Method of controlling height adjustable work station

• US 5,323,695 A
• Filed: 04/17/1991
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Pattok, Greg R., Graham, Donald W., Cleair, William L., Rosendahl, Raymond D., Pierce, Paul M., Borgman, Randall W., Alexander, Brian D. T., Fowler, Daniel L., Osterman, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US07/686,756
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 108/147, 108/50, 108/20, 108/22, 248/188.5, 248/188.1
• US Class Current: 108/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0027 Desks with I-shaped leg
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0046 Desks with double worktop of which one at least is separately height adjustable
• 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

Abstract

A method of using a work station having separate front and back tops having separate powered drive arrangements for permitting independent height adjustment. A controller, which is programmed by an operator, permits storage of a number of predetermined height locations each defining distinct heights for both tops. The operator effects programmed movement of the tops to predetermined height locations for predetermined times and in a predetermined sequence, with the rear top moving initially and the front top moving thereafter.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of an adjustable work station having separately movable front and rear height-adjustable support surfaces which are respectively adapted to support thereon a keyboard and an associated information display screen, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a power-driven adjustment means for permitting independent height adjustment of the front and rear work surfaces and an automatic height adjustment control means for controlling the adjustment means and automatically adjusting the height of said front end rear support surfaces, including a timer means for measuring elapsed time and indicating that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed;

adjusting in response to a user input the respective heights of said front and rear support surfaces by said power-driven adjustment means to a desired relative height arrangement wherein said front support surface is disposed at a first height and said rear support surface is disposed at a second height, determining first and second height values which represent said first and second heights, recording in said control means said first and second height values, and repeating said steps of adjusting, determining, and recording in order to (1) define a plurality of desired relative height arrangements and (2) produce a corresponding record of said relative height arrangements in the form of a plurality of relative height arrangement entries which are each defined by a pair of said first and second height values;

selecting in response to a user input a first of said pairs of first and second height values and assigning a first time period thereto, and selecting in response to a user input a second of said pairs of first and second height values and assigning a second time period thereto;

actuating in response to a user input said automatic height adjustment control means to effect automatic and sequential execution of the following steps in the following order;

adjusting said rear support surface to the second height associated with said first pair of first and second height values, substantially immediately thereafter adjusting said front support surface to the first height associated with said first pair of first and second height values, thereafter maintaining said front and rear support surfaces at said last-mentioned heights for said first time period associated with said first pair of first and second height values, and thereafter indicating that said first time period has elapsed; and

then

actuating said automatic height adjustment control means to effect automatic and sequential execution of the following steps in the following order;

adjusting said rear support surface to the second height associated with said second pair of first and second height values, substantially immediately thereafter adjusting said front support surface to the first height associated with said second pair of first and second height values, and thereafter maintaining said front and rear support surfaces at said last-mentioned heights for said second time period associated with said second pair of first and second height values.

2. A method according to claim 1, including the steps of:

providing a warning indication to inform the user of impending work station adjustment prior to adjusting the height of said rear support surface, and thereafter providing a further warning indication to inform the user of a further impending work station adjustment after said rear support surface reaches the second height but prior to initiating adjusting movement of the front support surface.

3. A method according to claim 2, including the step of:

maintaining said front and rear support surfaces at the mentioned heights associated with the first-mentioned actuating step upon elapse of the mentioned time period until receipt of a predetermined user input which permits initiation of the second-mentioned actuating step.

4. A method for automatically controlling the operation of an adjustable work station having separately movable front and rear height-adjustable support surfaces which are respectively adapted to support thereon a keyboard and an associated information display screen and which are independently height adjusted by a powered height adjustment driver which is controlled by a controller which also includes a warning indicator, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating automatic control of the adjustable work station by the controller in response to a user input;

thereafter automatically activating the warning indicator to provide a warning indication to inform the user of impending work station adjustment, substantially immediately thereafter adjusting said rear support surface to a first predetermined height by activation of said powered height adjustment driver by said controller, substantially immediately thereafter adjusting said front support surface to a second predetermined height by activation of said powered height adjustment driver by said controller, thereafter maintaining said front and rear support surfaces at said predetermined heights for a predetermined time period, and thereafter indicating to the user that said predetermined time period has elapsed;

thereafter monitoring user input activity and simultaneously maintaining said support surfaces at said predetermined heights until a predetermined user input is detected by said controller, thereafter initiating further automatic work station control in response to said last-mentioned predetermined user input; and

thereafter automatically activating the warning indicator to provide a warning indication to inform the user of impending work station adjustment, substantially immediately thereafter adjusting the height of at least one of said support surfaces by activation of said powered height adjustment driver by said controller, and thereafter maintaining said support surfaces at their current heights for a predetermined time period.

5. A method of defining a control sequence for use in controlling the operation of an adjustable work station having separately movable front and rear height-adjustable support surfaces which are respectively adapted to support thereon a keyboard and an associated information display screen and which are independently height adjusted by a powered height adjustment driver which is controlled by a controller, said method comprising the steps of:

adjusting in response to a user input the respective heights of said front and rear support surfaces to a desired relative height arrangement wherein said front support surface is disposed at a first height and said rear support surface is disposed at a second height by activation of said powered height adjustment driver by said controller, determining first and second height values which represent said first and second heights, recording said first and second height values in said controller, and repeating said steps of adjusting, determining, and recording in order to define a plurality of desired relative height arrangements and to produce in the controller a corresponding record of said relative height arrangements in the form of a plurality of relative height arrangement entries which are each defined by a pair of said first and second height values;

selecting in response to a user input one of said pairs of first and second height values and assigning a time period thereto which is recorded in the controller, selecting in response to a user input another of said pairs of first and second height values and assigning a time period thereto which is also recorded in the controller, and deciding in response to a user input that said support surfaces will first move from their current relative height arrangement to the relative height arrangement associated with said one pair of height values and will thereafter move to the relative height arrangement associated with said another pair of height values.

6. A method of defining and automatically controlling the operation of an adjustable work station having separably movable front and rear height-adjustable support surfaces which are respectively adapted to support thereon the keyboard and an associated information display screen and which are independently height adjusted by a powered height adjustment driver which is controlled by a controller, said method comprising the steps of:

adjusting in response to a user input the respective heights of said front and rear support surfaces to a desired relative height position wherein said front support surface is disposed at a first height and said rear support surface is disposed at a second height by activation of said powered height adjustment driver by said controller, determining first and second height values which represent said first and second heights, recording said first and second height values in said controller, and repeating said steps of adjusting, determining and recording in order to define a plurality of desired relative height positions and to produce in the controller a corresponding record of said relative height positions in the form of a plurality of relative height position entries which are each defined by a pair of said first and second height values;

selecting in response to a user input one of said pairs of first and second height values to which it is desired to move the support surfaces from their current relative height position;

initiating automatic control of the adjustable work station in response to a user input so as to effect movement of the support surfaces to the first and second heights corresponding to the selected pair of height vales by activation of said powered height adjustment driver by said controller, including the sequential steps of emitting a warning indication of impending height adjustment, then moving said rear support surface to the predetermined height corresponding to the predetermined pair of height values, thereafter emitting a second warning of further impending height adjustment, and then moving said front support surface to the height corresponding to the predetermined pair of height values.