Adjustable leg assembly

• US 6,595,144 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suspa Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Suspa Incorporated
• Inventors: Doyle, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US09/573,065
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 108/20, 108/147, 108/144.11, 108/144.19, 248/188.4
• US Class Current: 108/147
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/04 with vertical spindle

Abstract

An adjustable leg assembly includes a base leg which receives a pair of spaced, multiple section slides, each having one end coupled to a motor actuator attached to the underside of a work surface and an opposite end coupled to the base leg. The slides provide lateral strength for the motion between raised, lowered, and intermediate adjustable positions and provide a trim cover for concealing the drive mechanism employed for adjusting the table height. A pair of trim strips are mounted to an actuator on the underside of the table surface to extend in the areas between the slides for concealing the actuator mechanism which extends to the base leg. In a still further preferred embodiment, the base leg is an extrusion having a plurality of mounting apertures formed therein and trim panel receiving slots such that the appearance of the adjustable leg assembly can be modified for a given work environment and décor.

Claims

1. An adjustable leg assembly comprising:

an actuator having a screw jack;

a base member having a central elongated channel defined in part by a pair of opposed mounting surfaces, said channel receiving said screw jack therein; and

a telescopic leg extendable within said channel, said leg defined in part by at least a first multiple section slide having end members slidably movable with respect to one another wherein one end member is fixedly mounted to one of said mounting surfaces of said base member on a side of said mounting surface opposite said channel and the other end member has an end which is coupled to said actuator to be movable with respect to said base member such that said other end member extends over and covers said screw jack when said actuator extends said telescopic leg from said channel.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member includes a thrust nut for coupling said screw jack of said actuator to said base member.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 and further including a second multiple section slide having end members slidably movable with respect to one another wherein one end member is coupled to said base member on a mounting surface opposite said first slide and the other end member has an end which is coupled to said actuator.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 3 and further including a work surface and wherein said actuator includes a housing coupled to one side of said work surface.

5. An adjustable table comprising:

a work surface;

at least one adjustable leg coupled to said work surface, said adjustable leg defined by an actuator having a housing coupled to said work surface and a movable element;

a base leg having a central elongated channel defined in part by a pair of opposed mounting surfaces for receiving said movable element therein; and

a pair of slides having end members slidably movable with respect to one another wherein one end member has an end which is fixedly coupled to said actuator and the other end member is coupled to one of said mounting surfaces of said base leg such that said one end member partially extends over said movable element when said movable element extends from said channel when said actuator raises the height of said work surface, and further including a mounting block coupled to said actuator housing for receiving said end of said one end member of said slides, wherein said slides are mounted between said mounting block and said opposed mounting surfaces of said base leg and wherein said mounting block is integral with said housing of said actuator, and wherein said slides are mounted in opposed relationship to said mounting block and said base leg and wherein said assembly further includes a pair of trim strips extending from said block to said base leg in alternate spaced relationship to said slides.

6. The adjustable table as defined in claim 5 wherein said base leg includes recesses for receiving said opposite ends of said slides.

7. The adjustable table as defined in claim 6 wherein said recesses of said base leg are defined by opposed facing walls having opposed facing slots for receiving a trim panel.

8. The adjustable table as defined in claim 7 and further including a trim panel insertable within said opposed facing slots of said base leg for covering said opposite end of a slide.

9. An adjustable leg assembly comprising:

an actuator having a housing and a movable element;

a mounting block coupled to said housing;

a base leg coupled to said movable element; and

a pair of multiple section telescopic slides, each having one end secured to said mounting block and an opposite end secured to said base leg such that as said movable element of said actuator moves in first and second directions, said mounting block moves with respect to said base leg and extends and retracts said telescopic slide, wherein said telescopic slides are mounted in opposed relationship to said mounting block and said base leg and wherein said assembly further includes a pair of trim strips extending from said block to said base leg in alternate spaced relationship to said slides.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said base leg includes recesses for receiving said opposite ends of said slides.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said recesses of said base leg are defined by opposed facing walls having opposed facing slots for receiving a trim panel.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 11 and further including a trim panel insertable within said opposed facing slots of said base leg for covering said opposite end of a slide.

13. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said base leg is an extrusion having a central channel for receiving said movable element of said actuator.

14. The assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said mounting block is integral with said housing of said actuator.

15. The assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said actuator includes an electrical motor and said movable element comprises a screw jack.

16. The assembly as defined in claim 15 and further including a thrust nut coupled to said base leg for receiving said screw jack.

17. An adjustable table comprising:

a work surface;

at least one adjustable leg coupled to said work surface, said adjustable leg defined by an actuator having a housing coupled to said work surface and a screw jack;

a base leg having a central elongated channel defined in part by a pair of opposed mounting surfaces for receiving said adjustable leg therein;

a pair of multiple section telescopic slides mounted in opposed relationship to said base leg and actuator, wherein each has end members movable with respect to one another wherein one end member of each slide is fixedly mounted to said actuator and the other end member of each slide is coupled to one of said mounting surfaces of said base leg such that said one end member of each slide partially extends over said screw jack when said screw jack extends from said channel when said actuator raises the height of said work surface; and

a pair of trim strips extending from said block to said base leg in alternate spaced relationship to said slides.

18. An adjustable table comprising:

a work surface;

at least one adjustable leg coupled to said work surface, said adjustable leg defined in part by an actuator mounting block and an actuator having a housing coupled to said work surface and a screw jack;

a base leg having a central elongated channel defined in part by a pair of opposed mounting surfaces for receiving said adjustable leg therein, wherein said adjustable leg is further defined by a pair of multiple section telescopic slides having end members slidably movable with respect to one another wherein an end of one end member of each slide is fixedly mounted to said actuator mounting block at opposed sides and an end of the other end member of each slide is coupled to one of said mounting surfaces of said base leg such that said one end member extends over and covers said screw jack when said screw jack extends from said channel as said actuator raises the height of said work surface.

19. The adjustable table as defined in claim 18 wherein said mounting block is integral with said housing of said actuator.

20. The adjustable table as defined in claim 19 wherein said actuator includes an electrical motor and said movable element comprises a screw jack.

21. The adjustable table as defined in claim 20 and further including a thrust nut coupled to said base leg for receiving said screw jack.