Inductively coupled power module and circuit

• US 8,482,160 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, LeRoy B., Turner, Jason, Browning, Caleb, Malmberg, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US12/871,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/20 Furniture panels or like furniture elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10

Abstract

Inductive coupling modules for providing power to secondary devices placed in proximity thereto on a surface are described. The modules include above-surface, flush, recessed, and sub-surface mounting configurations. The modules further include dual housing, single housing, low-profile, and adjustable configurations. Inductively coupled power distribution circuits are also disclosed. The circuits comprise a plurality of segments that are inductively couple together to eliminate wired connections between segments. Each segment may be attached to a section of a modular furniture component to allow ease and safety in rearranging the modular furniture and ease in reconnecting the circuit.

Claims

1. An inductively coupling module comprising:

a housing attachable to a first side of a panel that opposes a second side of the panel, at least a portion of the housing extending into a first cavity in the first side;

an induction coil disposed within the housing and located within an operating distance of a top surface of the second side of the panel opposite the first side;

control electronics disposed within the housing for controlling the operation of the induction coil and connecting to a power source;

a cord attached at a first end to the control electronics, the cord having a second end that opposes, and is spaced a length apart from, the first end; and

an indicator attached to the second end of the cord, wherein the length of the cord is sufficient for the indicator to insert into a second cavity in the first side of the panel and to be viewable through the top surface.

2. The inductively coupling module of claim 1, wherein the indicator includes:

a light source that is visible from the second side of the panel to provide an indication of the status of the inductively coupling module.

3. The inductively coupling module of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a body portion and a coil portion, the body portion substantially containing the control electronics and the coil portion containing the induction coil, wherein the coil portion is cylindrical and extends from a surface of the body portion at least partially into the cavity in the first side of the panel.

4. The inductively coupling module of claim 3, wherein a distance that the coil portion extends from the body portion is adjustable to conform the coil portion to a depth of the cavity in the first side of the panel and, wherein the coil portion is biased toward an extended position.

5. The inductively coupling module of claim 4, wherein the coil portion includes a plurality of telescoping segments.

6. The inductively coupling module of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the body portion is disposed in the cavity in the first side of the panel.

7. The inductively coupling module of claim 1, wherein the induction coil is one or more of a low power, a medium power, and a high power induction coil.

8. The inductively coupling module of claim 1, wherein the cavity in the first side of the panel extends only partially through a thickness of the panel to provide the inductively coupling module in a sub-surface configuration with respect to the second side of the panel or, the cavity comprises a through hole that extends through the thickness of the panel and the first and second sides to provide the inductively coupling module in a flush-mount configuration with a portion of the housing exposed and level with the top surface of the second side of the panel or in a surface-mount configuration with a portion of the housing extending above the top surface of second side of the panel.

9. An inductively coupling power distribution circuit for an article of modular furniture comprising:

a first induction coil disposed along a first side of a first article of modular furniture;

a second induction coil disposed along a second side of the first article of modular furniture; and

an electrical conductor coupled to both the first and second induction coils and providing electrical communication between the first and second induction coils,

wherein first article of modular furniture is inductively coupled to one or more of a source of electrical power and one or more second similarly configured articles of modular furniture, and

wherein one or more electronic devices are coupled to the electrical conductor to supply power to the electronic device.

10. The power distribution circuit of claim 9, wherein one or more of the electronic devices comprise inductively coupling power modules that are mounted on the first or second articles of furniture.

11. The power distribution circuit of claim 9, wherein the first and second articles of modular furniture include a panel and the first and second induction coils are disposed at least partially within a body of the panel and at opposite edges of the panel.

12. The power distribution circuit of claim 9, wherein a plurality of first and second articles of furniture are inductively coupled together in one or more of a series circuit, parallel circuit, or daisy chain circuit configuration.

13. The power distribution circuit of claim 9, wherein the electrical conductor is configured to accept a quick-connect or plug-n-play connection.

14. The power distribution circuit of claim 9, wherein the first and second articles of modular furniture comprise desktop panels, tabletop panels, workbenches, office cubical components, and seating furniture components.

15. The power distribution circuit of claim 9, wherein the first and second articles of modular furniture comprise leaves of an expandable tabletop.

16. An inductively coupling power distribution circuit for an article of modular furniture comprising:

a plurality of desktop panels;

a first induction coil disposed along a first edge of each of the plurality of desktop panels;

a second induction coil disposed along a second edge of each of the plurality of desktop panels, wherein the second edge is the same or different than the first edge;

an electrical conductor coupled between the respective first and second induction coils on each desktop panel and providing electrical communication between the first and second induction coils;

one or more inductively coupling modules disposed on or within an underside of each of the plurality of desktop panels and electrically coupled to the electrical conductor on a respective panel; and

an electrical coupling between the first induction coil on at least one of the plurality of panels and a source of electrical power,

wherein at least one of the first or second induction coil disposed on each of the plurality of desktop panels is inductively coupled to the first or second induction coil disposed on at least one other of the plurality of desktop panels to form an electrical circuit connecting all of the plurality of panels.

17. The power distribution circuit of claim 16, wherein the electrical coupling between the first induction coil on at least one of the plurality of panels and the source of electrical power is an inductive coupling.

18. The power distribution circuit of claim 16, wherein the inductively coupling modules disposed on or within an underside of each of the plurality of desktop panels further comprise:

a housing coupled to an underside of the desktop panel, at least a portion of the housing extending into a cavity in the underside of the desktop panel;

an induction coil disposed within the housing and located within an operating distance of a top surface of the desktop panel, the induction coil being against or adjacent to an interior surface of the housing and within the portion of the housing that extends into the cavity; and

control electronics disposed within the housing for controlling the operation of the induction coil and connecting to the electrical conductor.

19. The power distribution circuit of claim 18, wherein the housing further comprises a body portion and a coil portion, the body portion housing the control electronics and the coil portion housing the induction coil,

wherein the coil portion is cylindrical and extends from the body portion at least partially into the cavity in the underside of the desktop panel,

wherein a distance that the coil portion extends from the body portion is adjustable to conform the coil portion to a depth of the cavity in the underside of the desktop panel, and

wherein the coil portion is biased toward an extended position.

20. The power distribution circuit of claim 16, wherein the electrical conductor is configured to accept a quick-connect or plug-n-play connection.