U.S. patent application number 10/144743 was filed with the patent office on 2002-11-21 for furniture drawer.
Invention is credited to Held, Wolfgang.
Application Number | 20020171335 10/144743 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3680907 |
Filed Date | 2002-11-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020171335 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Held, Wolfgang |
November 21, 2002 |
Furniture drawer
Abstract
Furniture drawer that can be mounted in a furniture carcass such
that it can be pulled out, characterised by a device (12a, 12b;
12a', 12b') for transmitting electrical energy to at least one
chargeable current storage means arranged in or respectively on the
drawer (2).
Inventors: |
Held, Wolfgang; (Hard,
AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EUGENE J. PAWLIKOWSKI
OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
WASHINGTON
DC
20230
|
Family ID: |
3680907 |
Appl. No.: |
10/144743 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/223.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V 33/0012 20130101;
F21W 2131/301 20130101; F21V 23/02 20130101; A47B 88/90 20170101;
F21S 9/037 20130101; A47B 77/08 20130101; A47B 88/00 20130101; F21V
23/04 20130101; A47B 2220/0077 20130101; A47B 2200/0083
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/223.6 |
International
Class: |
A47B 081/00; A47B
097/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 17, 2001 |
AT |
A 785/2001 |
Claims
1. Furniture drawer that can be mounted, in a manner such that it
can be pulled out, characterized by a device for transmitting
electrical energy to at least one chargeable current storage means
arranged in or on the drawer.
2. Furniture drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that at
least one chargeable current storage means is a chargeable
battery.
3. Furniture drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that at
least one chargeable current storage means is a capacitor.
4. Furniture drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that the
device for transmitting electrical energy avoiding an electrical
cable between the furniture carcass and furniture drawer is
configured such that an electrical transmission to the chargeable
current storage means arranged in or on the drawer is done when the
drawer is closed.
5. Furniture drawer according to claim 4, characterized in that the
device for transmitting electrical energy is provided with at least
one contact-free transmitter arranged on the rear wall of the
drawer.
6. Furniture drawer according to claim 5, wherein the contact-free
transmitter is an inductive coupler or a plug-in contact.
7. Furniture drawer according to claim 6, characterized in that the
chargeable current storage means is built into a wall of the drawer
or base of the drawer.
8. Furniture drawer that is mounted in a furniture carcass such
that it can be pulled out, characterized by at least one holder
arranged in or on the drawer, for an appliance provided with a
chargeable battery, the chargeable battery of which is chargeable
by means of the holder, wherein the device for transmitting
electrical energy avoiding an electrical cable between the
furniture carcass and furniture drawer is configured such that
electrical transmission to the chargeable current storage means
arranged in or on the drawer takes place only when the drawer is
closed, in that the device for transmitting electrical energy is
provided with at least one contact-free transmitter.
9. Furniture drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that at
least one electrical consumer is fixed therein or respectively
thereon.
10. Furniture drawer according to claim 9, wherein the electrical
consumer is a light source or a drive motor for the furniture
drawer.
11. Furniture drawer according to claim 10, characterized in that
the light source is arranged in or on the wall of the drawer
configured transparent in sections.
12. Furniture drawer according to claim 11, characterized in that
at least one light source is a low voltage lightning tube.
13. Furniture drawer according to claim 11, characterized in that
at least one light source is a light emitting diode (LED).
14. Furniture drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that
there is provided, on the front a panel, at least one solar cell
for supplying consumers, or the chargeable current storage means,
arranged in or on the drawer.
15. Piece of furniture with at least one furniture drawer that can
be pulled out, characterized in that on the furniture carcass there
is arranged at least one solar cell for supplying consumers, or
chargeable current storage means arranged in or on the drawer.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a furniture drawer that can be
mounted, in a manner such that it can be pulled out, in a furniture
carcass, and a piece of furniture with at least one furniture
drawer that can be pulled out.
[0002] In order to avoid having permanent leads in the form of
electric cables from the furniture carcass to the drawer, a
furniture drawer is provided that is characterised by a device for
transmitting electrical energy to at least one chargeable current
storage means arranged in, or respectively on, the drawer.
[0003] By means of such chargeable current storage means it is
possible to provide an autonomous energy supply for the drawer and
respectively the electrical appliances located therein, preferably
domestic appliances, wherein preferably transmission of electrical
energy for charging the chargeable current storage means takes
place only when the drawer is closed. When the drawer is pulled
out, the charged current storage means can then supply electrical
consumers such as lamps or drive motors, or respectively, domestic
appliances located in the drawer, which are charged when the drawer
is closed, can be removed.
[0004] In order to produce such a device for transmitting
electrical energy, there is preferably provided on the rear wall of
the drawer a contact-free transmitter, preferably an inductive
coupler or a plug-in contact that, when the drawer is closed,
automatically comes into contact with a carcass-side contact. The
current supply is, for example, from the normal alternating current
mains via a transformer that, in the area of the drawer, produces a
low voltage range preferably below 25 volts, which is harmless to
people.
[0005] The inductive electrical transmitters described are known
per se, for example, in electric toothbrushes, and thus do not need
to be described in more detail.
[0006] The chargeable current storage means can be built in or
integrated into wall of the drawer or respectively in the base of
the drawer, in a space-saving manner.
[0007] It is also possible, however, to use the normally metallic
guide rails for transmitting current in the drawer, wherein
advantageously sliding contacts are provided in order to connect
the carcass-side guide rail, which is connected to a current
source, to the drawer-side guide rail.
[0008] When using such electrical guide rails, cables can be
avoided. As in this case a permanent current supply is possible in
the drawer, in any position, with this variation of the invention a
re-chargeable current storage means is basically unnecessary.
[0009] Electrical consumers, such as lamps or motors can instead
continuously be supplied directly. Naturally, household appliances
in the inside of the drawer that have a battery can also be charged
via such electrified guide rails.
[0010] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is
provided in that at least one light source is configured as a light
diode (LED). Light diodes combine a compact design with a good
light yield, with a low energy requirement.
[0011] In addition to supply from the normal mains current,
according to a further variation of the invention a solar cell is
provided on the drawer or respectively on the furniture carcass.
Using this, a current supply for electric consumers in or
respectively on the drawer, that is inexpensive and above all
without the necessity of connection to the mains, is possible,
wherein a re-chargeable current storage means is provided that is
charged by means of the solar cell and an appropriate charge
regulator.
[0012] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is
provided in that at least one current storage means is a chargeable
battery. Such chargeable batteries are obtainable in many different
embodiments, so depending on the prospective need for current and
the available space, a suitable chargeable battery can be
selected.
[0013] A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is
provided in that at least one chargeable current storage means is a
capacitor. Even after prolonged use, with a capacitor there is
virtually no detectable reduction in the storage capacity, as, for
example, in contrast to accumulators, no memory effects that reduce
the storage capacity occur.
[0014] Further advantages and details of the invention will be
described in more detail with reference to the following
description of the drawings.
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a furniture carcass with drawers configured
according to the invention in one embodiment,
[0016] FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c show an embodiment of a furniture drawer
according to the invention in a schematic vertical section, a
horizontal plan view with the furniture drawer pushed in, and a
horizontal plan view with the furniture drawer pulled out,
[0017] FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show a further embodiment with a solar
cell supply in a schematic vertical section, a plan view and a
front view of the front panel,
[0018] FIGS. 4a and 4b show a further embodiment of a furniture
drawer according to the invention with integrated lighting, wherein
FIG. 4b shows a cross-section through the panel frame according to
FIG. 4a,
[0019] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a furniture drawer according
to the invention with household appliances stored therein that have
a re-chargeable battery,
[0020] FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show a further embodiment of a furniture
drawer according to the invention with solar cell and holders for
receiving re-chargeable household appliances in vertical
longitudinal section, a plan view and a view of the front
panel,
[0021] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a furniture drawer according
to the invention with an electrical drive motor,
[0022] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a furniture drawer according
to the invention in a partial cross-sectional representation, in
which the electrical supply is via the guide rail, and
[0023] FIGS. 9a, 9b and 9c show an embodiment of a furniture drawer
according to the invention in a schematic vertical section, a
horizontal plan view with the furniture drawer pushed in, and a
horizontal plan view with the furniture drawer pulled out.
[0024] The furniture carcass 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with
four drawers 2 that can be pulled out, which are respectively
provided with a rechargeable accumulator (rechargeable battery) in
the rear wall. In the side wall of the drawer (drawer frame 4)
there is provided lighting 5 (in practice, for example, an elongate
lighting tube), shown schematically, that lights the interior of
the drawer via a transparent section. The current supply for this
lamp 5 is from the re-chargeable battery 3 that, as already
described, is integrated in the rear wall of the drawer 6. In order
to charge this rechargeable battery 3, there is provided a device,
described in more detail hereinafter, for transmitting electrical
energy when the drawer is closed. This energy can, for example, be
from solar cells 7 on the top of the furniture carcass or by means
of a plug 8, a transformer 9 and leads 10 from the normal mains
supply.
[0025] The leads in the interior of the furniture carcass and
between the re-chargeable battery and the lamp 5 are not shown in
more detail. They can be laid in a space-saving and preferably
invisible manner. Switches that switch on the lighting only when
the drawer is pulled out are also not shown in more detail. They
can be, for example, fitted onto the rear wall of the drawer, and
switch on the lighting in a manner similar to opening a
refrigerator. Supply via the solar cell 7 or respectively the
public mains supply can be alternative or simultaneous, wherein an
electronic system not shown in more detail, draws from the public
mains supply where there is an absence of light for the solar cell.
In this way, energy can be saved. With low energy use, however, the
solar cell alone can be sufficient.
[0026] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c, the
re-chargeable battery 3 is integrated into the base of the drawer
11. The device for transmitting electrical energy is in this case
composed of a two-part inductive coupler 12a, 12b that allows
transmission of electrical energy when the drawer is closed, and
thereby can charge the accumulator via the lead 13. The external
current supply is via the lead 10, for example, from the public
mains supply via a transformer or by a solar cell. The inductive
coupler itself allows contact-free electrical transmission and is,
as already described, already known, for example, in electric
toothbrushes. It is also absolutely hardwearing where there is
frequent opening and closing of the drawer. When the drawer is
pulled out, as in FIG. 2, the drawer is separated from the lead 10.
Current supply to consumers, not shown here, for example, lamps,
drive motors, or the like, is then via the charged accumulator
3.
[0027] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, again in the
base 11 of the drawer there is provided an accumulator 3 that can
be charged via a charge regulator 14 by a solar cell 15 on the
front panel 2a of the drawer.
[0028] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, an elongate
lighting tube 5 is built into the panel frame 4a', the walls 16 of
the panel frame can be configured transparent, at least in the
interior of the drawer, in order to be able to light the interior
of the drawer. The walls 16 are profiled and fit together by means
of their profiled sections, wherein in the upper area a holding
piece, for example of aluminium, is provided, that can be secured
to a normal drawer rail 18. The whole panel frame 4a' can be placed
on the actual drawer frame 4a, and is held at the top by the rail
18.
[0029] In the embodiment of FIGS. 4a and 4b, for reasons of
simplicity, electrical leads, the rechargeable current storage
means, and any switches, are not shown. Alternatively, however, a
continuous supply of current can be via the guide rails, as will be
described later with reference to FIG. 8.
[0030] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the re-chargeable current
storage is arranged in the form of batteries in household
appliances 19, which can be accommodated in the drawer 2. The
charging of these re-chargeable batteries in the household
appliances is done when the drawer is closed via the inductive
coupler 12a, 12b and the holders 20, which can either be plug-in
contacts or again inductive couplers. When the drawer is pulled
out, the household appliances 19 can then be easily removed.
[0031] FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show an alternative current supply for
the holder 20, namely via a solar panel 15, a charge regulator 14
and leads 21 to the holders 20. In thee drawings, the household
appliances have just been removed.
[0032] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment wherein the device for
transmitting the electrical energy from the furniture carcass 1 to
the drawer 2 is via a mechanical plug-in contact 12a', 12b' that
automatically forms an electrical contact when the drawer is
closed. In the rear wall of the piece of furniture 6 a
re-chargeable current storage means in the form of a chargeable
battery 3 is again integrated, which supplies an electrical drive
motor 24 via a switch 22 and leads 23 in the base 11 of the drawer.
Said motor carries a pinion 25 that engages with a toothed rod 26
on the carcass-side rails, and therefore makes possible driving of
the drawer. The normal running rollers, or respectively glides,
between the carcass-side guide rail 27 and the storage-side guide
rail 28 are not shown for reasons of simplicity. They correspond to
the current industry standard. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7,
there is thus produced an autonomous, drivable, self-driven drawer,
without annoying moving cables for supplying current to the drive
motor 24.
[0033] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the guide rail 27 fixed
carcass-side is electrically contacted to the point 29 with the
supply lead 10 (plus pole). The base 11 and side wall 4a of one
side of the drawer 2 is shown. Connected to the drawer is the
drawer-side guide rail 28 that can be pulled out with respect to
the cupboard rail 27 by means of very schematically shown rollers,
rolling bearings or glide bearings 30. In order to now continuously
produce an electrical contact between the contacting, carcass-side
guide rail 27, and the drawer-side guide rail 28, a sliding contact
31 is provided that, in any pulled-out position, in particular also
when the drawer is closed, provides a contact with the interior of
the drawer. By means of the contact point 29' and the cable 21, the
re-chargeable battery 3 can be charged. This can naturally also be
integrated into the base of the drawer 11 in a space-saving manner.
The other pole is continuously contacted via the lead 21' via the
analogous right-hand system, not shown here, to guide rails. With
such a system, naturally the re-chargeable current storage means
can also be omitted, as in this way it is possible to guarantee an
electrical supply for the drawer, or respectively the consumers
fitted therein or thereon, in any pulled-out position.
[0034] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 9a, 9b and 9c differs from
that shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c in that instead of a
re-chargeable battery 3, an arrangement of five capacitors 32,
preferably connected in parallel, is integrated into the base 11 of
the drawer. Commercially obtainable capacitors, with typical sizes
in the centimeter-range, and each with a capacity in the order of
50-500 .mu.F can be used, for example. These are sufficient to
operate, for example, light sources, over a typical duration of
opening of drawers.
* * * * *