ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT TABLES

TABLES REGLABLES EN HAUTEUR

English Abstract

A height adjustable work table comprises a work
surface and at least three adjustable leg arrangements
supporting said work surface. Each leg arrangement
comprises a curved leg supported in a leg bracket attached
beneath the work surface. Each leg bracket is an open
channel having predetermined support positions for engaging
the curved leg with fasteners for releasably securing the
leg in any of the support positions.beta.
-8-

French Abstract

Table de travail réglable en hauteur. Elle comprend une surface de travail et au moins trois dispositifs de pieds réglables supportant cette surface. Chaque dispositif de pied comporte un pied courbe soutenu dans un support de pied fixé en dessous de la surface de travail. Chaque support de pied s'avère une rainure ouverte ayant des positions de soutien prédéterminées pour engager le pied courbe avec des attaches, afin de le maintenir de façon amovible dans n'importe quelle position de soutien.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A height adjustable work table comprising a work
surface and at least three adjustable leg arrangements
supporting said work surface, each leg arrangement
comprising a curved leg supported in a leg bracket attached
beneath the work surface, and wherein each leg bracket is
an open channel having predetermined support positions for
engaging the curved leg with means for releasably securing
said leg in any of said support positions.
2. A height adjustable work table as claimed in
claim 1 wherein said curved leg is angled outwardly at the
top thereof and is joined with a generally vertical lower
section which terminates within the downward projection of
the work surface.
3. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 2
wherein each leg arrangement increases the support base as
the height of the table is increased.
4. A height adjustable work table comprising a work
table surface and at least three adjustable leg
arrangements supporting said work table surface, each leg
arrangement comprising a curved leg supported in a leg
bracket attached to the work table surface on a bottom
surface thereof, and wherein each leg bracket is an open
channel having a series of predetermined support positions
for engaging the curved leg with means for releasably
securing said leg in any of said support positions, said
open channel of each leg bracket includes in a base of said
channel a longitudinally extending stiffening recess.

5. A height adjustable work table as claimed in
claim 4 wherein each leg bracket is outwardly angled
beneath said work table surface and each curved leg has an
upper section which is outwardly angled and is joined with
a generally vertical lower section.
6. A height adjustable work table as claimed in
claim 5 wherein each leg arrangement increases the spacing
between said legs as the height of the table is increased.
7. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 4
wherein each leg has a bent tube body portion
8. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 4
wherein said open channel of each leg bracket projects
outwardly and downwardly from said work table surface and
is positioned near the periphery of the work table surface.
9. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 8
wherein said series of predetermined support positions of
each leg bracket is a series of ports spaced in the length
of said stiffening recess and each leg includes securing
ports_appropriately spaced for alignment with said series
of ports.
10. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 4
wherein each leg bracket at an upper end thereof includes a
top plate which forms part of the securement with a bottom
portion of said work table surface, each top plate having a
series of holes therein which receive fasteners used to
secure said top plate to said work table surface.
11. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 8
wherein each leg bracket at an upper end thereof includes a
top plate sized to distribute forces between said leg and
said work table surface and said open channel of each leg
bracket is attached to said respective top plate and a

reinforcing strut further connects said top plate and said
open channel.
12. A height adjustable work table comprising a work
table surface and at least three adjustable leg
arrangements supporting said work table surface, each leg
arrangement comprising a curved leg supported in a leg
bracket attached to the work table surface on a bottom
surface thereof, and wherein each leg bracket is an open
channel having a series of predetermined support positions
for engaging the curved leg with means for releasably
securing said leg in any of said support positions, and
each leg arrangement including a cover member closing said
open channel between an upper surface of said leg and said
work surface.
13. A height adjustable table as claimed in claim 12
wherein said cover of each leg arrangement is maintained in
place by the securement of said leg to said leg bracket.
14. A height adjustable work table as claimed in
claim 4 wherein said table has two pairs of legs and each
pair of legs has the leg brackets thereof integral with a
common strut joining the upper ends of each leg bracket.
15. A height adjustable work table as claimed in
claim 14 wherein each common strut is a plate member having
an arched lower surface extending between said open
channels.

Description

' WH-9 3
2199316
TITLE: ADJUSTABLE H~IGHT TABLES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to adjustable height
tables and in particular, relates to adjustable height
tables for office desks, work tables and conference tables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many examples of height adjustable tables
~0 for use in association with a work station. Computer
stations are, perhaps, the best examples of work surfaces
which are height-adjustable and can include either a
mechanical counter-balancing arrangement, electrical drive
arrangements or hydraulic arrangements for controlling the
~5 height of the work surface. There are also many telescopic
legs for providing variable heights. The present invention
provides a simple mechanical arrangement for varying the
height of a work surface, such as a table or mobile table,
which is relatively inexpensive to use, and provides
increased stability as the height of the table increases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A height adjustable work table, according to the
present invention, comprises a work surface and at least
three adjustable leg arrangements supporting the work
surface. Each leg arrangement comprises a curve leg
supported in the leg bracket attached beneath the work
surface. The leg bracket is an open channel having
predetermined support positions for engaging the curved leg
with means for releasably securing said leg in any of the
support positions.

21 q93~ 5
According to an aspect of the invention, the curved
leg is angled outwardly at the top thereof and is integral
with a generally vertical lower section which terminates
within the downward projection of the work surface.
According to a further aspect of the invention,
each leg arrangement increases the support base as the
height of the table is increased.
.0
BRIEF DESCRIPTIOM OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in
the drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a height-
adjustable table having two opposed leg pairs;
Figure 2 is perspective in view of the table in
Figure l;
Figure 3 is an inside view of the table of Figure
2;
Figure 4 is a side view of the paired leg
arrangement;
Figure 5 shows details of the securement of the
curve leg 2 of the channel bracket;
Figure 6 is a side view of a single leg
2~ arrangementi
Figure 7 is an end view of the leg of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a further side view of the single leg
arrangement;
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WH-9~3 2 1 9 9 3 t ~
Figure 9 is a front view of the single leg
arrangement; and
Figure 10 shows the single leg arrangement secured
to a generally triangular conference table.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The height-adjustable table and the paired leg
arrangement shown in Figures 1 through 4, define a height-
adjustable table to having wo~k surface 4. At opposite
ends of the work surface and positioned slightly inwardly
of the edges thereof, are two opposed paired leg
arrangements 10. Each paired leg arrangement includes two
curved legs 12 where each leg has a curved transition 14,
approximately one foot above the base of the leg, which
transition joins the generally straight upper section 16
and the generally straight lower section 18, as shown in
Figure 3. The straight upper section is at an angle
relative to a vertical and it is received in a similarly
angled channel-shaped leg support bracket 30. The
generally straight upper leg section 16 allows movement of
the leg within the channel-shaped leg support bracket and
is securable to this bracket at a number of points, as will
subsequently be described. It should be noted that as the
leg is moved within the channel-shaped leg support 30, the
base of the table increases and decreases. For example, if
the leg is moved downwardly the channel-shaped leg support
bracket, the castor associated with the leg is moved
slightly outwardly, increasing the base of the table. This
is desirable as the height of the table has increased and
thus, the stability of the table is generally maintained.
It should also be noted that the legs are positioned
slightly inwardly of the edges of the work surface, such
that the legs are still within the footprint of the work
surface

WH-9~ 2199316
Each channel-shaped leg support 30 has opposed
sides 32 which support the side edges 13 of the leg 12 on
the portion of the leg which overlaps with the channel-
shaped leg support bracket. The leg 12 is secured to the
channel 30 by means o~ screw fasteners 32 which pass
through the rear of the channel-shaped leg support bracket
and engage the leg 12. The actual shape of the channel 30
includes inwardly directed surfaces 34 which engage the
back surface 15 of the leg with a further strengthening
channel 36 which extends inwardly of surfaces 34. This
stiffens the channel-shaped leg support bracket. As
previously described, the leg can be secured to the leg
support bracket 30 at a number of different positions. The
back surface 35 of the leg can have ports provided therein
for corroboration with fasteners 52. These fasteners
cooperate with a series of ports 54 provided in the
strengthening channel 36 as indicated in Figure 7. The
actual fasteners 52 used the appropriate ports for engaging
ports in the leg 12.
As can be appreciated, there may be a gap at the
top of the channel-shaped leg support bracket, if the table
is above a m;n;ml]m position. Functionally, this is
acceptable, however, from an appearance point of view, a
cover 50 overlaps with the leg 12 and conceals what would
otherwise be the exposed channel 30 above the leg.
The side view of the single leg embodiment o~
Figure 6 shows how the leg is fastened to the channel-
shaped leg support bracket 30 by fasteners 52. If the legis released from the channel 30 and adjusted to provide an
increase in the height of the table, the leg moves slightly
outwardly as indicated by arrow 19. This then increases
the base of the table. If the height of the table is

,9773 21 9q3t ~
3~:
decreased, the bottom of the leg moves slightly inwardly as
indicated by arrow 21.
The single leg embodiment of Figures 6 through 10
5 also includes a connecting gusset 40 which is secured to
the back of the channel-shaped leg support bracket 30 and
is also fastened to the work surface support bracket 46.
In the case of the paired leg arrangement 10 of Figures 1
through 4, the connecting gusset 40 is continuous between
L0 the two channel-shaped leg support brackets.
The embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, illustrates a
horizontal work surface 4, however, if desired, the rear
legs of the table may be secured with a slightly different
15 position increasing the height of the rear edge o~ the
table, relative to the front edge of the table. This then
defines an angled work surface which may be desirable for
drafting or other applications. It can also be appreciated
that the table could be angled upwardly or downwardly from
20 end to end, if desired, by the appropriate setting of the
legs 12.
The single leg design of Figures 6 through g is
particularly advantageous with respect to tables which do
25 not have a rectangular top surface. For example, the table
as shown in Figure 10, has three separate legs, each of
which is disposed at a different angle, relative to the
work surface.
The present invention provides a convenient cost
effective structure for allowing the height of a table to
be increased or decreased. It uses a simple mechanical

219~316
WH- 9~3
design and it also allows for adjustment of the size of the
base as the height o~ the table increases. The curved
lower section of the leg also allows the table to generally
stay within the footprint of the work surface and thus,
does not prove an obtrusive leg. Also this design allows
the support bracket atop the leg to be placed inwardly of
the edge of the table and is less obtrusive.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described herein in detail, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.

Representative Drawing