Supports – Brackets – Adjustable
Patent
1995-06-29
1998-01-13
Braun, Leslie A.
Supports
Brackets
Adjustable
2482811, 248286, 312282, 108 5, E04G 300, A47B 8800, A47B 2102
Patent
active
057070342
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a linkage system.
The invention has been developed primarily for use with adjustable furniture and in particular height adjustable desks and will be described hereinafter with reference to that application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to that particular field of use.
BACKGROUND ART
Hitherto, height adjustment mechanisms for desks have included a single linkage arm which extends between and is rotatably connected to both a fixed support and a movable support. Although movement of the movable support between a raised and lowered configuration is accommodated, that movement is limited to rotation through an arc having an axis passing through the connection point between the arm and the fixed support. Additionally, a single arm is often subject to large twisting moments which results in wear and requires that the arm be produced from heavy gauge materials.
Alternative prior art systems utilise a pantographic mechanism which, while providing greater effective strength, is generally of increased cost and complexity. Moreover, the path followed by the movable support is still substantially arcuate.
Accordingly, hereinafter the term arcuate movement will be taken to include movement that results from the prior art single linkage and pantographic linkage mechanisms.
An additional problem of the prior art resides in the fact that effective strength of the pantographic mechanism is dependant upon the distance between the two arms. Although an increase in this distance will provide an increase in the strength, it also results in a much larger, and at times cumbersome, mechanism. This is particularly disadvantageous for adjustable desks were a larger mechanism causes a reduction in leg room beneath the movable surface.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention, at least in a preferred embodiment, to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of these deficiencies of the prior art. According to the invention there is provided a linkage system for connecting a first element having a guide formation and a control formation and a second element, the system including a linkage arm respectively connected at a first end and a second end to the first and second elements, the arm including at the first end two spaced apart engagement formations for slidably inter-engaging the guide formation and the control formation respectively, whereby relative movement between the first and second formations and the guide and control formations respectively provides for predetermined non-arcuate relative movement between the first and second elements.
Preferably, the engagement formations are hinge pins and the guide and control formations are both slots in the first element for respectively receiving the pins. More preferably, one of the slots includes locking formations for selectively engaging a respective pin for maintaining the first and second elements in one of a number of relative dispositions. Even more preferably, the first element comprises a fixed support bracket for attachment to a desk surface and the second element comprises a keyboard support bracket for attachment to a keyboard support, whereby, in use, said keyboard support is movable between a raised and lowered configuration with respect to the desk. However, in alternative embodiments the first and second elements comprise the keyboard support bracket and the fixed. support bracket respectively.
Preferably also, the linkage system includes a support arm extending between the first and second elements. More preferably, the support arm is rotatably connected at respective ends to the first and second elements. Even more preferably, the support arm is hingedly and slidably connected at one end to one of the first and second elements.
In a preferred form, the connections of the linkage and guide arms to at least one of the first and second elements are spaced apart. More preferably, the spacing between the connections of the linkage and guide arms
REFERENCES:
patent: 326511 (1885-09-01), McConnell
patent: 2707128 (1955-04-01), Greenfield
patent: 2734708 (1956-02-01), Cohn
patent: 2738987 (1956-03-01), McDonald
patent: 4145097 (1979-03-01), Naess et al.
patent: 4368866 (1983-01-01), Urban
patent: 4379429 (1983-04-01), Gubbe et al.
patent: 4706919 (1987-11-01), Soberalski et al.
patent: 5098053 (1992-03-01), Cotterill
patent: 5302015 (1994-04-01), Du Vall
Braun Leslie A.
Hunter Charles J.
LandOfFree
Linkage system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Linkage system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Linkage system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-320102