Ergonomic seating system, tilt-lock control and remote powering method and apparatus

• US 10,631,640 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2019
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Labrosse, Jean-Paul, Sullivan, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US16/507,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20190328138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0062 Electronically user-adaptable, height-adjustable desk or table
• 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: A47B 9/20 Telescopic guides
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0242 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/30 with vertically-acting fluid cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/004 for chairs or stools with central column, e.g. office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/006 with castors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/467 adjustable by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/54 Supports for the arms
• 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: A47C 7/727 with speakers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/748 for heating
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/402 characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45022 Auto seat, dentist chair, roll wheel chair

Abstract

An adjustable desking system for supporting users in a plurality of ergonomic positions, the system comprising a plurality of sit-stand desks, each desk including a variable length leg assembly including an activator and a height adjustable worktop supported at a top end of the leg assembly and a master controller linked to each of the activators at the plurality of desks to control activation of each activator to raise and lower a worktop associated with the specific activator, wherein, the master controller controls worktop heights at each of the desks independent of user input when the desk is vacant and enables user control of the height of any worktop at a desk that is occupied by a user.

Claims

1. A work environment adjustment system for supporting users in a plurality of ergonomic positions, the system comprising:

a plurality of sit-stand desks, each desk including a variable length leg assembly including an activator and a height adjustable worktop supported at a top end of the leg assembly; and

a master controller linked to each of the activators at the plurality of desks to control activation of each activator to raise and lower a worktop associated with the specific activator;

wherein, the master controller controls worktop heights at each of the desks independent of user input when the desk is vacant and enables user control of the height of any worktop at the desk that is occupied by a user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each sit-stand desk further includes a local control unit for controlling the activator at the desk and wherein the master controller is linkable to each of the local control units.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the master controller is hardwired to each of the local control units.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the master controller links to at least a subset of the local control units via a wireless communication link.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the wireless communication link is Bluetooth.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller includes a timing circuit and periodically transmits worktop height control signals to each of the sit-stand desks for controlling worktop heights.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the master controller is programmed to control worktop heights individually at times and simultaneously at other times.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is programmed to automatically control each worktop height at a station only during specific periods of time and when the station is vacant.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is programmed to automatically control each worktop height at the desk only at specific times when the desk is vacant.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is programed to drive each worktop at a vacant desk to one of a standing height and a sitting height.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the master controller is programmed to drive each worktop at the vacant desk to one of the standing height and the sitting height at a specific time each day.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the specific time each day is subsequent to normal business hours for a business.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the master controller controls worktop height simultaneously for each vacant desk.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller controls worktop height simultaneously for each vacant desk.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the desks includes at least one user presence sensor for sensing presence of any user at the desk.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein all of the desk heights are changed to the same height whenever their heights are automatically changed.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein each presence sensor includes a proximity sensor.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein each presence sensor includes a capacitive sensor.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is a local master controller.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the desks includes an obstruction sensor for sensing obstructions under the worktop and wherein the master controller is programmed to change each worktop height to a sitting height when an associated desk is vacant only when there is no obstruction below the worktop.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a subset of the desks are associated with specific users, each specific user in the subset has a different preferred worktop height and wherein each desk height is changed to the preferred height of an associated user whenever the heights are automatically changed.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein each preferred worktop height is a preferred standing height.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein each user in the subset sets his own preferred worktop height.

24. The system of claim 1 further including at least one presence sensor for detecting user presence at each of the desks.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is programmed to automatically control each worktop height at the desk at a specific time of day when the desk is vacant and, when the desk is occupied at that specific time, the controller monitors for a next time the desk is vacant and controls the worktop height once the desk is vacant.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller controls the worktop heights to drive the worktops to one of a standing height and a sitting height each time the associated desk is vacant.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein, at a specific time each day, the controller adjusts worktop heights at each vacant desk to a first height and, after a desk is vacant for a threshold period of time, adjusts the worktop height at that desk to a second height that is different than the first height.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the first height is a standing height and the second height is a sitting height.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein, for each desk, after the desk is vacant for a threshold period of time, the controller automatically adjusts the worktop height at that desk to a first position.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller controls the worktop heights to drive the worktops to one a first height each time the associated desk is vacant.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein, at a specific time each day, the controller adjusts worktop heights at each vacant desk to a first height and, after a desk is vacant for a threshold period of time, adjusts the worktop height at that desk to a second height that is different than the first height.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the first height is a standing height and the second height is a sitting height.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein, for each desk, after the desk is vacant for a threshold period of time, the controller automatically adjusts the worktop height at that desk to a first position.

34. A work environment adjustment system for supporting users in a plurality of ergonomic positions, the system comprising:

a plurality of sit-stand desks, each desk including a variable length leg assembly, a height adjustable worktop and a presence sensor, the worktop supported at the top end of the leg assembly, each leg assembly including a local control unit and a drive mechanism controlled by the local control unit to change worktop height; and

a master controller linked to each of the local drive units to control activation of each local control unit to raise and lower the worktop associated with the specific local control unit;

wherein, the master controller receives presence signals from the sensors and controls worktop heights at each of the desks independent of user input when the desk is vacant and enables user control of the height of any worktop at the desk that is occupied by a user.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein each sit-stand desk further includes a local control unit for controlling the activator at the desk and wherein the master controller is linkable to each of the local control units.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the master controller is programmed to automatically control each worktop height at the desk at a specific time of day when the desk is vacant and, when the desk is occupied at that specific time, the controller monitors for a next time the desk is vacant and modifies the worktop height once the desk is vacant.

37. work environment adjustment system for supporting users in a plurality of ergonomic positions, the system comprising:

a plurality of sit-stand desks, each desk including a variable length leg assembly, a height adjustable worktop, a presence sensor and an interface, the worktop supported at the top end of the leg assembly, each leg assembly including a local control unit and a drive mechanism controlled by the local control unit to change worktop height, each interface linked to an associated local control unit; and

a master controller linked to each of the local control units to control activation of each local control unit to raise and lower the worktop associated with the specific local control unit;

wherein, the system enables a user to control worktop height via the interface when present at a station; and

wherein the master controller receives presence signals from the sensors at at least one scheduled time and controls worktop heights at each of the desks independent of user input when each desk is vacant at the at least one scheduled time to change worktop height of each desk to a storage height.