Work surface support

• US 5,292,097 A
• Filed: 07/01/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Softview Computer Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Trenton Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Russell, Edwin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US07/907,483
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 248/281.1, 248/284, 248/291, 248/296, 248/581, 248/674, 248/918, 248/919, 400/682
• US Class Current: 248/281.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0321 Keyboard supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0328 of the pantograph type
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0335 mounted under the worksurface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A number of embodiments of supports for supporting a support platform for movement relative to a base in a generally parallel orientation through a plurality of positions. The support includes a pair of parallel lengths pivotally connected at their ends to the support platform and the base. A locking mechanism is provided for locking the support platform in any of a plurality of positions and this locking mechanism includes serration formed on one of the support lengths and a cooperating locking member carried by one of the other elements.

Claims

1. A support means for supporting a support platform from a fixed base whereby the support platform is movable between a first position at least partially below the fixed base and a second position in front of the fixed base, said support means comprising a first element adapted to be mounted to the support platform, a second element adapted to be affixed to said fixed base, a pair of linkage elements each pivotally fixed at one end to said first element at spaced intervals on said first element and each pivotally mounted at the other end to said second element at spaced locations spaced on said second element for movement of the support platform between the first and second positions and throughout such movement the attitude of said support platform remains substantially constant, said support means further comprising a locking means for locking said support platform in a range of positions including said second position, said locking means comprising a first locking member supported on one of said elements and having a first engagement face engagable with a second engagement face provided on a second locking member provided on another of said elements, said locking members being moveable relative to each other upon the exertion of a force to one of these two elements for moving said locking members to a released position at which the engagable faces are disengaged for subsequent movement of said support platform relative to said base to any of a plurality of desired positions, release of the force being effective to cause said engagement faces to re-engage to retain said second element relative to said first element in the desired positions.

2. A support means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the locking members are gravitationally biased into locking engagement with each other.

3. A support means as claimed at claim 1 wherein one of the locking members is serrated.

4. A support means as claimed at claim 2 wherein one of the locking members is serrated.

5. A support means as claimed at claim 1 wherein locking members are adapted to be frictionally interengagable when engaged with each other.

6. A support means as claimed at claim 2 wherein the locking members are adapted to be frictionally interengagable when engaged with each other.

7. A support means as claimed at claim 1 wherein the pivotal connection of one link element to one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said elements, said first locking member being provided on said one link element and said second locking member being provided on the other of said elements, such longitudinal displacement being effective to move said locking members between their released and locked positions.

8. A support means as claimed at claim 7 wherein said one link member is telescopic in length.

9. A support means as claimed at claim 7 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the first element is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element which is slidably and pivotally received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

10. A support means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second element comprises a first portion interconnecting the other end of the link elements and a second portion pivotally supported from the first portion and supporting one of the locking members.

11. A support means as claimed at claim 2 wherein the pivotal connection of one link element to one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said elements, said first locking member being provided on said one link element and said second locking member being provided on the other of said elements, such longitudinal displacement being effective to move said locking members between their released and locked positions.

12. A support means as claimed at claim 11 wherein said one link member is telescopic in length.

13. A support means as claimed at claim 11 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the first element is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element slidably received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

14. A support means as claimed at claim 2 wherein one of said first element and said second element comprises a first portion interconnecting the other end of the link elements and a second portion pivotally supported from the first portion and supporting one of the locking members.

15. A support means as claimed at claim 14 wherein the other of the locking members is affixed to the one of the link elements.

16. A support means as claimed at claim 4 wherein the pivotal connection of one link element to one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said elements, said first locking member being provided on said one link element and said second locking member being provided on the other of said elements, such longitudinal displacement being effective to move said locking members between their released and locked positions.

17. A support means as claimed at claim 16 wherein said one link member is telescopic in length.

18. A support means as claimed at claim 16 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the first element is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element slidably received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

19. A support means as claimed at claim 6 wherein the pivotal connection of one link element to one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said elements, said first locking member being provided on said one link element and said second locking member being provided on the other of said elements, such longitudinal displacement being effective to move said locking members between their released and locked positions.

20. A support means as claimed at claim 19 wherein said one link member is telescopic in length.

21. A support means as claimed at claim 19 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the first element is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element slidably received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

22. A support means as claimed at claim 6 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

23. A support means as claimed at claim 22 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

24. A support means as claimed at claim 11 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

25. A support means as claimed at claim 24 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

26. A support means as claimed at claim 5 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

27. A support means as claimed at claim 26 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

28. A support means as claimed at claim 13 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

29. A support means as claimed at claim 28 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

30. A support means as claimed at claim 19 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

31. A support means as claimed at claim 30 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

32. A support means as claimed at claim 21 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

33. A support means as claimed at claim 32 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V shaped profile of the other face.

34. A support means as claimed at claim 5 wherein the first locking member is provided on one link element and the second locking member is provided on one of the first or second elements, the pivotal connection of one link element to the one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said first or second elements.

35. A support means as claimed at claim 34 wherein said one link member is telescopic in length.

36. A support means as claimed at claim 35 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the one of the first or second elements is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element slidably received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

37. A support means as claimed at claim 34 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

38. A support means as claimed at claim 37 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

39. A support means as claimed at claim 3 wherein the first locking member is provided on one link element and the second locking member is provided on one of the first or second elements, the pivotal connection of one link element to the one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said first or second elements.

40. A support means as claimed at claim 39 wherein one link member is telescopic in length.

41. A support means as claimed at claim 39 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the one of the first or second elements is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element slidably received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

42. A support means as claimed at claim 39 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

43. A support means as claimed at claim 42 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

44. A support means as claimed at claim 10 wherein the one engagement face has a convex V-shaped profile and the other engagement face has a concave V-shaped profile.

45. A support means as claimed at claim 44 wherein the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the one face is less than the divergence of the V-shaped profile of the other face.

46. A support means for supporting a support platform from a fixed base whereby the support platform is movable between a first position at least partially below the fixed base and a second position in front of the fixed base, said support means comprising a first element adapted to be mounted to the support platform, a second element adapted to be affixed to said fixed base, a pair of linkage elements each pivotally fixed at one end to said first element at spaced intervals on said first element and each pivotally mounted at the other end to said second element at spaced locations spaced on said second element to enable movement of the support platform between the first and second positions whereby throughout such movement the attitude of said support platform remains substantially constant, said support means further comprising a locking means for locking said support platform in a range of positions including said second position, said locking means comprising a first locking member supported on one of said linkage elements and having a first engagement face engagable with a second engagement face provided on a second locking member provided on another of said elements said locking members being relatively moveable between a released position at which the engagable faces are disengaged to allow movement of said support platform relative to said base and gravitationally biased into a plurality of locking positions at which the engagement faces are engaged to retain said second element relative to said first element in one of said range of positions, at least one of said locking members being serrated.

47. A support means as claimed at claim 46 wherein the pivotal connection of one link element to one of said first and second elements is displaceable longitudinally from the pivotal connection of the one link element with the other of said elements such longitudinal displacement being effective to move said locking members between their released and locked positions.

48. A support means as claimed at claim 47 wherein said one link member is telescopic in length.

49. A support means as claimed at claim 47 wherein the pivotal mounting of the one link element to the first element is provided by an elliptical or elongate aperture in one element and a pivot pin of the other element slidably received in the elliptical or elongate slot.

50. A support means as claimed at claim 47 wherein the one locking member is affixed to the one link element.

51. A support means as claimed at claim 50 wherein the other locking member is fixed to one of the first and second elements.

52. A support means as claimed at claim 51 wherein the one of the first and second elements comprises the element to which the longitudinally displaceable pivotal connection is provided.