DE20307790U1 - Side bracket for a base of a table or worktop - Google Patents

Description

Side bracket for a base frame of a table or worktop

The present invention relates to a side bracket for a base frame of a table or worktop according to the preamble of claim 1 as well as a base frame with such a side bracket and a table configuration with such a base frame.

It is common practice to install height-adjustable tables or worktops to better adapt the workplace to the user. Depending on the type of base frame of the table or worktop, there are various options for this. A basic distinction is also made between mechanical and electric height adjustments.

For example, DE 202 16 239 Ul by the applicant shows a table with a height-adjustable base frame, the base frame having a lifting column housed in a housing next to the table top and the table top being held on a support arm extending from the housing. The lifting column preferably contains an electric motor drive. In another design of table, the lifting column is provided - generally in the middle - under the table top.

Another embodiment of a base frame for a table or worktop has several individual table legs, generally four in the case of rectangular table or worktops. The length of these table legs can be individually adjusted mechanically or by electric motor. Such a mechanically length-adjustable table leg is described, for example, in the applicant's DE 100 30 918 A1. In this context, it is also known to connect the individual table legs to one another via a support frame on which the table or worktop can be mounted. It is also possible to connect two table legs to a side bracket of the base frame via a cross member.

In the case of the last-mentioned type of base for a table or worktop, i.e.

a base frame with several side brackets and/or individual table legs, it is particularly advantageous when setting up large table configurations with one or more table or worktops to electrically

P 1208DEG1 registration

to change its height using a motor. The following two approaches come into consideration.

One possibility is to provide a separate motor for each individual table leg and each table leg of a side bracket; however, in this case, particularly in the case of large combined table configurations, standard controls for controlling the individual motors together via a single control element cannot be used; standard and therefore inexpensive controls are usually only designed to control two or four motors. The second solution is to use just one motor that operates all the table legs of the table configurations and, of course, must be controlled with just one control; in this case, however, the main problem is the very complicated mechanical transmission of the drive force of the motor to the height adjustment units of the table legs, and this is particularly the case with angled and/or curved table configurations. There is therefore a need for a base frame with electric motor height adjustment that avoids the problems described above.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a base frame for a table or worktop or a side bracket for such a base frame, which is provided with an electromotive height adjustment that can be driven via a standard control system even when setting up large and angled table configurations and dispenses with complicated mechanical transmissions of the drive forces of the motors.

This object is achieved by a side bracket of a base frame with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments and refinements of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The side bracket of a base frame has two table legs and a cross member connecting the two table legs in their upper end region, whereby the two table legs each have several, i.e. at least two telescopically movable telescopic elements that can be moved axially into one another for adjusting the length of the table legs, as well as a drive element for axially moving the telescopic elements relative to one another. The side bracket is characterized according to the invention in that a motor is provided in or on the cross member, which drives a drive shaft that runs in the cross member over its entire length, and that in the two end regions of the cross member (or, depending on the design of the connection between the cross member and the table legs, in the two upper end regions of the table legs) there is a gear for synchronous transfer.

transfer the driving force of the drive shaft driven by the motor to the drive elements of the two table legs.

With the side bracket of a base frame constructed in this way, only one motor is required for the electromotive length adjustment of the two table legs of the side bracket. The transmission of the drive force of the drive shaft driven by the motor can be transferred relatively easily to the drive elements for adjusting the height of the two table legs. In addition, a cost-effective standard control can be used when constructing larger and also angled table configurations, since the overall number of motors to be controlled by the control can be reduced. A further advantage of the side bracket constructed according to the invention is the simple, synchronous length adjustment of the two table legs of the side bracket.

The motor is preferably housed in a free space inside the cross member. Alternatively, the motor can also be mounted on the outside of the cross member, in which case it is preferably mounted on the side of the cross member facing the inside of the table configuration for optical reasons.

The gears for transmitting the driving force of the drive shaft driven by the motor to the drive elements of the two table legs are, for example, spur gears or planetary gears. The drive shaft driven by the motor is, for example, a hexagonal shaft. Alternatively, the drive shaft driven by the motor can also be constructed in two parts, in which case the two parts of the drive shaft are driven synchronously.

Depending on the desired adjustment range, the table legs preferably have two or three telescopic elements that can be moved axially into one another. The drive elements of the table legs for axially moving the telescopic elements relative to one another contain threaded spindles, for example.

In the standard version of the side bracket, the two table legs run essentially perpendicular to the cross member and parallel to each other. In an alternative embodiment, the two table legs run at an angle other than 90° to the cross member, so that their mutual distance at the end facing the cross member, i.e. the upper end, is smaller than at the end facing away from the cross member, i.e. the lower end, so that the two table legs diverge at the bottom. In order to prevent the two table legs from diverging or converging when adjusting the height

In order to facilitate the movement of the base frame, at least one of the two table legs has a roller body at its lower end facing away from the cross member.

The side bracket designed according to the invention and described above is advantageously used to construct a base frame for a table or worktop.

The base frame for a table or worktop has a side bracket according to the invention and at least one further side bracket according to the invention and/or at least one individual table leg, wherein the individual table leg is also height-adjustable via a telescopic length adjustment unit.

In a preferred embodiment, all motors of the side brackets and individual table legs of the base frame are controlled via a common control system. The control system is preferably designed in such a way that it controls all motors of the side brackets and individual table legs so that their length adjustments are synchronized with one another.

In a preferred embodiment of the base frame, the side brackets and individual table legs are connected to one another via one or more support frames on which the table or worktop can be mounted.

A base frame constructed in this way is advantageously used to construct a table configuration in which one or more table or worktops are mounted on the base frame. The table or worktops can also be arranged or designed at an angle.

The above and other features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail below using various preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
30

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a table configuration with a base according to the present invention;

Fig. 2A and 2B are schematic representations of two different embodiments of the height adjustment unit of a table leg of the side brackets of the base frame of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic exploded view of a table configuration for explaining the structure and operation of a base frame according to the present invention;

Fig. 4A and 4B are schematic representations of two alternative embodiments of a side bracket of a chassis according to the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a highly simplified partial side view of a side bar to explain the structure and operation of the height adjustment unit of the side bar according to the invention.

Figure 1 initially shows a possible table configuration in which a base frame with side brackets according to the invention can be used. However, it should be expressly pointed out at this point that the present invention is of course not only limited to the angled table configuration with two table or worktops shown in Figure 1, but that the base frame according to the present invention can also be used on straight and multi-angled, straight or curved table configurations with one or more than two table or worktops.

As shown in Figure 1, the table configuration has two table or worktops 10 that are mounted on a height-adjustable base frame. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the base frame consists of two side brackets 12 and a single table leg 14. Each of the side brackets 12 and the single table leg 14 are equipped with a motor 16, in particular an electric motor, in order to achieve an electric motor height adjustment of the table configuration. The three motors 16 in this example are controlled via a common control 18, which is operated by a user via an operating unit 20. As illustrated in Figure 2, the operating unit 20 has, for example, two operating elements 22 for increasing or decreasing the table height.

The structure and operation of the base frame of the invention for a table configuration constructed, for example, as in Figure 1, will now be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3.
35

For the sake of simplicity, Figure 3 shows a table configuration with only one table or worktop 10 in the form of an exploded view. The base frame for holding the table or worktop 10 consists of two side brackets 12

and a support frame 24 on which the table or worktop 10 is mounted. The two side brackets 12 each have two table legs 26 and a cross member 28 which connects the two table legs 26 in their upper end area. Approximately in the width direction of the cross member 28, a fastening flange 30 is fastened to the cross member 28 on which the support frame 24 is mounted. Instead of the one central fastening flange 30, several fastening flanges can also be provided.

The support frame is made up of two longitudinal struts 32 and two cross struts 34, which essentially form a rectangular support frame 24 as shown in Figure 3. The support frame 24 is fastened, preferably screwed, with its cross struts 34 to the fastening flanges 30 of the side brackets 12. The table or worktop 10 is finally fastened to the longitudinal struts 32 of the support frame 24 by means of suitable fastening devices.

In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 3, the two table legs 26 of the side bracket 12 run essentially perpendicular to the cross member 28 and parallel to one another. In an alternative embodiment of the side bracket 12, the two table legs 26 run at an angle other than 90° to the cross member 28, so that their mutual distance at their end facing the cross member 28, i.e. the upper end, is smaller than at their end facing away from the cross member 28, i.e. the lower end, as shown in Figure 4B. In other words, the two table legs 12 diverge at their lower end. In order to make it easier for the lower ends of the two table legs to diverge and converge when the height of the side bracket 12 is adjusted, a table leg 26 has a rolling body 36 at its end facing away from the cross member 28, i.e. its lower end. For clarification, the side bracket 12 of Figure 3 with the parallel table legs 26 is shown again in Figure 4A.

Returning to Figure 3, a motor 16, in particular an electric motor, is arranged in a free space inside the cross member 28 of each side bracket 12. This electric motor 16 is used for the synchronous length adjustment of the two table legs 26 of a side bracket 12 and thus the electric motor height adjustment of the table configuration. The control 18 is used to jointly control both motors of the two side brackets 12. The control 18 is mounted, for example, in an edge area on the underside of the table or worktop 10. The connecting cables for the transmission of control signals and for the power supply are guided, for example, via a cable tray (not shown) mounted on the support frame 24 under the table or worktop 10 or cable clips that can be attached to the support frame 24. The

The control unit 20 for operating the control unit 18 is coupled to the control unit 18 either via a cable connection (see Figure 2) or via a wireless connection such as radio or infrared.

The transmission of the driving force from the drive shaft driven by the motor 16 to the height adjustment unit of the table legs 26 is now explained in more detail using the schematic representation in Figure 5.

The table leg 26 contains a base 38 and two telescopic elements 40a and 40b for adjusting the length of the table legs 26, which can be axially displaced into one another in a telescopic manner. The telescopic elements 40a, 40b are designed in particular in the form of round tubes. As illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, depending on the desired height adjustment path of the table legs 26, three such telescopic elements 40a, 40b and 40c can also be used instead of the two telescopic elements 40a and 40b. The two or three telescopic elements 40a, 40b, 40c are displaced relative to one another in the axial direction by means of a drive element 42. The drive element 42 arranged within the telescopic elements 40a-c is, for example, a stationary threaded spindle, by the rotation of which a tube 44 coupled to the extendable telescopic elements 40b, 40c is pushed downwards and upwards in order to thus move the telescopic elements 40a, 40b, 40c relative to one another and to change the overall length of the table legs 26.

The threaded spindle 42 is coupled at its upper end to a gear 46, which is arranged in a lateral end region of the cross member 28 or alternatively in an upper end region of the table leg 26. Also coupled to this gear 46 is the drive shaft 48, which is driven by the motor 16 in or on the cross member 28. The drive shaft 48 runs over the entire length of the cross member 28 and is designed, for example, as a hexagonal shaft. In an alternative embodiment, the drive shaft 48 can also be designed in two parts, in which case both parts are then driven synchronously by the motor 16. The gear 46 is, for example, a spur gear or a planetary gear, which transmits the rotation of the horizontally running drive shaft 48 into a rotation of the vertically running threaded spindle 42.

In order to achieve a uniform length adjustment of all existing table legs 26 of the table configuration of Figure 3 by the two motors 16, the motors 16 and/or the height adjustment units (drive element 42, gear 46) are equipped with a measuring device (not shown) for the actual adjustment path, which is determined by

the control is effected by the common control 18. This can prevent one side of the table or worktop 10, which is for example subject to greater load, from experiencing a smaller elevation than the other side of the table or worktop 10. Using these measuring devices, it is also possible for the control 18 to detect the end of the adjustment path of the table legs 26 and to approach this slowly in order to avoid damage to the telescopic elements or the height adjustment unit.

With the base frame for a table or worktop according to the invention shown in the accompanying drawings and described above, an electromotive height adjustment of a table configuration can be achieved which requires a relatively small number of motors and can therefore be operated by a common, inexpensive standard control. In addition, the structure of the side brackets ensures a simple mechanical transmission of power from the drive shaft driven by the motor to the height adjustment unit of the table legs.

REFERENCE LIST OF CHARACTERISTICS

10 Table or worktop

12 side brackets

14 Single table leg

16 Engine

18 Control

20 Control panel

22 Controls

24 Support frames

26 table legs

28 cross members

30 Mounting flange

32 longitudinal struts of 24

34 cross braces of 24

36 rolling elements

38 Stand
40a, 40b, 40c Telescopic elements (round tubes)

42 Drive element (threaded spindle)

44 Pipe

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Claims (16)

1. Side bracket (12) of a base frame, with two table legs (26) and a cross member (28) connecting the two table legs in their upper end region, the two table legs each having a plurality of telescopic elements (40a, 40b, 40c) which can be axially displaced into one another in a telescopic manner for adjusting the length of the table legs, and a drive element (42) for axially displacing the telescopic elements relative to one another, characterized in that a motor (16) is provided in or on the cross member (28), which drives a drive shaft (48) running in the cross member over its entire length; and that a gear (46) is arranged in each of the two end regions of the cross member (28) for synchronously transmitting the drive force of the drive shaft (48) driven by the motor (16) to the drive elements (42) of the two table legs (26). 2. Side bar according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross member (28) has a free space in its interior in which the motor (16) is accommodated. 3. Side bar according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gears (46) are spur gears or planetary gears. 4. Side bar according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drive shaft (48) driven by the motor (16) is a hexagonal shaft. 5. Side bar according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drive shaft (48) driven by the motor (16) is divided into two parts, both parts of the drive shaft being driven synchronously. 6. Side bracket according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drive elements (42) of the table legs (26) contain threaded spindles. 7. Side bracket according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the table legs (26) have two or three telescopic elements (40a, 40b, 40c) which can be axially displaced into one another. 8. Side bracket according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the two table legs (26) run substantially perpendicular to the cross member (28) and parallel to each other. 9. Side bracket according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the two table legs (26) extend at an angle other than 90° to the cross member (28), so that their mutual distance at their end facing the cross member is smaller than at their end facing away from the cross member; and that at least one of the two table legs (26) has a rolling body (36) at its end facing away from the cross member (28). 10. Base frame for a table or worktop (10), with at least one side bracket (12) according to one of claims 1 to 9. 11. Underframe according to claim 10, characterized in that the underframe has a side bracket (12) according to one of claims 1 to 8 and at least one further side bracket (12) according to one of claims 1 to 8 and/or at least one individual table leg (14), wherein the individual table leg also has a plurality of telescopically axially interchangeable telescopic elements for length adjustment and a drive element driven by a motor for axially displacing the telescopic elements relative to one another. 12. Underframe according to claim 11, characterized in that all motors of the side brackets (12) and individual table legs (14) are controlled via a common control (18). 13. Base frame according to claim 12, characterized in that the control (18) controls all motors of the side brackets (12) and individual table legs (14) such that their length adjustments are synchronized. 14. Underframe according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the side brackets (12) and individual table legs (14) are connected to one another via one or more support frames (24) on which a table or worktop (10) can be mounted. 15. Table configuration, with one or more table or worktops (10) mounted on a base according to one of claims 10 to 14. 16. Table configuration according to claim 15, wherein the table or worktops (10) are arranged or formed at an angle.