Telescopic column that can be calibrated, piece of furniture having a telescopic column that can be calibrated, and method for calibrating a telescopic column

Abstract

The invention relates to a column that can be calibrated, in particular for a piece of furniture, wherein the column 100, 101 that can be calibrated has a stationary part 4, at least one movable part 2, 3, and a calibrating means 6, 13, 14, and the movable part 2, 3 can be transferred from a retracted state to a plurality of extended states, and wherein a calibration position of the column 100, 101 coincides with the position of the movable part 2, 3 in an extended state. Such a column can be used in a piece of furniture as an extendable column.

Claims

1. An adjustable-length column that can be calibrated, wherein the column that can be calibrated comprises telescopic parts including a stationary part and at least one movable part, a driving mechanism having a motor arranged in the telescopic parts and connected to a spindle having an ascending screw thread that causes an adjustment of the length of the column between a retracted state and a completely extended state, a controller for controlling the driving mechanism, a middle part interacting with the screw thread, the position of the middle part relative to the screw thread varying as the length of the column is adjusted between the extended and retracted states, and a calibrating means including a sensor unit having a detection means being in direct effective contact with the middle part when passing the sensor unit, the calibrating means establishing the attainment of a pre-defined calibration position of the movable part with respect to the stationary part, wherein the controller is configured to set a fixed reference point for the length-adjustment at the pre-defined calibration position, and the movable part can be transferred from the retracted state to a plurality of extended states, and wherein the calibration position coincides with a position of the movable part in a partly extended state.

2. The column that can be calibrated according to claim 1, wherein the column comprises a further calibrating means formed by a limit stop and a limit stop surface and the controller configured as a device for recognizing that no further movement of the movable part with respect to the stationary part occurs such that a further pre-defined calibration position coincides with a position of the movable part in the completely extended state.

3. The column that can be calibrated according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the movable part and the stationary part comprise a blocking means which is adapted to block a movement of the movable part beyond a predetermined position.

4. The column that can be calibrated according to claim 3, wherein the blocking means has a soft layer.

5. The column that can be calibrated according to claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises at least one mechanical switch, at least one electronic switch, or at least one optical switch mechanism.

6. A method for calibrating a column according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: moving the movable part of the column in relation to the stationary part of the column into an extended state for calibration, and thereby transferring the movable part into a pre-set calibration position so that a calibrating means establishes the attainment of the pre-defined calibration position for calibrating a position of the movable part with respect to the stationary part by coming into an effective contact with the movable part of the column and a controller unit causes a setting of the column after reaching the calibration position, and passing the movable part through the pre-set calibration position several times and thereby achieving the calibration.

7. A piece of furniture with at least one adjustable-length column that can be calibrated, wherein the column that can be calibrated comprises telescopic parts including a stationary part and at least a movable part, a driving mechanism, arranged in the telescopic parts, adjusting the length of the column between a retracted state and a completely extended state, a controller for controlling the driving mechanism, and a calibration means establishing the attainment of a pre-defined calibration position for calibrating a position of the movable part with respect to the stationary part, wherein the controller is configured to set a fixed reference point for the length-adjustment at the pre-set calibration position, and the movable part can be transferred from the retracted state in a plurality of extended states, and wherein the calibration position coincides with a position of the movable part in a partly extended state.

Description

(1) Details, further advantages and developments of the invention will be described in more detail with the embodiments, referring to the illustrations.

(2) Therein shows:

(3) FIG. 1 a height-adjustable table with a column that can be calibrated according to one embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIG. 2 a column according to the invention in an embodiment of the invention in a retracted stage a) in a side view, b) in a front view,

(5) FIG. 3 a column according to the invention in an embodiment in an extended state, a) in a side view, b) in a front view,

(6) FIG. 4 an enlarged view of a calibration position of the column according to an embodiment,

(7) FIG. 5 a column that can be calibrated according to one embodiment of the invention, a) in a side view, b) in a front view,

(8) FIG. 6 an enlarged view of a calibration position of the column according to FIG. 5, a) in a side view, b) in a front view,

(9) FIG. 7 a detailed view of the column according to FIG. 6 in a side view.

(10) FIG. 1 shows a table 200 with a height-adjustable column 100. The table 200 in the shown embodiment comprises two columns 100. On a side facing the bottom 22, the column is connected with a table stand by means of a lower support 11. The column is a telescopic column and consists of a lower telescopic part 19, a middle telescopic part 18 and an upper telescopic part 17. The telescopic parts 17, 18, 19 have decreasing diameters, beginning with the lower telescopic part 19 and the middle telescopic part 18 up to the upper telescopic part 17, so that the lower telescopic part 19 can receive the middle telescopic part 18 and the middle telescopic part 18 can receive the upper telescopic part 19. The columns 100 are height-adjustable, which will be described in detail later.

(11) While the columns 100 in the shown embodiment have a substantially cylindrical design, it is also possible that the columns or the individual telescopic parts have another profile such as a triangle, a square or the like. The telescopic parts 17, 18, 19 are preferably formed telescopically, as described above.

(12) On the columns 100, a table-plate 24 is arranged. The columns are connected to the table-plate 24 by means of a support 10.

(13) In the shown embodiment, the column 100 has a motor 1 comprising a transmission unit. The motor 1 is mounted on a side of the column 100 facing the table-plate 24. The motor 1 extends from the side of the column 100 facing the table-plate 24 in a direction of a direction of extension of the column 100, thus in the direction of the bottom 22. Further an upper thrust rod 2 is mounted on the motor 1 in the same direction of extension. The upper thrust rod 2 may also be mounted on the table-plate 24.

(14) In other embodiments, the motor may also have a direct drive and be provided without any transmission.

(15) The motor 1 or its transmission unit further has a spindle 5 which is driven by the motor 1. The spindle extends in parallel with the upper thrust rod 2 from the side of the column 100 facing the table plate 24 in the direction of the bottom 22. The motor 1, the upper thrust rod 2 and the spindle 5 are, at least partially, arranged in the upper telescopic part 17 of the column 100.

(16) It has to be noted that the motor 1 may also be provided in the middle telescopic part 18 or the lower telescopic part 19.

(17) On the upper thrust rod 2 or the spindle 5, a middle part 3 with bearing rollers 9a, 9b is attached. The middle part 3 is arranged in a way that it is engaged with the upper thrust rod 2 and can be displaced along the spindle 5, and in parallel with the upper thrust rod 2. The middle part is substantially arranged in the area of the middle telescopic part 18.

(18) The roller 9a is arranged on an end side of the middle part 3 facing the motor and the roller 9b is arranged on an end side of the middle part 3 averting the motor. The middle part 3 is connected to the upper thrust rod 2 by means of an axis 12 for bearing the roller 9a (cf. FIG. 4). The roller 9b is connected to a lower thrust rod 4. The lower thrust rod 4 also extends in parallel with the extension direction of the upper thrust rod 2 or the middle part 3 down to the lower support 11 on the table-stand. The lower thrust rod 4 is substantially arranged in the area of the lower telescopic part.

(19) Analogous to the roller 9a, the roller 9b is connected to the lower thrust rod and movable along the lower thrust rod 4. In a retracted state, the roller 9a is arranged on an end side of the upper thrust rod 2 facing the motor 1. In this position, the roller 9b is arranged on an end side of the lower thrust rod 4 averting the motor 1.

(20) As it can be seen from FIG. 2, a steel belt 7 is arranged about the rollers 9a, 9b. Further, it can be seen that the middle part 3 is formed in a way that it can receive the spindle 5. Therefore, the middle part has a middle thrust rod 8 which is substantially designed cylindrical or tubular. The middle thrust rod 8 has a hollow interior space, wherein its diameter is large enough to receive the spindle 5 of the motor 1 (cf. FIG. 2b).

(21) As it can be further seen in FIGS. 2a and 2b, in the embodiment shown here, a sensor unit 6, also referred to as calibration means, is provided on the upper thrust rod 2. The sensor unit 6 is arranged on a side of the upper thrust rod 2 averting the motor 1. Further, the sensor unit 6 is arranged in an area of the upper thrust rod 2 in which the upper thrust rod 2 and the middle part 3 are arranged in parallel with each other in a retracted state of the column 100. In this position, the middle part 3 of the column 100 is located in a direction which runs transversely to its direction of extension and placed at the height of the sensor unit 6 within the range of action of the sensor unit 6.

(22) In the frontal cross-sectional view according to FIG. 2b, it can be seen how the spindle 5 is received by the middle part 3 or the middle thrust rod 8, respectively, in a retracted state of the column 100. In this retracted state, the lower thrust rod 4 is arranged in parallel with the upper thrust rod 2 and the middle part 3 of the column 100. Here, the rollers 9a and 9b are arranged in a way that the steel belt 7 arranged about the rollers 9a, 9b runs in parallel with the direction of extension of the upper thrust rod 2, the middle part 3 and the lower thrust rod 4. The roller 9a is thereby connected to the middle thrust rod 8 of the middle part 3 of the column 100 by means of an axis 12, which runs transversely to the direction of extension of the thrust rod 2. Analogously, the roller 9b is connected to the lower thrust rod 4.

(23) A limit stop surface 14 is arranged on an end portion of the middle thrust rod 8 facing the motor 1. The limit stop surface 14 may have a soft material or at least a soft layer or a soft intermediate layer 14a on a side of the limit stop surface 14 averting the motor, as shown in FIG. 4.

(24) FIG. 3a, 3b shows an extended state of the column 100. In the extended state of the column 100, the roller 9a of the middle part 3 is arranged on an end of the upper thrust rod 2 averting the motor. Further, the spindle 5 is not received by the middle part 3 or the middle thrust rod 8, respectively, in an extended state. Due to the extension, the roller 9b is arranged on an end of the lower thrust rod 4 facing the motor.

(25) As it can be seen in FIG. 3b, which is a frontal cross-sectional view, an area of the spindle 5 averting the motor is provided with an upper limit stop 13. According to FIG. 3, in an extended state, the upper limit stop 13 of the spindle 5 comes into an effective contact with the limit stop surface 14 or the soft intermediate layer 14a of the middle thrust rod 8. The upper limit stop 13 may be, for instance, connected to the spindle 5 by means of a screw or an alternative fixing means. In FIG. 3, due to the effective contact between the upper limit stop 13 and the limit stop surface 14, a further movement or extension of the column, respectively, is avoided. This is a fixed position and is, in this context, referred to as calibration position. Therefore, the limit stop surface 14 and the upper limit stop 13 together can also be referred to as calibrating means for calibrating the column 100. The soft intermediate layer 14a may be arranged both, on a side of the limit stop surface 14 averting the motor and on a side of the upper limit stop 13 facing the motor.

(26) FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a section of FIG. 3b. Therein, the upper limit stop 13 is in an effective contact with the limit stop surface 14 or the intermediate layer 14a, respectively. Therefore, a further extension of the column is not possible.

(27) The spindle 5 preferably has an ascending screw thread on its surface, which interacts with the middle part 3 or the middle thrust rod 8, respectively, and thereby causes an adjustment of the column. It is also conceivable that the limit stop surface 14 is formed with a thread that fits the thread of the spindle 5 which would effect a reliable adjustment of the spindle towards the middle part 3.

(28) There are alternative embodiments for adjusting the column conceivable, e.g. hydraulic or pneumatic adjustments that can be used analogous to a spindle.

(29) FIG. 5a shows a side view of a column 101 as a further embodiment of the invention. The column 101 has a sensor unit 6 as a calibrating means instead of a limit stop surface 14 with an upper limit stop 13. In this embodiment of the column 101, a calibration is achieved at a position of the sensor unit 6 which is shown in detail in FIG. 6a, 6b and FIG. 7. As already mentioned, in a retracted state, the sensor unit 6 is arranged in a way that the middle part 3 is located in an area which runs transversely to the extension direction of the upper thrust rod 2 at the height of the sensor unit in the range of action of the sensor unit 6. In the extended position according to FIG. 5, in this area running transversely to the upper thrust rod 2 starting from the sensor unit 6, the middle part 3 is not in the range of action of the sensor unit 6.

(30) In FIG. 6, a middle position of the column 101 is shown in an enlarged view of the area of the sensor unit 6. As it can be seen in the side view according to FIG. 6a, here, the part of the middle part 3 facing the motor 1 is in direct proximity to the sensor unit 6. In this embodiment, the sensor unit 6 has an operating pin 15 as a detection means. In the shown embodiment, said operating pin is a mechanical switch.

(31) In alternative embodiments, the operating pin 15 may also be a contact receiver, a light barrier or another optical detection means, an electronic detection means that is, for instance, composed of a transponder and a receiver or an electric circuit.

(32) As it is shown in FIG. 6b, the operating pin 15 is arranged in a way that the middle part 3 is in direct effective contact with the operating pin 15 when the column 101 is retracted through the calibration position. On the other hand, the effective connection between the switch 5 and the middle part 3 is interrupted when the middle part 3 is extended through the calibration position when extending the column. The operating pin 15 or the middle part 3 may further have a switch unit 15a arranged in a way that an exact response threshold, i.e. an exact switching time is given in order to improve a calibration. In the shown embodiment, the operating unit 15a is arranged in a part of the middle part 3 facing the motor 1. The operating unit 15a is adapted to the contours of the middle part 3 in a form-locking manner in the effective contact with the operating pin 15 of the sensor unit 6. Therefore, the operating unit 15a is rotatably mounted about an axis. If the operating unit 15a looses contact with the operating pin, the operating unit 15a erects, for instance by means of a spring, and towers the contours of the middle part 3 in an area facing the upper thrust rod 2.

(33) If the column 101 is extended again, the operating unit 15a comes again in effective contact with the operating pin 15 and tips again against the wall of the middle part 3. Therefore, a release of the switch 15 occurs exactly in the moment when the operating pin 15 is not in effective contact with the operating unit 15a anymore. Therefore, the exact position or the exact moment for the calibration is given.

(34) The sensor unit 6 further has a connection braid 16, which establishes an electrical contact with the control unit (not shown). The control unit can be arranged on the table-plate 15, on the column 100, 101 or decentralized. Also, a remote control is conceivable.

(35) It is also conceivable that a column according to the invention has both, a limit stop surface with an upper limit stop and also a sensor unit 6 for calibration as calibrating means. In this way, an ongoing calibration during the normal operation of the column can be carried out while a so-called reset is also possible in a maximum extended position of the column.

(36) It is also conceivable that a plurality of sensors such as the sensor unit 6 are arranged along the upper thrust rod 2 or the middle part 3, respectively, in order to carry out further calibrations, e.g. of the motor speed, etc.

(37) Further, it is not critical to the effective application of the invention whether the sensor unit 6 is mounted on the upper thrust rod 2, the middle part 3 or on the lower thrust rod 4.

(38) In further embodiments of the invention, it is also conceivable that the furniture or the column itself is provided for detecting the distance, e.g. from a top edge of the column or a plate of the furniture to the bottom, by means of a sensor.

(39) Hereafter, it will be described a method by which a calibration of a column according to the invention can be achieved.

(40) The motor 1 drives the spindle 5 for height-adjustment. Due to the interaction with the middle part 3, the spindle converts the rotation of the motor in a transversal movement which causes a lifting or lowering of the upper thrust rod 2 and therefore of the motor and, if applicable, the upper part of a furniture arranged on the upper thrust rod. Due to the connection of the steel belt between the two rollers, the movement of the upper thrust rod 2 in relation to the middle part 3 is also transferred to the lower thrust rod 4. Since the roller 9b is movably arranged in the lower thrust rod 4, and the lower thrust rod 4 is fixedly arranged on the bottom's side 22, it is further caused a lifting- or lowering-movement of the middle part 3, respectively.

(41) Thereby, it is also conceivable that only one movable part is provided.

(42) For calibration or synchronization of a column 100, 101 by means of a controller (not shown), a fixed reference-point is necessary at which the controller sets its zero-point. For calibration of the column according to the invention, the column 100, 101 is transferred from a retracted into an extended position. In a preferred embodiment, the calibration occurs in the maximum extended position so that a limit stop surface 14 comes into effective contact with the upper limit 13 of the spindle 5. When it is recognized, e.g. due to a torque-increase of the motor 1, that no further movement of the spindle along the middle part 3 occurs, the rotation of the motor is stopped and the controller unit initiates a setting of the zero-point of the column (reset). Thus, the reference point of the column 100, 101 was set.

(43) In a method according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the calibration position is not located in a maximum extended position of the column 101 but in a partly extended position. Here, the calibration is achieved by passing a sensor unit 6 when extending or retracting the column 100, 101 during the operation or in a special calibrating cycle. It is thereby not necessary to retract the column 100, 101 up to a mechanical blocking situation of the retraction-movement.

(44) It is conceivable that the calibration is refined due to a calibration position of the column 100, 101, which is, e.g. by means of an operating unit 15a and an operating pin 15, is passed and operated several times, wherein the column performs a pendulum-movement about the calibration position. By doing so, the column is moved e.g. from a retracted position in an extended position beyond the calibration point, and is, after recognizing the exceeding of the calibration position, retracted again by reversing the direction of movement of the calibration point, wherein the amplitude about the calibration point decreases with every cycle until, finally, the exact reference point is found.

(45) It is obvious that also combinations of the described embodiments of the column, the furniture and the method are conceivable, as long as they don't explicitly exclude each other.

(46) In summary, the invention relates to a column that can be calibrated, in particular for a piece of furniture, wherein the column 100, 101 that can be calibrated has a stationary part 4, at least one movable part 2, 3, and a calibrating means 6, 13, 14, and the movable part 2, 3 can be transferred from a retracted state to a plurality of extended states, and wherein a calibration position of the column 100, 101 coincides with the position of the movable part 2, 3 in an extended state. Such a column can be used in a piece of furniture as an extendable column.