Height adjustable table

• US 7,908,981 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baker Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baker Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Agee, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, JOSE V
• Application Number:
  US11/669,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 108/147.11, 108/147.19, 108/147, 108/144, 248/188.1, 248/188.2, 248/188.4, 248/188.5, 248/125.8, 248/404, 248/405, 248/157, 248/422
• US Class Current: 108/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/04 with vertical spindle

Abstract

A height adjustable table is disclosed wherein all horizontal supports that span between legs have been eliminated to increase storage space and knee space in the area under the table work surface. A unique telescoping leg arrangement is disclosed.

Claims

1. An elevating table apparatus comprising:

a) a table top providing an upper work surface and a lower surface;

b) the table top supported by a plurality of table legs, each leg including a pair of telescoping members including an inner moving member having a diameter and a fixed base that includes an outer sleeve member that has a bore that is receptive of the inner moving member;

c) a second sleeve member that is part of the fixed base and that is spaced inwardly of both the outer sleeve member and the inner moving member, the second sleeve having an internally threaded nut;

d) wherein there are no leg supports that connect one table leg to another table leg by spanning in a generally horizontal direction from one table leg to another table leg below said table top;

e) wherein the second sleeve does not prevent telescoping movement of the table legs;

f) a geared mechanism on the upper end portion of each leg that enables a user to elevate the table top relative to an underlying support surface or floor, said geared mechanism including multiple gears that rotate together;

g) each leg having a gear box housing that envelops the geared mechanism and that extends circumferentially around and radially away from the geared mechanism, the housing being structurally connected to the table top at a first attachment area with a plurality of fasteners that extend through the housing into the table top, the housing being connected to said leg at a second attachment area smaller than the first attachment area;

h) the gear box housing being connected to the inner moving member below the geared mechanism;

i) the gear box housing having an upper peripheral edge portion that is structurally connected to the table top, the peripheral portion extending radially beyond the diameter of the inner moving member, and the peripheral portion extending circumferentially around the geared mechanism;

j) an externally threaded rod having an upper rod end that is attached to and that rotates with one of the gears, the rod extending from the gearbox to the internally threaded nut, wherein the rod engages the internally threaded nut so that rotation of the rod effects an elevation of the rod relative to the nut and the fixed base; and

k) a drive that rotates the gears.

2. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gear mechanisms are manually movable using a crank.

3. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are only two legs, each supported by a lower foot that extends in front of and behind the leg.

4. The elevating table apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lower foot has a socket that is receptive of the lower end of the leg and the lower end of the second outer sleeve member.

5. The elevating table apparatus of claim 3 wherein each leg and foot are rotatable so that feet on multiple legs can be oriented to form an acute angle.

6. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner moving member moves up and down relative to the first outer sleeve member.

7. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a caster fitted to the bottom of at least one of the legs.

8. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner member and outer sleeves are generally cylindrically shaped.

9. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive includes an electric motor that is supported within the gear box housing and that powers one of the gears to rotate.

11. The elevating table apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are at least four of said fasteners that extend through the housing and into the table top, each of the fasteners being spaced radially away from the leg.

10. An elevating table apparatus comprising:

a) a table top providing an upper work surface and a lower surface;

b) the table top supported by a plurality of table legs, each leg including a pair of telescoping members including an inner moving member having an outer diameter and a fixed, static base having an outer sleeve member that has a bore with an inner diameter that is about equal to the outer diameter of the inner moving member, said bore being receptive of the inner member;

c) wherein there are no leg support members that span in a generally horizontal direction from one leg to another leg at a position spaced below said table top;

d) wherein at the top of the outer sleeve member, the inner member maintains an outer diameter about equal to the inner diameter of the outer sleeve member;

e) a geared mechanism on each leg that enables a user to elevate the table top relative to an underlying support surface or floor, said mechanism including a plurality of meshed gears that rotate together;

f) a plurality of gear box housings, each said housing having attachment openings receptive of fasteners, one housing associated with a said leg, a said housing enveloping the geared mechanism and structurally connected to both a leg and to the table top, the housing being attached to the lower surface of the table top at a first gearbox housing attachment area with a plurality of fasteners that each extend through a said attachment opening, the fasteners being positioned radially away from and circumferentially spaced around the geared mechanism, and said housing being attached to a said leg at a second gearbox housing attachment area that is smaller than the first gearbox housing attachment area;

g) each gear mechanism being rotated during elevation and wherein load transfer between the table top and legs is via said gear box housing, wherein said gear box housing has a peripheral portion spaced radially away from the geared mechanism;

h) a plurality of fasteners that attach the table top to the gear box housing and at multiple positions, each of the fasteners spaced radially away from a said leg, the fasteners being spaced circumferentially around a said leg;

i) a bearing interface between the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer sleeve, including longitudinal grooves cut in one of the said surfaces and plastic bearings that travel in the grooves; and

j) a threaded rod that engages the static base, the rod having an upper end with one of the gears mounted thereon and rotating therewith, rotation of the rod and attached gear effecting an elevation of the table top by extending one of the telescoping members relative to the other; and

k) a drive that rotates the gears of the gear mechanism.

25. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of surrounding the leg with a sleeve that is mounted on the fixed base.

26. The elevating table apparatus of claim 10 wherein there are at least four of said fasteners that extend through the housing and into the table top, each of the fasteners being spaced radially away from the leg.

12. An elevating table apparatus comprising:

a) a table top providing an upper work surface and a lower surface defining a plane;

b) the table top supported by a plurality of table legs, each leg including a pair of telescoping members including an inner moving member and an outer sleeve member that has a bore that is receptive of the inner moving member, and wherein each leg has a minimum leg height and a maximum leg height;

c) a geared mechanism associated with each leg that enables a user to elevate the moving member relative to an underlying support surface, said geared mechanism including multiple gears that rotate together;

d) wherein there are no leg supports that connect one leg to another leg by spanning between legs in a generally horizontal direction from one leg to another leg below said table top; and

e) a plurality of gear box housings, one said housing associated with a said leg, wherein each said housing extends circumferentially around and radially away from the geared mechanism and envelops the geared mechanism, wherein the housing has a peripheral portion with an upper surface that engages the lower surface of the table top;

f) a plurality of housing openings in the peripheral portion, wherein the peripheral portion is structurally connected to the table top at a first gearbox housing attachment area with a plurality of fasteners that extend through the housing openings and into the lower surface of the table top; and

g) wherein the housing attaches to a said leg at a second gearbox housing attachment area that is smaller than the first attachment area;

h) wherein the geared mechanism is entirely contained below the upper surface of the gearbox housing and within the gear box housing;

i) a threaded rod contained within the outer sleeve, a gear of the geared mechanism mounted on a top of the rod and rotating with the rod; and

j) a drive that enables a user to rotate the gears.

13. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein the gear mechanisms are manually movable using a crank.

14. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least one of the legs is supported by a lower foot that extends in front of and behind the leg.

15. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein the inner member moves up and down relative to the first outer sleeve member.

16. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a caster fitted to the bottom of at least one of the legs.

17. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lower foot has a socket that is receptive of the lower end of the leg and the lower end of the second outer sleeve member.

18. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein each leg and foot are rotatable so that feet on multiple legs can be oriented to form an acute angle.

19. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein the inner member and outer sleeves are generally cylindrically shaped.

20. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein the drive includes an electric motor that is supported within the gear box housing and that powers one of the gears to rotate.

21. The elevating table apparatus of claim 12 wherein there are at least four of said fasteners that extend through the housing and into the table top, each of the fasteners being spaced radially away from the leg.

22. An elevating table apparatus comprising:

a) a table top providing an upper work surface and a lower surface;

b) the table top supported by a plurality of table legs, each leg including a pair of telescoping members including an inner moving member having an outer diameter and a fixed, static base having an outer sleeve member that has a bore with an inner diameter that is about equal to the outer diameter of the inner moving member, said bore being receptive of the inner moving member;

c) wherein there are no structural members that connect one leg to another leg by spanning in a generally horizontal direction from one leg to another leg at an elevational position spaced below the lower surface of said table top;

d) wherein at the top of the outer sleeve member, the inner member maintains an outer diameter about equal to the inner diameter of the bore of the outer sleeve member yet allowing up and down movement of the inner member within the bore of the outer sleeve member;

e) a geared mechanism on each leg that enables a user to elevate the table top relative to an underlying support surface or floor, said mechanism including multiple meshed gears that rotate together;

f) a plurality of gear box housings, one gear box housing on each said leg, wherein the housing envelops the geared mechanism and is structurally connected to both the table top at a first gear box housing attachment area having fastener receptive openings and to a said leg at a second gearbox attachment area that is smaller than the first gear box housing attachment area;

g) a threaded rod mounted within the inner moving member and having an upper end attached to and rotating with one of the gears;

h) each gear mechanism being rotated during elevation and wherein load transfer between the table top and legs is via a said gear box housing, wherein said gear box housing has a peripheral portion spaced radially beyond the leg upper end and spaced away from the geared mechanism; and

i) fasteners that attach the table top to the gear box housing, said fasteners connecting to the table top through said fastener receptive openings at positions that are spaced radially away from a said leg and the fasteners being circumferentially spaced apart.

23. The elevating table apparatus of claim 22 wherein the drive includes an electric motor that is supported within the gear box housing and that powers one of the gears to rotate.

24. The elevating table apparatus of claim 22 wherein there are at least four of said fasteners that extend through the housing and into the table top, each of the fasteners being spaced radially away from the leg.

27. A method of constructing an elevating table apparatus comprising the steps of:

a) providing a table top with an upper work surface and a lower surface;

b) supporting the table top with a plurality of table legs, each leg having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, each said leg including a pair of telescoping members including an inner moving member, each said leg having a fixed static base;

c) enabling a user to elevate the table top relative to an underlying support surface or floor with a geared mechanism that is positioned on the upper end portion of each leg;

d) enveloping the geared mechanism of step “

c”

with a gear box housing that is structurally connected to;

     1) the table top with a first connector of a first area, and

     2) each leg below the geared mechanism with a second connector having a second area that is smaller than the first area;

e) rotating each geared mechanism during elevation and wherein load transfer between the table top and a said leg is via said gear box housing, wherein said gear box housing has a peripheral portion spaced radially away from the geared mechanism;

f) wherein there are no structural connections that span between the legs other than the table top of step “

a”

; and

g) wherein in step “

d”

the housing has a plurality of housing openings and a plurality of fasteners, and further comprising the step of attaching the gear box housing to the table top by extending each fastener into the table top and through a housing opening.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of manually moving the table top relative to the underlying support surface using a crank to rotate one gear of the geared mechanisms.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of moving the table top relative to the underlying support surface using an electric motor to rotate the geared mechanism.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the fasteners surround an area larger than the cross sectional area of a said leg.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of affixing the gear box housing to the table top with a plurality of fasteners.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of connecting one geared mechanism to another geared mechanism with a shaft.

33. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of rotating a said geared mechanism with a shaft that extends through the table top.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein there are at least four of said fasteners that extend through the housing openings and into the table top, each of the fasteners being spaced radially away from the leg.