GB2287641A

GB2287641A - Retractable shelf arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2287641A
Application number: GB9403677A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paolo Antonio Guidi
Original assignee: HARLOW KATHERINA ANNA ELISABET
Current assignee: HARLOW KATHERINA ANNA ELISABET
Priority date: 1994-02-25
Filing date: 1994-02-25
Publication date: 1995-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2014-02-25
Also published as: GB2287641B; GB9403677D0

Abstract

A storage devices eg for a TV set, comprises an enclosure 1 provided with a retractable load-bearing platform 2 mounted slidably and/or on bearings for movement between (a) a presentation position, in which the load is presented for use, e.g. to view, and (b) a storage position, in which the load is stored away from its presentation position in the enclosure. A counterweight 11 is connected at each side to the platform via pulleys 8 and wires 6 so that the movement takes place in substantially neutral equilibrium. There can be a space at the rear and a pivotally mounted lid connected at the rear to counterweights to act together with them to balance the platform and its load when the enclosure is in use. Spaces 9 are provided within which the counterweights 11 and the lid 12 move up and down oppositely to the motion of the platform. <IMAGE>

Description

ENCLOSURES FOR RETRACTABLE PRESENTATION OF LOADS Field of the invention: This invention relates to enclosures, such as for example furniture enclosures, incorporating mechanism for the retractable presentation of loads.

For example the invention in certain embodiments relates to enclosures comprising pop-up shelving for storing and presenting equipment which a user wants to see occasionally and at other times desires to be kept out of sight. A variety of kinds of equipment come into this category, for example television, radio and audio equipment in for example a domestic setting; and computers and other office equipment including audio-visual equipment in for example an office setting.

Summary of features of the invention: According to the invention there is provided a storage device comprising an enclosure which is provided with a retractable platform, in which the platform is arranged to support a load which can be for example in the form of a television receiver; and in which the platform is mounted slidably and/or on bearings for movement between (a) a presentation position, in which the load is presented for use, e.g. to view, and (b) a storage position, in which the load is stored away from its presentation position, e.g. in an enclosed cabinet; and in which a counterweight is preferably connected to the platform so that the movement takes place in substantially neutral equilibrium.

The device can be arranged to provide such movement by means of a counterweight mounted slidably and/or on bearings and connected so as to counterbalance, either exactly or approximately, the weight of the platform and its load. The counterweight can be provided with low-friction bearing arrangements to assure such movement when light manual pressure is applied.

The storage device can be for example so arranged that the load-supporting platform is in a raised position (preferably approximately level with the top of the enclosure) when in the presentation position, and in a lowered position when in the storage position.

In for example the embodiment shown in the drawings described below, the movement thus takes place in substantially neutral equilibrium throughout, so that an advantage of the arrangement is that the movement can be achieved manually requiring almost no force.

The counterweight can be assisted in its action by a cover or lid of the enclosure. The cover can be pivoted e.g. to move between an raised (open) position and a closed position, and it can be provided with means to retain it relatively lightly in either of these positions, such as a spring-biased hinge which for example can be of the butler-hinge type; and when the cover is in the open position its weight can be arranged to add to the counterweight and contribute effectively to the total weight that balances the load and the loadbearing platform.

A recess or number of recesses can be provided to receive the counterweight and/or the cover when the load is in the presentation position. The counterweight and/or the cover can be mounted so as to move by sliding into and out of such recesses. Slidable sleeves can be provided, within which the lateral counterweights and the lid are arranged to move up and down oppositely to the motion of the platform, to maintain accurate alignment between the counterweight and/or the cover and their respective recesses during movement of the device.

The device can preferably be provided with two spaces one at each side of the load-bearing platform, to accommodate two lateral counterweights, and in that case the load-bearing platform can be connected with two counterweights, one mounted for motion in a space or recess located at each side of the enclosure and extending in the direction of the depth (from front to back) of the enclosure.

A further space or recess can be arranged at the back of the device, extending laterally, to accommodate the cover when it is in its raised position and contributing to the weight that balances the load and the platform. A pivotally mounted cover can be connected at the rear to the counterweights to act together with them to balance the platform and its load when the enclosure is in use.

It has been found that devices of such forms can present a number of desirable features and advantages in use: The enclosures can be made with usefully low friction in the moving parts when manufactured to practical tolerances; the arrangements of lid and counterweights can be of such a size that they occupy only a slight extension of the space that would be needed by an enclosure for a similar load but without such moving parts. By the arrangements described herein, even heavy equipment carried on the movable platform can be made to pop up and down, or glide up and down, with the application of minimal effort.

The enclosure can feasibly be made in a size which is relatively little larger than that of the load-bearing platform or the equipment to be housed within the enclosure.

If desired, the enclosure can be made integral with the equipment to be housed within.

Optionally the enclosures can be fitted with means such as ball catches or locks to retain the load-bearing platform in any of its positions and locks or bolts can be fitted to provide physical security. The enclosures can if desired be of fire-retardant construction. They can be fitted if desired with motor devices to effect the movements described above: for example electronically controlled position-dependent electric motors can be suitable.

Additional housings or compartments can be provided, e.g. a housing to accommodate further equipment that is not required to be moved, e.g.

in a compartment at the foot of the enclosure.

The external finish and other features of the enclosure can be as desired; for example such enclosures can be presented in the form of enclosures for television receivers and video recorders; or of deed-boxes; writing-desks; enclosures for computer screens and computers or audiovisual equipment; or any other suitable furniture presentation that may be desired.

Description of particular example and drawings: An example of the invention is described below by way of example only, and without intent to limit the scope of the invention thereby, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front diagrammatic view of an enclosure according to an embodiment of the invention, (shown with a panel removed); Figure 2 shows a top view of the enclosure of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side view of the enclosure of Figure 1 (shown with a panel removed).

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figures 1-3 an enclosure 1 in the form of a cabinet of a size suitable to accommodate a television receiver. A front panel is part of enclosure 1 but is not shown in Figure 1, so as to reveal the mechanism. In the plan view of Figure 2, features shown in the left half of the figure to the left of the broken line are not shown to the right although they correspond in the right half so that the features are symmetrical. In Figure 3, some outer panels are not shown, so as to reveal the mechanism.

The cabinet contains a load-supporting platform in the form of a shelf 2, which in Figure 1 is seen in a position intermediate between a lower storage position and an upper presentation position in which the upper surface of shelf 2 would be level with the top of sides 3 of enclosure 1, or nearly level with them.

Shelf 2 is arranged to be supported and moved by features as follows.

Nylon wheels 4 are mounted partly-recessed into the sides of shelf 2, and they bear on the sides of aluminium or brass lined channels 5 let into the sides 3 of enclosure 1. They help with smooth low-friction running and to maintain alignemnet during movement, and help to retain the shelf 2 against undesired forward or backward movement.

Four suspension lines 6 are also provided to suspend shelf 2 and let it up and down. Lines 6, preferably of steel rope, e.g. about 3mm in diameter, are fixed to the underside of shelf 2 by means of clamps, (e.g. in practice, of the type used as yachting clamps) and pass upwards in aluminium or brass channels 7 let into the sides 3 of enclosure 1 to pass over pulleys 8 located at the top of sides 3 of enclosure 1. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, pulleys 8 are fitted on ball- or roller-bearings and their lateral faces are retained against appreciable lateral play by abutment or bearing surfaces (not shown) fixed to the pulley mountings. It can be particularly useful in operation of the enclosure that the top of each of pulleys 8 is substantially level with the top of the enclosure (apart from the covering lid).The lateral faces of the pulleys and the abutment surfaces are preferably of smooth, possibly polished, stainless steel to provide low friction. Other low-friction arrangements can be used instead if desired.

Enclosure 1 is provided with two spaces 9 one at each side and a further space 10 at the back to accommodate two lateral weight-boxes 11 and a lid 12 at the rear which act together as counterweight to balance shelf 2 and its load when the enclosure is in use.

Suspension lines 6 pass over pulleys 8 and into spaces 9 to connect with weight-boxes 11 via slots 14 (Figure 2) and further pivotal (rotatable) low-friction mountings provided as shown in the Figures by pulleys 13 (Figure 1). This arrangement reduces friction due to the bending in steel lines 6 that would otherwise take place during upward and downward motion of the weight-boxes within their range of motion, if the mountings of lines 6 were fixed in relation to the weightboxes. The motion of weight-boxes 11 is assisted in its smooth running and alignment by nylon wheels 11a rotatably mounted to the front of each of weight-boxes 11a so as to run up and down in complementary aluminium or brass lined channels let into the inner surfaces of the front panels defining the spaces within which the weight-boxes move.

About 20-30 kg (adjusted to suit) of lead may be needed within the weight-boxes when the enclosure is used with a television receiver of about 25-40kg in weight, the rest of the counterweight being provided by the mechanism. Often the weight of the lid and the shelf will be found approximately to cancel. It can be useful to provide a few small weights of about 100g as well as large weights, within the weight-boxes, in order to provide for weight adjustment.

The lid 12 of the enclosure is shown in Figure 1 and is pivotally connected to a bar linking the two lateral weight-boxes. The pivotal mounting can usefully be in the form of a 'butler hinge', spring-biased for retention in either an upright or a horizontal position.

Sleeves, e.g. of sheet steel box-configuration, can be provided between the two lateral weight-boxes 11 and the side-walls of spaces 9 to assure smooth upwards and downwards running of the weight-boxes.

The sleeves and/or the weight-boxes can be provided with bearing wheels similar to wheels 4 between shelf 2 and sidewalls 3 to assist smooth running.

In a similar way, a sleeve, e.g. with slidable bearings such as 10a, can be provided if desired between the lid 12 and the sidewalls of the rear space in which its movement takes place.

These arrangements can solve the problem of good alignment and smooth well-balanced running movement of the mechanism.

The remaining features of construction and finish of the enclosure can be of any suitable kind, e.g. a decorative cabinetwork construction and finish.

Recesses and openings can be provided as may be needed to make way for any cables and connecting lines needed for the equipment to be housed in the enclosure.

In an alternative embodiment the closed position of the lid may be other than horizontal, e.g. it may slope downwards in the forwards direction to provide e.g. a writing slope.

The invention is susceptible of many modifications and variations which will be apparent to the skilled reader in the light of the foregoing disclosure, drawings and accompanying claims, and the disclosure extends to combinations and subcombinations of the features mentioned herein.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A storage device comprising an enclosure which is provided with a retractable platform, in which the platform is arranged to support a load, and mounted slidably and/or on bearings for movement between (a) a presentation position, in which the load is presented for use, e.g.

to view, and (b) a storage position, in which the load is stored away from its presentation position, e.g. in an enclosed cabinet; and wherein a counterweight is connected to the platform so that the movement takes place in substantially neutral equilibrium.

2. A storage device according to claim 1, arranged so that the load-supporting platform is in a raised position (preferably approximately level with the top of the enclosure) when in the presentation position, and in a lowered position when in the storage position.

3. A storage device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the counterweight is mounted slidably and/or on bearings and connected so as to counterbalance, either exactly or approximately, the weight of the platform and its load. The counterweight can be provided with low-friction bearing arrangements to assure such movement when light manual pressure is applied.

4. A storage device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, in which the enclosure is provided with two spaces one at each side of the load-bearing platform, to accommodate two lateral counterweights.

5. A storage device according to claim 4, in which there is a further space at the rear and a pivotally mounted lid connected at the rear to the counterweights to act together with them to balance the platform and its load when the enclosure is in use.

6. A storage device according to claim 5, in which sleeves are provided within which the lateral counterweights and the lid are arranged to move up and down oppositely to the motion of the platform.

6. A storage device according to claim 5, in which sleeves are provided within which the lateral counterweights and the lid are arranged to move up an down oppositely to the motion of the platform.

7. The invention in all its aspects, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the features shown in the accompanying drawings or mentioned in the foregoing description.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A storage device comprising an enclosure which is provided with a retractable platform, in which the platform is arranged to support a load, and is mounted slidably and/or on bearings for movement between (a) a presentation position, in which the load is presented for use, e.g. to view, and (b) a storage position, in which the load is stored away from its presentation position, e.g. in an enclosed cabinet; and wherein a counterweight is connected to the platform so that the movement takes place in substantially neutral equilibrium.

3. A storage device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the counterweight is mounted slidably and/or on bearings and connected so as to counterbalance, either exactly or approximately, the weight of the platform and its load, the counterweight being provided with low-friction bearing arrangements to assure such movement when light manual pressure is applied.

4. A storage device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, in which the enclosure is provided with two spaces one at each side of the loadbearing platform, to accommodate two lateral counterweights.