Height-Adjustable Table Control via Force-Sensing Tabletop Input
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing height-adjustable furniture systems require separate operating elements and complex cabling, leading to non-intuitive operation and increased complexity, with operators needing to divert attention from their task to activate height adjustments.
Innovation Solution
Integration of all actuation elements within the drive column, utilizing a force-sensitive sensor and measuring resistance in series, allowing for intuitive height adjustment via pressure or traction on the table plate without additional components, and utilizing existing jam protection sensors for dual functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate operating elements and cabling are provided for height adjustment, then the table can be controlled, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the operating element functionality directly into the table plate by integrating a force sensor into the table column structure. This eliminates the need for separate switches and cabling, as the table plate itself becomes the control interface through which user input is detected and transmitted to the motor control unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The table plate serves multiple functions: it is both the work surface and the control interface for height adjustment. By detecting forces applied to the table plate, it simultaneously functions as a structural element and an input device, eliminating the need for dedicated operating elements.
2Ease of operation
If switches are arranged adjacent to each other under the table plate, then height adjustment can be controlled, but the operator must divert attention from the work surface
Solution Approach 1:
The table plate itself serves as the operating element by detecting forces applied to it. The system uses the table plate's own structural properties and the forces applied during normal use to trigger height adjustment commands, eliminating the need for the operator to locate and actuate separate switches.
Solution Approach 2:
The force sensor acts as an intermediary between the user's physical interaction with the table plate and the motor control system. It translates mechanical forces applied to the table plate during normal work activities into electrical signals that control the height adjustment, allowing operation without visual attention.
3Ease of operation
If force sensors are added to the table plate for intuitive control, then operation becomes easier, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensor is integrated into the table column structure rather than being added as a separate component to the table plate. This merging of the sensing element with the existing structural support reduces manufacturing complexity and eliminates the need for separate actuation unit installation on the table plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The table column structure serves dual functions: providing structural support and housing the force sensor for detecting table plate forces. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate actuation units on the table plate, reducing manufacturing steps and costs.
4Ease of manufacture
If existing jam protection sensors are used for dual functionality, then cost is reduced, but the sensor must detect both collisions and user input forces
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensor is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting both collision forces for safety protection and user input forces for height adjustment control. The control unit differentiates between these functions by analyzing the magnitude, duration, and pattern of detected forces, allowing a single sensor to replace multiple specialized sensors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables ergonomic and intuitive operation by eliminating the need for separate operating elements and cabling, reducing complexity and cost, while allowing for efficient height adjustment without diverting attention from the work surface.
Implementation Method 1
a force-sensitive sensor, in particular a piezo sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit controls a height-adjustable table. A current load acts on the table plate and is measured by a force-sensitive sensor and serves as control signal of a control according to the invention. Derived from this signal, a collision of the electrically height-adjustable table with fixed objects is recognized. Control signals are also detected, which are inputted by an operator of the table in the form of applications of force onto the table plate. Here, the table or respectively the control device is situated in a state of rest until the user of the table exerts a brief force impulse onto the table plate, i.e. presses once onto the table plate. Thereafter, the control changes from a state of rest into an operating state and waits for control inputs. When the user now presses from above onto the table plate, the latter moves electrically downwards.