NL2017250B1 - Office desk - Google Patents

Abstract

Office desk (1) comprising a tabletop (2) and legs (3) supporting the tabletop (2), wherein a heating element (4, 4’) is provided at an upper surface (2’) of the tabletop (2). Preferably a first heating element (4) is provided at an upper sur- 5 face (2’) of the tabletop (2) and a second heating element (4’) is provided at a lower surface (2’’) of the tabletop (2). It is advantageous that the heating elements (4, 4’) are integrated in the tabletop (2).

Description

Patent center

The Netherlands

(21) Application number: 2017250 © Application submitted: 28/07/2016 © 2017250

BI PATENT (51) Int. CL:

A47B 13/00 (2017.01) A47B 21/00 (2017.01) A47B 83/00 (2017.01)

A3 Application registered: (73) Patent holder (s): 01/02/2018 Royal Ahrend B.V. in Amsterdam. (43) Application published: - (72) Inventor (s): Gerardus Bernardus Huiskes Patent granted: in Son en Breugel. 01/02/2018 (45) Patent issued: (74) Agent: 13/02/2018 ir. J. van Breda et al. in Amsterdam.

© Office desk © Office desk (1) including a tabletop (2) and legs (3) supporting the tabletop (2), a heating element (4, 4 ') is provided at an upper surface (2') or the tabletop (2). Preferably a first heating element (4) is provided at an upper surface (2 ") or the tabletop (2) and a second heating element (4") is provided at a lower surface (2 ") or the tabletop (2). It is advantageous that the heating elements (4, 4 ") are integrated in the tabletop (2).

NL BI 2017250

This patent has been granted regardless of the attached result of the research into the state of the art and written opinion. The patent corresponds to the documents originally submitted.

Office desk

The invention relates in general to an office desk including a tabletop and legs supporting the tabletop.

Controlling light conditions, the quality of the air, the temperature and in general the working conditions in office buildings is a topic receiving an increasing amount of attention in view of the fact that these issues directly impact the productivity of the people working in these office buildings . It is known that at times tabletops or office desks may be provided with a dedicated light or heating element - for instance integrated in a fan - if the general lighting system or heating system or the office building is insufficient to properly provide light to the working place or provide the person sitting or standing at the desk with a comfortably heated environment.

It is an object of the invention to improve the working conditions prevailing at or near such an office desk.

It is another object of the invention to improve the general working conditions at such an office desk, excluding as much as possible the requirement of any input from the user of the office desk.

It is still another object of the invention to bring an individual office desk as quickly as possible to comfortable working conditions and to maintain these conditions.

These and other objects of the invention are promoted by the features or one or more of the appended claims.

In a first aspect of the invention a heating element is provided which is integrated in an upper surface of the tabletop. Such a heating element is capable of providing the person working behind the tablet on a superior level of comfort if the heating element is provided at the location where the person rests his arms. This heating element can quickly bring about a level of comfort which would otherwise require a much more time-consuming heating of the entire office building. Correspondingly the invention opens the door to cost savings since it will be possible to heat the building to a lower level in comparison with the heat level which would be required when the upper surface of the tabletop is not provided with a heating element.

Preferably a second heating element is provided on a lower surface of the tabletop. This second heating element can also be integrated in the tabletop. The second heating element further promotes the level of comfort, since it provides a heat source for the legs or a user sitting at the office desk. It is found that such a heat source is very instrumental in raising and maintaining the level of comfort of the user.

Suitably a computer is integrated with the office desk, and the office desk is further provided with at least one temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature above and / or below the tabletop. The sensor is then preferably connected to the computer which is arranged to control the heating element or elements of the tabletop depending on signals from the at least one temperature sensor so as to heat the heating element to the required level.

In another aspect of the invention the office desk comprises one or more standards that support a controllable electric light. Such a controllable electric light can further improve the working conditions at the office desk tailored to the situation at hand or to the needs or preferences of the user.

Preferably then the office desk comprises one or more light sensors connected to the computer, where the computer is arranged to control the electric light depending on signals from the one or more light sensors. This further pampers the user and makes his stay behind the office desk a very pleasurable one.

It has further been found advantageous that the tabletop has an upstanding wall at a peripheral edge of the tabletop, which wall is provided with one or more controllable outlets for providing a controlled airstream over or above the upper surface of the tabletop. This feature further promotes the ability to tailor the working conditions behind the office desk to the needs of the user.

Preferably for this purpose also the office desk has ducts connected to the controllable outlets, connecting the ducts to air treatment means for controlling purity, humidi3 ty, and velocity of the airstream. Suitably therefore the air treatment means include a sensor for monitoring quality of the air, in particular cleanness, humidity and temperature of the air near the office desk.

It is further preferred that the legs are extendable and are provided with a computer-controlled motor drive controlled by the computer.

In still another aspect of the invention of a transceiver that is connected to the computer is integrated into the tablet for communication or the computer with a smart device, preferably a smart phone. This smart device or smart phone may represent or carry information which may use the computer for setting different parameters or the office desk. It is further advantageous that the transceiver is arranged to inductively charge a battery or the smart device. More important is the just mentioned feature that the computer is arranged to recognize the smart device and to control the settings of the heating element or elements and / or the electric light and / or the controlled airstream and / or the extension of the legs depending on the identity of the smart device or depending on the information contained therein.

The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows an office desk according to the invention in isometric view.

The features of the invention are schematically shown in figure 1, which depicts an office desk 1 including a tabletop 2 and legs 3 supporting the tabletop 2. A heating element 4 is integrated into an upper surface 2 'or the tabletop 2.

It is preferred that a further heating element 4 'is provided at a lower surface 2' or the tabletop 2. Preferably also the second heating element 4 is integrated into the tabletop 2.

Figure 1 further shows that a computer 5 is integrated with the office desk 1, which office desk 1 is further provided with at least one temperature sensor 6 for monitoring a temperature below the tabletop 2 and at least one temperature sensor 7 for monitoring the temperature above the tabletop 2, which sensors 6, 7 are wirelessly or with wires connected to the computer 5 which is arranged to control the heating element 4 and heating element 4 'at the upper and lower surfaces 2', 2 '' or the tabletop 2 depending on signals from the temperature sensors 6, 7.

It is further shown that the office desk 1 comprises one or more standards 8 that support a controllable electric light 9. The office desk 1 also comprises one or more light sen-sors 10, 11 connected to the computer 5, being the computer 5 arranged to control the electric light 9 depending on signals from the one or more light sensors 10, 11.

One other notable feature is that the tabletop 2 has an upstanding wall 12 at a peripheral edge 13 or the tabletop 2, which wall 12 is provided with one or more controllable outlets 14, 15, 16 for providing a controlled airstream over or above the upper surface 2 'or the tabletop 2.

The office desk 1 further has ducts connected to the controllable outlets 14, 15, 16, being the ducts are connected to air treatment means for controlling purity, humidity, and velocity of the airstream. This is not shown in the figure since the way this may be implemented is clear for the skilled person, so a detailed drawing shown this feature can be dispensed with. Figure 1 shows however that preferably the air treatment means include a sensor 19 for monitoring quality of the air near the office desk 1, which may in particular refer to cleanness, temperature and humidity of the air near the office desk 1.

Figure 1 further shows that the legs 3 are extendable as symbolized by the arrows A. For this purpose the legs 3 are provided with a computer-controlled motor drive (not shown) which is controlled by the computer 5.

Further a transceiver 17 that is connected to the computer 5 is integrated into the tabletop 2 for communication of the computer 5 with a smart device or a user, preferably a smart phone 18. The transceiver 17 is preferably arranged to inductively charge a battery of the smart device, such as the smart phone 18.

Finally it is noted that the computer 5 is arranged to recognize the smart device 18 or read particular content of the smart device 18, and to control the settings of the heating elements 4, 4 'and / or the electric light 9 and / or the con5 trolled airstream coming out of the controlled outlets 14, 15, 16 and / or the extension of the legs 3 depending on the smart device 18 or depending on the information read from the smart device 18.

Although the invention has been discussed in the 10 foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the office desk of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed example is therefore not used to construct the append15 ed claims strictly in accordance with therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the becoming of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be constructed in accordance with the appended claims only, where possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

Claims (13)

CONCLUSIONS An office desk (1) comprising a desktop (2) and legs (3) supporting the desktop (2), characterized in that a heating element (4) is integrated in an upper surface (2 ') of the desktop (2) ). Office desk according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating element (4) is provided at a location of the desktop (2) where a person rests his arms during use. Office desk according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a second heating element (4 ') is provided on a lower surface (2' ') of the desktop (2). Office desk according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a computer (5) is integrated with the office desk (1), which office desk (1) is further provided with at least one temperature sensor (6, 7) for registering a temperature above and / or below the desktop (2), which sensor (6, 7) is connected to the computer (5) which is arranged around the heating element or elements (4, 4 ') of the desktop (2) to be controlled in dependence on signals from the at least one temperature sensor (6, 7). An office desk according to any one of the preceding claims 1-4, characterized in that the office desk (1) comprises one or more standards (8) that support an adjustable electric light (9). The office desk according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the office desk (1) comprises one or more light sensors (10, 11) connected to the computer (5), the computer (5) being arranged to electrically control light (9) in dependence on signals from the one or more light sensors (10, 11). Office desk according to one of the preceding claims 1-6, characterized in that the desktop (2) has an upright wall (12) on a peripheral edge (13) of the desktop (2), which wall (12) is provided of one or more adjustable outputs (14, 15, 16) for providing a controlled air flow over and above an upper surface (2 ') of the desktop (2). Office desk according to claim 7, characterized in that it has lines connected to the controllable exits (14, 15, 16), the lines being connected to air treatment means for controlling purity, humidity and speed of the air flow. Office desk according to claim 8, characterized in that the air treatment means comprise a sensor (19) for monitoring the quality of the air. Office desk according to one of the preceding claims 4-9, characterized in that the legs (3) are extendable and are provided with a computer-controlled motor drive controlled by the computer (5). Office desk according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 10, characterized in that a transceiver (17) connected to the computer (5) is integrated in the desktop (2) for communication of the computer (5) with a smart device, preferably a smart phone (18). Office desk according to claim 11, characterized in that the transceiver (17) is adapted to inductively charge a battery of the smart device (18). The office desk according to any of claims 4-10 and claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the computer (5) is adapted to recognize the smart device (18) and the settings of the heating element or elements (4, 4) ') and / or the electric light (9) and / or the adjustable outputs (14, 15, 16) for the controlled air flow and / or the extension of the legs (3) depending on the smart device (18) . 1/1