Abstract:
A workbench ( 1 ) has a horizontal support ( 3 ) of a work component, especially in the form of clamping jaws ( 31, 32 ) or a work top, a foot part ( 4 ) and a support body ( 2 ) interlinking the foot part ( 4 ) and the work component support ( 3 ). The support body ( 2 ) that is mounted with its end ( 11 ) facing the foot close to the edge of the horizontally extending foot part ( 4 ) is mounted with its other end ( 16 ) diagonally juxtaposed close to the edge of the work component support ( 3 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a workbench. More particularly, the present invention relates to a workbench having a horizontal work component support, particularly in the form of clamping jaws or a work top, a foot part, and a support body which connects the foot part and the work component support to each other. 
     These types of workbenches are known in a variety of embodiments. For space-saving storage, foldable workbenches are provided. 
     With respect to the above mentioned prior art, the technical problem of the invention is to develop a workbench which is advantageous over the described art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This problem is principally solved by the subject matter of the workbench invention. An objective of the workbench is that the support body, the foot end of which is fixed close to the edge of the horizontally extending foot part, should be fixed with its other end diagonally juxtaposed close to the edge of the work component support. As a result of this configuration, the work component support, the support body, and the foot part form a z shape, wherein the support body forms the diagonal of the z. This produces a space-saving and simultaneously stable workbench, which has the shape of a standing desk. 
     In an advantageous development of the inventive subject matter, it is provided that the foot part and the work component support, which forms the legs of the z shape, are simultaneously foldable into a position parallel to the support body, which forms the diagonal of the z. This makes possible a space-efficient collapsing of the workbench, whereby handling is also user-friendly. 
     Pivoting the work component support from its horizontal operating position simultaneously causes a synchronized pivoting-in of the foot part in the direction of a position parallel to the support body. The fold-up path is limited when the legs hit the support body. Likewise, the unfolding path is also limited in that, in the unfolded position, the work component support and foot part extend horizontally parallel to one another. The synchronized folding motion of the legs, which occurs both in the folding and unfolding processes, is made possible by the additional coupling of the legs in the region of the support body, for example, with the aid of a coupling bar. 
     In another development, the folding motion of a leg is enabled by a first connecting rod which is led in a slot of the support body and which engages the foot part. Also, a second connecting rod engaging a support arm pivots at the support body, which is likewise guided in a slot of the support body synchronously with the first connecting rod. The pivoting displacement of a leg causes a linear displacement of a tab, which is guided in a slot of the support body, of the allocated connecting rod, given a simultaneous pivoting of the connecting rod about its axis, which is formed at the allocated leg. According to a preferred development, the two connecting rods are guided in the slots synchronously and are connected to each other. Thus, a connecting element which is disposed in the support body, for instance a coupling bar or the like, join the connecting rods, specifically their tabs or axles which protrude through the support body slots. As a result, an unfolding motion of the foot part leads to a linear displacement, in the allocated support body slot, of the free end of the first connecting rod which is rotationally mounted at the foot part, and to a synchronous linear displacement of the end of the second connecting rod, which is allocated to the support arm, as a consequence of which the support arm hinged at the support body unfolds in synchronized fashion. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, it is provided that, with the folding of the workbench, the end of the support arm opposite the joint at the support body slides along a guideway of the work component support. The guideway is adapted to the pivot path of the support arm in such a way that the pivoting of the support arm for an unfolding maneuver brings the work component support into the horizontal operating position. The guideway can be formed by an edge angle of the work component support. But, the guideway could be constructed as a guide slot which the support arm end engages. 
     It is also expedient when the unfolded final position, i.e. the horizontal position of the work component support, is stop-limited. An additional locking of the final positions, both in the unfolded and folded positions, also proves to be expedient. 
     It is thus proposed that the support body be constructed as a four-sided closed torsion-resistant box. Further, a space-efficient solution is achieved by a bipartite foot part, the two parts of which sit next to the support body in the folded position. As a result, the height of the foot part contributes only negligibly to the overall height of the folded workbench. 
     A development which has advantages particularly with respect to handling includes a support body that is extendable for purposes of height adjustment. 
     In another development of the invention, it is provided that the work component support bears two clamping jaws which can be displaced toward each other by pedal actuation. To realize this, foot pedals can be disposed at the support body, for example, with the aid of which a displaceable clamping jaw can be moved against a fixed jaw by means of a Bowden cable or the like. 
     The inventive workbench is given greater stability by first and second connecting rods which are led on either side of the short edge of the support box. Additional advantages are provided when the two connecting rods that are allocated to respective legs are coupled together, for instance, by means of an axle body which is held in the two connecting rods and which penetrates the support box. 
     Additional advantages are provided when the joints joining the two support arms to the short side of the support box, the joints joining the support box to the work component support, and the support arms engaging the guideway form a triangle in the unfolded position and lie on a line in the folded position. 
     As a result, a reliable supporting of the unfolded, horizontally extending work component support is provided via the support arms at the support box. 
     It is additionally proposed that the foot part form standing surfaces only with its ends, by virtue of its convex arc shape. It also proves expedient when one of the rounded standing surfaces forms a stand line in the folded position. 
     Finally, the inventive workbench is advantageously enhanced by a lamp which is held by an extension of the support body that protrudes beyond the plane of the work component support. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an inventive workbench in the folded position, representing a first embodiment. 
     FIG. 2 shows the workbench represented in FIG. 1 in the unfolded position. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a workbench, representing the folded position. 
     FIG. 4 shows the workbench represented in FIG. 3 in an intermediate position during the course of an unfolding maneuver. 
     FIG. 5 shows the workbench of FIG. 3 in the unfolded position. 
     FIG. 6 shows the unfolded position of the workbench of FIG. 5 in a front view. 
     FIG. 7 shows the workbench in a third embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, which represent several exemplifying embodiments. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a workbench  1  in a first embodiment is provided, having a support body  2  which is constructed as a four-sided closed torsion-resistant box, on one end of which a work component support  3  with clamping jaws is attached, and on the other end of which a foot part  4  is attached. 
     The foot part  4  has a substantially U-shaped contour with two freely projecting legs  5 . 
     The free ends of the legs  5  of the foot part  4  are constructed as rounded standing surfaces  6 . The crosspiece  7  connecting the legs  5  is likewise constructed as a rounded standing surface  8  over its entire length. In the folded position represented in FIG. 1, the rounded standing surface  8  forms a stand line. The stand line is referenced by the number  9  in FIG.  1 . 
     The support body  2  is swivel-coupled with the foot part  4  by an axle  10  in the region of the U-opening of the foot part  4 , i.e. between the legs  5  of the foot part  4 . The axle  10  is positioned in a corner region of the foot end  11  of the support body  2 . 
     A first connecting rod  12  is mounted at the foot part  4  approximately midway along the length thereof. An end of the first connecting rod  12  remote from the foot part bearing point  13  comprises a tab  15 , which is led in a slot  14  of the support body  2 . The slot  14  is constructed as a longitudinal slot along the length of the support body  2 . 
     In the corner region of the end  16  of the support body  2 , which is diagonally juxtaposed to the axle  10  of the foot part  4 , the work component support  3  is mounted so as to swivel via an axle  17 . 
     The work component support  3  comprises sidewalls  18  on either side of the support body  2 . The bottom faces of the sidewalls  18  form guideways  19 . 
     Between sidewall  18  and the allocated wall of the support body  2 , a support arm  21  is mounted to the support body  2  so as to pivot about axle  20 . The free end  22  of the support arm  21  comes into contact with the guideway  19  of the work component support  3  on the bottom side. 
     Also disposed with this support arm  21  is a second connecting rod  23 , which pivots about an axle  24 . The end of the rod  23  opposite the axle  24  is provided with a tab  25  which, like the first connecting rod  12  of the foot part  4 , is led in a longitudinal slot  26  which extends linearly along the length of the support body  2 . 
     For the synchronous displacement of the connecting rod tabs  15  and  25  in the slots  14  and  26 , and the synchronous deflection of the connecting rods  12  and  23 , these components are connected to each other. In the first represented exemplifying embodiment, this is accomplished with the aid of a coupling bar  27  which connects the tabs  15  and  25 . 
     On either side of the support body  2  at its connecting rods  12  and  23  on the short side, allocated guide slots  14  and  26 , as well as support arm  21 , are provided. 
     In the folded position of the workbench represented in FIG. 1, the work component support  3 , the support body  2 , and the foot part  4  extend nearly parallel to one another, whereby the support body  2  submerges partly into the region of the work component support  3  and the region of the foot part  4 . This produces a small structural height in the folded condition. 
     Furthermore, in this position, the support arm axle  20 , the free end  22  of the support arm  21 , which is in contact with the guideway  19 , and the joint  17  lie substantially on a line. 
     Also, the folded position is stop-limited such that a stop projection  28  at the end of the guideway  19  of the work component support  3  comes into contact with the free ends of the foot part legs  5 . 
     The set-up of the workbench  1  into the unfolded position represented in FIG. 2 is most easily accomplished by swiveling the free ends of the foot part legs  5  in the direction of arrow a. The first connecting rod  12 , which is moved in this maneuver, consequently causes synchronous displacement of the second connecting rod  23  via the connecting bar  27 . The support arm  21  is thus set up, whereby in the course of the swinging set-up maneuver, the end  22  at the guideway  19  running along the work component support  3  swings up in direction b. This set-up motion is limited by the contact of the support arm end  22  against the stop projection  8  at the end of the guideway  19 . In this spread position represented in FIG. 2, both the work component support  3  and the foot part  4  are aligned horizontally. This position can also be locked. 
     Support body  2 , work component support  3 , and foot part  4  form a z shape, with the work component support  3  and the foot part  4  forming the legs of the z shape, and the support body  2  forming the diagonal. 
     In addition, the support arm axle  20 , the free end  22  of the support arm  21 , and the joint  17  of the work component support  3  at the support body  2  form a triangle. 
     FIGS. 3 to  6  represent a second exemplifying embodiment of the inventive workbench  1 . This workbench  1  is identical to the above described exemplifying embodiment with respect to folding mechanics. 
     In this embodiment, for purposes of height adjustment the support body  2  is extendable, for which purpose the support body  2  is substantially divided in two longitudinally. The dividing plane is referenced by the number  29 . 
     The height adjustment can be accomplished by means of a handle  30  for lifting a catch. The handle  30  is disposed on the back of the support body  2 . 
     Furthermore, the foot part  4  (particularly, the foot part legs  5 ) has a convex arc shape, whereby only the ends of the foot part  4  form standing surfaces  6 ,  8 . 
     Advantageously, a displacement of clamping jaws  31 ,  32  which are disposed at the work component support  3  is accomplished by actuation of pedals  33 . A Bowden cable can be provided to accomplish this. By foot actuation, the clamping jaw  31  is moved against the fixed clamping jaw  32 . But, a construction in which the clamping jaws  31  and  32  are moved equal distances toward each other is also possible. 
     For illuminating the work area, the workbench  1  represented in FIG. 7 is provided with a lamp  36 , which is disposed at the free end of an extension  35  of the support body  2  projecting beyond the work component support  3 .