Safety interlock braking system for height adjustable table
First Claim
1. The combination comprising:
- surface means;
base means;
support means for supporting said surface means for movement relative to said base means through plural vertical positions;
a counterbalance mechanism for opposing downwardly directed movement of said surface means and including a member coupled to said base means and said support means, and user adjustable biasing means coupled to said base means and said member for establishing a counterbalance force acting on said surface and tending to oppose downwardly directed movement thereof;
brake means tending to retain said surface means in a user selected one of said vertical positions;
user operated release means for releasing said brake means; and
interlock means for preventing release of said brake means in the event that said counterbalance force is less than or greater than a force tending to lower said surface means from said selected one of said positions, said interlock means includes an interlock plate having first and second blocking positions and a neutral position arranged intermediate said blocking positions, said interlock plate being supported by said base means for movement between said first and second blocking positions when said counterbalance force is less than and greater than said force, respectively, through a said neutral position when said counterbalance force corresponds essentially to said force; and
said release means engages with said interlock plate when in said first and second blocking positions to prevent release of said brake means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A height adjustable mechanism for supporting a work surface for vertical movement relative to a base includes a counterbalance mechanism for providing a force opposing a downward force tending to lower the work surface; a brake mechanism for releasably retaining the work surface in a desired vertical position; a user operated release mechanism for selectively releasing the brake mechanism to permit vertical movement of the work surface; and an interlock mechanism for preventing release of the brake mechanism if the force and the downward force are out of balance by some given extent. In the preferred construction, the interlock mechanism includes an interlock plate supported by the base for pivotal movement between first and second blocking positions when the force is less than and greater than the downward force, respectively, through a neutral position when the force essentially corresponds to the downward force, and the release mechanism engages with the interlock plate when in the blocking positions thereof to prevent release of the brake mechanism by a user.
40 Citations
15 Claims
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1. The combination comprising:
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surface means;
base means;
support means for supporting said surface means for movement relative to said base means through plural vertical positions;
a counterbalance mechanism for opposing downwardly directed movement of said surface means and including a member coupled to said base means and said support means, and user adjustable biasing means coupled to said base means and said member for establishing a counterbalance force acting on said surface and tending to oppose downwardly directed movement thereof;
brake means tending to retain said surface means in a user selected one of said vertical positions;
user operated release means for releasing said brake means; and
interlock means for preventing release of said brake means in the event that said counterbalance force is less than or greater than a force tending to lower said surface means from said selected one of said positions, said interlock means includes an interlock plate having first and second blocking positions and a neutral position arranged intermediate said blocking positions, said interlock plate being supported by said base means for movement between said first and second blocking positions when said counterbalance force is less than and greater than said force, respectively, through a said neutral position when said counterbalance force corresponds essentially to said force; and
said release means engages with said interlock plate when in said first and second blocking positions to prevent release of said brake means.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification