DK2716180T3 - Height adjustable desk especially for screen workplaces - Google Patents

Abstract

The vertically adjustable office table has a table top (1), a guide pillar (3) fixed on the table top, a table column (4) for the guide pillar, and a spring element (6) interconnected between the table column and the guide pillar. A guiding element is provided for defining the telescoping movement between the guide pillar and the table column. The guiding element is formed as a threaded spindle drive (7,8) that is acted upon by a spring element, where the threaded spindle drive is provided with a head-sided connection element (9).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a height-adjustable desk in particular for monitor workstations, with at least one desktop, at least one guide pillar fixed to the desktop, further with at least one desk column for the guide pillar telescoping therein, also at least one spring element inserted between the desk column and guide pillar, and with at least one guide element defining the telescoping movement between the guide pillar and desk column.

[0002] Among other places, a height-adjustable desk is described in DE 198 15 444 Cl of the applicant. Comparable embodiments are the subject matter of DE 101 12 940 A1. The spring element used at this juncture is typically a gas spring or gas pressure spring. The latter ensures that the desktop remains balanced up to an overall weight of 20 kilos or 30 kilos, for example. In other words, as long as the overall weight of the desktop including any devices placed thereon stays below the figures indicated above, the desktop can be virtually fully automatically adjusted in its height after releasing a brake. All that need be done for this purpose is to release the brake.

[0003] The guide pillar then emerges from the desk column until the brake again engages or an end stop has been reached. This has generally proven effective, and is associated with the special advantage that no motorized adjustment of the desktop is required. Eliminated as a result are electrical connections along with cost-intensive motors, which in addition unnecessarily drive up the weight of the correspondingly equipped desk.

[0004] It is conceivable that the guide pillar telescope into the desk column more or less without any gaps. In this case, the telescoping profiles of the guide pillar on the one hand and desk column on the other act as the guide elements that quasi-define the telescoping movement between the guide pillar and desk column.

[0005] In the generic prior art according to DE 198 15 444 Cl, guide roller disks are at this juncture used for vertically guiding the guide pillars, wherein the guide roller disks are arranged between respective rounded arches and recesses. This results in a complicated guide that in an expansive timeframe frequently requires repair. Such height-adjustable desks are in fact often used for several decades, so that any problems encountered while guiding the guide pillars relative to the accompanying desk columns become noticeable after intensive use and/or over a prolonged period of time.

[0006] Similar effects are observed for the also relevant prior art according to DE 101 12 940 A1. This is because the guide element is here designed as a vertical slit, which is used to couple the respective desk columns with each other by way of a connecting rod. However, the vertical slits cannot prevent dirt or dust from penetrating, so that malfunctions or at the very least an impaired functionality are again observed in the long run.

[0007] DE 38 03 407 A1 involves a mechanical heightadjusting device, which has a tubular spindle provided with a thread and an outer tube connected with the spindle at one end. The height-adjusting device in question can be used in a chair, table or similar objects. A relatively simple mechanical height adjustment is here pursued, in which a base or supported platform does not have to be turned.

[0008] Described within the framework of DE 10 2005 002 920 A1 is a piece of furniture with a bearing surface that is horizontal in a functional state, which is operatively connected with at least one lifting means for adjusting the height along a vertical axis. A mechanical self-locking mechanism is allocated to the lifting means.

[0009] The technical problem underlying the invention is to further develop such a height-adjustable desk so that its flawless functionality remains intact even after decades, in particular as relates to height adjustment. At the same time, an especially compact, reduced-weight and cost-effective structural design is to be made available.

[0010] A height-adjustable desk within the framework of the invention according to claim 1 is provided for resolving this technical problem.

[0011] Within the framework of the invention, use is thus made of a special guide element, specifically a threaded spindle drive. While such a threaded spindle drive is in principle described in DE 101 12 940 Al, it here ultimately serves to finely adjust the height of the desktop, and to this end is acted on by a hand crank. Such hand cranks are also preferred in US 6 484 648 B1 or US 5 845 590, but disadvantageously are not very comfortable, and overall lead to a more complicated and expensive structural design. By contrast, the guide element within the framework of the invention is exposed only to the spring element. An additional hand crank or other manually activated elements for exerting a force on the threaded spindle drive are expressly not provided.

[0012] Furthermore, the connecting element provided at the top end of the threaded spindle drive can be used to mechanically couple two (or more) threaded spindle drives with each other within the framework of the invention, specifically at the top end. The fact that the top side of the threaded spindle drive is typically arranged under the desktop eliminates the need for any vertical slits or other openings in the guide pillar or desk column, which are required in the known instruction according to DE 101 12 940 A1 to couple together the two guide pillars or desk columns. Within the framework of the invention, the respective guide pillar along with the desk column can instead be designed as respective tubes closed on one side, which telescope with each other as described. As a result, the two cross sections of the guide pillar on the one hand and the accompanying desk column on the other can be directly adjusted to each other, thereby yielding an overall elegant appearance, without any pronounced steps or ledges .

[0013] In addition, the perfect cross sectional connection of the guide pillar on the one hand and desk column on the other from the very outset precludes or minimizes any contaminants in the interior while they telescope into each other. A connecting element is located only at the top end of the threaded spindle drive, so that two threaded spindle drives can be mechanically connected with each other by a coupling element also provided at the top end, for example. In this way, the invention ensures that two telescoping guide pillars engaging into respective desk columns are moved relative to the desk columns without tilting during the height adjustment, for example. This applies even for a case where the spring elements acting exclusively on the respective guide elements or [0014] threaded spindle drives operate with varying force on the threaded spindle drive or press the guide pillar telescoping into the desk column out of the latter with a varying force. Furthermore, the coupling element mechanically connecting the two connecting elements at the top end can be protected and arranged directly underneath the desktop, and in this regard does not impede the telescoping movement. In addition, the space under the desktop is completely free of elements of the desk frame. In this conjunction, a protected attachment of the coupling element can be realized at the same time, for example inside of a closed or open frame, which carries the desktop on the upper side. The respective guide pillar is for its part connected to the frame from below, and as described telescopes into the accompanying desk column, with the spring element or a gas pressure element interposed. This is what offers significant advantages.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment, the threaded spindle drive has a rotating or rotatable threaded spindle and a fixed spindle nut. However, the process can basically also be reversed. But generally, the rotating threaded spindle is provided, which more or less submerges in the spindle nut fixed in relation thereto. Since the rotating or rotatable threaded spindle is coupled with the guide pillar (and thus with the frame and desktop) , the rotating movement of the threaded spindle relative to the fixed spindle nut is converted into a corresponding linear up and down movement. As a consequence thereof, the guide pillar telescopes relative to the desk column.

[0016] By using the threaded spindle drive with top-end connecting element acted upon exclusively by the spring element, the threaded spindle drive can be arranged inside of the guide pillar. The same holds true for the spring element, which is typically designed as a gas spring element. Naturally, a spiral spring or some other spring can basically be used at this juncture. At any rate, both the threaded spindle drive and the spring element or gas pressure spring can be arranged inside of the guide pillar, and consequently also inside of the desk column. Given a rectangular cross sectional profile of the guide pillar, it is most often recommended that the threaded spindle drive on the one hand and the spring element on the other be arranged one after the other in the direction of the longer side of the profile with a rectangular cross section.

[0017] Since the cross sections of the guide pillar on the one hand and the desk column on the other are usually adjusted to each other, the desk column advantageously also has a rectangular cross section. As already explained, the largely rectangular guide pillar engages into the also rectangular desk column with virtually no gaps, so that any contaminants inside can be all but completely precluded.

[0018] The spindle nut as a constituent of the threaded spindle drive is routinely connected to a retaining element coupled with the desk column. In this way, the invention ensures the fixed attachment and layout of the spindle nut, specifically on the retaining element in question. Since the retaining element is coupled with the desk column, which for its part is fixed in design, it is ensured that the spindle nut for its part also has the required fixed attachment. The retaining element can be a housing that houses the threaded spindle drive. This affords the threaded spindle drive with yet more protection against potential contaminants. In addition, this ensures that any permanent lubrication between the threaded spindle and spindle nut is retained.

[0019] The top-end connecting element of the threaded spindle drive advantageously involves a gear, which is preferably connected to the threaded spindle in question for translating its rotational movements. In other words, the rotations of the threaded spindle relative to the fixed spindle nut are translated by the gear provided at the top end as a connecting element, i.e., converted into faster rotations. Of course, this can only be understood by example .

[0020] Due to this larger translation, the coupling element mechanically connecting the respective two threaded spindles via the interposed gear can be finely decelerated. As a consequence, the desk according to the invention or its desktop can be continuously adjusted in small increments to the desired height. To this end, the coupling element is routinely designed as a coupling rod that connects a respective two gears linked to the threaded spindles at the top end.

[0021] The coupling rod can have a brake allocated to it, which for its part is connected with a manual triggering element. This can be done by means of a Bowden cable. The manual triggering element can be used to optionally fix and release the coupling element. In the fixed position, the desktop is blocked and is not carried by the respective spring elements or gas pressure springs. All that need be done to change the height of the desktop is to vent the brake by means of the triggering element. In this case, the spring elements act, and the desktop can be moved up by the force of the spring elements.

[0022] This procedure presumes that each guide pillar be equipped with an accompanying threaded spindle drive. In addition, the respective threaded spindles are mechanically connected with each other by the already discussed coupling element, which is the coupling rod.

[0023] Provided as a result is a height-adjustable desk with a mechanically simple structural design. At the same time, the respective spring element and the guide element designed as a threaded spindle drive are accommodated inside of the guide pillar, and hence of the accompanying desktop, and thus are maximally protected against any damages. Because the threaded spindle drive is equipped with a top-side connecting element, the two threaded spindle drives are mechanically connected with each other during the realization of a desk frame with a respective two telescoping guide pillars engaging into accompanying desk columns directly under the desktop, and thus protected by the coupling element or coupling rod. The protection can then also be increased by guiding the coupling element or coupling rod inside of a frame on which the desktop lies. The frame can for its part be closed or, if needed, sealed with a cover, so that the described effect is enhanced even further as a result. This is what offers significant advantages .

[0024] The invention will be described in more detail below based on a drawing, which only represents an exemplary embodiment; shown on:

Fig. 1 is a side, partially sectional view of the height-adjustable desk, and

Fig. 2 a top, also partially sectional view of the desk frame with removed desktop.

[0025] The figures show a height-adjustable desk, which is suitable in particular for monitor workstations. The desk has a desktop 1. In the exemplary embodiment, the desktop 1 rests on the top side of a frame 2. A guide pillar 3 is connected to the bottom side of the frame 2. The guide pillar 3 telescopes into a desk column 4. The desk column 4 stands essentially perpendicularly on a transversely extending base 5.

[0026] As a consequence of the above, the guide pillar 3 can telescope in the vertical direction relative to the desk column 4, as denoted by a double arrow on Fig. 1. A spring element 6 is provided between the desk column 4 and guide pillar 3 to induce the telescoping movement. The spring element 6 is here a gas spring or gas pressure spring, but is not limited thereto.

[0027] Both the guide pillar 3 and desk column 4 are each designed as rectangular profiles, and adjusted to each other with regard to their cross section. This means that the guide pillar 3 telescopes into the interior of the desk column free of gaps or largely free of gaps. A guide element 7, 8, 9 additionally ensures that the guide pillar 3 is also guided relative to the desk column 4 in the vertical telescoping direction illustrated on Fig. 1. The guide element 7, 8 thus defines the telescoping movement between the guide pillar 3 and desk column 4 denoted by the double arrow on Fig. 1.

[0028] The fact that the guide element 7, 8, 9 is designed as a threaded spindle drive 7, 8 with top-side connecting element 9 is now of special inventive importance. According to the invention, the threaded spindle drive 7, 8 is acted upon exclusively by the spring element 6. This means that the height of the desktop 1 is adjusted by means of the spring element 6 or the gas pressure spring realized at this juncture, the intrinsic spring force of which acts on the threaded spindle drive 7, 8 in such a way that the guide pillar 2 emerges from the desk column 4. In order to move the desktop 1 in the opposite direction, a corresponding force exceeding the force of the spring element 6 must be applied by the user to the desktop 1. Therefore, the threaded spindle drive 7, 8 is explicitly not manually acted upon with a hand crank or some other means, for example, but rather solely by the spring force intrinsic to the spring element 6.

[0029] In order to realize this detail, the threaded spindle drive 7, 8 is equipped with a rotatable threaded spindle 7 and a fixed spindle nut 8. The reverse process can basically also be followed. However, the spindle nut 8 is fixedly attached in the exemplary embodiment. This is accomplished with a retaining element 10 coupled with the desk column 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the retaining element 10 is a housing 10 that largely houses the threaded spindle drive 7, 8. The retaining element or housing 10 is connected to the base 5, and hence the desk column 4, at the foot end, and thus fixed in design. The same holds true for the spindle nut 8 fixed inside of the retaining element or housing 10.

[0030] As soon as the spring element 6 now exerts a typically upwardly directed force or spring force on the desktop 1 or spindle drive 7, 8, this force ensures that the threaded spindle 7 freely rotating in relation to the spindle nut 8 is quasi screwed out of the spindle nut 8. The threaded spindle 7 is actually freely configured at the foot end relative to the retaining element or housing. By contrast, the top-side end of the threaded spindle 7 plunges into the connecting element 9 there, and is rotatably accommodated in the connecting element 9. In this way, it becomes immediately apparent that corresponding rotational movements of the threaded spindle 7 lead directly to a height movement of the desktop 1.

[0031] In the exemplary embodiment, the connecting element 9 is a gear 9. The gear 9 ensures that the rotational movement of the threaded spindle 7 is translated, and also that the rotational movement of the threaded spindle 7 is transmitted to the desktop 1 and leads to linear movements there. The translated rotational movement of the threaded spindle 7 is transmitted on the output side of the gear 9 to a coupling element 11 located there, which on Fig. 2 is a coupling rod 11. The gear 9 is for its part designed like an angle gear 9, because the rotational movement of the threaded spindle 7 in the vertical direction is converted into a horizontal rotational movement of the coupling element or coupling rod 11.

[0032] Overall, the desktop 1 rests on a desk frame 2, 3, 4, 5, which in the example according to the illustration on Fig. 2 consists of the frame 2 along with two guide pillars 3 connected to the frame 2. The guide pillars 3 telescope into accompanying desk columns 4, which are carried by the corresponding bases 5 as described. Each guide pillar 3 is here equipped with an accompanying threaded spindle drive 7, 8, 9.

[0033] As already explained, the respective threaded spindles 7 are mechanically connected with each other via the connecting elements 9 or gear or angular gears 9, interposing the coupling element or coupling rod 11. This means that the coupling element or coupling rod 11 connects the respective two gears 9 connected to the threaded spindles 7 at the top end. In this way, a brake 12 can engage in roughly the center of the coupling element 11. The brake 12 is applied by a mechanically activated triggering element 13, which activates a Bowden cable. In the exemplary embodiment, this Bowden cable 14 ensures that a sleeve 15 rotating with the coupling rod 11 is inserted onto a fixed sleeve 16 or released from the latter, for example via an internal tooth system.

[0034] The overall design is here such that the coupling rod 11 with a rotatable sleeve 15 is inserted onto the fixed sleeve 16 assisted by a spring. This is the normal case. In this normal position, the coupling rod 11 is blocked by means of the brake 12, and the desktop 1 cannot be moved. Only once a user has manually engaged the trigger 13 and thereby activated the connected Bowden cable 14 can the movable sleeve 15 be removed from the fixed sleeve 16. As a consequence of the above, the coupling rod 11 can freely rotate, so that the two spring elements 6 ensure and also can ensure the desired height adjustment of the desktop 1 as described.

[0035] In this context, it is especially important that, with the brake 12 engaged, the two spring elements 6 are not active, and also are not loaded by the desktop 1, for example. In other words, the engaged brake 12 corresponds to the fact that the spring elements 6 are quasi-decoupled from the desktop 1. A long-lasting function of the two spring elements 6 is provided in this way. In addition, the spring elements 6 are released with the brake 12 engaged.

Claims (7)

1. Height adjustable desk, especially for screen workstations, having at least - a countertop (1), - a guide bar (3) attached to the countertop (1), 5 - a desk column (4) for the telescoping guide bar (3) - a spring element (6) interconnected between the table column (4) and the guide rod (3), and with - a guide element (7, 8, 9) defining the telescoping movement between the guide rod (3) and the table column (4) ), Characterized in that the guide element (7, 8, 9) is formed as a threaded spindle drive (7, 8) which is exclusively loaded by the spring element (6), with a connecting element (9) on the top side, where the table top (1) rests on a table frame (2, 3, 4, 5) with at least two guide rods (3) telescoping in associated table columns (4), and each guide rod (3) is provided with a corresponding threaded pin drive (7, 8) wherein said threaded spindles (7) are mechanically connected to each other via a coupling element (11) and a brake (12) is furthermore assigned to the coupling element (11). Table according to claim 1, characterized in that the threaded spindle (7, 8) is arranged within the guide rod (3). Table according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the threaded spindle drive (7, 8) is provided with a rotatable threaded spindle (7) and a stationary spindle nut (8) or vice versa. > 5 Table according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the spindle nut (8) is connected to a holding element (10) coupled to the table column (4). Table according to claim 4, characterized in that the holding element (10) is formed 50 as a housing (10) which mainly comprises threaded spindle drive (7, 8). Table according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the threaded spindle (7) is connected to a gear (9) as a connecting element (9), which preferably serves to react its rotational movement. 55 Table according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the coupling element (11) is formed as a coupling rod (11) each connecting two gears (9) connected on the top side to the threaded spindles (7) as connecting elements (9). together.