Abstract:
A device to adjust the height of panels, more particularly, the height of working tables includes at least one console ( 12 ) which is mounted to a stand and fitted with at least two vertical translational lifting elements ( 14 ). A lid or cover ( 13 ) is screwed on the console ( 12 ). An opening is formed between the console ( 12 ) and the lid or cover ( 13 ) which is adapted to receive a profile section of a frame. The profile section is clamped between the lid and the console when the lid is screwed to the console. The lifting elements ( 14 ) are located in holes ( 121 ) in the console ( 12 ). The lifting elements ( 14 ) are inserted in the holes ( 121 ) in such a way that they can not rotate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a device for adjusting the height of panels, particularly work tables, having at least one console that is mounted to a stand or table-framework and is provided with at least two vertical translational lifting elements. 
     Devices of this type are known as height adjusters of tables, especially work tables, conference tables or drawing tables, etc. The known height adjusters (see DE 297 06 520 U1) directly engage the work table to be adjusted. Two height-adjustment devices are secured beneath the panel such that the panel can be displaced in the vertical axis. The known devices are usually equipped with a housing, in which the lifting elements are accommodated. The housing is screwed to the table stand or framework. For this purpose, special fastening means are mounted to the stand and the housing. 
     A disadvantage of known devices is that they can only be disposed at locations defined by receptacles that are provided on the stands or framework. Furthermore, known devices are complicated to produce because of special receptacles on the housings and stands or framework. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to provide a device for adjusting the height of panels, the device having a simple design and being secured to arbitrary points on the stands or table-framework. In accordance with the invention, this object is accomplished by a height adjusting device mounted on the stand where a lid is screwed to the console of the device; an opening is embodied between the console and the lid; the lifting elements are received by bores in the console; and the lifting elements are inserted, fixed against relative rotation, into the bores. 
     With the embodiment of the invention, it is possible to dispose the device at arbitrary points on the stands or table-framework. The mounting of the device to the stand or framework occurs in that a profile section of the frame extends through the opening between the lid and the console. The opening matched the profile of the frame. After the lid has been screwed to the console, the device is clamped to the profile. The bores offer a simple means of securing the lifting elements in the console. This also facilitates assembly considerably. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, at least one boss, which is guided in slots of the console, is embodied on the lifting elements. This is a simple means of assuring a high operating reliability of the device of the invention. 
     In a modification of the invention, the lifting elements are supported on rings having a central hole. This assures a simple device assembly. This modification also assures reliable functioning of the lifting elements. 
     In a modification of the invention, a recess is provided in the console, between the lifting elements. The recess or opening is adapted in cross-section to the cross-section of the framework. The varying size of the recess permits framework profiles of larger dimensions to be guided through between the console and the lid. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each lifting element has a support element that is embodied in the form of an axle and is received by a receptacle in the lifting element. The support elements engage a rectangular tubular frame on which a workable or tabletop secured. provision of support elements assures the function of the height adjuster at the panel, even under difficult installation conditions. The axle form is especially well-suited because of its stability properties. Moreover, it can be produced economically. 
     In an advantageous modification of the invention, the axles are guided in a hole or a slot by their ends remote from the lifting element. The use of holes and slots permits the compensation of the occurring path elongation with a desired inclination of the panel. 
     The lifting elements are preferably provided with a ruler, which makes it simple to ascertain the respective height of the lifting element. 
     The dependent claims disclose modifications and embodiments of the invention. The drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention, which is described in detail 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The figures, which are in perspective, show: 
     FIG. 1 is a device for height adjustment; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a gear having a drive spindle and a bearing arrangement for the device according to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is the gear according to FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is the gear with the drive spindle and bearing arrangement according to FIG. 3, in an exploded representation, as seen from above; 
     FIG. 6 is the exploded representation of FIG. 5, as seen from below; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a table according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The device selected as the illustrated embodiment comprises two consoles  12 , which are secured, with spacing from one another, to a traverse profile of a table frame. One of the consoles  12  is secured to the right, while the other is secured to the left, beneath a tabletop. The consoles  12  are secured to a frame profile through the screwing of a lid  13  to the console  12 . The traverse profile  16  extends through an opening embodied between the console  12  and the lid  13 . The device is thereby clamped to the traverse profile  16 . As shown in phantom on FIG. 1 a rectangular tubular frame, for example, can be used to secure the device to a work table. FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of such a table. The console  12  and the lid  13  are embodied as aluminum/magnesium diecast parts. 
     The two consoles are connected by a synchronous drive shaft in the form of a hexagonal shaft. The consoles permit the simultaneous adjustment of the height and inclination of the table to which they are secured. A plurality of tabletops can be linked with the height drive of the consoles. The synchronous drive shafts are guided via a connecting gear by means of an operator hand crank, which permits a simple adjustment to the height and inclination of the connected shafts and lifting elements  14 . 
     Bores  121  are provided in the console  12 . These bores  121  receive the lifting elements  14 . A recess  123  is embodied in the console, between the bores  121 . The lid  13  has two openings  131  for the passage of the lifting elements  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the lid  13  is shown in two pieces. The two lifting elements  14  are inserted, fixed against relative rotation, into the console  12 . 
     The lifting elements  14  respectively comprise a piston  22 , a sleeve  20 , a hexagonal nut  26  provided with an inside thread and a spindle  28 , which is provided with an outside thread that engages the inside thread of the nut. The piston  22  has at its lower end an insertion compartment  221  for the nut  26 . The piston  22  is provided with a central bore  222 . Consequently, only the nut  26  need be provided with an inside thread; no inside thread need be provided in the central bore  222 . This simplifies the production of the lifting elements  14 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the height adjuster has a gear  30  with a gear receptacle  40  and the spindle  28 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting element  14  is provided with a ruler  23 , which indicates the adjustment path to the user. This is particularly practical if the individual lifting elements  14  can be adjusted independently of one another. Thus, it is possible to adapt the height adjusters of the individual lifting elements  14  to the respective other adjusters to permit a parallel displacement of the panel. 
     In the region of its upper edge, the ruler  23  has a reading marker  231 . A recess  125  is provided in the bordering cover for the console  124 . The ruler  23  passes through the recess  125 . A sliding slot  126  for the ruler  23  is provided in the extension of the recess  125 . The ruler  23  is symmetrical for the purpose of easy replacement. A panel-frame support axle  127  is disposed transversely to the ruler  23 . 
     Bosses  24  are embodied at the lower end of the console  12  for securing the sleeve  20  against relative rotation in the console. In the assembled state of the device, these bosses are guided in slots  122  of the console  12  (see FIG.  2 ). The slots  122  cooperate with the bosses  24  to serve as securing means against relative rotation, and as a stop at their end remote from the panel. 
     A receptacle  223  is provided at the end of the piston  22  remote from the panel. In the assembled state of the device, the receptacle  223  receives a support element  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the support element  18  comprises an axle that is disposed at a right angle to the central bore  222 . The axle in this embodiment is produced from V2A steel. In its region remote from the piston  22 , the axle has a groove  181 , into which a pin—not shown—extends for preventing the axle from falling out and shifting. Furthermore, two annular grooves  182 , in which the rectangular tubular frame is held, are provided in the region of the axle remote from the piston  22 . For this purpose, a hole  183   a  is provided in the rectangular tubular frame on the side of the frame facing the user of the panel. The hole  183   a  in the rectangular tubular frame on the side remote from the user is oblong. 
     At its end remote from the panel or table top, the spindle  28  has an outside polygonal segment  281  for actuating the spindle  28 . For securing purposes, a central threaded bore  282  is provided inside the spindle  28 , specifically in the region of the outside polygonal segment  281 . A groove  283 , into which the bearing disks  286  and  287  extend as an abutment, adjoins the polygonal segment  281 . To this end, the bearing disks  286  and  287  form central hole  285 . In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing disks  286  and  287  are embodied in two parts. The bearing disks  286  and  287  are supported in the console  12 . 
     A bevel wheel  41 , a washer  42  and a flange sleeve  43  are disposed on the side of the spindle  28  remote from the bearing disks  286  and  287 ; these elements are supported on the gear receptacle  40 . The gear receptacle  40  is likewise provided with a washer  42  and a sleeve  42 . 1  at a right angle to the parts  41 ,  42  and  43 . A hexagonal hollow shaft  44 , a bevel wheel  45  and, again, a washer  42  and a flange sleeve  43  are provided in the axial direction with respect to the aforementioned washer  42  and the associated sleeve  42 . 1 . The hexagonal hollow shaft  44  serves in the synchronous drive of the right and left table consoles. 
     An adapter shaft  46  having carrier surfaces  461  and a carrier polygonal segment  462  is provided at a right angle to the hexagonal hollow shaft  44 —in the axial direction with respect to the vertical bevel wheel  41 . The adapter shaft  46  engages a spur gear  47  provided on the gear side. A further washer  42  is provided between the adapter shaft  46  and the spur gear  47 . A fastening screw  48  is inserted into the spur gear  47  on the side remote from the adapter shaft. The spur gear  47  meshes with a spur gear  49  provided on the spindle side. This spur gear  49  is secured with a fastening screw  48  to spindle  28 . The gear  47  and the spur gear  49  have a bearing groove  471  and  491 , respectively which fit into rings  284  on the gear receptacle  40 . 
     The spur gears  47  and  49  are secured with motion play, i.e., the total gear assembly  30  can float, thereby compensating for tolerance errors with the gear receptacle is therefore not screwed tightly into the console but is attached enabling movement. The bearing rings attain a bridge seating that serves to compensate the radial forces. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, which is not shown in the drawing, the device can be driven via a bevel-wheel gear and a hexagonal shaft that connects the lifting elements  14  such that the respective assembled lifting elements  14  can be driven to rotate together. It is likewise conceivable for a plurality of consoles  12  or lifting elements  14  of adjacent pieces of furniture to be connected to one another via a shaft, so they can be driven jointly.