Patent Application
20170251804
The present invention broadly relates in general to a table and method. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a radial-scissor lift table having a movable top. More specifically further, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for moving an unattached table top with scissor lift assemblies that are coupled to an actuator assembly which provides the requisite dynamic forces for elevating and lowering the unattached table top relative to a surface that supports the scissor lift assemblies, such as a floor.
A table with movable or adjustable height table top employs a mechanism to raise or lower the table top, which is ideal for compact homes, office work stations, dining and leisure activities in accordance with a modern lifestyle. An adjustable height table offers solutions in today's smaller homes, and relaxed office environments. Table height adjustment is ideal for creating a comfortable working height for a variety of work projects, human body dimensions, medical handicaps, chair heights, sofa dimension, and personal comfort preferences for the users.
A mechanism capable of adjusting from a low Coffee Table height of 14 inches, to a conventional Dining Table height of 29 inches, is required to cover the full range of positions desired by the user. In order to elevate a movable table top to these heights, the lift assembly would be required to more than double its initial height. This is difficult to accomplish with a telescoping design, because telescopes have inherent limits of motion. A single telescope mechanism is unable to double its initial length. Multiple telescopes would be necessary to provide motion from 14″ to 29″. This would create a design having numerous overlapping components for both the frame of the machine, and the actuator. Alternatively, a scissor lift mechanism is capable of adjusting beyond this range of motion. Conventional industrial scissor lifting mechanisms are available, but require complicated coupling brackets to confine the travelling table-top surface to a coaxial position with a vertical axis. Drill holes in the table surface, to mount tracks, links or brackets to the surface are undesirable, especially if the table is made of glass or stone. Furthermore, fasteners that penetrate the table top, damage the top working surface, and reduce the usefulness of the table
Thus, what is needed, and what has been invented, is a table having an unattached top, not requiring multiple tracks, fasteners, or any other centering devices, to lock the table top to the frame of the lifting assembly. What is further needed and what has been invented is a stable and dependable method for lowering and elevating table tops.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a scissor lift assembly for raising and lowering an unattached table top. The scissor lift assembly has at least (3) scissor mechanisms mounted in a polar array. The assembly has lower and upper support members; each having at least three radially disposed protruding lugs. The scissor lift assembly also has at least three scissor assemblies coupled to the upper and lower support members in a polar array. Each scissor assembly comprises a table-scissor member having a lower end pivotally connected to one of the lugs of the lower support member and an upper end which supports a rotatable table wheel. Each scissor assembly further comprises a floor-scissor member pivotally connected to the table scissor member and having an upper end pivotally connected to one of the lugs of the upper support member and a lower end which supports a rotatable floor wheel. An actuator assembly is coupled to the lower and upper support members for moving the scissor assemblies. The rotatable table wheels of the table-scissor members support an unattached table top.
Embodiments of the present invention provide further a method for raising a table top. A table top is disposed on at least three table rollers which are coupled to a support member. The table top remains unattached to the table rollers. When the support member is moved towards the unattached table, the table rollers roll along the bottom of the unattached table and raise the table top.
These provisions, together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the following description proceeds, are attained by the apparatuses and methods of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:
In the description herein for embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.
Referring in detail now to the drawings, there is seen in
In the embodiments of
The scissor-lift assembly 10 also comprises an upper support member 18 and a lower support member 22. The upper and lower support members 18 and 22 respectively include radially protruding lugs 26 and 30. The number of lugs formed with support members 18 and 22 depend on the number of scissor assemblies 14 to be employed. For the embodiment of the scissor-lift assembly 10 in
The embodiment of the scissor-lift assembly 10 in
The scissor-lift assembly 10 further comprises an actuator assembly, generally illustrated as 36, which is coupled to the upper and lower support members 18 and 22. The actuator assembly 36 for purposes of embodiments of the present invention may be any suitable mechanism or system that is capable of moving (e.g., raising and lowing) or controlling the movement of unattached table top 8.
Typically, actuator assemblies are operated by a control system that transforms circular or rotary motion into linear motion. The transformation may be any suitable converting mechanisms, such as electrical, mechanical (e.g. rack and pinion), hydraulic or pneumatic, or any other type of converting system. Activation of the control system may be by any suitable means, such as by remote control of the type which remotely turns on or off a television or other electronic device.
As known to those possessing ordinary skill in the art, a hydraulic actuator consists of a cylinder or fluid motor that uses hydraulic power to facilitate mechanical operation whose output may be linear, rotary or oscillatory motion. A pneumatic actuator converts energy formed by vacuum or compressed air at high pressure into either linear or rotary motion. Motors are commonly employed when circular or rotary motions are needed for transformation into a linear motion.
For purposes of describing the present invention, the actuator assembly 36 includes a mechanism which generates a linear motion from a circular motion created by a conventional electric motor 40 that receives power through a cord 42 (see
The motor 40 is supported by the lower support member 22 (see
Conduit 68 also has a terminal end 72 which is stationarly affixed to the upper support member 18 When motor 40 rotates treaded shaft 52 clockwise in direction of arrow D (see
Simultaneously with clockwise rotation of threaded shaft 52, and the linear movement of the shaft 52 in direction of the arrow B within conduit 68, there is a secondary dynamic force moving conduit 68 in direction of the arrow C (see
As will also be further explained hereafter, reversing the entire foregoing procedure would cause the scissor-lift assembly 10 to be positioned in an expanded or elevated state, as illustrated in
As shown in
Lower extremities 126, 130 and 134 of table-scissor members 74, 78 and 82 couple to lugs 30a, 30b and 30c of lower support member 22 at pivot points 338, 342 and 346. Upper extremities 138, 142 and 146 of floor-scissor members 86, 90 and 94 couple to lugs 26a, 26b and 30c at pivot points 150, 154 and 158. As best shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to the drawings for operation of the scissor lift assembly 10 of the present invention, the three wheel scissor assemblies 14a, 14b and 14c will be employed to explain the operation; however, it is to be understood that the four wheel scissor assemblies 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d operate similarly or identically to the three wheel scissor assemblies 14a, 14b and 14c with the exception that the three wheel scissor assemblies 14a, 14b, and 14c excludes the additionally scissor assembly 14d.
There is seen in
When scissor assemblies 14a, 14b and 14c are opening, table-scissor members 74, 78 and 82 (and their respective associated table wheels 98, 102 and 106) and floor-scissor members 86, 90 and 94 (and their respective associated floor wheels 162, 166 and 170) pivot about pivot points 112, 114 and 120 and are moving away from each other. Simultaneously, lower extremities 126, 130 and 134 of table-scissor members 74, 78 and 82 pivot on lugs 30a, 30b and 30c of lower support member 22 at pivot points 338, 342 and 346; and upper extremities 138, 142 and 146 of floor-scissor member members 86, 90 and 94 pivot on lugs 26a, 26b and 26c at pivot points 150, 154 and 158. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as the scissor assemblies 14a, 14b and 14c move towards the open position, table rollers 98, 102 and 106 are rolling along the bottom of unattached table 8 towards centrally disposed actuator assembly 36, and unattached table 8 is moving upwardly in direction of the arrow K. In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, as table wheels 98, 102 and 106 move respectively away from floor wheels 162, 166 and 170, the hubs of the wheels remain in generally vertically aligned along the dashed-lined arrows 210 and 216, as best shown in
Continuing to refer to the drawings for reversing the procedure to lower the unattached table 8 from the elevated position illustrated in
When scissor assemblies 14a, 14b and 14c are closing, table-scissor members 74, 78 and 82 (and their respective associated table wheels 98, 102 and 106) and floor-scissor members 86, 90 and 94 (and their respective associated floor wheels 162, 166 and 170) pivot about pivot points 112, 114 and 120 and are moving towards from each other. Simultaneously, lower extremities 126, 130 and 134 of table-scissor members 74, 78 and 82 pivot on lugs 30a, 30b and 30c of lower support member 22 at pivot points 338, 342 and 346; and upper extremities 138, 142 and 146 of floor-scissor members 86, 90 and 94 pivot on lugs 26a, 26b and 30c at pivot points 150, 154 and 158. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as the scissor assemblies 14a, 14b and 14c move towards the closed position, table rollers 98, 102 and 106 are rolling along the bottom of unattached table 8 away from centrally disposed actuator assembly 36, and unattached table 8 is moving downwardly in direction of the arrow R. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as table wheels 98, 102 and 106 move respectively toward floor wheels 162, 166 and 170, the hubs of the wheels remain in generally vertically aligned along the dashed-lined arrows 210 and 216, as best shown in
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Additionally, any directional arrows in the drawings/Figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.
