Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7574965?dq=7,328,163
Timestamp: 2015-05-03 19:04:14
Document Index: 1348008

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 14', 'art 13', 'art 14', 'art 14']

Patent US7574965 - Height-adjustment device - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsIn the case of a height-adjustment device for a table (1) with three or more table legs (3.1 . . . 3.4) arranged in an edge region of the table, with respectively adjacent table legs (3.1 . . . 3.4) being connected to one another by a horizontal, hollow-profile connecting element (4.1 . . . 4.4), each...http://www.google.com/patents/US7574965?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7574965 - Height-adjustment deviceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7574965 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/127,275Publication dateAug 18, 2009Filing dateMay 12, 2005Priority dateJun 11, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE502004007486D1, EP1604589A1, EP1604589B1, US20050274303Publication number11127275, 127275, US 7574965 B2, US 7574965B2, US-B2-7574965, US7574965 B2, US7574965B2InventorsKurt Scherrer, Alexander Sch�rerOriginal AssigneeUsm Holding AgExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (26), Referenced by (2), Classifications (6), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetHeight-adjustment device
US 7574965 B2Abstract
c) coupling the endless coupling elements to the adjusting elements, wherein the adjusting elements are spindles. Description
DE 198 15 234 A1 (F�rster) discloses a work table with a plurality of table legs which can be adjusted in their length. All of the table legs can be changed simultaneously and uniformly in their length via a mechanism which can be actuated manually or by motor. The height adjustment takes place, for example, by means of threaded spindles. The transmission of the torque between all of the adjusting mechanisms can take place via a cable or a V-belt or toothed belt which interacts with corresponding pulleys on the spindles and runs in the frame supporting the table top.
a) replacing the table legs by height-adjustable table legs with a telescopic mechanism for changing a length of the table leg, the telescopic mechanism being adjustable by rotating a rotatably mounted adjusting element; b) for two adjacent table legs in each case introducing a coupling means for the mechanical synchronization of the adjusting elements of the adjacent table legs into the connecting element connecting the table legs; and c) coupling the coupling means to the adjusting elements. An example of a table for which the height-adjustment device according to the invention is suitable comprises a rectangular, horizontally oriented table top in the four corners of which a respective table leg is arranged. Along the edge of the table top, hollow-profile-like surrounds run between the table legs as connecting elements. The surrounds and the table legs can together form a mechanically stable table underframe on which the table top is merely placed. For additional stabilization the table top may also be screwed to the surrounds. As an alternative, the table legs may be connected directly to the table top, and the connecting elements provide additional stabilization or, in addition to accommodating the coupling means, are used for primarily aesthetic purposes. A separate coupling means is accommodated in each of the connecting elements and is used to synchronize the adjusting elements of the table legs adjacent to the connecting element.
Since a separate endless coupling means is used in each case for the synchronization of the spindles of adjacent table legs, the possible, material-dependent change in length is reduced in comparison to a longer endless coupling means which is to simultaneously synchronize all of the spindles. In addition, the contact surface between the coupling means and the driving part of the spindle is enlarged because, for example, in the case of a rectangular table the coupling means encircles each driving part by approximately 180� and not only by 90�. Both result in increased operational reliability and an increased service life of the height-adjustment device.
Each of the guides is advantageously formed by precisely three identical guide bushings which can be plugged one inside another with a different orientation. In particular in the case of guide bushings which are produced in a compression moulding process or compression casting process (for example injection moulding), this has the advantage of just a single mould having to be provided instead of three (or more) different moulds, as a result of which costs are saved. The ability to be plugged one inside another permits simple joining together and ensures that the bushings are fixed in their orientation with respect to one another. The guide bushings preferably have, at one of their longitudinal ends, an opening for the coupling means. Two of the guide bushings are arranged in such a manner that the corresponding openings are aligned with the coupling means to be accommodated, in the case of a rectangular table, the two openings are, for example, at an angle of 90� with respect to each other. The opening of the third guide bushing is not used.
The two surrounds 4.1 . . . 4.4 adjacent in each case to one of the table legs 3.1 . . . 3.4 are connected to one another and to the respective table leg 3.1 . . . 3.4 by means of a respective corner element 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4. The corner elements 5.1 . . . 5.4 are arranged below the table top 2 adjacent to the surrounds 4.1 . . . 4.4 and the respective table leg 3.1 . . . 3.4 on the inside of the surround. For fastening the corner elements 5.1 . . . 5.4, openings are provided on the inner side of the surrounds 4.1 . . . 4.4, adjacent to the table legs 3.1 . . . 3.4, into which openings claws and cams formed on the corner elements 5.1 . . . 5.4 can engage. In addition, the corner element 5.1 . . . 5.4 is screwed to the respective table leg 3.1 . . . 3.4. For this purpose, it has a continuous, radial opening which, in the fitted state, is oriented parallel to the table top 2 and encloses a respective angle of 45� with respect to the two adjacent surrounds 4.1 . . . 4.4. A screw is guided through this opening and driven into a thread correspondingly arranged in the table leg 3.1 . . . 3.4. Further round openings 6.1 a, 6.1 b, . . . , 6.4 a, 6.4 b can be seen in FIG. 1 on the upper side of the surrounds 4.1 . . . 4.4, into which openings a screw sleeve having an internal thread can be inserted for screwing the table top 2 to the surrounds 4.1 . . . 4.4.
The spindle part 13 has an external thread and is arranged centrally in the interior of the upper section of the inner telescopic tube 11. The spindle part 13 is mounted rotatably, but not displaceably, in a first, upper bearing 15 and, at its lower end, in a second, lower bearing 16. The first bearing 15 is attached fixedly to the outer telescopic tube 10 above the inner telescopic tube 11. The second bearing 16 slides within the inner telescopic tube 11 and prevents the spindle part 13 from bending or tilting. At the upper end of the inner telescopic tube 11, an end piece 17 is arranged in a rotationally fixed and nondisplaceable manner. The end piece 17 has an internal thread which interacts with the external thread of the spindle part 13. As soon as the spindle 7 is rotated, a vertical movement of the inner telescopic tube 11 relative to the spindle and therefore also to the outer telescopic tube 10 arises because of the threaded connection. The inner telescopic tube 11 is therefore extended at the lower end from the outer telescopic tube 11, so that the length of the table leg 3 is increased. The ball bearings 15, 16 prevent the end piece 17 from being able to wedge at its lower or upper stop against the limiting elements by the stops being rotatable and therefore being able to be �carried along� by the end piece 17 as soon as the latter reaches its end positions.
Three guide bushings 20.1, 20.2, 20.3 which are of identical design are arranged one above another between the upper bearing 18 for the driving part 14 and the fastening on the spindle part 13. They fill the intermediate space in a fitting manner, and their external cross section corresponds essentially to the internal cross section of the outer telescopic tube 10, so that they are held nondisplaceably in the table leg 3. The guide bushings 20.1 . . . 20.3 each have, along their longitudinal axes, a continuous, cylindrical opening in such a manner that the three guide bushings 20.1 . . . 20.3, which are arranged one above another, form a mount for the driving part 14 and those sections of the toothed belts 9.1, 9.2 encircling it. In addition, each of the guide bushings 20.1 . . . 20.3 has, at its lower end, a lateral opening 20.1 a . . . 20.3 a which is continuous from the outside of the bushing as far as the central opening. The two sections of the second toothed belt 9.2 are guided through the lateral opening 20.2 a of the central guide bushing 20.2. The upper guide bushing 20.3 is rotated through 90� about its longitudinal axis with respect to the central guide bushing 20.2 and the two sections of the first toothed belt 9.1 are guided through its lateral opening 20.3 a. The lateral opening 20.1 a of the lowermost guide bushing 20.1 is not used. The lateral openings 20.1 a . . . 20.3 a of the guide bushings 20.1 . . . 20.3 are in the form of a circular ring section, with the outer ends of this section being designed in such a manner that they are used as guides for the smooth outside of the toothed belts 9.1, 9.2. The open angle of the openings 20.1 a . . . 20.3 a is selected in such a manner that the two sections of a toothed belt 9.1, 9.2, after encircling the driving part 14, are again brought together to such an extent that, as a result, they can be guided parallel to one another within the surround 4 to the next table leg 3.
FIG. 5A shows a breakout of a section of FIG. 5. So that the mutual orientation of the three guide bushings 20.1 . . . 20.3 is maintained, the latter have pins 30.1 on their upper side and corresponding recesses 31.1 on their lower side. The pins and recesses permit both a parallel positioning of adjacent guide bushings 20.1 . . . 20.3 and also positions rotated through 90�, 180� or 270� with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis.
Continuous openings through which the two sections of the toothed belts 9.1, 9.2 can be guided into the surrounds 4 are likewise provided in the outer telescopic tube 10 and in the inner tube 10 a. The lateral openings 20.2 a, 20.3 a of the central guide bushing 20.2 and of the upper guide bushing 20.3 are aligned with the openings in the outer telescopic tube 10 and in the inner tube 10 a. Adjoining the table leg 3, a spacer element 21 is provided in the surround 4 and guides the sections of the toothed belt 9.2 and prevents its internal teeth from becoming wedged in one another, which would lead to the synchronization mechanism blocking. The outer shape of the spacer element 21 largely corresponds to the internal cross section of the surround 4, so that the spacer element 21 is mainly displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the surround 4. At its outer end facing the table leg 3, the spacer element 21 has a shoulder, by means of which it is supported at the end of the surround 4 and is therefore precisely positioned. Channel-like guides 21 a are provided on the spacer element 21 parallel to its longitudinal axis on both sides of the axis and on both sides of the plane of symmetry, for accommodating one section in each case of the toothed belt 9.2. Only two opposite guides 21 a are used in each case in each surround 4 while the others remain empty.
The telescopic mechanism may also be designed differently, for example it may also comprise additional, concentrically arranged telescopic tubes if the maximum lift is to be increased. The mechanism may include end stops, so that an �overtightening� of the spindles is prevented. In addition, the ball bearing at the lower end of the spindle part slides on the inside on the inner telescopic tube can also be omitted, depending on the dimensioning and material of the spindle part. The driving part may be mounted merely at its lower and its upper end while it is situated freely in the table leg in between, at the contact points with the driving means. So that the driving part withstands the corresponding, larger mechanical load, its cross section in this case is of a larger size, or a different material is selected. Depending in each case on the space available, the spacers in the surrounds may be omitted or else provided in further sections of the surrounds. Finally, as already mentioned, the synchronization of the telescopic mechanisms may also be realized in a different manner, for example by means of friction belts or V-belts or by means of chains.
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