Workstation accessory including a clamp mechanism

• US 10,202,992 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Millerknoll Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Matthai, John, Laarman, Jeremy, Katje, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ing, Matthew W
• Application Number:
  US15/618,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 108 97, 108 98
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/12 using sliding jaws
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable

Abstract

A workstation includes a working surface, a channel within the working surface, a rail positioned within the channel, and a clamp mechanism having an accessory and an actuator operable to removably couple the clamp mechanism to the rail. The actuator includes a first side that has a first manually engageable surface and a second side that has a second manually engageable surface. The actuator is movable to a first position in which the clamp mechanism disengages the rail when a force is exerted on the first manually engageable surface, and is movable to a second position in which the clamp mechanism engages the rail when a force is exerted on the second manually engageable surface.

Claims

1. A workstation comprising:

a working surface;

a channel within the working surface;

a rail positioned within the channel; and

a clamp mechanism including a body, an accessory supported by the body, and an actuator movably coupled to the body and operable to removably couple the clamp mechanism to the rail, the actuator including a first side that has a first manually engageable surface accessible from a first side of the body and a second side that has a second manually engageable surface accessible from a second side of the body, the actuator being movable to a first position in which the clamp mechanism disengages the rail when a force is exerted on the first manually engageable surface, and being movable to a second position in which the clamp mechanism engages the rail when a force is exerted on the second manually engageable surface.

2. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the body has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the actuator is pivotable between the first position and the second position about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

3. The workstation of claim 2, wherein accessory is supported at an upper end of the body, and wherein the pivot axis extends through a lower end of the body.

4. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the rail includes a first groove formed in an upper surface of the rail and a second groove formed in a side surface of the rail, wherein the second groove extends parallel to the first groove, and wherein the body includes

a first portion selectively received by the first groove in the rail,

a second portion selectively received by the second groove in the rail,

a recess formed above the first portion, and

an aperture extending along a length of the body between the first portion and the second portion.

5. The workstation of claim 4, wherein the first portion includes a downwardly-facing pad.

6. The workstation of claim 4, wherein the actuator of the clamp mechanism includes

a first projection having the first manually engageable surface that is movable within the recess, and

a second projection that extends through the aperture, the second projection engaging a surface of the rail adjacent the second groove when the actuator is moved to the second position.

7. The workstation of claim 6, wherein

when the actuator is in the first position, the first projection is received within the recess of the body and the second projection disengages the surface of the rail, and

when the actuator is in the second position, the first projection extends outwardly from the recess of the body and the second projection extends outwardly from the aperture of the body and engages the surface of the rail.

8. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the clamp mechanism includes an upper end supporting the accessory, wherein

when the actuator is in the first position, the first manually engageable surface is positioned within a recess of the body and the second manually engageable surface extends beyond the second side of the body, and

when the actuator is in the second position, the first manually engageable surface extends beyond the first side of the body and the second manually engageable surface is substantially flush with the second side of the body.

9. The workstation of claim 8, wherein the first side of the body faces toward the rail, and wherein the second side of the body faces away from the rail and toward the working surface.

10. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the rail and the working surface define a gap therebetween, and wherein the gap is sized to receive the clamp mechanism such that the clamp mechanism is spaced apart from the working surface when the clamp mechanism is coupled to the rail.

11. The workstation of claim 1, further comprising a partition supported by the rail, and wherein the first manually engageable surface faces the partition.

12. A clamp mechanism configured to be removably coupled to a rail of a workstation, the clamp mechanism comprising:

a body;

an accessory coupled to the body; and

an actuator coupled to the body and configured to removably couple the clamp mechanism to the rail, the actuator including a first side that has a first manually engageable surface accessible from a first side of the body and a second side that has a second manually engageable surface accessible from a second side of the body, the actuator being movable to a first position in which the clamp mechanism disengages the rail when a force is exerted on the first manually engageable surface, and being movable to a second position in which the clamp mechanism engages the rail when a force is exerted on the second manually engageable surface.

13. The clamp mechanism of claim 12, wherein the body includes a longitudinal axis, wherein the actuator is pivotable between the first position and the second position about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis.

14. The clamp mechanism of claim 13, wherein the accessory is supported at an upper end of the body, and wherein the pivot axis extends through a lower end of the body.

15. The clamp mechanism of claim 12, wherein the body includes

a first portion configured to be received by a first groove formed in an upper surface of the rail,

a second portion configured to be received by a second groove formed in a side surface of the rail,

a recess formed above the first portion, and

an aperture extending along a length of the body between the first portion and the second portion.

16. The clamp mechanism of claim 15, wherein the first portion includes a downwardly-facing pad.

17. The clamp mechanism of claim 15, wherein the actuator includes

a first projection having the first manually engageable surface that is movable within the recess, and

a second projection that extends through the aperture, the second projection being configured to engage a surface of the rail adjacent the second groove when the actuator is moved to the second position.

18. The clamp mechanism of claim 17, wherein

when the actuator is in the first position, the first projection is received within the recess of the body and the second projection is configured to disengage the surface of the rail, and

when the actuator is in the second position, the first projection extends outwardly from the recess of the body and the second projection extends outwardly from the aperture of the body and is configured to engage the surface of the rail.

19. The clamp mechanism of claim 12, wherein the body includes an upper end supporting the accessory, wherein

when the actuator is in the first position, the first manually engageable surface is positioned within a recess of the body and the second manually engageable surface extends beyond the second side of the body, and

when the actuator is in the second position, the first manually engageable surface extends beyond the first side of the body and the second manually engageable surface is substantially flush with the second side of the body.

20. A method of removably coupling a clamp mechanism to a rail positioned within a channel of a workstation, the clamp mechanism including a body, an accessory supported by the body, and an actuator movably coupled to the body, the actuator having a first side with a first manually engageable surface accessible from a first side of the body and a second side with a second manually engageable surface accessible from a second side of the body, the method comprising:

positioning the clamp mechanism on the rail;

applying a force on the second manually engageable surface of the actuator;

moving, in response to the force on the second manually engageable surface, the actuator to a position in which the clamp mechanism engages the rail;

applying a force on the first manually engageable surface of the actuator; and

moving, in response to the force on the first manually engageable surface, the actuator to a position in which the clamp mechanism disengages the rail.