Patents Assigned to Linak A/S
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Patent number: 8358096Abstract: A linear electro-mechanical actuator comprises a housing with a reversible DC-motor (1), which through a transmission (2) can move an activation element (5) between two end positions. The activation element (5) will in the two end positions cause the electrical end stop switches (17, 25) to be activated for interrupting the current for the DC motor (1) in the end positions of the activation element (5) for running the motor (1) in one direction. Parallel to the end stop switches (17, 25), an extra set of switches (21, 23) are incorporated for determining in which end position the activation element (5) is located.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2009Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Jeppe Bastholm
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Patent number: 8350170Abstract: An electric hand control, especially for electrically adjustable hospital and care beds and comprising a housing (1) constructed as a single trough shaped shell with a bottom and side walls, and wherein a printed circuit (2) with switches is mounted and above the switches there is a plate with tongue like shaped keys, and finally there is a cover foil (6) with indication of the keys and secured to the upper edge of the sides of the shell. As the housing is a single shell for one thing manufacturing of two difficult parts is avoided, for another assembling of these are avoided in the assembling process, and finally an assembling with a risk of leak is avoided. By further equipping the printed circuit and the cable with a plug (12a) the assembly is made easier. In this connection it is expedient that the spout (10) is equipped with an oval through going hole, so that the plug at the end of the cable can be led through the spout.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2006Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Verner Smidt, Bjarne Carstensen
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Patent number: 8314525Abstract: An electrical actuator comprising a housing of plastic with a reversible low voltage motor (2), electrical equipment for controlling and supplying the motor with power, where the electrical equipment (19,15) is enclosed in an enclosure (20) of fire resistant material. By this the housing (1) can be designed according to strength, hygiene and sealing, while fire prevention as a result of defect in the electrical equipment can be limited to the separate enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2006Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Tom T. Kragh, René Sørensen, Finn Jacobsen
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Patent number: 8313075Abstract: A lifting column for treatment tables, hospital- and care beds with a casing consisting of three telescopic members (11, 12, 13) with a drive unit located in the hollow of the intermediate member (12). The drive unit comprises a body element (22) with chain wheels (25, 33) and one chain (47) provided with driving rods (50, 51) secured to the two other telescopic members (11, 13). The drive unit further comprises a linear actuator (18) with an electric motor (19), which drives a spindle (21) located within the cross section of the body element (22) and a spindle nut (28) secured thereto for longitudinal displacement of the body element (22) with the chain wheels (25, 33), so that the telescopic members (11, 12, 13) are extended or retracted depending on the direction of rotation of the motor. Thus a compact structure is achieved as the guide is constructed as a casing and the actuator is integral with the body element which has one chain only.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2008Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Tom Toft Kragh, Martin Kahr Knudsen
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Patent number: 8308603Abstract: A linear actuator comprising a spindle (5) with a spindle nut (6), where the spindle (5) is driven by an electric motor (2) via a transmission (3,4), comprising a planetary gear (4). The construction is constructed in such a way that the spindle (5) is lead through the transmission (3,4) and is embedded by means of a ball bearing (20) in connection with a rear mounting (10), causing the axial forces to be lead through the transmission (3,4) via the spindle (5) and the ball bearing (20) to the rear mounting (10). This means that the construction is simpler and less voluminous and that the axial forces, moreover, are not transferred to the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Martin Kahr Knudsen, René Sørensen, Anders B. Lorenzen
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Patent number: 8302227Abstract: Today, electromechanical actuator systems are used in a variety of applications, of which some are more safety critical than others. Likewise, they are used in a wide range of applications where the safety of persons often to a higher or lesser extent depends on that the actuators remains safe both during normal use and in the fault conditions, which may occur. By an actuator comprising a DC motor (2) equipped with a worm drive and a spindle (4), the typical wearing components are the bearing, which carries the spindle (4), the spindle nut (5) and the worm wheel (9) in the worm drive. Common to the described defect situations is that they in the time leading up to the occurrence of the defect will show a decrease in the ratio of efficiency. Whether it is the spindle bearing, the worm drive, the spindle nut (5) or for that matter the motor, which is getting worn, the proportion between the current which the motor absorbs and the force the actuator performs will change.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Svend Erik Knudsen Jensen
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Patent number: 8272087Abstract: A piece of resting furniture such as a bed or chair comprising a least one actuator (4,5) and a control unit (11) and at least one control panel (9,10) to bring about an adjustment of the piece of furniture, and further comprising at least one strain gauge (18,19) connected to an alarm to detect whether a person is occupying the piece of furniture or not wherein the strain gauge (18,19) is located in connection with the actuator (4,5). The function is based on relative changes in the load on the strain gauge (18, 19) from a preset reference thereby allowing use of sensors with low resolution, which thereby are comparatively cheap. Moreover, when placing the strain gauge (18,19) in connection with the actuator (4,5) this simplifies the incorporation thereof in the piece of furniture. Not least the construction also renders it possible in an easy manner to upgrade existing hospital and care beds with an egress function.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2008Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Karsten Westermann
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Patent number: 8240257Abstract: The invention relates to an article of furniture, such as a sitting/standing table, wherein an adjustable element, such as a table top, may be adjusted by a drive unit (8) based on an electric motor. An electrical control unit (6) has a plurality of externally accessible gates and is arranged so as to meet a number of requirements for services and/or optional special functions which may be modified, activated or deactivated with a plurality of external modules (5) configured with a plug (11) when said plug is inserted into a gate (9).Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2005Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: John H. Frost
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Patent number: 8234944Abstract: An emergency lowering (retraction) mechanism for a linear actuator includes first and second cylindrical parts, an operating handle outside of the first cylindrical part, and a coil spring which has a first end connected to the operating handle, a second end connected to the second cylindrical part, and a plurality of windings, with some of the windings wrapping around and contacting the outer periphery of the first cylindrical part and some wrapping around and contacting the outer periphery of the second cylindrical part.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Anders B. Lorenzen
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Patent number: 8193755Abstract: An actuator comprising a reversible electric motor, which over a gearing, drives an activation element which can move back and forth. The activation element is of the non-self-locking type. Furthermore the motor and gearing are of a non self locking type. A brake holds the activation element in any position, when the electric motor is inactive, said brake can be released by means of a release mechanism. The motor is used as generator when the brake is released and the generator voltage from it is used to adjust the velocity of the activation element. Thus, a quick release is provided, where the activation element can be disengaged and adjusted evading gear and motor, and where the movement of the activation element, during the disengagement, occurs with a controlled velocity.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2007Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Svend Erik Knudsen Jensen, John Abrahamsen
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Patent number: 8186236Abstract: Actuator of the type where a driving rod (11) is extended by a nut (10) on a driven spindle. A manually operated emergency lowering device (14) for the driving rod (11) is mounted between the driving rod (11) and a mounting bracket (16) at the end thereof. The emergency lowering device (14) comprises a first cylindrical part (15) connected with the mounting bracket (16) and a second cylindrical part (17) connected with the driving rod (11). The two cylindrical parts are coupled together by a screw spring (21). The spring is released by an operating grip (19) constructed as a bushing in which the one end (22) of the spring (21) is secured. The other end (23) of the spring (21) is secured in the cylindrical part (17) connected with the driving rod (11). Rotation of the bushing causes the spring (21) to be released, whereby the driving rod (11) may be screwed back by the manually applied torque.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2006Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: LINAK A/SInventor: Anders Berkjær Lorenzen
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Patent number: 8181546Abstract: In an actuator, a quick release unit is introduced in a transmission between an activating element and a reversible electric motor for disengaging the activating element (5) from the electric motor and the part of the transmission (6) which is disposed from the motor to the quick release unit. This quick release unit comprises two cylindrical coupling parts (8, 9) provided with axially extending and mutually engaging torque-transferring means (21a, 21b), and where the two coupling parts (8, 9) are mutually axially displaceable and kept in engagement with each other by a spring (25). The two coupling parts may be displaced mutually against the spring (25) by a release mechanism, so that the torque-transferring connection (21a, 21b) between the two coupling parts (8, 9) is interrupted. The quick release unit may be made compact, and especially in connection with a worm wheel (6) with a cylindrical part on the side it may be substantially received in the cylindrical part.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2005Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Phillip Larsen, Martin Kahr Knudsen, René Sørensen
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Patent number: 8139345Abstract: A power operator for switchgear (1) for mains power distribution systems, where the switchgear comprises a closed cabinet (5) with an operating shaft protruding there from. The operating shaft is rotable at least between two positions and has a coupling part (2, 3). The operator comprises a housing (10), which is mountable on the external surface (4) of the switchgear housing, and a rotatable connection shaft (14) connected to an electric drive mechanism (11). It has a first coupling part to fit with the coupling part of the operating shaft in a longitudinal axial sliding and non-rotational interlocking manner. The coupling part of the connection shaft (14) is a separate interchangeable part (24, 24a) of the connection shaft attached thereto by non-rotational interlocking means. Further, it has an activation knob (16) extending from the housing (10) to operate the switch manually.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Bruno Christensen, Anders Lorenzen, Verner Smidt, Jens N. Paulsen, Glenn Smith
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Patent number: 8127633Abstract: By a linear actuator of the type comprising a driven spindle with a spindle nut, the outer positions and possibly also the intermediate positions of the spindle nut can be determined by a specially designed switch construction. This switch comprises an elongated conductor (8a), and next to this at least one other short conductor (8b), and where a connection element (10) for the spindle nut is equipped with an electric conductive element (9), for creating contact between the two conductors (8a, 8b). With two short conductors at the end of the elongated conductor end-stop switches for the nut are achieved and with more short conductors between the two end conductors the position of the spindle nut between its outer positions can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Henning Kristensen
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Patent number: 8129644Abstract: A motor operator for switchgear for use in mains power distribution systems comprising a closed cabinet (5) with an operating shaft (53) protruding there from said operating shaft being rotatable at least between two positions and has a coupling part (2). The motor operator (6, 7) comprises a housing mountable on the external surface of the switchgear cabinet. A rotatable connection shaft (51) is connected to an electric motor via a drive mechanism, and has a first coupling part (52) to fit with the coupling part (2) of the switchgear in a non-rotational interlocking manner, and further has a second coupling part (54) extending from the housing to operate the contact of the switch manually and, for which purpose, the motor operator has a release mechanism releasing the connection shaft. The motor and the drive mechanism is designed as an electro-mechanical actuator with a rear mounting (23) for mounting the actuator in the housing of the motor operator and ?.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Bruno Christensen, Anders Lorenzen, Verner Smidt, Jens N. Paulsen, Glenn Smith
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Patent number: 8084966Abstract: An electromotive furniture drive (2) for displacing parts of an item of furniture in relation to one another comprises a base body (16) on which a first drive unit (4) and a second drive unit (6) are held. When the furniture drive (2) is mounted, each drive unit (4, 6) is actively connected to a part of the item of furniture to be displaced. According to the invention, the drive units (4, 6) are each accommodated in a separate housing (8 or 10), whereby the base body (16) is provided in the form of a brace and connects the housings (8, 10) of the drive units (4, 6) to one another. The inventive model significantly simplifies the production of furniture drives whereby rendering it more economical.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2002Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Eckhart Dewert
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Patent number: 8078780Abstract: The invention relates to a communications method of communicating states from an activation unit to a receiver via a communications bus, wherein the state may be activation/deactivation of an activation unit, and wherein the state is communicated to the receiver via a serial data stream timed by a clock signal, said data stream transmitting data packets which comprise an identification part and a data pare wherein: ? the identification part comprises a plurality of bits which identify which activation units the data packet concerns, and ? the data part comprises a plurality of bits which individually identify the state of an activation unit. The invention also relates to a system based on the communications method and comprising an activation unit and a receiver. In addition, the invention relates to an activation unit and a receiver.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2006Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Svend Erik Knudsen Jensen
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Patent number: 8058572Abstract: An electrical actuator system, especially for adjustable articles of furniture, comprising at least one electric actuator for bringing about the adjustment, a mains based power supply and possibly also rechargeable batteries, a control unit and a hand (10) control with at least one key (17) of a transparent material and/or an area of transparent material surrounding the key. Inside the hand control (10) is a light source located in connection with the transparent material (16). A control of the light source is embodied so that the light source always emits a basic lighting and by touch, movement or activation of a key, the light source is brought to emit an actual operating lighting of the keys.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2007Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Jeppe C. Bastholm, Jan Frohlich
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Patent number: 8056489Abstract: A telescopic column, in particular for height-adjustable tables, comprises a first member (1) and a second member (2) arranged telescopically relative to each other, wherein the first member (1) is provided with a rack (12) and the second member (2) with a gear wheel (5) in mesh with the rack. Configuring the rack as a plurality of holes (12) in the member (1) allows the column to be made of a thin sheet.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2006Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Linak A/SInventor: Jens Jørgen Nielsen
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Patent number: D654524Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2011Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Linak A/SInventors: Torben Iversen, Rene Sørensen, Martin K. Knudsen