EP0482333B1 - Table with movable worktop - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a table with a movable work top (10) on a table frame which is provided with legs (21) and has on two opposite sides in each case a running strip arrangement which interacts positively in each case with an edge strip (70) mounted on the underside of the work top (10). The running strip arrangement is divided into two running strip elements (45, 50), of which the one running strip element (45) is mounted fixedly on the table frame (20) and the other running strip element (50) is linked with rotary movement at a point (30) opposite the fixedly mounted running strip element (45). The fixedly mounted running strip element (45) has an oblique resting surface, on which the movable running strip element (50) rests in the level position of the work top (10) and the edge strip (70) has a holding and sliding element which grips behind the movable running strip element (50) on its underside and, in the condition of use of the work top (10), is either arranged below the fixed running strip element (45) or rests on the oblique resting surface of the fixed running strip element (45) when the work top (10) is tilted. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a table with a movable worktop on a legged table frame, the worktop being displaceable in a horizontal plane with respect to the table frame in a track arrangement and being fixable from the horizontal plane into an angled position about a pivot point at the front end of the track arrangement by a locking element .

It is fundamentally known to ensure the movable guidance of a table top by means of burr strips attached below the table top together with running strips arranged laterally on the table support or the table legs. Such an arrangement of a table is known for example from GB-A-2 268 246. An arrangement of this type makes, for example, a table top movable on a table frame. The front end of the table top is placed on any place that is not connected to the table. In this patent specification, an inclinability of the table top is indicated, but its mode of operation is not disclosed and evident. It is therefore known in principle to incline worktops of tables relative to the support plane of the worktop for ergonomic reasons. Plastic drawing tables in particular nowadays have simple folding mechanisms that enable a certain inclination, for example by folding up the worktop and locking them with locking elements. With tilting and folding devices according to the prior art, however, there is a risk of failure of these elements evident, what came to be causal for the damage or the destruction of the tilting or folding mechanism with particularly heavy solid worktops or tables, eg solid wood. In the course of creating a healthy working environment, the use of natural materials such as solid wood is particularly desirable.

In contrast, the invention is based on the problem of developing a table with a movable worktop over the prior art so that even heavy solid worktops, in particular made of solid wood, with a certain inclination and in the horizontal relative to the support plane on the table frame are safe and at the same time easier and more energy-efficient Handling can be fixed in order to achieve ergonomically favorable working conditions for the user. The design should be as simple and economical to produce as possible.

This object is achieved according to the characterizing part of claim 1 in that the table frame has on two opposite sides in each case a roller strip arrangement, which interacts positively with a ridge strip attached to the underside of the worktop and the roller strip arrangement is divided into two roller strip elements, one of which The roller bar element is fixedly mounted on the table frame, and the other roller bar element is rotatably articulated at a pivot point opposite the fixed roller bar element, the fixed roller bar element on its end facing the pivot point having an inclined bearing surface on which the movable roller bar element in the flat position of the worktop rests, and the ridge has a movable and supporting element on the underside which engages behind the holding and sliding element, which, when the worktop is in use, either under the fixed barrel Istenelement is arranged or rests on the sloping contact surface of the fixed roller element with tilting of the worktop.

This means that the worktop can be guided cleanly and precisely in a level position, as well as being effortless and easy to erect in a sliding / tilting process at a defined angle.

By attaching a two-part sliding rail on each of the two narrow sides of the table, you can combine safe guidance when pushing and the ability to tilt. Here, a runner element located away from the seating position is firmly attached to the table support, e.g. connected by screws or other fastening means with, for example, a rear table leg and an intermediate element connecting the two table legs arranged on the respective narrow side. With simultaneous movable arrangement of the front second roller element with respect to a certain axis of rotation perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis of the two roller elements, but stationary in the axial longitudinal direction as a guide for the ridges of the table top, one can enable an axial movement of the plate, this axial movement in a rotation around the axis of rotation can pass as soon as the first roller bar element is no longer excluded from the respective ridge bar.

Fixed is also to be understood to mean that the tread element located at the front of the table can be folded upwards with its front end around its rear end, so that the rear end of the tread element is designed to be pivoted. Therefore, the tread bar element can serve with its front end in the folded-up state as a support for the worktop, wherein the worktop can assume such a steeply inclined position that it can serve as a drawing board. The ability of the running bar element to be folded down is avoided by holding it in its horizontal position, for example by means of a pin or another fixing element. The swivel joint can consist of a locking element, for example a rotary knob handle.

In principle, it is only necessary to pull the table top forward until the first roller bar element is released and then, by lightly pressing on the table surface protruding forward over the table frame of the table, the table top can be tilted or rotated about the axis of rotation can be achieved and a suitable inclination of the table top position is then made possible using suitable locking means.

Especially when using chairs, especially office chairs, whose seat and backrest surface are adjustable, the adjustment of these elements is useless in conventional tables if the working position at the table, in particular at a work table, is taken up by the user, since he is using the The back of the back of the chair must be left to lean on the work table. By pulling up the worktop, the user can now keep his back on the back of the chair and thus assume a permanent, ergonomically favorable, relaxed position for the upper body. Added to this is the positive effect of tilting the worktop into a desired inclination position. If necessary, the user can put the front edge of the worktop on or off on his thighs. Another advantage is that a drawing device can preferably be attached to the rear edge of the foldable worktop.

Further dependent claims relate to advantageous refinements of the invention. Basically, the rear first roller bar element defines the sloping position of the inclined table top by its front side which faces the front of the table and slopes upwards from the bottom to the back of the table, or by its maximum height. However, it is expedient not only to provide the rear tread element with a slope, but also the front tread element on its side facing the back of the table with an incline which slopes downwards from the top to the front of the table, the slopes of the two tread elements of the respective Narrow side of the table are essentially complementary to each other. As a result, when a pressure directed towards the back of the table is exerted on the table top which is fixed in its front position and raised about the axis of rotation, the ridge ledge runs easily and with little effort on the rear first runner element.

Furthermore, when presenting an essentially complementary slope, the two track strips can advantageously be produced from a single rectangular strip with a separating step. In addition, it is possible to manufacture the slide rails from any suitable material, but in particular also from a plastic.

In a special embodiment, the ridge strip has on its underside a profile which rises towards the front of the table and reinforces the ridge strip and which is optionally designed to rise in several stages. As a result, the worktop can be set at different angles or levels of inclination, both continuously with continuously inclined profiling or gradually with profiling in batches.

It is also advantageous to provide the ridge bars, which, in conjunction with the roller bar elements, ensure the simple and safe guidance of the worktop on the table frame, with elongated hole guides which extend parallel to the longitudinal groove in each ridge bar and which are connected to the longitudinal grooves. It is particularly expedient that the elongated hole guides extend in their length from a region near the front of the table to approximately a region in the ridge rails corresponding to the end of the second roller element remote from the front of the table. The rear end of the elongated hole in the ridge must be at least as far from the front end of the elongated hole that at least the first rear track element when pushing in the worktop is completely released from the ridge bar. This is the only way to make the worktop tilt.

The ridge strips are particularly conveniently connected to the worktop via a dovetail guide, as this ensures high stability of the overall construction.

In a further modified embodiment, in particular in the case of large work desks or desks, the entire work or table top is not designed to be displaceable or foldable, but rather only a cut-out part of the work or table top.

A locking element is required in order to move the worktop from its foremost position, which is forced onto the front of the table top, into a fixed, self-supporting position. This advantageously engages through the elongated hole in the ridge bar and the second roller bar element into the table frame and thereby defines a perpendicular axis of rotation about the second roller bar, about which the second roller bar is pivotally arranged, while at the same time essentially stationary design of the second roller bar element coaxial to the ridge bar. The locking element expediently has a nut element, a bolt element and a locking handle, the bolt element extending through the elongated hole guide in the ridge bar and through the second running bar element into the table frame, being stored there by the nut element and at the same time at another end on the ridge bar the locking element can be locked. By means of the locking element, which can be designed, for example, as a toggle screw or twist grip, the worktop is held firmly and securely either in its flat or in its inclined position. As already mentioned, the table with its movable worktop is made of solid wood. Basically, the table can also be made of pressed chipboard, plastic or metal.

A particularly advantageous embodiment is explained on the basis of FIGS. 1 to 6 with reference to the reference numerals.

Figur 1:

Die seitliche Ansicht einer Ausführungsform des neuen Arbeitstisches, wobei die durch die Gratleiste verdeckten Laufleistenelemente strichliert dargestellt sind;

Figur 2:

eine analoge Darstellung zu Figur 1, wobei die Arbeitsplatte sich in ihrer äußersten vorderen Position befindet;

Figur 3:

eine zu den Figuren 1 und 2 analoge Darstellungsweise, wobei die Arbeitsplatte sich in ihrer zurückgeschobenen geneigten Position befindet;

Figur 4:

eine vergrößerte Vorderansicht im Bereich eines Drehpunktes;

Figur 5:

eine perspektivische Teilexplosionsdarstellung von der Schmalseite einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung im Bereich der Führung der Arbeitsplatte auf dem Tischgestell; und

Figur 6:

eine Prinzipdarstellung, um die Bewegungsrichtungen der Arbeitsplatte zu verdeutlichen.

The figures show:

Figure 1:

The side view of an embodiment of the new work table, wherein the track bar elements hidden by the ridge bar are shown in dashed lines;

Figure 2:

an analog representation of Figure 1, with the worktop is in its extreme front position;

Figure 3:

a representation similar to Figures 1 and 2, with the worktop in its retracted inclined position;

Figure 4:

an enlarged front view in the region of a fulcrum;

Figure 5:

a perspective partial explosion view from the narrow side of an embodiment of the invention in the region of the guide of the worktop on the table frame; and

Figure 6:

a schematic diagram to illustrate the directions of movement of the worktop.

The orientation in the description of the invention is based on the seating position of a person at the work table 1. The side of the work surface facing the seating position, for example, is referred to as the front, the corresponding direction as near the front of the table. Similar definitions apply to the reverse direction.

Furthermore, the two sides of the table that are not the front or back are referred to as the narrow sides of the table.

It should be noted at this point that reference is made to only one narrow side of the table and the relevant adjustment mechanism in the description of the figures. For proper functionality, however, it goes without saying that the adjustment mechanism with its details must be present twice per table, namely on each narrow side of the table.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 shows a work table 1 in a side view. This has a table frame 20 with table legs 21. The two visible table legs 21 are connected and stabilized in their upper region by a cross strut 22. The worktop 10 is arranged on the table frame 20, which can have a front bevelled end 80 and a rear bevelled end 81.

Laterally below the worktop 10, but on its part projecting beyond the table frame 20, a ridge bar 70 is provided parallel to the narrow side of the table 1, in which an elongated hole 75 can be seen. The elongated hole 75 extends from an area which corresponds to the front table leg 21 to an area located in the rear half of the ridge bar 70 with respect to the back of the table. The dashed line shows the two-part track bar 40 received by the ridge bar 70, which surrounds a first track bar element 45 near the rear of the table and a second track bar element 50 near the front of the table. The track bar elements 45, 50 are arranged parallel to the ridge bar 70 between the table frame 20 and ridge bar 70. At the same time, the two-part roller track 40 is overall shorter than the narrow side of the work table 1.

In Figure 2 it can be seen that the first roller element 45 is fixedly connected to the table frame 20, partly with a table leg 21 and partly with the cross strut 22 by means of two fastening elements or screw connections 47.

Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows a locking element 60 which, in the flat basic position of the worktop 1 shown, engages through the outermost point of the elongated hole guide 75 in the ridge ledge 70 through the second running ledge element 50 into the table frame 20 or into the table leg 21 and the worktop 10 is fixed in its normal position shown in FIG. 1.

The structure of a locking element 60 as well as the structure and fastening of a burr bar 70 can best be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5.

The ridge bar 70 has a longitudinal groove 77 pointing towards the narrow table side. This is adapted in its profile to the roller bar 40. In particular, the longitudinal groove 77 extends over the entire length of the ridge bar 70. The lower side of the ridge bar 70, which also delimits the underside of the longitudinal groove 77, can optionally be provided. In general, this part of the ridge bar 70 can be designed as a holding and driving element 71, for example by at least one pin which engages on the underside of the movable roller bar element 50 and thus forms the lower boundary of the longitudinal groove 77. In any case, it must be ensured that the movable track element 50 can fold down either in the advanced or retracted state of the worktop 10.

Furthermore, the ridge bar 70 is preferably anchored in the underside of the worktop by means of a dovetail guide 73 in such a way that the longitudinal groove 77 precisely receives the running bar 40, both the distance between the ridge bar 70 and the table frame 20 and the distance from the worktop 10 to the runner 40 are precisely defined by this special arrangement and easy movement of the guided worktop 10 is made possible.

In a special embodiment, the ridge bar 70 can have on its underside a profile that rises to the front of the table 1 and reinforces the ridge bar 70, which can be designed to rise in several stages, as indicated by the dash-dot line in FIG. 2.

The locking element 60 has a nut element 61, a bolt element 62, a locking element 63, and advantageously at least one washer 64. The impact screw 61 shown is fastened on the opposite side of the table frame 20 which corresponds to the roller bar element 50. A screw bolt 62 in conjunction with the toggle screw 63 and a washer 64 allows the ridge bar 70 and thus the entire worktop 10 to be locked in the desired position.

The mode of operation and the expedient handling of the new work table 1 are described below.

If the table top 10 is to be inclined, the locking element 60 is first released so far that the parts of the locking element accessible from the outside, for example the toggle screw or a grip element, exert the contact pressure exerted on the table frame 20, the second running bar element 50 and the burr bar 70 is canceled. Then the worktop can be pulled manually from the position shown in FIG. 1 into the position shown in FIG. 2 toward the front of the table using little force. The worktop is guided by the roller bars 40. The worktop must be moved at least so far forward in the direction of the front of the table relative to the table frame 20 that the first rear running bar element 45 is completely released from the burr bar 70. In such a position it is at the earliest possible to exercise of pressure force on the top of the worktop 10 using the leverage of the worktop 10 in conjunction with the table frame 20 a tilting of the worktop 10 to reach the pivot point 30. However, pulling the worktop 1 too far is avoided by the suitable length of the elongated hole 75 in the ridge bar 70. This essentially prevents the entire worktop 10 from tipping over or the table 1 from tipping over under the influence of gravity due to handling errors.

If the worktop 10 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the worktop is rotated at the pivot point 30 by gentle pressure on the top of the worktop in the area protruding from the worktop 20. With simultaneous exertion of downward and backward compressive force, the worktop 1 slides smoothly in the direction of the back of the table. The sliding movement of the table top 10 is guided by the running bars 50 and the burr bars 70. Since the first roller strip element 50, like the worktop 10, has been pivoted at the pivot point 30 about an axis of rotation, which is defined by the connecting line of the two screw bolts 62 facing each other, the ridge rail slides when the worktop is pushed back onto the inclined end face 46 of the first roller strip element 40.

It can be seen in FIG. 3 that, in effect, the worktop is raised in its rear region by the height of the runner 40, in particular the second runner element 45, while the front region of the worktop 10 remains at its original height. The maximum displacement distance of the worktop to the rear is in turn determined by the elongated hole 75 in the ridge bar 70 in cooperation with the locking element 60. The resulting inclination of the worktop can now be frozen again by actuating the locking element 60, ie by tightening the toggle screw 63.

FIG. 6 shows a basic illustration of the possible directions of movement of the worktop 10 shown by the arrows, which can be taken individually or in combination with one another.

When placing the worktop in the normal state, you should take the opposite route. Release the locking element 60, pull the worktop 10 forward to the end position, which is predetermined by the elongated hole guide 75, push the worktop backward, so that the first runner element 40 engages again in the ridge bar 70, can be completely absorbed by it and so far until the front end of the elongated hole 75 prevents the worktop 10 from being pushed back further. Finally, the plate is screwed into the desired position with the locking element.

This described construction enables easy, energy-saving and safe moving and inclining even heavy, solid worktops.

Claims (11)

1. Table (1) with a mobile worktop (10) on a trestle which is provided with legs, in which the worktop (10) can be displaced in a horizontal plane with respect to the trestle (20) in a running strip arrangement (45, 50) and moved from the horizontal plane to be fixed in an angled position about a pivot (30) at the front end of the running strip arrangement (45, 50) by a locking element (60), characterised in that the trestle (20) comprises at two opposite sides a respective running strip arrangement (45, 50) which in each case cooperates positively with a dovetail key (70), which is attached to the underside of the worktop (10), and the running strip arrangement is divided into two running strip elements (45, 50), one (45) of which is mounted in a fixed manner on the trestle (20) and the other (50) is articulated in a rotatable manner to a pivot (30) disposed opposite the fixed running strip element (45), the fixed running strip element (45) comprising a sloping support surface at its end face which faces the pivot (30), on which surface the mobile running strip element (50) lies when the worktop (10) is in the flat position, and the dovetail key (70) comprises a holding and sliding element (71) which engages behind the mobile running strip element (50) at its underside and which, when the worktop (10) is in its position of use, is disposed either under the fixed running strip element (45) or, with the worktop (10) being tilted, lies on the sloping support surface of the fixed running strip element (45).
2. Table according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile running strip element (50) has an end face (51) which faces the back of the table and slopes downwards towards the front of the table, the slopes of the running strip elements of the respective narrow side of the table being essentially complementary to one another.
3. Table according to claim 2, characterised in that the matching first and second running strip elements (45, 50) are produced from a rectangular strip by a parting cut.
4. Table according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dovetail keys (70) comprise slot guides (75) which extend parallel to the longitudinal groove (77) and communicate with the latter.
5. Table according to claim 4, characterised in that the slot guides (75) extend in terms of length from an area near the front of the table to an area in the dovetail keys (70) which corresponds to an end face of the second running strip element (50) which is distant from the front of the table.
6. Table according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dovetail keys are connected to the worktop (10) by means of a dovetail guide (73).
7. Table according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second running strip elements (50), which are held in the respective dovetail key groove (77), are disposed so as to be essentially stationary coaxially with the dovetail key (70) and pivotable in a defined manner about an axis of rotation (30), which is at a right angle to the latter, by means of a locking element (60) which passes through the slot (75) and through the actual elements into the trestle (20).
8. Table according to claim 7, characterised in that a locking element (60) comprises a nut element (61), a bolt element (62) and a securing element (63), the bolt element (62) extending through the slot guide (75) in the dovetail key (70) and through the mobile running strip element (50) into the trestle (20), in which it is mounted by means of the nut element (61), and can at the same time be locked at its other end at the dovetail key (70) by a securing element (63).
9. Table according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the worktop (10), the trestle (20) and the essential strip elements are produced from solid wood, the front and the back end face of the worktop in each case being bevelled.
10. Table according to claim 1, characterised in that the profile of the underside of the dovetail key (70) rises towards the front of the table (1).
11. Table according to claim 10, characterised in that the profile rises in a plurality of steps.

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