초록 ▼

A movable portion of an article of furniture, in particular a drawer, flap or door, includes at least one preferably electrical drive unit and a triggering device for actuation of the drive unit. The triggering device is at least partially arranged at the movable portion of the article of furniture,

A movable portion of an article of furniture, in particular a drawer, flap or door, includes at least one preferably electrical drive unit and a triggering device for actuation of the drive unit. The triggering device is at least partially arranged at the movable portion of the article of furniture, and has at least three different switching states. The triggering device has two touch switches (5a, 5b), preferably mechanical touch switches, IR-touch switches or capacitive touch switches, and the direction of actuation (Y1, Y2, Z1, z2) of the switches is identical to the desired direction of movement (X1, X2) of the moved portion of the article of furniture.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An actuator for a movable portion of an article of furniture, comprising: a drive unit for moving the movable portion; and a triggering device for actuating said drive unit, said triggering device including a drag switch and a drag element operable to be moved by the mo

The invention claimed is: 1. An actuator for a movable portion of an article of furniture, comprising: a drive unit for moving the movable portion; and a triggering device for actuating said drive unit, said triggering device including a drag switch and a drag element operable to be moved by the movable portion of the article of furniture, said drag switch including a fixed switching contact fixed with respect to a body portion of the article of furniture and a movable switching contact on said drag element. 2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said drive unit comprises an electrical drive unit. 3. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said fixed switching contact comprises a first fixed switching contact, said drag switch further including a second fixed switching contact fixed with respect to the body portion of the article of furniture. 4. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said drag element comprises a bar guided in frictionally-engaging relationship within a bore at the movable portion of the article of furniture. 5. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the movable portion of the article of furniture is one of a drawer, flap, and door. 6. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said drive unit includes a drive motor for moving the movable portion of the article of furniture and an electronic control device for controlling said drive motor based on a signal received from said triggering device, said electronic control device is operable to cause movement of the movable portion of the article of furniture into an opened or closed position by controlling said drive motor after receiving the signal from said triggering device. 7. The actuator of claim 6, wherein said electronic control device is operable to cause movement of the movable portion of the article of furniture into both the opened and closed position depending on the signal received from said triggering device. 8. The actuator of claim 6, wherein said triggering device is operable to be actuated by tapping the movable portion of the article of furniture. 9. The actuator of claim 8, wherein said triggering device is operable to actuate said drive unit to move the movable portion of the article of furniture over as long a period of time as actuation lasts if actuation of said triggering device is over a longer period of time than a tap. 10. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said drive unit is operable to move the movable portion of the article of furniture in both an open direction and a closed direction based on a signal received from said triggering device. 11. The actuator of claim 1, wherein, during movement of the movable portion of the article of furniture, said triggering device is operable to stop the movement of the movable portion by actuation of said drag switch of said triggering device. 12. An article of furniture comprising: a body portion; a movable portion operable to move relative to said body portion; and said actuator of claim 1 mounted to said body portion and said movable portion. 13. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said fixed switching contact comprises a first fixed switching contact, said drag switch further including a second fixed switching contact fixed with respect to the body portion of the article of furniture and spaced apart from said first fixed switching contact, said movable switching contact being arranged between said first fixed switching contact and said second fixed switching contact. 14. The actuator of claim 13, wherein said drag element is operable to move said movable switching contact into contact with one of said first fixed switching contact and said second fixed switching contact, said triggering device being operable to generate a signal when said movable switching contact contacts one of said first fixed switching contact and said second fixed switching contact, and to transmit the signal to said drive unit. 15. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said movable switching contact is adjacent to said fixed switching contact, said drag element being operable to move said movable switching contact into and out of contact with said fixed switching contact, said triggering device being operable to generate a signal when said movable switching contact contacts said fixed switching contact, and to transmit the signal to said drive unit. 16. An article of furniture, comprising: a body portion; a movable portion movable relative to said body portion in a moving direction, said movable portion including a first movable component and a second movable component movable in the moving direction relative to said first movable component; a drive unit for moving said movable portion in the moving direction; and a triggering device for actuating said drive unit based on a position of said second movable component relative to said first movable component. 17. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said drive unit comprises an electrical drive unit. 18. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said second movable component comprises a handle movably supported relative to said first movable component. 19. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said first movable component comprises a lateral drawer frame and said second movable component comprises a front panel of said lateral drawer frame. 20. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said movable portion comprises one of a drawer, a flap, and a door. 21. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said drive unit includes a drive motor for moving said movable portion and an electronic control device for controlling said drive motor based on a signal received from said triggering device, said electronic control device is operable to cause movement of said movable portion into an opened or closed position by controlling said drive motor after receiving the signal from said triggering device. 22. The article of furniture of claim 21, wherein said electronic control device is operable to cause movement of said movable portion into both the opened and closed position depending on the signal received from said triggering device. 23. The article of furniture of claim 21, wherein said triggering device is operable to be actuated by tapping said second movable component. 24. The article of furniture of claim 23, wherein said triggering device is operable to actuate said drive unit to move said movable portion over as long a period of time as actuation lasts if actuation of said triggering device is over a longer period of time than a tap. 25. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said drive unit is operable to move said movable portion in both an open direction and a closed direction based on a signal received from said triggering device. 26. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein, during movement of said movable portion, said triggering device is operable to stop the movement of said movable portion by actuation said triggering device. 27. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said second movable component is mounted directly to said first movable component.