WO1990012523A1

WO1990012523A1 - Improvement of a table, especially an office desk

Info

Publication number: WO1990012523A1
Application number: PCT/NO1990/000072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Svein Knudsen
Original assignee: Svein Knudsen
Priority date: 1989-04-20
Filing date: 1990-04-20
Publication date: 1990-11-01
Also published as: AU5422090A; NO891636D0

Abstract

In order to improve a table, especially an office desk, it has been provided with auxiliary support tables (3, 4) on which office equipment and the like may be placed. The legs (1) of the table are provided with holes (7) in the desk top (2). In a hollow space at the top of the leg (1) a swing arm (5) is positioned and beyond the table top (2) further swing arms (6) may be fixed to the leg (1) by means of a fastening means. The swinging arms are turnable 360° and provided with support plates (3, 4).

Description

Improvement of a Table, especially an office Desk

The invention relates to an improvement of a table, especially an office desk, by which the disk top is supported by at least two legs which have a circular cross-section, and which are projecting through the desk top.

The increasing amount of computer terminals and new office facilities such as printers, telecopiers and the like are leading to new and extended requirements to the construction of office tables and desks with respect to flexibility, possi¬ bilities for adapting the desks to changed requirements, to individual requirements and a good ergonomy. In addition it is important to achieve a rational use of the space and a useful positioning of equipment and conduits.

The object of the present invention is to adapt a table to meet all these requirements and thus achieve a table or desk solution which is better and also is better adapted to office requirements than the solutions previously known.

This object is achieved by an improvement by a table, which is characterized by the features given in the claims.

Different solutions for configuration of table or desk tops are previously known, by which several working surfaces, different types of drawer sections and other units for positioning and storing, at least partly have been fixed to and may be turned around an axis, which also function as a table leg, but the known solutions do not allow a simple and flexible individual turning around of all units and at the same time also a control of the positioning of the elements in the vertical direction. Other solutions have not taken into consideration for instance that two computer terminals are to be used, and that it must be sufficient space for the keyboard and equipment for CAD, desk¬ top publishing and the like at the same table unit. Known solutions are for example described in the German publications DE-OS 2 114 797, DE 30 30 730 Al, DE 37 20 639 Al and DE 35 06 381 C2.

Thus, it has until now not existed any practical working desk by which the space beyond and above the desk top can be extensively used in a flexible way and by which all units can be moved in vertical direction, be swung and turned around, so that they are functioning in good communication with each other and may be adapted to the individual requirements.

The holes in the desk top, caused by the legs, may be covered by lids when they are not used as fastening means for swing arms and the like.

The invention will in the following be described with reference to some embodiments which have been schematically shown on the drawings. Thereby

Fig. 1 is describing in a perspective view a first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 a perspective view of the swing arm for positioning on the table top, Fig. 3 a perspective view of the swing arm and positioning of this on the table leg, Fig. 4 a top view and a side view of another fixening device for use on the table leg, and Fig. 5 a perspective view of another embodiment of a table.

The drawings are only showing embodiments of the invention schematically in order to illustrate the principle of the invention.

A table comprising the improvement according to the invention consists of legs 1, on Fig. 1 four legs, which are projecting through the desk top 2. The legs have a circular cross-section and may be solid or tube-like. By solid legs there has in the upper section of the leg been provided a circle-cylindric hollow space. The legs are fixed to the table top on the underside thereof.

In addition to the functioning as legs, the legs are also used as axis for fastening, regulating of the height and the turning of swing arms with support plates and the like, for instance for terminals, keyboards, printers etc. Such means and auxiliary means can thereby be integrated in the desk in a new and space-saving manner, whereby all legs will fulfill their double-function and can be utilized as fixing means and supporting axis, both beyond and above the desk top. This will give maximum utilization of the constructive elements of the table and at the same time will give a very good flexibility, possibility for adaptation to the means and use of available space.

This is achieved by means of the swing arms which have the reference numbers 5 and 6 which are provided with support tables or plates which are numbered 3 and 4. Such arms can be fixed to and moved along that leg or the legs which are most suitable in relation to the positioning of the table. One or more legs can be used at the same time. Beyond the desk top one or more swing arms 6 can be threaded on each leg and supported by a supporting ring 12 (Fig. 3) with the effect that the sleeve-like fixing element 10 which is fixing the swing arm to the leg cannot slide down when the arm 6 with the support plate 4 is turned around the leg in transversal direction.

Above the desk top it is used telescopic tubes 5 (Fig. 2) with an arm 8 supporting the support plate 3. The tube 5 is positioned in the upper hole 7 in the same plane as the desk top. The telescopic tube is provided with holes 18 which extend through the tube 5 diametrically on both sides, and such holes are positioned in equal distances along the tube, so that it is possible to control the length of the tube and fix it by means of a metal bolt or the like, which is positioned in a pair of holes, so that the bolt is resting against and is pivotable along a sliding ring 14 of plastic or the like, which is resting on the desk top surrounding the opening or hole of the table leg.

If it is decided to provide a plurality of swing arms on a leg above the desk top a longer tube may be used which is extending higher above the table top, so that one or more swing arms of the type which normally is used beyond the desk top also can be used above.

The sleeve-like fixing element 10 which is threaded on the leg, has a somewhat larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of the leg, so that the weight of the arm and the supporting plate will exert an inclined directed pressure between the sleeve and the leg, so that the arm will be self-supporting. In this way the regulation of the height will be very simple. The clamp effect achieved in this way will be increasing with increasing weight. In order to position the plate horizontally the arm may be welded to the sleeve directed somewhat in direction upwards in order to compensate the hanging down of the sleeve on the leg.

On Fig. 4 another embodiment of the swing arm is shown, which embodiment can be dismounted and positioned on the leg without lifting up the leg, which may be an advantage for instance by a table with foot pieces as shown on Fig. 5. The swing arm on Fig. 4 is constructed as a U-formed bridle 13 which can be placed around a leg 1. A fastening piece 14 is fixed on the inner side of the bridle towards the leg 1 and at the end of the bridle an element 15 closing the bridle is provided, and on which a pivot 16 is placed. This element can function as swing arm and will be very easy to mount.

In all embodiments shown, a pivot has been provided on the swing arm in order to mount the support plate on the arm so that also the plate may be turned around. This pivot has been given reference numbers 9, 11 and 16 on the Figures 2, 3 and 4, respectively. On Fig. 5 a table of the same type as on Fig. 1 is illustrated, however with only two legs, which are supported on foot plates 17.

It should be clear that the embodiments shown on the drawings are only meant to illustrate the invention, and that many modifications will be possible within the scope of the claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Improvement of a table, by which the desk top is supported by at least two legs, which have a circular cross-section, and which are creating holes through the desk top, characterized in that the legs (1) at least in their upper section are provided with a circular cylindric hollow space, that swing arms (5, 8; 6,* 13) have been formed for co-operation with the legs, which swing arms may be provided with support plates (3, 4) , and which swing arms either can be positioned above the table top

(2) in the hollow space in the leg (1) and/or be fixed beyond ^' the table top (2) by means of a clamp fastening means (10, 14) and that the swing arms are turnable 360° around the leg (1) and are movable in the length direction of the leg by trans¬ ferring the clamp fixing means, or by telescopic displacement of an arm above the table top (2) .

2. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized in that the swing arm (5) positioned above the table top (2) is telescope-like extendable and may be locked with fastening bolts or the like.

3. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamp fastening means provided around the table leg (1) has a clearance to the leg and is fixed in the desired position by fastening with a fastening ring (12) .

4. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized in that the swing arm with its clamp fastening means has been formed as an U-bridle (13) with its inner diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the leg (1) , and that a clamp element (14) is inserted inside the bridle (13) , positioned against the leg, and that at the end of the bridle (13) an element extending across the bridle has been provided, on which a pivot (16) has been positioned.

5. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized in that in

._*"*_ the outer area of the swing arm a pivot (9, 11, 16) for mounting of a support plate (3, 4) has been provided.

6. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow spaces of the legs (1) which are creating holes in the desk top (2) are covered with a lid.