DK180566B1 - Folding height-adjustable desk - Google Patents

Abstract

Folding height-adjustable desk comprising a tabletop; two scissor mechanisms arranged to support the tabletop and configured for moving the tabletop between a raised position and a lowered position; and a linear actuator arranged to adjust the position of the scissor mechanisms; the pull bar being coupled to a scissor arm of the scissor mechanisms by respective extender mechanisms allowing the pull bar to be arranged in a locked position wherein the pull bar is fixedly secured to each of the scissor arms and a detached state wherein the pull bar is movable relatively to each of the scissor arms.

Description

, DK 180566 B1 FOLDING HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE DESK

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a height-adjustable desk and a scissor mechanism configured for supporting the tabletop of such a height-adjustable desk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Height-adjustable desks or tables are widely used and come in many variations and designs. Being able to adjust the height of a desk is desirable for a number of reasons, such as to improve workplace ergonomics. Traditional, height-adjustable desks have been massive constructions making transportation difficult and often requiring the different parts of the desk to be assembled onsite. If the desk subsequently needs to be moved to another location or stored for a shorter or longer period, at least partial dismantling is often required. The applicant has therefore developed a new type of foldable and collapsible height-adjustable desk based on a tabletop supported by scissor mechanisms. The scissor mechanisms enable the height-adjustable desk to be setup and folded together into a very compact state. The height-adjustable desk can also be collapsed or folded together and transported without dismantling key components, such as the tabletop and the legs, and the > height-adjustable desk that takes up less space during storage and transportation. However, an important aspect of a folding table is that it is very easy to setup and fold.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to wholly or partly overcome disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. More specifically, it is an object to provide a height- adjustable desk that can be easily setup and collapsed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, the above described object and several other objects are intended to be obtained in a first aspect of the invention by providing a folding height-adjustable desk comprising a tabletop; two scissor mechanisms arranged to support the tabletop and configured for moving the tabletop between a raised position and a lowered

, DK 180566 B1 position; and a linear actuator arranged to adjust the position of the scissor mechanisms; a pull bar coupled to a first scissor arm of each of the scissor mechanisms to transfer the linear motion provided by the linear actuator to the scissor mechanisms; wherein the pull bar is coupled to each of the first scissor arms by respective extender mechanisms allowing the frist scissor arms to be arranged in a locked position wherein the pull bar is fixedly secured to each of the first scissor arms and a detached state wherein the pull bar is movable relatively to each of the first scissor arms, allowing the height-adjustable desk to be arranged in a folded position while the pull bar is coupled to the scissor mechanisms.

Hereby, in the locked position the the pull bar is locked or immovable relatively to the scissor mechanisms, and in the detached state the pull bar is movable relatively to the first scissor arms but still coupled to the scissor arms and the movement is restricted by the extender mechanism.

The extender mechanisms thus provide a permanent link between the pull bar and the first scissor arms of each of the scissor mechanisms. By providing a permanent link it becomes easier to move the first scissor arms from the detached state into the locked position during setup or installation of the height-adjustable desk. The extender mechanism provides a guided movement of the first scissor arms from the detached state into the locked position. Furthermore, the extender mechanisms may comprise a spring biased plunger automatically locking the extender mechanism and securing the pull bar to the scissor arms when the first scissor arms are arranged or moved into the locked position. The plunger provides an automatic locking mechanism that is activated when the first scissor arms are moved into the locked position. Additionally, each of the extender mechanisms may comprise a guiding member mounted on the pull bar and a sliding member pivotally mounted on a first scissor arm and arranged to engage with the guiding member in a mutual sliding manner. Further, the sliding member may include a longitudinally extending slot and a blocking

2 DK 180566 B1 element mounted on the guiding member may extend into the slot to keep the the sliding member in engagement with the guiding member.

In one embodiment, the sliding member may be mounted to the first scissor arm at its free moving end. The pull bar of the height-adjustable desk described above may comprise a longitudinally extending connection member provided with the guiding member at opposite ends, and the guiding members may be adapted to engage with rail elements mounted underneath the table top. The rail elements may be mounted on the table top or on a top frame mounted underneath the tabletop. The height-adjustable desk may also comprise a bottom frame for supporting the scissor mechanisms and a free moving end of the second scissor arm of each scissor mechanism may be provided with a guide bracket arranged to slide along the bottom frame. Additionally, the guide bracket may be configured to extend the moving range of the free moving end of the second scissor arms beyond the bottom frame. Such an embodiment may have a guide bracket that has an elongated sheath like geometry adapted to enclose and slide along the bottom frame. Furthermore, the height-adjustable desk may comprise one or more transport wheels extendable from a rear side of the table top and configured for transporting the height-adjustable desk in a folded position. The one or more transport wheels may be supported by a pivotally mounted wheel arm configured to pivot between a retracted position wherein the transport wheel is underneath the table top and an extended position wherein the wheel extends from the table top. The wheel arm may be pivotally mounted on the bottom frame or underneath table top.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

1 DK 180566 B1 The height-adjustable desk according to the invention will now be described in more detail with regard to the accompanying figures. The figures show one way of implementing the present invention and is not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a folding height-adjustable desk, Figure 2 shows the folding height-adjustable desk with the tabletop removed, Figure 3 shows the folding height-adjustable desk in a lowered position, Figure 4 shows the folding height-adjustable table in a partly folded position, Figure 5 shows the folding height-adjustable table in a folded position, Figure 6 shows a close-up of the extender mechanism and the guiding bracket when the table is in the folded position, Figure 7a and 7b show close-ups of the extender mechanism and the guiding bracket, respectively, when the table is in the partly folded position, Figure 8a and 8b show close-ups of the extender mechanism and the guiding bracket, respectively, when the table is in the lowered position, and Figure 9a, 9b illustrate the functionality of the transport wheels. Figure 10 shows one of the transport wheels

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT Fig. 1 shows the folding height-adjustable desk 1 comprising a tabletop 2 supported by two scissor mechanisms 3 arranged at opposite ends 21, 22 of the tabletop. The scissor mechanisms 3 each comprise a first and a second scissor arm 31, 32 connected by a pivot. The desk further comprises a bottom frame 7 supporting the scissor mechanisms. A first 311 end of the first scissor arm 31 is pivotally mounted on the bottom frame and an opposite second end of the first scissor arm 312 is able to translate in a transversal direction of the tabletop. Opposite, a first 321 end of the second scissor arm 32 of each scissor mechanisms is pivotally mounted to a top frame 6 seen in Fig. 2. An opposite second end 322 of the second scissor arm is able to translate in the transversal direction along the bottom frame 7.

. DK 180566 B1 Referring to Fig. 2, the free moving ends 312 of the first scissor arms are connected to a pull bar 5 mounted on a trolley 43 of a linear actuator 4 arranged underneath the tabletop. The linear actuator generally extends in a transversal direction parallel to end sections of the top frame. The linear actuator comprises an electrical motor 41 driving a spindle (not shown) provided inside a rail device 42. The spindle engages the displaceable trolley 43 guide by the rail device. Thus, as the spindle rotates the trolley and the pull bar 5 move along the rail device in a transversal direction. The first scissor arms are connected to the pull bar by an extender mechanism mechanism 33. When the folding height-adjustable desk is setup, the extender mechanism keeps the pull bar fixedly secured to the first scissor arms and maintains the pull bar in a locked position relative to the first scissor arms. Herby, the tabletop may be moved between a lowered position and a raised position as seen in Fig. 3 and Fig. 1, respectively.

To fold the folding height-adjustable table, the tabletop is moved into the lowered position as seen in Fig. 3. By releasing the extender mechanism the first scissor arms are arranged in a detached state wherein they may be moved relatively to the pull bar to fold the scissor mechanism and arrange the table in a folded position as seen in Fig.

5. In the folded position, the scissor arms of the scissor mechanism are arranged substantially parallel to each other providing a very compact structure taking up a minimum of space. Each of the extender mechanisms 33 comprises a guiding member 332 mounted on the pull bar and a sliding member 333 pivotally mounted at the free moving end of the first scissor arms. The sliding member is arranged to engage with the guiding member in a mutual sliding manner providing a link between the scissor arms and the pull bar when the table is folded. To setup the folded height-adjustable table, the scissor mechanisms are partly extended form their folded position thereby moving the free moving end of the first scissor arms towards the pull bar. The extender mechanism guides this movement of the free moving end of the first scissor arms as the sliding member 333 slides into the guiding member 332 as seen in Fig 7a. When the sliding member is moved sufficiently into the guiding member a spring biased

DK 180566 B1 plunger 331 of the extender mechanism serves to lock the sliding member in position relatively to the guiding member and the pull bar as seen in Fig. 8a. The spring-biased plunger is automatically activated when the sliding member is moved far enough into the guiding member and a notch 334 in the sliding member aligns with the spring- 5 biased plunger. When the plunger engages with the notch in the sliding member the extender mechanism is locked preventing the sliding member form sliding inside the guiding member 332.

Referring to Fig. 7a, the sliding member 333 further includes a longitudinal extending slot 335 and when the sliding member is arranged in engagement with the guiding member 332, a blocking element 336 mounted on the guiding member is arranged to extend into the slot. The slot and the blocking member hereby prevents the sliding member from sliding out of engagement with the guiding member as is readily understood from the drawings.

To fold the folding height-adjustable table back into the folded position, the plunger is turned or pulled whereby the extender mechanism is released and the first scissor arms arranged in a detached state as described above. Also, to fold the scissor mechanism, the free moving end 322 of the second scissor arm of each scissor mechanism needs to be moved similarly to the free moving ends of the first scissor arms. For this purpose, the free moving ends of the second scissor arms are provided with guide brackets 9, as will be further described below. When the folding height-adjustable table is setup and moved between the raised and lowered positions, the free moving ends of the second scissor arms are guided along the bottom frame by the guide brackets 9. The guide brackets are pivotally mounted on the second scissor arms and comprise an elongated geometry adapted to enclose and slide along end sections of the bottom frame. As the free moving ends of the second scissor arms support a significant part of the weight of the tabletop and above structures, they may also be provided with wheels 34 or other friction reducing means adapted to slide or roll along the bottom frame. The guide bracket is further configured to extend the moving range of the free moving ends of the second scissor arms beyond the bottom frame, as seen in Fig. 6.

, DK 180566 B1 The guiding bracket 9 further serves to secure the second scissor arms to the bottom frame if an upwards acting motion is applied to the tabletop or scissor mechanisms, e.g. if someone pushes or tries to lift the tabletop or the top frame. The guiding bracket may consist of two or more bracket-elements assembled around the roller mounted at the end of the scissor arm. The bracket-halves enclose the wheel and comprise side faces extending along the faces of the bottom frame 7. Hereby the bracket 9 serves to guide the free moving end of the scissor arm along the bottom frame.

The pull bar comprises a longitudinally extending connection member 51 connected with the trolley of the linear actuator. Opposite ends 53 of the pull bar are attached to rail elements 56 mounted underneath the table top on the top frame underneath tha table top. The opposite ends of the pull bar further support the guiding members 332 of the extender mechanisms at its opposite ends 53.

The folding height-adjustable table further comprises two transport wheels 65 mounted along a rear side 23 of the table top. Each of the transport wheels are supported by a pivotally mounted wheel arm configured to pivot the wheel between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the transport wheels are arranged and hidden underneath the table top. In the extended position the wheels extend from the rear side and are configured for transporting the height- adjustable desk in a folded position.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the specified embodiments, it should not be construed as being in any way limited to the presented examples. The scope of the present invention is set out by the accompanying claim set. In the context of the claims, the terms “comprising” or “comprises” do not exclude other possible elements or steps. Also, the mentioning of references such as “a” or “an” etc. should not be construed as excluding a plurality. The use of reference signs in the claims with respect to elements indicated in the figures shall also not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, individual features mentioned in different claims, may possibly be advantageously combined, and the

2 DK 180566 B1 mentioning of these features in different claims does not exclude that a combination of features is not possible and advantageous.

Claims (11)

DK 180566 B1 1 PATENTKRAV A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) comprising: o a table top (2); eo two scissor mechanisms (3) arranged to support the table top and arranged to move the table top between a raised position and a lowered position and o a linear actuator (4) arranged to adjust the position of the scissor mechanisms; o a tie rod (5) connected to a first scissor arm (31) in each of the scissor mechanisms to transmit the linear motion provided by the linear actuator to the scissor mechanisms; characterized in that the drawbar is connected to each of the first scissor arms by means of respective extension mechanisms (33) which allow the first scissor arms to be placed in a locked position, the drawbar being fixedly attached to each of the first scissor arms and an unlocked condition in which the drawbar is movable relative to each of the first scissor arms, allowing the height-adjustable desk to be placed in a folded position while the drawbar is connected to the first scissor arms. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the extension mechanisms comprises a spring biased piston (331) which automatically> Adjusts the extension mechanism and attaches the drawbar to the scissor arms when the first scissor arms are placed in the locked position. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the extension mechanisms comprises a guide member (332) mounted on the drawbar and a sliding member (333) rotatably mounted on the first scissor arms and arranged for to engage the guide member in a mutually sliding manner. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claim 3, wherein the sliding element (333) is - mounted on the first scissor arm at its freely movable end (312). A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the drawbar comprises a longitudinal connecting element (51) provided with DK 180566 B1 2 the guide elements at opposite ends (53), and where the guide elements (332) are arranged to engage with rail elements (56) mounted under the table top. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claim 5, further comprising a top frame (6) mounted below the table top, and wherein the rail elements (56) are mounted on the top frame. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a freely movable end (322) of the second scissor arm of each scissor mechanism is provided with a guide bracket (9) arranged to slide along a bottom frame (7) on the height-adjustable desk. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claim 7, wherein the guide bracket is adapted to extend the range of motion of the freely movable end (332) of the second scissor arm beyond the bottom frame by being rotatably mounted on the other scissor arms and comprising an elongate geometry adapted to enclose and slide along the end sections of the bottom frame. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claim 8, wherein the guide bracket has an - elongated geometry arranged to enclose and slide along the bottom frame. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more transport wheels (65) extendable from a rear side (23) of the table top and arranged to transport the> height-adjustable desk in a folded position. A foldable height-adjustable desk (1) according to claims 7 and 10, wherein each of the one or more transport wheels is supported by a rotatably mounted wheel arm adapted to rotate between a retracted position, the transport wheel being below the table top and a extended position where the wheel extends from the table top.