EP0958762A1 - Extensible table leg with improved locking device - Google Patents
Extensible table leg with improved locking device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0958762A1 EP0958762A1 EP99201466A EP99201466A EP0958762A1 EP 0958762 A1 EP0958762 A1 EP 0958762A1 EP 99201466 A EP99201466 A EP 99201466A EP 99201466 A EP99201466 A EP 99201466A EP 0958762 A1 EP0958762 A1 EP 0958762A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- leg
- foot
- truncated cone
- sleeve
- locking device
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
- A47B91/00—Feet for furniture in general
- A47B91/02—Adjustable feet
- A47B91/022—Adjustable feet using screw means
- A47B91/028—Means for rotational adjustment on a non-rotational foot
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
- A47B91/00—Feet for furniture in general
- A47B91/02—Adjustable feet
- A47B91/022—Adjustable feet using screw means
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an extensible leg, particularly but not exclusively for tables, writing desks and/or similar support surfaces, the height of which may be adjusted by the user by acting on a foot screwed to the base of the said leg, which foot can be positively locked in the desired position, by means of an improved type of locking device.
- the length of the desk/table's legs should be adjustable within a very wide range, around 15-20 cm for example, also in view of the average height of different people.
- the foot must be mounted on the leg in a manner such as to ensure that the desk/table is stable, above all when the leg is extended to its maximum extent.
- a positive locking device must be provided between leg and foot which is such as to ensure a stable locking of the foot in the desired position over time, precisely despite the stresses to which the table is subjected.
- This positive locking is essential because, in order to enable the height of the leg to be adjusted in a very short time, the pitch of the threads of screw and female screw have to be long: a further reason for possible instability of the system derives from this.
- the foot - above all in the maximum extension position - should have a configuration which does not have a negative influence on the overall aesthetic appearance of the leg.
- the general object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems by providing an extensible leg of the above-mentioned type which has a structure such as to ensure stability to the system, including over time, at the adjusted height, and in which the foot is aesthetically acceptable.
- the telescopic leg according to the invention is denoted in its entirety by 10 and is structurally formed by a tubular section 11, of metal for example, onto the base of which a foot 12, generally of plastic, is screwed.
- the foot 12 has a thread 13 with very wide flat crests 14 which screws onto a complementary thread 15 provided on a sleeve 16, also of plastic, forcedly inserted and fixed to the free end of the metal tube 11.
- the sleeve 16 terminates with a truncated cone-shaped internal edge 17 in which a complementary truncated cone-shaped edge 18 of a locking ring nut 19, which is screwed onto the foot 12 by means of a complementary internal thread 20, is wedged and abutted.
- a plurality of teeth 21 and pads 22, which yield elastically and are intercalated with the said teeth 21 act between the said truncated cone-shaped edges 17, 18.
- the said teeth 21 and pads 22 are provided on the edge 18 of the ring nut 19, while seats 23 for the above-mentioned teeth 21 are provided on the edge 17 of the sleeve 16.
- the foot 12 may be brought (by screwing or unscrewing) into the position corresponding to the desired height, after which this position is stably locked by screwing the ring nut 19, in the direction of the arrow 24, into the position of Figs. 8, 9.
- the foot 12 thus forms a monobloc with the tube 11, by which means the telescopic leg 10 located in this way is capable of bearing the loads, whether from the top according to arrow 25 or lateral according to arrows 26, without any problem at all.
- the foot 12 may be subject to subsequent adjustments, first by unlocking the ring nut 19 (by rotating anti-clockwise to the arrow 24), then adjusting the foot 12 in the new desired position and finally relocking the said ring nut 19.
- the teeth 21 and the seats 23 have respective rounded corners 27, 28 so as to facilitate the disengagement of the ring nut 19 from the sleeve 16.
Landscapes
- Furniture Connections (AREA)
- Ladders (AREA)
- Legs For Furniture In General (AREA)
- Refuge Islands, Traffic Blockers, Or Guard Fence (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to an extensible leg, particularly but not exclusively for tables, writing desks and/or similar support surfaces, the height of which may be adjusted by the user by acting on a foot screwed to the base of the said leg, which foot can be positively locked in the desired position, by means of an improved type of locking device.
- As is well known to the persons skilled in the art, in some cases it would be highly desirable to have access to tables, writing desks and/or similar support surfaces which are provided with legs, the height of which may be adjusted by the user with the utmost ease and accuracy, according to actual requirements, particularly of an ergonomic nature.
- For example, it is advisable to vary the height of the desk/table used by a child, as it grows taller, so as to prevent the possible occurrence of spinal malformations.
- For this purpose, the length of the desk/table's legs should be adjustable within a very wide range, around 15-20 cm for example, also in view of the average height of different people.
- The application of a foot adjustable within such a wide range to the base of the leg does, however, usually give rise to three major technical problems, which need to be resolved.
- First of all, the foot must be mounted on the leg in a manner such as to ensure that the desk/table is stable, above all when the leg is extended to its maximum extent.
- In fact, the legs of such desks/tables may be subject to considerable loads, both top and lateral, above all in the case of work tables.
- It is not a simple matter to meet the above-mentioned table stability requirement, because of the tolerances (clearances) which must always be present between the threads of the screw on the foot and of the female screw on the metal tube of which the leg is made. The clearances between screw and female screw must be left by means of the relatively wide machining tolerances of the metal tube, which oblige the female screw to be placed on a plastic bush fitted at the free end of the tube, rather than directly onto the said tube.
- Furthermore, in view of the loads, including vibratory loads, to which they are subjected when intended to bear machines comprising moving components, such as printers and the like, a positive locking device must be provided between leg and foot which is such as to ensure a stable locking of the foot in the desired position over time, precisely despite the stresses to which the table is subjected.
- This positive locking is essential because, in order to enable the height of the leg to be adjusted in a very short time, the pitch of the threads of screw and female screw have to be long: a further reason for possible instability of the system derives from this.
- By no means the last requirement is the aesthetic one.
- In fact, the foot - above all in the maximum extension position - should have a configuration which does not have a negative influence on the overall aesthetic appearance of the leg.
- The general object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems by providing an extensible leg of the above-mentioned type which has a structure such as to ensure stability to the system, including over time, at the adjusted height, and in which the foot is aesthetically acceptable.
- The above-mentioned object is achieved by a leg with the features quoted in the accompanying Claims.
- The structural and functional features of the invention and its advantages with respect to the prior art will be more clearly understood from a study of the description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a practical embodiment of the said invention and in which:
- Figure 1 is an elevation which shows, in part, a leg with telescopic foot produced according to the teaching of the invention;
- Figure 2 shows the said leg of Fig. 1, partially as a view and partially as a sectional view;
- Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the coupling and locking system between leg and telescopic foot;
- Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the coupling system between foot and leg;
- Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the ring nut and the sleeve of the coupling and locking system shown in Figs. 3, 4;
- Figures 6, 7 are details showing, in a view and plan view respectively, the coupling and locking system between leg and foot in the unlocked position;
- Figures 8, 9 are details showing, in a view and plan view respectively, the coupling and locking system between leg and foot in the locked position; and
- Figures 10-12 are diagrammatic elevations showing three different possibilities for adjusting one and the same table from a minimum height to a maximum height.
- In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the telescopic leg according to the invention is denoted in its entirety by 10 and is structurally formed by a
tubular section 11, of metal for example, onto the base of which afoot 12, generally of plastic, is screwed. - As can be clearly seen from Figs. 2-4 of the drawings, the
foot 12 has athread 13 with very wideflat crests 14 which screws onto acomplementary thread 15 provided on asleeve 16, also of plastic, forcedly inserted and fixed to the free end of themetal tube 11. - As can be clearly seen from Figs. 3, 4 of the drawings, according to the invention the
sleeve 16 terminates with a truncated cone-shapedinternal edge 17 in which a complementary truncated cone-shaped edge 18 of alocking ring nut 19, which is screwed onto thefoot 12 by means of a complementaryinternal thread 20, is wedged and abutted. - In addition, according to the invention, a plurality of
teeth 21 andpads 22, which yield elastically and are intercalated with the said teeth 21 (Figs. 6-9) act between the said truncated cone-shaped edges said teeth 21 andpads 22 are provided on theedge 18 of thering nut 19, whileseats 23 for the above-mentionedteeth 21 are provided on theedge 17 of thesleeve 16. - The operation of the extensible (telescopic) table deg according to the invention is evident from the above description with reference to the drawings, and is briefly as follows.
- With the
ring nut 19 in the unlocked (unscrewed) position of Fig. 6, thefoot 12 may be brought (by screwing or unscrewing) into the position corresponding to the desired height, after which this position is stably locked by screwing thering nut 19, in the direction of thearrow 24, into the position of Figs. 8, 9. - In this position the
teeth 21 of thering nut 19 engage inside theseats 23 of thesleeve 16 while thepads 22 engage with friction, deforming (Fig. 9), against the truncated cone-shaped edge 17 of thesleeve 16, so as to take up any play, and collaborating with theteeth 21 to initiate a positive locking which is stable over time betweenring nut 19 andsleeve 16, i.e. betweentube 11 andfoot 12. - The
foot 12 thus forms a monobloc with thetube 11, by which means thetelescopic leg 10 located in this way is capable of bearing the loads, whether from the top according toarrow 25 or lateral according toarrows 26, without any problem at all. - Even after some time the
foot 12 may be subject to subsequent adjustments, first by unlocking the ring nut 19 (by rotating anti-clockwise to the arrow 24), then adjusting thefoot 12 in the new desired position and finally relocking the saidring nut 19. - For this purpose, the
teeth 21 and theseats 23 have respectiverounded corners ring nut 19 from thesleeve 16. - The object mentioned in the introduction to the description is thus achieved, in a simple and advantageous manner, and with a foot which is aesthetically acceptable owing to the wide flat-crested threading.
- The protective scope of the invention is defined in the Claims which follow.
Claims (3)
- Table leg of the type comprising a foot (12) which can be screwed onto a sleeve (16) inserted internally on an end of the leg (11), a locking device suitable for locking the foot (12) in the desired position with respect to the leg (11) being provided between the said sleeve (16) and the said leg (11), characterized in that the said locking device comprises a ring nut (19) screwed onto the said foot (12) and having a truncated cone-shaped edge (18) suitable for being wedged and abutted against a truncated cone-shaped edge (17) provided at the free end of the said sleeve (16), positive reciprocal locking means being provided between the said two truncated cone-shaped edges (17, 18).
- Table leg according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said locking means consist of the combination: of a plurality of teeth (21) provided on one of the said two truncated cone-shaped edges (17, 18) and a plurality of complementary seats (23) for the said teeth (21) provided on the other truncated cone-shaped edge (17, 18), with a plurality of pads (22) which are elastically yielding and engage with friction between the said two truncated cone-shaped edges (17, 18).
- Table leg according to Claim 2, characterized in that the said teeth (21) and the said seats (23) have respective cooperating rounded corners (27, 28).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
ITMI981081 IT1299271B1 (en) | 1998-05-18 | 1998-05-18 | EXTENDABLE TABLE LEG WITH IMPROVED LOCKING DEVICE |
ITMI981081 | 1998-05-18 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0958762A1 true EP0958762A1 (en) | 1999-11-24 |
EP0958762B1 EP0958762B1 (en) | 2003-01-08 |
Family
ID=11380041
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19990201466 Expired - Lifetime EP0958762B1 (en) | 1998-05-18 | 1999-05-11 | Extensible table leg with improved locking device |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0958762B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69904774T2 (en) |
DK (1) | DK0958762T3 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2190174T3 (en) |
IT (1) | IT1299271B1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2566854A (en) * | 2018-12-20 | 2019-03-27 | Magrini Uk Ltd | Level-adjustable merchandise display unit |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR3109713A1 (en) * | 2020-04-29 | 2021-11-05 | Cornilleau Sas | Game table including at least one stabilizing foot |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB746500A (en) * | 1953-08-25 | 1956-03-14 | Maurice Francis Huxley | Improvements in legged furniture and the like |
US2930639A (en) * | 1954-11-01 | 1960-03-29 | Lorin A Wood | Length adjusting structure |
EP0738486A1 (en) * | 1995-04-20 | 1996-10-23 | LEONARDO S.r.l. | Extensible leg with safety lock mechanism, in particular for furniture peninsulae |
EP0743033A1 (en) * | 1995-05-19 | 1996-11-20 | HÄFELE GmbH & Co. | Height adjustment mechanism for furniture, especially tables |
-
1998
- 1998-05-18 IT ITMI981081 patent/IT1299271B1/en active IP Right Grant
-
1999
- 1999-05-11 ES ES99201466T patent/ES2190174T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-05-11 DE DE1999604774 patent/DE69904774T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-05-11 EP EP19990201466 patent/EP0958762B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-05-11 DK DK99201466T patent/DK0958762T3/en active
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB746500A (en) * | 1953-08-25 | 1956-03-14 | Maurice Francis Huxley | Improvements in legged furniture and the like |
US2930639A (en) * | 1954-11-01 | 1960-03-29 | Lorin A Wood | Length adjusting structure |
EP0738486A1 (en) * | 1995-04-20 | 1996-10-23 | LEONARDO S.r.l. | Extensible leg with safety lock mechanism, in particular for furniture peninsulae |
EP0743033A1 (en) * | 1995-05-19 | 1996-11-20 | HÄFELE GmbH & Co. | Height adjustment mechanism for furniture, especially tables |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2566854A (en) * | 2018-12-20 | 2019-03-27 | Magrini Uk Ltd | Level-adjustable merchandise display unit |
GB2566854B (en) * | 2018-12-20 | 2020-02-26 | Magrini Uk Ltd | Level-adjustable merchandise display unit |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ES2190174T3 (en) | 2003-07-16 |
DE69904774T2 (en) | 2003-10-16 |
EP0958762B1 (en) | 2003-01-08 |
ITMI981081A1 (en) | 1999-11-18 |
DE69904774D1 (en) | 2003-02-13 |
DK0958762T3 (en) | 2003-05-05 |
IT1299271B1 (en) | 2000-02-29 |
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