FURNITURE CONTROL AND PIECE OF SEATING FURNITURE

• US 20140197666A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logicdata Electronic & Software Entwicklungs Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Logicdata Electronic & Software Entwicklungs Gmbh
• Inventors: KOCH, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 9,241,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/506 of adjustable type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/62 Accessories for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/723 with display screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A furniture control (100) for the installation into an electrically adjustable piece of seating furniture (200) comprises a control housing (10) that contains control components for activating motors of the piece of seating furniture and features a recess (15) into which an operating part (20) can be inserted, the operating part and a sensor for detecting whether the operating part (20) is inserted into the control housing (10). The operating part features a flat sensor module (30) with a touch-sensitive surface. The operating part (20) is designed for detecting a respective position-dependent touch actuation of the surface of the sensor module (30) and for generating a respective actuation signal for the control components based on a detected touch actuation. The operating part (20) is furthermore designed for generating a first number of different actuation signals for the control components when the operating part (20) is inserted into the control housing (10) and for generating a second number of different actuation signals for the control components when the operating part (20) is not inserted into the control housing (10), wherein the second number is greater than the first number.

Claims

1. A furniture control (100) for the installation into an electrically adjustable piece of seating furniture (200), with the furniture control (100) comprising

a control housing (10) that contains control components for the activation of motors of the piece of seating furniture, and that features a recess (15), into which an operating part (20) can be inserted;

the operating part (20) that features a flat sensor module (30) with a touch-sensitive surface and is designed for detecting a respective position-dependent touch actuation of the surface of the sensor module (30) and for generating a respective actuation signal for the control components based on a detected touch actuation; and

a sensor for detecting whether the operating part (20) is inserted into the control housing (10);

wherein the operating part (20) is designed for generating a first number of different actuation signals for the control components when the operating part (20) is inserted into the control housing (10) and for generating a second number of different actuation signals for the control components when the operating part (20) is not inserted into the control housing (10), and wherein the second number is greater than the first number.

2. The furniture control (100) according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor module (30) is designed for sensing a position of a touch actuation on the surface and for generating a respective actuation signal based on one or more sensed positions.

3. The furniture control (100) according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the operating part (20) features an electromechanical switching element that can be actuated by pressing on the surface of the sensor module (30),

wherein the operating part (20) is designed for also generating the respective actuation signal for the control components based on a detected actuation of the switching element.

4. The furniture control (100) according to claim 3,

wherein the operating part (20) is designed for generating a first actuation signal for the control components based on a detected touch actuation when the switching element is not actuated and for generating a second actuation signal for the control components when the switching element is actuated.

5. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-4,

wherein the operating part (20) is designed for optically signaling several operating zones (31, . . . , 40) on the surface of the sensor module;

for detecting a respective actuation of these operating zones (31, . . . , 40); and

for generating a respective actuation signal for the control components based on a detected actuation;

wherein the operating part (20) is designed for signaling no operating zones or a first number of operating zones (31, 32) when the operating part (20) is inserted into the control housing (10) and for signaling a second number of operating zones (33, . . . , 40) when the operating part (20) is not inserted into the control housing (10), and wherein the second number of operating zones is greater than the first number of different actuation signals.

6. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-5,

wherein the sensor module (30) features an, in particular, transparent touchscreen.

7. The furniture control (100) according to claim 5,

wherein the sensor module (30) features an, in particular, transparent touchscreen and a marking for the operating zones (31, . . . , 40) that can be signaled, wherein the signaling is realized with the activation of a corresponding backlighting.

8. The furniture control (100) according to claim 5,

wherein the sensor module (30) features an, in particular, transparent touchscreen and a controllable graphic display for signaling the operating zones (31, . . . , 40).

9. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-8,

wherein the sensor for detecting whether the operating part (20) is inserted into the control housing (10) comprises at least one of the following:

a microswitch;

a magnetic sensor;

an optical sensor.

10. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-9,

wherein the actuation signals are transmitted from the operating part (20) to the control components in a wireless fashion or by means of a cable.

11. The furniture control (100) according to claim 10,

wherein the operating part (20) is connected to the control housing (10) by means of a cable (50), furthermore featuring a cable retracting mechanism for the cable (50) that is arranged in the operating part (20) and/or in the control housing (10).

12. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-11,

wherein the control components are designed for activating a comfort function of the piece of seating furniture.

13. The furniture control (100) according to claim 12,

wherein an activation of the comfort function takes place only in the non-inserted state of the operating part (20) and based on a detected touch actuation.

14. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-13,

wherein the control housing (10) features at least one Universal Serial Bus or USB port (45), by means of which a connected device can be supplied with power and/or by means of which the furniture control (100) can be controlled or programmed.

15. The furniture control (100) according to one of claims 1-14,

furthermore featuring a wireless module that is based, in particular, on a WLAN or Bluetooth standard, wherein the control components are designed for receiving actuation signals via the wireless module.

16. An electrically adjustable piece of seating furniture (200) with a furniture control (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control housing (10) is installed into the piece of seating furniture (200), particularly an armrest of the piece of seating furniture (200).