Furniture for generating green energy

Abstract

The application provides items of furniture having a seating portion ( 2 ), a table surface ( 3 ) and a set of two pedals ( 4 ) allowing the user to pedal from a sitting position on the seating portion, whereby this set of pedals are connected to a generator.

1 . An item of furniture comprising
 a seating portion;   a set of two pedals enabling the user to pedal from a sitting position on the seating portion, whereby this set of pedals is connected to a generator;   a table surface; whereby the table surface is physically connected to the seating portion;   
       whereby the item of furniture is further characterized in that said item of furniture comprises a modular system of combination enabling two or more items of furniture to be connected together in a modular manner. 
     
     
         2 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , wherein said modular system of combination enables two or more items of furniture to be connected together in a modular manner, thereby generating a common table surface. 
     
     
         3 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , which further comprise an energy buffer which is connected to the generator. 
     
     
         4 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , which further comprises one or more plug sockets, preferably comprising a USB port or a micro-USB port, connected to the generator and/or to the energy buffer. 
     
     
         5 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , further comprising a grid connection enabling the energy that is produced to be connected to an electricity grid. 
     
     
         6 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , further comprising a charging module enabling the energy produced to be supplied to an electrical or electronic system connected thereto, preferably by means of an inductive coupling. 
     
     
         7 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , that also comprises a central processing unit that receives data from the generator and/or from sensors coupled with the pedals, whereby the said central processing unit can optionally transmit data via a wireless connection and whereby the item of furniture optionally comprises a display that is coupled to the central processing unit. 
     
     
         8 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a connection to the internet or to a network. 
     
     
         9 . The item of furniture according to  claim 8  above, in which the connection to the internet or to a network includes connection to social networking sites. 
     
     
         10 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , in which the seating portion slopes downwards towards the pedals, preferably at an angle of at least 1°, more preferably at an angle of at least 5°, and most preferably at an angle of at least 10°. 
     
     
         11 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , in which the set of pedals is connected to a direct drive motor or to a generator by means of a transmission system optionally comprising a gear system, whereby this gear system is either a double stage or a single stage system, preferably a single stage system. 
     
     
         12 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , in which the energy buffer comprises a rechargeable battery or a capacitor, for example the rechargeable battery of an electric bicycle, preferably selected from a list containing a rechargeable lead-acid battery, a rechargeable lithium ion battery, an ultra-capacitor and an electrolytic capacitor and preferably in which the energy buffer comprises an ultra-capacitor and a switched current limiter. 
     
     
         13 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , in which the generator is selected from a list containing a DC generator, an AC generator and a hub dynamo, preferably whereby the generator comprises an AC generator. 
     
     
         14 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator that indicates one or more of the following:
 how much energy is being consumed and/or   how much energy is being generated and/or   where applicable, how much energy there is remaining in the energy buffer, whereby said indicator comprises a light-emitting element, for example an LED strip.   
     
     
         15 . The item of furniture according to  claim 14  above, whereby the indicator comprises a light-emitting element with a variable lighting intensity and/or whereby the said indicator comprises a number of light sources, whereby a variable number of these light sources can be illuminated. 
     
     
         16 . The item of furniture according to  claim 1 , further comprising an integrated display, said display provides one or more of the following information:
 information on time and/or intensity of movement of pedals, optionally converted into information of calorie consumption.   
     
     
         17 . An item of furniture according to  claim 1 , whereby the table surface is circular and comprises a central hole, whereby the item comprises a vertical structure extending through the central hole and said hole optionally allows the introduction of additional vertical structures so as to generate a combination of furniture items with a common table surface. 
     
     
         18 . Use of an item of furniture according to  claim 1  for displaying commercial or informal messages.