Electrical operating panel

Abstract

Electrical operating unit comprising a first and a second part, where the two parts can be mutually adjusted. The Operating unit (1) comprises a first part constructed as a housing (2), which contains the electric equipment with at least one electric switch and a second part constructed as a mounting unit (3) for the first part. The two parts are interconnected about a shaft (17), or pivot, so they can rotate mutually. When the operating unit is mounted the housing (2) will assume a first position, an initial position. By pressing the housing (2) it rotates about the shaft (17) and is brought into a second position, an activation position, where the switch(es) is/are activated in that they are pressed against the second part (3). With this embodiment of the operating unit the piece of furniture can be adjusted in either direction by pressing the housing (2). The housing (2), besides from functioning as a switch, can also be equipped with other switches and displays.

Claims

1. An electrical operating unit comprising: a housing, the housing comprising an upper part and a lower part; a mounting unit mounted into a recess formed in one of the upper part or lower part of the housing, the mounting unit being connected to the housing, with the housing being configured to rotate about an axis with respect to the mounting unit; and at least one electrical switch, wherein the housing and the mounting unit can be mutually adjusted, and wherein the housing can assume a first position, an initial position, from which the housing by rotation about the axis can be brought to a second position, an activation position, where the switch is activated.

2. The electrical operating unit according to claim 1 wherein the side of the mounting unit which faces towards or protrudes into the housing, is furnished with a pin for activation of the at least one electrical switch.

3. The electrical operating unit according to claim 1, further comprising at least one spring element, the spring element configured to impact the housing with a spring force when the housing is brought into the activation position, and rotate the housing back into the initial position, when the housing is no longer being impacted into the activation position.

4. The electrical operating unit according to claim 3, wherein the at least one electrical switch is a dome switch, where the dome in the switch is used as the spring element.

5. The electrical operating unit according to claim 4, wherein there are two dome switches arranged such that they are located on opposite sides of the rotation axis of the housing.

6. The electrical operating unit according to claim 5, wherein the two dome switches are located on two diametrically opposite corners of a printed circuit board disposed in the housing, and the mounting unit comprises two pins located across from the two dome switches when the mounting unit is mounted in the recess of the housing.

7. The electrical operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting unit is mounted in the recess in the housing such that it protrudes a distance over the top side of the housing.

8. The electrical operating unit according to claim 7, wherein the recess is surrounded by a round-going side wall and the mounting unit also protrudes a distance over the round-going side wall.

9. The electrical operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the recess of the upper part or the lower part of the housing is slightly larger than the mounting element in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the housing, but only so large that the edges of the recess still function as mechanical stops for the mounting unit when the housing rotates about the axis.

10. The electrical operating unit according to claim 1, wherein a frontmost portion of the housing constitutes an angle with the remaining part of the housing such that this frontmost portion faces away from the surface on which the operating unit is mounted.

11. An actuator system comprising at least one lifting column or actuator driven by an electric motor, and a control unit connected to the lifting column or the actuator driven by the electric motor wherein the actuator system comprises an electrical operating unit according to claim 1 connected to the control unit, and where the lifting column or the actuator driven by an electric motor can be activated through the electrical operating unit.

12. A height-adjustable table comprising an actuator system according to claim 11.

13. The height-adjustable table according to claim 12, further comprising a tabletop and where the electrical operation unit is mounted on an underside of the tabletop at an edge thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described more fully below with reference to embodiment of an operating unit shown in the accompanying drawing.

(2) The drawing shows:

(3) FIG. 1, an operating unit shown in perspective seen from the front and from above,

(4) FIG. 2, the operating unit shown in perspective from the rear side and from below,

(5) FIG. 3, the operating unit shown directly from the side, while in the resting position,

(6) FIG. 4, a cross-section through the operating unit, while in the resting position,

(7) FIG. 5, the same as FIG. 4, but where the operating unit is activated for raising the table top,

(8) FIG. 6, the same as FIG. 5, but where the operating unit is activated for lowering the table top,

(9) FIG. 7, an exploded view of the operating unit shown in perspective from the front and from above,

(10) FIG. 8, an exploded view of the operating unit shown in perspective from the front and from below, and

(11) FIG. 9, an outline of a desk.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(12) As it appears from the drawing, the operating unit 1 comprises a first part 2 constructed as a housing, which contains the necessary electronics for the function of the operating unit, and a second part constructed as a mounting unit 3, where the mounting unit is constructed as a flat box-shaped block with round-going side edge 4 and plane bottom 5 and where the inside of the block is furnished with a pattern of stiffening ribs 6. In two opposite corners of the bottom 5 there is a hole 7,8 for a screw, where the hole is surrounded by a ring-shaped wall 9,10 in the pattern of stiffening ribs 6. A countersink 11,12 for a screw head is supplied at the bottom 5, such that the screw after mounting does not protrude into the housing 2. In the two opposite corners of the screw holes 7,8 the underside of the bottom 5 is furnished with two pins 13,14, the function of which will be mentioned below. On the underside of the bottom 5, integral therewith, a transverse ridge 15 with a through-going tubular passage 16 for a shaft 17 is provided. The ridge 15 runs across along the center of the bottom 5 and from side edge to side edge of the mounting unit 3.

(13) The housing 2 consists of two parts, an upper part 18 with a round-going side wall 19 and a bottom part 20 also with a round-going side wall 21. The contour of the two side walls 19,21 corresponds to each other, such that they may be joined together. The upper part 18 is furnished with a recess 22 for the mounting unit 3. The recess 22 is restricted by a side wall 23, which both protrudes a distance into the housing 2 as well as a distance up from the housing 2. In that the side wall 23 protrudes a distance up from the housing 2 it, among other things, serves the purpose of preventing dirt and possibly liquid from cleaning or spilled fluid, such as coffee or tea, from seeking into the recess 22. Between the side wall 23 in the recess 22 and the side wall 19 in the upper part 18 there is likewise a pattern of stiffening ribs 24. At each side of the upper part 18 located opposite to each other in a center line of the recess 22, there is a cylindrical hole 25 for the shaft 17 for the mounting unit 3. The cylindrical hole 25 is provided in the side wall 19, which outlines the upper part 18 and the side wall 23 which outlines the recess 22 as well as a strengthening 26 for that purpose between the two side walls. The mounting unit 3 is secured in the recess 22 of the upper part by placing this in the recess such that the shaft 17, from one side of the upper part 18, can be inserted into the cylindrical hole 25, through the cylindrical passage 16 in the mounting unit 3 and into the cylindrical hole 25′ in the other side of the upper part 18. The mounting unit 3 is positioned such that its bottom 5 with the two pins 13,14 will protrude into the housing 2.

(14) The bottom part 20 of the housing is furnished with two holes 27,29, which internally in the bottom part 20 is surrounded by a round-going edge 28,30. The two holes 27,29 are placed such that they during the assembly of the bottom part 20 with the upper part 18, in which the mounting unit 3 is inserted, is located across from the screw holes 7,8 in this.

(15) In the bottom part 20 of the housing, a printed circuit board 31 is mounted, where there in two opposite corners of the printed circuit board is a hole 32,33, such that the printed circuit board with these two holes can be mounted over the round-going edges 28,30 on the screw holes 27,29, and such that the printed circuit board will rest on a rib pattern in the bottom part 20. The printed circuit board 31 is thus fixed in the bottom part 20 and can further be fixed by means of a snap, which grips over the printed circuit board. In the two other diametrically located corners of the printed circuit board 31 two dome switches 34,35 are located. When the top part 18 and the bottom part 20 of the housing are assembled, the two pins 13,14 on the mounting unit 3 will be located across from the dome switches 34,35.

(16) An end, the front end 2a, of the housing 2, is beveled relative to the rest of the housing which is plane 2b. The slanting front end 2a of the housing is intended as a handle for activating the operating unit. The beveled front end 2a of the housing is designed such that is faces away from the side, where the mounting unit 3 is mounted. When the operating unit is mounted on a surface, the beveled front end 2a of the housing will thus face away from the surface and thus making it more accessible for operation.

(17) The operating unit 1 is mounted by placing it with the top side of the mounting unit 3 against the surface upon which the operating unit should be mounted. The operating unit is secured by screwing a screw through the hole 27,29 in the housing 2 intended for that purpose and through the hole 7,8 in the mounting unit 3 and when screwing it into the surface on which the operating unit is mounted, the screw is guided through the housing 1 until the screw rests with its head in the countersink 11,12 on the mounting unit 3.

(18) When the operating unit is mounted, the housing 2 assumes a neutral position, initial position, as the two dome switches 34,35 are located on either side of the pivot shaft 17. The spring force in the dome switches 34,35 retains the housing 2 in this position. By pressing the housing 2, the underside of the beveling front end, the handle 2a, such that it tilts towards the surface on which the operating unit is mounted, the nearest dome switch 34 will be pressed against the pin 13 on the mounting unit 3 thus activating this dome switch. If the housing 2 is released, this will due to the spring force in the dome switch 34 be pressed away from this back into the initial position and thus the dome switch is no longer activated. Should the housing 2 start to pendulate about the shaft 17 when this is released, the spring constant in the dome switches 34,35 is adapted such that these will not be activated and the housing 2 will immediately subside. The activation required a distinct pressure on the housing 2. When the housing 2 is pressed away from the surface on which the operating unit 1 is mounted, the second dome switch 35 is activated in a corresponding manner as it is pressed against the other pin 14 on the mounting unit.

(19) The angle which the housing 2 can rotate about the shaft 17 is limited such that the dome switches 34,35 are not destroyed by being pressed too hard against the pins 13,14 on the mounting unit 3. This is achieved with an adaption of the width of the mounting unit 3 and the width of the hole 22 in the housing 2 in the transversal direction on the shaft 17, the height of the mounting unit 3 over the shaft and finally the height of the side wall 23, which surrounds the recess 22 for the mounting unit 3, such that the side wall 23 hits the mounting unit 3 and thus prevents further rotation of the housing 2.

(20) FIG. 9 of the drawing shows an outline of a height-adjustable desk, also known as a sit/stand desk, with a table top 36 mounted on a subframe, which in each side comprises a lifting column 37 with a foot 38. Such lifting columns constructed as table legs are now well-known and comprise a telescopic guide and a drive unit, which can be a spindle unit driven by an electric motor, alternatively an endless chain or rim-based drive unit likewise driven by an electric motor. When the chain/rim is brought into motion, two rods will displace the telescopic guide outwards or retract it depending on the direction of rotation of the electric motor. The subframe of the height-adjustable table can, in a different embodiment, be equipped with two lifting columns driven by a single electric motor, where each lifting column is connected to the electric motor through a transmission. The drive units are typically connected to a control box containing a controller and a power supply. It is commonly used to connect the operating unit to the control box with a wire, alternatively by means of a wireless connection, whereby the cable is eliminated. With a wireless connection the operation unit will on the other hand have to contain a power supply, which could be a battery. In an embodiment of the operating unit according to the invention, a cable 39 is guided through a recess 40 in the wall 21 of the bottom part 20. The cable 39 can be directly connected to the electric equipment, such as the printed circuit board 31, or the cable 39 can be equipped with a plug for inserting into a socket in the recess 40 in the wall 21 of the bottom part 20 of the housing 2. In both cases the insertion of the cable 39 is limited to an incision in the bottom part of the housing 2 for the operating unit. The lifting columns 37 can be mutually connected with a frame, on which the table top 36 rests, or the lifting columns 37 can be designed such that they are mounted directly onto the underside of the table top 36. At the front edge of the table top 36, i.e. the side of the table where a user is situated, an operating unit 1 for the two lifting columns 37 is mounted. In FIGS. 4-6 of the drawing, the table top 36 is indicated and in FIG. 4 a beveling of the front edge of the table top 36a is shown. A beveled front end, handle 2a, on the operating unit 1 and the beveled front edge 36a of the table top 36, which is beveled in the opposite direction to the front end 2a of the operating unit 1, ensures a relatively large clearance for operating the operating unit 1 even though the operating unit is positioned entirely or partly under the table top 36 up against the front edge 36a thereof. A table top 36 will usually have a uniform edge, which runs all the way around the table top, but in case of a sharp front edge a section can be made with a beveling, which at the same time indicates, where the operating unit 1 should be mounted.

(21) As mentioned above, the front part, the handle 2a, of the housing 2 can be furnished with further operating switches, e.g. placed in the front edge constituted by the two round-going sides 19,21 on the upper and bottom part of the housing. In the surface on the top side of the handle 2a a display can be mounted and at the edge light indicators can be built-in. This could, as mentioned above, be switches used for recalling information, e.g. information on the specific users, where the piece of furniture adjusts itself automatically after the specific user. The display can show various information such as the adjustment of the piece of furniture, and light indicators can be used as a reminder for when it is time to change the adjustment of the piece of furniture.

(22) The invention thus provides a simple and easy to mount operating unit.

(23) Even though the invention here especially is described in connection with height-adjustable tables, it is understood that the operating unit can of cause be used in connection with other types of furniture. The operating unit is intended mounted such that the pivot shaft is horizontal, but it is understood that it of cause can also be mounted with the pivot shaft in vertical position.