Abstract:
A sliding guide element for moveable fastening a tabletop on bearing struts of a table frame comprises a main body configured to fasten to the underside of a tabletop, comprising a guiding portion configured to insert into a guide slot in bearing struts and moveable in the guide slot wherein the guide portion includes lateral guide surfaces for lateral guidance in the guide slot. The sliding guide element further includes resilient snap-fit limbs arranged on mutually opposed sides of the main body of the sliding guide element and moveable between an under-engagement position and project laterally over the guide portion to engage under a wall of the bearing struts, and an insertion position in which the snap-fit limbs guide through the guide slot in the bearing struts. The sliding guide elements still further includes a resiliently flexible end stop damper on at least one end region of the sliding-guide element.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a filing under U.S.C. §371 of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2013/002811, filed Sep. 18, 2013, entitled “SLIDING GUIDE ELEMENT AND TABLETOP-FASTENING SYSTEM FOR FASTENING A TABLETOP IN A DISPLACEABLE MANNER,” which claims the benefit of German Application No. 10 2012 021 835.4 filed on Nov. 8, 2012 and entitled “SLIDEWAY AND TABLETOP MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR SLIDABLY MOUNTING A TABLETOP,” the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a sliding-guide element and to a table-top fastening system for fastening a table-top in a movable manner. 
     Specific types of tables, in particular office desks, are constructed such that the tabletop can be moved relative to the table frame in a horizontal direction and in particular away from and towards the user. This is the case in particular if there is arranged on the frame underneath the tabletop a cable duct, a cable box or the like which, during normal use of the table, is to be covered by the tabletop, but at the same time is also to be easy to access from above, for example for inserting cables, connecting plugs, etc. 
     As is known, a wide variety of carriage guide systems are used to movably fasten a tabletop to a table frame. However, these carriage guide systems suffer from the disadvantage that they have a relatively complex construction and they complicate the assembly of the tabletop on the table frame. 
     The object of the invention is that of providing a sliding-guide element and a tabletop-fastening system by means of which a tabletop can be movably fastened to a table frame in a manner which is as fast, simple and economical as possible and which allows the tabletop to be moved in a reliable, smooth and precise manner on the table frame. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The sliding-guide element according to the invention has a main body which can be fastened to the underside of the tabletop, comprising a guide portion which can be inserted into a guide slot in the bearing struts and can be moved within the guide slot and has lateral guide surfaces for lateral guidance in the guide slot. Furthermore, arranged on mutually opposed sides of the main body of the sliding-guide element are resilient snap-fit limbs which can be moved between an under-engagement position in which they project laterally over the guide portion in order to engage under a wall of the bearing struts, and an insertion position in which they can be guided through the guide slot in the bearing struts. 
     The tabletop can be fastened movably on the table frame very simply and quickly by means of the sliding-guide element. For this purpose, it is merely necessary, after the sliding-guide elements have been fastened to the underside of the tabletop, to position the tabletop on the table frame and, if necessary, to slightly press it on to guide the guide portion of the main body together with the snap-fit limbs through the guide slot in the bearing struts and just by doing this, to fasten the tabletop movably on the table frame. In so doing, the snap-fit limbs engage under the wall of the bearing struts so that it is no longer possible for the tabletop to be lifted off the frame without the snap-fit limbs being pressed back beforehand. Thus, the tabletop is assembled on the table frame by clipping the tabletop onto the bearing struts of the frame. The guide portion of the main body simultaneously guides the tabletop laterally on the bearing struts of the frame, so that separate devices are not required for this purpose. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment, the main body of the sliding-guide element comprises a support portion which can be positioned on a wall of the bearing struts and projects laterally over the guide portion. The tabletop is supported vertically by this support portion of the main body, preferably in addition to supporting cushions which are arranged on the bearing struts and on which the tabletop rests. 
     The snap-fit limbs of the sliding-guide element advantageously have a guide web which engages in the guide slot in the under-engagement position and thereby determines the lateral position of the snap-fit limbs relative to the main body. The guide web is thus a lateral positioning means for the snap-fit limb. When the tabletop is raised, the guide webs prevent the snap-fit limbs from being bent away laterally outwards. 
     The snap-fit limb advantageously extends obliquely upwards from a lower region of the main body. As a result, firstly, the resilient coupling of the snap-fit limb to the main body can be carried out in a simple manner and secondly, the snap-fit limb can be arranged obliquely or can be provided on the outside thereof with wedge-shaped webs in such a way that as the insertion portion is progressively introduced into the guide slot, the snap-fit limb is increasingly pressed towards the longitudinal centre plane of the sliding-guide element until it can spring back again laterally outwards under the wall and can engage under the wall. 
     The snap-fit limbs are advantageously arranged in the longitudinal direction of the sliding-guide element between a front fastening portion and a rear fastening portion of the sliding-guide element. As a result, the sliding-guide element can easily be designed to be symmetrical without the sliding-guide elements being distorted when lifting or lateral forces are applied. 
     The front and rear fastening portions of the sliding-guide element are advantageously interconnected by means of a connecting web which is not as wide as the fastening portions, as a result of which a clearance is formed for swiveling in the snap-fit arm. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment, the sliding-guide element has on at least one of its end regions a resiliently flexible end stop damper which comes into contact with the end of the guide slot or with a counterstop to delimit the movement path of the tabletop. An end stop damper of this type can prevent in a simple manner a hard stop of the tabletop at the end of the movement path. An end stop damper of this type can be produced very simply by a flexible end wall of the main body, which wall extends over an adjacent cavity in the main body. 
     The object mentioned at the outset is also achieved by a tabletop fastening system for movably fastening a tabletop to bearing struts of a table frame, comprising a plurality of sliding-guide elements of the type mentioned above, the bearing struts having on their upper side guide slots through which the guide portions of the sliding-guide elements can be guided with a small lateral clearance and through which the snap-fit limbs can be guided and, in their under-engagement position, the snap-fit limbs engaging behind a wall of the bearing struts such that the tabletop cannot be lifted off the table frame. A tabletop fastening system of this type has the same advantages as described in connection with the sliding-guide element. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional view of a table in which sliding-guide elements according to the invention are used, 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a lateral end region of the table in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  shows the table in  FIG. 1  obliquely from below, 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the detail IV from  FIG. 3 , 
         FIG. 5  is a vertical sectional view through the table in  FIG. 1  in the region of the sliding-guide elements, 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the detail VI from  FIG. 5 , 
         FIG. 7  is a three-dimensional view of the sliding-guide element according to the invention obliquely from above, and 
         FIG. 8  is a three-dimensional view of the sliding-guide element in  FIG. 7  obliquely from below. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 to 5  show a table  1  comprising a frame  2  and a tabletop  3  which is arranged movably on the frame  2 . Tables of this type are used in particular in offices, but can also be used elsewhere. 
     The table frame  2  comprises two U-shaped side frame parts  4  which are formed in each case by two vertical table legs  5  and by a horizontal strut  6  which interconnects the two vertical table legs  5  at the upper ends thereof. Differently formed side frame parts, such as those which only have one central vertical support are also easily possible within the scope of the invention. 
     The two side frame parts  4  are rigidly interconnected by a longitudinal strut  7 . In the embodiment shown, this longitudinal strut  7  consists of a hollow profile having a rectangular cross section. The longitudinal strut  7  is fastened to the two side frame parts  4  by means of two sleeve-like fastening consoles  8  which enclose the mutually opposed end regions of the longitudinal strut  7  and are fastened, more particularly tightly screwed, to the horizontal struts  6 . For this purpose, the fastening consoles  8  have flanges  9  ( FIG. 2 ) which can be positioned on the inner side faces of the horizontal struts  6  and can be tightly screwed to the horizontal struts  6 . Furthermore, the longitudinal strut  7  runs at a specific, but small vertical distance under the tabletop  3 . 
     The side frame parts  4  do not have to be interconnected by a single longitudinal strut  7 . A plurality of longitudinal struts  7 , more particularly two longitudinal struts  7  which are arranged parallel to and at a distance from one another, can also be provided. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , attached to the longitudinal strut  7  is a cage  10  which extends from the longitudinal strut  7  towards the peripheral region  11  of the tabletop  3  which is remote from the user. The cage  10  is used to hold cables, plugs and similar components. The cage  10  can also be a box for receiving electrical or electronic components which, in the case of vertically adjustable tables, are required for controlling the electric motors. As an alternative or in addition to the cage  10 , other retaining elements, in particular in the form of holding hooks, holding clamps, cable ducts etc. can also be fastened to the longitudinal strut  7 . It is also conceivable to provide an additional longitudinal strut  7  which runs relatively closely to the peripheral region  11  of the tabletop  3  and is at least partly open on the upper side thereof to form a cable duct or receiving duct, which can be accessed from above, for functional elements such as plugs etc. 
     To improve the accessibility of the cage  10  (or of other retaining elements or ducts which are not shown but have been described above) and in particular to allow access from above, the tabletop  3  is mounted in a movable manner on the table frame  3 . Starting from the position shown in  FIG. 1  in which the tabletop  3  covers the frame  3  and the cage  10 , the tabletop  3  can be moved in the direction of arrow  12 , i.e. in a horizontal plane transversely to the longitudinal strut  7  until the upper opening of the cage  10  is no longer covered by the tabletop  3 , but can be accessed from above. 
     For the movable mounting of the tabletop  3 , the table frame  2  comprises two bearing struts  13  in the form of support arms which are arranged adjacent to the horizontal struts  6  and run parallel thereto. These bearing struts  13  form a movable support for the tabletop  3 , as will be described in greater detail in the following. In the embodiment shown, the bearing struts  13  are fastened to the fastening consoles  8 , but they could also be fastened to the horizontal struts  6  or to the longitudinal strut  7 . The length of the bearing struts  13  is calculated such that they extend at least over the main part of the width of the tabletop  3 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , fastened to the upper side of an upper wall  14  of the bearing struts  13  is a plurality of, in the present case three, small plate-shaped support cushions  15  on which the tabletop  3  is positioned. The support cushions  15  consist of a material on which the tabletop  3  can slide effectively, in particular plastics material. The support cushions  15  can be fastened in the wall  14 , for example, in that, as can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the wall  14  has a recess  16  into which a downwardly projecting fastening portion  17  of the support cushions  15  can be clipped. The upper support surfaces of the support cushions  15  are located in a common plane which is slightly higher than the upper surface of the horizontal struts  6 . Therefore, the tabletop  3 , resting on the support cushions  15 , is at a slight vertical distance from the horizontals struts  6  so that it does not rest thereon. The gap between the horizontals struts  6  and the underside of the tabletop  3  can optionally be closed, if desired, by means of a flexible sealing lip (not shown). 
     The sliding-guidance of the tabletop  3  on the bearing struts  13  is performed by a plurality of sliding-guide elements  18  which are screwed tightly to the underside of the tabletop  3  and are guided in a longitudinally movable manner in guide slots  19  in the bearing struts  13 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , each bearing strut  13  has two mutually aligned guide slots  19 , one sliding-guide element  18  being introduced into each of these guide slots  19 . All four of the sliding-guide elements  18  are identical.  FIGS. 7 and 8  show one sliding-guide element on its own. In  FIG. 2 , reference numeral  20  denotes screws which are guided upwards from below through the sliding-guide elements  18  and by means of which the sliding-guide elements  18  are tightly screwed on the tabletop  3 . 
     In the following, one of these sliding-guide elements  18  is described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     The sliding-guide element  18  is formed in one piece and consists of an elongate main body  21  and two snap-fit limbs  22  which are arranged on mutually opposed sides of the main body  21 . The main body  21  comprises a front fastening portion  23 , a rear fastening portion  24 , which is at a distance therefrom in the longitudinal direction, and a connecting web  25  which interconnects the two fastening portions  23 ,  24 . The two fastening portions  23 ,  24  each have a support portion  26  which is wider than the guide slot  19 . The support portions  26  are thus designed such that they can rest with lower surfaces  27  on the upper side of the bearing struts  13  next to the guide slots  19  and they also serve as a support for the tabletop  3 . 
     Guide portions  28  having a slightly smaller width join under the support portions  26 . The guide portions  28  are delimited on both sides by mutually parallel lateral guide surfaces  29 , the width of the guide portions  28  in the region of the lateral guide surfaces  29  being only slightly smaller than the width of the guide slots  19 . When inserted, the lateral guide surfaces  29  are opposite the lateral boundary walls of the guide slot  19  and they allow a precise lateral guidance of the sliding-guide elements  18  in the guide slots  19 . 
     The two snap-fit limbs  22  extend obliquely upwards and outwards from a lower region of the main body  21  which is located under the guide portions  28 . The snap-fit limbs  22  are only joined to the connecting web  25  in the lower end region thereof by a resilient connecting wall  30 , which is U-shaped in cross section, as a result of which the snap-fit limbs  22  are held flexibly on the main body  21  and can be swiveled transversely to the main body  21  and thus transversely to the longitudinal direction of the guide slots  19 . To achieve the desired spring characteristic of the snap-fit limbs  22 , it is also possible not to design the foot region of the snap-fit limbs  22  to be resilient, or to design not just the foot region, but to design the entirety of the snap-fit limbs  22  to be resilient. 
     In the lower region, the lateral outer faces of the two snap-fit limbs  22  are at a distance from one another which is slightly smaller than the width of the guide slots  19 . However, in the upper region of the snap-fit limbs  22 , the distance between the mutually opposed outer faces is greater than the width of the guide slots  19  so that the two snap-fit limbs  22  are pressed together, i.e. they are swiveled towards the central connecting web  25  when the sliding-guide elements  18  are inserted downwards from above into the guide slots  19 . This pressed-together position of the snap-fit limbs  22  can also be called the insertion position. To allow the swiveling movement, which is associated therewith, of the snap-fit limbs  22 , the width of the connecting web  25  is significantly less than that of the fastening portions  23 ,  24 , i.e. it is also less than the width of the guide portions  28 . Consequently, a clearance is created between connecting web  25  and snap-fit limbs  22  which allows the snap-fit limbs  22  to swivel inwards between the fastening portions  23 ,  24 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the snap-fit limbs  22  can have on their outside outwardly projecting ribs  31  which run obliquely upwards and act as run-up slopes when the snap-fit limbs  22  are guided through the guide slots  19 , and at the same time constitute reinforcing elements in particular for the upper region of the snap-fit limbs  22 . 
     When inserted, the snap-fit limbs  22  engage with the upper end face  32  thereof under the upper wall  14  of the bearing struts  13  in the peripheral regions next to the guide slots  19 . This position of the snap-fit limbs  22  can also be referred to as the under-engagement position. 
     Extending upwards from the end face  32  is a guide web  33  which extends into the region of the guide slots  19  and is held on the side walls of the guide slots  19  by the outwardly acting spring force of the snap-fit limbs  22 . These guide webs  33  thus determine the lateral position of the snap-fit limbs  22  relative to the main body  21  and prevent the snap-fit limbs  22  from being pushed away outwards when the tabletop  3  is raised. 
     As can also be seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the sliding-guide elements  18  each have in the mutually opposed end regions a resiliently flexible end stop damper  34  which acts as a damper during movement of the tabletop when the end of the movement path has been reached. The end stop dampers  34  are formed by a resiliently flexible end region of the main body  21  itself, and in the embodiment shown are formed more specifically by a flexible end wall  35  which extends over an adjoining cavity  36  in the main body  21 . As an alternative to a resiliently flexible end wall  35  of this type, the end stop damper  34  can also consist of separate, soft damping elements or separate spring elements which are arranged in the end regions of the main body  21 . The end stop dampers  34  expediently cooperate with the ends of the guide slots  19 , i.e. with the end face end walls of the guide slots  19 . However, it is also possible to provide in the region of the guide slots  19  separate counterstops with which the end stop dampers  34  cooperate. 
     The sliding-guide elements  18  are fastened to the underside of the tabletop  3  by means of two screws  20 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . These screws are guided upwards from below through screw holes  37  ( FIG. 7, 8 ) in the fastening portions  23 ,  24 . 
     Furthermore, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 , to lock the tabletop  3  in the position shown in  FIG. 2 , a locking element  38  is provided which can be tightly screwed to the underside of the tabletop  3  by means of screws  39 . The locking element  38  comprises a hook, a swivel hook or a similar locking means which can be brought into or out of a locking engagement with a locking part in the end region of the bearing strut  13 . 
     A large number of variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the support cushions  15  along which the tabletop  3  can slide, it is possible to provide rollers which form a roller bearing. It is also conceivable to dispense with the bearing struts  13  and to provide the guide slots  19  directly in the horizontal struts  6  of the table frame  2 .