Electrically adjustable furniture piece comprising a drive motor

Abstract

In a furniture piece including a furniture support part and an adjustable furniture part which is movable relative to the furniture support part by an electric drive motor, the electric drive motor is operable by a power supply at the power supply net voltage without galvanic separation between the power supply and the electric drive motor. The furniture pieces also include sensors for sensing motions of the furniture parts which motions are analyzed and compared with reference patterns to determine an occupation state of the furniture pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrically adjustable furniture piece including at least one electric drive motor ( 4 ) for adjusting at least one adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) relative to a furniture support part ( 2 ) of the furniture piece ( 1 ), wherein the drive motor ( 4 ) is an electric motor operable by a power supply voltage without galvanic separation between the power supply net and the drive motor ( 4 ). 
     
     
         2 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an operating unit for switching the drive motor ( 4 ) on and off, for recalling stored positions and a height indication is integrated into the housing of a controller ( 13 ) for at least one electric drive motor ( 4 ) 
     
     
         3 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the operating unit for switching the drive motor ( 4 ) on and off comprises a light source and a phototransistor or cooperates with a light source. 
     
     
         4 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the operating unit for switching the drive motor ( 4 ) on and off is a radio module for a signal transmission to the controller ( 13 ). 
     
     
         5 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the controller ( 13 ) is provided with a communication port for a configuration of the controller ( 13 ) via an external, connectable apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor ( 4 ) is one of an universal motor, a permanent magnet excited collector motor and a brushless DC motor. 
     
     
         7 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two electric drive motors ( 4 ) are arranged in the furniture piece ( 1 ) for adjusting the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) with respect to the furniture support part ( 2 ). 
     
     
         8 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the least two electric drive motors ( 4 ) are controllable independently of one another. 
     
     
         9 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a common controller ( 13 ) is provided for the at least two electric drive motors ( 4 ). 
     
     
         10 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the at least two drive motors ( 4 ) is controllable exclusively dependent on sensor signals generated by Hall sensors whereas the other drive motor or motors are controllable exclusively by an evaluation of gyro/gravitation sensor signals. 
     
     
         11 . The furniture piece as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the furniture piece is provided with a sensor arrangement ( 7 ) determining a position or movement of an adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) and at least one drive motor ( 4 ) is controllable depending on the position or movement determined by the sensor arrangement ( 7 ). 
     
     
         12 . A method for operating at least one of the furniture pieces ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two electric drive motors ( 4 ) arranged in one or in several furniture pieces ( 1 ) are synchronized via the power supply net. 
     
     
         13 . A method for determining an occupation state of a furniture piece ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , with a sensor arrangement ( 7 ) for detecting a movement of an adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) of the furniture piece ( 1 ) wherein the furniture piece ( 1 ) is determined to be occupied by a person and an occupation signal ( 12 ) is generated if it is determined via the sensor arrangement ( 7 ) that a movement pattern of the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) corresponds to a particular reference pattern normally generated when the furniture piece is occupied. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein via the sensor arrangement ( 7 ) an absolute movement of the movable furniture part is detected. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the furniture part ( 3 ) the movement of which is sensed by the sensor arrangement ( 7 ) is an adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) which is adjustable with respect to a furniture support part ( 2 ) of the furniture piece ( 1 ) and wherein a relative movement of the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) with respect to the furniture support part ( 2 ) is detected by the sensor arrangement ( 7 ). 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the furniture piece ( 1 ) includes at least one electric drive motor ( 4 ) for adjusting the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) with respect to the furniture support part ( 2 ), and the movement pattern of the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) for detecting the occupation state of the furniture piece ( 1 ) is detected during a resting phase of the electric drive motor ( 4 ). 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the furniture piece ( 1 ) includes at least one electric drive motor ( 4 ) for adjusting the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) with respect to the furniture support part ( 2 ) and the movement pattern of the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) for detecting the occupation state of the furniture piece is detected during an adjustment movement by the electric drive motor ( 4 ). 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the furniture piece ( 1 ) is in the form of a table with a height-adjustable table plate forming the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) and at least one table leg forming the furniture support part ( 2 ), and wherein the movement pattern of the table plate ( 3 ) is detected with the aid of the sensor arrangement ( 7 ). 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein an inclination change of the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) is detected by the sensor arrangement. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the occupation signal ( 12 ) of the furniture piece ( 1 ) is supplied to a central location ( 9 ). 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein depending on the occupation state of the furniture piece ( 1 ) at least one technical device ( 11 ) associated with the furniture piece ( 1 ) or arranged nearby is controlled. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the occupation state of several furniture pieces ( 1 ) is determined of which each is provided with a sensor arrangement ( 7 ) for determining an adjustment movement of the adjustable furniture part ( 3 ) and the occupation signals ( 12 ) of occupied furniture pieces ( 1 ) are supplied to the central location ( 9 ). 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein in the central location ( 9 ) at least one of the non-occupied furniture pieces ( 1 ) is assigned to at least one person.