Pivotable board provided with legs

• US 7,878,128 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Craig M., Bishop, Steven, Ma, Emily, Patel, Lopa, Davis-Wilson, Jennifer Ellen, Stob, Phillip, Yurchenco, James, Stewart, Robert L., Watson, Ronnie K., Cornelius, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, JOSE V
• Application Number:
  US11/756,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20070261613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 108/132, 108/115, 108/124, 108/123, 108/128, 108/6, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 248/188.6, 248/188.7, 248/188.1
• US Class Current: 108/132
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0803 the legs rotating around a vertical axis A47B3/083, A47B3/087 and A47B3/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0818 with manually actuated locking means A47B3/083, A47B3/087 and A47B3/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 7/02 Stackable tables; Nesting tables

Abstract

A system includes a board having opposing surfaces and at least one leg connected to one surface of the board through a first pivotable fitting to allow the board and the leg to move between a first position wherein the board and the leg are substantially parallel and a second position wherein the board and the leg are substantially perpendicular. The system also includes a locking mechanism secured to the board through a second pivotable fitting at a first end and configured to rotate at a second end opposite the first end between a storage position extending parallel with the board and a work position extending perpendicular to the board.

Claims

1. A board comprising:

a worksurface;

at least one leg engaged at a first end of the at least one leg with the worksurface to support the worksurface;

a first pivotable fitting securing the at least one leg to the worksurface to allow the worksurface to be rotated along a first path between a first position where the worksurface is substantially perpendicular to the at least one leg and a second position where the worksurface is substantially parallel with the at least one leg; and

a locking mechanism extending from a first end to a second end;

wherein the first end of the locking mechanism is secured to the worksurface through a second pivotable fitting; and

wherein the locking mechanism is rotatable about the second pivotable fitting between a storage position at which the locking mechanism extends substantially parallel with the worksurface and a work position at which the locking mechanism extends substantially perpendicular to the worksurface such that the second end engages the at least one leg when the worksurface in the first position.

2. The board of claim 1 further comprising a biasing mechanism engaged with the worksurface and the locking mechanism, and configured to bias the locking mechanism in the work position.

3. The board of claim 2 wherein the at least one leg is configured to engage the locking mechanism when the worksurface is in the second position and overcome the biasing mechanism to secure the locking mechanism in the storage position.

4. The board of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism includes a cupped portion configured to at least partially surround the at least one leg when the locking mechanism is in the work position to lock the worksurface in the first position by engaging the cupped portion with the at least one leg to inhibit rotation of the worksurface along the first path.

5. The board of claim 4 further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the locking mechanism in the work position to engage the cupped portion with the at least one leg.

6. The board of claim 5 further comprising a disengagement mechanism configured to overcome the biasing mechanism by disengaging the cupped portion from the at least one leg to unlock the worksurface from the first position.

7. The board of claim 6 wherein the disengagement mechanism includes a link extending from the cupped portion away from the at least one leg and toward the worksurface and coupled to a user interface configured to receive a user actuation and transfer a force associated with the user actuation to the cupped portion through the link.

8. The board of claim 7 further comprising a clip configured to receive a portion of the link proximate the worksurface and secure the link to the worksurface when the locking mechanism is in the work position and release the link as the locking mechanism is moved from the work position toward the storage position.

9. The board of claim 4 wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one support arm extending from the second pivotable fitting to support the cupped portion.

10. The board of claim 9 wherein the at least one support arm includes a pair of support arms, wherein the second pivotable fitting includes a pair of second pivotable fittings, and wherein each of the pair of support arms extends from one of the pair of second pivotable fittings to support the cupped portion from opposing sides.

11. The board of claim 4 further comprising a shield extending along a portion of the at least one leg and engaged by the cupped portion when the locking mechanism is in the work position.

12. The board of claim 11 wherein the shield is configured to protect the at least one leg from engaging the locking mechanism when the locking mechanism is in both the work position and the storage position.

13. The board of claim 12 further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the locking mechanism in the work position and wherein the shield is configured to press against the locking mechanism as the worksurface is moved between the first position and the second position.

14. The board of claim 1 further comprising at least one foot extending from a second end of the at least one leg and wherein the first pivotable fitting includes a pivot axis extending in a direction slanted with respect to at least one of the worksurface and the at least one leg to rotate the at least one foot along a second path transverse to the first path as the worksurface is rotated along the first path.

15. The board of claim 1 wherein the first pivotable fitting includes a pivot axis extending in a direction slanted with respect to at least one of the worksurface and the at least one leg.

16. The board of claim 1 wherein the first pivotable fitting includes a base extending in a first direction away from the worksurface to form a pivot axis at an end opposite the worksurface that extends not parallel with the worksurface when the worksurface is in the first position.

17. The board of claim 16 further comprising a bumper mounted on the base and configured to extend above a plane formed by the worksurface and the at least one leg when the worksurface and the at least one leg are substantially parallel to protect the worksurface, the at least one leg, and the locking mechanism from engaging an adjacent worksurface arranged proximate thereto.

18. The board of claim 1 wherein the first pivotable fitting forms a pivot axis extending neither parallel nor perpendicular to at least one of the worksurface and the at least one leg.

19. The board of claim 1 further comprising a privacy shield defining a mass and mounted to the worksurface such that the mass of the privacy shield is urged by gravity to extend the privacy shield substantially perpendicular to the worksurface when the worksurface is in the first position and move the privacy shield, such that a majority of the privacy shield extends substantially parallel with the worksurface, when the worksurface is rotated along the first path to the second position.

20. The board of claim 19 wherein the privacy shield includes a flexible covering and a biasing mechanism arranged within the flexible covering configured to bias the privacy shield to extend substantially perpendicular to the worksurface when the worksurface is in the first position.

21. The board of claim 20 wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to be overcome as the worksurface is rotated along the first path to the second position to cause the majority of the privacy shield to extend substantially parallel with the worksurface.

22. The board of claim 1 wherein worksurface forms one of a tabletop, an easel, a display, a blackboard, and a podium.

23. A system comprising:

a board having opposing surfaces;

at least one leg connected to one surface of the board through a first pivotable fitting to allow the board and the at least one leg to move between a first position wherein the board and the at least one leg are substantially parallel and a second position wherein the board and the at least one leg are substantially perpendicular; and

a locking mechanism secured to the board through a second pivotable fitting at a first end of the locking mechanism and configured to rotate such that a second end of the locking mechanism opposite the first end moves between a storage position at which the locking mechanism extends parallel with the board and a work position at which the locking mechanism extends perpendicular to the board and end engages the at least one leg.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the first pivotable fitting forms a pivot axis extending through a plane formed by the board and a line formed by the at least one leg.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein movement of the board about the pivot axis causes movement of the at least one leg about the pivot axis.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the board includes a plurality of side surfaces extending between the opposing surfaces to form a plurality of corners thereabout and wherein the first pivot axis is slanted with respect to the plurality of corners.

27. The system of claim 23 further comprising a biasing mechanism engaged with the board and the locking mechanism, and configured to bias the locking mechanism in the work position.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the at least one leg is configured to engage the locking mechanism when the board is in the second position and overcome the biasing mechanism to secure the locking mechanism in the storage position.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the locking mechanism includes a cupped portion configured to at least partially surround the at least one leg when the locking mechanism is in the work position to lock the board in the first position by engaging the cupped portion with the at least one leg to inhibit movement of the board between the first position and the second position.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the locking mechanism in the work position to engage the cupped portion with the at least one leg.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising a disengagement mechanism configured to overcome the biasing mechanism by disengaging the cupped portion from the at least one leg to unlock the board from the first position.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the disengagement mechanism includes a link extending from the cupped portion away from the at least one leg and toward the board and coupled to a user interface configured to receive a user actuation and transfer a force associated with the user actuation to the cupped portion through the link.

33. The system of claim 32 further comprising a clip configured to receive a portion of the link proximate the board and secure the link to the board when the locking mechanism is in the work position and release the link as the locking mechanism is moved from the work position toward the storage position.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one support arm extending from the second pivotable fitting to support the cupped portion.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the at least one support arm includes a pair of support arms, wherein the second pivotable fitting includes a pair of second pivotable fittings, and wherein each of the pair of support arms extends from one of the pair of second pivotable fittings to support the cupped portion from opposing sides.

36. The system of claim 29 further comprising a shield extending along a portion of the at least one leg and engaged by the cupped portion when the locking mechanism is in the work position.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the shield is configured to protect the at least one leg from engaging the locking mechanism when the locking mechanism is in both the work position and the storage position.

38. The system of claim 37 further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the locking mechanism in the work position and wherein the shield is configured to press against the locking mechanism as the board is moved between the first position and the second position.

39. The system of claim 23 further comprising at least one foot extending from a second end of the at least one leg and wherein the first pivotable fitting includes a pivot axis extending in a direction slanted with respect to at least one of the board and the at least one leg to rotate the at least one foot along a second path transverse to the first path as the board is rotated along the first path.

40. The system of claim 23 wherein the first pivotable fitting includes a pivot axis extending in a direction slated with respect to at least one of the board and the at least one leg.

41. The system of claim 23 wherein the first pivotable fitting includes a base extending in a first direction away from the board to form a pivot axis at an end opposite the board that extends not parallel with the board when the board is in the first position.

42. The system of claim 41 further comprising a bumper mounted on the base and configured to extend above a plane formed by the board and the at least one leg when the board and the at least one leg are substantially parallel to protect the board, the at least one leg, and the locking mechanism from engaging an adjacent board arranged proximate thereto.

43. The system of claim 23 wherein the first pivotable fitting forms a pivot axis extending neither parallel nor perpendicular to at least one of the board and the at least one leg.

44. The system of claim 23 further comprising a privacy shield defining a mass and mounted to the board such that the mass of the privacy shield is urged by gravity to extend the privacy shield substantially perpendicular to the board when the board is in the second position and move the privacy shield, such that a majority of the privacy shield extends substantially parallel with the board, when the board is moved to the first position.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the privacy shield includes a flexible covering and a biasing mechanism arranged within the flexible covering configured to bias the privacy shield to extend substantially perpendicular to the board when the board is in the second position.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to be overcome as the board is moved to the first position to cause the majority of the privacy shield to extend substantially parallel with the board.