CN101068485B - Desk - Google Patents

Abstract

A top plate is supported while being greatly projected forward of leg bodies, which forms a large lower leg space under the top plate. Upper ends of left and right leg bodies (2) having, at their lower ends, base legs (2a) that are directed in a front-rear direction are connected by lateral connection rods (3) that are directed in a left-right direction and have a non-circular cross-section. Rear end sections of at least a left and right pair of top plate support bodies (4) directed in the front-rear direction are fixed to the lateral connection rods (3) so as to project forward. The lower surface of the top plate (26) is installed on the top plate support bodies (4) such that the most part of the top plate (26) is located forward of the lateral connection rods (3).

Description

Table (Ref. Table)

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a desk suitable for operating office automation equipment such as a personal computer.

Background

Known tables comprise a pair of legs of inverted T-shape, I-shape or similar door; a lateral cross member connecting the legs to each other and a top supported by the legs.

JP5-228028a discloses that a pair of legs are coupled to each other at the rear end with a cross member, and the lower surface of the roof is supported by the support of the pair of legs.

JP3-30021Y2 discloses a false roof on which a keyboard is mounted to a pair of legs using parallel links (parallellinks) to allow the false roof to move horizontally between an operative position in front of a main roof and an inoperative position in which the false roof is stored beneath the main roof.

A desk or table with an operating device is described in JP4-53694Y and JP2001-128741 a.

JP62-49807A discloses an apparatus comprising: parallel links for supporting the moving member; a locking unit supported by the parallel links to lock an angle of the moving part using a frictional force; and a force-assisting unit (force-assisting unit) installed between the leg and the moving member, the force-assisting unit to assist up and down movement and rotation of the moving member, rotation of the parallel link enabling the moving member to move up and down, and release of the unlocking unit enabling the angle of the moving member to be changed.

In a common table or in the table of JP5-228028a, the lower surface of the top is directly supported by a pair of legs, so the depth of the top is limited and leg room cannot be created under the top.

Thus, when a person operates the keyboard on the top in a comfortable posture with the legs extending deep below the top, the legs of the chair or person become closer to the table legs, and thus a relaxed feeling cannot be obtained.

It is impossible to adjust the height and angle of the top, and thus a person cannot operate the keyboard in a proper posture.

In the table of JP3-30021Y, the secondary top may be located in front of the primary top to avoid the foregoing disadvantages. However, when the auxiliary top is stored under the main top, it makes it difficult to work in front of the table.

The secondary roof is horizontal in use and its angle is not adjustable. As above, the keyboard cannot be operated properly.

In the operating devices of JP4-53964Y and JP2001-128741a, an operating lever or an operating portion for adjusting the height of the table top is provided on each side of the lower surface of the top front end, and the operating lever or the operating portion is pulled to allow the height of the table top to be adjusted. Therefore, it is difficult to operate the lever in a posture in which the legs are deeply placed under the top while still sitting on the chair.

JP4-53694Y discloses an opening at the lower surface of the top front end. The joystick is placed in the opening, thereby making it difficult to put a hand into the opening.

The operating portion in JP2001-128741a protrudes from the lower surface of the top, making its appearance poor. The human knee is likely to hit the operation portion.

In JP62-49807A, a moving part using parallel links or a supporting point of the top and a connecting point between the booster unit and the top are provided on a front portion of the top, making the support of the top unstable. If a weight is placed at the rear of the roof, a greater moment is applied to the support point of the roof, causing the roof to tilt downward. The ends of the parallel links are likely to be damaged.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention aims to solve the following problems:

(A) to provide a table in which a larger leg space is formed under a top by supporting the top greatly protruded from legs of the table, so that a free feeling is realized when legs of a person are deeply put under the top, and the height and angle of the top are appropriately adjusted according to the application thereof;

(B) an operation unit for activating a gas spring so that it can be easily operated even when a person is still sitting on a chair, thereby improving operability and appearance; and

(C) to provide a table in which a top is stably supported and an angle can be simply and naturally changed, forming a larger space under the top.

Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a table according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support bracket of the table;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional side view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a central vertical sectional side view of the bracket for the top when the top is horizontal;

FIG. 5 is a central vertical sectional view of the bracket for the top section as the top section is tilted forward;

FIG. 6 is a side view when the side table is removed;

FIG. 7 is a side view when the top is raised;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the parallel link mounting portion and the operating unit for the gas spring;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional side view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line X-X in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional side view of the mounting portion of the support pole;

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the auxiliary top mounting portion; and

figure 13 is a side elevational view of the side table.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table for office automation equipment according to the present invention, and fig. 2 is a perspective view of a support frame for the table.

The support frame 1 includes: a pair of parallel legs 2, 2; a pair of parallel cross-members 3, said cross-members 3, 3 being intended to connect the legs 2 to each other; and a top bracket 4, said top bracket 4 being located in front of the middle of the cross beams 3, 3.

The leg 2 comprises a leg base 2a and a leg stem 2b having an elliptical cross-section. A support member 5 is fixed to the upper end of the leg post 2b to support each end of the cross member 3.

In fig. 3, the cross-beam 3 is made of an aluminium alloy having a hexagonal cross-section, said cross-beam 3 having a pair of parallel vertical plate reinforcing ribs 6, 6. The openings at each end of the cross beam 3 are closed by end caps 7.

In fig. 3, the support member 5 includes: a support plate 5a, said support plate 5a having a recess 8, the lower half of the cross beam fitting in said recess 8; and a holding plate 5b, the holding plate 5b having a groove 9, an upper half portion of the cross member 3 being fitted in the groove 9.

After each end of the cross member 3 is fitted in the grooves 8, 8 of the support plate 5a, the upper half is covered with the groove 9 of the holding plate 5 b. The bolt 10 passes through the middle of the support plate 5a and the retaining plate 5b and engages in a female thread 12 at the upper end of the tube 11 within the hollow leg 2 b. Two bolts 13 passing through the holding plate 5b are engaged in the female screw 14 to allow the leg post 2b and the support member 5 to be firmly fixed with each end of the cross member 3.

When the holding plate 5b is fastened to the support plate 13 with the bolts 10, 13, a slight gap is formed to allow each end of the cross member 3 to be tightly fixed with the support member 5.

The horizontal upper and lower surfaces of the hexagonal cross section of the cross member 3 allow the height of the support member 5 to be made smaller, thereby improving the appearance, facilitating the mounting of a selection portion (described later) and the easy positioning of the support member 5 in the horizontal direction.

Six outer peripheral surfaces of the cross member 3 are firmly fixed by the support members 5 to prevent the support members 5 from rotating or loosening on their own axes.

Further, a pair of reinforcing ribs 6 are provided in the cross member 3 to prevent the cross member 3 from bending or twisting downward.

The cross-section of the cross-beam 8 may be octagonal, other polygonal shape with horizontal upper and lower surfaces, or other non-circular shape.

The top bracket 4 comprises a pair of support members or support brackets 15, 15 mounted to the link member 3; and a pair of parallel links 16, the parallel links 16, 16 being pivotally mounted to the front ends of the support brackets 15, 15.

The support bracket 15 is narrower in width than the support member 5, and has grooves (not shown) in an upper support plate 15a and a lower holding plate 15b, which upper support plate 15a and lower support plate 15b are engaged on the upper half portion and lower half portion of the cross member 3. The support bracket 15 is firmly fixed to the cross beam 3 by means of bolts 10, 13 in fig. 3.

In fig. 4-8, the parallel links 16 include: a shaft 18a, the shaft 18a passing through a rectangular bar 18, the rectangular bar 18 connecting the bearings 17, 17 at the front end of the upper holding plate 15b of the support bracket 15 to each other; a first link arm 19, said first link arm 19 engaging with the outwardly projecting end of the shaft 18a at the rear end; a second link arm 22, the second link arm 22 being above the first link arm 19 and pivotally fixed to the upwardly projecting portion 20 of the holding plate 15b with a pivot shaft 21; an upper and lower member 23, the upper and lower member 23 being pivotally fixed to the front ends of the first and second link arms 19, 22 with shafts 23a, 23 b; and a connecting member 24, the connecting member 24 connecting the upper and lower objects 23, 23 to each other.

The front end of the second link arm 22 is positioned by being put into the groove 23c at the rear end of the up-down object 23. The front end of the second link arm 22, the upper and lower objects 23, and the connecting member 24 are connected by a shaft 23 b.

The upper front ends of the up-and-down object 23 are pivotally fixed to the front ends of top support arms 25 by shafts 25 in front of the center of gravity G of the roof 20, the top support arms 25 being fixed to the lower surface of the roof 26.

The top portion 26 is an inverted trapezoid in plan view, has an inwardly curved front end and an outwardly curved rear end, and has a hand placing portion 26a made of a slightly soft elastic resin (elastomer resin)26 a.

In fig. 10, the outer periphery of the hand placing portion 26a has a lower inclined surface to reduce the thickness thereof.

Due to this shape of the top portion 26, the center of gravity G is located behind the center of the top portion 26, enabling the top portion 26 to be stably supported even when the top portion 26 greatly extends from the leg 2. The top 26 is positioned to surround the user to facilitate use of the top, particularly when the user is operating many of the office automation equipment on the top 26.

The parallel links 16, 16 are mounted to the front ends of the support brackets 15, wherein the support brackets 15, 15 are fixed to the front and rear cross members 3 to allow the roof 26 to be supported by roof support arms 25, 25 pivotally fixed to the front ends, thereby enabling the roof 26 to be mounted while the roof 26 projects forward from the leg posts 2b and the cross members 3.

In this way, under the top portion 26, a large space is created, enabling the user to operate the keyboard on the top portion 26 in a relaxed position with the legs placed deep under the top portion 26.

Further, the second link arm 22 of the parallel link 16 is higher than the first link arm 19. Between the right and left second link arms 22, a leg space is formed. It is not possible for fingers or clothing to be held between the first and second link arms 19 and 22.

The left and right parallel links 16 and 16 are connected to each other with cross members 18, 24 so that the parallel links 16, 16 rotate in synchronism.

The front and rear cross members provide high strength against bending or twisting as described above. Thus, even when the forwardly projecting top 26 is supported, no defect is generated, and thus the weight of the top 26 is safely and stably borne.

The bolts for supporting the bracket 15 are loosened so that the installation positions of the parallel links 16 and the top 26 can be horizontally changed.

Intermediate the cross beam 24 and the cross beam 18, a first hydraulically locking gas spring (hydro locking gas spring)27 for height adjustment is pivotally secured at a forward end to the cross beam 24 and at a rearward end to the cross beam 18 by U-shaped brackets 28, 28 to apply a forward force as the top 26 moves up and down by the parallel links 16.

In the middle of the top portion 24 and in the recessed portion 26b of the lower surface of the top portion 26, a second hydraulic gas spring (hydraulic gas spring)29 with a lock for tilting the top portion 26 is pivotally fixed by the U-shaped brackets 28, 28 to apply an upward force when the top portion 26 is tilted downward toward the front.

In fig. 4 and 9, in first and second gas springs 27, 29 (only the first gas spring as the second is shown), a valve 27b projecting from the front end of a piston rod 27a is pressed by the lower end of an operating lever 31 pivotally fixed to a connector 30, wherein the connector 30 connects the piston rods 27a to a bracket 28 to allow them to be unlocked, thereby enabling the piston rod 27a to project with the internal gas pressure.

The upper end of the operation lever 31 is coupled to one end of a wire 33a passing through an outer cable 33, wherein the outer cable 33 is coupled to the support piece 32 of the connector 30.

In fig. 8 and 10, at the front inner corner on the lower surface of the hand placing portion 26a of the top portion 26, there are hydraulic unlocking units 34, 34 in which the outer cables 33 for the first and second gas springs 27, 29 are coupled to the other end of the wire 33 a.

The two unlocking units 34, 34 are symmetrical and contain the same structure, and only the right unlocking unit 34 will be described.

The unlocking unit 34 is fitted in a concave portion 35 in the lower surface of the hand placing portion 26a, and the unlocking unit 34 includes: a U-shaped support base 36 in which an outer peripheral portion 36a is bolted to the lower surface of the top 26; an operating lever 37, the operating lever 37 being accommodated in the concave portion 36b of the support base 36; and a cover plate 38, the cover plate 38 covering an open surface of the upper end of the support base 36.

The concave portion 36b of the support base 36 is generally oval and has a straight line at the rear end. The rear of the bottom surface is open.

The pivot shaft 40 protrudes from the upper surface of the front portion of the concave portion 36 b.

The operating lever 37 is oval and slightly narrower than the concave portion 36b of the support base 36. A pivot tube 41 projecting downward at the front is fitted on the pivot shaft 40 of the support base 36 to allow the operating lever 37 to horizontally rotate about the pivot shaft 40 within the concave portion 37.

On the opening 39 of the support base 36 at the rear of the operating lever 37, a hand engaging portion 43 is surrounded by a rectangular frame 42.

On the upper surface of the recess of the downward projection 44 of the operating lever 37, an engaging projection 45 projects to engage with the wire 33 a.

The other end of the outer cable 33 is fixed to a holding portion 46, and the holding portion 46 protrudes inward from the inner side surface of the support base 36. The other end of the wire 33a protruding from the outer cable 33 is coupled to the operating lever 37 by mounting a washer 47 to the engaging protruding portion 45 with a screw (screen) 48.

The front side edge of the top 26 is held by hand. The thumb of the hand is placed on the top portion 26 while the other four fingers are inserted in the hand-engaging concave portion 43 of the joystick 37. The four fingers are pulled horizontally outward to allow the lever 37 to rotate horizontally outward about the pivot 40, thereby pulling the wire 33 a.

Thus, the operating lever 31 is rotated to press the valve 27b, thereby allowing the first air spring 27 to become free.

By rotating the parallel links 16 up and down, the top 26 to which an upward force is applied by the gas spring 27 can be freely moved up and down. In an optional position the handle is taken away from the lever 37 to allow the first gas spring to be locked, as shown in fig. 6 and 7, whereby the height of the top 26 is adjusted.

If the top portion 26 is heavy, a supplementary force applying unit (not shown), such as a torsion coil spring, may be provided between the cross member 18 of the parallel link 16 and the first link arm 19 so as not to move the top portion 26 downward due to its own weight when the first gas spring 27 is unlocked.

When the left operation unit 34 is also operated, the second gas spring 29 is unlocked to become free, thereby allowing the top 26 to pivot up and down about the pivot shaft of the top support arm 25. Releasing lever 37 at any position locks second gas spring 29 so that top portion 26 is adjusted to the desired tilt position, as shown in fig. 6.

As mentioned above, the top 26 includes an inverted trapezoid. The operation units 34, 34 for driving the first and second gas springs 27, 29 are provided on the lower surface of the inner front corner in the same direction as the side end surface of the hand-engaging portion 26a, and the operation units 34, 34 can be horizontally rotated in the forward tilting direction to allow both hands of the seated person to become closer to the left and right operation units 34, so that the left and right levers 37, 37 can be easily rotated with both hands while the person is still seated.

When a person grasps the front corner of the top portion 26, four fingers other than the thumb naturally contact the operating lever 37, so that the height and angle of the top portion 26 can be adjusted together with the operation of the operating lever 37.

In fig. 1, 6 and 7, the front and rear cross members 3, 3 may include two support bars 50, 50 and an auxiliary roof 51 mounted below.

In fig. 11 and 12, the mounting part 52 for mounting the support bar 50 and the auxiliary top 51 includes a pair of fixing plates 52a, 52b having grooves 53, 53 in which the upper and lower halves of the cross member 3 are fitted, respectively. The upper fixing plate 52a of the fixing member 52 includes grooves 55, 55 at the upper rear surface. The lower ends of the support rods 50 and the struts 54 for the auxiliary table top 51 are fitted in the grooves 55, respectively.

After the cross member 3 is fitted in the recesses 53 of the upper and lower fixing plates 52a, 52b, the bolts 56 passed through the upper fixing plate 52a are engaged with the female screw holes 57 of the lower fixing plate 52 b. Bolts 58, which pass through the rear portions of the upper and lower fixing plates 52a, 52b, are screwed into female screw holes 59 of the support rod 50 and the lower end of the stay 54, which are fitted in the grooves 55. The mounting member 52 is firmly fastened to the front or rear cross member 3 by the fastening bolt 58, and the support bar 50 and the stay 54 are fastened to the mounting member 52.

In order to fasten the supporting member 52 to the cross member 3, a slight gap for a fastening region (fastening region) is formed between the upper fixing plate 52a and the lower fixing plate 52 b.

As shown by the broken lines shown in fig. 11 and 12, the depth of the mounting member 52 is determined such that the rear end of the front mounting member 52 does not contact the rear cross member 3 when the mounting member 52 is fastened to the front mounting member 52.

The lower surface of the auxiliary top 51 is mounted to the upper end of the pillar 54 by fastening a bracket 60 fixed to the pillar 54 with a plurality of screws 61.

In fig. 6, a display for a personal computer may be mounted to a support pole 50 or an auxiliary top 51 so that its height can be adjusted.

As shown by a dotted line in fig. 12, the mounting member 52 is fastened to the front cross member 3 so that the auxiliary top 51 is located on the front side so that it can be close to the top 26, thereby allowing the user to more easily view the display D.

By turning the mounting member 52 over 180 degrees, the mounting member 52 can be fastened to the rear cross member 3 so that the auxiliary top 51 can be positioned forward. In such a position, the support bar 50 may be removed.

The cross beam 3 extends through the mounting member 52. Therefore, by loosening the bolts 56, 58, the mounting position can be arbitrarily changed left and right.

The cross member 3 has a hexagonal cross section, which enables the mounting strength of the mounting member 52 to be greater. The mounting member 52 is fastened to only one cross member 3 so that the load of the display D can be sufficiently supported. To withstand greater loads, the mounting member 52 has a cross-section in fig. 3 and can hold the front and rear cross members 3.

In fig. 1 and 13, the auxiliary top 63 of the rectangular side table 62 is laterally and pivotally mounted on the upper surface of the support member 5 in the horizontal direction, wherein the support member 5 is fixed to the upper ends of the left and right legs 2. The side tables 62 are longer than the top 26.

In the middle of the upper holding plate 5b of the support member 5, two holes 64 are formed, and screws 65 are inserted into the holes 64 before the holding plate 5b is fastened to the lower support plate 5 a. The upper portion of the screw 65 is engaged by a female screw hole (not shown) at the lower end of a fastening rod 67, wherein the fastening rod 67 protrudes from the lower surface of the support base plate 66 to allow the support base plate 66 to be fastened slightly higher horizontally than the support member 5.

Then, by tightening the fastening base 68a, a known rotation supporting unit 68 is mounted on the upper surface of the supporting base plate 66, wherein the rotation supporting unit 68 includes the fastening base 68a and a rotation plate 68b rotatably disposed via a number of balls (not shown).

The side table 62 can be horizontally pivoted about the support member 5 beside the top 26 by screwing the rotation plate 68b to the middle of the lower surface of the rear end of the auxiliary top 63.

The middle of the lower surface of the front portion of the auxiliary top 63 is fixed to the upper end of a support leg 70 having a height adjuster 69 at the lower end.

In fig. 1, the inner ends of the auxiliary crests 63 are curved outwardly with a curvature very equal to that of the outer ends of the crests 26 so that they become closer or contact each other when the crests 63 are rotated to the maximum.

When the auxiliary top 63 is rotated to the maximum, the front end of the auxiliary top 63 becomes a continuous arc shape very similar to the front end of the top 26.

As described above, the auxiliary tops 63 of the side tables 63 are laterally and pivotally mounted to the upper ends of the leg stubs 2b of the legs 2 in the horizontal direction, or to the upper surfaces of the support members 5 at the sides of the top 26, thereby enabling the left and right auxiliary tops 63 to be independently rotated and become larger in the rotation area.

In particular, the left and right auxiliary tops 63 are allowed to be laterally largely rotated, so that the side tables 62 can be made longer in the left-right direction so that many people can use them as a work table.

The auxiliary top 63 is rotated inward to the maximum position and the upper surface of the top 26 is made horizontal and coplanar with the upper surface of the auxiliary top 63, thereby forming a continuous larger top surface so as to create a larger operation area and to expand the location area for the office automation equipment.

The invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments.

In the foregoing embodiment, the top bracket 4 or a pair of parallel links 16 for supporting the top 26 is provided in the middle of the cross member 3 through the support bracket 15, wherein the cross member 3 connects the legs 2 and 2 to each other. However, in order to extend the length of the top 26 without the side table 62, the top bracket 4 may be provided to the support part 5 fixed to the upper end of the leg post 2 b.

The parallel linkage 16 and gas springs 27, 29 may be omitted if the height and angle of the top 26 need not be adjusted. Alternatively, the support bracket 15 and the top bracket fixed thereto may be protruded forward, and the lower surface of the top 26 may be directly mounted thereto.

In the above embodiment, the support base 36 is engaged in the recessed portion 35 at the front corner of the lower surface of the top portion 26, and the operating lever 37 is accommodated in the recessed portion. However, without the support base 36, the support bar 37 is pivotally secured within the recessed portion directly by a vertical pivot.

In order to enable one of the height and the angle of the top portion 26 to be adjusted, the operation unit 24 may be provided at one of the left and right sides.

Also, in the absence of the gas spring 27 for raising the parallel link 16 and stopping its rotation, a suitable stopper may be provided to stop the top portion 26 at the upper and lower limits.

Claims (22)

1. A table, comprising:

a top portion;

a pair of legs, each leg having a leg base at a lower end;

a cross member having a non-circular cross section and connected to each other with upper ends of the pair of legs; and

a pair of top brackets, rear ends of which are connected to the cross member to protrude forward of the cross member, and which are mounted to a lower surface of the top so that most of the top is located forward of the cross member,

wherein:

the top bracket includes a support member secured to a leg or cross member; and parallel links, rear ends of which are pivotally fixed to front ends of the support members to be vertically rotated, front ends of which are pivotally fixed to the upper and lower members, and

the table further includes a first hydraulically locking gas spring unit for adjusting the height of the top, for applying an upward force to the parallel links, and for locking the vertical rotation of the parallel links between the cross beam connecting the upper and lower members and the cross beam at the front end of the support member.

2. The table as in claim 1, wherein:

the pair of top brackets each include a pair of upper and lower support members at a rear portion thereof, the cross-members being held by support members joined by a bracing unit.

3. The table as in claim 1, wherein:

the cross-member includes at least front and rear cross-members, and the at least front and rear cross-members are disposed in parallel and fastened to the top bracket.

4. The table as in claim 1, wherein:

the cross-beam has a polygonal cross-section.

5. The table as in claim 1, wherein:

the front ends of the upper and lower members are pivotally secured to the front ends of the top support arms by shafts, and the lower surface of the top is mounted to the top support arms.

6. The table as in claim 1, wherein:

between the cross beam and the top there is a second hydraulically locking gas spring for tilting the top to exert an upward rotational urging force on the top and lock the top at a desired angle.

7. The table as in claim 6, wherein:

the front edge of the top is curved to allow the center of gravity to be positioned behind the center of the top.

8. A table, the table comprising:

a top portion wherein the length tapers forwardly;

a pair of legs;

a top bracket extending forward of the pair of legs, a front end of the top bracket movably supporting a top;

a hydraulically locking gas spring unit disposed between the top or top support and the leg to limit movement of the top, an

A hydraulic unlocking unit allowing the top to move, the hydraulic unlocking unit being provided on a lower surface of the top, thereby enabling the hydraulic unlocking unit to be operated obliquely in forward and outward directions.

9. The table as in claim 8, wherein:

the hydraulic locking gas spring unit includes a first hydraulic locking gas spring for adjusting a height of the top, and a second hydraulic locking gas spring for tilting the top, each of the first and second hydraulic locking gas springs including a hydraulic unlocking unit, the hydraulic unlocking units being disposed at front corners of a lower surface of the top symmetrically to each other.

10. The table as in claim 8, wherein:

the hydraulic unlocking unit of the hydraulically locking gas spring unit includes a lever that unlocks the hydraulically locking gas spring unit by pulling laterally along a lower surface of the top portion.

11. The table as in claim 8, wherein:

the hydraulic locking gas spring unit is connected to the hydraulic unlocking unit through a metal wire.

12. A table, the table comprising:

a top portion;

a pair of legs;

a shaft extending longitudinally along the table;

a pair of top brackets extending forward of the pair of legs, a portion forward of a center of gravity of the top being stabilized by a shaft;

a hydraulically locking gas spring unit for tilting the top; and

a hydraulic unlocking unit for hydraulically locking the gas spring,

wherein,

the forward portion of the top center of gravity is pivotally secured to the forward end of the top bracket extending forward of the leg,

each end of the hydraulically-locked gas spring unit is coupled to a rear portion of the center of gravity of the top and the top bracket, and

the hydraulic unlocking unit is provided on a lower surface of a front portion of the top.

13. The table as in claim 12, wherein:

the hydraulic unlocking unit of the hydraulic locking gas spring unit includes a lever that unlocks the hydraulic locking gas spring by pulling laterally along a lower surface of the top portion.

14. The table as in claim 13, wherein:

one end of the operating lever is received in the second recessed portion at the front corner of the lower surface of the top portion to rotate about the one end.

15. The table as in claim 14, wherein:

the first recessed portion at the front corner of the lower surface of the top portion includes a support base, and the lever is received in the second recessed portion for pivoting about the support base.

16. The table as in claim 15, wherein:

the second concave portion except for the lever is closed.

17. The table as in claim 16, wherein:

the hand-engaging portion is disposed in the second recessed portion.

18. The table as in claim 17, wherein:

the lower peripheral surface of the top portion outside the hydraulic unlocking unit is formed as a thin inclined surface.

19. The table as in claim 8 or 12, wherein:

the top bracket includes a support member secured to a leg or cross member; and a parallel link, a rear end of which is pivotally fixed to a front end of the support member to be vertically rotated, and a front end of which is pivotally fixed to the upper and lower members.

20. The table as in claim 19, wherein:

the hydraulic locking gas spring unit has the first hydraulic locking gas spring for adjusting the height of the top, the first hydraulic locking gas spring for applying an upward force to the parallel links and locking the vertical rotation of the parallel links between the cross beam connecting the upper and lower members and the cross beam at the front end of the support member.

21. The table as in claim 20, wherein:

the front ends of the upper and lower members are pivotally secured to the front ends of the top support arms by shafts, and the lower surface of the top is mounted to the top support arms.

22. The table as in claim 21, wherein:

between the cross beam and the top there is a second hydraulically locking gas spring for tilting the top to exert an upward rotational urging force on the top and lock the top at a desired angle.

23. The table as in claim 22, wherein:

the front edge of the top is curved to allow the center of gravity to be positioned behind the center of the top.

Images