EP1723874A1

EP1723874A1 - Lectern-table which can be coupled to an auxiliary piece of furniture

Info

Publication number: EP1723874A1
Application number: EP05012051A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jose Pardo Herrera
Original assignee: INDUSTRIAS HIDRAULICAS PARDO SA
Current assignee: INDUSTRIAS HIDRAULICAS PARDO SA
Priority date: 2005-05-20
Filing date: 2005-05-20
Publication date: 2006-11-22

Abstract

A structure that is particularly designed to be coupled for example to a hospital bedside table, made up of a frame (1) on which the bedside table (4) is housed, having a pair of telescopic arms (5) and (6) to adjust the height with the aid of the handle (13), being provided with a cylinder (15) which allows 360° rotation of the table, as well as with a mechanism having notches (25) and which allows, by means of the action of a handle (28), another 360° movement of the table which may be anchored every 90°, the assembly being complemented by another mechanism operated by means of a handle (37) which allows, with the aid of notches (42), adjusting the inclination of the board (34), thus being able to be used as a lectern in those cases in which it is necessary, the table thereby having a great versatility of uses, adaptations and applications.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a lectern-table, especially designed for its lateral coupling to an auxiliary piece of furniture, such as bedside tables or the like which are normally used in hospitals, residences or any other place, such that it constitutes a table or support surface, or rather a lectern, said structure being folded in an inoperative situation.
The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a new type of table which may be easily coupled to an auxiliary piece of furniture, having a great mobility regarding the possible positions for application, without having to modify its structure, which provides it with a great versatility of uses, adaptations and applications, as well as providing the assembly with a greater stability than that of tables of this type currently existing on the market.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is frequent that in hospitals, residences and other centres of similar characteristics there are tables or bedside tables arranged near the beds which, due to the features of their structure, do not allow their use, for example, for reading or eating, given that they are fairly uncomfortable because they do not allow the user thereof to place him or herself correctly therein, it must further be stressed that they do not offer the possibility of extending over the bed, if the case so requires, which is fairly frequent in this type of facilities where the patients must remain bed-ridden.
In order to solve these problems, Utility Model 9300431 describes an auxiliary table for hospitals which is structured in order to be laterally coupled to a bedside table, of the type which patient rooms in this type of centres usually have, such that this auxiliary table is provided with a fixed frame through which it is laterally coupled to the bedside table, becoming incorporated thereto, but with the possibility that the board constituting the table may be folded in an inoperative situation, or unfolded when used, further allowing to adjust the height of said board, according to different needs.
In the auxiliary structure, it is the frame that allows coupling or assembling on the side of the bedside table, and arranged on it is another mobile frame which shifts in an upward and downward direction, and on which the corresponding board is fixed with the capacity to be folded and unfolded.
Both the operating system as well as the mechanisms to carry out the normal lifting and lowering of the frame, as well as the folding and unfolding of the board, are complex, noisy and even work badly in the lifting or shifting of the mobile frame, independently from requiring both hands of the user in order to carry out the different operations for actuating the table. In any case, the extendable board offers little stability, causing the overturning of the assembly with a minimum pressure exerted on the free end of said board, which would spill everything placed on it.
Utility Model 200100353 discloses another type of folding table which is adjustable in height and connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture, in which the lifting or lowering of the mobile frame is carried out through guides formed by vertical rods by means of the operation of a gas cylinder, whereas the folding and unfolding of the board is performed by simply pulling upwardly and outwardly.
In this manner an auxiliary table is obtained which once laterally coupled to, for example, a bedside table of the type mentioned above, and the board is extended in a horizontal or operative position, will always be found on the same side of said bedside table, without the possibility of changing the position thereof with respect to the latter.
Furthermore, the only adjusting possibility offered by this type of tables is the height of the board, adapting it to the needs at all times, given that it is otherwise either vertically folded, in an inoperative position or rather horizontal in an operative position, without the possibility of adopting intermediate situations.
These are generally structures which are difficult to couple to the auxiliary piece of furniture and which offer little stability when used as support surfaces by the users and with few possibilities of adjustment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture proposed by the invention resolves in a fully satisfactory manner the problems set forth above, in the different aspects mentioned, given that it is a table of the type mentioned above, easily applicable to any type of auxiliary furniture, such as a bedside table of the type used in hospitals, or any other used for domestic tasks, having great mobility regarding its working positions, apart from being adjustable in height, which provides it with great versatility in uses, adaptations and applications thereof.
More specifically, the lectern-table proposed by the invention is made up of a frame or base support in which a series of support wheels may be coupled, and on which the auxiliary table shall be arranged, appropriately fixed to said surface by suitable means, such as through holes, nuts, lugs or any other type of equivalent solution, and which allows to easily fix any type of auxiliary table to said frame.
A pair of telescopic arms is fixed solidly to said frame or base support, materialized in tubular profiles of any section, one of said arms being fixed with respect to the other, which shifts telescopically within it. The assembly is provided with a sleeve made of a material such as nylon, rubber or the like, which facilitates said shifting and prevents possible interlocking.
Joined to the mobile telescopic arm, with the interposition of different elements, is the board or sheet of appropriate material and configuration for the use to which it is intended. Said board constitutes the table or lectern itself, which will serve as a support surface. In the area where it is joined with the telescopic arm, it is provided with different means and mechanisms which shall provide the board with the capability of performing different rotations and turns, providing the assembly with a great number of possibilities for adjusting and adapting the board to different positions with respect to the auxiliary piece of furniture.
One of these possibilities is the height of the board, for which the telescopic arms have a pneumatic or hydraulic self-locking gas cylinder which allows locking the telescopic arms at different heights, and which is anchored underneath the fixed telescopic arm by suitable means. This type of self-locking cylinders have on their upper end a rod ending in a lug, connected to a manually operable element, and which allows to lock and unlock the self-locking cylinder, to thus cause the lifting of the mobile telescopic arm or the locking thereof at any height.
A sleeve is provided in the upper end of the mobile telescopic arm which allows the turning of a cylinder within it, said cylinder being provided with a groove such that by means of appropriate screws, lugs, pins or the like, they will prevent the extraction or sinking of this cylinder with respect to the telescopic arm. The assembly is thus able to rotate 360 degrees with respect to the shaft of said cylinder, which in turn allows the board to rotate and acquire different positions with respect to the auxiliary bedside table.
A tubular profile is appropriately coupled to the aforementioned cylinder, inside which another cylinder is arranged with rotating capability, between which cylinders there may optionally be sleeves to facilitate rotation of one with respect to the other. This tubular profile has a spring which is retained by one or more washers which are fixed to the inner cylinder, stretching it. Said tubular profile also has on its opposite end and appropriately fixed thereto, grooves or recesses where the corresponding notches or projections of a circular sector appropriately fixed to a rod to which the inner cylinder of the tubular profile is also fixed, interact, such that the assembly configures a type of ball socket.
In the resting or lowered table position the notches are kept in a stable position inside the recesses, a position which is easily disengaged by simply pulling the board upwards, thus allowing to rotate the assembly formed by the inner cylinder of the tubular profile, the circular sector with the notches and the rod which is transversal to both, with respect to the tubular profile which shall remain fixed. The board or table is thus raised until reaching the horizontal position in which the notches would again fit in the recesses, remaining in this stable position until the handle is actuated, which levers against a shaft that presses the aforementioned rod, allowing the table to return to its resting or lowered position.
The system may have a series of external sleeves which, as well as preventing possible accidents with these mechanisms on the part of the user, act as trims, providing a certain aesthetic appearance to the assembly, without the shape thereof affecting the invention.
The capability of a 360° rotation of this type of ball socket, which may be anchored every 90°, has special relevance so that the table can be arranged to the left or right side of the auxiliary piece of furniture, in order to be able to bring the board out by turning forward. Furthermore, given the great versatility that these movements allow, the patient may eat sitting on the side of the bed, a feature which was not possible with previous models unless the entire assembly, including the table, was rotated.
The table of the invention also offers the possibility that the board may rotate 360°, so that it may be locked in any position, allowing for the adjustment of the inclination of the table, thus being applicable as a lectern, which is a very useful feature, for example, when the user means to read in bed.
To this end, another tubular profile with rotating capability is coupled to the previously described rod, extending until it serves as a base for the frame on which the board constituting the lectern-table is fixed. The tubular profile extends into another one which has a handle joined to a rod, which when actuated acts upon a spring causing the uncoupling of the notches made both on the rod and on the tubular profile, which allows it to rotate, returning to its engagement position when the handle is released. A plurality of positions is thereby allowed with respect to the inclination of the board.
Said lectern-table has the advantage that it is easily disassembled from the base structure on which it is supported, which greatly facilitates the cleaning and/or replacement thereof.
In those cases in which the lectern-table will be used exclusively as a lectern, and for the purpose of increasing stability and safety of use, the rotational movement with respect to the shaft of the cylinder shifting inside the mobile telescopic arm is locked, such that the board is always in the same orientation as the frame or base support.
Optionally, besides the previous rotating restriction, the possibility of rotating the tubular profile and the circular sector may also be eliminated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to complement the description that is being made and for the purpose of aiding towards a better understanding of the features of the invention, according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is enclosed as an integral part of said description in which the following is represented in an illustrative and non-limiting manner:

Figure 1 shows a side perspective view of the auxiliary piece of furniture with the coupled table proposed by the invention in an inoperative position, i.e. with the board folded on one of the sides of the auxiliary table.
Figure 2 shows another perspective view similar to the previous one, but with the board unfolded, specifically in an inclined position, in order to be used as a lectern.
Figure 3 shows an elevational view of the assembly formed by the bedside table and the auxiliary table shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the lectern-table proposed by the invention, without being coupled to any auxiliary piece of furniture and with the board arranged in a horizontal position.
Figure 5 shows an elevational view of a detail of a section corresponding to the operating mechanisms of the different movements that the table proposed by the invention has.
Figure 6 shows a detailed schematic view of the mechanism providing the rotational movement of the board, with the ball socket in a resting position.
Figure 7 shows the detail shown in the previous figure but with the ball socket locked at 90° or 180°.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the described figures it may be observed how the lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture proposed by the invention is made up of a U-shaped frame or base support (1), provided with wheels (2), specifically four in the preferred embodiment, arranged at the ends of the arms of said frame (1), appropriately fixed thereto, such that they act as support elements while at the same time providing it with the required mobility. Said support is provided with fixing means (3) for its coupling to the auxiliary piece of furniture (4), materialised as through holes, nuts, lugs or any other equivalent solution that allows easily fixing any type of auxiliary table (4) to said frame (1).
Coupled to this base support or frame (1), centrally protruding from the central arm of the "U", there is a tubular profile (5) of any tubular section which allows the shifting of another tubular profile (6) opposite to it, forming a pair of telescopic arms, a fixed one referenced as (5) and the other one mobile (6). In order to facilitate this telescopic shifting between both arms and thus preventing any possible interlocking of the system, the assembly is provided with at least one sleeve (7) manufactured in any material that facilitates said shifting, such as, for example, nylon or rubber. Said sleeve (7) is arranged on the upper end of the fixed telescopic arm (5), as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, although it could optionally have another internal one.
In order to allow locking both telescopic arms (5) and (6), adjusting them to different heights, the system has a pneumatic or hydraulic self-locking gas cylinder inside both arms (5) and (6) and fixed at its lower end by any conventional means, such as by means of screws (8), to the fixed arm (5).
This gas cylinder or self-locking cylinder is provided with a rod (9) on the end of which there is a lug (10), which when pressed releases the lock, causing the extraction of said rod (9), unless a greater force is applied upon it in the opposite direction. Therefore, as can be seen in Figure 5, the end of the rod (9) is fixed to a piece (11), which is in turn suitably fixed to the mobile telescopic arm (6), at a point (12) such that it transmits the thrust caused by the gas cylinder to this arm (6).
The lug (10) at the end of the rod (9) is coupled on a groove made on the operating handle (13), said handle (13) being provided to act on the self-locking cylinder. Thus, when pressing on the handle (13), moving it downwards, it levers against the part (11) pressing upon the lug (10), thereby releasing the cylinder lock, allowing lifting the telescopic arm (6) or lowering it if a greater force is exerted that is contrary to the thrust of the cylinder, the assembly being locked again when the handle (13) is released once the desired height has been reached. The handle (13) is accessible to the user, outwardly projecting through a hole made for that purpose in the mobile telescopic arm (6).
Arranged on the end of said arm (6) is a sleeve (14) allowing rotation of a cylinder (15) therein, the 360° adjustment of the position with respect to the shaft of said cylinder (15) being possible, being provided with grooving (16) which, by means of suitable screws (17) or rather with the aid of lugs, pins, lugged nuts or any such elements, prevents the extraction or sinking of the cylinder (15) with respect to the telescopic arm (6), being locked in the desired position by said means.
Perpendicularly and appropriately coupled to this cylinder (15) there is a cylindrical tubular profile (18), inside which another cylinder (19) with rotating capability is coaxially housed, between which sleeves (20-20') are optionally arranged so as to facilitate rotational turning of one with respect to the other.
A spring (21) is arranged in the back area of the tubular profile (18), retained by one or more washers (22) fixed by means of the screw (23) to the cylinder (19), exerting a stretching force upon it.
Furthermore, said tubular profile (18) has, on the end opposite to the spring (21), recesses or grooves (24), seen in Figures 6 and 7, which in the case of the preferred embodiment are four in number, two lateral slightly projecting ones and another two, upper and lower, much more pronounced ones, where respective notches or projections (25) of a circular sector (26), appropriately fixed to the rod (27) perpendicular to it, interact. The aforementioned cylinder (19) is coupled to said rod (27), the assembly configuring a type of ball socket. Both the notches (25) as well as the recesses (24) may be of any configuration that allows anchoring thereof.
In the resting position, that is, when the table is inoperative, the longer notches (25) are coupled in the recesses (24) of lesser depth, as represented in Figure 6, tending to keep this position stable, but at the same time is easily disengaged by simply pulling the table upwards, given that the coupling is very weak, allowing the rotation of the assembly formed by the cylinder (19), the circular sector (26) and the rod (27), with respect to the tubular profile (18). When separating the circular sector (26) from the tubular profile (18) the rotation of the table is allowed, being able to raise it until it reaches the horizontal position, the latter shown in Figure 7, in which the four notches (25) fit in their corresponding recesses (24), the assembly remaining in a very stable position which is only released by the action of the handle (28). This operating handle (28) levers against a shaft (29) of the cylinder (15), which in turn pushes the rod (27), thus allowing the table to return to its resting position. Due to this mechanism, the assembly is provided with a 360° rotating ability which may be fixed at every 90° due to the four anchoring possibilities of the notches (25) in the recesses (24).
This system that allows arranging the table has a series of external sleeves (30-30'-30'') which besides acting as protection means against possible accidents on the part of the user, are trims that provide the assembly with a certain aesthetic appearance.
According to that previously set forth, the normal operation of the invention, starting from the resting position, the table lowered and telescopic arm (6) retracted, would be to pull the table forward until reaching the horizontal position, to then act on the handle (13) until reaching the desired height, then rotating the table towards the bed (except in the case that the patient is sitting on the edge of the bed), to finally arrange the table in the appropriate inclination for the activity to perform.
To perform this last movement, which also offers a 360° rotating capability, the rod (27) is traversed, with rotating capability, by another tubular profile (35), a sleeve (32) being optionally coupled between them in order to facilitate movement, which extends to serve as the base of the frame (33) appropriately coupled thereto. The frame (33) on which the board or plate (34) is housed which shall make up the table or lectern itself, appropriately fixed to the frame (33) in a removable manner with the aid of clips that will hold the board to its base through the holes (43) made therein. Projecting from one end of the tubular profile (35) is a rod (36) on which a handle (37) is applied such that when it is actuated it pulls with its movement the rod (36) which in turn moves a screw (38) against the action of a spring (39) fixed to a pin (40) arranged on the opposite end of the tubular profile (35).
The screw (38) traverses the tubular profile (35) through grooves performed such as to allow a linear shifting, at the same time passing through holes in the tubular sector (31) to which it is fixed such as to pull it in its linear movement. To facilitate said linear shifting between both elements, the tubular sector (31) may be provided with a sleeve (41).
The perimetral contact surfaces between the rod (27) and the tubular sector (31) are provided with a series of notches (42) which allow their engagement when the handle (37) is released, allowing different adjustment positions regarding inclination of the board (34) of the table, being usable as a lectern, as represented in Figure 2.
According to another embodiment of the invention, in those cases in which the lectern-table proposed by the invention is going to be used only as a lectern, that is, with the board (34) in an inclined position and for the purpose of increasing the safety of use, the rotational movement that the assembly with respect to the shaft of the cylinder (15) is locked, such that the board (34) will always have the same orientation as the frame (1).
Finally, and according to another embodiment of the invention, besides eliminating the rotating capability with respect to the shaft (15), as described earlier, the movement generated by the tubular profile (18) and the circular sector (26) is also eliminated, the assembly remaining as can be seen in Figure 4.

Claims

A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture, especially designed to be coupled to a bedside table, for example that of a hospital, although it may also be used for domestic tasks, characterised in that it is made up of a base support or frame (1) on which the bedside table (4) is fixed by suitable means (3), said support (1) being provided with a pair of telescopic arms (5) and (6) moved by a self-locking cylinder arranged inside it, which allows adjusting the height of the table, being provided that on the upper end of said mobile arm (6) a sleeve (14) is coaxially coupled which, along with suitable mechanisms allows the rotation of the lectern-table with respect to the shaft of said sleeve (14), the assembly having another shaft (18) perpendicular to that previously mentioned, finished off in a type of ball socket for the rotation of the assembly, such that with it the table is arranged in working or lowered position in an inoperative situation, it having been provided that the system is complemented with a mechanism allowing the adjustment of the inclination of the board (34) so that it adopts the position that the user believes most appropriate for his or her use, all the systems being provided with rotation and adjustment, with suitable locking means for fixing the position of said table.
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterised in that the frame (1) is provided with a series of wheels (2), preferably four, which allow the assembly formed by the lectern-table and the auxiliary piece of furniture to be moved.
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterised in that inside the sleeve (14) a cylinder (15) coaxially rotates, for which it has grooves (16) that can be locked by means of suitable screws (17), lugs, pins or the like, further preventing the extraction or sinking of the cylinder (15) with respect to the telescopic arm (6).
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that the cylindrical tubular profile (18) internally houses another cylinder (19) which coaxially rotates and is operated by means of a handle (28) acting on a spring (21), which causes the decoupling of notches (25) made in a circular sector (26) from the recesses (24) provided in the tubular sector (18), allowing rotation of the assembly formed by the cylinder (19), the circular sector (26) and the rod (27) perpendicular to theme, with respect to the shaft (18).
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to claim 4, characterised in that the spring (21) is retained by one or more washers (22) which are fixed by means of a screw (23) to the cylinder (19), stretching the same.
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that the mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the board (34) is made up of a cylindrical tubular profile (35) inside the rod (27) with rotating capability, which extends to serve as the base of the frame (33) on which the board (34) is arranged, a mechanism which is operated by a handle (37) actin on a rod (36) which is coaxial to a cylindrical tubular profile (35), which in turn shifts the screw (38) against the action of a spring (39) fixed to a pin (40), thus allowing the decoupling of the notches (42), which act as locking means, and thus the adjustment of the inclination of the board (34).
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to claim 5, characterised in that the screw (38) traverses the tubular profile (35) through grooves made so as to allow linear shifting, passing at the same time through holes made in the tubular sector (31) to which it is fixed to transmit the linear movement thereto.
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that the telescopic arms (5) and (6), the cylinder (15) and the tubular profile (18) or the rod (27) and the tubular profile (31) are provided with respective sleeves (7), (14), (20), (20'), (32) and (41) made of materials such as nylon, rubber or the like which facilitate the movements and rotations between the different elements.
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that it has a series of outer sleeves (30-30'-30'') covering the rotating areas which may involve an accident hazard for the user, while at the same time acting as system trims.
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that said self-locking cylinder is provided with a rod (9) the end of which is appropriately fixed to the mobile telescopic arm (6) at a point (12) such that it transmits the thrust caused by the self-locking cylinder to this arm (6).
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that the end of said rod (9) incorporates a lug (10) which is coupled in a grooving performed to that end in an operating handle (13).
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to previous claims, characterised in that the rotating movement with respect to the cylinder (15) is optionally locked, the board (34) thus having the same orientation as the frame (1).
A lectern-table connectable to an auxiliary piece of furniture according to claim 12, characterised in that as well as restricting the rotational movement of the cylinder (15), the rotating capability of the tubular profile (18) and the circular sector (26) is also eliminated.