Piece of furniture having a movable furniture part and a drive assembly

The use of a switched-mode DC-DC converter and semiconductor switches in furniture drive arrangements addresses excessive energy consumption by reducing power losses and heat generation, enhancing efficiency and integration without compromising comfort.

WO2026061837A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2026-03-26PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO KG
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-09-09
Publication Date
2026-03-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing furniture drive arrangements consume excessive energy due to the constant power requirements of control units, even when not in use, leading to inefficiencies and potential comfort losses.

Method used

Implement a switched-mode DC-DC converter to convert the primary voltage into a lower secondary voltage for control unit components, using a synchronous step-down converter to minimize power losses and reduce energy consumption, combined with a motor driver and semiconductor switches for efficient motor control.

Benefits of technology

Significantly reduces energy consumption and heat generation, allowing for a smaller control unit design and improved integration, while maintaining functionality and comfort by minimizing standby power losses.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a piece of furniture (1) having a movable furniture part (5) and a drive assembly having a drive unit (10) for carrying out a movement of the movable furniture part (5), the movement being composed of partly superimposed rotational and translational movement components, wherein the movable furniture part (5) has a moved storage space (8) which is accessible on the basis of the position of the movable furniture part (5), and the drive unit (10) comprises at least one drive motor (31) for moving the movable furniture part (5). The piece of furniture also has a control unit (20), which comprises a motor driver (22) for the drive motor (31) of the drive unit (10), and a sensor unit and / or operating element, which is connected to the control unit and can detect at least one operating action such that the movable furniture part (5) can be drivingly moved on the basis of an operating action associated with the movable furniture part (5), the control unit (20) having a power supply connection for supplying an operating current for the drive motor (31) at a first voltage (U1). The piece of furniture (1) is characterized in that the control unit (20) has a clocked DC-to-DC converter (23) to which the first voltage (U1) is applied and which converts said first voltage into a second voltage (U2) for supplying components of the control unit (20), at least one component of the control unit (20) being a microcontroller (24), and the second voltage (U2) being lower than the first voltage (U1).
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Description

[0001] Furniture with a movable furniture part and a drive arrangement

[0002] The invention relates to a piece of furniture with a movable furniture part and a drive arrangement comprising a drive unit for performing a movement of the movable furniture part, which is composed of partially superimposed rotary and translational movement components. The movable furniture part includes a storage compartment that moves with it and is accessible depending on the position of the movable furniture part, and the drive unit comprises at least one drive motor for moving the movable furniture part.The furniture further comprises a control unit, which includes a motor driver for the drive motor of the drive unit, and a sensor unit and / or a control element connected thereto, which can detect at least one operating action, so that the movable part of the furniture can be moved depending on an operating action assigned to the movable part of the furniture, wherein the control unit has a power supply connection for supplying an operating current for the drive motor at a first voltage.

[0003] Drive units are used in furniture manufacturing, either inside or attached to a furniture frame, to automatically or assist in the manual movement of a movable furniture component housed within the frame. An automatic or assisted drive is particularly helpful for large and potentially heavy movable furniture components.

[0004] From German patent application DE 10 2022 105 416 A1, a motion fitting for guiding a partially simultaneously translationally and rotationally movable cabinet element as a movable furniture component is known. In one embodiment, the motion fitting guides a corner shelf-like cabinet element, which has two side walls at right angles to each other, in such a way that it can assume different end positions within the furniture carcass, in which the movable cabinet element is rotated differently and faces different sides towards the user. Although the cabinet element has a rectangular base, it is positively locked in an open niche of the furniture carcass in both end positions of the movement. The transition from one end position to the other is made possible by the combined translational and rotational movement.Since the movable furniture component is a large and / or heavy element, an automated or assisted movement sequence is particularly advantageous for such a component. For this purpose, it is known from the aforementioned publication to arrange a drive unit with a drive motor on the moving fitting, which, by means of a friction wheel or a gear engagement, transmits a rotary motion of the drive motor to the combined translational and rotational movement of the movable furniture component.

[0005] The drive motors are typically operated at the operating voltage supplied to the control units, which is usually 12, 24, or 48 volts (V). Control elements within the control unit, such as a microcontroller, a sensor, and / or a control element, are often operated at a lower voltage, in the range of 3 to approximately 6 volts. This is usually generated from the supplied operating voltage using a linear regulator within the control units.

[0006] While the power consumption of the drive unit's motor may be high during operation, the total energy required is low, as energy is only needed for the actual, and usually brief, actuation. In contrast, the power consumption of the control unit, which monitors a sensor and / or control element and accordingly controls a motor driver, is low, but the energy consumption adds up to a considerable amount due to the constant standby mode required to monitor the control element or sensor. This is especially true when several pieces of furniture with drive units are present in a room or area.

[0007] To reduce the energy consumption of such drive arrangements, it is known from publication EP 2 704 279 A1 to automatically de-energize the control unit using switching devices when no user action is detected by a control unit. For example, it may be possible to optically detect the presence of a user in the room by a control unit and, based on the presence signal, to supply power to or disconnect from the power supply to all control units of drive units.

[0008] Even though the control unit itself consumes a certain amount of energy, energy can be saved overall by switching off all or many of the control units simultaneously. In another embodiment, only some control units, those assigned to frequently used drive units, are permanently operated, while other control units are only supplied with operating current temporarily after one of the permanently operated control units has detected a user action.

[0009] However, a disadvantage of the solution described in publication EP 2 704 279 A1 is that an additional control unit and an additional switching unit for de-energizing the control units must be provided. Furthermore, a certain loss of comfort may occur if only certain drive units are permanently operational.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to create a piece of furniture with a drive arrangement in which the energy requirements of the control units are reduced without any loss of comfort.

[0011] This task is solved by a piece of furniture of the type mentioned at the beginning, possessing the characteristics of an independent claim.

[0012] A piece of furniture according to the invention of the type mentioned above is characterized in that the control unit has a switched-mode DC-DC converter which is supplied with the first voltage and converts it into a second voltage for supplying components of the control unit, wherein at least one component of the control unit is a microcontroller and wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage. The second voltage thus serves to supply a microcontroller and can optionally also serve to supply other components, e.g., a communication module and / or an integrated sensor of the control unit. The microcontroller preferably evaluates the sensor unit and / or the operating element and controls the drive motor of the drive unit via the motor driver in order to execute a movement of the movable part of the furniture linked to the operating action.To execute the movement, the drive motor is supplied with the first voltage at least temporarily. If no operating action is carried out, the drive motor is disconnected from the first voltage supply.

[0013] The linear regulators used up to now to provide the supply voltage for the microcontroller and, if applicable, other components of the control unit that operate at the lower second voltage, generate power losses. The magnitude of these losses is calculated by multiplying the voltage difference between the first and second voltages by the operating current for these components. With the typical power consumption of these components, this results in several watts of power loss, which is dissipated as heat by the linear regulators. The use of the switched-mode DC-DC converter according to the invention largely prevents this power loss, so that essentially only the actual power requirements of the components supplied with the lower second voltage need to be met, which is approximately ten times smaller than the power loss.The switched-mode DC / DC converter works particularly effectively when it is designed as a synchronous step-down converter.

[0014] In addition to energy savings, the reduced heat generated in the control unit is also advantageous, as it eliminates design limitations associated with heat dissipation, such as the need to provide sufficient space for air convection. This allows the control unit to be built smaller and more easily integrated into the drive unit.

[0015] The first voltage can, for example, be in a range of 10 to 60 volts (V) and, in particular, be nominally 12, 24, or 48 V. "Nominal" in this context means that, due to tolerances and potentially also due to load, the first voltage may not exactly match the specified voltage value during operation. The second voltage can, for example, be in a range of 3 to 6 V and, in particular, be nominally 3.3 or 5 V. Microcontrollers and sensors are often designed to operate at the aforementioned voltages of 3.3 or 5 V.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment of the furniture, the control unit is configured to control the drive motor via the motor driver, depending on a signal or data from the integrated sensor, an external sensor, and / or an external control element. The drive arrangement is thus particularly well-suited for use as an auxiliary furniture drive, as the integrated or external sensor is positioned to detect an initial manual actuation of the movable furniture part, and the control unit then actuates the drive motor to automatically initiate an opening and / or closing movement. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that actuation of the control element triggers the automatic opening and / or closing movement. Particularly advantageously, the control unit has an output connection at which the second voltage for supplying the external sensor and / or the external control element is provided.The external sensor or control element can also be easily integrated, as no separate power supply is required. The output port of the control unit can be part of a data bus connection. The external sensor or control element can then be connected to the control unit via a single port and a single cable, which provides both power and data transmission. Furthermore, it is possible to establish a wireless data connection between the external sensor or control element using the communication module in the control unit. For this purpose, communication connections based on the Bluetooth protocol, particularly the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, are suitable. In this case, the external sensor or control element can also be powered by an integrated battery, further reducing the wiring effort for these components.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the furniture, the motor driver of the control unit has at least one relay or a semiconductor switch as a switching element. The drive motor can be operated as needed via the switching element and de-energized in the standby state. If a relay with a changeover contact is used, a braking function, also known as electromotive force (EMF) braking, can be easily implemented by short-circuiting the drive motor to the standby state. A semiconductor switch, e.g., a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Transistor), a bipolar transistor, and / or an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), offers the advantage of silent switching and a long service life. Furthermore, speed control via pulse width modulation (PWM) can be easily implemented. Preferably, the motor driver can have switching elements in an H-bridge arrangement. The H-bridge arrangement allows the motor not only to be switched on and off, but also to be de-energized.It can not only be switched off or speed-controlled, but its direction of rotation can also be changed.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment of the furniture, the drive assembly includes a power supply designed as a switched-mode power supply that provides the operating current at the first voltage. The switched-mode power supply design results in a small and lightweight form factor and enables energy-efficient conversion of a mains voltage, e.g., 230 V AC, into the operating current at the first voltage. Preferably, the drive assembly comprises at least one distribution board for distributing the operating current at the first voltage to at least two drive units and / or control units. In addition, at least one sub-distribution board may be present, connected downstream of the at least one distribution board. By means of the distribution board and sub-distribution board, a single power supply can advantageously be used to supply several drive units and / or control units. The first operating current is, if necessary,cascaded, distributed, which also allows for neat and clear wiring of larger drive arrangements with a large number of drive units and / or control units.

[0019] In addition to distributing the operating current, the at least one distribution board and / or the at least one sub-distribution board can also transmit a data bus. Preferably, the data bus includes supply voltage lines for the second voltage. External sensors and / or control elements can also be easily integrated into the arrangement via the data bus without additional wiring, including, if necessary, those external sensors and / or control elements that require an active supply of the lower second voltage for their operation.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the furniture, the drive assembly powers a movable part of a motion fitting, wherein the movable part of the motion fitting is designed to execute the rotary and translational movement of the movable furniture part. The drive device can be coupled to the movable part of the motion fitting via a gear drive or a belt or cable drive. Preferably, the gear drive is formed along a curved guide track, wherein the gear drive engages with a gear of the drive assembly, and the drive assembly is coupled to the motion fitting via a further guide, so that the center distance from the gear to the gear drive is essentially constant.In this way, a combined translational and rotational movement along an arbitrarily shaped guideway can be carried out with only one driving movement, namely the rotation of the gear.

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a furniture carcass with a movement fitting and a drive unit, the components of which are illustrated in a block diagram;

[0022] Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the motion fitting with the drive unit from Figure 1; and

[0023] Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of the engagement area of ​​the drive unit from Figure 2; and

[0024] Fig. 4 shows a separate block diagram of a control unit of a drive unit with external components.

[0025] The invention is explained in the figures using an exemplary embodiment in different representations. In all figures, identical reference numerals denote identical or equivalently functioning elements. Terms such as "top," "bottom," "right," and "left" refer to the respective figure.

[0026] Figure 1 initially shows schematically in the lower left area a furniture body 2 of a piece of furniture 1 with a movable furniture part 5 which can perform a partially combined translational and rotational movement by means of a movement fitting 40.

[0027] The exemplary piece of furniture 1 is a cabinet with a cabinet body 2 comprising walls 3 and a lower and an upper shelf 4, which project laterally beyond one of the walls 3. The movable furniture element 5 is positioned within the area of ​​the overhang of the two shelves 4. This movable element 5 is itself a cabinet component and has two side walls 6 arranged at right angles to each other, with a shelf 7 at the top and bottom of each. The movable furniture element 5 is thus a type of corner shelf, which can be supplemented with intermediate shelves (not shown here). The space defined by the side walls 6 and the shelves 4 forms the storage space 8. The storage space 8 can also be created by other structures on the shelf 7. The essential point here is that the storage space 8 can be moved into a position by a combined translational and rotational movement, allowing the user easy access to its contents.

[0028] The motion fitting 40 guides the movable furniture part 5 so that it can move between two end positions. In one end position, its storage space 8 is concealed and the side walls 6 face forward and to the side towards the user. In the other end position, the storage space 8 is accessible and one of the side walls 6 faces the inner wall 3 and the other faces away from the user to the rear.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a transitional state on the movement path from one end position to the other. The transition between the end positions requires a combined translational and rotational movement.

[0030] The motion fitting 40 is equipped with a drive unit 10, which includes an integrated control unit 20. The motion fitting 40 is shown again separately in the upper right part of Figure 1 and is shown enlarged in Figure 2.

[0031] Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of the area where the drive unit 10 is mounted on the motion fitting 40. The drive unit 10 comprises a drive motor 31 (not visible in Figures 2 and 3) housed in a casing 11. The drive motor 31 acts on a gear 12, which engages with a toothing 44 formed along a guide track 43 of the motion fitting 40. The drive motor 31 (not shown) can be a brushless DC motor, an internal or external rotor motor with at least three poles, or a disc rotor motor. The output of the drive motor 31 can be a directly driven gear 12. Alternatively, other direct outputs are possible, such as a friction wheel or a belt or cable drive. It is also possible for the output of the drive motor 31 to have an upstream gearbox.

[0032] By operating the drive motor 31, two parts 41, 42 of the motion fitting 40 can be moved relative to each other, the movement being composed of partially superimposed rotary and translational motion components.

[0033] Figure 1 shows the circuit board 21 of the control unit 20 located below the drive unit 10. The central part of Figure 1 depicts the control unit 20 as a block diagram, illustrating how it is connected to external components, specifically a power supply 30 and the drive motor 31 of the drive unit 10, which was already mentioned in connection with Figures 2 and 3. Figure 1 is thus a combination of a physical representation and a block diagram. The power supply 30 is mounted on the furniture body 2 and is connected to a mains power supply via a power cord.

[0034] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the control unit 20, which controls the drive motor 31, is integrated into the drive unit 10. In alternative embodiments, the control unit 20 can also be arranged separately from the drive unit 10 and mounted inside the furniture 1.

[0035] Figure 4 shows the block diagram of the control unit 20 and the connections to external components, specifically the power supply 30, the drive motor 31 and an optional external sensor 32, enlarged again.

[0036] The control unit 20 is connected to the power supply 30, through which an operating current is supplied to the control unit 20 and the drive motor 31. This operating current is supplied by the power supply at a first voltage U1.

[0037] 30. The first voltage U1 is a low voltage, i.e., a voltage of a level that is safe even when the conductors are touched, preferably a DC voltage of nominally less than 60 volts, in particular of nominally 12 V, 24 V, or 48 V. Preferably, the DC voltage U1 is smoothed, and particularly preferably, it is a stabilized DC voltage with only a small residual ripple. The power supply 30 is advantageously designed as a switched-mode power supply to enable energy-efficient conversion and a small form factor.

[0038] The control unit 20 includes a motor driver 22, to which the drive motor is connected.

[0039] The motor driver 22 is connected to the control unit 20 and is supplied with operating current by the drive motor 31. The motor driver 22 and, apart from voltage drops, the drive motor 31 are both operated at the first voltage U1. In the figures, the motor driver 22 is symbolically represented by a switch symbol. In one implementation of the control unit 20, the motor driver 22 can have relays as switching elements; however, semiconductor switching elements are preferably used, and, with regard to a small voltage drop, MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) in particular. Alternatively, bipolar transistors or IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) can also be used as switching elements. When using semiconductor switching elements, speed control can be achieved via voltage adjustment or PWM.Depending on the mechanical design of the drive unit 10 and the motion fitting 40, it may be sufficient to operate the drive motor 31 in only one direction. In this case, a single switching element for the drive motor 31 is sufficient as a motor driver 22. If the drive motor 31 is to be operated in both directions of rotation, or if this is required for the function of the drive unit 10—as is the case in the example shown—the motor driver 22 can include a polarity reversal switch or be designed as an H-bridge with two bridge arms, each with two semiconductor switches. The design of the motor driver 22 also depends on the operating principle of the drive motor 31. The aforementioned configurations, using a simple switch, a polarity reversal switch, or an H-bridge, are used together with a DC brushed motor as the drive motor 31.If a brushless DC motor with multiple, in particular three, winding strands is used as the drive motor 31, a so-called "DC (Direct Current) brushless motor", the motor driver 22 has a bridge branch with two semiconductor switches for each winding strand. In this case, the drive motor 31 can be designed as an internal or external rotor motor.

[0040] The motor driver 22 is controlled by a microcontroller 24, which exchanges data with an optional communication module 25 and also exchanges data and / or signals with an internal sensor 26.

[0041] During operation, the sensor 26 detects a manually initiated movement of the movable furniture part 5, for example, an initial pulling out of the movable furniture part 5. The internal sensor 26 can be an optical sensor, such as a reflective light barrier, or a magnetic sensor, such as a Hall sensor or a reed switch, which interacts with a magnet arranged on the furniture body 2, or an inductive sensor that interacts with a metal element on the furniture body 2. A capacitive sensor or an acceleration and / or gyroscope sensor, in particular designed as a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) sensor, or a displacement sensor in the form of a potentiometer or using a lidar (light detection and ranging) or radar (radio detection and ranging) sensor are also conceivable.When a manually initiated movement of the movable furniture part 5 is detected by the internal sensor 26, the microcontroller 24 initiates the operation of the drive motor 31 via the motor driver 22, so that the further movement of the movable furniture part 5 to the other end position is carried out automatically or supported.

[0042] Instead of the internal sensor 26, an external sensor 32 arranged by the control unit 20 can also be used to detect an initial, manual movement of the movable furniture part 5.

[0043] A signal and / or data output from the external sensor 32 could be directly evaluated by the microcontroller 24. According to Figure 2, the external sensor 32 is connected to the internal sensor 26, which means that an evaluation circuit for the internal sensor 26 is also used for evaluating the external sensor 32. To reduce the number of variants, the control unit 20 can also be equipped with the internal sensor 26, even if it is used with the external sensor 32. During operation, when the external sensor 32 is connected, the internal sensor 26 is deactivated, and only if necessary, the associated evaluation electronics are also used for the external sensor 32. Alternatively, it is also possible to use only one external sensor 32.

[0044] Furthermore, the drive motor 31 itself can also be used as a sensor by detecting a voltage generated by it during the initial movement by the user, which is then detected by the control unit 20. The amplitude and / or frequency of the generated voltage can then be evaluated.

[0045] It can be provided that a manually initiated movement only triggers the assistance provided by the drive motor 31 if the manually initiated movement is detected for longer than a predetermined initial duration, for example, longer than 100 milliseconds (ms). Furthermore, it can be provided that the assistance is only triggered if, after the detection of the manually initiated movement, the force is released, i.e., the manually initiated movement is terminated, within a specific time period. This time period can, for example, begin approximately 200 ms after the detection of the manually initiated movement and end approximately 800 ms after the detection of the manually initiated movement. In this way, false triggering of the automatic movement due to vibrations, the removal or placement of objects in the movable furniture part 5, or accidental contact with it is reliably prevented.Furthermore, it can be provided that after the successful detection of a desired trigger, the drive motor 31 is only activated after a second period of time has elapsed.

[0046] After successful activation, it may be provided that, without further intervention from the user, the movable furniture part 5 is then automatically moved to the opposite end position by the drive unit 10. The drive unit 10 then operates in a "drive mode".

[0047] Alternatively, it can also be provided that the user must continuously apply a certain force even after successful triggering, which is detected by the sensor used, e.g., the internal sensor 26 or the external sensor 32. If this force is not applied, the drive motor 31 is not activated. The drive unit 10 then operates in a "support mode".

[0048] Furthermore, collision detection is preferably provided to stop the drive motor 31, for example, in the event of entrapment or collision, and to prevent any danger to the user. For example, the motor current of the drive motor 31 can be monitored during operation, and the drive motor 31 can be stopped if the motor current exceeds a predefined value. The measured motor current can be smoothed to accommodate short-term current spikes, such as those occurring during the start-up of the drive motor 31. The motor current can be measured, for example, by measuring the voltage across a series resistor (shunt). If MOSFETs are used as switching elements in the motor control 22, their internal drain-source on-resistance (RDSON) can advantageously be used as the measuring resistor.

[0049] The microcontroller 24, the communication module 25 (if present), and / or the internal sensor 26 are supplied with operating current within the control unit 20 by a second voltage U2, which is lower than the first voltage U1. Typically, voltages in the range of approximately 5 volts or 3.3 volts are required for the operation of these components.

[0050] To provide the second voltage U2 within the control unit 20 as energy-efficiently as possible, the control unit 20, according to the invention, comprises a switched-mode DC / DC converter 23, hereinafter also referred to as a DC / DC converter, which generates the second voltage U2 as a buck converter from the first voltage U1. The DC / DC converter 23 can, for example, be designed as a synchronous converter with two switched-mode switching elements or with one active switching element and a diode. An inductor or a capacitor can be used as the energy storage device. Galvanic isolation is generally not required, but could be implemented if necessary.

[0051] The communication module 25 of the control unit 20 can include one or more wireless data interfaces to enable communication via, for example, WLAN, Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, Thread, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Matter, EnoCean, Homematic IP, DECT ULE, or KNX. Communication on the frequencies 433 MHz (megahertz) or 868 MHz is also possible. Through the communication module 25, the drive assembly can, as already described, read information from external sensors 32 or external control elements, or communicate with external devices, thus enabling, for example, "smart home" functionality and voice control.

[0052] In an application within the context of a smart home system, it may be intended, for example, that in the event of certain events, such as the ringing of a doorbell, the furniture parts coupled with drive units are moved into predetermined positions.

[0053] The external sensor 32 can be wirelessly connected to the control unit 20, using the same wireless protocol as the communication module 25. Alternatively, the external sensor 32 can use a different wireless protocol than the communication module 25. This can result in a longer lifespan for the energy storage device in the external sensor 32. In this case, the external sensor 32 is connected to the control unit 20, and the communication module 25 is connected to the external smart home environment or an alternative end device such as a smartphone.

[0054] In the furniture 1 shown in Figure 1, the power supply unit 30 shown is assigned to one drive unit 10.

[0055] In a larger arrangement, such as a piece of furniture with multiple drive units or several adjacent pieces of furniture with multiple drive units, it can be advantageous not to equip each drive unit with a separate power supply. Instead, a shared power supply can preferably be used for the entire system. An initial voltage provided by the shared power supply can then be distributed to the majority of drive units or control units via distribution boards and, if necessary, sub-distribution boards. For example, the sub-distribution boards can be used to supply operating current to several drive units or control units within a single piece of furniture. The distribution boards can supply blocks of several adjacent pieces of furniture.

[0056] In addition to distributing the initial voltage, it may also be possible to exchange signals and data via the distribution boards or sub-distribution boards, for example via a data bus that runs between the distribution boards and sub-distribution boards and can also be routed to individual drive units or control units if required. The data bus can, for example, be configured as a... 2The data bus can be configured as a C-Bus. For example, external sensors can be integrated via the data bus and evaluated by one or more of the drive units or control units. The data bus can be configured to include power supply lines in addition to data lines, preferably power supply lines for the second voltage, so that the connected external sensors are also supplied with the necessary operating current. Alternatively, the data bus 35 can also consist of power supply lines over which data in the form of modulated signals is transmitted.

[0057] In addition to external sensors, control elements can also be connected to the distribution boards. These control elements are also evaluated via the data bus and supplied with the second voltage via the data bus. If necessary, the first voltage can also be supplied to the control elements, for example, if they have a higher power requirement, such as because they are equipped with a lighting device or are coupled together.

[0058] In summary, the potentially multi-stage distribution of the first voltage using distribution boards and, optionally, sub-distribution boards, allows a single power supply to power a large number of drive units or control units and, if necessary, connect them to each other for data transmission. Using only one power supply is energy-efficient because standby losses occur only once during the conversion of the mains voltage from the household electrical grid to the first voltage. The conversion of the first voltage to the second voltage in the control units using the switched-mode DC-DC converter also results in an energy-efficient power supply for the components of the control unit, as well as for external sensors and / or operating elements.

[0059] Reference symbol list

[0060] 1 piece of furniture

[0061] 2 furniture carcass

[0062] 3 side wall

[0063] 4 floors

[0064] 5 movable furniture parts

[0065] 6 side wall

[0066] 7 Floor

[0067] 8 storage spaces

[0068] 10 Drive unit

[0069] 11 cases

[0070] 12 gear

[0071] 20 Control unit

[0072] 21 circuit boards

[0073] 22 Motor drivers

[0074] 23 DC / DC converters

[0075] 24 microcontrollers

[0076] 25 Communication module

[0077] 26 internal sensors

[0078] 30 Power supply

[0079] 31 Drive motor

[0080] 32 external sensor

[0081] 40 motion fitting

[0082] 41, 42 parts movable relative to each other

[0083] 43 Guide rail

[0084] 44 gear teeth

[0085] U1 first voltage

[0086] U2 second voltage

Claims

Claims 1. Furniture (1) with a movable furniture part (5) and a drive arrangement comprising a drive unit (10) for performing a movement of the movable furniture part (5) which is composed of partially superimposed rotary and translational movement components, wherein the movable furniture part (5) has a storage space (8) that moves with it and is accessible depending on a position of the movable furniture part (5), and wherein the drive unit (10) comprises at least one drive motor (31) for moving the movable furniture part (5), with a control unit (20) comprising a motor driver (22) for the drive motor (31) of the drive unit (10), and with a sensor unit and / or a control element connected thereto, which can detect at least one operating action, so that the movable furniture part (5) is driven to move depending on an operating action assigned to the movable furniture part (5),wherein the control unit (20) has a power supply connection for supplying an operating current for the drive motor (31) at a first voltage (U1), characterized in that the control unit (20) has a switched-mode DC-DC converter (23) which is supplied with the first voltage (U1) and converts it into a second voltage (U2) for supplying components of the control unit (20), wherein at least one component of the control unit (20) is a microcontroller (24) and wherein the second voltage (U2) is lower than the first voltage (U1).

2. Furniture according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage (U2) serves to supply a communication module (25) and / or an integrated sensor (26) of the control unit (20).

3. Furniture according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (20) has an output terminal at which the second voltage (U2) is provided to supply an external sensor (32) and / or the control element.

4. Furniture according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the output terminal of the control unit (20) is part of a terminal for a data bus.

5. Furniture according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit (20) controls the drive motor (31) depending on a signal or data from the sensor unit and / or the control element via the motor driver (22).

6. Furniture according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the motor driver (22) of the control unit (20) has at least one relay or a semiconductor switch as a switching element.

7. Furniture according to claim 6, wherein the motor driver (22) has switching elements in an H-bridge arrangement.

8. Furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the clocked DC voltage converter (23) is a synchronous step-down converter.

9. Furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first voltage (U1 ) is in a range of 10 to 60 volts and in particular is nominally 12, 24 or 48 volts.

10. Furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second voltage (U2) is in a range of 3 to 6 volts and in particular is nominally 3.3 or 5 volts.

11. Furniture according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control unit (20) is integrated into the drive unit (10).

12. Furniture according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a power supply (30) which is designed as a switching power supply and provides the operating current at the first voltage (U1).

13. Furniture according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the drive arrangement drives a movable part (41, 42) of a motion fitting (40), wherein the movable part (41, 42) of the motion fitting (40) is designed to perform the rotary and translational movement of the movable furniture part (5).

14. Furniture according to claim 13, wherein the drive arrangement is coupled to the movable part (41, 42) of the motion fitting (40) via a toothing (44) or a belt or rope drive. 19 15. Furniture according to claim 14, wherein the toothing (44) is formed along a curved guide track (43), wherein the toothing (44) engages with a gear of the drive arrangement and the drive device is coupled to the motion fitting via a further guide, so that the center distance from the gear to the toothing (44) is essentially constant.

Citation Information

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