WO2015044752A1

WO2015044752A1 - Furniture support

Info

Publication number: WO2015044752A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/001919
Authority: WO
Inventors: Renaud Uhl
Original assignee: Renaud Uhl
Priority date: 2013-09-25
Filing date: 2014-09-25
Publication date: 2015-04-02
Also published as: FR3011063B1; FR3011063A1; WO2015044752A9

Abstract

The present invention concerns a furniture support (1) that is elongate in shape along a main axis (2) comprising - a motion detector (3) - an ambient brightness sensor (4) - a light source (5). This support is characterised in that it further comprises a printed circuit board (6) on which the motion detector (3), the ambient brightness sensor (4) and the light source (5) are mounted, in particular parallel to the main axis (2).

Description

Furniture support

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to the field of furniture equipment and relates to a particular furniture support structure.

In some situations, a person may have to get up in the middle of the night. It is then desirable to have a low auxiliary lighting, which does not remain lit permanently and lights ideally without intervention. Lighting is preferentially turned on under two conditions: ambient darkness, and movement. These two conditions can be identified by various means: light detector, or clock for ambient darkness, and for movement, motion detector, presence or lightening furniture.

The invention proposed herein relates to a furniture support structure that can emit light to discreetly illuminate a night traffic area. This structure can be placed as a bed support, or other furniture such as a wardrobe.

Lighting from a lower area of the furniture is in particular already disclosed in EP1857737, DE202005017862, or WO2007087807.

The invention aims to improve the production of a luminous furniture support. For this purpose, the invention provides a printed circuit board on which is mounted most of the components of the lighting function, in particular the motion detector, the brightness detector, and the light source.

The invention therefore relates to an elongated furniture support along a main axis comprising

- a motion detector

- an ambient light detector

- a light source.

This support is characterized in that it further comprises a printed circuit board on which are mounted the motion detector, the ambient light detector 4 and the light source.

The invention will be better understood in the light of the description below which relates to the embodiment illustrated in the appended figures: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a furniture support according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a battery drawer;

- Figure 3 is a view of a slide shoe;

- Figure 4 shows the assembly of the drawer and the pad;

- Figures 5 and 6 show the hollow body and the front opening, possibly covered by a cover;

FIG. 7 shows a flat printed circuit board, and

- Figure 8 shows a subset where the printed circuit board and the drawer are mounted in a pad.

The embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures thus shows a furniture support 1, comprising a hollow body 8 of tubular form. This furniture support 1 is intended to be mounted under a piece of furniture, for ground support, and therefore has the mechanical characteristics necessary to withstand the weight of such furniture, such as a cabinet or a bed. The illustrated furniture support 1 has an elongated shape along a main axis 2, and thus has two axial ends. The furniture support 1 comes against the furniture at a first axial end, said upper end, and normally comes to the ground at the opposite axial end, said lower end.

At the upper end, the furniture support 1 can be provided with a fixing means to furniture, screw type, threaded bushing, or other. As will be described further below, the support 1 can be provided at its lower end with a shoe 9, set in the hollow body 8.

As this support 1 has the function, in addition to the support of a piece of furniture, to create a temporary illumination, it includes a motion detector 3, and a light source 5. It also advantageously includes a room brightness sensor 4. Indeed , the lighting of the light source 5 is not necessary if the ambient brightness is sufficient. The motion detector 3, or presence detector, serves to identify that a user may require lighting of the area around the support furniture 1, in particular because he wants to move.

In order to facilitate the manufacture and assembly of such a furniture support 1, and in particular in order to guarantee a simple and effective power supply for the components, the furniture support 1 further comprises a printed circuit board 6 on which mounted the detector movement 3, the possible ambient light detector 4, and the light source 5.

In simple embodiments, the printed circuit board 6, on which the components are mounted, is rigid and flat and extends in its great length parallel to the main axis 2. It is preferably housed in the hollow body 8. L logical processing unit, which controls the light source 5 according to the detection of motion or presence, or even the ambient light, is preferably also mounted on the printed circuit board 6 and may consist of a digital processor or a set of analog components.

As will be further described below, the power supply of these components, namely at least the light source 5, the motion detector 3 or presence or even the ambient light detector 4, is done using a reserve, type battery or electric battery, embedded in the support furniture 1 itself, preferably within the hollow body 8. The power supply is via the tracks of the printed circuit board 6.

In order to facilitate the supply of the card 6, the card 6 also has, for its supply of electrical energy, a contact terminal block 7 for storing electrical energy, battery or battery, preferably in the form of electrically conductive surfaces, type metal slats. Thus, the printed circuit board 6 has conductive elements in contact with which the energy reserve can come for a power supply. Preferably, the contact terminal block 7 takes the form of conductive metal tabs, against which the energy reserve can come. Conventionally, a battery or other battery, presents, for the delivery of electrical energy, surfaces against which potential consumers must be applied. It is proposed here to make a terminal block 7, to which are connected, on the one hand, the reserve of electrical energy, and also, on the other hand, thanks to the tracks of the printed circuit board 6, the electronic components such as the light source 5, the motion detector 3 and / or the ambient light detector 4. The terminal block 7 thus forms a single contact interface between these components and the energy reserve. As already mentioned, the support 1 advantageously comprises a hollow body 8 in which is mounted the printed circuit board 6 and which presents

- a first opening, through which the ambient brightness can reach the ambient light detector 4

a second opening, through which the signal required by the motion detector 3 can flow, and

a third opening, through which the light emitted by the light source 5 can be emitted towards the outside of the hollow body 8.

The hollow body 8 can indeed be such that it prevents light transmission from the light source 5, and / or a useful signal transmission to the presence or movement detector 3, often infrared radiation or ultrasound, and / or a signal transmission useful to the ambient light detector 4, namely visible light. The hollow body 8 may in fact consist of an opaque, hollow and rigid tube.

In order not to prevent the operation of these components, preferably housed in the heart of the hollow body 8, the latter thus has, in its outer contour, at least one adequate opening. The three openings are optionally contiguous so as to form only one opening in the surface of the hollow body 8.

According to an additional possible feature, the furniture support 1 comprises at least one window 1 1 for closing the or at least one opening, without harming the ambient light detector 4, and / or the motion detector 3, and / or the light source 5. Preferably, this at least one window 1 1 therefore essentially consists of a piece of transparent or at least translucent material, allowing the signals to which the components mentioned above are sensitive, and / or the light emitted by the source to pass. 5. Of course, several windows 1 1 may be provided, each for an opening, each opening serving one or more components of the printed circuit board 6.

According to another additional feature not shown in the accompanying figures, it is possible to access the energy reserve, housed in the hollow body 8, through a hole of sufficient size provided in the wall of the hollow body 8. This orifice allows to change the empty energy reserve and to place a new one. So it's big enough for such a component to pass through. This orifice may be arranged opposite the at least one opening and the at least one corresponding window 11, so as not to be visible in use, since it is the side where the window 11 is located which is likely to be visible.

Preferably, this orifice is masked by a movable flap that includes the support furniture 1, giving access to the interior of the hollow body 8 to leave the energy reserve. The movable shutter thus preferably closes an orifice provided on the hollow body 8, at the opposite of the at least one opening 1 1, for the change of the energy reserve. Of course, this orifice, giving access to the inside of the hollow body 8 in which the electronic components are, can be adapted to any useful manufacturing or maintenance operation, such as for example the insertion or extraction of the circuit board printed 6 provided with its components. This movable flap may possibly be totally clear of the hollow body 8.

In general, the furniture support 1 comprises a base, to which is fixed the printed circuit board 6, and in which slides the possible movable drawer 10 described below, using at least one slide arranged in said base . This base may be in the form of a pad 9, set in the hollow body 8, at the lower end. It can also be in one piece with the window or window 1 1, the printed circuit board 6, and / or the drawer 10, then being mounted on the window or window 11. The base can also be formed of the mobile component. Such an embodiment limits the problems posed by manufacturing inaccuracies.

Thus, in particular embodiments, the printed circuit board 6 is attached to the at least one window January 1, while forming a subset of the furniture support 1, which facilitates the manufacturing operations. This subset can be inserted through the opening covered by said window 1 1. The fixing of the printed circuit board 6 on the at least one window 11, or by extension, on the base in another of its possible embodiments, is done by mechanical tightening, screwing, latching, welding, or other.

According to an additional possible feature, the furniture support 1 further comprises a shoe 9, disposed at one end of the hollow body 8, preferably the end opposite that which comes against the supported furniture. This pad 9 bears the surface which will come into contact with the ground and closes the hollow body 8 at the corresponding end. The shoe 9 is thus embedded in the hollow body 8 at this end, and is maintained there preferably by mechanical clamping. Snap hooks can of course be provided to improve the attachment to the hollow body 8.

When the furniture support 1 comprises a shoe 9, it may be particularly advantageous to provide that the circuit board 6 is directly attached to the shoe 9. The manufacture of the furniture support 1 is thus facilitated since the shoe 9, provided with the card printed circuit board 6 forms a subassembly that can be manufactured independently, and then mounted in the hollow body 8 in a second time, preferably with an insertion from a mouth of the hollow body 8 and in the direction of the main axis 2.

According to an additional possible feature, the furniture support 1 comprises a movable drawer 10 for receiving a reserve of energy, and which can be at least partially released from said support. This reserve of energy, visible in FIG. 8, can be a rechargeable battery or battery. In some embodiments, the energy reserve is mounted in the drawer 10, and in other cases, the drawer 10 is simply of suitable dimensions to form a housing for an energy reserve of conventional dimensions, as shown in FIG. When the energy reserve is empty, it can be changed alone or with the drawer 10 with which it possibly forms a one-piece assembly. The drawer 10 and the dimensions of the elements in which it moves, namely in particular the base, are such that once the drawer 10 in the closed position, the energy reserve comes into contact with the terminal block 7, to provide the 6. The support 1 can therefore provide a stop or a mechanical position means that ensures that the slide 10 is stabilized in a position in which it allows a contact between the energy reserve and the terminal block 7. In possible embodiments, the optional flap mentioned above is carried by the drawer 10.

Figures 2 and 3 show a possible drawer 10, in which can be mounted a stack in the form of two adjacent cylinders. The slide 10 slides in a direction perpendicular to the main axis 2, at the lower end, while the printed circuit board 6 extends along this axis. Thus, a sufficient translation of the slide 10 can bring the energy reserve in contact with the terminal block 7, the latter being preferably on the printed circuit board 6 on the side of the lower end of the furniture support 1. Thus, the energy reserve preferably comes into contact with the terminal block 7 once the drawer 10 in the normal operating position, the latter preferably being mobile in a linear translation perpendicular to the main axis 2 at least until the reserve energy it carries arrives in contact with the terminal block 7, for a flow of electricity.

Figure 3 shows that the pad 9 has two notches in which the printed circuit board 6 can be plugged mechanically. A weld may possibly further solidify the holding of the card 6 in the pad 9.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show respectively the drawer 10 and the pad 9. These figures show that the furniture support 1 has the appropriate guiding means for the movement of the drawer 10 in a linear translation perpendicular to the main axis 2. In In this case, the shoe 9 has, on each side, a cornice facing its bottom wall, and the drawer 10 has, on each side, a corresponding rib. Each rib comes between the cornice and the bottom wall. Their linear profile makes it possible to obtain the expected linear guidance for the drawer 10.

The furniture support 1 has a pair of linear guides which face each other to guide the drawer 10 in its insertion movement in or extraction from the furniture support 1. The drawer 10, movable in translation relative to the hollow body 8, can, in its extreme position, be completely out, or just sufficiently out so that the energy reserve can be removed.

The drawer 10 can in particular be mounted to move in translation in the shoe 9. In this case, as shown in the attached figures, these linear guides are provided on the pad 9, in particular each in the form of a cornice in the form of a screw. against a bottom wall of said pad 9.

Alternatively, the drawer 10 can be mounted movably in translation in the window 11. In this case, the furniture support 1 has a pair of linear guides that face each other to guide the drawer 10 in its insertion movement in or extraction out of the furniture support 1, these linear guides being provided on the window 1 1.

Preferably, the drawer 10 is mounted movably relative to a base in which the printed circuit board 6 is fixed, which facilitates the production by producing a corresponding sub-assembly, but which also reduces the risks associated with manufacturing inaccuracies.

According to an additional possible feature, the furniture support 1 has a stop means for the movement of the slide 10, the stop being in particular such that when the slide 10 is against it, the energy reserve it carries comes into contact with the a terminal block 7 carried by the printed circuit board 6 for its power supply. A notch or other shape complementarity can therefore be used between the drawer 10 and its base, namely the at least one window January 1 or the pad 9, or the hollow body 8.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements, by different combination of the characteristics described above, or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. Elongated furniture support (1) along a main axis (2) comprising

- motion detector (3)

- an ambient light detector (4)

a light source (5),

support characterized in that

it further comprises a printed circuit board (6) on which are mounted the motion detector (3), the ambient light detector (4) and the light source (5), in particular parallel to the main axis (2). ).

2. Support furniture (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that

the printed circuit board (6) has, in addition, for its supply of electrical energy, a contact terminal block (7) for power reserve, battery or battery, preferably in the form of electrically conductive surfaces.

3. Support furniture (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that

it comprises a hollow body (8) in which is mounted the printed circuit board (6) and which presents

- a first opening, through which the ambient brightness can reach the ambient light detector (4)

a second opening, through which the signal required by the motion detector (3) can flow, and

a third opening, through which the light emitted by the light source (5) can be emitted towards the outside of the hollow body (8).

4. Support furniture (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that

it comprises at least one window (1 1) for closing the or at least one opening, without harming the ambient light detector (4), and / or the motion detector (3), and / or the light source (5).

5. Support furniture according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that

it comprises a movable flap, giving access to the interior of the hollow body (8) to extract the energy reserve.

6. Support furniture (1) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that

the printed circuit board (6) is attached to the at least one window (1 1).

7. Furniture support (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

it further comprises a shoe (9) disposed at one end of the hollow body (8).

8. Furniture support (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that

the printed circuit board (6) is fixed to the shoe (9).

9. Support furniture (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

it comprises a drawer (10) movable to receive a reserve of energy such as at least one battery or battery, and which can be at least partially removed from said support.

10. Furniture support (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that

it has a stop means for the movement of the drawer

(10)

the abutment being such that when the drawer (10) is against it, the energy reserve it carries comes into contact with the or a terminal block (7) carried by the printed circuit board (6) for its power supply electric.

1 1. Support furniture (1) according to any one of claims 7 or 8 and according to any one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that

it has a pair of linear guides which face each other to guide the drawer (10) in its insertion movement in or extraction from the furniture support (1), in particular the hollow body (8),

these linear guides being provided on the pad (9), in particular each in the form of a cornice vis-à-vis a bottom wall of said pad (9) the slide (10) is thus mounted movable in translation in the pad (9).

12. Support furniture (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6 and according to any one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that

these linear guides being provided on the window (1 1), the slide (10) thus being mounted movable in translation in the window (11).