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

• US 10,863,825 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2020
• Issued: 12/15/2020
• 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:
  US16/810,353
• Time in Patent Office: 285 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

A work environment adjustment system includes multiple instances of controllable office equipment located within an office space, each instance associated with a specific office location and including an activator for controlling states of the instance, at least one presence sensor for detecting user presence within each space associated with each instance, and a master controller linked to each office equipment activator to control activation of each activator to control a current state of each instance. The master controller is programmed to perform the steps of receiving sensor signals from the at least a first presence sensor, determining user presence at each space associated with each instance, controlling states at each of the instances independent of user input when the space associated with the instance is vacant, and enabling user control of the state of each instance associated with a space that is occupied by a user.

Claims

1. A work environment adjustment system comprising:

a plurality of instances of controllable office equipment located within an office space, each of the office equipment instances associated with a specific office location and including an activator for controlling states of the office equipment instance;

at least a first presence sensor for detecting user presence within each space associated with each office equipment instance; and

a master controller linked to each of the office equipment activators to control activation of each activator to control a current state of each office equipment instance;

wherein, the master controller is programmed to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving sensor signals from the at least first presence sensor;

(ii) determining user presence at each space associated with each office equipment instance;

(iii) controlling states at each of the office equipment instances independent of user input when the space associated with the office equipment instance is vacant; and

(iv) enabling user control of the state of each office equipment instance associated with the space that is occupied by the user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each office equipment instance includes a height adjustable table that includes a variable length leg assembly and a height adjustable worktop supported at a top end of the leg assembly and wherein the state includes the height of the adjustable worktop.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the master controller is programmed to drive each worktop at a vacant table to one of a standing height and a sitting height at a specific time each day.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the specific time each day is subsequent to normal business hours for a business.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the master controller controls worktop height simultaneously for each vacant table.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller controls office equipment instance state simultaneously for each office equipment instance associated with the vacant space.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein each office equipment instance further includes a local control unit for controlling the activator at the office equipment instance and wherein the master controller is linkable to each of the local control units.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the master controller is hardwired to each of the local control units.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the master controller links to at least a subset of the local control units via a wireless communication link.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the wireless communication link is Bluetooth.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller includes a timing circuit and periodically transmits state control signals to each of the office equipment instances for controlling state.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the master controller is programmed to control office equipment instance state individually at times and simultaneously at other times.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is programmed to automatically control each office equipment instance state only during specific periods of time and when the space associated with the office equipment instance is vacant.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the master controller is programmed to automatically control each office equipment instance state only at specific times when the office equipment instance is vacant.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein all of the office equipment instance states are changed to the same state whenever their states are automatically changed.

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

17. The system of claim 1 wherein each office equipment instance includes a powered chair.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the states include different positions of the chair with respect to a power assembly.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the office equipment instances includes at least one moveable component and wherein the states include different positions of the at least one moveable component.

20. A work environment adjustment system comprising:

a plurality of instances of controllable office equipment located within an office space, each of the office equipment instances associated with a specific office location and including an activator for controlling states of the office equipment instance;

a plurality of presence sensors, a separate presence sensor associated with each office equipment instance, each sensor for detecting user presence within the space associated with an associated office equipment instance; and

a master controller linked to each of the office equipment activators to control activation of each activator to control a current state of each office equipment instance, wherein, the master controller is programmed to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving sensor signals from each of the presence sensors;

(ii) determining user presence at each space associated with each office equipment instance;

(iii) controlling states at each of the office equipment instances independent of user input when the space associated with the office equipment instance is vacant; and

(iv) enabling user control of the state of each office equipment instance associated with the space that is occupied by the user.

21. A work environment adjustment system comprising:

a plurality of instances of controllable office equipment located within an office space, each office equipment instance including at least one component that is moveable to different positions, each of the office equipment instances associated with a specific office location and including an activator for controlling the position of the at least one moveable component;

at least a first presence sensor for detecting user presence within each space associated with each office equipment instance; and

a master controller linked to each of the office equipment activators to control activation of each activator to control a current position of each moveable component;

wherein, the master controller is programmed to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving sensor signals from the at least first presence sensor;

(ii) determining user presence at each space associated with each office equipment instance;

(iii) controlling each moveable component independent of user input when the space associated with the office equipment instance is vacant; and

(iv) enabling user control of the moveable component instance associated with the space that is occupied by the user.