Patent Publication Number: US-2020281349-A1

Title: Height Adjustable Work Surface

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is directed to height adjustable work surfaces, a modular, trapezoidal table/desk frame structure and mechanisms for providing height adjustability to a work surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and useful height adjustable work surface. The novel work surface includes a portion that may raise from a start position substantially planar with the rest of the work surface so that a user may utilize the raised portion while standing, or at any height that is more comfortable for the individual user. The height adjustable work surface portion may be utilized in a standalone desk or table, as part of modular and reconfigurable workstations or as components of a conference table, allowing each person at the table to stand and raise their individual work surface if desired. The novel work surface of the present invention may also be utilized in unconventional and heretofore unknown applications, such as, for example, a coffee table with a portion that raises to a height allowing that portion to be used as a desk and workspace. 
     The invention preferably utilizes a novel modular trapezoidal frame structure that includes trapezoid tube weldments, corner castings and machined hardened connector pins that provide a sturdy, customizable, and aesthetically pleasing frame for nearly any table, desk or workstation application that is easily assembled, disassembled and modified. A unique center weldment is utilized with the modular trapezoidal frame structure to provide a support for the lift mechanism of the height adjustable work surface portion. 
     The lift mechanism preferably utilizes parallelogram linkages, pneumatic gas cylinders, sliding brake bar mechanisms and brake release handles to provide the height adjustment functionality of the present invention. This combination of elements allows the work surface portion to be easily and safely lifted or lowered by any person and set at the exact position that is most comfortable and desired by that individual. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The inventors have identified, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include providing an efficient work surface that has a conventional table portion that is static and an adjustable table portion that can be raised or lowered. The inventors have recognized that a relatable problem can include a person only needing to raise or lower specific items on their work surface, for example, keyboard, monitor, and writing pad. Another recognizable problem is having to raise and lower an entire work surface, when only certain items need to be raised and others kept lowered. 
     The present invention can provide a solution to this problem by providing a height adjustable work surface that contains a conventional table portion and a height adjustable portion. The combined work surface, with a static portion and a height adjustable portion, can have a modular trapezoidal frame structure that provides a sturdy and aesthetically pleasing frame and a lift mechanism that allows the work surface portion to be easily and safely lifted or lowered by any person. 
     The height adjustable work surface can be utilized in reconfigurable, multi-person workstations for multiple workers and can be incorporated in a conference table allowing individuals to stand as needed. 
     In another example, the height adjustable work surface functionality can be incorporated on a mobile table with casters or can be wall mounted of mounted between storage units. 
     The height adjustable work surface can include a modular trapezoidal frame structure. The trapezoidal frame structure can include trapezoid tube weldments, corner castings and machined hardened connector pins that provide a heavy, customizable, and aesthetically pleasing frame that is easily assembled, dissembled and modified. 
     The corner castings connect to two trapezoidal tube weldments and a leg weldment. The corner castings provide modular functionality, allowing different legs to be used with the casting, and different lengths of trapezoid tube weldments to be used, so that table tops of different sizes may be used in conjunction with the trapezoid tube weldments and corner castings. 
     The height adjustable work surface may be integrated with the trapezoidal frame with a center weldment structure. The center weldment is constructed of welded components with the rear and front weldments being trapezoidal tubes and the connecting center tubes being rectangular. In at least one example, the center weldment can be used with a single table frame or used in multiple and multi-person table frames. 
     The lift mechanism utilizes parallelogram linkages, pneumatic gas cylinders, sliding brake bar mechanisms and brake release handles. The brake bar and locking mechanism can include two brake castings that slide along a hardened brake held as the lift mechanism is raised and lowered. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, the numerals may describe components in different views. The drawings illustrate, generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various examples and embodiments discussed in the present document. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a height adjustable work surface according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of  FIG. 1  having the height adjustable portion in a raised position according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of a height adjustable work surface depicted in  FIG. 1  utilized in reconfigurable, multi-person workstations for multiple users and workers according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of a height adjustable work surface depicted  FIG. 1  incorporated on a mobile table with casters according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of a trapezoid tube weldment according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a modular trapezoid frame table according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a fixed and assembled modular trapezoid frame structure depicted in  FIG. 6  with support beams, according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a corner casting assembly according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the configuration of a corner casting depicted  FIG. 8  according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the configuration of a trapezoid frame table depicted in  FIG. 5  according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic side view of an integrated machine hardened pin according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the configuration of a corner casting assembly according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a height adjustable work surface as depicted in  FIG. 1  integrated with a novel trapezoidal frame structure with a center weldment structure according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is an aerial view of a height adjustable work surface as depicted in  FIG. 1  integrated with a novel trapezoidal frame structure with a center weldment structure according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a height adjustable work surface as depicted in  FIG. 1  used in alternative corner casting and connectivity configurations of multiple table frames according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a height adjustable work surface as depicted in  FIG. 1  used in alternative corner casting and connectivity configurations of multiple table frames according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a height adjustable work surface as depicted in  FIG. 1  used in alternative corner casting and connectivity configurations of multiple table frames according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the height adjustable work surface as depicted in  FIG. 1  with the lift mechanism according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is an exploded perspective view of the lift mechanism depicted in  FIG. 18  according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a brake assembly as depicted in the lift mechanism which includes a brake housing, brake plates, and a spring according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a perspective view of a brake assembly as depicted in the lift mechanism which includes a brake housing, brake plates, and a spring according to an example of the present invention. 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective view of the locked position of the lift mechanism including the brake housing and brake bar according to an example of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a desk  100  can include a static conventional table portion  102 , a height adjustable portion  104 , a trapezoidal frame structure  106 , a lift mechanism  108  and legs  110 . In the lowered position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the conventional table portion  102  is substantially planar with the height adjustable portion  104 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the height adjustable portion  104  may be raised by operation of the lift mechanism  108 . In this position, the work surface may be utilized by a person in a standing position. 
     The dual nature of the desk, with a static portion and a height adjustable portion, provides many advantages. First, the desk  100  may be utilized as a conventional work surface by a person in a sitting position with the height adjustable portion in the lowered position. Further, the conventional table portion  102  provides a static surface for items such as a telephone, lights, pictures, resource materials, office supplies, speakers, etc. that do not need to be raised when a person elects to work in a standing position. The height adjustable portion,  104 , is configured to rise straight up and raise or lower items that a person is actually using to work. These items can include a keyboard, monitor, writing pad, computer mouse, etc. This is advantageous to a user where they do not need to move all items on a work surface in order to achieve a desired comfortable height. 
     A table with only a portion that is height adjustable offers many advantages. First, significantly less weight must be raised and lowered if only a portion of the table top is height adjustable, most significantly, the weight of the table top itself. Also, only the items that a person is actually using to work are raised and lowered, while other items typically found on a desk may remain static. In addition to reducing the weight that must be raised and lowered, an office can maintain a less cluttered appearance if most items on a desk remain at the lower, static position. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , multiple height adjustable work surfaces can be utilized in multi-person workstations and/or conference tables for multiple workers and users. For example, the conference table of  FIG. 3  include a static conventional table portion  102  and multiple height adjustable portions  104 . Individuals at conference meetings or during presentations, can raise the height adjustable work surfaces  104  in front of them to assist with presentations. This provides a more efficient and comfortable method of conducting meetings and presentations. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the height adjustable work surface  104  can be utilized in a mobile table  112  with casters  114 . In this configuration, users can easily relocate the height adjustable work surface  104 , which provides many advantages. For example, the mobile table  112  can be used for displays or monitors, which can easily be raised for presentations or exhibitions. 
     The height adjustable work surface of the present invention can also be used in many other configurations. For example, two height adjustable work portions may be provided as a portion of a single table, creating a dual desking configuration. The height adjustable portions may be configured face to face on a substantially square table configuration, or side by side in a rectangular table configuration. 
     Applicants contemplate many other applications for their novel invention. For example, a standard coffee table could include a height adjustable portion that could be raised to create a desk, allowing a single piece of furniture to serve two functions. A standard dining table could include a height adjustable portion to accommodate a person in a wheelchair, or a child in a high chair, and then returned to its former standard position substantially planar with the rest of the table. The height adjustable table may also be wall mounted, allowing for a standalone height adjustable work surface, or mounted between storage units that are mounted to a wall or sitting on the floor. These and other examples of uses fall within the scope of the present invention, as described herein. 
     Although nearly any structural table frame may be utilized with Applicants&#39; novel height adjustable table, Applicants have also developed, and herein disclose, a novel modular trapezoidal frame structure. Applicants novel frame, which may be used in applications other than with a height adjustable table portion, includes trapezoid tube weldments, corner castings and machined hardened connector pins that provide a heavy, customizable, and aesthetically pleasing frame that is easily assembled, dissembled and modified. 
     Applicants&#39; novel modular trapezoidal frame structure is first described in use with a conventional table, and then in connection with Applicants&#39; height adjustable table. 
     Applicants utilize a trapezoid tube weldment  116 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , to construct the frame for a trapezoid frame table, shown in  FIG. 6 . The trapezoid tube weldments  116  are connected by corner castings  128  which are connected to legs  110  to create the table frame. 
     The angle of the trapezoid of each trapezoid tube weldment  116  is preferably 25-155-25-155, with the acute angles  122  of the trapezoid being 25 degrees and the obtuse angles  124  of the trapezoid being 155 degrees. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other angles for the trapezoid may be used to achieve the same functionality. 
     The trapezoidal table tube weldments provide many advantages over conventional rectangular tube weldments. In addition to a pleasing aesthetic, trapezoidal beams provide the same structural stability with a lower profile, providing more leg clearance beneath the table. Also, accessories or support beams  126 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , can be dropped down into the “cone” formed by opposing trapezoids, allowing for easier securement methods compared to rectangular frame elements. 
     The trapezoidal frame may have alternative supports. For example, one end could have legs with the other end supported by a wall, panel system or a furniture component. 
     The trapezoid tube weldments  116  of the present invention are preferably used in conjunction with a corner casting  128 , an example of which if shown in  FIG. 8 . The corner casting  128  includes two insertion portions  130  and a leg connection portion  132 , with the two insertion portions  130  and leg connection portion  132  connected to a center portion  134 , and oriented around the center portion at 120 degrees from each other. As will be described further, the insertion portions  130  of the corner casting  128  connect to one end of a trapezoid tube weldment  116  and the leg connection portion  132  of the corner casting  128  connects to a leg  110 . 
     The inventor&#39;s preferred configuration of the corner casting  128  is shown in  FIG. 9 , along with examples of hardware that may be used to connect the corner casting  128  to legs  110  and trapezoid tube weldments  116 . The hardware used to attach the corner casting  128  to a leg  110  includes a cover  136 , a mounting bolt  138 , a cap  140 , springs  142  and bolts  144 . To attach the corner casting  128  to trapezoid tube weldments  116 , set screws  146  are utilized. 
     The trapezoidal tube weldments  116  preferably include an integrated machine hardened pin  148  (shown in  FIG. 11 ) with an end  156  that is inserted into a hole  152  in a weld plate  150  and welded in place. The weld plate  150  and machine hardened pin  148  are then inserted into the end  160  of the trapezoid tube weldment  116  and welded in place. The trapezoid tube weldment  116  can then be connected to the corner casting  128  by inserting the insertion portion  130  of the corner casting into the end  160  of a trapezoid tube weldment and securing the corner casting to the machine hardened pin  148  with a set screw  146 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . A hole  158  is provided at each end of the trapezoid tube weldment  116  to allow for insertion of the set screw  146 . When connected, the set screw  146  mates with the annular groove  154  of the machine hardened pin  148 , drawing the trapezoidal tube weldment  116  into exact alignment with the corner casting  128 . The machine hardened pin connection provides many advantages, including a secure and inexpensive connection means that draws the components into the exactly correct position, easy and quick assembly and disassembly and the elimination of multiple screws used in typical table frame connection systems. 
     The corner castings  128  of the present invention provide modular functionality, allowing different legs  110  to be used with the casting, and different lengths of trapezoid tube weldments  116  to be used, so that table tops of different sizes may be used in conjunction with the trapezoid tube weldments and corner castings. The corner castings  128  are preferably sized with a 3 inch offset from the corner to edge that meets the trapezoid tube weldment  116 , allowing the combination to be used with every standard sized table top in 6 inch increments. Applicants also contemplate that a leg and corner casting could be a single piece. The corner casting further allows for insertion in a non-handed leg, allowing all legs used with the system to be interchangeable. In addition to use in conjunction with a leg, the casting connecting the trapezoid tube weldments could be modified to allow it to be connected to a wall. 
     The height adjustable work surface  104  of the present invention is preferably integrated with the novel trapezoidal frame structure  106  with a center weldment structure  162 , as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The center weldment structure  162  is preferably constructed of welded components, with the rear weldment  164  and front weldments  166  being trapezoidal tubes, and the connecting center tubes  168  being rectangular. The center weldment structure  162  is connected to the corner castings  128  to create a frame as described above. 
     The center weldment structure  162  provides a space for mounting the lift mechanism  108  of the height adjustable portion on the connecting center tubes  168 . The center weldment structure  162  may be utilized to create a single user desk with a single height adjustable portion or used in many alternative corner casting and connectivity configurations of multiple table frames, examples of which are shown in  FIGS. 15-17 . 
     The height adjustable functionality of the present invention is provided by the lift mechanism  108  shown in  FIG. 18 , that preferably utilizes parallelogram linkages  170 , sliding brake bar mechanisms  172  and brake release handles  174 . The lift mechanism  108  mounts on the center weldment structure  162  with the mounting plates  176 , which hang on and are attached to the connecting center tubes  168  of the center weldment structure. An exploded view of the lift mechanism  108  is shown in  FIG. 19 . 
     The functionality of the lift mechanism  108  is facilitated by a parallelogram linkage lift mechanism  170 , although other lift mechanisms and configurations would provide similar functionality within the scope of the invention. The parallelogram linkages  170 , however, provides certain advantages, including that the height adjustable work surface  104  lifts straight up. Also, the parallelogram linkages  170 , unlike a scissor lift, has fewer and less severe pinch points, decreasing the potential for injury to users. 
     The lift mechanism  108  also includes a hardened brake bar  178  and, as shown in detail in  FIGS. 20 and 21 , a brake housing  180  that includes brake plates  182  and a spring  184  that may be compressed by the brake release handles  174  via the line  186 . In the unlocked position, with the spring compressed, the brake housing  180  may slide on the brake bar  178  with the brake bar passing through the holes  188  as the height adjustable portion  104  of the lift mechanism  108  is raised and lowered. In the locked position, the spring  184  pushes the brake plates  182  into a diagonal position relative to the brake bar  178 , holding the brake housing  180  securely to the brake bar  178 , as shown in  FIG. 22 . 
     To release the brake plates  182 , the brake release handles  174  are activated to bring the brake plates  182  to a vertical position relative to the brake bar  178 . With the brake plates  182  in a vertical position, the brake housing  180  may slide freely on the brake bar  178 . 
     The brake bar locking mechanism provides many benefits, including that the brake plates  182  may be fixed at any point along the brake bar  178 , allowing the height adjustable portion  104  to be positioned and securely held at any height within its range of movement. Thus, the user may position the height adjustable portion at the exact height most comfortable for the individual user. 
     The mechanism also provides braking in both directions, so that the work surface cannot be raised without releasing the brakes and will not lower without releasing the brakes. Also, both handles must be activated to allow movement of the height adjustable portion  104 , keeping both brakes in synch, and preventing a user from having a hand in a position where it could be pinched by the lift mechanism  108 . Further, the brake plates  182  are biased outwardly by the spring  184 , keeping the brake housing  180  in a locked position unless activated by the user to allow movement. 
     Although a spring is disclosed for biasing the brake plates  182  outwardly, other means for biasing the plates could be utilized to provide braking, or the plates could be biased inwardly to provide the necessary friction and braking on the brake bar. Those of skill in the art would recognize other alternatives for modifying the preferred embodiment disclosed herein that would nonetheless remain within the scope of the present invention. 
     The inventors contemplate several alterations and improvements to the disclosed invention. Other alterations, variations, and combinations are possible that fall within the scope of the present invention. Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize more modifications that may be made that would nonetheless fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to the apparatus described. Instead, the scope of the present invention should be consistent with the invention claimed below.