Height adjustable work surface and control therefor

• US 6,286,441 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burdi, Roger D., Baker, Richard H., Ooms, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/302,919
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 108/147, 108/147.19, 108/144.11, 108/20, 108/21, 108/50.01, 312/223.1, 312/223.3, 312/194, 248/188.2, 248/188.3, 248/188.4, 248/188.5, 318/626, 318/625, 318/649, 318/45
• US Class Current: 108/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0058 with synchronized motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/00 Tables with tops of variable height lecterns with variable height A47B19/06; school forms or desks with variable height A47B39/02, A47B41/02; seats with variable height A47C3/20

Abstract

A motorized height adjustable table having a support base, a top assembly including a substantially horizontally disposed work surface, and first and second powered drive assemblies for raising and lowering the work surface. The first and second drive assemblies have first and second electric motors and drivingly engage the top assembly for effecting vertical movement of the top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface. A controller is coupled to the first and second drive assemblies for simultaneously controlling the first and second electric motors. The controller senses a relative height displacement between the first and second drive assemblies and de-energizes the motor controlling for the leading drive assembly until the relative difference in height between the first and second drive assemblies is substantially zero.

Claims

1. A motorized height adjustable table comprising:

a support base;

a top assembly including a substantially horizontally disposed work surface;

a first powered drive assembly including a first electric motor drivingly engaged with said top assembly at one location for effecting vertical movement of said top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface, said first powered drive assembly further including a first drive screw and a first cantilever assembly horizontally offset from said first drive screw and operatively connected thereto, such that said first dive screw raises and lowers said first cantilever assembly to correspondingly raise and lower said work surface;

a second powered drive assembly including a second electric motor drivingly engaged with said top assembly at another location for effecting vertical movement of said top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface, said second powered drive assembly including a second drive screw and a second cantilever assembly horizontally offset from said second drive screw and operatively connected thereto, such that said second drive screw raises and lowers said second cantilever assembly to correspondingly raise and lower said work surface, wherein the horizontal offset of said first and second cantilever assemblies relative to the first and second drive screws resists back drive of the first and second drive screws when load is applied to the work surface; and

a controller coupled to said first and second drive assemblies for simultaneously controlling said first and second motors.

2. The table as defined in claim 1, wherein said controller further senses a relative height displacement between said first and second cantilever assemblies and de-energizes one of said first and second motors until the relative height displacement between the first and second cantilever assemblies is substantially zero.

3. The table as defined in claim 2 further comprising a first position sensor for sensing the angular position of said first drive screw and a second position sensor for sensing the angular position of said second drive screw.

4. The table as defined in claim 3, wherein said first and second sensors each comprises a microswitch.

5. The table as defined in claim 1, wherein said controller further senses displacement of said first and second cantilever assemblies over a time period and de-energizes said first and second motors when said sensed displacement is indicative of an overload condition.

6. The table as defined in claim 5 further comprising a manually operable switch for adjusting overload detection set points.

7. A motorized height adjustable table comprising:

a support base;

a top assembly including a substantially horizontally disposed work surface;

a first powered drive assembly including a first electric motor and first drive arm engaged with said top assembly at one location for effecting vertical movement of said top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface;

a second powered dive assembly including a second electric motor and second drive arm engaged with said top assembly at another location for effecting vertical movement of the top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface; and

a controller coupled to said first and second drive assemblies for simultaneously controlling said first and second motors to move said first and second drive arms, said controller sensing displacement of each of said first and second drive arms and determining a rate of displacement over a period of time for each of said first and second drive arms, said controller de-energizing said first and second motors as a function of said rate of displacement when said rate of displacement is indicative of one of a travel limit and an overload condition.

8. The table as defined in claim 7, wherein said controller further compares said rate of displacement with a set value and de-energizes said first and second motors as a function of said comparison.

9. The table as defined in claim 8, wherein said set value comprises a first value when the work surface is being raised and a different second value when the work surface is being lowered.

10. The table as defined in claim 8, further comprising a manually actuable switch for selecting said set value.

11. The table as defined in claim 10, wherein said manually actuable switch comprises one or more contact pins.

12. The table as defined in claim 7, wherein said rate of displacement comprises a position count change during a set time period.

13. The table as defined in claim 7, wherein said first and second powered drive assemblies each comprises a rotary to linear motion converter including a drive screw manually connected to a cantilever assembly for moving said cantilever assembly linear up and down in response to rotary motion of said drive screw.

14. The table as defined in claim 13, wherein said cantilever assembly is horizontally spaced from said drive screw such that load on said work surface causes a torque on said work surface to resist back drive movement.

18. The table as defined in claim 14, wherein said controller further senses displacement of said cantilever assembly over a time period and de-energizes said motor when said sensed displacement is indicative of an overload condition.

19. The table as defined in claim 18 further comprising a manually operable switch for adjusting overload detection set points.

15. A motorized height adjustable table comprising:

a support base;

a top assembly including a substantially horizontally disposed work surface;

a powered drive assembly including an electric motor drivingly engaged with said top assembly at one location for effecting vertical movement of said top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface, said powered drive assembly further including a drive screw and a cantilever assembly horizontally offset from said drive screw and operatively connected thereto, such that said drive screw raises and lowers said cantilever assembly to correspondingly raise and lower said work surface, wherein the horizontal offset of said cantilever assembly relative to the drive screw resists back drive of the drive screw when load is applied to the work surface; and

a controller coupled to said drive assembly for simultaneously controlling said motor.

16. The table as defined in claim 15 further comprising a position sensor for sensing the angular position of said drive screw.

17. The table as defined in claim 16, wherein said sensor comprises a microswitch.

20. A motorized height adjustable table comprising:

a support base;

a top assembly including a substantially horizontally disposed work surface;

a powered drive assembly including an electric motor and drive arm engaged with said top assembly at one location for effecting vertical movement of said top assembly to adjust the height of the work surface; and

a controller coupled to said drive assembly for controlling said motor to move said drive arm, said controller sensing displacement of said drive arm and determining a rate of displacement over a period of time for said drive arm, said controller de-energizing said motor as a function of said rate of displacement when said rate of displacement is indicative of one of a travel limit and an overload condition.

21. The table as defined in claim 20, wherein said controller further compares said rate of displacement with a set value and de-energizes said motor as a function of said comparison.

22. The table as defined in claim 21, wherein said set value comprises a first value when the work surface is being raised and a different second value when the work surface is being lowered.

23. The table as defined in claim 21 further comprising a manually actuable switch for selecting said set value.

24. The table as defined in claim 23, wherein said manually actuable switch comprises one or more contact pins.

25. The table as defined in claim 20, wherein said rate of displacement comprises a position count change during a set time period.

26. The table as defined in claim 20, wherein said powered drive assembly comprises a rotary to linear motion converter including a drive screw manually connected to a cantilever assembly for moving said cantilever assembly linear up and down in response to rotary motion of said drive screw.

27. The table as defined in claim 26, wherein said cantilever assembly is horizontally spaced from said drive screw such that load on said work surface causes a torque on said work surface to resist back drive movement.