Articulated bed with customizable remote control

• US 5,544,376 A
• Filed: 01/31/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Fromson, Leonard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US08/189,963
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 318/16, 318/114, 318/264, 318/265, 318/266, 318/286, 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 5/616, 5/617, 5/618, 5/915
• US Class Current: 5/618
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0097 Remote control for furniture, e.g. tables or shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms

Abstract

In an articulated bed having a motor for raising and lowering the bed, a control circuit operated by the user has first user memory for storing a first user variable indicating a user-selected first preferred bed position and a recall button by which the user can command that a handler routine in the control circuit return the bed to the first preferred bed position indicated by the first user variable. Further, the control circuit can have a tracking memory for frequently storing a tracking variable indicating the current position of the bed and a "store" or "program" button or control by which the user can command that the first user variable be set to equal the current tracking variable. Thus, any time the bed is in a position preferred by the user, the user can push the "store" button to store a user variable indicating the preferred bed position in the controller'"'"'s memory; then afterwards the user can have the bed return to that preferred position by pressing the "recall" button.

Claims

1. In an articulated bed having a motor for raising and lowering the bed in response to a control circuit remotely operated by a user of the bed, the improvement comprising:

a first user memory in the control circuit for storing a first user variable which is remotely communicated to said control circuit to indicate a user-selected first preferred position of the bed;

a first recall control by which the user can remotely command that the bed be returned to said first preferred position indicated by said first user variable; and

a handler routine in the control circuit responsive to said first recall control for returning the bed to said first preferred position indicated by said first user variable.

2. In the articulated bed of claim 1, the improvement further comprising:

a tracking memory in the control circuit for storing a tracking variable as often as needed to indicate a current position of the bed; and

a first store control by which the user can command that said first user variable be set to equal a current tracking variable.

3. The articulated bed of claim 1, wherein the control circuit has a plurality of user controls for different functions, and whenever said handler routine is returning the bed to a preferred position in response to said first recall control, pressing any of the user controls halts and aborts said handler routine.

4. In the articulated bed of claim 1, the improvement further comprising:

an auxiliary box electrically connected to the control circuit and including at least one controllable AC power socket, said auxiliary box being remotely controllable by the user through the control circuit.

5. The articulated bed of claim 4, wherein said auxiliary box further comprises:

a remote transmitter for transmitting control signals via building electrical wiring to a remote receptacle plugged into an electrical socket located adjacent to the bed.

6. The articulated bed of claim 5, wherein said remote transmitter comprises a low frequency remote AM radio transmitter.

7. In an articulated bed having a motor for raising and lowering the bed in response to a control circuit remotely operated by a user of the bed, the improvement comprising:

a first tracking memory in the control circuit for storing a first tracking variable as often as needed to indicate a current position of the bed;

a first user memory in the control circuit for storing a first user-selected variable;

a first store control by which the user can command that said first user-selected variable be set to equal a current first tracking variable;

a first recall control by which the user can command that the bed be returned to a first relative position indicated by said first user-selected variable; and

a first handler routine in the control circuit responsive to said first store control for returning the bed to said first relative position indicated by said first user-selected variable.

8. In the articulated bed of claim 7, the improvement further comprising:

a second user memory in the control circuit for storing a second user-selected variable;

a second store control by which the user can command that said second user-selected variable be set to equal a current second tracking variable;

a second recall control by which the user can command that the bed be returned to a second relative position indicated by said second user-selected variable; and

a second handler routine in the control circuit responsive to said second store control for returning the bed to said second relative position indicated by said second user-selected variable.