Patent Application
20200170405
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates generally to modular table and desking systems. The present invention is directed to modular table and desking systems, and in particular assemblies for securing tabletops to table frames.
Tables and desking systems come in countless forms and are utilized by everyone for eating, meeting with others, working, studying and other activities. Tables and desking systems are typically designed for assembly at their final destination, with the legs detached from the tabletop for more economical and convenient shipment. However, the tabletop must then be attached to the legs or a table frame by the end user or a professional installer. Further, a user may desire to disassemble the table for storage or movement, or to reconfigure a configurable desking system.
To address these challenges, many methods, systems and components have been developed for attaching the tabletop to the table legs, or to a table frame. Preferably, these methods and systems allow for the tabletop to be easily detached from the table legs, or the table frame, so that the table may be disassembled for storage or movement, and later reassembled. In the simplest example, the tabletop may simply be screwed to the table legs, or screwed to the table frame or brackets attached to the table frame, and then the screws removed to disassemble the table. Although simple, this procedure may not be repeated more than a few times before the screw holes wear out, depending on the type of tabletop. Also, the tabletop may not be precisely aligned on a table frame when the tabletop is screwed into the frame by an installer or the user from below.
To address this issue, most office tables and desking systems utilize nuts inset in the bottom side of the tabletop that receive bolts for assembly, rather than screws, to connect the tabletop to legs or the frame. The combination of bolts and inset nuts also allows the tabletop to be more precisely aligned on a table frame based on the location of the inset nuts by the manufacturer. Although preferable to the use of screws, this common assembly technique has several disadvantages.
First, a user or professional installer must lie on the floor to align the bolts with the preset nuts, and then screw the bolts into the nuts. This assembly procedure is uncomfortable, difficult and time consuming, and typically requires multiple individuals to assist with the precise placement of the tabletop while the bolts are inserted. Second, this technique requires hardware that is easily lost, and may not be easily replaced because the replacement bolts must exactly match the diameter and thread configuration of the inset nuts, as well as the length of the hole. Finally, stack up tolerances of the manufacturing process make it difficult to ensure that the inset holes of the tabletop and the holes of the table frame line up precisely, which may not be discovered until assembly of the table.
One attempted solution to these common issues in table and desking system assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,231,537 issued to Miller et. al and assigned to Poppin, Inc. In the Poppin desking system, the tabletop is secured to the table frame by clamping the tabletop to a rail of the table frame with lever and cam devices attached to the tabletop, as shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 of the Poppin patent. The Poppin lever and cam device is hand operable, and thus avoids the use of tools, screws or bolts for connecting the tabletop to the frame, eliminating many of the disadvantages of common table and desking system outlined above. The Poppin tabletop with attached lever and cam devices is also usable with different table frame configurations, as shown in FIGS. 7-9 of the Poppin patent, increasing the utility of the tabletop.
Despite the advantages of the Poppin system, further improvements on the concept of securing a tabletop to a table frame, especially for reconfigurable desking systems, are desired by manufacturers, installers, purchasers and users of tables and desking systems.
The inventors have developed a tabletop positioning and locking mechanism for use with a table frame with an angled side, preferably a trapezoidal table frame structure that utilizes trapezoid tube weldments for the frame of the table. Multiple locking mechanisms are attached to the underside of a tabletop. Each locking mechanism includes a lever that turns a cam to engage the angled side of the table frame, which angles inward in the downward direction. Thus, as the cam engages the angled side of the table frame, the tabletop is pulled down onto the table frame to lock the tabletop in place without the need for hardware or tools.
The cam activated locking mechanism disclosed herein is preferably utilized in pairs in conjunction with parallel beams of a trapezoidal frame structure. With two locking mechanisms located opposite one another, each on the outside of the inwardly angled trapezoidal frame structure, the locked mechanisms also automatically position the tabletop parallel to the parallel beams of the frame. Further, as disclosed below, a corner wedge block may also engage an additional portion of the frame to further locate the tabletop along the parallel beams in the exact desired location relative to the table frame.
The robust locking mechanism and table frame structure disclosed herein allows for the placement and attachment of a tabletop to a table frame by one person without the use of tools or hardware. After assembling the table frame in the desired configuration, the tabletop with attached open locking mechanisms is simply placed on top of the frame in the approximate desired location. The locking mechanisms are then closed by hand, automatically locking the tabletop down onto the frame and in the exact desired location relative to the frame. Further, the problem of stack up tolerances in the precise location of two holes in two separately manufactured components is eliminated.
Finally, the disclosed locking mechanisms may be relocatable on the underside of the tabletop so that the tabletop may be used in various and reconfigurable decking configurations. These and other advantages of the disclosed locking mechanism and modular trapezoidal table frame structure will be evident to those of skill in the art based on the description provided in the drawings and specification disclosed below.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, the numerals may describe components in different views. The drawings illustrate, generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various examples and embodiments discussed in the present document.
The tabletop positioning and locking assembly of the present invention is preferably used in conjunction with a modular trapezoidal frame structure, although those of skill in the art would understand that table frames with other cross sections could also be utilized and are within the scope of the present invention. However, the present invention will be described in connection with a trapezoidal tube weldment 116 as shown in
The angle of the trapezoid of each trapezoid tube weldment 116 is preferably 25-155-25-155, with the acute angles 122 of the trapezoid being 25 degrees and the obtuse angles 124 of the trapezoid being 155 degrees. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other angles for the trapezoid may be used to achieve the same functionality.
The trapezoidal table tube weldments provide many advantages over conventional rectangular tube weldments. In addition to a pleasing aesthetic, trapezoidal beams provide the same structural stability with a lower profile, providing more leg clearance beneath the table. Also, accessories or support beams can be dropped down into the “cone” formed by opposing trapezoids, allowing for easier securement methods compared to rectangular frame elements.
As shown in
In an open position, the cam handle 204 retracts the cam slide 206 into the base plate 202. In a closed or locked position, shown in
Referring to
The tabletop positioning and locking mechanisms 200 of the present invention are preferably located on the outside of the table frame. In this location, the cam handle 204 can more easily be manipulated to secure or remove the tabletop 212. However, if the angle of the trapezoidal frame is reversed, so that the top of the trapezoidal frame angles inwardly rather than outwardly, providing an inwardly angled side rather than an outwardly angled side 211, the mechanisms 200 can be located on the inside of the table frame. This configuration may be desirable for certain installations or applications that desire that the locking mechanisms be hidden inside the table frame.
The baseplate 202 is preferably attached to the bottom side of a tabletop 212 with bolts that are received in inset nuts on the underside of the tabletop, with the inset nuts being located to allow for precise alignment of the tabletop with respect to a preferred table frame configuration. Additional inset nut locations may also be provided in the bottom of the tabletop so that the tabletop may be utilized in other table frame sizes and configurations. Thus, with minimal effort, the tabletop positioning and locking mechanisms may easily be moved to alternative locations that allow the tabletop to be used in reconfigurable decking systems.
As shown in
Referring to
The inventors contemplate several alterations and improvements to the disclosed invention. Other alterations, variations, and combinations are possible that fall within the scope of the present invention. Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize more modifications that may be made that would nonetheless fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to the apparatus described. Instead, the scope of the present invention should be consistent with the invention claimed below.
This U.S. Non-Provisional patent application is a continuation in part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 16/058,975 filed Aug. 8, 2018 and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/542,501 filed Aug. 8, 2017, the disclosure of which is considered part of the disclosure of this application and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62542501 | Aug 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16058975 | Aug 2018 | US |
| Child | 16783696 | US |
