Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ADJUSTABLE WORK SURFACE WITH TILT
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional
Patent
Application No. 60/893,468 filed March 7, 2007, which is incorporated herein
by
reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to workstations. More
specifically, the present invention relates to a workstation having a primary
work
surface with tilt.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Desks, or workstations, have been used for many years to provide a
work surface to individuals. Desks provide a flat surface on top of which an
individual
can do various tasks such as drafting, writing or working on a computer.
However,
many of these desks provide a single position for a work surface and do not
include
an adjustable work surface. More recently, some desks have been produced which
allow for the height of the work surface to be adjustable to accommodate
individuals
of varying height. This has assisted in providing a work surface in an
ergonomically
desired vertical position.
[0004] It is, therefore, desirable to provide a novel adjustable work surface
with tilt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the invention to obviate or mitigate at least one
disadvantage of previous desks, or office furniture with a work surface.
[0006] In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a workstation having
an adjustable work surface comprising a top portion; a rear support portion;
and a
tilting mechanism, including a gas cylinder connected at one end to the top
portion
and at a second end to the rear support portion; wherein when the tilting
mechanism
is actuated, the gas cylinder causing the top portion to tilt with respect to
the rear
support portion.
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[0007] Other aspects and features of the invention will become apparent to
those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description
of specific
embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a workstation having an
adjustable work surface with tilt;
Figure 2 is a bottom perspective of the workstation of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the workstation of Figure 1 with
the work surface in a tilted position;
Figure 4 is a side view of the workstation of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a
workstation having an adjustable work surface with tilt;
Figure 6 is second perspective view of the workstation of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a bottom perspective of the workstation of Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a top perspective view of the workstation of Figure 1 with
the work surface in a tilted position;
Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a workstation in a closed position;
Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a workstation with the work
surface in a tilted position;
Figures 11 a to 11 c are examples of a system for mounting the top
portion to side supports; and
Figure 12 is a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of a
workstation with an adjustable work surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Generally, the present invention provides a workstation, or desk,
having an adjustable work surface with tilt.
[0010] Turning to Figure 1, a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
workstation, in accordance with the invention, is shown. The workstation 10
includes
a pair of side support portions, or legs, 12 (seen as 12a and 12b), a back, or
rear,
portion 14 and a top portion 16. The top portion 16 can also be seen as a work
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surface atop which a user can perform tasks such as writing, drawing,
painting,
sketching, drafting and the like. A button 18, is located within the top
portion 16 and
is used to activate a tilting mechanism 24 (as shown in Figure 2).
[0011] Each of the support portions 12 are attached to opposite ends of the
back portion 14 of the workstation in order to provide a structured support to
the top
portion 16. As can be seen in Figure 1, the top portion 16 is mounted, via a
bracket
system 20, at a front location 22, to the leg 12a to provide further support.
Although
not shown, a similar bracketing system is located between the top portion 16
and the
support portion 12b.
[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the tilting mechanism 24 includes a cable 26
which is connected to the button 18 and a cylinder 28, preferably pneumatic
and filled
with gas, which is attached to a bottom side of the top portion 16 and the
back
portion 14. A piston 29 is also located within the cylinder 28. In the
preferred
embodiment, the gas cylinder 28 has two sections for storing gas with an
orifice, or
dividing wall, separating the two sections.
[0013] The bracket system 20 is also shown in more detail and includes a
post 30 about which the work surface 16 pivots when the work surface is
tilted.
[0014] Turning to Figures 3 and 4, a perspective view and a side view of the
workstation with the work surface in a tilted position are provided. As shown
in
Figure 3, the top portion 16 is tilted with respect to its normal, or closed,
position
(shown in Figures 1 and 2). This allows the user to perform tasks on the work
surface in a more ergonomically desired position. The angle 32 at which the
top
portion 16 can be tilted is between 0 and 90 degrees, and more specifically,
between
0 and 30 degrees, but preferably between 0 and 12.5 degrees with respect to
the
closed position.
[0015] In operation, assuming that the work surface is in the normal position
(Figure 1), when a user wishes to tilt the top portion 16, the user presses
the button
18, which causes the cable 26 to actuate the gas cylinder 28 by opening the
orifice,
thereby allowing gas to flow between the two sections. When activated, or
actuated,
gas flows from one section to the other section thereby extending the piston
which
causes the piston 29 to extend and tilt the top portion 16. This is
schematically
shown with respect to Figures 9 and 10.
[0016] When the top portion 16 has reached a preferred angle, the user can
release the button 18 in order to lock the work surface 16 in place. If the
user wishes
to decrease the angle 32 (i.e. move the top portion 16 in a downward
direction), the
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button 18 is once again pressed, to open the orifice, and the user applies a
downward pressure to the top portion 16 thereby pushing the gas back through
the
orifice to the other section. The speed at which the top portion 16 tilts and
the
resistant force to the downward pressure being applied by the individual is
controlled
by the cylinder, which is selected in accordance with various criteria.
[0017] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, schematic diagrams of an example for
the selection, and placement, of the cylinder, with respect to the top portion
16 and
the back portion 14 is shown. In the closed position of Figure 9, the cylinder
28 is
mounted to the back portion 14 at a predetermined distance B, preferably 12
inches,
from the top surface 16.
[0018] By knowing various characteristics or measurements of the top portion
16 such as the length, or depth (D), width (W), weight, thickness (T),
material which
the top portion is manufactured from and the maximum angle or tilt, a
calculation can
be performed to determine the appropriate type of cylinder 28 required based
on the
pressure point (Newton rating) and the shaft throw distance of the cylinder
28. Other
determining factors are also considered and listed below.
[0019] In this example, it is assumed that the top portion is 1 1/8" thick (T
= 1
1/8") by 44" wide (W = 44") by 24" deep (D = 24") and manufactured from medium
density fibreboard (M.D.F.) board with laminate. Therefore, the weight of the
top
portion 16 can be calculated using these variables. The maximum tilt angle
(such as
12.5 degrees) is also a predetermined value which can be between 0 and 90
degrees, but preferably at an angle whereby pens and pencils do not roll off
the top
surface when the work surface is in a maximum tilted position. Using these
values,
an appropriate cylinder can be selected based on the required forces. In this
current
example, a cylinder with a Newton rating of 150 is selected. Further factors
in
determining the appropriate cylinder include, but are not limited to, the rate
of
acceleration to move the top portion from the normal position to a tilted
position and
the force required to push the top portion back down. For instance if the user
desires
to have the top portion quickly tilted, the appropriate cylinder can have a
higher
Newton rating.
[0020] Therefore, after determining the appropriate cylinder to be used based
on the requirements for the workstation, the cylinder 28, having a set length
L, can
then be mounted to the back and top portions. The distances A and B are
selected
based on further criteria such as a distance B whereby an individual's knees
do not
contact the cylinder 28 when using the workstation. In some cases, one of the
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distances A or B is pre-determined and therefore, the other distance is
determined
by the equation AZ = B2 + L2 where L is the length of the cylinder in the non-
extended
position (and a known value).
[0021] Other factors which can affect the determination of the appropriate
cylinder include, but are not limited to, the size of the top portion 16,
predetermined,
or specific request for values of A and B, increased or decreased maximum tilt
angle
and rate of acceleration required to move the top portion from the normal
position.
[0022] Turning to Figures 5 and 6, a second embodiment of a workstation
having an adjustable work surface is shown. In this embodiment, the
workstation 50
includes an adjustable top portion 52 and a non-adjustable top portion 54.
Individual
legs 56 are located on an underside of each of the top portions 52 and 54 to
provide
support to the top portions 52 and 54. Office panels, or walls 58, surround
the top
portions 52 and 54 with some of the walls 58 being attached to the top
portions 52
and 54 to also provide side or rear support. In this embodiment, the top
portions 52
and 54 are preferably mounted to the walls 58 such as with a system, as shown
in
Figures 11 a to 11 c.
[0023] As with the previous embodiment, a button 60, which is used to
activate a tilting mechanism, is located within the surface of the adjustable
top portion
52.
[0024] Turning to Figure 7, a bottom perspective view of the workstation is
shown. As can be seen, a tilting mechanism 62, comprising a cable 64 and a
pneumatic cylinder 66, is shown. The cylinder 66 includes a piston 68 and has
a first
end connected to an underside of the adjustable top portion 52 and a second
end to
one of the legs 56a, or a rear support. In an alternative embodiment, the
second end
of the cylinder 66 can be connected to the wall 58 located behind the leg 56a.
The
locations where the cylinder 66 are connected can be calculated as disclosed
above
with the previous embodiment. Selection of the appropriate cylinder can also
be
performed as discussed above.
[0025] As further shown in Figure 7, the top portion 52 is connected to a pair
of support beams 70 which provide additional support to the adjustable top
portion
52. As discussed above with respect to Figures 5 and 6, the support beams 70
are
mounted to the side walls 58. Turning to Figure 11a, the support beams 70
include a
hook system 72 which mates with corresponding holes within the wall 58, or a
support structure within the wall. This is also shown in Figures 11 b and 11
c.
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[0026] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the workstation with the adjustable
top portion tilted. As disclosed above, if the uses wishes to move the work
surface to
a tilted position, the user presses the button 60 which causes the pneumatic
cylinder
66 to be actuated via the cable 64. After the cylinder 66 is actuated, the
adjustable
top portion 52 is slowly urged in an upward direction by the piston 68. When
the
adjustable top portion 52 arrives at the desired position, the user can
release the
button thereby stopping the actuation of the cylinder 66. Similarly, if the
user wishes
to return the top surface 16 to the normal position, or decrease the amount of
tilt, the
user can press the button and slowly provide a force to the top portion 16 to
move it
in a downward direction.
[0027] Turning to Figure 12, a bottom perspective view of another
embodiment is shown. Operation of this embodiment is identical to the
embodiment
of Figures 5 to 8 discussed above with the difference in the support structure
provided to the top portion.
[0028] In this embodiment, the support structure includes a support beam 80
which is mounted parallel to the side wall 58. A pivotable bracket is 82 is
connected
to the support beam 80 and the adjustable top portion 52 so that the top
portion can
pivot when the button is pressed. A similar support beam 84 is located on an
opposite side of the adjustable top portion 52 having a pivotable bracket 86
mounted
thereon and also to the adjustable top portion 52. Both of the support beams
80 and
84 are connected to a rear support beam 88 to provide further sturdiness to
the
support structure. As shown in this embodiment, the rear portion, to which the
cylinder is connected, is also connected to a leg extending from the rear
support
beam 88.
[0029] In the above description, for purposes of explanation, numerous
details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of
the
invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these
specific
details are not required in order to practice the invention.
[0030] The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be
examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to
the
particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the
scope of
the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.
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