Adjustable work surface

• US 5,666,888 A
• Filed: 10/19/1994
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Merkt, Konrad, Klaiber, Walter K., Immink, David A., Dame, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/326,109
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 108/144, 108/137, 108/143, 108/102, 108/106, 108/147, 248/407, 248/408, 248/412, 248/188.5, 248/188.2, 248/429, 403/374, 403/109, 403/108, 403/409.1, 384/42, 384/17, 384/22, 384/23, 384/34, 312/334.16, 312/334.27, 312/334.36, 312/334.29, 312/334.31, 312/334.44, 312/334.24, 312/334.34, 312/334.46, 312/334.47, 312/333
• US Class Current: 108/147.21
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/003 Connecting table tops to underframes connecting furniture tubing to non-tubular parts F16B12/42
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/06 of metal A47B13/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/06 with vertical toothed rack

Abstract

A height-adjustable work surface assembly including a movable work surface. A frame extends from beneath the work surface in order to provide support for the work surface. The frame has a support member directed downward from beneath the work surface. A leg is adjustably connected to the support member. A rack is connected to one of the support member and the leg. The rack includes a plurality of substantially horizontally extending teeth. An interlocking block is positioned adjacent the rack and within a cavity formed between the rack and the leg. The interlocking block is movable into and out of engagement with the rack. The cavity has a width greater than a width of the interlocking block and a width of one the teeth. A first fastening mechanism is connected to the interlocking block. The first fastening mechanism is horizontally movable such that the interlocking block is secured against the rack in a locked position and completely disengaged from the rack in an unlocked position.

Claims

1. A height-adjustable work surface assembly comprising:

a movable work surface;

a frame extending from beneath the work surface in order to provide support for the work surface, the frame having a support member directed downward from beneath the work surface;

a leg adjustably connected to the support member wherein a slot extends along a portion of a length of the leg;

a rack connected to one of the support member and the leg, the rack having a plurality of substantially horizontally extending teeth wherein a slot extends along a portion of a length of the rack;

an interlocking block positioned adjacent the rack and within a cavity formed between the rack and the leg, the interlocking block being movable into and out of engagement with the rack;

the cavity being formed in the leg between the rack and an outer wall of the leg, the cavity having a width greater than a width of the interlocking block and a width of one of the teeth; and

a first fastening mechanism connected to the interlocking block and passing through the slots in the rack and leg, the first fastening mechanism horizontally movable such that the interlocking block is secured against the rack in a locked position and completely disengaged from the rack in an unlocked position.

2. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 1 further comprising a wedge received within the cavity and adjacent an end of the rack, the wedge having an angled surface positioned against the end of the rack, the end of the rack having an angled surface substantially corresponding to the angled surface of the wedge.

3. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 2 further comprising a second fastening mechanism extending through the leg, and fastened to the wedge in order to movably position the wedge against the end of the rack.

4. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 3 wherein the teeth of the rack mate with opposing teeth extending inwardly from the block.

5. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 4 wherein the cavity is defined by an inner wall and the outer wall, the rack being movably secured against the inner wall.

6. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 5 wherein the cavity includes a first support and a second support extending from the outer wall toward the inner wall, the supports being positioned against a flat upper portion and a flat lower portion of the rack in order to hold the rack against the inner wall of the cavity.

7. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 4 further comprising a spring received within an aperture within the block, the spring acting to bias the block against the teeth of the rack.

8. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 7 wherein the first fastening mechanism and the second fastening mechanism comprise a screw that is received by a series of threads within the block and the wedge, respectively.

9. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 8 wherein the angled surface of the rack and the wedge extend substantially upward.

10. A height-adjustable work surface assembly comprising:

a movable work surface;

a frame extending from beneath the work surface in order to provide support for the work surface, the frame having a sleeve directed downward from beneath the work surface;

a leg adjustably received within the sleeve of the frame, the leg having a cavity located therein;

a movable rack having a series of outwardly extending teeth is positioned within the cavity, an end of the rack having an angled surface;

an interlocking block having teeth opposing the rack in order to mate with the teeth of the rack at a given position, the block being positioned adjacent the rack;

a wedge slidably engaged with the end of the rack, the angled surface of the rack corresponding to an angled upper surface of the wedge;

a first fastening mechanism extending through the sleeve and the leg, and movably fastened to the block in order to secure the block in a given position against the rack; and

a second fastening mechanism extending through the sleeve and the leg and movably fastened to the wedge in order to secure the wedge in a given position against the end of the rack;

whereby the work surface height may be adjusted by the relative positioning of the leg within the sleeve of the frame as determined by the relative positioning of the block along the length of the rack and the wedge against the end of the rack.

11. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 10 wherein a slot extends across the leg, the slot adapted to receive the first fastening mechanism.

12. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 11 wherein a centrally located slot extends within the rack, the slot of the rack adapted to receive the first fastening mechanism and being in communication with the slot of the leg.

13. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 12 wherein apertures within the frame and the block further receive the first fastening mechanism.

14. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 13 wherein a slot within the frame and an aperture within the wedge receive the second fastening mechanism.

15. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 14 wherein the first and second fastening mechanisms comprise a first screw and a second screw, respectively.

16. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 15 wherein threads within the apertures of the block and the wedge receive the first screw and the second screw.

17. A height-adjustable work surface assembly comprising:

a moveable work surface;

a frame extending from beneath the work surface in order to provide support for the work surface, the frame having a sleeve directed downward from beneath the work surface, the sleeve having an aperture and a slot extending thereacross, the aperture being located above the slot;

a leg adjustably received within the sleeve of the frame, the leg having a cavity located therein and a slot extending along an upper portion of the first leg and through the cavity, the slot being in communication with the aperture within the sleeve of the frame;

a movable rack having a series of outwardly extending teeth is positioned within the cavity, the rack having a centrally located slot extending therein, the slot being in communication with the slot of the leg and the aperture of the first sleeve, the lower end of the rack having an angled surface;

an interlocking block that mates with the teeth of the rack, the block having an aperture that is in communication with the slots of the rack and the leg and the first aperture of the sleeve;

a wedge slidably engaged with the end of the rack, the wedge having an aperture in communication with the slot of the sleeve and having an angled upper surface positioned against the lower end of the rack, the angled surface of the rack corresponding to the angled surface of the wedge; and

first and second fastening mechanisms received within the first and second apertures of the frame, respectively, the first fastening mechanism removably fastened through the first aperture of the frame, the slots of the leg and the rack, to the aperture of the interlocking block, the second fastening mechanism removably fastened through the slot of the frame to the aperture within the wedge whereby the work surface height may be adjusted by the relative positioning of the leg within the sleeve of the frame as determined by the relative positioning of the block along the length of the rack and the wedge against the lower end of the rack.

18. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 17 further comprising a spring received within the aperture of the block, the spring acting to bias the block against the teeth of the rack.

19. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 18 wherein the angled surface of the rack and the block are substantially parallel.

20. The height-adjustable work surface assembly of claim 19 wherein the cavity is defined by an inner wall and an outer wall, the rack being movably secured against the inner wall.

21. A horizontally-adjustable work surface assembly comprising:

a work surface having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a frame extending from beneath the work surface in order to provide support for the work surface, the frame including at least one leg attached thereto;

a first rail attached to the frame, the first rail including an aperture on an end thereof;

a second rail attached to the work surface, the first rail and the second rail being movable relative to one another; and

a lock member attached to the bottom surface of the work surface adjacent an end of the work surface and directly adjacent an end of the second rail, the lock comprising a body and a latch member, the latch member adapted to be received within the aperture of the first rail.

22. A horizontally-adjustable work surface assembly according to claim 21 further comprising two slide blocks received within one of the first and second rails, the slide blocks each having opposing channels extending along an inner surface, the channels adapted to receive two outwardly projecting edges of the one of the rails.

23. A horizontally-adjustable work surface assembly according to claim 22 wherein the latch further includes an actuation portion which pivots the latch out from engagement with the aperture.

24. A horizontally-adjustable work surface assembly according to claim 23 wherein the body further includes a cavity opening above the actuation portion of the latch member.

25. A horizontally-adjustable work surface assembly according to claim 24 wherein the latch and body are made from a resilient material.

26. A horizontally-adjustable work surface assembly according to claim 24 wherein the first rail is generally U-shaped and the second rail is generally hat-shaped.