Adjustable height load bearing support structure

• US 5,687,655 A
• Filed: 04/18/1996
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc. (HNI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hon Industries Incorporated (HNI Corporation)
• Inventors: Weinschenk, Lavern L. Jr., Machael, Jay R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/634,592
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 108/147, 108/146, 108/145, 108/144, 108/141, 248/188.2, 248/162.1, 248/161, 248/575, 248/579, 248/588
• US Class Current: 108/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/02 with balancing device, e.g. by springs, by weight

Abstract

A height adjustable load support structure has a base frame and a generally planar support surface. Preferably, two extendable vertical support assemblies support the surface for vertical movement relative to the base frame. Each support assembly is engaged by a spring biased pivotable arm to counterbalance the weight placed on the surface. A cam system cooperating between the distal ends of the pivotable arms and the support assemblies serves to compensate for the changing spring force on the arms by varying the effective moment arms of the arms thereby equalizing the force on each support assembly through its complete range of vertical travel.

Claims

1. An adjustable height load bearing support structure comprising:

a base frame;

a generally planar support surface member;

support assembly means configured to support said support surface member for vertical movement relative to said base frame;

at least one arm biased by a spring, said spring imposing changing biasing force on said arm, said arm being pivotable about an axis disposed beneath said support surface member and having a free distal end;

said arm further having an effective moment arm; and

cam means provided at the distal end of said arm and cooperable with said support assembly means for biasing said support assembly means throughout a range of vertical travel and continuously varying the effective moment arm of said arm to compensate for the changing force of the spring biasing of said arm wherein an upward force imposed by said arm on said support assembly means is substantially constant through the range of vertical travel of said support assembly means.

2. The support structure of claim 1 wherein said arm is biased by a torsion spring disposed coaxially with said axis of the arm.

3. The support structure of claim 1 including means for adjusting biasing force of said spring on the arm such that the support surface member can be counterbalanced with different loads placed thereon.

4. The support structure of claim 1 including two spring biased pivotable arms cooperable with said support assembly means.

5. The support structure of claim 4 including means for simultaneously adjusting the biasing force on both pivotable arms.

6. The support structure of claim 5 wherein each arm is biased by a torsion spring having a laterally extending arm and said torsion spring arms are simultaneously engaged by an adjustable tube member to increase or decrease the biasing force on said pivotable arms.

7. The support structure of claim 4 wherein a first arm is pivoted about an axis spaced from an associated support assembly means with the pivot axis of a second arm disposed between the pivot axis of the first arm and a second associated support assembly means such that said arms cross one another.

8. The support structure of claim 1 wherein said cam means includes a cam member on said arm and a cooperating cam follower on said support assembly means wherein said cam follower rides on said cam member and the effective moment arm of said pivotable arm is altered throughout the range of movement of said support assembly means.

9. The support structure of claim 8 wherein said effective moment arm is increased as said support assembly means moves to a downward position to thereby compensate for increased biasing force of said arm.

10. The support structure of claim 8 wherein said effective moment arm is decreased as said support assembly means moves to an upward position to thereby compensate for decreased biasing force of said arm.

11. The support structure of claim 8 wherein said cam member has a curvilinear cam surface.

12. The support structure of claim 11 wherein said curvilinear surface has a center of curvature disposed below said cam surface.

13. The support structure of claim 8 wherein said cam follower is supported on said support assembly means by a bracket extending inwardly of said frame.

14. The support structure of claim 13 wherein said bracket supports a roller and said frame includes a vertical support tube in alignment with said roller wherein said roller rides on said tube to stabilize said support assembly means against lateral forces imposed thereon by said arm.

15. The support structure of claim 1 wherein said support assembly means includes extensible tracks.

16. The support structure of claim 1 wherein said support assembly means includes latches to retain said support surface in a desired vertical position.

17. The support structure of claim 16 wherein said latches are cable-operated.

18. The support structure of claim 1 wherein said arm is disposed beneath a rear portion of said support surface and extends from side to side relative to said support surface.

19. An adjustable height table comprising:

a base frame;

a generally planar work surface;

support assembly means configured to support opposed sides of said work surface for vertical movement of said work surface relative to said base frame;

a pair of arms each biased by a spring, said springs imposing changing biasing force on said arms, said arms being pivotable about axes disposed beneath said work surface, each arm having a distal end and an effective moment arm;

cam surfaces provided on the distal ends of said arms and cooperable with cam followers connected to said support assembly means for biasing said support assembly means throughout a range of vertical travel and continuously varying the effective moment arms of said arms to compensate for the changing force of the spring biasing of said arm wherein upward forces imposed by said arms on said support assembly means are substantially constant through the range of vertical travel of said support assembly means.

20. The table of claim 19 wherein the arms are biased by torsion springs.

21. The table of claim 19 including means for manually adjusting the biasing forces of the springs on the arms.

22. The table of claim 19 wherein said cam followers are supported on said support assembly means by brackets extending inwardly of said frame.

23. The table of claim 22 wherein said brackets support rollers and said frame includes a pair of vertical support tubes in alignment with said rollers wherein said rollers ride on said tube to stabilize said support assembly means against lateral forces imposed thereon by said cam surfaces.

24. The table of claim 19 wherein said support assembly means includes latches to retain said work surface in a desired vertical position.