Adjustable seat or table

• US 20080150338A1
• Filed: 12/23/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew Charles Baum
• Original Assignee: Matthew Charles Baum
• Inventors: Baum, Matthew Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,484,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/311
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/00 Tables with tops of variable height lecterns with variable height A47B19/06; school forms or desks with variable height A47B39/02, A47B41/02; seats with variable height A47C3/20
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/38 with additional seat or additional legs for varying height of seat

Abstract

A pair of parallel moving surfaces, such as may be used for construction of an adjustable height table or seat are connected by a plurality of pantographs or “lazy tongs” mechanisms, each driven from a differentially threaded control rod.

By suitable gearing connections among them, the pantographs are caused to operate in concert, and thus to keep the surfaces parallel as the distance between them is continuously varied.

By appropriate mounting of the pantograph ends, the mechanisms are allowed to fold closer together at the minimum separation distance, thereby further minimizing this separation. The use of a set of springs assists in expansion from this minimized separation situation.

The overall result is a simply operated mechanism for the continuous separation adjustment of a pair of parallel moving surfaces, together with the maximization of the range of separation adjustment between the two surfaces, concomitant with a minimization of the size and weight of the overall apparatus.

Claims

1. A seat or table or a pair of parallel moving surfaces connected by a plurality of pantograph or “

lazy tongs”

arrangements, whereby the separation between the two surfaces may be adjusted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the surfaces my be upholstered or padded as for comfort.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the various pantographs are each operated by a pair of “

travelers”

driven from a rod to which they are connected so as to move in opposite directions.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the rod and travelers are differentially threaded so as to drive the travelers in opposite directions when the rod is rotated on its axis.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the threads are multi-lead, or multi-start.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the various pantographs and driving rods are connected by gearing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the gearing allows the driving rods, travelers and pantographs to all have substantially the same motions and extensions.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one end:

of one rod is driven by means of a knob or crank

9. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one rod is driven by a motor device.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein the distal or “

non-driven”

pantograph end is mounted other than in line with the driving end.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the “

non-driven”

pantograph end is mounted so as to be able to pivot.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the pivot points of the “

non-driven”

pantograph ends are mounted sufficiently far from their common center as to allow the collapsed pantographs to “

nest”

between the pivot points and the driving rods.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein a spring or set of springs is used to induce the initial movement for separation of the surfaces when the surfaces are driven from their most compacted position to a less compacted position.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the springs are attached to either of the moving surfaces.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of support components are used to allow for steady placement on an irregular surface.

16. The system of claim 15 where the support components allow rolling motion.