Patent Application
20240065432
Various exemplary embodiments relate to height adjustable work surfaces.
Modern workplace environments and work stations, as well as the demands for mobility and body positioning are vastly changed from earlier workplaces, where desks and chairs were provided to support workers in typically upright seating postures. Modern workplaces are adapting both sitting and standing worker positions allowing user mobility and range of motion to facilitate job tasks.
Providing the option to either sit or stand at a workstation can allow a user to alternate working positions, preventing injury due to being set in a specific position over an entire day. While workstations (e.g., tables or desks) with a raise and lower mechanism are available, these can be expensive and are not ideal for each environment. Convertible platforms that are placed on top of a user's standard sitting desk are also available, however these are designed for stationary use, decreasing their flexibility and flexibility in the workplace environment.
In certain aspects, a height adjustable work surface includes a platform and a height adjustment assembly moveably connected to the platform. A leg assembly is connected to the height adjustment assembly and moveably connected to the platform. The leg assembly is moveable between a raised position and a lowered position. A locking assembly is moveably connected to the platform. The locking assembly is configured to engage the height adjustment assembly to selectively secure the leg assembly in the raised position and the lowered position. The locking assembly includes a handle and a latch. At least a portion of the latch is moveable between a first position and a second position. The latch includes a gravity actuated lockout mechanism configured to prevent movement of the latch to the second position unless the platform is in a normal operating orientation.
In certain aspects, a height adjustable work surface includes a platform and a height adjustment assembly moveably connected to the platform. A leg assembly is connected to the height adjustment assembly and moveably connected to the platform. The leg assembly is moveable between a raised position and a lowered position. A handle is moveably connected to the platform. The handle is configured to engage the height adjustment assembly to selectively secure the leg assembly in the raised position and the lowered position. A latch is connected to the platform. At least a portion of the latch is moveable between a first position configured to engage the handle and a second position configured to allow the handle to pass around the latch. The latch includes a lockout mechanism configured to be automatically engaged and disengaged based on the orientation of the platform. When the lockout mechanism is engaged it prevents movement of the to the second position.
In certain aspects, a height adjustable work surface includes a platform and a height adjustment assembly moveably connected to the platform. A leg assembly is connected to the height adjustment assembly and moveably connected to the platform. The leg assembly is moveable between a raised position and a lowered position. A handle is moveably connected to the platform. The handle is configured to engage the height adjustment assembly to selectively secure the leg assembly in the raised position and the lowered position. A latch body is connected to the platform, the latch body including a track. A ball is received in the track and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. An actuator is pivotally connected to the latch body. The actuator is moveable between a first position configured to engage the handle and a second position configured to allow the handle to pass around the actuator. The ball is configured to prevent movement of the actuator to the second position when the ball is in the engaged position.
The aspects and features of various exemplary embodiments will be more apparent from the description of those exemplary embodiments taken with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Various exemplary embodiments described herein are directed to a height adjustable work surface. Various structural features and alternative embodiments can be incorporated into the height adjustable work surface, for example as shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/765,395 and PCT Published Application No. WO2021/069852, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, a height adjustable desktop riser work surface includes a platform 100, a leg assembly 200, a height adjustment assembly 300, and a locking assembly 400. The desktop riser is configured to be positioned on a horizontal surface, such as an existing desk or table. The platform forms a surface to support a user's work material (e.g., keyboards, computers, papers, etc.) between a raised, standing position (
As best shown in the lowered position of
As best shown in
As best shown in
The leg assembly also includes a split-leg rotatably and slidably connected to the rear of the platform. The split-leg includes a third leg 216 and a fourth leg 218 that are connected to the platform 100 and to a plate 220 that extends between the third and fourth legs 216, 218. The plate 220 is also connected to the height adjustment assembly 300. Each of the third leg 216 and the fourth leg 218 are positioned on the outside of the H-leg 202 and can include an upper portion 222 that angles toward the interior of the platform 100 and a lower portion 224 that angles toward the exterior of the platform 100.
As shown in
The H-leg slider 302 includes a body 310 having proximate end positioned toward the front of the platform 100 and a distal end positioned toward the rear of the platform 100. The proximate portion includes a connecting member 312 configured to receive pins from the H-leg assembly. The proximate portion also includes an attachment feature 314 that connects the H-leg biasing mechanism 304 to the body 310. The attachment feature 314 can include a hook, slot, channel or other feature configured to connect to an end of the H-leg biasing mechanism 304.
A plurality of teeth 316 are positioned along each side of the body 310 and are configured to engage the locking assembly 400. The teeth 316 are angled toward the distal end of the body 310. Movement of the H-leg slider 302 is guided by one or more slots formed in the body 310. The slots receive a protrusion extending from the tray 114, for example a cylindrical post or protrusion 118 as best shown in
The H-leg biasing mechanism 304 includes a first end connected to the H-leg slider 302 and a second end connected to the main body 102. A force is exerted by the H-leg biasing mechanism 304 to bias the H-leg slider 302 to the rear of the platform (i.e., the raised position). The first and second ends of the H-leg biasing mechanism 304 can include connecting features such as hooks or loops that allow the ends to be releasably connected. In an exemplary embodiment the H-leg biasing mechanism 304 includes a single coil extension spring having a hook formed in the first and second ends. Other types of biasing mechanisms, including gas springs, elastomeric springs, etc, can also be used.
The split-leg slider 306 includes a body 322 having a proximate end positioned toward the front of the platform 100 and a distal end positioned toward the rear of the platform 100. The distal portion of the body 322 is connected to the plate 220. The distal portion also includes a connection 324 for the split-leg biasing mechanism 308. The connection 324 can include a hook, slot, channel or other feature configured to connect to an end of the split-leg biasing mechanism 308. The body 322 also includes a plurality of teeth 326 along each side of the body 322 that are configured to engage the locking assembly 400. The teeth 326 are angled toward the distal end of the body 322. The teeth 326 of the split-leg body 322 are also configured to align with the teeth 316 of the H-leg body 310. Movement of the split-leg slider 306 is guided by one or more slots formed in the body. The slots receive a protrusion 118, for example a cylindrical post, extending from the tray 114. The protrusion 118 extends into the slot to promote translation of the split-leg slider 306 with respect to the tray 114. In an exemplary embodiment, the protrusions 118 extend through the slots in both the H-leg slider 302 and the split-leg slider 306.
The split-leg biasing mechanism 308 includes a first end connected to the main body 102 and a second end connected to the split-leg slider 306. A force is exerted by the split-leg biasing mechanism 308 to bias the split-leg slider 306 to the front of the platform 100 (i.e., the raised position). The first and second ends of the split-leg biasing mechanism 308 can include a connecting feature such as hooks or loops that allow the ends to be releasably connected. In an exemplary embodiment the split-leg biasing mechanism 308 includes a single coil extension spring having a hook formed in the first and second ends. Other types of biasing mechanisms can also be used.
According to various exemplary embodiments, the locking assembly 400 includes a first arm 402, a first arm biasing mechanism 404, a second arm 406, and a second arm biasing mechanism 408. The first and second arms 402, 406 are moveably connected to opposite sides of the main body 102 between a locked position that prevents movement of the leg assembly 200 and a released position that allows movement of the leg assembly 200. The first and second arms 402, 406 can extend from underneath the platform 100 and be accessible to a user to engage and disengage the locking assembly 400. In an exemplary embodiment, the locking assembly 400 directly engages with the slider assembly 300 to prevent movement, although other configurations (e.g., direct engagement with the leg assembly) can also be used. The first and second arm biasing mechanisms 404, 408 bias the arms 402, 406 into the locked position.
A first body portion 414 of the arm extends away from the cylindrical wall. A set of arm teeth 416 are formed in the first body portion 414. The arm teeth 416 angle toward the proximate portion of the platform 100 and are configured to releasably mate with the teeth 316, 326 of the slider assembly 300. The size of the arm teeth 416 allows them to mate with both the H-leg slider teeth 316 and the split-leg slider teeth 326. A handle 422 extends underneath the platform 100 and is configured for user engagement. For example, by pulling the handles 422, the user can rotate the first arm 402 and/or the second arm 406 to disengage the arm teeth 416 from the slider assembly 300.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second arms 402, 406 are mirror images of each other and share the same structural features. As such, only a single arm is described in detail. Other exemplary embodiments can include arms with different structures. Some embodiments can utilize a single moveable arm for the locking assembly. The first and second arms are also shown as unitarily formed or monolithic members, although they can also be formed in separate parts.
Use of the two arms as shown and described requires that both arms must be intentionally moved by the user to release the height adjustment assembly 300 for movement in either direction. This helps prevent inadvertent movement of the platform 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the arms 402, 406 are positioned to be at least partially along mid-line C1 of the riser. This allows the user to more easily raise or lower the platform compared with handles that are positioned closer to the user.
In certain exemplary embodiments, the locking assembly 400 includes a latch 430 as shown in
As best shown in
In certain configurations, the latch 430 can include a lockout mechanism that prevents the actuator 432 from moving to the second position to disengage the handle. The lockout mechanism can be automatically engaged and disengaged based on the orientation of the platform 100. For example, the lockout mechanism can be configured to be disengaged only when the platform is in a normal operating orientation, that is with the front, rear, and side edges of the platform substantially level (or within a certain range of level) and the legs facing down as shown in
The actuator 432 includes a second track 454 aligned with the first track 440. The second track 454 can have an upper portion 456 and a lower portion 458. In certain configurations, however, only a single track is needed. A pair of rear openings 460 are formed in the sides of the actuator for receiving the pivot pin 450. A slot 462 is formed in the side of the actuator for receiving the protrusion 452.
The first track 440 can have a variable curvature along both the length of the track and from side to side. The first track 440 can also extend at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the latch body 434. This allows the ball 442 to move with gravity depending on the orientation of the platform between the upper cup 444 and the lower cup 446.
The foregoing detailed description of the certain exemplary embodiments has been provided for the purpose of explaining the general principles and practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. This description is not necessarily intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the exemplary embodiments disclosed. Any of the embodiments and/or elements disclosed herein may be combined with one another to form various additional embodiments not specifically disclosed. Accordingly, additional embodiments are possible and are intended to be encompassed within this specification and the scope of the appended claims. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way.
As used in this application, the terms “front,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and other orientational descriptors are intended to facilitate the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the structure of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to any particular position or orientation. Terms of degree, such as “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.
