Height adjustable desk or table

Abstract

A height adjustable desk or table comprising a desk or table top, and a frame with spaced apart legs for supporting the desk or table top, wherein each of the legs comprises a movable upper portion and a lower stationary portion, and wherein a first cable is guided via first guide means connected with a lower end of the movable upper portion of the first leg via second guide means to a lower end of the lower stationary portion of the second leg, and a second cable is guided via third guide means connected with a lower end of the movable upper portion of the second leg via fourth guide means to a lower end of the lower stationary portion of the first leg, wherein each of the legs comprises a gas spring, and wherein for each gas spring the upper portion of the gas spring is arranged to be up-and-down movable portion of the leg and the lower portion of each gas spring is arranged to be the lower stationary portion of the leg.

Claims

1. A height adjustable desk or table comprising a desk or table top, and a frame with spaced apart legs for supporting the desk or table top, wherein each of the legs comprises a movable upper portion and a lower stationary portion, and wherein a first cable is guided via first guide means connected with a lower end of the movable upper portion of the first leg via second guide means to a lower end of the lower stationary portion of the second leg, and a second cable is guided via third guide means connected with a lower end of the movable upper portion of the second leg via fourth guide means to a lower end of the lower stationary portion of the first leg, wherein each of the legs comprises a gas spring, wherein for each gas spring the upper portion of the gas spring is arranged to be the up-and-down movable portion of the leg and the lower portion of each gas spring is arranged to be the lower stationary portion of the leg, wherein at least one of the legs is provided with a rail with slots, wherein the slots are equipped to receive an arresting pin to selectively block movement of the movable upper portion with respect to the lower portion of such leg.

2. The height adjustable desk or table according to claim 1, wherein each of the gas springs is provided with a valve to regulate the pressure in the gas springs.

3. The height adjustable desk or table according to claim 1, wherein the cables are provided with a horizontal part extending between the spaced apart legs, wherein the horizontal part comprises a section comprising a corrugated surface or screw thread, which section cooperates with an arresting block which is manipulable with a handle and which arresting block is capable to fix the section in a selected position so as to fix the height of the desk or table top.

4. The height adjustable desk or table according to claim 1, wherein the arresting pin is provided at a stationary position of the lower portion of the leg, and has actuating means that are provided at a side of the desk or tabletop.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1A shows in a perspective view a frame of a first embodiment of a desk or table according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 1B provides a schematic representation of the frame according to FIG. 1A, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the frame of FIG. 1, wherein for clarity certain parts are not shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the frame shown in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 4A shows in a perspective view a frame of a second embodiment of a desk or table according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 4B-4C show detail aspects of a preferred arresting system of the desk or tabletop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIGS. 5 and 6 each show separately a single cable that connects to different parts of the left and right leg of the desk or table, when the tabletop is at a high position, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIGS. 7 and 8 each show separately another single cable that connects different parts of the left and right leg of the desk or table, when the tabletop is at a low position, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of an arresting system of the desk or tabletop according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

(12) In FIG. 1A a perspective view of a frame 1 of a height adjustable desk or table comprising a desk or tabletop is shown. For clarity the desk or tabletop mounted on top of the frame is not shown, but only the frame 1 itself that supports the desk or tabletop.

(13) FIG. 1B provides a schematic representation of the frame 1 shown in FIG. 1A. The frame 1 preferably comprises spaced apart legs 2, 3 for supporting the desk or tabletop. The legs 2, 3 each have upper portions 2, 3 and lower portions 2, 3. The upper portions 2, 3 and the lower portions 2, 3 are preferably extendable with respect to each other, and a dual cable linkage 4, 5 is provided at least comprising two separate cables 4 and 5.

(14) With reference to FIG. 1B and FIGS. 6 and 8 it is shown that the first cable 4 is preferably guided via first guide means 14 connected with a lower end 17 of the movable upper portion 2 of the first leg 2 via second guide means 15, 16 to a lower end 18 of the lower stationary portion 3 of the second leg 3. FIG. 6 shows the relative position of the respective parts of the legs at a highest position of the desk or tabletop, and FIG. 8 shows the relative position of the respective parts of the legs at a lowest position of the desk or tabletop. For clarity only the first cable 4 is shown, and the second cable 5 is not depicted in FIGS. 6 and 8.

(15) With reference to FIG. 1B and FIGS. 5 and 7 it is shown that a second cable b is preferably guided via third guide means 19 connected with a lower end 20 of the movable upper portion 3 of the second leg 3 via fourth guide means 21, 22 to a lower end 23 of the lower stationary portion 2 of the first leg 2. FIG. 5 shows the relative position of the respective parts of the legs at a highest position of the desk or tabletop, and FIG. 7 shows the relative position of the respective parts of the legs at a lowest position of the desk or tabletop. For clarity only the second cable 5 is shown, and the first cable 4 is not depicted in FIGS. 5 and 7.

(16) This construction as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 1A/B and 5-8 secures that raising and lowering of the upper 2, 3 and lower portions 2, 3 of the respective legs 2, 3 is always executed in concert, i.e. both upper 2, 3 portions always move in sync with each other.

(17) Preferably, the upper 2, 3 and lower portions 2, 3 of the legs 2, 3 are embodied as gas springs 6, 7. See also FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein a further preferable feature according to the invention is depicted, notably that one or both of the gas springs 6, 7 is provided with a valve 8, 9 to regulate the pressure in the gas springs 6, 7. This is one of the primary innovations of the embodiments of the present invention described in this application.

(18) With reference to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the cable linkage 4, 5 is preferably provided with a horizontal part 9 extending between the spaced apart legs 2, 3, wherein said horizontal part 9 comprises a section 10 with a corrugated surface or screw thread 11, which section 10 cooperates with an arresting block 12 which is manipulable with a handle 13. The arresting block 12 is capable to fix said section 10 of the horizontal part 9 in a selected position so as to fix the height of the desk or tabletop.

(19) Finally FIG. 4A shows in a perspective view a frame of a second embodiment of a desk or table according to the invention; wherein FIGS. 4B-4C show detail aspects of a preferred arresting system of the desk or table top of the invention, notably that leg 2 is provided with a rail 24 with slots 25, wherein the slots 25 are equipped to receive an arresting pin 28 (housed in housing 26 and therefore not visible) to selectively block movement of the movable upper portion 2 with respect to the lower portion 2 of said leg 2. FIG. 4B shows the control device 27 at a side of the frame with which control device 27 the said pin 28 can be moved into or out a particular slot 25 of the rail 24. The arresting pin 28 is provided at a stationary position of the lower portion 2 of the leg 2.

(20) Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the frame of a height adjustable desk or table according to the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment. Note that in the specification and claims, about or approximately means within twenty percent (20%) of the numerical amount cited.

NOMENCLATURE

(21) 1: frame 2: leg; 2: movable upper portion; 2: stationary lower portion 3: leg; 3: movable upper portion; 3: stationary lower portion 4: first cable 5: second cable 6: gas spring 7: gas spring 8: valve 9: horizontal part 10: horizontal section 11: screw thread 12: arresting block 13: handle 14: first guide means 15: second guide means 16: second guide means 17: lower end of upper portion first leg 18: lower end of lower portion second leg 19: third guide means 20: lower end of upper portion second leg 21: fourth guide means 22: fourth guide means 23: lower end of lower portion first leg 24: rail 25: slots 26: housing 27: control device