EP3738465A1

EP3738465A1 - A table having an adjustable height

Info

Publication number: EP3738465A1
Application number: EP20175111.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Martin Ballendat
Original assignee: Nowy Styl sp z oo
Current assignee: Nowy Styl sp z oo
Priority date: 2019-05-16
Filing date: 2020-05-16
Publication date: 2020-11-18
Also published as: DE102019112984A1; US20200359782A1

Abstract

A table having an adjustable height and comprising a frame (14) with two legs (16, 18) connected pivotally with respect to each other and a table top (12) arranged on the frame (14), characterized in that a guiding device is arranged at an underside of the table top (12), in which the two legs (16, 18) are guided synchronously while they pivot with respect to each other.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a table having an adjustable height.

BACKGROUND

Various types of tables having adjustable height are known. For example, ironing boards are known, wherein two frame legs are connected to each other in a scissor-like manner. In order to adjust the height of the ironing board, one end of a first frame leg is guided in a guide rail, which is arranged on the underside of the board top, while the second frame leg has fixed rotation points arranged on the underside of the board top. A drawback of such table is that while the height is adjusted, the symmetry dislocates with respect to the support of the frame, which may be disadvantageous, in particular when the table top is heavily loaded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a need to provide a table having adjustable height, which convenient to use.
The invention relates to a table in which, during adjustment of a height, both legs of a frame of the table are guided synchronously in a guiding device, which is arranged on the underside of the table top. Due to synchronous guidance of the legs, an articulated connection between the two legs is positioned always in the same vertical plane. In the region of the table top, the plane of symmetry with respect to the support is not dislocated by the frame of the table during its adjustment. This facilitates to maintain stability of the table.
In one embodiment, the guiding device may comprise two guide rails. In each of the guide rails, sliders of both legs can be guided. Each leg may have two sliders, each guided in a different one of the two guide rails. The guide rails can be positioned in parallel to each other and allow defined adjustment to the frame.
For example, each of the scissor-like intersecting legs may have at least one crossbar and two upper sections, wherein on the upper sections articulated joints are formed by which the legs are articulated with each other. The articulated joints may form a pivot axis between the two legs of the frame.
The legs can be formed by tubular elements made of metal or plastic. The legs can be also made of wood, for example plywood or other material.
In order to facilitate adjustment of the frame by means of a possibly low driving force, even in when the table is assembled or loaded, one of the legs may have at least one positioning roller and at least one positioning slider. The second leg may have fixing feet. Therefore, during adjustment of the frame, the leg with the fixing feet maintains its position on the ground, while the other leg moves along the ground surface.
In an embodiment, in order to facilitate folding of the table, the guiding device may have openings through which one of the legs can be detached from the table top. After detaching that leg it is possible to pivot the frame with respect to the table top and to the guide rails to a compact form and move it towards the underside of the table top.
In an embodiment, the table may comprise a driving unit for synchronous driving of the legs.
The driving unit may have a form of an electrical driving motor, which can have a self-locking gear. The self-locking gear prevents dislocation of the legs under the action of the external forces. When the self-locking gear is not present, it may be necessary to provide a setting device for maintaining a desired relative position of both legs.
In an embodiment, the driving unit may be a manually operated element, such as a hand crank or similar.
In an embodiment, the driving unit may drive two pressure-resistant drive cables or two toothed racks, each of which may connected to one of the legs. The drive cables or the toothed racks can be embedded in the underside of the table top to improve its visual appearance.
The pressure-resistant drive cables or the toothed racks for connecting the legs may comprise a coupling element. The coupling element may be a pin or a hook that is configured to enter into a corresponding recess of the leg.
In an embodiment, in order to stop the driving unit during adjustment of the leg, at least one position switch may be provided, which detects relative position of both legs, and subsequently stops the driving unit by sending a respective control signal.
Other advantages and embodiments of the invention are presented in the description, drawings and claims that follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the table with adjustable height according to the present disclosure is schematically presented in a simplified manner, on a drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description, wherein:

Fig. 1: presents a table in a lowered position in a perspective view;
Fig. 2: presents the table of fig. 1 in a raised position in the perspective view;
Fig. 3: presents the table in the lowered position in a side view;
Fig. 4: presents the table in the raised position in the side view;
Fig. 5: presents the table of fig. 3 in a cross-section along a V-V line;
Fig. 6: presents an enlarged view of a region VI-VI of fig. 5;
Fig. 7: presents a perspective view of an underside of the table;
Fig. 8: presents the table in an exploded view;
Fig. 9: presents schematically a driving unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Figs. 1-9 present a table 10 with a rectangular table top 12 placed on a frame 14. The table 10 has an adjustable height.
The frame 14 comprises two legs 16, 18 which are pivotally connected to each other in a region of two respective upper sections 20A and 20B or 22A and 22B by means of two articulated joints 24A, 24B, which have a common pivot axis. The upper sections 20A, 20B of the first leg 16 are connected to each other by an upper crossbar 26, such that the first leg 16 is substantially U-shaped. The upper sections 22A, 22B of the second leg 18 are connected to each other by means of a lower crossbar 28 and an upper crossbar 30, such that the second leg 18 is substantially rectangular or frame-shaped. Each of the legs 16, 18 is formed of a tubular element.
The upper crossbar 26 of the first leg 16 has sliders 32A and 32B arranged on each of its ends respectively. The upper crossbar 30 of the second leg 18 has sliders 34A and 34B arranged on each of its ends respectively. The sliders 32A, 34A are guided in a first guide rail 36A which is arranged at an underside of the table top 12 close to its side edge, wherein the first guide rail 36A is positioned in a groove 38. The sliders 32B, 34B are guided in a second guide rail 36B which is arranged at the underside of the table top 12 close to its side edge opposite to the first guide rail 36A, wherein the second guide rail 36B is positioned in a groove as well. Each of the guide rails 36A, 36B has an opening 40A, 40B, through which the sliders 34A, 34B, and therefore the second leg 18, can be detached from the guide rails 36A, 36B, such that the frame 14 may be folded and as a unit may be rotated with respect to the table top 12 around an axis formed by the sliders 32A, 32B of the first leg 16.
Each of the upper sections 20A, 20B of the first leg 16 has on the ends, which face away from the upper crossbar 26, a fixing foot 60A, 60B which is hinged to these ends and remains in position when adjusting the frame. The lower crossbar 28 of the first leg 16 has two rollers 62, which roll along the ground when adjusting the frame 14. The lower crossbar 28 is typically arranged at the back of the table, while the fixing feet 60A, 60B are arranged at the front of the table.
A driving motor 42 is attached by means of a bearing shell 44 to the underside of the table top 12 in its central region. The driving motor 42, by means of a self-locking worm gear, drives two toothed racks 46A, 46B, each of which has on its ends a coupling element 48 in a form of a nose or a pin which engages a corresponding mounting 50 arranged in the upper crossbar 30 of the second leg 18 or arranged in the upper crossbar 26 of the first leg 16.
The toothed racks 46A, 46B are arranged in the central guide rail 52 which is parallel to the guide rails 36A, 36B and arranged in the center of the underside of the table top 12. Position switches 54A, 54B are arranged in the central guide rail 52, wherein the position switches 54A, 54B can stop the drive motor 42 by cooperating with respective side recesses or pawls of the toothed racks 46A, 46B which detect the lowered position presented in Figs. 1 and 3 and the raised position presented in Figs. 2 and 4. The position switch 54A detects the raised position, while the position switch 54B detects the lowered position of the table.
The driving motor 42 and the bearing shell 44 are encased by means of a cover 58.
A manually operated actuating switch 56 for the driving motor 42 is arranged in a front edge region of the upper part of the table top 12. Moreover, a manually operated bypass switch is arranged on the cover 58, which allows to loose or detach the second leg 18 from the guide rails 36A, 36B. After reaching the raised position, in which the drive motor 42 is stopped by a control signal from the position switch 54A, the drive motor 42 may be restarted by pressing the bypass switch 64 until the sliders 34A, 34B are arranged in the region of the openings 40A, 40B where they can be detached from the guide rails 36A, 36B. The frame 14 may subsequently be folded and inclined with respect to the table top 12.

Claims

A table having an adjustable height and comprising a frame (14) with two legs (16, 18) connected pivotally with respect to each other and a table top (12) arranged on the frame (14), characterized in that a guiding device is arranged at an underside of the table top (12), in which the two legs (16, 18) are guided synchronously while they pivot with respect to each other.
The table according to claim 1, characterized in that the guiding device comprises two guide rails (36A, 36B), wherein each of the two legs (16, 18) has two sliders (32A, 32B, 34A, 34B) which are guided in the guide rails (36A, 36B).
The table according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the legs (16, 18) comprises at least one crossbar (26, 28, 30) and two upper sections (20A, 20B, 22A, 22B), wherein articulated joints (24A, 24B) are provided on the upper sections (20A, 20B, 22A, 22B), by means of which the legs (16, 18) are pivotaly connected with each other.
The table according to any of previous claims, characterized in that one of the legs (16, 18) has at least one positioning roller or at least one positioning slider.
The table with the adjustable height according to any of previous claims, characterized in that one of the legs (16, 18) has fixing feet (60A, 60B).
The table according to any of previous claims, characterized in that the guiding device has openings (40A, 40B) by means of which one of the legs (16, 18) is detachable from the table top (12).
The table according to any of previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a driving unit for synchronously driving the legs (16, 18).
The table according to claim 7, characterized in that the driving unit comprises a driving motor (42) and a self-locking gear.
The table according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the driving unit is configured to drive two pressure-resistant drive cables or two toothed racks (46A, 46B), each connected to one of the legs (16, 18).
The table according to claim 9, characterized in that the pressure-resistant drive cables or toothed racks (46A, 46B) have a coupling element for releasable connection with one of the legs (16, 18).
The table according to any of previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one position switch, which detects the relative position of both of the legs (16, 18).