Adjustable height table

• US 5,394,809 A
• Filed: 05/03/1993
• Issued: 03/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Wright, David E., Feldpausch, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/056,478
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 108/144, 108/50, 108/106, 108/107, 108/146, 108/147, 248/188.6
• US Class Current: 108/147.21
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0013 Desks with central bearing beams
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0027 Desks with I-shaped leg
• 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: A47B 9/14 with pins coacting with holes
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/20 Telescopic guides

Abstract

An adjustable height table is provided including a panel forming a worksurface, and a pair of telescopingly adjustable legs attached to the panel for supporting the panel. Each telescopingly adjustable leg includes a first member connected to the panel and a second member slidingly engaging the first member and extendable from the first member. Apertures in the first and second members align as the worksurface is positioned at each of a plurality of selectable heights. The apertures are irregular in shape, and an L-shaped locking pin is extendable through the apertures and axially rotatable so that the locking pin is securely lockingly engages the apertures to thus securely hold the adjustable leg in a desired selectable height. One or more C-shaped covers is releasably attached onto the telescopingly adjustable leg, one of the covers when assembled to the leg preventing inadvertent dislodgement of the locking pin.

Claims

1. An article of furniture comprising:

a furniture unit;

a telescopingly adjustable leg attached to the furniture unit for supporting same, said telescopingly adjustable leg including a first member and a second member slidingly engaging said first member and extendable from said first member;

a manually releasable lock including ends and an intermediate section for interconnecting said first and second members in a selected extended position; and

a C-shaped cover releasably attachable to said telescopingly adjustable leg, said cover having a first side section and an opposing second side section that cooperatingly engage opposing sides of said leg with said first and second side sections being positioned proximate the ends of said lock so that said cover when attached prevents inadvertent dislodgement of said manually releasable lock.

10. An article as defined in claim 1 including a pair of said legs spaced apart and adapted to stably engage a support surface.

11. An article as defined in claim 10 including a modesty panel, and said first member of each telescoping leg includes a bracket for attaching the modesty panel thereto.

12. An article as defined in claim 11 wherein said furniture unit defines a worksurface and said legs are adjustable for positioning said worksurface for use at a standing height or a sitting height.

13. An article as defined in claim 1 including a pair of said legs and a pair of said covers for covering same, said pair of legs and covers forming assemblies each having an oblong cross-sectional shape and defining channels for retaining wiring and cabling therein.

14. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said members includes a depression, and said cover includes an edge that snap-locks into said depression during installation.

2. An article of furniture comprising:

a furniture unit;

a telescopingly adjustable leg attached to the furniture unit for supporting same, said telescopingly adjustable leg including a first member and a second member slidingly engaging said first member and extendable from said first member;

a manually releasable lock interconnecting said first and second members in a selected extended position;

a cover releasably attachable to said telescopingly adjustable leg, said cover when attached preventing inadvertent dislodgement of said manually releasable lock; and

said manually releasable lock including apertures in said first and second members and a locking pin for lockingly engaging a selected pair of said apertures to hold said leg at a selected extended position.

3. An article as defined in claim 2 wherein said leg includes a depression and said cover includes edge means for releasably resiliently engaging said depression to retain said cover on said leg.

4. An article as defined in claim 3 wherein said cover includes opposing sides that fit partially around said leg to aesthetically cover same when installed thereon, one of said opposing sides being positioned proximate said locking pin to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of said locking pin from the selected pair of said apertures.

5. An article as defined in claim 4 wherein said cover is removable from said leg in a first direction and said locking pin is removable from said leg in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.

7. An article as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking pin includes a shaft for extending through the selected pair of said apertures and a head for abutting a material forming one of said selected pair of said apertures.

8. An article as defined in claim 7 wherein said apertures in one of said members have an irregular shape, and said shaft includes a deformed end adapted to slide through said irregular shape and lock therein when axially rotated.

9. An article as defined in claim 7 wherein said locking pin is L-shaped.

6. An article of furniture comprising:

a furniture unit;

a telescopingly adjustable leg attached to the furniture unit for supporting same, said telescopingly adjustable leg including a first member and a second member slidingly engaging said first member and extendable from said first member;

a manually releasable lock interconnecting said first and second members in a selected extended position;

a cover releasably attachable to said telescopingly adjustable leg, said cover when attached preventing inadvertent dislodgement of said manually releasable lock;

said manually releasable lock including apertures in said first and second members and a locking pin for lockingly engaging a selected pair of said apertures to hold said leg at a selected extended position;

said leg includes a depression and said cover includes edge means for releasably resiliently engaging said depression to retain said cover on said leg;

said cover including opposing sides that fit partially around said leg to aesthetically cover same when installed thereon, one of said opposing sides being positioned proximate said locking pin to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of said locking pin from the selected pair of said apertures;

said cover being removable from said leg in a first direction and said locking pin is removable from said leg in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; and

a second cover positionable on said leg on an opposite side of said leg from said first cover, some of said apertures being covered by said first cover and others of said apertures being covered by said second cover, whereby one of said covers abuttingly retains said locking pin in the selected pair of apertures regardless of which of said apertures are selected.

15. An article of office furniture comprising:

a furniture unit;

a telescoping leg for supporting said furniture unit, said telescoping leg including an upper member connected to said furniture unit and a lower member telescopingly engaging said upper member, one of said upper and lower members including a first aperture and the other of said upper and lower members including a plurality of second apertures, said upper member being selectively positionable on said lower member so that a selected second aperture aligns with said first aperture when said furniture unit is positioned at a selected height;

a locking pin engageable with said first aperture and said selected second aperture to secure said telescoping leg in a given selected position and thus to secure said furniture unit at the selected height; and

a removable C-shaped cover adapted to aesthetically cover at least a part of opposing sides of said telescoping leg, said cover being resiliently engageable with said telescoping leg and when installed forming a guard that prevents inadvertent dislodgement of said locking pin.

16. An article as defined in claim 15 wherein said locking pin is L-shaped and wherein said apertures in one of said members have an irregular shape, said shaft including a deformed end adapted to slide through said irregular shape and lock therein when said locking pin is axially rotated.

17. An article of office furniture comprising:

a furniture unit;

a telescoping leg for supporting said furniture unit, said telescoping leg including an upper member connected to said furniture unit and a lower member telescopingly engaging said upper member, one of said upper and lower members including a first aperture and the other of said upper and lower members including a plurality of second apertures, said upper member being selectively positionable on said lower member so that a selected second aperture aligns with said first aperture when said furniture unit is positioned at a selected height;

a locking pin engageable with said first aperture and said selected second aperture to secure said telescoping leg in a given selected position and thus to secure said furniture unit at the selected height;

a removable cover adapted to aesthetically cover at least a part of said telescoping leg, said cover being installable on said telescoping leg and when installed forming a guard that prevents inadvertent dislodgement of said locking pin;

said locking pin being L-shaped and said apertures in one of said members having an irregular shape, said shaft including a deformed end adapted to slide through said irregular shape and lock therein when said locking pin is axially rotated; and

a second cover positionable on said leg on an opposite side of said leg from said first cover, some of said apertures being covered by said first cover and others of said apertures being covered by said second cover, whereby one of said covers abuttingly retains said locking pin in the selected pair of apertures regardless of which of said apertures are selected.

18. A table comprising:

a panel member defining a worksurface;

at least one adjustable leg connected to the panel member for supporting same, said adjustable leg including an upper member and a lower member, said upper member being slideably adjustable on said lower member so that said worksurface is selectively positionable at one of a plurality of selectable heights, said upper and lower members including apertures at least one pair of which align when said worksurface is at each of the plurality of selectable heights;

an L-shaped locking pin including a shaft engageable with a selectively aligned pair of said apertures to secure said upper and lower members together with said worksurface at a selected height, said shaft including a deformed end adapted to slide through said selectively aligned pair of apertures and lock therein when axially rotated; and

a C-shaped cover resiliently releasably attachable to said adjustable leg, said cover when attached forming a guard covering an end of said locking pin and positioned proximate thereto that prevents inadvertent dislodgement of the locking pin.