SEGMENTED SUPPORT BODY

Abstract

A segmented support body (1), in particular a table leg, comprising an outer segment (2), an intermediate segment (3) positioned within the outer segment and an inner segment (4) positioned within the intermediate segment, which segments (2, 3, 4) are slidable relative to each other, wherein the support body (1) has an actuator (18) and a displacement member (19) connected thereto within the inner segment (4) wherein the displacement member (19) is operatively coupled to the actuator (18) and the intermediate segment (3), which actuator (18) is adapted for displacement relative to the displacement member (19), and wherein the actuator (18) is at least operatively coupled to the outer segment (2), such that upon displacement of the actuator (18) relative to the displacement member (19) the outer segment (2) is displaced relative to the intermediate segment (3).

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. A segmented support body, in particular a table leg, comprising an outer segment, an intermediate segment positioned within the outer segment and an inner segment positioned within the intermediate segment, which segments are slidable relative to each other, wherein the supporting body comprises in the inner segment an actuator and a gear rack cooperatively connected with the actuator and coupled to an end of the intermediate segment, which actuator is adapted for displacement relative to the gear rack, and wherein the actuator is at least operatively coupled to the outer segment, such that when the actuator is displaced relative to the rack, the outer segment is displaced relative to the intermediate segment.

23. A segmented support body, in particular a table leg, comprising an outer segment, an intermediate segment positioned within the outer segment and an inner segment positioned within the intermediate segment, which segments are slidable relative to each other, wherein the support body has an actuator and a displacement member connected thereto within the inner segment wherein the displacement member is operatively coupled to the actuator and the intermediate segment, which actuator is adapted for displacement relative to the displacement member, and wherein the actuator is at least operatively coupled to the outer segment, such that upon displacement of the actuator relative to the displacement member the outer segment is displaced relative to the intermediate segment.

24. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the displacement member is operatively coupled to an end of the intermediate segment.

25. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the actuator includes a gear wheel that is rotatable for displacement of the actuator along the gear rack.

26. The segmented support body as claimed in claim 23, wherein the gear rack coupled to one end of the intermediate segment is coupled to a bottom element provided on the intermediate segment.

27. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the gear rack comprises teeth over part of its length.

28. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the displacement member comprises a chain having a rod connected on the one hand to a link of the chain and on the other hand to an end of the intermediate segment, which actuator is adapted for displacement relative to the chain and the bar attached thereto, and wherein the actuator is at least operatively coupled to the outer segment such that when the actuator is displaced relative to the chain and the rod connected thereto, the outer segment is displaced relative to the intermediate segment.

29. The segmented support body according to claim 28, wherein the actuator is connected to a frame and is arranged to rotate a drive wheel attached to the frame for driving the chain provided in operative relationship with the drive wheel, which chain is also in operative relationship with a guide wheel for moving the rod a distance between the drive wheel and the guide wheel, the frame being connected to the inner segment.

30. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the segments each comprise a first end and a second end.

31. The segmented support body according to claim 30, wherein the first ends are located at a position near the bottom element and the second ends are located at a position remote from the bottom element.

32. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the actuator is rigidly connected to the inner segment and operatively connected to two gear racks, wherein a first gear rack is coupled to a first end of the intermediate segment and a second gear rack is coupled to the outer segment.

33. The segmented support body according to claim 32, wherein in an extended position of the segments of the support body a first end of the first gear rack is coupled to a first end of the intermediate segment and a second end of the first gear rack is located adjacent and in operative connection with the actuator, and a first end of the second gear rack is positioned near a first end of the outer segment and a second end of the second gear rack is located near and in operative connection with the actuator.

34. The segmented support body according to claim 32, wherein in a retracted or nested position of the segments of the support body a first end of the first gear rack is coupled to a first end of the intermediate segment and the actuator is at a position substantially in the middle of both ends of and in operative connection with the first gar rack, and a first end of the second gear rack is positioned near a first end of the outer segment and the actuator is at a position substantially in the middle of the both ends of and in operative connection with the second gear rack.

35. The segmented support body according to claim 32, wherein the actuator is fixedly connected to the inner segment in the middle of the first end and the second end.

36. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the actuator is an electric motor.

37. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the outer segment comprises at a first end a cam on the inside for abutting in an extended position against a stop cam provided on the outside at a second end of the intermediate segment.

38. The segmented support body as claimed in claim 37, wherein the cam provided on the outer segment serves as a guiding element for the intermediate segment.

39. The segmented support body according to claim 37, wherein the cam provided on the intermediate segment serves as a guiding element for the outer segment.

40. The segmented support body according to claim 23, wherein the intermediate segment and the outer segment have guide cams on their insides for guiding the inner segment.

41. The segmented support body according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a stepper motor.

42. A set of at least two segmented support bodies according to claim 23, wherein the actuators are stepper motors and are provided with a control for synchronizing the actuators in each segmented support body.

Description

[0037] FIG. 1 a schematic cross-section of a first alternative embodiment of a support leg according to the invention in a first position,

[0038] FIG. 2 a schematic cross-section of the first alternative embodiment of a support leg according to the invention in a second position,

[0039] FIG. 3 a schematic cross-section of a second alternative embodiment of a support leg according to the invention in a first position,

[0040] FIG. 4 a schematic cross-section of the second alternative embodiment of a support leg according to the invention in a second position,

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of a third embodiment of a support leg according to the invention in a first position,

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-section of the third embodiment of a support leg according to the invention in a second position.

[0043] In the figures, the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals. However, not all parts necessary for a practical embodiment of the invention are shown, for simplicity of illustration.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a first variant of a support leg 1 according to the invention. The support leg 1 comprises an outer segment 2, an intermediate segment 3 and an inner segment 4.

[0045] The three segments 2, 3, 4 are slidable relative to each other in the direction of the arrow 5. The direction of displacement is in the longitudinal direction of the segments and goes in two opposite directions.

[0046] The support element 1 is designed to be placed on a support or ground surface 6. Here, an upper end will be understood to mean the end of the segments 2, 3, 4 or the support element 1 that is directed away from the support surface 6. Here, a lower end will stood to mean the end of the segments 2, 3, 4 or the support element 1 that is directed towards the ground surface 6.

[0047] The outer segment 2 has a lower end 7 and an upper end 8.

[0048] The intermediate segment 3 has a lower end 9 and an upper end 10.

[0049] The inner segment 4 has a lower end 11 and an upper end 12.

[0050] The intermediate segment 3 is optionally provided at the lower end 9 with a bottom element 13, such as a bottom plate 13, so that the end of the intermediate segment 3 facing the ground 6 is at least partially closed. The intermediate segment 3 can also be placed directly on the ground surface 6. The outer segment 2 can be open at both ends but can optionally be closed at the top end 8. The inner segment can be open or closed at both ends 11, 12.

[0051] The outer segment 2 has at the lower end 7 on the inside a guide cam 14 which abuts against the intermediate segment 3 to provide a stable construction.

[0052] The intermediate segment 3 has a cam 15 on the outside at the second end 9, which also serves as a guide cam 15 for guiding the outer segment 2, but which also serves as a stop cam 15 for the guide cam 14 so that the outer segment 2 can not be moved beyond the intermediate segment 3.

[0053] Likewise, the inner segment 4, which is slidably located within the intermediate segment 3, is provided on the outside with guide cams 16, 17. Cam 16 is provided on the outside at the lower end 12 of the inner segment 4. places. This cam 16 serves as a guide against the intermediate segment 3.

[0054] Cam 17 is placed on the outside at the top end 12 of the inner segment 4 and serves as a guide cam 17 against the outer segment 2.

[0055] The cam 16 also serves to limit the freedom of movement of the inner segment 4 relative to the intermediate segment 3 in the direction of the arrow 5, i.e. directed away from the ground surface 6, in order to prevent the inner segment 4 from sliding out of the intermediate segment 3.

[0056] Within the inner segment 4 an actuator 18 is placed, which in the embodiment shown is designed as an electric motor. A gear rack teeth 24 is placed within the inner segment 4 and connected to the intermediate segment 3 near the first end 9 thereof. The actuator 18 includes a rotatably driven gear 25 which is operatively coupled to the gear rack 19 so that the actuator 18 can be moved relative to the gear rack 19 in the direction of the arrow 5. In the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the actuator 18 is coupled to the outer segment 2 at a position near the second end 8 by means of a rod 20. By moving the actuator 18 along the gear rack 19, the outer segment 2 will be displaced with respect to the intermediate segment 3.

[0057] In order to obtain a proportional displacement of the inner segment 4 with respect to the outer segment 2 with this up and down displacement of the outer segment 2 with respect to the intermediate segment 3, the inner segment 4 may be rigidly coupled to the outer segment 2. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the cam 17 may clamp so tightly against the inside of the outer segment that it is carried along by the outer segment until the inner segment is stopped by means of cams 16 by means of a cam 26 that is provided on the inside of intermediate segment 3, whereby a temporary coupling between these segments is provided. Then the outer segment 2 will move further upwards while the inner segment 4 remains fixed against the intermediate segment 3.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows the support element according to the invention in an extended position. FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of the support element of FIG. 1 in a nested position.

[0059] In FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment is shown, wherein the segments 2, 3, 4 all have the same embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and wherein they are in the extended position. However, the actuator 18 in this embodiment is coupled to the inner segment 4. The coupling is provided substantially in the center of the inner segment 4, between the lower end 11 and the upper end 12.

[0060] Instead of a single gear rack 19, there is also a second gear rack 21. The second gear rack 21 is operatively coupled to the actuator 18 by means of toothing 22 and is fixedly connected with the second end 8 of the outer segment 2 at its end 23. Thereby, when controlling the actuator 18, a fixed displacement of the inner segment 4 with respect to the outer segment 2 and the Bate segment 3 is obtained. Since the inner segment 4 will always be in a symmetrical position with respect to the outer segment 2 and the intermediate segment 3, regardless of the degree of displacement of the segments 2, 3, 4 with respect to each other, a very stable support element 1 is obtained.

[0061] FIG. 4 finally shows the support element of FIG. 3 in a nested position.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment, in which segments 2, 3, 4 all have the same embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 and they are in the extended position. The actuator is mounted on a frame 29 and drives a first gear 30, also referred to as drive gear 30. A chain 28 is positioned in operative contact with the gear 30 and also runs over a spaced second gear 31, also referred to as guide wheel 31. The chain is generally sufficiently taut to allow suitable and secure transmission from drive wheel 30 to chain 28. A rod or bar 27 is connected to a link of the chain 28. As the drive wheel 30 rotates, the chain 28 will move and the rod 27 will move up or down relative to the actuator 18 which is rigidly connected to the frame 29. Because the bar 27 is supported on the bottom element 13 or possibly on the substrate 6, the frame 29 will move upwards when the link of the chain moves from the second end 32 of the frame to the first end 33 of the frame. Because the frame 29 is coupled to the outer segment 2, the outer segment 2 will also move upwards. The activity is identical in that respect to the variants shown in FIGS. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0063] The guide wheel 31 is connected to a drive shaft 34 which is also operatively coupled to a guide wheel of another support element (not shown in the figures). Rotating the guide wheel 31 simultaneously and identically rotates the guide wheel of the other segmented support element, thereby displacing the bars in both support elements in an identical manner. The application of the variant according to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is thus significantly cheaper than a variant in which control electronics and stepper motors are used.

[0064] FIG. 6 shows the variant according to FIG. 5 in a nested, retracted state. Here too, a very compact embodiment is obtained. invention also extends to any combination of features described above independently of each other.

[0065] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the figures. The invention is limited only by the appended claims.