Abstract:
An adjustable stand up desk includes a desk top; a desk base; leg assembly coupled to the desk top and the desk base; and an assisted lift mechanism. The assisted lift mechanism includes a gas spring coupled to the desk top and the leg assembly that assists in lifting and damping a first portion of travel of the desk top, and a spring device external to and in concentric alignment with the gas spring and sized and positioned to dampen a fall and assist a lift during a second portion of travel of the desk top.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/163,670 filed May 19, 2015, now pending, entitled “An Adjustable Stand Up Desk Utilizing a Scissor-Lift System,” which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Sitting for long periods of time negatively impacts quality of life for many people. Poor posture and existing back injuries can make sitting painful. Recent studies have shown that sitting most of the day decreases human lifespan by two to three years. 
         [0003]    The majority of standing desks require the customer to replace their current desk. Many customers are unwilling or unable to do this, especially if they work in a cubicle where removing the desk is not an option. 
         [0004]    Existing desktop stand up desks do not offer a sufficient range of height adjustment to be ergonomic for the majority of the population, and several are not adjustable. 
         [0005]    Existing standing desks also are prohibitively expensive for most of the population, leaving the health benefits of standing out of reach. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An adjustable stand up desk includes a desk top; a desk base; a leg assembly coupled to the desk top and the desk base; and an assisted lift mechanism. The assisted lift mechanism includes a gas spring coupled to the desk top and the leg assembly that assists in lifting and damping a first portion of travel of the desk top, and a spring device external to and in concentric alignment with the gas spring and sized and positioned to dampen a fall and assist a lift of a second portion of travel of the desk top. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment, the gas spring is triggered utilizing a pivotable handle. The force of the gas spring lifts the desk top to a desired height and dampens the fall of the desk top to an intermediate height or to a fully stowed, planar position. 
         [0008]    In an embodiment, the adjustable stand up desk incorporates a secondary spring mechanism, which rides on the piston rod of the gas spring so as to control the drop and assist the lift of the desk top during a portion of its travel between an extended position and the fully stowed, planar position. The adjustable stand up desk also may include a removable limit bar that limits full collapse of the adjustable stand up desk. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a right side isometric view of an example stand up desk. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a right side isometric view of the stand up desk with the desk top shown in phantom. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a left side isometric view of the stand up desk with the desk top shown in phantom. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of the desk shown in  FIG. 2  without the desk top. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows cross-sectional view  5 - 5  from  FIG. 4 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows cross-sectional view  6 - 6  from  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows a front view of a frame of the stand up desk of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows cross-sectional view  8 - 8  from  FIG. 7 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a bottom view of the frame of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of the frame of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  shows cross-sectional view  11 - 11  from  FIG. 5 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  shows cross-sectional view  12 - 12  from  FIG. 9 , 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  shows an isometric view of another example stand-up desk. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an adjustable stand up desk  1  having a vertically-movable desk top  2 , a base  4 , a leg assembly, and a lift assist system. In an embodiment, the leg assembly is a scissor lift system that includes a pair of first beams  5   a  and a pair of second beams  6   a , which pivot relative to each other thus forming an x when the desk  1  is in a raised position. The first beams  5   a  and the second beams  6   a  are hinged through a pivot rod  16  that passes through both beam pairs, as seen in  FIG. 8 . Spacers  18  ride on the pivot rod  16  and the spacers  18  keep the first beams  5   a ,  5   b  and the second beams  6   a ,  6   b  separated and parallel. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 , the base  4  is a rectangular frame that includes four L-shaped beams  4   a - 4   d . As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 8 , one end of the first beams  5   a  pivotally connects to L-shaped beam  4   c  of the base  4 . The other ends of the first beams  5   a  are pivotable and slidable relative to a first anchor plate  10 . The ends of the second beams  6   a  are pivotally anchored to a second anchor plate  8 . The other ends of the second beams  6   a  are pivotable and slidable relative to the base  4 . 
         [0024]    It is envisioned that the first anchor plate  10  and the second anchor plate  8  are fixed to the desk top  2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the L-shaped beams  4   a ,  4   b  face each other. Each of the L-shaped beams  4   a ,  4   b  respectively contain a capping plate  4   e ,  4   f  that extends a portion of the L-shaped beam and extends perpendicular to the L-shaped beams thus forming a U-shaped rail. The U-shaped rails face each other. The second beams  6   a  are slidable and pivotally relative to the U-shaped rails. As shown in  FIG. 3 , each of the second beams  6   a  include a hub  6   b  that in turn holds a pair of wheels  6   c  that rotate freely. One of the wheels  6   c  rides inside the U-shaped rails while the other wheel  6   c  rides on a flat strip  4   g . The flat strips  4   g  are connected to L-shaped beam  4   d  and a brace  4   h  that extends between the L-shaped beams  4   a ,  4   b  to provide structural stability to the strips  4   g.    
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first anchor plate  10  includes a pair of L-shaped beams  10   b ,  10   c  at one end that face each other and together with the anchor plate  10  form a pair of channels in which the first beams  5   a  slide and rotate relative to the L-shaped beams  10   b ,  10   c . A lift assist shown in this embodiment includes an adjustable push-in gas spring  14  that is rotatably anchored to the ends of the first beams  5   a  as seen in  FIG. 12 . A pair of pins  14   a  projects opposite from the gas spring  14  and each pin  14   a  is fitted through holes  5   d  at the ends of the first beams  5   a , and the pins  14   a  rotate freely in the holes  5   d . At the ends of each of the pins  14   a  is a rotatable wheel  5   c , as seen in  FIGS. 10 and 12 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 12 , both first beams  5   a  are connected through a cylindrical brace  5   b , which hingedly connects to the L-shaped beam  4   c  and keeps both first beams  5   a  parallel to each other. The gas spring  14  eventually slides relative to the L-shaped beams  10   a ,  10   b  along with the first beams  5   a.    
         [0026]    As shown in  FIGS. 3, 9, and 11 , the first anchor plate  10  further includes an extension  10   a  holding a pivotable handle  12  that triggers the adjustable push-in gas spring  14 . The adjustable push-in gas spring  14  is of a common configuration and need not be detailed herein. The operation of the gas spring  14  is triggered when a rod  14   c  is pushed in relative to an outer hollow rod  14   b . The hollow rod  14   b  is fixed to a vertical wall  10   f  using a pair of threaded nuts  14   d . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the handle  12  includes a hinge rod  12   c  that rotates relative to a pair of parallel plates  10   e . The handle  12  includes a pair of cantilever rods  12   b  that extends perpendicular to the hinge rod  12   c . A U-shaped bar  12   a  bridges between the cantilever rods  12   b  so as to let a user pivot the handle  12 . At bottom ends of the parallel plates  10   e , a pair of stops  10   d  extend perpendicular to the parallel plates  10   e  and face each other. The stops  10   d  prevent the cantilever rods  12   b  from dropping and keep the handle  12  at the same location after deactivation. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the hinge rod  12   c  includes a trigger plate  12   d  that extends from the hinge rod  12   c  so as to push the rod  14   c  of the gas spring  14 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 11  further shows a spring mechanism  14   e  that in one aspect retards or dampens a portion of the drop of the desk top  2  and in another aspect assists extension of the desk&#39;s legs, i.e., beams  5   a ,  5   b ,  6   a , and  6   b  and hence a lift of the desk top  2 . The spring mechanism  14   e  is in concentric arrangement with the rod  14   c  of the gas spring  14  and is sized and positioned as shown in  FIG. 11  such that when the desk top  2  approaches the fully stowed position in the base  4 , an end surface of gas spring cylinder  14   f  engages or contacts the spring mechanism the drop of the desk top  2  to a fully stowed, planar position. The spring mechanism  14   e  can be designed to any desired spring constant. The spring mechanism  14   e  may be free to slide along a length of the rod  14   c . Alternately, the spring mechanism  14   e  may be fixed to the frame  4 . In  FIG. 11 , the spring mechanism  14   e  is seen to be sized such that the desk top  2  initially is held short of the fully stowed, planar position by the force of the spring mechanism  14   e  until the spring mechanism  14   e  is compressed. As can be seen in  FIG. 11 , the spring mechanism  14   e  engages the gas cylinder  14   f  during a second portion of travel of the desk top  2  toward the fully stowed, planar position and the second portion is approximately 25 percent of the total travel of the desk top  2  from the fully raised position to the fully stowed, planar position. Because the spring mechanism  14   e  is placed in concentric arrangement with the rod  14   c , and because the spring mechanism  14   e  is shorter than the stroke of the rod  14   c , the weight of the desk top  2  may be sufficient to overcome the spring force and to fully stow the desk top  2  in the base  4 . Alternately, a user may exert a further force on the desk top  2  to completely stow the desk top  2  in the base  4 . The force needed for storage charges the spring mechanism  14   e . Then, when the user operates handle  12  to trigger the gas spring  14 , the spring mechanism  14   e  initially lifts the desk top  2  by providing an initial upward force that pushes against the engaged, end surface of the gas cylinder  14   f , which in turn creates an initial force to lift the desk top  2  and/or to assist the user in raising the desk top  2 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , the desk  1  may be raised from a fully stowed, planar position where the desk top  2  is approximately 2 inches in height to a fully raised position of approximately 16 inches in height. When the desk top  2  is lowered to the fully stowed, planar position, the spring mechanism  14   e  begins dampening the fall of the desk top  2  at approximately 4 inches from the fully stowed, planar position. From the desk top fully stowed, planar position, the spring mechanism  14   e  provides an initial lifting force until the gas spring  14  provides an effective lifting force. 
         [0028]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , the L-shaped beam  4   d  includes a notch  4   i  to clear the gas spring  14 , the vertical wall  10   f , and the parallel plates  10   e  as the desk  1  is collapsed. The first anchor plate  10  and the second anchor plate  8  contain a series of fastener holes  9  to allow the plates  8 ,  10  to be fixed to the desk top  2  using screws, not shown, or any known fastener. The wheels  5   c ,  6   c  may be fastened with screws, bolts, rivets, or any other known fastener to make the wheels rotatable. 
         [0029]      FIG. 13  shows another embodiment of a stand up desk. In  FIG. 13 , stand up desk  100  is seen to be similar in most respects to the stand up desk  1  of  FIG. 1 . However, the stand up desk  100  includes a cross bar  106  that passes through a pair of loops  102  fixed to the second pair of beams  6   a  so as to prevent the tabletop  2  from collapsing fully. With the cross bar  106  withdrawn from the loops  102 , the desk top  2  can collapse into the base  4  to a planar configuration for ease of storage and shipping. 
         [0030]    While  FIG. 1  shows the stand up desk  1  by itself, it should be noted that the desk  1  may be set on top of an ordinary desk or similar structure. The stand up desk  1  is shown with a unitary desk top  2  that provides a single surface that may be used for writing and supporting equipment, for example. In this configuration, the stand up desk  1  may hold a computer screen and a keyboard, for example, and a user then may raise the computer screen and keyboard to a desired height thereby making an ergonomic environment. While sized to fit on an ordinary desk, the stand up desk  1  can be sized to any desired dimension. It is envisioned that the first beams  5   a  and the second beams  6   a  are tubular in configuration but may be made of any other shape. Further, while the desk top  2  shown is rectangular, other shapes can be envisioned such as circular, triangular, or any other odd shape. The base  4  may be made of metal or any other suitable material, and the desk top  2  can be made of any material, including wood or materials similar to those of any common desk. 
         [0031]    In the desk embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 and 13 , the leg assembly operates in cooperation with base  4 . In another embodiment, a height-adjustable desk may operate without a base, and beams  5   a  of the leg assembly may terminate, for example, in rubber stops or wheels while wheels at the terminus of the beams  6   a  then may roll across a surface on which the desk  1  rests, such as a floor, desktop, or tabletop.