EP1799172A2

EP1799172A2 - An actuator system, preferably for adjustable articles of furniture

Info

Publication number: EP1799172A2
Application number: EP05790765A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henning Kristensen
Original assignee: Linak AS
Current assignee: Linak AS
Priority date: 2004-10-13
Filing date: 2005-10-13
Publication date: 2007-06-27
Also published as: WO2006039929A3; WO2006039929A2

Abstract

An actuator, preferably for adjustable articles of furniture, is activated by a wireless control (14) having an IR-transmitter (15). The IR-receiver (15) is incorporated in a control (18) cabled to the control unit. Hereby, the actuator may be still activated even if the wireless control (14) is not functional or is temporarily lost. As a particular user-friendly and cost-reducing feature, the cabled control having the IR-transmitter is configured similarly to the wireless control, i.e. with the same cabinet and keys.

Description

An actuator system, preferably for adjustable articles of furniture

The present invention relates to an actuator system as defined in the intro¬ ductory portion of claim 1.

In order to explain the invention, the disclosure will be based on beds, where one or more actuators are arranged in the bed for adjusting the backrest and legrest sections of the mattress support. More particularly, the invention relates to actuators which are controlled by an infrared control (IR -control), said control incorporating an IR-transmitter which communicates with an IR-receiver in a box wired to the control unit. This box is positioned at a location where it can be reached by the IR-transmitter. The system operates satisfactorily as long as the battery of the IR-transmitter does not run out of power and the transmitter is otherwise intact. Experience shows, however, that it is not unusual that a wireless control is damaged or is temporarily lost. These situations mean that the bed quite simply cannot be adjusted, which is especially unfortunate if one or both of the sections are in a raised position.

The object of the invention is to provide a solution where the actuator may still be activated irrespective of whether the control is not functional /available for some reason.

According to the invention, the solution comprises arranging the IR-receiver in a control cabled to the control unit. Even if the wireless control should not be functional or be temporarily lost, the actuator can still be activated by the cabled control. Expediently, the cabled control is configured similarly to the wireless control, i.e. the same cabinet, keyboard, etc. are used for the two controls, whereby the invention is substantially cost-neutral relative to the prior art of positioning the IR-receiver in a separate box. Seen from a user-friendly point of view, it is expedient to provide the cabled control having the IR-receiver with the same number of operating keys as the wireless control. Thus, for the user, there is no difference in the operation of the two controls. Seen from another point of view, it may be expedient to provide the cabled control with just a single key for bringing the backrest and legrest sections to a horizontal position. This in order to induce the user to bring the proper wireless control back to a functional state.

A variant of the invention is that the actuator is equipped in advance with a cabled control with an IR-receiver, where the wireless control with IR- transmitter may be bought subsequently as an additional fitting.

For the type of controls which are provided with illuminated keys, an extra feature according to claim 5 is that the control is equipped with a touch sensor (e.g. semi-conductor accelerometer), so that the light in the keys is turned on automatically when the control is grasped, which makes the control more user-friendly. If the control contains a display, this may be turned on in the same manner.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained more fully below with ref¬ erence to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the mattress support illustrated with raised backrest and legrest sections, and

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a double actuator.

As will appear from fig. 1 , the mattress support comprises a frame 1 in which a backrest section 2 and an articulated legrest section 3 are ar¬ ranged. A transverse shaft 4, on which a short arm 5 is secured, is ar- ranged in the frame for the backrest section 2. In a corresponding manner, there is a shaft 6 with a short arm 7 for the legrest section 3.

The movement of the backrest and legrest sections 2, 3 is effected by a double actuator, as shown in fig. 2. The actuator comprises a cabinet 8 having a cover 9, which may be displaced from the ends to give access to a transverse shaft opening 10. A drive is provided in association with the shaft openings, driven by a motor 11 which is arranged perpendicularly from the cabinet. The cabinet includes a socket 12 for connection to the mains. Alternatively, an external power supply may be used. A control unit is typically placed in the actuator, but may also be arranged in connection with the power supply.

The actuator is mounted on the mattress support in that the covers 9 are pulled out and the actuator is moved upwards, until the shafts 4, 6 rest in the openings 10 and the arms 5, 7 on these get in contact with the drives. The covers 9 are closed again, whereby the actuator hangs on the shafts' 4, 6. When the drives are activated, the shafts turn, thus causing the backrest section and the legrest section, respectively, to be raised or lowered.

The actuator is activated by a wireless control 14 having an IR-transmitter 15 positioned at one end. This control is dedicated as the user's normal control device for the bed.

As a housing for an IR-receiver 16, a second control 18 is connected to the actuator by a cable 17, said IR-receiver being arranged at one end of said second control 18. This cabled control 18 is intended to be arranged at a location on the bed where it can communicate with the wireless control 14. The two controls 14, 18 are identical, apart from the constructional details which are dictated by the fact that the one is wireless and the other cabled. The housings and operating keyboards of the controls are identical. Although a double actuator has been indicated here, it is evident that the invention may also find application in connection with individual linear ac¬ tuators or rotary actuators. It is also evident that the invention is not limited to beds or articles of furniture, but is generally useful in connection with actuator systems for other purposes.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. An actuator system, preferably for adjustable articles of furniture, and comprising: at least one actuator, an electrical control unit, an IR-receiver (16) in a box cabled to the control unit, a wireless control (14) comprising a housing having a plurality of operating keys and an IR-transmitter (15), characterized in that the box for the IR-receiver (16) is formed by a control (18) cabled (17) to the control unit.

2. An actuator system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cabled control (18) with the IR-receiver (16) is identical or almost identical with the wireless control (14).

3. An actuator system according to claim 2, characterized in that the cabled control (18) has the same number of keys as the wireless control (14).

4. An actuator system according to claim ^characterized in that the wireless control (14) is an additional fitting.

5. An actuator system according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that at least one of the controls is provided with a source of light for illu¬ minating the operating keys and comprises a switch circuit for turning on the light as well as turning it off after one of the keys has not been operated within a predetermined period of time, as well as a touch sensor which acti- vates the switch circuit for turning on the light upon movement of the con¬ trol.