG. 2 differs from the arrangement according to FIG. 1 The device 16 comprises a radio switch FS with a piezoelectric element 17, which converts mechanical energy or the pressing force acting on the actuating element 10 by pressing the furniture flap 3 according to the force F into electrical energy and thus Provides power to a transmitter 18 so that the transmitter 18 in the sequence emits a non-wired signal 19 or radio signal. The signal 19 is detected by an antenna 20 in the top of the furniture 1 arranged part of the device 16 and fed to the control unit 9. The control unit 9 then gives the command to the driven via the electric motor 8 moving the hinge 4 and thus for pivoting the furniture flap. 3

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1 includes an activator, which serves to trigger the actuator, the actuator 10 and the sound elements 12 and 13 or according to FIG. 2 the piezoelectric element and the transmitter 18th

Another alternative arrangement according to the invention shows FIG. 3 , alone by the device 21 for controlling the movement of the furniture flap 3 of the other two embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2 different. Here, the activator has a cooperating with the actuator 10 RFID chip 22 which is queried by the control unit 9 by a generated electromagnetic field 23 and simultaneously supplied with energy. When pressing the furniture flap 3 according to the force arrow F is acted on the actuator 10, which has the consequence that this is registered via the RFID chip 22 of the control unit 9. Triggered by the control unit 9, the hinge 4 is driven driven in the sequence on the electric motor 8 and the furniture flap 3 swung open.

Reference numerals:

1

Furniture

2

contraption

3

furniture flap

3a

inside

3b

front

4

hinge

4a

hinge element

4b

hinge element

5

furniture body

5a

Side wall

5b

front

6

bearing axle

7

closing gap

8th

electric motor

9

control unit

10

actuator

11

feather

12

component

13

component

14

unit

15

microphone

16

contraption

17

piezo element

18

transmitter

19

signal

20

antenna

21

contraption

22

RFID chip

23

electromagnetic field

Claims (17)

Device (2, 16, 21) for controlling the movement of a furniture part (3) movably received on a furniture carcass (5), the device comprising an electrically operable actuator (4) such that in the mounted state of the device, depending on the operation of the actuator ( 4) the furniture part (3) is movable relative to the furniture body (5) by means of the actuator (4), characterized in that extraction means for recovering electrical energy from a non-wired in the vicinity of the recovery means existing energy form are provided, wherein the extraction means for 22), and wherein the activator (17, 18, 20, 22) is provided for triggering the operation of the actuator (4) by an external operating action. Device according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that generating means are provided for obtaining electrical energy from a non-wired in the vicinity of the extraction means existing energy form, wherein the extraction means are adapted to the electrical power supply of the actuator. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means comprise a conversion element which is designed to generate electrical energy upon application of force to the conversion element. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means comprise a radio switch with a piezoelectric element (17). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means such are configured to generate electrical energy from a high-frequency alternating electromagnetic field. Device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the extraction means comprise a transponder with an antenna, so that in the presence of a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field, the high-frequency energy is used to obtain electrical energy. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means comprise mechanical components (12, 13) which are designed in such a way, when exposed from outside to a body a structure-borne noise in the furniture body (5) and / or the movably received furniture part ( 3) to produce. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means are configured to use a the furniture body (5) and / or the movably received furniture part (3) assignable structure-borne noise for the generation of electrical energy. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means are formed from thermal energy to recover electrical energy. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means are formed from an existing in the vicinity outside of the furniture body form of energy, which is different from an electrical energy to gain electrical energy. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extraction means are formed from a on or in the furniture body (5) and / or the movable furniture part (3) existing energy form, which is different from an electrical energy to gain electrical energy , Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that storage means for storing the electrical energy obtained by the extraction means are present. Device according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that audio means are provided, with which the operation of the actuator can be triggered depending on a detectable in the furniture body and / or in the furniture part structure-borne sound. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the audio means comprise sound elements (12, 13) which generate depending on the operating action a structure-borne noise in the furniture body (5) and / or in the furniture part (3), which of a control unit (9) the operation of the actuator (4) is controlled, detectable and processable. Apparatus according to claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that the control unit is adapted to fall back on a stored specifiable profile of structure-borne noise in the furniture body and / or in the furniture part for the control of the operation of the actuator. Device according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the control unit is adapted to detect an actual profile of existing in the furniture body and / or furniture part structure-borne noise and the actuator depending on a comparison with a stored in the control unit reference profile of structure-borne noise in the furniture carcass and / or in the furniture part, Furniture with a device according to one of the preceding claims.

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