Electromotive furniture drive including a power supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9236822-B2
Application number	US-201214115971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2012
Priority date	May 6, 2011
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

An electromotive drive for furniture, includes a power supply device, a manual control, and a control device. The power supply device has an disconnecting unit that can be controlled by means of a control line, the electrical control signal of said control line being able to be modified by a switching contact of the manual control such that, when the manual control has not been actuated, the power supply device can be switched into the “disconnection” operating state, said disconnecting unit being connected to a signal feedback arrangement of a control circuit of the power supply device and being integrated in a path of said signal feedback arrangement, or said disconnecting unit being set in, or placed on, an input path or an output path of the control device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromotive furniture drive for adjusting movable furniture components relative to one another, comprising:
a power supply device constructed as a switched-mode power supply unit and configured for assuming a “disconnection” operating state and an “operation” operating state, said power supply device including a mains connection for connection to a mains, wherein the power supply device is configured to transform an input voltage on a mains side into a low voltage on an output side, said power supply device further comprising an isolating transformer or a transformer unit for electrical isolation between the mains-connected input side and the low-voltage-supplying output side for operation of the electromotive furniture drive, an intermediate circuit, a control device for controlling the switched-mode power supply unit, a control supply unit associated with the control device, and a controllable disconnecting unit;
a manual control operably connected to the controllable disconnecting unit via a control line and having a switching contact for changing an electric control signal of the control line, wherein in response to a change of the control signal said disconnecting unit causes the control device to directly switch the power supply device to the operating state of “disconnection” in a non-actuated state of the manual control;
at least one electric motor configured for operation in opposite directions of rotation;
a speed reduction gear arranged downstream of the electric motor; and
a gear arranged downstream of the speed reduction gear.

2. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 1 , wherein the disconnecting unit is connected to a signal feedback of a control circuit of the power supply device, wherein the disconnecting unit is integrated in a path of the signal feedback, or wherein a disconnecting unit is inserted into or attached to an input path or an output path of the control device.

3. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 2 , wherein the controllable disconnecting unit changes the signal feedback of the power supply device in response to a change in the signal of the control line so as to enable a change over via the control output of the control device between a high-frequency switching signal in an operating state of regular operation and a switching signal which does not act as a high-frequency signal in the operating state of “disconnection”.

4. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit of the power supply device is deactivated by the controllable disconnecting unit in the operating state of “disconnection”, so that the operating state of “disconnection” is assumed automatically in an idle state of the electromotive furniture drive.

5. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 1 , further comprising an off-mains auxiliary power source in form of a battery or a capacitor, wherein the isolating unit is formed by a junction or feeding point, and wherein the auxiliary power source has a capacitance so that a transistor switch or contact of the manual control is switchable in the non-actuated state of the manual control.

6. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 2 , wherein the disconnecting unit is formed by a junction in the path of the signal feedback, and wherein the signal feedback is arranged as a control path of relatively high resistance and a switching transistor or a contact of a pushbutton of the manual control is attached to the junction.

7. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 2 , wherein the disconnecting unit comprises an electrical isolation or disconnection means in form of a transmitting coupler, and that the disconnecting unit is constructed as an optical coupler or as a photovoltaic coupler.

8. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 7 , wherein the switching output of the optical coupler is in operative connection with the signal feedback, wherein the switching output of the optical coupler is inserted into an electrical series connection in the path of the signal feedback, and wherein the disconnecting unit is attached to or inserted into the control device.

9. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 7 , wherein the switching outputs of the optical coupler or the switching outputs of a transistor switch controlled by the switching output of the optical coupler is connected to a power supply connections of the control device in such a way that in the non-actuated state of the manual control and/or in the operating state of “disconnection” the power supply connections of the control device are connected to each other.

10. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 1 , wherein the disconnecting unit is constructed as an electrical disconnection means and comprises a signal input which is connected to the control line.

11. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary voltage source in form of a battery or a capacitor of relatively high capacitance, wherein the auxiliary voltage source is arranged on the secondary unit of the power supply device and is charged in the operating state of regular operation or is supplied with power for maintaining the charge.

12. The electromotive furniture drive of claim 1 , wherein at least one button of the manual control is associated with a normally closed contact arranged in the current circuit between the auxiliary voltage source and the input of the disconnecting unit.

Assignees

• Hille Armin
• Müller Christian
• Dewertokin Gmbh

Inventors

• Hille Armin
• Müller Christian

Classifications

• A47C20/041

  by electric motors · CPC title

• H02P7/18 Primary

  by master control with auxiliary power · CPC title

• A47C1/02

  Reclining or easy chairs · CPC title

• A47C17/86

  Parts or details specially adapted for beds, sofas or couches not fully covered by any single one of groups A47C17/02 - A47C17/84 · CPC title

• A47B96/00

  Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture (doors E06B) · CPC title