When the conversation turns to convenient living, this often includes extremely functional furniture and furnishings that adapt themselves to the individual requirements of the user at all times. The trend is clearly moving in the direction of furniture electrification: Small, quiet electric motors move sliding doors, raise and lower worktops and entire tables, open the flaps of wall units and innovative lighting systems improve visibility in the furniture. Nagold hardware innovator Häfele showed the latest products of comfort living at interzum in a special booth area.

TV lift and lift system: Always at the correct height

TV lift systems are already a classic as far as electrification is concerned - almost. Häfele introduced a lifting system that makes large flat screen TVs disappear in the sideboard. The TV is raised and provides the required entertainment at the push of a button whenever necessary. The TV lift has a load-bearing capacity of 65 kg and additional guide rails for optimum stability. The extremely low installation depth of 109 mm and lift of 965 mm make the lifting system the ideal fitting in high-quality furniture construction.

Another exhibition highlight in this area was the electric lift that has been developed and manufactured by Häfele. Under the motto “Raising and lowering made easy” Häfele showcased how this easy to install Plug & Play installation raises and lowers kitchen and furniture modules to the required height and adapts them to individual needs and living situations. The lift brings movement into furniture and is ideally suited for barrier-free living or additional convenience, e.g. if worktops are to be used by people of different heights. The Häfele system has load-bearing capacity of 140 kg and makes ergonomic working possible. It is characterised by a high degree of stability and has adjusting facilities in four dimensions. The low installation depth is another feature of the innovative system. This helps to provide legroom for wheelchair users, and also makes it possible to use standard drawers. There are no visible openings in the rear panel, meaning that it can also be fitted to kitchen islands and the fitting remains invisible.

EFL 80 drawer runners with Dialock lock

On the occasion of interzum Häfele introduced the EFL 80 drawer runners (full extension) a fitting that is unique on the market. This fitting combines the runners with an electronic lock in a single product. It is also child's play to process. The ball cage runners are fitted in the side row of holes in the cabinet and connected to the Dialock FT 120 furniture terminal using a system cable. Simply plug in using Plug & Play, and the drawer can already be opened and closed electronically. Quick and easy to install, impressive in action – these are real advantages to fabricators.

However, the EFL 80 is also impressive during use, because the drawer runners (full extension) also have all of the safety-related advantages of the Dialock locking systems: It can only be opened with an authorised key and automatic locking takes place after three seconds. This ensures that unauthorised persons are not unintentionally allowed to access the valuable contents. An optional feedback contact monitors the status of the drawer (open/closed) and triggers an alarm if necessary – a useful feature store fixtures. A mechanical emergency opening can be operated using a release lever should the power fail, for example. The locking mechanism is insensitive to magnetism and is therefore extremely secure.

Electric drive for flaps and sliding doors

Creativity is required when we are talking about electrification in furniture. Häfele demonstrated this with electrically operated flaps for wall units and sliding doors for cabinets and sideboards. The Free flap 3.15 hinge-less stay flap fitting, for example, can be equipped with an electric drive. Both the mechanical and the electric versions can also be illuminated. In order to do this, the cover caps are equipped with LED strips from the Loox product range – providing the wall unit that was exhibited as a study with illumination that aroused interest due to being inexplicable at first glance. The E-Senso-Plus is an electro-mechanically operated double flap lift up fitting with a quiet two-sided drive and CE and UL certification. It has a radio push-button that can be positioned anywhere, and the 2/3-1/3 front division provides optimum access to the cabinet interior.

Under the motto “Giving ideas wings”, Häfele also moves sliding doors of cabinets and sideboards electrically. e-drive is the electrical sliding door drive that opens and closes doors weighing up to 100 kg as if by an invisible hand. It can be combined with various Vorfront sliding door fittings from Häfele. This component is characterised by having an extremely quiet motor and simple Plug & Play installation. It can also be equipped with LED lights from the 12 Volt Loox product range at no additional installation cost. There is no need for an additional Loox driver and switch, since the e-drive detects whether the doors are open or closed and switches the lighting on or off accordingly. This hardware system is predestined for high-quality furniture construction and also satisfies customers with high-end and comfort demands.

Convenience is also important in offices, and a controller for the E Motion 650 Idea desk rounds off this exhibition area at interzum. The height of the computer screen workplace can be adjusted between 610 and 1265 mm at the push of a button with this system. The perfect solution for anyone who occasionally prefers to stand while working.

All electrified Häfele components are characterised by being easy to operate. They can be used ergonomically and individually, provide maximum living comfort and are also suitable for barrier-free equipment in living and working areas. Häfele is fulfilling the trend towards electrification convenience to a considerable degree with these solutions.

Source: Häfele GmbH & Co KG