U.S. patent application number 14/381900 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-05 for furniture arrangement and a method for the parallel control of at least two electromotive furniture drives of a furniture arrangement.
The applicant listed for this patent is DEWERTOKIN GMBH. Invention is credited to Karsten Gehrke, Armin Hille, Steffen Loley.
Application Number | 20150035457 14/381900 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47845975 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150035457 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hille; Armin ; et
al. |
February 5, 2015 |
FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD FOR THE PARALLEL CONTROL OF AT
LEAST TWO ELECTROMOTIVE FURNITURE DRIVES OF A FURNITURE
ARRANGEMENT
Abstract
The invention relates to a furniture arrangement (200)
comprising at least two pieces of furniture (1, 1'), each
respectively having an electromotive furniture drive (100, 100')
for adjusting at least one movable part (4, 5) of each at least two
pieces of furniture (1, 1'), wherein each electromotive furniture
drive (100, 100') comprises a) at least one adjusting drive (7, 7';
8, 8') with respectively at least one electric motor, a
speed-reducing gear mechanism coupled thereto and to which an
output element is drivingly coupled, said output element being
linearly displaceable and/or can be rotated, and b) at least one
control device (9, 9'), wherein c) the furniture arrangement (200)
comprises an operating unit (10) for actuating all the electric
motors of the adjusting drive (7, 7'; 8, 8') of the electromotive
furniture drive (100, 100'). Said control devices (9, 9') of
electromotive furniture drives (100, 100') are equipped with
detection means for detecting actuation-specific values such as the
motor current, motor operating voltage, motor speed or similar of
the electric motor of the at least one associated adjusting drive
(7, 7'; 8, 8') and comprising at least one controlling device for
variably controlling the operating voltage of the electric motor of
the at least one associated adjusting drive (7, 7'; 8, 8') for a
parallel control of the at least one adjusting drive (7, 8) of one
of the electromotive furniture drives (100) and of the at least one
adjusting drive (7', 8') of the other electromotive furniture drive
(100'). Said control devices (9, 9') are designed to communicate
with the operating unit (10, 10') and between themselves, or to
communicate between themselves by means of the operating unit (10,
10') with at least one transmission path (21, 22, 23, 23a, 23').
The invention also relates to the parallel control of at least two
electromotive furniture drives (100, 100') of a furniture
arrangement (200).
Inventors: |
Hille; Armin; (Bielefeld,
DE) ; Loley; Steffen; (Osnabruck, DE) ;
Gehrke; Karsten; (Porta Westfalica, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DEWERTOKIN GMBH |
KIRCHLENGERN |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
47845975 |
Appl. No.: |
14/381900 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
February 28, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2013/054086 |
371 Date: |
August 28, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
318/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 20/08 20130101;
A47C 20/041 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
318/16 |
International
Class: |
A47C 20/08 20060101
A47C020/08; A47C 20/04 20060101 A47C020/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 101 623.2 |
Claims
1.-12. (canceled)
13. A furniture arrangement, comprising: at least two pieces of
furniture; at least two electromotive furniture drives respectively
provided for the two pieces of furniture for adjusting at least one
movable part of the at least two pieces of furniture, each said
electromotive furniture drive comprising at least one adjusting
drive having at least one electric motor, a revolution speed
reducing gear mechanism coupled to the at least one electric motor
and coupled in driving relationship to an output element for linear
displacement and/or rotatably movement of the output element, and
at least one control device; and an operating unit configured to
actuate the electric motors of the adjusting drives of the
electromotive furniture drives, wherein the control devices of the
electromotive furniture drives have detectors for detecting
drive-specific values of the at least one associated adjusting
drive and with at least one final control device for a variable
setting of an operating voltage of the electric motor of the at
least one associated adjusting drive for parallel control of the at
least one adjusting drive of the one electromotive furniture drive
and the at least one adjusting drive of the other electromotive
furniture drive, wherein the control devices are configured for
communication with the operating unit and among each other, or for
communication among each other via the operating unit with at least
one transmission link.
14. The furniture arrangement of claim 13, wherein the at least one
transmission link is bidirectional.
15. The furniture arrangement of claim 13, wherein at least one
control device is configured according to the detected
drive-specific values for transmission of corresponding signals via
the at least one transmission link.
16. The furniture arrangement of claim 15, wherein each further
control device and the operating unit are configured to receive
corresponding signals transmitted by the at least one control
device.
17. The furniture arrangement of claim 16, wherein at least one
control device comprises a program for the variable setting of the
operating voltage of the at least one electric motor of the at
least one adjusting drive.
18. The furniture arrangement of claim 13, wherein the final
control device for the variable setting of the operating voltage of
the electric motor of the at least one associated adjusting drive
includes a PWM control unit and/or at least one switchable electric
series resistor connected in series with the electric motor.
19. The furniture arrangement of claim 13, wherein the at least one
control device of the one of the electromotive drives is coupled
via a transmission link to the at least one control device of the
other one of the electromotive drives.
20. The furniture arrangement of claim 13, wherein the transmission
link is wireless and/or wire-bound.
21. A method for the parallel control of at least two electromotive
furniture drives of a furniture arrangement, each of the
electromotive furniture drives having an adjusting drive,
comprising the steps of: detecting current adjusting positions of
operated motors of the adjusting drives to be controlled in
parallel; communicating the current actual positions of the
operating motors of the adjusting drives to be controlled in
parallel between control devices of the electromotive furniture
drives and comparing the current actual positions; and controlling
the operated motors of the adjusting drives in parallel by
throttling a recognized advancing motor of the adjusting drives to
be controlled in parallel, or accelerating of a trailing one of the
motors to a higher speed.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the actual positions are
compared with previously determinable values.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the previously determinable
values are values in a table.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein the controlling step includes a
throttling of an advancing one of the motors or an acceleration of
a trailing one of the motors at an intensity of a previously
determinable value.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the previously determinable
value is a value stored in a table.
26. The method of claim 21, wherein the communicating step is
implemented between the control devices and an operating unit or
between one of the control devices and the operating unit.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a furniture arrangement, comprising
at least two pieces of furniture according to the preamble of claim
1. The invention also relates to a method for the parallel control
of at least two electromotive furniture drives of a furniture
arrangement.
[0002] Furniture with several supporting surfaces for supporting a
person situated on the piece of furniture is widely known and used
as beds, sofas, chairs and the like. These pieces of furniture
comprise at least one movable supporting surface which is movably
mounted relative to at least one further supporting surface. The
movable supporting surface is a backrest part and/or a leg part
which is adjustable by means of at least one electromotive
furniture drive. For this purpose, the movable supporting surface
can be pivotable, displaceable or both by means of a suitable
fitting. It is also possible that a base element such as a bed
frame is arranged in a height-adjustable fashion with one or
several furniture drives.
[0003] An electromotive furniture drive comprises at least one
electric motor, which is frequently arranged as a commutator DC
motor. The motor is provided downstream with a gear, wherein
usually a DC gear motor is used. The electromotive furniture drive
further comprises an operating unit and a control unit. The
operating unit can be arranged in a wire-bound or wireless manner
and comprise a number of pushbuttons, which upon actuation supply
via signal transmission a control signal for electrically
triggering the respective motor in the respective direction of
rotation.
[0004] Furniture arrangements are arrangements of furniture such as
two beds or double beds situated adjacent to each other. Every
adjustable piece of furniture is usually provided with an
electromotive furniture drive with at least one adjusting drive, a
control device and an operating unit.
[0005] A number of motors are connected to a number of control
units and jointly form a drive set, which is also known as an
electromotive furniture drive. A three-motor bed comprises a drive
set (furniture drive) with three adjusting drives. There are also
adjusting drives with an integrated control unit, to which further
drives can be connected.
[0006] DE 93 194 84 U1 describes two individual beds with one
respective electromotive furniture drive each. The furniture drives
or drive sets are connected to each other in a controlled fashion
by a line for power supply, wherein additional contacts for the
conduction of switching signals to the power supply connections are
provided. It is possible in this process to control with an
operating unit the adjusting drives of both electromotive furniture
drives and drive sets.
[0007] Synchronous control of adjusting drives comprises at least
two adjusting drives of a common drive set (electromotive furniture
drive) with a common control device. Both adjusting drives are
activated and displaced simultaneously for example for height
adjustment of a tabletop with two adjusting drives. Synchronous
control is used for the purpose that both adjusting drives have the
same adjusting speed, so that there is no inclined positioning of
the tabletop. If the motor of the one adjusting drive has a lower
speed due to higher load than the motor of the other adjusting
drive, the speed of the faster motor is reduced by suitable
measures of the common control device. In this process, the speed
of the faster motor is reduced by means of PWM (pulse-width
modulation).
[0008] In contrast to synchronous control, at least two adjusting
drives, of which each belongs to a separate drive set, are
displaced simultaneously (i.e. in parallel) in the case of parallel
control. Each adjusting drive comprises a separate control
device.
[0009] Several drive sets can only be connected with difficulty to
each other according to the state of the art because [0010] the
level of mounting work increases extremely (additional plug
connections for each control unit, additional cable connections
between the control units, additional mounting work for laying
cables between two or more pieces of furniture); [0011] increased
level of programming work (synchronous controls according to the
state of the art are implemented by microprocessor control, the
communication with a further control unit must be adjusted
according to the criteria of the bus connection for example).
[0012] Each drive set is inserted into a piece of furniture (e.g.
two single beds). It is also possible to use several drive sets in
a piece of furniture (e.g. double bed or concatenation of several
lifting tables).
[0013] It is the object of the present invention to provide an
improved furniture arrangement with the parallel control of at
least two electromotive furniture drives (i.e. drive sets).
[0014] This object is achieved by a furniture arrangement with the
features of claim 1.
[0015] It is a further object of the invention to provide an
improved method for parallel control.
[0016] This object is achieved by a method with the features of
claim 9.
[0017] The control devices of the electromotive furniture drives
are equipped with detection means for detecting drive-specific
values such as motor current, motor operating voltage, motor speed
of the electric motor of the at least one associated adjusting
drive for parallel control, and can communicate among each other
and with the operating unit, or among each other via the operating
unit. This provides a simple solution, wherein the same drive sets
can be connected in furniture arrangements for parallel
control.
[0018] Accordingly, a furniture arrangement in accordance with the
invention comprises at least two piece of furniture with one
respective electromotive furniture drive for adjusting at least one
movable part of each of the at least two pieces of furniture,
wherein each electromotive furniture drive comprises a) at least
one adjusting drive with at least one respective electric motor, a
revolution speed reducing gear mechanism which is coupled thereto
and which ensures that an output element is drivingly coupled and
can be linearly displaced and/or rotatably moved, and b) at least
one control device, wherein c) the furniture arrangement comprises
an operating unit for actuating all electric motors of the
adjusting drives of the electromotive furniture drives. The control
devices of the electromotive furniture drives are provided with
detection means for detecting drive-specific values such as motor
current, motor operating voltage, motor speed or the like of the
electric motor of the at least one associated adjusting drive, and
with at least one final control device for the variable setting of
the operating voltage of the electric motor of the at least one
associated adjusting drive for parallel control of the at least one
adjusting drive of the one electromotive furniture drive and of the
at least one adjusting drive of the other electromotive furniture
drive. The control devices are arranged for communication with the
operating unit and among each other, or for communication among
each other via the operating unit with at least one transmission
link.
[0019] This allows simple connection of the control signals
originating from a number of manual switches to the respective
pieces of furniture or to the respective drive set.
[0020] It is advantageous if at least one transmission link is
arranged in a bidirectional manner. Each drive set comprises a
bidirectional transmission link to the operating unit or also to a
number of operating units, and to a number of drive sets or
electromotive furniture drives.
[0021] In one embodiment, at least one control device is arranged
according to the detected drive-specific values for the
transmission of corresponding signals via the at least one
transmission link. This allows communication in a simple way.
[0022] It is further advantageous if each further control device
and the operating unit is arranged for receiving the corresponding
signals transmitted by the at least one control device.
[0023] It is provided in a further embodiment that at least one
control device comprises a program for the variable setting of the
operating voltage of at least one electric motor of the at least
one adjusting drive, thus enabling simple setting of a speed of the
electric motor.
[0024] It is further provided that the final control device for the
variable setting of the operating voltage of the electric motor of
the at least one associated adjusting drive is provided with a PWM
control unit and/or with at least one switchable electric series
resistor in series with the electric motor.
[0025] The control devices can advantageously communicate among
each other when the at least one control device of the one
electromotive drive is coupled to the at least one control device
of the other one of the electromotive drives via a transmission
link.
[0026] The transmission links can be arranged in a wireless and/or
wire-bound manner. This allows the use of even different drive
sets.
[0027] Every drive set or every electromotive furniture drive
comprises a control program. All control programs are arranged by
means of the bidirectional transmission links for communication
among each other. As a result, an exchange of the adjusting
parameters (path, angle, current, voltage) of several "drive sets"
can advantageously occur among each other. The communication can
occur directly between the control units and/or via the manual
switches as a common communication centre.
[0028] A method in accordance with the invention for the parallel
control of at least two electromotive furniture drives of the
furniture arrangement as described above comprises the following
method steps: (S1) detection of the current adjusting positions of
the operated motors of the adjusting drives to be controlled in
parallel; (S2) communication of the current actual positions of the
operating motors of the adjusting drives to be controlled in
parallel between the control devices and comparison of said current
actual positions; (S3) parallel control of the operated motors of
the adjusting drives to be controlled in parallel by throttling a
recognized advancing motor of the adjusting drives to be controlled
or acceleration of the trailing motor to a higher speed.
[0029] In one embodiment, the actual positions are compared in the
second method step (S2) with previously determinable values, e.g.
values in tables. The values in tables are advantageous because
they can be determined in advance in a simple way.
[0030] It is provided in a further embodiment that in the third
method step (S3) a throttling of the advancing motor or an
acceleration of the respectively trailing motor occurs with the
intensity of a previously determinable value, e.g. a value stored
in a table. Since the values in the table have already been
prepared in advance, a calculation or determination via algorithms
for example is not necessary so that time is saved.
[0031] In yet a further embodiment, the communication between the
control devices and the operating unit or between one of the
control devices and the operating unit occurs in the second method
step (S2), thereby increasing the range of use.
[0032] The invention will be explained in closer detail by
reference to the enclosed drawings wherein:
[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary
piece of furniture;
[0034] FIGS. 2-2a show schematic perspective views of embodiments
of the operating units;
[0035] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary
furniture arrangement;
[0036] FIGS. 4-4a show schematic block diagrams of parallel control
arrangements in accordance with the invention of electromotive
furniture drives with wireless operating units;
[0037] FIGS. 5-5a show schematic block diagrams of parallel control
arrangements in accordance with the invention of electromotive
furniture drives with wire-bound operating units, and
[0038] FIG. 6 shows a schematic flowchart of a method in accordance
with the invention for the parallel control of at least two
electromotive furniture drives of a furniture arrangement.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a piece of furniture 1 in
accordance with the invention. FIGS. 2 and 2a show schematic
perspective views of an operating unit 10, 10'.
[0040] The piece of furniture 1 is shown as a bed in this case and
comprises at least one support element 3 for accommodating items,
upholstery, a mattress M and/or a person. The support element 3 is
arranged as a slatted base, as a flat support surface or the like
for example and is attached to a base element 2, which is a frame
with feet in this case, for coupling the piece of furniture 1 to an
installation site, e.g. a floor.
[0041] The support element 3 comprises a backrest part 4 and a leg
part 5, which are arranged in a movably mounted manner relative to
the support element 3 and/or a further support element or relative
to the base element 2. This movable arrangement is realized in this
case by means of a so-called motion fitting 6. The movement is
arranged to be displaceable and/or pivotable.
[0042] The piece of furniture 1 further comprises an electromotive
furniture drive 100, which in this case comprises two adjusting
drives 7 and 8, a control device 9 and an operating unit 10. The
operating unit 10 is arranged in a wireless manner in this
example.
[0043] The movably mounted backrest part 4 and the leg part 5 are
respectively coupled to an adjusting drive 7, 8. As a result, the
backrest part 4 is coupled to the adjusting drive 7. The adjusting
drive 8 is provided for moving or adjusting the leg part 5.
[0044] The linear drives 7, 8 are arranged as linear drives. The
linear drives comprise one or several electric motors, wherein each
motor is provided downstream with a revolution speed reducing gear
mechanism with at least one gear step. The speed reducing gear
mechanism can be provided downstream with a further gear, e.g. in
form of a threaded spindle mechanism, which produces a linear
movement of an output element 19 from the rotary movement of the
motor. The last gear element or any further gear element connected
thereto forms the output element. The output element of the
respective adjusting drive is in connection with the respective
furniture component (backrest part 4, leg part 5) or alternatively
with a component connected to the base frame 2, so that the movable
furniture components 4, 5 are adjusted relative to each other or
relative to the base frame 2 during operation of the electric motor
of the respective adjusting drive 7, 8.
[0045] The adjusting drives 7, 8 are connected to the control
device 9 via a respective drive line 100a, as shown in FIG. 4. Said
drive line 100a can be arranged as a pluggable cable connection for
example. The control device 9 comprises an electric supply unit
(not shown), which provides electric power, e.g. from the grid, for
the adjusting drives 7, 8. For this purpose, the control device 9
is connectable to a mains connection via a mains cable with a mains
plug. The mains cable is not shown, but can easily be imagined. The
mains plug supplies the mains voltage on the input side via the
mains cable to the electric supply unit of the control device 9,
which supplies a low voltage in form of a DC voltage on the
secondary side and transmits this voltage to a motor control unit
(also not shown) with control switches.
[0046] As an alternative, the control device 9 is provided upstream
with a mains-dependent voltage supply with mains input (not shown
in closer detail) and with a low voltage output on the secondary
side, which supplies a low voltage in form of a DC voltage via the
line 9d.
[0047] The piece of furniture 1 is further associated with an
operating unit 10, 10', whose control elements 12, 13 (FIG. 2)
control the adjusting drives 7, 8 via the control device 9.
[0048] The operating unit 10 according to FIG. 2 is provided with a
transmitter device or transmitter/receiver device for wireless
transmission. The wireless transmission can be a transmission link
23, 23' (see FIGS. 5, 5a, 5b) with radio transmission, optical
transmission (e.g. infrared) and/or an ultrasonic sound
transmission, wherein the control device 9 is provided with a
respective transmission unit 9a, 9'a (see FIG. 5 for example).
[0049] In another embodiment, the operating unit 10' is arranged
with an operating line 18 in a wire-bound form, which is shown in
FIG. 2a. The operating line 18 can be connected to the control
device 9, e.g. by a plug-in connection. This is shown in FIG. 4a by
way of example.
[0050] The operating unit 10, 10' is provided with operating
elements 12, 13, which are provided for operating a respective
adjusting drive 7, 8. The operating elements 12, 13 are arranged as
pushbuttons for example. The operating elements 12 are used for
moving the respectively movable furniture part in an upward
direction for example and the operating elements 13 for lowering
the respectively movable furniture part. FIGS. 2 and 2a show the
operating units 10, 10' for six adjusting drives.
[0051] The operating unit 10, 10' is further provided with an
indicator element 14, e.g. a light-emitting diode. The indicator
element 14 is used for displaying functionality, feedback, error
display etc.
[0052] An additional operating element 15, which can also consist
of several operating elements and/or a combination operating
element, is used for a so-called memory function of the adjusting
drives 7, 8.
[0053] Furthermore, additional functions such as a reading lamp
and/or heating can be controlled by means of further additional
operating elements 16, 17.
[0054] The additional operating elements 15, 16, 17 can be arranged
as pushbuttons and/or switches.
[0055] When an operating element 12, 13 is actuated, a control
signal is transmitted for triggering the respective adjusting drive
7, 8 via the transmission link 23, 23' in a wireless or wired-bound
fashion to the control device 9. The control device 9 comprises
control switches with switching elements for the electric motors of
the adjusting drives 7, 8, which control switches convert the
control signals of the transmission link into switching signals for
switching the respective adjusting drive 7, 8. The switching
elements can be relay switches and/or semiconductor switches for
example. The operating elements 12, 13 of the operating unit 10,
which can be actuated manually, generate control signals which are
converted in this case by the transmission unit 9a, 9'a of the
control device 9 into control currents for the switching elements.
In the case of the wire-bound operating unit 10', the operating
elements 12, 13 switch the control current of the relay switches or
semiconductor switches. In both cases, the power switches of the
relay switches or the semiconductor switches switch the high motor
current of the respective adjusting drive 7, 8. An embodiment is
also possible in which the motor currents flow directly through the
contacts of the operating elements 12, 13 of the operating unit
10.
[0056] The adjusting drives 7, 8 are arranged as commutator DC
motors or comprise such motors.
[0057] A back-EMF of the respective motor of an adjusting drive 7,
8 is detected for so-called memory control and/or synchronous
control for several adjusting drives 7, 8, wherein an evaluation of
so-called ripples of the back-EMF is carried out. A method in this
connection is also described in closer detail in the document DE 10
2009 059 267 A1, wherein reference is made to this document.
[0058] For the purpose of detecting the back-EMF of the motor M1, a
voltage, which drops at the resistor R1 as a result of the motor
current flowing through the resistor during the operation of the
motor M1, is measured at the connections of the resistor.
[0059] Synchronous control of adjusting drives comprises at least
two adjusting drives of an electromotive furniture drive 100 with a
common control device 9. Both adjusting drives are activated and
displaced simultaneously for example for height adjustment of a
tabletop with two adjusting drives. The synchronous control is used
for the purpose that both adjusting drives have the same adjusting
speed, so that there is no inclination of the tabletop. If the
motor of the one adjusting drive has a lower speed due to higher
load than the motor of the other adjusting drive, the speed of the
faster motor is reduced by suitable measures of the common control
device 9. In this process, the speed of the faster motor is reduced
by means of PWM (pulse-width modulation).
[0060] In contrast to synchronous control, parallel control will
now be explained in connection with FIG. 3.
[0061] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary
furniture arrangement 200 with two pieces of furniture 1, 1' which
are positioned adjacent to each other and which are respectively
arranged as a bed according to FIG. 1.
[0062] The furniture arrangement 200 comprises at least two pieces
of furniture 1 and 1'. The pieces of furniture 1, 1' are arranged
identically. They can also be arranged as a double bed. The piece
of furniture 1 on the left side in FIG. 3 comprises an
electromotive furniture drive 100 with two adjusting drives 7, 8
and one control device 9. Similarly, the piece of furniture 1' on
the right-hand side is provided with an electromotive furniture
drive 100' with two adjusting drives 7', 8' of a control device 9'.
Both electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' are usually equipped
with an operating unit 10. In this case, only one operating unit 10
is provided with which both electromotive furniture drives 100 and
100' can be operated. The other operating unit is not needed.
[0063] For this purpose, a parallel control in accordance with the
invention of at least two adjusting drives 7, 7' is provided. The
adjusting drives 7, 7' belong to different electromotive furniture
drives 1 and 1'. This means that the one adjusting drive 7 of the
first electromotive furniture drive 1 is connected to the control
device 9 of the first electromotive furniture drive 1, wherein the
other adjusting drive 7' of the second electromotive furniture
drive 1' is connected to the control device 9' of the second
electromotive furniture drive 1'. This configuration is shown in
FIGS. 4, 4a and 4b and will be explained below in closer detail in
connection with these drawings.
[0064] Parallel control is provided in this example both for the
adjusting drives 7 and 7' and also for the adjusting drives 8 and
8' for one respective leg part 5, 5' of a piece of furniture 1, 1'.
In other words, the adjusting drives 7 and 7' and also the
adjusting drives 8 and 8' can respectively be actuated by a single
operating unit 10 simultaneously. It is necessary in this respect
that both the backrest parts 4, 4' and also the leg parts 5, 5' are
respectively adjusted at the same speed or at least at very similar
speeds. In the event of an advancing adjusting drive 7, the
adjusting speed (i.e. the speed of this motor) is reduced in
relation to the motor of the slower adjusting drive 7'.
[0065] FIGS. 4 to 4b show schematic block diagrams of embodiments
of parallel control arrangements in accordance with the invention
of electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' with wireless operating
units 10. FIGS. 5 to 5a show schematic block diagrams of
embodiments of parallel control arrangements in accordance with the
invention of electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' with
wire-bound operating units 10.
[0066] The one adjusting drive 7 is connected via the drive line
100a to the first control device 9. The other adjusting drive 7' is
connected via the drive line 100'a to the second control device
9'.
[0067] FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment in which the operating unit
10 communicates with the two control devices 9 and 9'. A first
wireless transmission link 23 is arranged between the operating
unit 10 and a transmission unit 9a of the first control device 9. A
second wireless transmission link 23' exists between the operating
unit 10 and a transmission unit 9'a of the second control device
9'.
[0068] The wireless transmission links 23 and 23' are bidirectional
transmission links, wherein the transmission units 9a and 9'a are
arranged for transmitting and receiving data.
[0069] By actuating the operating unit 10, the control signals are
transmitted simultaneously via the two transmission links 23 and
23' to the control devices 9 and 9' in order to simultaneously
activate and deactivate the adjusting drives 7 and 7'.
[0070] FIG. 4a shows a second embodiment, wherein only one
bidirectional transmission link 23 is arranged between the
operating unit 10 and the transmission unit 9a of the first control
device 9. A connection to the second control device 9' is provided
by means of a bidirectional wireless transmission link 21 between
transmission units 9b and 9'b of the first control device 9 and
second control device 9'.
[0071] When the operating unit 10 is actuated, a control signal is
transmitted at first via the transmission link 23 to the
transmission unit 9a of the first control device 9, which then
relays this signal to the connected adjusting drive 7 and via the
transmission unit 9b to the second control device 9', which on its
part simultaneously controls the second adjusting drive 7'.
[0072] In the embodiment according to FIG. 4b, the transmission
link 21 between the control devices 9 and 9' is arranged in a
wire-bound way. Only the first control device 9 comprises a
wireless transmission unit 9a for communication with the operating
unit 10.
[0073] FIG. 5 shows a parallel control arrangement of two
electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' with the respective
control device 9, 9' and one respective adjusting drive 7, 7'. The
adjusting drives 7, 7' are respectively connected (as already shown
in FIGS. 4 to 4b) to one of the control devices 9, 9' by one
respective drive line 100a, 100'a. This connection can also be
arranged rigidly as a pluggable connection, which is not shown here
in closer detail.
[0074] The operating unit 10' is connected with its operating line
18 to a distributor unit 20. The distributor unit 20 is connected
via a first control line 19 to the first control device 9 and via a
second control line 19' to the second control device 9'. All
connecting lines 18, 19, 19' can be connected to the distributor
unit 20 in a pluggable fashion or in a permanently-wired way.
[0075] The function of the distributor unit 20 is that every single
conductor of the operating line 18 is connected to a conductor of
the first control line 19 and simultaneously to a conductor of the
second control line 19'. This allows parallel control of the
adjusting drives 7 and 7' in such a way that they can be activated
and deactivated simultaneously by means of the operating unit
10'.
[0076] The first control line 19 forms a first transmission link
23, wherein the second control line 19' forms a second transmission
link 23'. The operating line 18 is a further common transmission
link 23a in this case.
[0077] In the embodiment according to FIG. 5a, a wire-bound
transmission link 21 is provided between the control devices 9 and
9', wherein the operating unit 10' is connected with its operating
line 18 to the first control device 9. The operating line 18 forms
a transmission link 23 in this case.
[0078] The wire-bound transmission links 23a, 23, 23' in form of
wire lines 18, 19, 19' can be bidirectional transmission links.
[0079] The lines 18, 19, 19' of the two embodiments according to
FIGS. 5 and 5a can both be control lines and also power lines which
conduct motor current.
[0080] Each control device 9, 9' is equipped with a microprocessor
or microcomputer for example and comprises a control program. All
control programs are arranged by means of the bidirectional
transmission links 21, 22 between the control devices 9 and 9' for
communication among each other. An exchange of adjusting parameters
of the electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' can occur among
each other (adjusting path, adjusting angle, motor current, motor
voltage), whose number is not limited to the two furniture drives
100, 100' which are shown in the embodiments.
[0081] This exchange of adjusting parameters of the electromotive
furniture drives 100, 100' can also occur via the operating unit
10, 10' as a common communication center. The operating unit 10,
10' is provided with a respective intelligent control unit, i.e. a
microprocessor or microcomputer.
[0082] A very simple configuration is possible because all control
devices 9, 9' and all control programs of every single
electromotive furniture drive 100, 100' can be arranged
identically. A further piece of furniture 1, 1' in the furniture
arrangement 200 can be added at any time.
[0083] If both adjusting drives 7, 7' are switched on
simultaneously, communication of drive-specific values such as
motors speed, motor current, motor voltage occurs between the
control devices 9 and 9'. These drive-specific values are detected
by detection means of the respective control device 9, 9'. A
control program can detect the advancement of the respectively
connected motor of the adjusting drives 7, 7'. The advancing motor
is then automatically throttled by its associated control device 9,
9'.
[0084] Throttling of a motor occurs via a PWM control, reduction of
the operating voltage of the respective motor, or two-point
controller (brief deactivation), three-point controller
(intermediate stage with heating resistor or other voltage or
current flow limiting means), n-point controller with more than
three points.
[0085] The detection of the drive-specific values is realized with
detection means by measuring the motor current via the voltage drop
of a resistor in the motor line. The motor speed can occur via
incremental rotary pulse generators or by counting ripples of the
back-EMF of the respective motor.
[0086] An adjusting position is determined via the potentiometer
(rotary potentiometer, linear potentiometer) and communication with
further electromotive furniture drives 100, 100'.
[0087] The furniture arrangement 200 according to FIG. 3 is
produced by simple collation or assembly. The operating unit 10 is
subjected to an assignment process, in which so-called pairing
occurs. In this process, the respective operating elements 12, 13
(FIG. 2) are assigned to the respective piece of furniture 1, 1' or
the respective electromotive furniture drive 100, 100'.
[0088] Each electromotive furniture drive 100, 100' has a separate
address. [0089] The address is determined by way of a random
generator, wherein there are approximately 24 million
possibilities. [0090] This address is preferably the series number
of the respective electromotive furniture drive 100, 100'. [0091]
Automatic assignment of the address can occur during mounting.
[0092] Automatic assignment of the address can also be made during
first start-up.
[0093] The operating unit 10, 10' arranges the pairing. [0094]
Seeking is performed for existing electromotive furniture drives
100, 100'. This is followed by synchronization with all found
electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' (see cordless phone and
logging on to base station). [0095] Assignment of the respective
electromotive furniture drive 100, 100' to the key assignment in
the operating unit 10, 10' occurs by key combination of the
operating unit 10, 10'.
[0096] FIG. 6 shows a schematic flowchart of a method in accordance
with the invention for the parallel control of at least two
electromotive furniture drives 100, 100' of a furniture arrangement
200.
[0097] The current adjusting positions of the operated motors of
the adjusting drives 7, 7' controlled in parallel are detected in a
first method step S1.
[0098] This is followed in a second method step S2 by a
communication of the actual positions between the control devices
9, 9', wherein they are compared to each other.
[0099] If a difference is determined, i.e. an advancing drive is
recognized, the motor of said advancing drive is throttled by the
associated control device 9, 9' in a third method step S3, or the
other motor is accelerated to a higher speed.
[0100] In an alternative embodiment, the actual positions are
compared in the second method step S2 to previously determinable
values such as values in a table.
[0101] This is followed in a third method step S3 by the throttling
of the advancing motor or an acceleration of the respectively
trailing motor with the intensity of a previously determined value,
e.g. a value stored in a table.
[0102] The invention is not limited to the embodiments as described
above. It can be modified within the scope of the enclosed
claims.
[0103] It is thus possible for example that in the case of an
operating unit 10, 10' with a number of operating elements 12, 13
one of the additional operating elements 15, 16, 17 (see FIG. 2) is
arranged as a button or switch for only the one electromotive
furniture drive 100, 100' and is provided for switching over.
[0104] In an alternative embodiment, an operating unit 10, 10' can
be used with a plurality of operating elements 12, 13 for operating
all electromotive furniture drives 100, 100'.
[0105] For the purpose of throttling an advancing motor, it can
also be deactivated briefly. It is obviously also possible that
temporarily a series resistor is switched into the motor line in
series with the associated motor. This is possible in such a way
that said series resistor is bridged during operation by a relay
switch for example which is opened for throttling.
[0106] Adjusting path information can be obtained by counting
ripples of the back-EMF of the associated motor.
[0107] It is also possible that Hall sensors, potentiometers, light
barrier generators are used. It is also obviously possible that
limit switches are arranged along the adjusting path at specific
positions which produce path information or can be used for
correcting an adjusting path value.
[0108] As described initially, the control devices (9, 9') of the
electromotive furniture drives (100, 100') comprise detection means
for detecting drive-specific values such as motor current, motor
operating voltage, motor speed or the like of the electric motor of
the at least one associated adjusting drive (7, 7'; 8, 8'), or are
connected to such detection means. Alternative drive-specific
values are the adjusting path of a linearly displaceable output
element of an adjusting drive (7, 7'; 8, 8') or the adjusting angle
of a rotating or pivoting output element of another adjusting drive
which is not described here in closer detail.
[0109] Furthermore, an alternative embodiment provides a plurality
of operating units 10 which control the furniture arrangement 200.
According to another alternative embodiment, the at least one
adjusting drive 7, 7', 8, 8' can contain a control device 9, 9',
wherein the adjusting drive 7, 7', 8, 8' and the control device 9,
9' have a common housing.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0110] 1, 1' Piece of furniture [0111] 2, 2' Base element [0112] 3,
3' Support element [0113] 4, 4' Backrest part [0114] 5, 5' Leg part
[0115] 6, 6 Motion fitting [0116] 7, 7'; 8, 8' Adjusting drive
[0117] 9, 9' Control device [0118] 9a, 9'a; 9b, 9'b Receiver [0119]
10, 10' Operating unit [0120] 11 Housing [0121] 12, 13 Operating
element [0122] 14 Indicator element [0123] 15, 16, 17 Additional
operating element [0124] 18 Operating line [0125] 19, 19' Control
line [0126] 20 Distributor unit [0127] 21, 22 Transmission link
[0128] 23, 23' Transmission link [0129] 100, 100' Electromotive
furniture drive [0130] 100a, 100'a Drive line [0131] 200 Furniture
arrangement [0132] M, M' Mattress [0133] S1 . . . 3 Method step
* * * * *