U.S. patent application number 10/189667 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-16 for control mechanism for an adjustable position furniture.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hollandia The Sleep Engineering Center-Investments (1992) Ltd.. Invention is credited to Barcesat, Isaac.
Application Number | 20030011225 10/189667 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11075597 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030011225 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barcesat, Isaac |
January 16, 2003 |
Control mechanism for an adjustable position furniture
Abstract
The invention provides a safety arrangement for an electrically
adjustable piece of furniture for sitting, reclining and/or lying
down, the piece of furniture including a stationary supporting
structure, a movable framework composed of articulated metallic
members, and an electric motor for moving the framework, the safety
arrangement including at least one electrically conductive strip
conductively attached to at least those portions of the metallic
members exposed to human touch, and a control unit including a
touch sensor/switch electrically connected to the framework, for
overridingly stopping the operation of the motor when the strip is
touched during the movement of the framework.
Inventors: |
Barcesat, Isaac; (Ashdod,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TOWNSEND AND TOWNSEND AND CREW, LLP
TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER
EIGHTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94111-3834
US
|
Assignee: |
Hollandia The Sleep Engineering
Center-Investments (1992) Ltd.
Sderot
IL
|
Family ID: |
11075597 |
Appl. No.: |
10/189667 |
Filed: |
July 3, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/217.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 20/041
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/217.3 |
International
Class: |
A47C 007/62 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 10, 2001 |
IL |
144,231 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A safety arrangement for an electrically adjustable piece of
furniture for sitting, reclining and/or lying down, said piece of
furniture including a stationary supporting structure, a movable
framework composed of articulated metallic members, and an electric
motor for moving said framework, said safety arrangement
comprising: at least one electrically conductive strip conductively
attached to at least those portions of said metallic members
exposed to human touch, and a control unit including a touch
sensor/switch electrically connected to said framework, for
overridingly stopping the operation of said motor when said strip
is touched during the movement of said framework.
2. The safety arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
control unit includes a relay connectable to the power supply line
of said motor, and wherein said relay is activated by said touch
sensor/switch for disconnecting the power from said motor.
3. The safety arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch
sensor/switch is a capacitive touch switch.
4. The safety arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
control unit further comprises an acoustic alarm activated by said
touch sensor/switch.
5. The safety arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
a reset switch for reactivating the motor by resetting said
relay.
6. The safety arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
conductive strip is an aluminum strip attached to said members by
means of adhesive.
7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control unit
further comprises a latch module for activating said relay.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a piece of furniture for
sitting, reclining and/or lying down, hereinafter referred to as
"adjustable position furniture."
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Adjustable position furniture is known, composed essentially
of a stationary supporting chassis to which there is linked an
adjustable configuration framework consisting of articulated
members. Some of these frameworks are mechanically or pneumatically
adjustable; however, more and more of them are operated and
adjusted electrically. Electrical adjustment is effected by a
powerful motor which moves the members of the framework with
respect to each other and with the stationary chassis in
scissors-like fashion. Usually, at least the lateral sides of the,
framework are exposed, presenting a real danger to the limbs of
nearby persons, including the user.
[0003] It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to
ameliorate the danger of injury from electrically adjustable
furniture.
[0004] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
an arrangement for governing the operation of an electric motor
which adjusts the position of the framework of an electrically
adjustable piece of furniture.
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention provides a safety
arrangement for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture for
sitting, reclining and/or lying down, said piece of furniture
including a stationary supporting structure, a movable framework
composed of articulated metallic members, and an electric motor for
moving said framework, said safety arrangement comprising at least
one electrically conductive strip conductively attached to at least
those portions of said metallic members exposed to human touch, and
a control unit including a touch sensor/switch electrically
connected to said framework for overridingly stopping the operation
of said motor when said strip is touched during the movement of
said framework.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The invention will now be described in connection with a
certain preferred embodiment with reference to the following
illustrative figure, so that it may be more fully understood.
[0007] With specific reference now to the figure in detail, it is
stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for
purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiment of
the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of
providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily
understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of
the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show
structural details of the invention in more detail than is
necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the
description taken with the drawing making apparent to those skilled
in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied
in practice.
[0008] In the drawing:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a safety arrangement
for electrically adjustable furniture, according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] There is shown in FIG. 1 an adjustable piece of furniture 2,
e.g., a bed, having a stationary supporting chassis 4, a movable
framework 6 composed of a plurality of per se known articulated
metallic members 8, a mattress 10, a separate head support 12 and
an electric motor 14. Further shown is control unit 16 for
controlling the operation of motor 14. The metallic members 8 of
framework 6, and possibly also the chassis, are made of painted
metal or any other material and are at least partly covered with a
strip of conductive material, e.g., aluminum strip 18, attached to
members 8 by any suitable means, such as adhesive.
[0011] Control unit 16 consists of a touch sensor/switch 20, e.g.,
a capacitive switch, connected to and adapted to activate a latch
module 22 which, in turn, is adapted to actuate a relay 24. Relay
24 is connected to the power line of motor 14 so as to connect and
disconnect the motor therefrom. Advantageously, control unit 16
also includes a voice module 28, so as to provide an audible alarm
when the motor is deactivated upon receiving a signal from the
touch sensor/switch. Control unit 16 may be powered from an AC or
DC power supply 30.
[0012] As can be understood, sensor/switch 20 detects when someone
touches the framework 6 when the motor is in operation, and
activates latch module 22, which immediately activates relay 24,
causing the instant cessation of the motor's operation. Hence, a
person's limb, carelessly or inadvertently located in or on movable
framework 6, will automatically cause the interruption of the
motor's operation until the user will press reset switch 26. The
relay 24 remains in the disconnecting state as long as it does not
receive a reset signal from latch module 22, activated by reset
switch 26, thereby causing the return of power to motor 14.
[0013] It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the
invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing
illustrated embodiments and that the present invention may be
embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit
or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are
therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not
restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all
changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
* * * * *