System for Reducing Injury from Pinch Zones in Adjustable Height Work Surface Assemblies
First Claim
1. An assembly comprising:
- a desk surface;
at least one adjustable-height leg, said adjustable height leg having an outer shell, a top casting for engagement with the desk surface and an actuator with a motor disposed within the outer shell for adjusting the height of the leg;
a controller for the at least one adjustable-height leg, said controller having an adjustment switch for receiving a user input to raise or lower the adjustable-height leg, said controller further having a system for preventing pinch injuries during the operation of the adjustable height leg, said system comprising;
a Hall-effect sensor in electrical connection with an electrical input terminal of the motor, said Hall-effect sensor providing a signal to the system corresponding to a current draw of the motor and wherein the system is configured to disable the motor if the current draw of the motor exceeds a fixed set point; and
a proximity detection sensor connected to the system, wherein said proximity detection sensor is a strip of conducting material disposed adjacent to a perimeter of the desk surface and in electrical connection with an LC tank circuit, wherein said LC tank circuit is configured to exhibit a change in state when an object is in close proximity to the strip of conducting material and wherein the system is configured to disable the motor when the LC tank circuit exhibits the change in state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a system for reducing injury from pinch zones in adjustable-height work surface assemblies are shown, the system including a desk surface; one or more adjustable-height legs, a controller for the adjustable-height legs; a Hall-effect sensor providing a signal to the system corresponding to a current draw of a motor in the adjustable height leg and wherein the system disables the motor if the current draw of the motor exceeds a fixed set point; and a proximity detection sensor being a strip of conducting material disposed adjacent to a perimeter of the desk surface and in electrical connection with an LC tank circuit, wherein the LC tank circuit is configured to exhibit a change in state when an object is in close proximity to the strip of conducting material and wherein the system disables the motor when the LC tank circuit exhibits the change in state.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An assembly comprising:
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a desk surface; at least one adjustable-height leg, said adjustable height leg having an outer shell, a top casting for engagement with the desk surface and an actuator with a motor disposed within the outer shell for adjusting the height of the leg; a controller for the at least one adjustable-height leg, said controller having an adjustment switch for receiving a user input to raise or lower the adjustable-height leg, said controller further having a system for preventing pinch injuries during the operation of the adjustable height leg, said system comprising; a Hall-effect sensor in electrical connection with an electrical input terminal of the motor, said Hall-effect sensor providing a signal to the system corresponding to a current draw of the motor and wherein the system is configured to disable the motor if the current draw of the motor exceeds a fixed set point; and a proximity detection sensor connected to the system, wherein said proximity detection sensor is a strip of conducting material disposed adjacent to a perimeter of the desk surface and in electrical connection with an LC tank circuit, wherein said LC tank circuit is configured to exhibit a change in state when an object is in close proximity to the strip of conducting material and wherein the system is configured to disable the motor when the LC tank circuit exhibits the change in state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification