modular system for rocking furniture

Abstract

The invention is a modular system for rocking furniture. It comprises one active pad and several passive pads. Active and passive pads contain a linear rail and slider riding on the rail. A platform is mounted on the linear slider of the active and passive pads. The support points or legs of the furniture stand on these platforms. Optional platform fencing prevents the support points from moving relative to the platform. Platform fences are held on the platform via partial or full insertion into suitably shaped holes in the platform. The active pad contains an electric motor, a gearing system, an arm or piston attached to the final gear or pulley on one end, and attached to a linear slider on the other. The system is controlled wirelessly via a computing device, and/or via a remote control. Automation is via motion sensors in the active pad.

1 . A system for inducing motion in the horizontal plane of a piece of furniture put on top of it, comprising one active pad or several active pads and one or more passive pads where active and passive pads comprise:
 a. a box with an open or partially open top;   b. a motion permitting support including a linear rail mounted into the box;   c. a movable slider riding on the linear support or rail including a linear bearing block;   d. a platform for placing or mounting furniture upon, mounted on top of the slider;   e. spacers between slider and platform.   
     
     
         2 . An active pad according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a. a round disc, including a pinion gear or a pulley; 
 b. an arm or piston connecting the slider to the disc thereby translating continuous; rotary movement of the disc to reciprocating linear motion of the slider; 
 c. an electric motor, including a stepper motor; 
 d. a reduction gear assembly such as pinion gears, bevel gears, or belt-pulley systems connecting the shaft of the electric motor to the disc. 
 
     
     
         3 . An active pad according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 a. control electronics including a microcontroller and a motor driver; 
 b. a wireless module which may be integrated into the microcontroller; 
 c. an inertial measurement unit; 
 d. power circuitry; 
 e. a power supply; 
 f. one or more cooling fan motors; 
 g. a user control unit with at least one button connected to the active pad by wire or wirelessly, 
 h. a temperature sensor including a thermistor; 
 i. an app or firmware running on the microcontroller. 
 
     
     
         4 . Active and passive pads according to  claim 1  further comprising
 a. a lid, including a lid with 5 sides to surround the box at the top and on the sides with slots in the top side of the lid in which the spacers ride; 
 b. fabric, including stretchy fabric, draped around the cover and attached to the cover, and attached to or under the platform. 
 
     
     
         5 . The platform according to  claim 1  whereby the platform is perforated by holes allowing the insertion of objects such as pins, screws or fences in order to form a demarcated and secured area for placing a support point of a piece of furniture such as a bed leg within it. 
     
     
         6 . Active and passive pads according to  claim 4  whereby the stretchy fabric is attached such that deviation of the movable platform from the center of the allowable linear motion is leading to a spring loading of said stretchy fabric pulling the movable platform back to or close to the centered position. 
     
     
         7 . Active and passive pads according to  claim 4  whereby the fabric is attached to the lid by means of slots in the fabric and teeth integrated into or attached to the lid, or by glue, or via a hook and loop system, or via buttons. 
     
     
         8 . Active and passive pads according to  claim 1  where the allowable linear motion of the passive pads is larger than the allowable linear motion of the active pads. 
     
     
         9 . The platform according to  claim 5  whereby the holes are threaded allowing the insertion of screws or other objects with a thread. 
     
     
         10 . The platform according to  claim 5  whereby the holes are not threaded allowing objects to be pushed into the holes and held therein by friction. 
     
     
         11 . The platform according to  claim 5  whereby the holes are keyed allowing objects to be inserted and removed from the holes at a specific angle of rotation relative to the keyed hole, but held therein when turned to another angle relative to the keyed hole. 
     
     
         12 . The platform according to  claim 9  where the threaded holes are used in conjunction with screws or other threaded objects in order to fasten platform fencing or other objects suitable for demarcation to the platform. 
     
     
         13 . The platform according to  claim 9  where the threaded holes are used to fasten a bracket which in turn can be connected to the furniture or a furniture support point. 
     
     
         14 . The platform according to  claim 9  where a block of thermoplastics is mounted on top, said block of thermoplastics allowing the precise molding to the shape of a furniture support point. 
     
     
         15 . The platform according to  claim 1  where panels are attached to the sides of the platform via hinges, and can be folded from a horizontal angle in which they lie in the plane of the platform to a vertical or beyond vertical angle, and which can be constrained at different angles by use of a ratchet, or screw, or bolt, or pin, thereby allowing the panels to demarcate an area on the platform and hence prevent a furniture point placed inside the demarcated area from moving relative to the platform. 
     
     
         16 . A user control unit according to  claim 3  which allows for control of the system by:
 a. Reading out the sequence of button presses on the remote control; 
 b. starting the rocking motion with the first button press; 
 c. increasing the speed of the rocking motion with subsequent button presses; 
 d. stopping the rocking motion with a final button press; 
 e. setting the desired time of the rocking motion by holding the button. 
 
     
     
         17 . An application or firmware according to  claim 3  which allows for control of the system by:
 a. transmitting settings to the active unit via a direct wireless connection or via the internet; 
 b. transmitting when a button is pressed, in the user interface or a setting otherwise changed, saved or confirmed; 
 c. receiving or reading out data from the microcontroller, temperature sensor and inertial measurement unit in the active pad. 
 
     
     
         18 . An application or firmware according to  claim 3  which allows for control of the system by:
 a. receiving acceleration and/or gyroscopic data from the inertial measurement unit; 
 b. automatically turning on the linear motion of the active unit when acceleration or gyroscopic data are above a threshold set in the user interface of the application or firmware, 
 c. setting the speed and duration of the automatic linear motion according to settings set in the user interface of the application or firmware or directly in the firmware. 
 
     
     
         19 . An application or firmware according to  claim 3  which reads out data from the microcontroller and sensors of the active unit and presents these in graphic, table or text format in the user interface broadcast to a connected device by firmware running on the microcontroller of the active pad or an application running on a connected device. 
     
     
         20 . An application or firmware according to  claim 3  which reads out data from the temperature sensor and switches the motor driver off when the measured temperature is above a threshold set in the firmware or application and which can also switch the cooling fans on and off or control their speed.