POWER-SUPPLY DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a power-supply device for an item of furniture that has a furniture carcass and at least one movable furniture part for supplying at least one electrical load with electrical power, the device comprising: at least one current-supply bar, wherein the current-supply bar can be arranged on the furniture carcass or on the movable furniture part; at least one contacting device, wherein the contacting device can be arranged at least in part on the movable furniture part or on the furniture carcass; wherein the contacting device comprises at least one contact element for galvanically conductively contacting the at least one current-supply bar, and at least one switchable load-switch element for allowing a current supply from the current-supply bar to the at least one electrical load via the contacting device.

Claims

1. An energy supply device for a piece of furniture with a furniture carcass and a movable furniture part for supplying an electrical consumer with electrical energy, the energy supply device comprising: a current supply rail, wherein the current supply rail can be arranged on the furniture carcass or on the movable furniture part; and a contacting device to be arranged at least partially on the movable furniture part or on the furniture carcass, the contacting device including: a contact element for galvanically conductively contacting the current supply rail; and a switchable load-switching element for enabling a current supply from the current supply rail to the electrical consumer via the contacting device.

2. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein, through a movement of the movable furniture part relative to the furniture carcass, the current supply rail is galvanically conductively contactable by the contact element and/or the load-switching element is switchable.

3. The energy supply device according to claim 2, wherein, through a movement into a predefined or predefinable position of the movable furniture part relative to the furniture carcass, preferably through a movement into or out of an end position of the movement of the movable furniture part, the current supply rail is galvanically conductively contactable by the contact element and/or the load-switching element is switchable.

4. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein the load-switching element has measuring contact and, with the measuring contact, a galvanically conductive contacting of the contact element with the current supply rail is measurable.

5. The energy supply device according to claim 4, wherein the galvanically conductive contacting of the contact element with the current supply rail is measurable, using the measuring contact, through reaching a predefined or predefinable position of the movable furniture part relative to the furniture carcass and/or by measuring a voltage applied to the current supply rail.

6. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein a current supply from the current supply rail to the electrical consumer can be enabled in a substantially power-free manner by the load-switching element.

7. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein the energy supply device has at least ene load-switching element is a first load-switching element for a first electrical consumer, the energy supply device further comprising and a second load-switching element for a second electrical consumer, and the second load-switching element is switchable depending on the switching state of the first load-switching element.

8. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein the contact element and the load-switching element are arranged in a common modular unit.

9. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein the contact element has a spring contact for galvanically conductively contacting the current supply rail.

10. The energy supply device according to claim 9, wherein the spring contact has a pivotable spring finger.

11. The energy supply device according to claim 10, wherein the load-switching element is switchable by a movement of the pivotable spring finger.

12. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein the current supply rail has at least two galvanically conductive contact surfaces or contact points.

13. The energy supply device according to claim 1, wherein the energy supply device comprises a voltage source, in particular a direct current voltage source and/or an alternating current voltage source, for supplying the electrical consumer with electrical energy.

14. The energy supply device according to claim 1, we further comprising a rechargeable energy storage device, from which, at least when the load-switching element is open, the electrical consumer is to be supplied with electrical energy, at least for a limited duration.

15. A piece of furniture comprising a furniture carcass, a furniture part movable relative to the furniture carcass, in particular in the form of a drawer, wherein the furniture part is to be arranged at least partially in an interior of the furniture carcass, and the energy supply device according to claim 1.

16. The piece of furniture according to claim 15, wherein the contacting device of the energy supply device is arranged on a back wall, facing an interior of the furniture carcass, of the movable furniture part.

17. The piece of furniture according to claim 15, wherein the current supply rail of the energy supply device is arranged on a back wall of the furniture carcass facing an interior of the furniture carcass.

18. The piece of furniture according to claim 15, wherein the movable furniture part has an interface preferably formed on the contacting device to which the electrical consumer is to be detachably coupled.

19. The piece of furniture according to claim 15, further comprising an electrical consumer.

20. The piece of furniture according to claim 15, wherein further comprising an electrical consumer in the form of a light source i-s-arranged in or on the furniture carcass, and the light source is arranged above the movable furniture part, based on an installed position.

21. A method for supplying an electrical consumer that can be arranged in or on a piece of furniture with electrical energy by the energy supply device according to claim 1 one a piece of furniture, the method comprising: galvanically conductively contacting the current supply rail with the contact element using a contacting device; and enabling a current supply from the current supply rail to the electrical consumer via the contacting device and the load-switching element.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, when a predefined or predefinable position of the movable furniture part relative to the furniture carcass is reached during a movement of the movable furniture part towards the furniture carcass, the contact element galvanically conductively contacts the current supply rail, and subsequently the load-switching element enables a current supply from the current supply rail to the electrical consumer via the contacting device.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein, in a contact-measuring method step, a galvanically conductive contacting of the contact element with the current supply rail is measured with a measuring contact of the load-switching element.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the galvanically conductive contacting of the contact element with the current supply rail is measurable, using the measuring contact, through reaching a predefined or predefinable position of the movable furniture part relative to the furniture carcass and/or by measuring a voltage applied to the current supply rail.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the load-switching element is a first load-switching element for a first electrical consumer, and the energy supply device further comprising a second load-switching element for a second electrical consumer, and a switching of the second load-switching element is effected depending on a switching state of the first load-switching element.

26. A use of the energy supply device according to claim 1 for supplying the electrical consumer to be arranged in or on a piece of furniture with electrical energy.

Description

[0069] Embodiment examples of the invention are discussed with reference to the figures. There are shown in:

[0070] FIG. 1 a perspective back view of an embodiment of a piece of furniture,

[0071] FIG. 2 side views of a sectional representation and a detailed view for FIG. 1,

[0072] FIG. 3 a further perspective back view of an embodiment of a piece of furniture,

[0073] FIG. 4 side views of a sectional representation and a detailed view for FIG. 3,

[0074] FIG. 5 a detailed representation of an embodiment of the contacting device and the current supply rail,

[0075] FIGS. 6a and 6b detailed views of an embodiment of the contacting device,

[0076] FIGS. 7a and 7b detailed views of an embodiment of a spring contact,

[0077] FIGS. 8a to 8c detailed views of a contacting of a current supply rail with a spring contact,

[0078] FIGS. 9a and 9b schematic circuit diagrams for the use of an embodiment of an energy transfer device, and

[0079] FIG. 10 a schematic representation of the switching of a load-switching element in dependence on another load-switching element.

[0080] FIG. 1 shows a perspective back view of an embodiment of a piece of furniture 1 with a furniture carcass 2 and a movable furniture part 5 in the form of a drawer partially arranged in the interior 3 of the furniture carcass. In the embodiment shown, the piece of furniture 1 has a current supply rail 8 running along a vertical extension of the furniture carcass 2 on the back side. A contacting device 9 with contact element 10 is arranged on a back wall 6 of the movable furniture part 5.

[0081] In FIG. 2, side views of a sectional representation and a detailed view of the piece of furniture 1 shown in FIG. 1 are represented. It is to be identified here that the movable furniture part 5 in the form of the drawer is partially arranged in the interior 3 of the furniture carcass 2. An electrical consumer 7 connected to the contacting device 9 via an interface 20 is arranged in the movable furniture part 5 in the form of drawer. As can be seen from the detailed view in detail A, the contacting device 9 with the contact elements 10 is spaced apart from the current supply rail 8 attached to the back wall 4 of the furniture carcass 2, there is thus no galvanically conducting connection of the contact elements 10 to the current supply rail 8.

[0082] FIG. 3 shows a perspective back view of the embodiment of a piece of furniture 1 according to FIG. 1, wherein the movable furniture part 5 in the form of a drawer arranged in the interior 3 of the furniture carcass has been brought into an end position of the movement corresponding to the closed position of the furniture part 5 relative to the furniture carcass 2.

[0083] As can be seen from the side views of the sectional representations of FIG. 4, here the contacting device 9 has come into contact with the current supply rail 8 with the contact elements 10, as a result of which a galvanically conducting connection of the contact elements 10 with the current supply rail 8 has formed.

[0084] FIG. 5 shows a detailed representation of the contacting device 9 and the current supply rail 8, which has 2 contact surfaces 17 in the embodiment shown, wherein the direction of view is directed out of the interior 3 in the direction of the back wall 4 with reference to FIG. 4.

[0085] A detailed view of an embodiment of the contacting device 9 is shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b. The contacting device 9 has two spring contacts 15 that are pivotably mounted on a housing 21 and on each of which a contact element 10 for contacting the contact surfaces 17 of the current supply rail 8 is arranged.

[0086] The spring contacts 15 can, for example, permit a certain range of movement of the movable furniture part 5, within which a contacting of the current supply rail 8 by the contact element 10 remains in place.

[0087] As can be seen from the sectional representation of FIG. 6b and can also be seen from FIGS. 7a and 7b and FIGS. 8a to 8c, the spring contacts 15 have spring fingers 16 mounted pivotably on the spring contacts 15.

[0088] The spring contacts 15 and the spring fingers 16 can each have energy storage mechanisms, for example in the form of a spring, for resetting the pivoting movement.

[0089] In the embodiment shown, the spring contact 15 of the contacting device 9 also contains the measuring contact 14.

[0090] If the contacting device 9 is arranged on the movable furniture part 5, when the furniture part 5 is moved relative to the furniture carcass 2, the contacting device 9 can approach the contact surfaces 17 of the current supply rail 8 with the contact elements 10.

[0091] As is represented in a transition of FIG. 8a to 8bfor example in a contacting method stepthe contacting device 9 can thereby galvanically conductively contact the at least one current supply rail 8 with at least one contact element 10.

[0092] In the case of a continuation of the relative movement, as represented in a transition of FIG. 8b to 8cfor example in a contact-measuring method stepa galvanically conductive contacting of the contact element 10, which is again in galvanically conductive contact with the at least one current supply rail 8, can be effected the measuring contact 14. In an alternative embodiment, the measuring contact 14 can, for example, be arranged spatially offset with respect to the contact element 10 such that a contacting of the current supply rail by the measuring contact 14 is effected after a contacting of the contact element 10 with the current supply rail 8.

[0093] A circuit diagram for the use of an embodiment of an energy transfer device of a piece of furniture 1 is represented schematically in FIGS. 9a and 9b.

[0094] In FIG. 9a, a contact surface 17 of a current supply rail 8 is contacted by a voltage source 18 in the form of a direct current voltage source. A contact element 10 of a spring contact 15 of a contacting device 9 (not represented in more detail here) is in a galvanically conductive connection with the current supply rail 8.

[0095] In the embodiment shown, the load-switching element 11 is implemented by way of example with a field-effect transistor as switching element, wherein the switching state of the load-switching element 11 is represented symbolically by an open and a closed switch.

[0096] In the embodiment shown, the energy supply device also has an energy storage device 19 in the form of a capacitor. The energy storage device 19 can supply an electrical consumer 7 with energy irrespective of the switching position of the load-switching element 11, at least for a limited duration.

[0097] The contact element 10 in the form of the pivotable spring finger 16 is connected to an input 23 of a switchable load-switching element 11. The measuring contact 14 is connected to a control input 24 of the switchable load-switching element 11. An electrical consumer 7, here implemented schematically and by way of example by a light source, is connected to an output 23 of the switchable load-switching element 11.

[0098] In the embodiment shown, the load-switching element 11 is formed to measure, using the measuring contact 14, the galvanically conductive contacting of the contact element 10 with the at least one current supply rail 8 by measuring a voltage applied to the at least one current supply rail 8. When a voltage is applied to the control input 24 of the switchable load-switching element 11, the load-switching element 11 canfor example in a enabling method stepbe enabled a current supply from the current supply rail 8 to the at least one electrical consumer 7 via the contacting device 9.

[0099] Once the spring finger 16 of the spring contact 15 has come to rest against the current supply rail 8, the pivotable spring finger 16 can be pivoted, with continuing contact with the current supply rail 8, as in the transition from FIG. 9a to FIG. 9b, and in the process the measuring contact 14 can contact the already live spring finger 16, as a result of which the load-switching element 11 can be switched and the electrical consumer 7 can be supplied with electrical energy.

[0100] In the reverse order of FIGS. 8 and 9, a regulated disconnection of the supply of an electrical consumer 7 with electrical energy can be effected.

[0101] Contrary to what is represented, the measuring contact 14 can also be implemented in the form of a position-dependent switch, which switches the load-switching element 11 once the contacting device 9 has contacted the current supply rail 8.

[0102] In FIG. 10, the electrical consumer 7 is designed in the form of a radio transmitter, which can broadcast a radio signal in dependence on the switching position of the load-switching element 11. As represented, after the energy supply of the electrical consumer 7, in the form of the radio transmitter, by the current supply rail 8 has been interrupted it can be supplied with electrical energy by the energy storage device 19, at least for a limited duration. An interruption of the current supply by the current supply rail 8 can be detected by the electrical consumer 7 itself or by communication with the load-switching element 11 switched into an open position. Such an interruption can be effected, for example, by a movement of the movable furniture part 5, for example when a drawer is opened.

[0103] The radio signal can be received by a further electrical consumer 7 in the form of a radio receiver, which switches the further load-switching element 12, as represented, into a closed switching position for example, in which an electrical consumer 7 in the form of a lighting device for example can be supplied with electrical energy. The electrical consumer 7 in the form of the radio receiver can be supplied with electrical energy irrespective of the switching position of the further load-switching element 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0104] 1 piece of furniture [0105] 2 furniture carcass [0106] 3 interior [0107] 4 furniture carcass back wall [0108] 5 furniture part [0109] 6 furniture part back wall [0110] 7 electrical consumer [0111] 8 current supply rail [0112] 9 contacting device [0113] 10 contact element [0114] 11 load-switching element [0115] 12 load-switching element [0116] 13 electrical consumer [0117] 14 measuring contact [0118] 15 spring contact [0119] 16 spring finger [0120] 17 contact surfaces [0121] 18 voltage source [0122] 19 energy storage device [0123] 20 interface [0124] 21 housing [0125] 22 input [0126] 23 output [0127] 24 control input