Height adjustable piece of furniture with zero stand-by power consumption

• US 9,084,475 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rol AB
• Original Assignee: Kih-Utveckling AB
• Inventors: Hjelm, Kaj
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Rina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhakal, Bickey
• Application Number:
  US13/760,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 318/687, 318/135, 361/160
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/00 Tables with tops of variable height lecterns with variable height A47B19/06; school forms or desks with variable height A47B39/02, A47B41/02; seats with variable height A47C3/20
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/007 Arrangements for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources for providing uninterruptable power supply H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 1/02 Details

Abstract

The present invention relates to a height adjustable piece of furniture comprising at least one extendable column, an electric motor adapted for driving the extendable column, at least one switch for operation control of the electric motor, and a power control unit adapted to control the power distribution to the height adjustable piece of furniture, and wherein the power control unit is connected to a power source. The connection between the power source and the height adjustable piece of furniture is provided via the switch, and the switch is in an activated state adapted to connect the power source to the height adjustable piece of furniture, and in a deactivated state adapted to disconnect the power source from the height adjustable piece of furniture. The present invention further relates to a power control unit for control of power distribution to a height adjustable piece of furniture.

Claims

1. A height adjustable piece of furniture comprising,

at least one extendable column,

an electric motor adapted for driving the extendable column,

at least one switch for operation control of the electric motor, and

a power control unit adapted to control the power distribution to the height adjustable piece of furniture, and wherein the power control unit is connected to a power source,

wherein:

the connection between the power source and the height adjustable piece of furniture is provided via the switch,

the switch in an activated state is adapted to connect the power source to the height adjustable piece of furniture, and in a deactivated state is adapted to disconnect the power source from the height adjustable piece of furniture,

the switch includes an operation switch and a relay in direct electrical connection with the operation switch,

the connection between the power source and the height adjustable piece of furniture is provided via the relay,

the operation switch in an activated state is adapted to set the relay in an activated state, and

the power supply to the electric motor and to the power control unit is connected via the relay when the relay is in the activated state.

2. The height adjustable piece of furniture according to claim 1, wherein the switch includes two operation switches having a first operation switch for operating the electric motor to expand the extendable column, and a second operation switch for operating the electric motor to contract the extendable column, and

wherein the switch further includes a first and a second relay, each in direct electrical connection with an operation switch respectively.

3. The height adjustable piece of furniture according to claim 2, wherein a first relay is prevented from being in the activated state when the second relay is in the activated state.

4. The height adjustable piece of furniture according to claim 1, wherein the height adjustable piece of furniture further comprises a control unit in connection with the electric motor,

wherein the control unit is powered when the switch is in the activated state, and

wherein the control unit receives a motor operation signal from the switch when the switch is in the activated state.

5. The height adjustable piece of furniture according to claim 1, wherein the switch comprises at least one operation switch arranged on a slideable carrier on the piece of furniture,

wherein the slideable carrier in an activated state is adapted to connect the power source to the height adjustable piece of furniture, and in a deactivated state is adapted to disconnect the power source from the height adjustable piece of furniture,

wherein the slideable carrier includes a power switch for connection or disconnection of the power source to the height adjustable furniture,

wherein slideable carrier in a first slide position is in the activated state wherein the power switch is adapted to connect the power source to the height adjustable furniture, and

wherein the slideable carrier in a second slide position is in the deactivated state wherein the power switch is adapted to disconnected the power source from the height adjustable furniture.

6. A power control unit for a height adjustable piece of furniture having at least one adjustable column, wherein the power control unit is adapted to be connected to:

a power source,

an electric motor of the height adjustable piece of furniture for driving the at least one adjustable column, and

at least one operation switch adapted for control of the operation of the electric motor,

the power control unit comprising;

a relay adapted for direct electrical connection with the at least one operation switch and wherein the at least one operation switch is adapted to, when activated, activate the relay,

wherein the relay in an activated state is adapted to provide a connection between the power source and the electric motor, and in a deactivated state is adapted to disconnect the power source from the electric motor, and

wherein the power source to the electric motor and to the power control unit is connected via the relay when the relay is in the activated state.

7. The power control unit according to claim 6, wherein the power control unit is adapted to be connected to a first operation switch and a second operation switch for control of operation of the electric motor, and wherein the power control unit includes a first relay and a second relay, each in direct electrical connection with the first and second operation switches, respectively.

8. The power control unit according to claim 6, wherein the relay in the activated state is adapted to provide power and a motor operating signal to a control unit in the height adjustable piece of furniture, wherein the motor operation signal is adapted to control in which direction an electric motor in the height adjustable piece of furniture is to be operated.

9. The power control unit according to claim 7, wherein the first relay is prevented from being in the activated state when the second relay is in the activated state.

10. The power control unit according to claim 6, wherein the connection between the power source and the height adjustable piece of furniture, when the relay is in the active state, is provided via the relay.

11. A power control unit for a height adjustable piece of furniture comprising at least one adjustable column, wherein the power control unit is adapted to be connected to:

a power source,

an electric motor of the height adjustable piece of furniture for driving the adjustable column, and

at least one operation switch adapted for control of the operation of the electric motor,

the power control unit comprising;

a relay adapted for direct electrical connection with the at least one operation switch and wherein the at least one operation switch is adapted to, when activated, activate the relay,

wherein the relay in an activated state is adapted to provide a connection between the power source and the electric motor, and in a deactivated state is adapted to disconnect the power source from the electric motor, and

a slideable carrier including a power switch,

wherein the power switch in an activated state is adapted to provide a connection between the power source and the relay, and in a deactivated state is adapted to disconnect the power source from the relay, and

wherein the power switch is in the activated state when the slideable carrier is in a first slide position, and in the deactivated state when the slideable carrier is in a second slide position, and

wherein the power source to the electric motor and to the power control unit is connected via the relay when the relay is in the activated state.