GB2029207A

GB2029207A - Height adjusting device

Info

Publication number: GB2029207A
Application number: GB7847923A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: EMU SpA
Current assignee: EMU SpA
Priority date: 1978-09-08
Filing date: 1978-12-11
Publication date: 1980-03-19
Also published as: NL7812092A; BE872652A; FR2435228A3; FR2435228B3; ES240476U; DE7836632U1; ES240476Y; IT7822720V0

Abstract

A support 10, e.g. a seat or table top, of an article of furniture is mounted on telescoping elements 14, 18. One element 18 has a number of different length grooves 22 extending axially from its free end edge to accomodate a pin 24 on the other element 14 so that the height of the support can be adjusted by selecting an appropriate groove. The support is attached to the element 14 by a rotary friction joint. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Height adjusting device This invention relates to a device adapted to adjust in height the support surface of a furniture component such as a chair, a small armchair, a stool, a little table or the like.

More particularly, this invention relates to such a device, adapted to obtain an easy, quick and sure adjustment of the height of said support surface, with particularly simple, reliable and economical means.

According to this invention, such device is essentially characterised in that a support surface is upheld by at least two tubular elements telescopically inserted one inside the other; in that one of said tubular elements has a plurality of grooves having different lengths, distributed around the periphery thereof and open at a free end edge of said tubular element; and in that the other tubular element has at least one laterally projecting pin adapted to be removably seated into one of said grooves in order to define, according to the selected groove length, the height of the said support surface. The device according to this invention allows said adjustment in height to be simply carried-out by lifting the support surface and partially withdrawing said two tubular elements to free said pivot from the groove wherein it was engaged.Then, a relative rotation of said tubular elements, for example by the support surface, allows an arrangement of the pin in correspondence of another groove having a desired length, so that a subsequent telescoping of said tubular elements causes an insertion of the pin into the newly selected groove until reaching the end thereof and the desired support surface height.

Advantageously, said support surface is fixed to one of said tubular elements, at the end thereof opposed to that cooperating with the other tubular elements, by a joint adapted to allow free relative rotation against a pre-set frictional resistance.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw ings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a frontal view of a device according to the invention, when applied for example to a seat, with the components thereof in a separated condition, Fig. 2 shows a lateral view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the device in its operative position, Fig. 3 shows a cross-section along line Ill-Ill of Fig.

2,and Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic partial view of a development in plane of the end portions of the tubular elements when telescopically inserted.

Referring now to the drawing, a furniture compo nent, such as a chair, a small armchair, a stool, a little table or the like has a support member 10 whose height from the ground 12 is adjustable within a given range.

The member 10 is connected to a tubular element 14, preferably by a joint 16 which allows free recip rocal rotation between the element 14 and member 10, against a pre-set friction force.

The tubular element 14, which can be solid but is preferably hollow, is telescopically inserted, so as to be rotatable and axially movable, in a second tubular element 18, supported on the ground 12 by suitable known means, for example, feet 20. Obviously, the outer diameter of the tubular element 14 and the inner diameter of the tubular element 18 are substantially identical but so selected to ensure a sufficient play to allow said rotational and axial movements, while avoiding undesired angular movements between their axes.

For the adjustment in height of the support surface 10, the tubular element 18 has, at its upper end toward the surface 10, a plurality of grooves 22, made in its wall around its periphery, these grooves 22 being open at the free edge of the tubular element 18 and having different lengths in the axial direction of the element, as shown in Fig. 4.

The tubular element 14 carries a projecting pin 24, to enter, after telescopic movement between the two elements 14 and 18, into one of the grooves 22, that has been selected according to the desired height of the member 10 on the ground 12.

Obviously, to alter the height of the member 10, the tubular element 14 is lifted, for example by grasping the member 10, to release the pivot 24 from the occupied groove 22. A reciprocal rotation between said tubular elements 14 and 18 is then carried-out, preferably by twisting the support member 10, which allows such a movement due to the frictional resistance of the joint 16. By such a rotation pin 24 can be aligned with another groove having the desired depth and then the elements 14 and 18 are again telescoped until the pin 24 has reached the bottom of newly selected groove 22.

Once the height of support member 10 is adjusted the member can be rotated, for example in order to rotate a seat back 26, relative to the tubular element 14, which is made possible by the joint 16.

It is to be understood that the shown device may undergo to various changes. For instance pin 24 and grooves 22 may be inverted in position, with the grooves 22 in the upper tubular element and pin 24 on the lower tubular element. Also the reciprocal position of said tubular elements 14 and 18 may be inverted, so that the upper tubular element slides over into the lower one.

1. A device for adjusting in height the support surface of a furniture component, such as a chair, a little armchair, a stool, or the like, wherein the sup port surface is that of an element upheld by at least two tubular elements telescopically inserted one inside the other; one of the tubular elements having a plurality of grooves having different lengths, distributed around the periphery thereof and open at a free end edge of the tubular element; and wherein the other tubular element has at least one laterally projecting pin removably seatable in any one of the grooves in order to define, according to the selected groove length, the height of said support surface.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of said tubular elements is connected to said support surface by a joint allowing free relative rotation against a pre-set frictional resistance.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Height adjusting device This invention relates to a device adapted to adjust in height the support surface of a furniture component such as a chair, a small armchair, a stool, a little table or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to such a device, adapted to obtain an easy, quick and sure adjustment of the height of said support surface, with particularly simple, reliable and economical means. According to this invention, such device is essentially characterised in that a support surface is upheld by at least two tubular elements telescopically inserted one inside the other; in that one of said tubular elements has a plurality of grooves having different lengths, distributed around the periphery thereof and open at a free end edge of said tubular element; and in that the other tubular element has at least one laterally projecting pin adapted to be removably seated into one of said grooves in order to define, according to the selected groove length, the height of the said support surface. The device according to this invention allows said adjustment in height to be simply carried-out by lifting the support surface and partially withdrawing said two tubular elements to free said pivot from the groove wherein it was engaged.Then, a relative rotation of said tubular elements, for example by the support surface, allows an arrangement of the pin in correspondence of another groove having a desired length, so that a subsequent telescoping of said tubular elements causes an insertion of the pin into the newly selected groove until reaching the end thereof and the desired support surface height. Advantageously, said support surface is fixed to one of said tubular elements, at the end thereof opposed to that cooperating with the other tubular elements, by a joint adapted to allow free relative rotation against a pre-set frictional resistance. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw ings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a frontal view of a device according to the invention, when applied for example to a seat, with the components thereof in a separated condition, Fig. 2 shows a lateral view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the device in its operative position, Fig. 3 shows a cross-section along line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2,and Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic partial view of a development in plane of the end portions of the tubular elements when telescopically inserted. Referring now to the drawing, a furniture compo nent, such as a chair, a small armchair, a stool, a little table or the like has a support member 10 whose height from the ground 12 is adjustable within a given range. The member 10 is connected to a tubular element 14, preferably by a joint 16 which allows free recip rocal rotation between the element 14 and member 10, against a pre-set friction force. The tubular element 14, which can be solid but is preferably hollow, is telescopically inserted, so as to be rotatable and axially movable, in a second tubular element 18, supported on the ground 12 by suitable known means, for example, feet 20. Obviously, the outer diameter of the tubular element 14 and the inner diameter of the tubular element 18 are substantially identical but so selected to ensure a sufficient play to allow said rotational and axial movements, while avoiding undesired angular movements between their axes. For the adjustment in height of the support surface 10, the tubular element 18 has, at its upper end toward the surface 10, a plurality of grooves 22, made in its wall around its periphery, these grooves 22 being open at the free edge of the tubular element 18 and having different lengths in the axial direction of the element, as shown in Fig. 4. The tubular element 14 carries a projecting pin 24, to enter, after telescopic movement between the two elements 14 and 18, into one of the grooves 22, that has been selected according to the desired height of the member 10 on the ground 12. Obviously, to alter the height of the member 10, the tubular element 14 is lifted, for example by grasping the member 10, to release the pivot 24 from the occupied groove 22. A reciprocal rotation between said tubular elements 14 and 18 is then carried-out, preferably by twisting the support member 10, which allows such a movement due to the frictional resistance of the joint 16. By such a rotation pin 24 can be aligned with another groove having the desired depth and then the elements 14 and 18 are again telescoped until the pin 24 has reached the bottom of newly selected groove 22. Once the height of support member 10 is adjusted the member can be rotated, for example in order to rotate a seat back 26, relative to the tubular element 14, which is made possible by the joint 16. It is to be understood that the shown device may undergo to various changes. For instance pin 24 and grooves 22 may be inverted in position, with the grooves 22 in the upper tubular element and pin 24 on the lower tubular element. Also the reciprocal position of said tubular elements 14 and 18 may be inverted, so that the upper tubular element slides over into the lower one. CLAIMS

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pin is fixed to its related tubular element wall at a distance from the free edge thereof greater than its diameter.

4. An article of furniture including a device according to any of claims 1-3

5. An article of furniture having a support surface which is adjustable in height constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.