Furniture with wireless power

• US 8,262,244 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimball International Incorporated (HNI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimball International Incorporated (HNI Corporation)
• Inventors: Metcalf, Keith E., Carroll, Terry, Henriott, Jay M., Johnson, Samial Keith, Woods, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie, Meghan
• Application Number:
  US13/267,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 362/127, 362130-131, 362133-134, 362/253, 307/104, 307149-150, 320107-108, 320/137, 336/40, 336118-119, 336/121, 336130-131
• US Class Current: 362/127
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/725 for illumination, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Furniture components, such as office furniture components, that are configured to include electronic components that transfer electrical power to peripheral electronic devices via wireless technologies, including conductive and inductive technologies. The articles of furniture may include grommet devices received within work surfaces, the grommet devices incorporating or housing the electronics of wireless power systems. The articles of furniture may also include the electronics of wireless power systems physically embedded or integrated within work surfaces in a manner in which the continuous surfaces of the work surfaces are maintained, and the work surfaces may optionally further include lighting or other indication features to indicate the locations of the electronics to a user.

Claims

1. A furniture assembly for transferring power to an electronic device, the furniture assembly comprising:

a working platform including a working surface and a non-working surface opposite the working surface, an intermediate portion disposed between the working surface and the non-working surface, and a cavity in the intermediate portion;

a first housing component at least partially embedded in the working platform, the first housing component having a first planar portion supporting an electrically conductive surface comprising a first plurality of conductive strips adapted to receive power from an electrical power source; and

electrical conductors disposed at least partially in the cavity and electrically coupling the power source with the first plurality of conductive strips through the first planar portion of the first housing to energize the conductive surface.

2. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, the first planar portion including at least one opening, and the electrical conductors coupling the power source with the first plurality of conductive strips through the at least one opening.

3. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, further including a second housing component secured opposite the first housing component and forming an internal volume therewith.

4. A furniture assembly as in claim 3, further including an electronic circuit disposed in the internal volume, the electronic circuit powering the first plurality of conductive strips.

5. A furniture assembly as in claim 3, the second housing component being secured to the first housing component.

6. A furniture assembly as in claim 5, the second housing component including a second flange positioned adjacent the non-working surface when the second housing component is secured to the first housing component.

7. A furniture assembly as in claim 5, the first housing component telescopically engaging the second housing component to secure the first housing component and the second housing component to the working platform.

8. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, wherein the first planar portion has a planar area and the cavity has a cavity area which is parallel to the planar area, and wherein the planar area is substantially larger than the cavity area.

9. A furniture assembly as in claim 8, wherein the planar area is rectangular.

10. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, the first housing component further having a wall portion extending from the first planar portion into the cavity, and the first planar portion including a flange extending from the wall portion.

11. A furniture assembly as in claim 10, wherein the flange has an elongate shape.

12. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, further including a second housing component and a plurality of electrical connectors, the second housing component having a second planar portion supporting a second plurality of conductive strips, and the plurality of electrical connectors electrically coupling the first plurality of conductive strips with the second plurality of conductive strips to extend the conductive surface.

29. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, wherein the first housing component further includes a wall portion that extends into the working platform.

30. A furniture assembly as in claim 1, wherein the first housing component further includes a wall portion that extends into the working platform and a first flange that extends outwardly from the wall portion and is parallel to the working surface.

31. A furniture assembly as in claim 2, wherein the first housing component further includes a wall portion that extends into the working platform and a first flange that extends outwardly from the wall portion and is parallel to the working surface.

13. A furniture assembly for transferring power to an electronic device with a secondary coil of an inductive coupling, the furniture assembly comprising:

a working platform including a working surface and a non-working surface opposite the working surface, an intermediate portion disposed between the working surface and the non-working surface and, an edge surface defining a perimeter of the working platform;

a primary coil supported by the working platform and adapted to induce a current in the secondary coil when the secondary coil is positioned proximate the working surface and the primary coil; and

an indicator component associated with the working platform, the indicator component providing a visual indication in at least one of the working surface and the edge surface of a location of said primary coil.

14. A furniture assembly as in claim 13, further comprising a first cavity in the intermediate portion and a cover portion, the indicator component comprising a light emitter disposed in the first cavity and emitting a light, the cover portion at least partially covering the first cavity, the cover portion permitting at least some of the light emitted by the light emitter to pass therethrough to provide the visual indication.

15. A furniture assembly as in claim 14, the visual indication of the location of said primary coil provided in the edge surface.

16. A furniture assembly as in claim 14, further including a second cavity receiving the cover portion therein, the second cavity being in fluid communication with the first cavity.

17. A furniture assembly as in claim 16, the cover portion having at least one hole therein permitting the light to pass therethrough.

18. A furniture assembly as in claim 17, the at least one hole extending through the cover portion at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the working surface.

19. A furniture assembly as in claim 18, the at least one hole comprising a plurality of holes arranged in a non-random pattern.

20. A furniture assembly as in claim 17, further including a translucent material filling the at least one hole.

21. A furniture assembly as in claim 14, further including a veneer layer, the veneer layer comprising the cover portion.

22. A furniture assembly as in claim 21, the veneer layer having at least one hole therein.

23. A furniture assembly as in claim 13, wherein the indicator component is laterally spaced from the first coil.

24. A furniture assembly as in claim 13, further including a veneer layer having an oriented pattern, the indicator component comprising a portion of the veneer layer rotated relative to the oriented pattern.

25. A furniture assembly as in claim 13, further comprising a first cavity in the intermediate portion and a veneer layer, the indicator component comprising a light emitter disposed in the first cavity and emitting a light, the veneer layer at least partially covering the first cavity and permitting at least some of the light emitted by the light emitter to pass therethrough to provide the visual indication.

26. A furniture assembly as in claim 25, the veneer layer being sufficiently thin to enable the light to pass therethrough.

27. A furniture assembly as in claim 25, the veneer layer having a thickness sufficient to substantially block the light from the light emitter and having thinned areas which permit at least some of the light emitted by the light emitter to pass therethrough to provide the visual indication.

28. A furniture assembly as in claim 13, wherein the indicator component is embedded in the working platform.

32. A furniture system for transferring power to an electronic device with a secondary coil of an inductive coupling, the furniture system comprising:

a working platform including a working surface and a non-working surface opposite the working surface, and an intermediate portion disposed between the working surface and the non-working surface;

a primary coil supported by the working platform and adapted to induce a current in the secondary coil when the secondary coil is positioned proximate the working surface and the primary coil; and

an indicator component providing a visual indication on at least one of the working surface and the edge surface of a location of said primary coil.

33. A furniture system as in claim 32, further including a first housing component including a wall portion that extends into the working platform.

34. A furniture system as in claim 33, further including a first housing component supporting the primary coil and a second housing component supporting the indicator component.

35. A furniture system as in claim 33, wherein the indicator component comprises a light emitter.

36. A furniture system as in claim 33, further including the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a base configured to be supported by the working surface, the secondary coil of the inductive coupling, and a load powered by the secondary coil.

37. A furniture system as in claim 36, wherein the electronic device comprises a table lamp.

38. A furniture system as in claim 36, wherein the electronic device further comprises an illuminating indicator component.