Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Tiltable surfaces – Pivotally adjustable about horizontal axis
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-04-24
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Tiltable surfaces
Pivotally adjustable about horizontal axis
C108S010000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220179
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a table with adjustable height and tilt. More particularly, the table of the present invention is capable of being adjusted to be at a lower height or at an upper height. At the upper height position, the tilt of the table can be switched between horizontal and inclined positions using tension links such as a chain, a cable, or a rope.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Adjustable tables are generally known in the prior art. One can differentiate between height adjustable tables and tilt adjustable tables although designs in which both parameters are adjustable are also known.
The need for height adjustability is well established in the prior art. In addition to various professional and industrial uses, in a common household situation, height adjustability is desirable to make the table usable comfortably by both adults and children. For a common situation of a young family with small children living in a small apartment with limited space, a universally adjustable table would allow for a variety of tasks to be performed by both adults and children, for which the table has to have at least two height positions. In addition, tilting of the table allows for additional convenient uses such as reading, drafting, playing games, etc. In a typical height adjustable table, the design incorporates some form of extending the four legs of the table upward following by fixing it in place.
Examples of such designs can be found in the following U.S. Patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,052 by Glashouwer depicts a height adjustable table having telescoping legs with a limited number of spaced holes designed to receive removable lock elements so that the design has a number of fixed height positions. One limitation of this design is that the process of adjusting all four legs takes some time and thus is not adapted for quick switching back and fourth to change the function of the table in a household setting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,811 by Carson depicts another variation of the height adjustable table in which telescoping legs are adapted to allow gradual adjustment of height. It has the same limitation as the previous patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,955 by Fleischer depicts a gear crank mechanism for gradual adjustment of the height of the table. Although free of the disadvantages mentioned above, the design is complex and therefore the table is heavy and best suited for supporting heavy objects such as video equipment.
Various tilting devices are known in the prior art and can be found for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,508,305 by Johnson and 5,607,155 by Campbell. In most cases, these design contain provisions for fixing the tiltable upper surface of the table in place which requires tightening of some holding elements typically on both sides of the table. As indicated above, these designs are not easily adapted for frequent changing back and fourth and therefore have limited utility in a household setting.
An example of a table allowing for both height and tilt adjustment is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,394 by Veyhl. Although it is believed to be highly desirable to be able to adjust both the height and the tilt of the table, this particular design is rather complex and requires many parts to function properly. As a result, it is believed to be heavy and not desirable or easily adaptable for a common use around the house.
The use of tension links as a structural element of a piece of furniture is also known in the prior art. A tension link may comprise a chain, a cable, a rope or another flexible element that can be tightened to provide tension between two strategic points of the design. Examples of such designs can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,913,271 by Lloyd; U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,706 by Yong; U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,673 by Cheng; U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,998 by Everett; U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,270 by Singer; U.S. Pat. No.
4
,
354
,
437
by Logan; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,520 by Miller.
These and other known devices of the prior art fail to address the important objective of the adjustable table of this type, namely to provide a design allowing for both height and tilt adjustment while minimizing the time and efforts needed to perform the adjustment and keeping the table design simple and light in weight.
The present invention is designed to address this objective and described in detail below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome these and other drawbacks of the prior art by providing a novel height and tilt adjustable table allowing for quick change of position while maintaining the simplicity and low weight of the design.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a height and tilt adjustable table allowing for both adults and children use of the device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a height and tilt adjustable table containing flexible tension links.
Finally, it is another object of the invention to provide a table with removable storage tray.
According to the invention, most of the benefits derived from the tilt and height adjustment features of the table can be preserved if the table can be placed in one of extreme tilting or height positions and no intermediate position can be established. This principle can be illustrated for adult and child use of the table. Switching between extreme top and bottom positions is quite satisfactory for both adult and child uses and there is no need to fix the table half way in between the two extreme positions. Same can be said about tilt: switching the table from horizontal position to fully tilted provides most of the desired flexibility in use. At the same time, such limitation allows to simplify the design to a considerable extend which makes it both easy and fast to use as well as allows for a table design with small number of parts that are not heavy. This combination of features creates an inexpensive and yet quite universal table which becomes quite handy in a common household environment.
The table according to the invention contains a top flat panel supported by two telescopic columns positioned in their respective support bases rigidly attached to the bottom base of the table. When fully inserted, they define the lowest position of the table. The columns can be moved upwards from their support bases to a predetermined height which when fully extended defines the highest position of the table. A simple fixation elements are provided to fix the columns in both the lower and upper positions.
The attachment points between the telescopic columns and the top panel are hinged for tilt adjustment. A system of two flexible tension links each attached to the top panel in two points sufficiently far away from the column attachment points is provided. These tension links are needed to stabilize the position of the top panel in any of four possible positions: TOP-LEVELED; TOP-TILTED LEFT; TOP-TILTED RIGHT; and BOTTOM-LEVELED. Tensioning system for the flexible links is envisioned to make sure that the top panel is supported at least three points in any of the above mentioned positions.
A magnetically attached tray is also provided to keep writing instruments and alike next to the table and to prevent such small items from falling off the table when in tilted position. The tray may be simply removed off the table while the upper flat surface is not distorted by conventional tray attachment mechanisms.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1859456 (1932-05-01), Nestler
patent: 2710780 (1955-06-01), Lawes
patent: 3640228 (1972-02-01), Busse
patent: 3988021 (1976-10-01), Grover
patent: 4148520 (1979-04-01), Miller
patent: 4354437 (1982-10-01), Logan
patent: 4502394 (1985-03-01), Veyhl
patent: 4508305 (1985-04-01), Johnson
pat
Chen José V.
Gadayeva Lyudmila
Leschinsky Boris
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