Height adjustable support surface and system for encouraging human movement and promoting wellness

• US 10,691,108 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2017
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Labrosse, Jean-Paul, Chu, Michael Xinjie, Sullivan, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayres, Timothy M
• Application Number:
  US15/430,249
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 3123301, 3123195-3199, 108 20- 22, 108147
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/02 with vertically-adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2097/003 Cable holders; cable organisers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/02 with vertical adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0054 with three telescopic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0056 with a motor, e.g. an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0061 Height-adjustable desk, electronically regulated with no mechanical link between the legs
• 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: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/01 for supporting or guiding the pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points, e.g. movable channels
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/416 characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24015 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35491 Workpiece date display, position, height
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A system for adjusting a height of a workstation, comprising a height adjust system for a workstation, the height adjust system being adjustable in elevation, a worktop mounted to the height adjustment system for movement therewith to different positions, a first sensor device for sensing the presence of a workstation user within a space associated with the workstation, a processor that tracks and stores at least the duration of time that the worktop is in at least one of a sitting position and a standing position while a user is within the space associated with the workstation, the processor further providing a user with a reminder to change a current position of the worktop to another position.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting a height of a workstation, comprising:

a height adjust system for a workstation, the height adjust system being adjustable in elevation;

a worktop mounted to the height adjustment system for movement therewith to different positions;

a first sensor device for sensing the presence of a workstation user within a space associated with the workstation and generating a presence signal usable to determine when a user is present at the workstation and when no user is present at the workstation;

a processor programmed to;

(i) receive the user presence signal from the sensor and use the user presence signal to determine ongoing periods when a user is present within the space associated with the workstation as well as ongoing periods when no user is present within the space;

(ii) track and store a cumulative duration of time that the worktop is located at a sitting position during ongoing periods while a user is present within the space associated with the workstation, wherein the user is present within the space associated with the workstation during at least first and second ongoing periods where the first and second ongoing periods are separated by an intervening period when the user is not present within the space associated with the workstation and wherein the cumulative duration of time includes both the first and second ongoing periods and does not include periods during which the user is not present within the space associated with the workstation including the intervening period;

(iii) determine that the cumulative duration is at least equal to a threshold period; and

(iv) provide a user with a reminder to change a current position of the worktop to a standing position at the end of the threshold period.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first sensor senses that a user is present within the space associated with the workstation by sensing presence of a body within the space associated with the workstation.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first sensor senses that a user is present within the space associated with the workstation by sensing that a condition associated with a body occurs within the space associated with the workstation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to track the duration of time that the worktop is in the specific height position by tracking a single position.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the processor is programmed to provide alerts in addition to the reminders to the user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cumulative duration is a first cumulative duration and the threshold period is a first threshold period and wherein the processor is further programmed to:

upon the worktop position being changed to the standing position, repeating steps (i) through (iv) to track a second cumulative duration of time that the worktop is in the standing position during ongoing periods while a user is present within the space associated with the workstation, determine that the second cumulative duration is at least equal to a second threshold period and provide a user with a reminder to change the current position of the worktop to a sitting position at the end of the second threshold period.

7. The system of claim 1 including a second sensor device, the processor programmed to track the duration of time that the worktop is in the sitting position while a user is in the space by receiving signals from the second sensor device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the height adjust system comprises a drive mechanism, the processor programmed to generate a signal to cause the drive mechanism to automatically change the current position of the worktop to another position subsequent to providing the reminder to the user.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to track the duration of time that the worktop is in at least one standing position during periods while a user is within the space associated with the workstation and calculate statistical data that compares the duration of time that the worktop is in the at least one standing position during periods while the user is in the space associated with the workstation to a time period, the statistical data retrievable by the user.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the time period is an ongoing cumulative period over the cumulative duration and wherein the processor presents the statistical data to the user via a display device at least periodically during the ongoing period.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor repeatedly detects user presence within the space associated with the workstation while the user remains within the space.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the reminder is at least one of an audible notification, a visual notification and a haptic notification.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to calculate a current ratio of the tracked duration of time to a time period to generate a current percentage and compare the current percentage to a desired percentage and present an indication of the comparison to the user.

14. The system of claim 13 further including a display device wherein the processor is programmed to present an indication of the comparison to the user via the display device on an ongoing basis as the user uses the workstation.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor is further programmed to track compliance with the reminders by the user and when the user fails to comply with the reminders, automatically adjust a required time that the moveable worktop is at the at least one standing position upon non-compliance with the reminder.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is programed to automatically adjust the required time to provide additional reminders to compensate for a detected shortfall of the current percentage relative to the desired percentage.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to determine user identification for a user at the workstation and track and store the duration of time that the worktop is in the sitting position while a user having a specific identity is present within the space associated with the workstation.

18. A system for adjusting a height of a workstation, comprising:

a height adjust system for a workstation, the height adjust system being adjustable in elevation;

a worktop mounted to the height adjustment system for movement therewith to different positions;

a first sensor device for sensing the presence of a workstation user within a space associated with the workstation and generating a presence signal usable to determine when a user is present at the workstation and when no user is present at the workstation;

a processor programmed to;

(i) receive the user presence signal from the sensor and use the user presence signal to determine ongoing periods when a user is present within the space associated with the workstation as well as ongoing periods when no user is present within the space;

(ii) track and store a cumulative duration of time that the worktop is in a sitting position during ongoing periods while a user is within the space associated with the workstation, wherein the user is present within the space associated with the workstation during at least first and second periods where the first and second ongoing periods are separated by an intervening period when the user is not present within the space associated with the workstation and wherein the cumulative duration of time includes both the first and second periods and does not include any periods during which the user is not present within the space associated with the workstation including the intervening period;

(iii) determine that the cumulative duration is at least equal to a threshold period; and

(iv) provide a user with a reminder to change a current position of the worktop to a standing position at the end of the threshold period;

wherein the processor is programmed to compare the duration of time that the worktop is in a specific height position during periods while a user is present within the space associated with the workstation to a pre-established goal and display an indication of the comparison on a display device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor is programmed to display the indication of the comparison during an ongoing period as the user occupies the workstation.

20. A system for adjusting a height of a workstation, comprising:

a worktop having a top surface;

a drive mechanism coupled to the worktop for driving the worktop to different positions in which the worktop is at different elevations;

a first sensor for sensing the presence of a workstation user within a space associated with the workstation and generating a user presence signal usable to identify when a user is present at the station and when no user is present at the station;

a processor programmed to;

(i) control the drive mechanism to move the worktop to different positions;

(ii) receive the user presence signals from the first sensor and use the user presence signal to determine ongoing periods when a user is present within the space associated with the workstation including at least first and second ongoing periods as well as ongoing periods when no user is present at the workstation including at least an intervening period that separates the first and second ongoing periods;

(iii) track and store statistics related to at least a cumulative duration of time that the worktop is in at least a first sitting position during ongoing periods while a user is present within the space associated with the workstation, wherein the cumulative duration of time includes at least the first and second ongoing periods and does not include periods during which the user is not present within the space associated with the workstation including the intervening period.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first sensor senses user presence within the space associated with the workstation independent of any portable computing device used by the user.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the processor is further programmed to provide a reminder to the user to change the worktop height based on the duration of time that the worktop is at the at least a first sitting position.

23. A system for adjusting a height of a workstation, comprising:

a height adjust system for a workstation, the height adjust system being adjustable in elevation;

a worktop mounted to the height adjustment system for movement therewith to different positions;

a first sensor device for sensing a workstation user'"'"'s body within a space associated with the workstation and generating a presence signal usable to determine when a user is present at the workstation and when no user is present at the workstation;

a processor programmed to;

(i) receive the user presence signal from the sensor and use the user presence signal to determine ongoing periods when a user is present within the space associated with the workstation as well as ongoing periods when no user is present within the space;

(ii) track and store a cumulative duration of time that the worktop is in a sitting position during ongoing periods while a user is present within the space associated with the workstation wherein the periods while the user is within the space associated with the workstation include at least first and second ongoing periods that are separated by an intervening period during which the space associated with the workstation is not occupied by the user, and wherein the cumulative duration of time includes both the first and second ongoing periods and does not include any periods during which the user is not present within the space associated with the workstation including the intervening period.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the processor is further programmed to track a total time that the user is present at the station, track a second duration of time that the worktop is in a standing position while a user is present within the space associated with the workstation, calculate a ratio of the second duration of time to the total time to generate a current percentage and compare the current percentage to a pre-established desired percentage.

25. The system of claim 24 further including an interface, the processor programmed to present an indication of the comparison via the interface.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the indication is one of a visual indication and an audible indication.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the interface includes a display device and wherein the indication is a visual indication presented on the display device.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the visual indication includes at least one colored indicator on the display screen wherein the color of the colored indicator is controlled to indicate whether or not the user'"'"'s current percentage is on track to meet a standing goal.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the first sensor continually monitors presence of a user'"'"'s body within the space associated with the workstation.