Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Vertically adjustable – With force-multiplying means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-29
2001-07-24
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Vertically adjustable
With force-multiplying means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263809
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a height-adjustable support such as for supporting a table top, in which two supports can be coupled to one another at their upper ends by at least one beam and the height adjustment takes place by means of a threaded rod being rotatably but not axially movable received in the upper part of a support and extending into a nut mounted in the lower part of said support, said part being provided with a laterally extending base and being axially movable in relation to the upper part of the support, in which the threaded rod can be rotated manually or by motor and the threaded rod has its upper end provided with a bevel gear wheel that can engage with a bevel gear wheel connected to a horizontally extending coupling rod coupling the threaded rods of both supports.
Such an assembly of height-adjustable supports is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,748. With this assembly, the lower part of a support is located partly within the upper part. This has the disadvantage, that it produces a less attractive whole, since the lower part is nearly always at some distance from the base of the lower part. Furthermore, there is a risk that an object can be underneath the bottom edge of the uper part. This object or the support itself may be damaged when lowering the support.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to remove these difficulties and to that end provides for, that the lower part of a support is directed across its upper part and that the top end of a support is connected to a screening plate extending around the circumference of the support, said screening plate extending downwards and engaging the circumference of the lower part of the support, the lower part of the support being provided with a tubular portion in which the screening plate is located.
Since the screening plate can have a minimal thickness, only a hardly visible transition between both parts of the support will be in sight, so that an esthetic unity is achieved.
In order to prevent the lower edge of the screening plate from contacting an object abutting the lower part of the support, on downward movement of the support, the lower part of the support is provided with a tubular portion, in which the screening plate is located.
Obviously, the wall of the tubular portion will only be of a minimal thickness, so that in this case too, there will be a hardly visible transition between both parts.
A simple connection of the screening plate to the upper part of a support can be achieved, in that said part is provided with at least one horizontally extending pin which can be received in a bore in the screening plate.
Now the upper part of a support will at one side be connected to the horizontal beam, so that at that side, the screening plate will have to have a shape adapted to it. To that end, it can be provided for, that the screening plate consists of two part, namely a first part which is substantially at that side of the support where a beam can be connected to the support, and a second part which is situated at the other side.
Now, at its upper end, the one plate can be provided with a recess for receiving the beam therein, while the other plate can extend up to the top edge of the support.
It is possible to couple both parts of the screening plate at the longitudinal edges, such as by mutually engaging edges.
Manufacuring two separate parts of the screening plate is easier than manufacturing it as a whole.
Further, above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,748 has the disadvantage, that the distance between both supports is fixed. However, it is often desirable that this distance can be adjusted to the desired length of a table top to be mounted on the supports.
According to the invention, it is provided for, that the beam connecting both supports comprises two parts movable in relation to each other, and that the coupling rod bearing the two bevel gear wheel cooperating with the bevel gear wheels of the threaded rods in the supports, also has two parts telescopically slidable in relation to each other.
The distance between both supports can then be varied in a simple way.
In order to be able to carry out mounting assembly of the coupling rod in a simple way, it can be provided for, that the coupling rod is axially slidable within the bevel gear wheel positioned on it, said bevel gear wheel being rotatably mounted in the support so that it is always in engagement with the bevel gear wheel of the threaded rod located in the support, the coupling rod being pressed into the bevel gear wheel through a spring.
When mounting the coupling rod, the relevant part thereof can be pushed away from the support against the force of said spring and be aligned with the bevel gear wheel. After that, the coupling rod can be slid into the bevel gear wheel.
Further, the bevel gear wheel situated on the coupling rod can be mounted at the side of the support where the coupling rod is located, as well as at the other side thereof. In this way, it is achieved, that the bevel gear wheels at the ends of the threaded rods situated within the supports are rotated in the same direction.
The invention is further explained by way of an embodiment shown in the drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5447099 (1995-09-01), Adams et al.
patent: 5549053 (1996-08-01), Grout
patent: 5890438 (1999-04-01), Frankish
patent: 6131870 (2000-10-01), Tseng
patent: 6148741 (2000-11-01), Motta
Argo Office B.V.
Chen José V.
Foley & Lardner
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