Office furniture abstract
Two lateral parts (1) interconnected by an upper support (21) are
provided in an office furniture unit, with an adjustable table top
(22) being arranged between said lateral parts. The adjustment of
the table top in the tilt and vertically is accomplished by lateral
and posterior pin engagements (35 and/or 32). A bolt (28) which
is positioned for reciprocal movement is arranged in the posterior
edge (26) of the table top (22). The head (54) of the bolt (28)
grips behind a vertical slot (38) of the support (21). Upon disengagement
of the table top for its adjustment, it remains connected to the
support via the bolt so that it cannot drop out.
Office furniture claims
We claim:
1. A furniture unit with an adjustable table top which is arranged
between two lateral surfaces interconnected by an upper support,
characterized by the fact that protruding pins (35 33) are anchored
in the posterior and lateral edges (26) of the table top (22), each
of said pins being engaged in one of several superimposed recesses
(39 40) in the support (21) in a removable manner, and that a bolt
(28) positioned for reciprocal movement and located in the rear
edge of the table top is disposed in and with its head (54) protruding
from a vertical slot (38) of the support (21), so that during disengagement
of the top for its adjustment, it remains suspended over the bolts
(28) in the support (21).
2. The furniture item as defined in claim 1 characterized by the
fact that the bolt (28) is fastened in a perforation (27) in the
posterior edge (26) of the top (22) and can be pulled out of the
top as far as a stop (29).
3. The furniture item as defined in claim 2 whereby the bolt (28)
is secured by a holding means (30) co-acting with the stop (29)
and fastened at the edge of the table top (26).
4. The furniture item as defined in claim 1 characterized by the
fact that the head (54) of the bolt (28) is pushed on the protruding
end of the bolt shaft and secured by means of a safety member (55).
5. The furniture item as defined in claim 1 characterized by the
fact that the head (54) of the bolt (28) adheres to a spring (41)
accommodated in the interior of the support (21) and the bolt neck
is guided in the vertical slot (38) of the support (21).
6. The furniture item as defined in claim 1 characterized by the
fact that each lateral part (1) of the item of furniture is provided
with a forwardly protruding supporting arm (7) with grooves (39)
open on one side and arranged superimposed being placed in the forefront
of said arm for accommodating the protruding pins (35), and the
lateral part (1) bears a removable coverage (4) which secures the
pins (35) in the grooves (39).
7. The furniture item as defined in claim 1 characterized by the
recesses (21) in the support (21) being superimposed perforations
(40) arranged on both sides of the vertical slot (38).
8. The furniture item as defined in claim 5 characterized by the
fact that the spring (41) is a leaf spring with a central recess
(56) for accommodating the head portion and that the spring elongated
in unbiased condition is inserted loosely in the support (21) and
biased arcuately between two terminal stops (57).
Office furniture description
The invention relates to a furniture item with an adjustable table
top which is arranged between two lateral parts interconnected by
an upper support.
For moderen operating station design office furniture units are
used nowadays which are built up from several basic elements and
which can be assembled and dismantled in modular design. In the
case of desks and office tables the table tops must, commensurate
with the requirements of the corresponding operating station and
the function, be adjustable vertically and in inclination.
It is known in conventional office furniture units to accomplish
the table top adjustment by means of gears, lever systems, air cylinders,
hydraulic devices, etc. The mechanics necessary for this purpose
are rather expensive and only serve their purpose if and when the
table tops must be adjusted frequently, but normally this is not
the case.
Simple pin engagements are less expensive for the adjustment, but
they are afflicted with various disadvantages. In most cases the
pin engagement is complicated in its handling, the furniture units
are unstable and the pins frequently are not secured, so that the
table tops may shift or even drop out.
The invention now poses the problem of avoiding the mentioned disadvantages
and to create a safe, easy to manage table top adjustment which
can be manufactured favorably from a cost point of view. According
to the invention this is done in such a manner that protruding pins
are anchored in the posterior and lateral edges of the table top,
each of these pins being engaged in one of several superimposed
recesses in the support and in the lateral parts in a removable
manner, and that a bolt positioned for reciprocal movement and protruding
located in the rear edge of the table top undercuts with its head
a vertical slot of the support, all this so that during disengagement
of the top for its adjustment, it remains suspended over the bolts
in the support.
The head of the bolt appropriately rests on a spring which is accommodated
in the interior of the support. During the disengagement of the
table top for vertical or inclination adjustment, part of the weight
thus is compensated by the spring.
Each lateral part of the item of furniture appropriately is provided
with a carrier arm protruding forwardly, with grooves open on one
side and arranged superimposed being placed in the forefront of
this arm. They are used to receive the protruding lateral pins of
the table top. The lateral parts bear a removable cover panel which
secures the pins in the grooves and thus prevents the shifting or
dropping out of the table top.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention are explained below in greater detail,
by way of the drawings.
FIG. 1 represents a view in perspective of one lateral part and
of one connective support in extended representation;
FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of an office desk;
FIG. 3 is a view from the front upon the top part of the office
desk according to FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale, and without the
plug-in unit;
FIG. 4 is a view from the top on part of the office desk, sectioned
according to FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a front view upon the end of the connective support;
FIG. 6 shows the leaf spring for the table top support in unbiased
condition;
FIG. 7 shows in perspective a cutout from the central area of the
connecting support with the leaf spring in biased condition drawn
in broken lines; and
FIGS. 8 to 10 represent a section along line VIII--VIII according
to FIG. 3 showing different possibilities of the vertical and tilt
adjustment of the table top.
The lateral part 1 represented in FIG. 1 in perspective is made
of sheet metal and forms the principal element of an office furniture
system for an efficient design of a working station. The lateral
part 1 comprises a U-shaped core element 2 as well as lateral and
upper cover panels 3 and/or 4.
The principal element 2 is designed as a partly open hollow profile,
with the lower leg of the "U" forming the leg of the office
furniture (leg 5). The leg 5 transcends into a vertical supporting
column 6 from which a carrier arm 7 protrudes horizontally. The
carrier arm 7 is the second leg of the "U". Vertically
adjustable supporting screws 8 are arranged at the leg 5 in a manner
known per se from prior art.
One side of the leg 5 has a downwardly open recess 9. The supporting
column 6 likewise is provided laterally with a vertically extending
aperture 10. Finally, the carrier arm 7 has on top a slot-like recess
11 through which its interior area is accessible from the top.
The recesses in the core element 2 permit in a simple manner the
insertion of electrical cables and signal conduits without loops
into the lateral part 1. The subdivision 12 of the inner duct 10
of the supporting column 6 is used to separate the electric conduits
having high voltage from the signal conduits of low voltage.
Following the pulling in of the cables and/or conduits, it is possible
to cover the lateral openings in the leg 5 and in the supporting
column 6 by the L-shaped cover panel 3.
The cover panel 3 is connected via snap-in pins and snap holding
means 13 to the core element 2 and thus can simply be pressed on
to the latter.
A slide 14 inserted on top in the lateral cover panel 3 can be
removed if additional units of furniture are to be added at the
lateral part. By removing the slide 14 the access to the conduits
and cables in the interior of the core piece 2 is exposed so that
these conduits etc. can be pulled into the second piece of furniture
without any problem. A removable slide is likewise arranged in the
supporting arm 7 and serves the same purpose.
The additional units of furniture are fastened in a manner not
shown in detail via clamping screws, which are inserted into the
grooves 15 which are open on top, at the core element 2 of the lateral
part 1. Because of the slides 14 the current and signal cable connections
can be placed invisibly from the outside in the piece of furniture.
The supporting column 6 is provided with a sealing cover 16 which
covers a protruding flap 17 of the slide 14 of the cover panel 3
and thus secures it against unauthorized removal. The sealing cover
16 in turn is likewise provided with a flap 17 which grips beneath
the upper covering 4 so that the sealing cover 16 can be removed
only following removal of the upper covering 4. It would be possible
to mount in place of the sealing cover 16 a plugable unit, for
example, a lamp or a standardized element 16a on the supporting
column.
To seal the carrier arm 7 the upper covering 4 is inserted from
the forefront of the carrier arm until it snaps with its end 18
into a snap fastening means 19 at the forefront of the carrier arm
7. The covering means 4 grips with a flap 61 into the inwardly protruding
rails 20 and is guided through the latter. As a result of the upper
covering means 4 the slides 14 the sealing cover 16 or a corresponding
plugable unit as well as possibly present clamping screws are secured
in the grooves 15. In addition, the lateral engagement pins in the
table top are likewise held firmly in a manner to be described as
yet.
To build up the desk, two lateral parts 1 one upper connecting
support 21 and one table top 22 are needed (FIG. 2). The connective
support 21 sealed by a covering profile 59 is designed as a U-profile
and has at both ends a flange 60 which is pushed against the supporting
columns of the lateral parts and connected to them by means of screws.
The upper inner lateral apertures 23 in the supporting columns expose
the access to the inner area of the support 21 so that it is possible
again to pull in electrical cables and signal conduits. The design
of the inner area of the support is such that electrical receptacles
and distribution boxes can be installed without any problem.
The table top 22 is made from wood which is coated for example
with a veneer 50 or with plastic and framed by marginal strips 51.
A perforation 27 is applied in the center at the posterior table
top edge 26 a guide bolt 28 being positioned movably therein.
The bolt 28 is manufactured as one piece and as a rotary part,
with the rear section having a larger diameter than the front section.
The transition between the front and rear section forms a stop 29
which coacts with a metallic holding means 30.
With the assembly the bolt 28 first is pushed into the perforation
27 and the holding means 30 is fastened by means of the screws 31
at the table top edge 26. The holding means 30 is placed in a recess
52 and flush with the table top edge.
The bolt 28 can be pulled out only until the stop 29 hits against
the holding means 30 whose perforation 53 is slightly larger than
the diameter of the anterior bolt section, but smaller than the
diameter of the posterior bolt section.
Each pin 32 with a protruding head 33 is anchored at both sides
of the guiding bolt 28 in the rear edge 26 of the table top 22
for example by being glued into a perforation. Each bushing 34 is
pounded in at the anterior area of the lateral table top edges,
a threaded bolt 35 with protruding head 36 being screwed into said
bushing.
For the mounting of the table top 22 first the protruding front
end 37 of the movable bolt 28 is inserted into a vertical slot 38
in the connecting support 21. Subsequently, the head portion 54
is loosely pushed from the interior side of the connecting support
upon the frontal end 37 and secured by means of a safety ring 55.
Now the movable bolt 28 is held securely in the vertical slot. Now
the table top 22 can be pulled forwardly until the stop 29 of the
bolt 28 is seated at the holding means 30.
As the table top 22 is pushed rearwardly against the connecting
support 21 the lateral bolt heads 36 are engaged into one of the
engagement grooves 39 of the forefront of the supporting arm 7.
At the same time the pin heads 33 of the rear edge 26 are pushed
into one of the superimposed perforations 40 in the connecting support
21.
The head part 54 of the bolt 28 rests in a leaf spring 41 accomodated
in the interior of the support 21 and thus compensates for part
of the weight of the table top.
The oblong leaf spring 41 which is oblong in unloaded condition
(FIG. 6) has a central recess 56 in which the head part 54 comes
to rest. The spring is inserted loosely into the interior of the
connecting support 21 and then tensioned arcuate-like between two
terminal stops 57. The lateral holding of the spring 41 is assured
by a panel 58. As shown from FIGS. 8 to 10 the table top can be
adjusted vertically and/or angularly in a simple manner. To do this,
first the upper coverage means 4 is disengaged and pushed slightly
forward, in order to release the grooves 39 in the carrier arm 7.
Then the table top can be pulled forward until it is disengaged
completely and only suspended via the movable bolt 28 at the support
21 with the leaf spring 21 bearing part of the weight of the table
top. It is impossible to erroneously release the table top because
the bolt head 54 grips behind the vertical slot.
Now the table top is placed into the desired height and tilt and
then pushed again rearwardly, so that it will again engage laterally
and in the rear. Finally, the upper covering means 4 of the supporting
arms 7 is pushed in again to secure the lateral engagement pins.
FIGS. 8 to 10 show three different possibilities of adjustment.
The office furniture unit according to the invention assures a
measure of system flexibility which heretofore has not been attained.
The design and the linkage members can be mounted and again be removed
with a few manipulations. Besides the vertical adjustability, the
table tops also can be inclined forwardly with a few, but important
degrees, a factor which industrial medicine considers as very favorable.
It also is possible to replace the table tops without screws in
a matter of seconds, in order to adapt working stations to new requirements.
Different plug-on units, like manuscript holders, telephones and
letter tray assemblies, as well as lighting fixtures for operating
stations, can be plugged on rapidly on the supporting column and/or
the connecting duct. Signal cables and electric conduits can always
be introduced into the unit of furniture without any problems and
they are invisible from the outside.
For example, it also is possible to plug extensions in the front
into the supporting arm. For that purpose, the interior area of
the supporting arm is subdivided, with the duct 62 being used as
a guide means for a profiled part which forms part of the extension.
In this variant of an embodiment the cover means 4 also must be
designed longer and/or the end 18 would have to be eliminated.
Selectively, it is possible to suspend or attach containers in
the piece of furniture or push them beneath the piece of furniture
as containers with pivotal rollers.
The item of furniture permits in a simple manner the designing
of individual or multiple person offices, as well as of functional
areas or office scenery. |