# US 2021/0239459 A1 · Sensor assembly, actuator, control system, electrically adjustable piece of furniture and method for operating an electrically adjustable piece of furniture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0239459 A1 - Document ID: US20210239459A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/048,565 - Filed: 2019-04-12 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-18 - Assignees: LOGICDATA Electronic & Software Entwicklungs GmbH - Applicants: LOGICDATA Electronic & Software Entwicklungs GmbH - Inventors: Stefan LUKAS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239459A1 ## CPC - G01B 11/16: for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge - A47B 9/20: Telescopic guides - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B) ## Abstract A sensor assembly for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture having at least one actuator for adjusting a component and a control for the actuator comprises a light transmitter and a light receiver which are coupled to one another via an optical light path. An aperture element which is configured to at least partially cover the light path and which is mounted in a movable manner with respect to the light path in such a way that a change in a position of the aperture element results in a change in the covering of the light path. An evaluation circuit regulates a light quantity emitted by the light transmitter to a reference quantity by means of a control signal and generates a deformation signal based on the control signal or on a signal derived from the control signal. The aperture element converts a deformation or movement of the component into a change of position of the aperture element relative to the light path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor assembly for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture with at least one actuator for adjusting an adjustable component of the piece of furniture and a control system for controlling the at least one actuator, the sensor assembly comprising a light transmitter (210) and a light receiver (220) coupled to each other via an optical light path (215), wherein the light receiver (220) is configured to provide a reception signal based on a received amount of light; an aperture element (240) which is configured to at least partially cover the light path (215) and which is mounted in a movable manner with respect to the light path (215) in such a way that a change in a position of the aperture element (240) results in a change in the covering of the light path (215); and an evaluation circuit configured to control an amount of light emitted from the light transmitter (210) via a control signal that is generated based on minimizing a difference between the received signal and a reference signal, and to generate a deformation signal based on the control signal or on a signal derived from the control signal; wherein the sensor assembly is configured to be mounted in the piece of furniture such that the aperture element (240) converts a deformation or movement of the adjustable component into a change in the position of the aperture element (240) relative to the light path (215). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation circuit comprises a filter stage and is configured to generate the deformation signal by filtering the control signal or the signal derived from the control signal using the filter stage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor assembly according to claim 2, wherein the filter stage is designed as a low-pass filter stage and a differentiator is connected downstream of the low-pass filter stage, or wherein the filter stage is designed as a band-pass filter stage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the light path (215) is shorter than 2 cm, in particular shorter than 1 cm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the light path (215) is a direct optical connection for transmitting light from the light transmitter (210) to the light receiver (220), in particular without the use of reflections. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aperture element (240) has a shape of any one of the following: a cone; a truncated cone; a pyramid; a truncated pyramid; a cylinder; a cuboid; a cone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the aperture element (240) comprises a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the light path (215) which is at least partially formed by at least one of the following shapes: a rectangle; a triangle; a trapezoid; a circle segment; a ellipse segment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aperture element (240) is adapted to be fixedly mounted to the adjustable component for producing the change in position of the aperture element (240) relative to the light path (215). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, where the aperture element (240) is mounted elastically in the sensor assembly and is arranged to produce the change in position of the aperture element (240) relative to the light path (215) via touching of the component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the light transmitter (210) and the light receiver (220) are arranged on a common printed circuit board (230). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sensor assembly according to claim 10, wherein the light path (215) is parallel or substantially parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board (230). ### Claim 12 (depends on 10, 11) The sensor assembly according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the printed circuit board (230) has an opening below the light path (215), the aperture element (240) being mounted movably above and/or in the opening. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10, 11, 12) The sensor assembly according to one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a housing (270) in which the circuit board (230) is arranged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) An actuator for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture with a control system for controlling the at least one actuator, the actuator being set up for adjusting an adjustable component of the piece of furniture and comprising a sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the sensor assembly is arranged in a housing of the actuator and the aperture element (240) is fixed in the actuator in such a way that a deformation or movement of the adjustable component via a deformation or movement of an end shield of the actuator converts the change in position of the aperture element (240) relative to the light path (215). ### Claim 15 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) A control system for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture with at least one actuator for adjusting an adjustable component of the piece of furniture, the control comprising a sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control is configured to control the at least one actuator and is configured to be mounting onto the adjustable component, and wherein the sensor assembly is integrated in a housing of the control. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10, 11, 12, 15) The control system according to claim 15 with a sensor assembly according to one of claims 10 to 12, in which the printed circuit board (230) of the sensor assembly is formed by a printed circuit board of the control system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15, 16) The control according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the control system is configured to detect a collision based on the deformation signal, in particular based on a change in the deformation signal, and to stop the at least one actuator in the event of a detected collision and/or to switch over a direction of movement of the at least one actuator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) An electrically adjustable piece of furniture with at least one actuator for adjusting an adjustable component of the piece of furniture, with a control for controlling the at least one actuator and with at least one sensor assembly according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the at least one sensor assembly is mounted in the piece of furniture in such a way that the aperture element (240) converts a deformation or movement of the adjustable component into the change in position of the aperture element (240) relative to the light path (215). ### Claim 19 A method for operating an electrically adjustable piece of furniture comprising at least one actuator for adjusting an adjustable component of the piece of furniture and at least one sensor assembly, the at least one sensor assembly having a light transmitter (210) and a light receiver (220) which are coupled to one another via an optical light path (215), as well as an aperture element (240) which is configured to at least partially cover the light path (215) and which is mounted in a movable manner with respect to the light path (215) in such a way that a change in a position of the aperture element (240) results in a change in the covering of the light path (215), the method comprising: transmitting a first quantity of light from the light transmitter (210) via the light path (215) to the light receiver (220); generating, by means of the light receiver (220), a reception signal based on a second amount of light received via the light path (215); converting a deformation or movement of the adjustable component into a change in the position of the aperture element (240) relative to the light path (215); controlling the first amount of light by means of a control signal that results from minimizing a difference between the reception signal and a reference signal; generation of a deformation signal based on the control signal or on a signal derived from the control signal; detecting, based on the deformation signal, in particular based on a change in the deformation signal, a collision of the adjustable component; and terminating a movement of the at least one actuator and/or switching a direction of movement of the at least one actuator in case of a detected collision.