JP2012525887A5 - - Google Patents

Description

Flexible screen furniture

  The present invention relates to furniture for kitchens and offices in particular, and preferably relates to a cabinet comprising a plurality of insertable elements and / or doors that can be opened and closed at will by means of electric drive means or with the assistance of electric drive means. .

  As prior art, German Utility Model No. 202004020492 U1, German Patent Publication No. 10236211 A1 Specification, German Patent Publication No. 102006060781 A1 Specification, International Publication No. 2007/128341 A2 Specification, US Patent The specification of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0033375 will be described.

  In the case of furniture, particularly furniture installed in work spaces such as kitchens, offices, and workplaces, information for users is often posted on a cabinet. Information is often posted by, for example, a label, which can be troublesome. This is because when the information changes, the label must be removed with difficulty and a new label with the changed information must be attached.

  Cabinets are usually equipped with removable inserts, often revolving doors, sliding doors, flaps or usually drawers. It is known that such insertion elements, flaps, doors, etc. can be operated by a user using control elements by electric drive. It is also known that a light source can be built into such an insertion element or the interior space of furniture.

  The invention is mainly based on the object of further developing the above kind of furniture.

  This object is achieved by the subject matter of claim 1. The present invention further provides the method of claim 18.

According to this, at least one or more surfaces of the furniture or a region of at least one surface comprises at least one monolayer or multilayer planar functional coating , the functional coating comprising at least one A display layer is included as a functional layer. The functional layer can be applied, for example, by a known coating method such as a spray method, or can be bonded to the inside of a single decorative board. Thus, the carcass can also be provided with a functional coating that extends beyond the edge, particularly in the visible range, and the functional coating is also used for the input means.

The functional coating can be formed of various independent layers. The functional coating presented herein has at least one carrier layer, which may include an adhesive layer for securing the functional coating to the furniture surface. The carrier layer can be applied beforehand to the furniture surface in the form of a lacquer.

Moreover, it is preferable to provide a protective layer on the side not facing the furniture surface. The protective layer protects the intervening layer from damage due to environmental influences. The functional coating includes at least one display layer for displaying information or decoration on each side of the furniture.

  A configuration having two display layers is also possible. In this configuration, one layer is a decoration display layer and displays the selected decoration. The other layer, the information display layer, can be used to display information such as television images and illustrations in computer screens. Instead of a decorative display layer, a permanent decorative layer can also be bonded in addition to or on the carrier layer. If desired, the permanent decoration layer may be overlaid with the information layer illustration.

  The layer composite preferably includes a touch sensor layer, which is effective. The touch sensor layer is used by the user to control the function of furniture or other appliances. The touch sensor layer can also control the display layer.

  The display layer can also incorporate a lighting function.

  In addition, a touch sensor layer and one display layer can be combined to form a single layer having both functions.

  Multiple display layers can also be used to provide furniture with different colors with different OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes). In this case, each OLED can be configured to emit only one color.

This functional coating is preferably arranged as a multilayer functional film with at least one display function. Functional membranes can themselves be used to display illustrations that contain information and can also be used as design elements. Information can be selectively changed. For this purpose, a functional film (or a layer that activates a functional coating , such as a display film layer or a touch sensor film layer) is connected to or provided with a control unit (eg a microprocessor). It is preferable. The functional membrane can be operated either by wire or wireless.

As a variant of the invention, it is particularly effective when one or more functional membranes can be activated externally so that new information (operational information or decoration) can be loaded within the scope of data transfer. . Furthermore, it is preferable that an energy source (battery, capacitor) is provided or connected to the energy source.

  The display film layer is excellent when used for displaying illustrations such as decoration and information, and unlike the case of a label, it is preferable to optimize the appearance without deteriorating the appearance of the furniture.

  With respect to the term “membrane” or “membrane layer”, it should be understood that the membrane layer has a certain degree of flexibility as a whole so that it can also be used for areas on a somewhat curved surface.

According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the display film layer of the functional film is arranged in such a way that it itself comprises several layers, at least one information display film layer and at least one design display film layer. Can be included.

  It is effective that at least the information display layer includes a data interface. Although the data interface can be provided in the design display film layer, it is not essential. The data interface can at least input data to the display in order to change each display.

  When using a design display film layer (especially as an OLED (organic light-emitting diode)), the entire furniture surface or the entire furniture is covered and the design display film layer gives the furniture one or more colors, It is used to display etc. The design element can also be arranged as a light emitting element to have a lighting effect.

  It is preferable to arrange the information display film layer as a display element and display the information such as pictographs and guidance so as to be visible to the user.

The functional film may optionally be provided with a touch sensor functional layer and is known, for example, an effect as used for touch sensor display in mobile phones or computers is added by the touch sensor film layer. In this case, this layer can be used for input, thereby changing the color and design, for example, to obtain operational information or to activate an electrical device such as a drive that opens a door or drawer, for example. For this purpose, a wired or wireless connection with such a device is made. This layer must also be powered and should have a data interface.

  The OLED is planar and relatively thin, and the light emitting member is formed of an organic semiconductor material, but may be manufactured in a film shape.

  Organic semiconductor materials are therefore particularly suitable for practicing the present invention. Depending on the material properties of the OLED, bending and other deformations are possible.

  Electronic paper, also known as e-paper, is a display that gives the appearance of a printed paper. Electronic paper can be manufactured as a flexible film layer. Normally, after a text or image is first displayed on the electronic paper, the information is retained without applying a voltage.

  Electronic paper can reproduce decorations formed by ink, color, etc., as when using paper. In addition, light is reflected as in ordinary paper. Text and decorations are particularly effective in that they can preferably be displayed permanently without the need for power. The display can also be changed later. The electronic paper may be based on OLED technology, but may be based on other technologies. As a result, the display can be changed with little effort according to the user's request, particularly in fixed furniture such as a system kitchen.

  Since the distance between the OLED contrast element and the outer surface is short, it is particularly effective in that the decoration looks the same from any angle to the observer.

  This decoration appears to flicker because of the static display. Since electronic paper is flexible, it can be adjusted to the shape of each surface. Furthermore, OLEDs are particularly effective in that they can be manufactured in various sizes, for example, from a relatively small display that displays the current weather to a relatively large display panel or billboard surface.

  Finally, the use of OLEDs also has an energy saving effect because little energy is required to generate and maintain the display. Current flow is only used when changing the content of an image or decoration.

  Since the contrast elements are reflective, the images and decorations look very good even under normal ambient light and sunlight.

In a preferred embodiment, the functional film layer composite includes a display film layer and a film or film layer forming a touch sensor element or control panel. It is appropriate and effective to supplement this arrangement with a protective layer provided on the side not facing the furniture and an adhesive layer facing the furniture.

  This layer composite can be fixed to the furniture surface in a particularly simple manner by means of an adhesive layer. Before the layer composite is bonded to the furniture, it is protected, for example with a removable cover strip, in order to ensure that the adhesive layer is protected.

  The layer composite material in the above-described embodiment is preferably very thin and flexible or flexible so that it can be fixed to an appropriate place in the furniture without providing a recess or a cut portion on the furniture member. It can also be bonded to a curved surface.

  Further, it is possible to provide a light emitting effect by arranging a plurality of display film layers and providing an e-paper layer and an OLED layer for displaying information.

In another embodiment, furniture comprising a plurality of drawers that can be inserted and removed includes at least one front panel of the drawer including at least one functional membrane . This functional film is preferably disposed on one of the visible edges of the front plate. When the drawer is pushed in, this functional membrane is invisible, ie covered. The above effects can be utilized when opening the drawer. In the present embodiment, the functional film is mainly used for providing information to the user. For example, since various items are stored in the drawer, it is effective to provide at least one functional film on the front plate of all drawers. The embodiment described above is particularly suitable for household furniture.

In particular, the kitchen unit furniture includes a plurality of base cabinets in which the cabinets are arranged close to each other, and one or more wall cabinets arranged at an upper part away from the base cabinet. In such furniture, at least one functional membrane , preferably a plurality of functional membranes, is attached to the front end vertical surface of the base cabinet top plate. At least one functional membrane is suitably associated with each base cabinet.

Alternatively, at least one functional membrane can be placed on each visible surface of the front panel of the furniture drawer. In the case of kitchen furniture, at least another functional membrane is visibly disposed on the outside of the front flap or door of each wall cabinet.

Thus, control elements and information displays can be provided over the entire area of the functional coating . As a result, the control elements are provided in an ergonomically effective manner for each user. The decoration can also be changed at will, for example, solid oak is displayed for 1 minute and then pink for 1 minute. User specific information can be stored in memory and transferred to the functional coating upon user recognition or user selection. As a result, the furniture with functional coating can be adjusted to the requirements of each user.

The present invention also provides a method for displaying information and / or changing the design (ie decoration and / or color) of furniture. In this method, information displays and / or furniture design changes are made by the functional coating . Thereby, for example, the color of the furniture can be changed as desired. For example, the color of the front surface of furniture can be changed by a simple method.

  The details of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is sectional drawing of the functional film which consists of a layer composite material fixed to the furniture member. It is sectional drawing of another functional film | membrane formed with the layer composite material and being fixed to the furniture member. It is sectional drawing of another functional film | membrane formed with the layer composite material and being fixed to the furniture member. It is a figure which shows the furniture provided with several drawer | drawing-out which can be inserted or removed, and one drawer is at least partially drawn out. It is an enlarged view which shows the detail of the part of the code | symbol V of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows a wall cabinet. It is a figure which shows the furniture provided with two or more drawers which can be inserted or extracted in 2nd Embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows the detail of the code | symbol VIII part of FIG. It is a figure which shows the wall cabinet in another embodiment. It is a figure which shows the furniture provided with two or more drawers which can be inserted or extracted in another embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows the detail of the part of the code | symbol X of FIG. It is a figure which shows the wall cabinet in 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the furniture provided with two or more drawers which can be inserted or extracted in 3rd Embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows the detail of the part of the code | symbol XIV of FIG. It is a figure which shows the furniture provided with two or more drawers which can be inserted or extracted in 4th Embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows the detail of the code | symbol XVI part of FIG. It is a figure which shows the furniture provided with two or more drawers which can be inserted or extracted in 5th Embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows the detail of the code | symbol XVIII part of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows one of the furniture of various states. It is a perspective view which shows one of the furniture of various states. It is a perspective view which shows one of the furniture of various states.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a functional coating 10 arranged as a multilayer composite on a furniture surface (region). The layer structure of the functional coating 10a shown in FIG. 1 is as follows.
Protective layer 12
Touch sensor layer 13
Information display layer 14
Decoration display layer 15
Support layer 16 with adhesive function

  Said layer is joined to the furniture surface 11 by the adhesive function of the support layer.

FIG. 2 shows different layer arrangements of the functional coating 10b. The arrangement is as follows.
Protective layer 12
Touch sensor layer 13
Information display layer 14
Decorative layer 25
Support layer 16 with adhesive function

  The decoration layer 25 is used to permanently display a pre-selected decoration on the background. The display of the information display layer temporarily covers the decoration of the decoration layer 25 by the display.

FIG. 3 shows yet another layer arrangement of the functional coating 10c.
Protective layer 12
Touch sensor and information display layer 26
Decoration display layer 15
Support layer 16 with adhesive function

  In this modification, the touch sensor layer and the information layer are effectively combined to form a single touch sensor and information display layer 26.

The functional coating 10 is bonded to the furniture surface 11 in the furniture shown in FIGS. The functional coating 10 shown in FIGS. 4 to 18 shows the above-described modified examples 10a, 10b and 10c. It is also possible to obtain the functional coating 10 with different layer sequences and layer shapes.

Although different from the illustration according to FIGS. 1 to 3, this functional coating 10 can also be applied to a curved furniture surface 11.

According to FIG. 1, the functional coating 10 preferably comprises a protective layer 12 formed of a transparent scratch-proof material on the side not facing the furniture surface 11.

  On the other hand, the touch sensor element forming the control element is adjacent to the furniture surface 11 side and becomes the touch sensor layer 13.

  Then at least one display layer is formed on the furniture side.

  The display layer may be a single layer or arranged in a multilayer configuration. In this case, the display layer includes an information display layer 14 used for information display and a decoration display layer 15 used for decoration display. The decorative display layer 15 may be disposed as a light emitting layer, for example.

  The information display layer 14 (for example, electronic paper) for displaying information is preferably connected to a control device (not shown) by a plug 21 (for example, USB) or wirelessly. The information display layer 14 can also comprise a microprocessor.

  A decorative display layer 15 (eg, OLED) for displaying the design is (preferably simply) connected to a power source. For the power supply, the two poles “+” and “−” are simply indicated by symbols (reference number: pole 22). If only pre-stored information is displayed, the voltage source is sufficient (optionally a battery or capacitor may be used) and can be integrated into the display.

The functional coating 10 arranged as a functional film is affixed to the furniture surface 11 by a support layer 16 arranged as an adhesive layer, for example.

Each layer 12-16 is shown enlarged for the sake of explanation. The dimensions of the functional coating can be changed according to each application, up to an example where the entire surface of the furniture member is illuminated.

4 and 5 show furniture comprising a plurality of drawers 17 that can be inserted and removed. In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, two functional coatings 10 are bonded to the horizontally extending edges of the top of the drawer 17. Although different from this illustration, it is also possible for all of the front plates 18 of the drawer 19 to be provided with at least one functional coating .

  FIG. 6 shows a wall cabinet placed on top of furniture with drawers 17 provided as a base cabinet.

FIG. 7 shows furniture in the form of a kitchen base cabinet. The furniture also comprises six drawers 17 each having a front plate 18. In this embodiment, the furniture includes a top plate 19 that covers the drawer 17. Two control elements 23 are arranged at the visible front end of the top plate 19 above each drawer 17 and react when touched by the user. The control element is displayed by an information display layer. The user's command is detected by the touch sensor layer. In this embodiment, a so-called edge band is provided on the peripheral edge in the form of a functional coating 10. Although different from the illustrated embodiment, another functional coating 10 may be applied to the visible area of the furniture.

  FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the arrangement.

The arrangement according to FIGS. 9 to 11 differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 to 8 in that the control element 23 is on the outside and is bonded in the functional coating 10 of the flap of the wall cabinet 20. In this embodiment, as shown in the enlarged views of FIGS. 10 and 11, each front plate 18 is provided with two control elements 23 in the functional coating .

The embodiment according to FIGS. 12 to 14 substantially corresponds to the embodiment according to FIGS. 9 to 11 except that the decoration, pattern, etc. are due to the functional coating 10.

  At least one display layer may be formed of an OLED used or configured as a light emitting layer.

  The number of control elements 23 arranged in one set of furniture varies depending on the requirements regarding the type of furniture and the functions to be provided.

FIGS. 15-18, unlike FIGS. 14 and 15, show examples where various information displays 24 can be created with functional coatings . FIGS. 17 and 18 particularly show examples in which the control element 23 can be displayed and used in the information display 24 as required.

The control element 23 and the information display 24 can thus be generated throughout the functional coating 10. As a result, it is possible to generate control elements in a manner that is ergonomically effective for each user. The decoration can be changed at will, for example, solid oak is displayed for 1 minute and then pink for 1 minute. User specific information can be stored in memory and transferred to the functional coating upon user recognition or user selection. As a result, the furniture with functional coating can be adjusted to the requirements of each user.

The functional coating can also be provided with a purely decorative film, such as a printing paper used as a background for other transparent films.

19 and 20 are perspective views showing different states of the furniture 27, respectively. The furniture 27 is a kind of kitchen furniture provided with at least one information layer, that is, a display layer, and a display layer is disposed as a functional coating . The functional coating can also be used for input. In this case, the functional coating preferably covers the surface area completely and is used to form a kind of functional field 28 with display elements such as temperature display 29 and input field 30 on the surface. . The functional coating can be placed in the form of a user interface for a kitchen appliance such as an oven. The kitchen appliance can be integrated with furniture. The kitchen appliance can also be installed, for example, at another location and connected to the furniture via a wireless or wired data interface.

  As an option, a camera 31 is provided.

  According to a first variant, the functional field 28 is formed at a fixed position on the furniture. This functionality field 28 is arranged in the form of a touch screen input field and can be used (as a control element) for setting kitchen appliances by means of touch screen input means such as an input window with a movable bar or the like. It is. For example, it is possible to input temperature, time, etc. into the oven.

In this case, the functional coating is connected to the control device of the kitchen appliance by a data interface.

  Input to the functionality field 28 is forwarded to the control device to change the setting of the kitchen appliance and activate heating such as a hot plate.

  The functionality field can also be used to display information such as information about the actual state of the kitchen appliance. It is also possible for a camera built in the instrument (apart from the camera 31) to take a picture of the inside of the oven and display the image on the display field 32.

  It is also possible to arrange the functionality field for display of information. For example, the actual temperature in the oven can be displayed.

  The functionality field 28 may also connect to another device such as a computer (PC) and / or the Internet via the data interface and display information (recipes, instructions, etc.) obtained from the Internet or other storage media. it can.

In the case of a functional coating disposed on a relatively large surface area, the functional field 28 can be displayed at various locations, not just one location, and the functional coating can be freely selected. It is also possible to display the position. Although the size of the functional field 28 can be variously changed, a window function technique obtained from the computer technology used can be preferably used.

  It is also advantageous in that the camera 31 measures the height of the user and can display one or more functional fields 28 at different positions on the surface of the furniture (or furniture equipment comprising a plurality of furniture) depending on its size. (For example, FIGS. 19 to 21).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Functional coating , 11 ... Furniture surface, 12 ... Protective layer, 13 ... Touch sensor layer, 14 ... Information display layer, 15 ... Decoration display layer, 16 ... Support layer, 17 ... Drawer, 18 ... Front plate, 19 ... Top plate, 20 ... Wall cabinet, 21 ... Plug, 22 ... Pole, 23 ... Control element, 24 ... Information display, 25 ... Decoration layer, 26 ... Touch sensor and information display layer, 27 ... Furniture, 28 ... Functional field, 29 ... Temperature display, 30 ... Input field, 31 ... Camera, 32 ... Display field

Claims (18)

Furniture, especially furniture or furniture for the offices of the kitchen, preferably a cabinet,
A plurality of insertable insertable elements and / or doors that can be opened and closed at will by means of electric drive means or with the assistance of said electric drive means,
At least one surface of the furniture or a region of at least one surface comprises at least one monolayer or multilayer planar functional coating (10);
The functional coating comprises at least one display layer (14 , 15) as a functional layer;
The furniture is characterized in that the functional layer can also be used for input. Furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one display layer (14 , 15) comprises preferably at least one planarly arranged organic light emitting diode layer and / or electronic paper layer. Furniture according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the functional coating comprises at least one touch sensor layer (13) in addition to the display layer (14 , 15). 3. The functional coating according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a protective layer (12) that is transparent, preferably made of scratch-proof material, on the side of the furniture that does not face the surface (11). The furniture according to 3. 5. Furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that the functional coating comprises at least one decorative layer (25) in addition to the display layer (14 , 15). The one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the functional coating (10) comprises a support layer (16) on the side of the furniture facing the furniture surface (11). Furniture. The furniture according to claim 1, wherein the display layer of the functional coating is arranged in a plurality of layers. The display layer according to claim 1, wherein the display layer of the functional coating is arranged in a plurality of layers and comprises at least one information display layer (14) and at least one decorative display layer (15). The furniture according to any one or more items.   9. Furniture according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display layer (14 and / or 15) comprises a data interface. 10. One or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the display layer (14, 15) of the functional coating is itself arranged in a plurality of layers and comprises an electronic paper layer and an OLED layer. Furniture described in the section. 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the functional coatings is arranged on a visible edge of a front plate (18) of at least one pluggable drawer (17). Item or plural furniture. At least one of said functional coatings (10) is bonded onto a visible surface of at least one front plate (18) of at least one removable drawer (17). Item 12. The furniture according to any one of Items 1 to 11. 13. At least one of the functional coatings (10) is bonded onto the visible surface of all front plates (18) of a removable drawer (17). The furniture according to any one of the above items. 14. One or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the functional coatings (10) is bonded onto the visible surface of the front flap of the wall cabinet (20). Furniture described in. One or more of the functional coatings (10) are bonded to at least one visible end of the furniture top plate (19). Or furniture according to one or more items. 16. Furniture according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional coating (10) is arranged as a functional membrane. A method for displaying and / or inputting information and / or changing a design of furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the functional coating is used to display information, input information, and / or Or a method characterized by making a design change. Said functional coating is used to display at least one functional field (28) in one fixed position or at various positions, said functional field preferably displaying a display element and / or an input field (30). provided the furniture (27), the furniture comprises said display layer as the functional coating, the functional coating comprises at least one information layer or the display layer (14), also used to input the functional coating further 18. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that it is possible.