GB2423013A

GB2423013A - Swivel Table

Info

Publication number: GB2423013A
Application number: GB0602480A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Brandl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-02-09
Filing date: 2006-02-08
Publication date: 2006-08-16
Also published as: GB2423011A; GB0602480D0; GB0502669D0

Abstract

A position adjustable table has a base 10 secured under a sofa 23 or similar seat by means of a jacking mechanism 13 or by a counter balance. The base 10 is provided with a bearing that allows the arm to rotate freely around 360{ and on which a tabletop is mounted by means of adjustable clamping blocks and including a pivot assembly that allows optimum positioning of the table. Additional attachments such as a cup holder or table extension can be mounted onto the tabletop. Simply pulling the arm out of the bearing and rotating the top around the arm can disassemble the whole table.

Description

POSITION ADJUSTABLE TABLES

DESCRIPTION

Technical Field

This invention relates to position adjustable tables and, in particular, to such tables that can be readily assembled to provide a portable laptop/utility table having a tabletop plate that can swivel.

Background

A number of position adjustable tables have been suggested in the past and examples include those described in US-3717375, FR-2717663, GB-158781, US-6615744, US- 5606917 and US-5606918. Each of these proposals is difficult to assemble and/or disassemble, is not sufficiently adjustable for multi-person use (e.g. in association with a 2-seat sofa), and is not particularly suitable for actually doing some work on a so- called laptop computer supported by the table whilst the computer user is sitting on a sofa or similar seating.

Summary of the Invention

* ** According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a position adjustable table :: for use in conjunction with seating (e.g. a sofa, armchair or bed) having a support structure for the human body, said position adjustable table comprising: *: s: a base unit providing a frame of generally rectangular outline for insertion and removal in a fore-and-aft direction beneath the support structure, ajacking mechanism comprising a bar extending in said fore-and- aft direction and *::: : mounted on said base frame for elevation into engagement of the underside of the *:: : :* seating's support structure to clamp the base unit between the seating's support structure and the floor or other surface upon which the base unit stands, a swivel unit mounted on the base frame to project upwards therefrom, for arcuate motion about a vertical axis and having a topmost portion directed generally horizontally, height adjustment means associated with the swivel unit to adjust the extent of said upward projection, and a tabletop mounted on the generally horizontal topmost portion by orientation adjustment means permitting adjustment of the orientation of the tabletop in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

Preferably the swivel unit comprises a lower vertical arm, an intermediate arm extending from the top of the lower arm and inclined to the horizontal plane, and an upper arm extending generally horizontally from the top of the intermediate arm and constituting said topmost portion of the swivel unit.

Advantageously, the height adjustment means is provided by two mutually telescoping portions of the intermediate arm and by clamping means to clamp said mutually telescoping portions to one another in a desired effective length position.

Preferably the vertical arm is rotatably mounted in a tubular socket upstanding from the base unit and fixed thereto.

Optionally, the intermediate arm may also be inclined to the vertical plane.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a position adjustable :: : table for use in conjunction with a sofa, armchair or bed having a support structure for *s..

the human body, said position adjustable table comprising: * , a base unit for insertion beneath the support structure; a swivel unit mounted on the base frame to project upwardly therefrom beside or in front of the support structure, said swivel unit comprising a lower vertical arm *::: : mounted upon the base unit for arcuate motion about a vertical axis, an intermediate * ** arm extending from the top of the lower arm and inclined to the horizontal plane, and a...

an upper arm extending generally horizontally from the top of the intermediate arm; and a tabletop mounted on the upper arm.

Preferably the vertical arm is rotatably mounted in an elongated tubular socket upstanding from and fixed to the base unit.

Advantageously the intermediate arm comprises two mutually telescoping portions for adjusting the effective length of the intermediate ann, clamping means being provided to clamp said portions to one another in a desired effective length position.

Preferably the tabletop is mounted on the upper arm by orientation adjustment means permitting adjustment of the orientation of the tabletop in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

Advantageously the base unit has a jacking mechanism associated therewith, this mechanism including an elongate bar to engage the underside of the support structure when the jacking mechanism is operated to elevate the bar and thereby clamp the base unit between the support structure and the floor (or other surface upon which the base unit stands).

In one embodiment of the present invention, the position adjustable table comprises a base secured under the seating, e.g. a sofa, by means of a jacking mechanism or a counter balance. A single arm swivels in a bearing provided in the base, and a tabletop is mounted on the arm by adjustable blocks and pivot means that allow movement of * : .. the tabletop in both horizontal and vertical planes. This allows the user to provide a...

*. *.. optimum adjustment of the tabletop for a comfortable working position. a. a

: 25 Optionally, additional attachments are provided for, removable mounting onto the table (particularly the tabletop), examples including a cup holder and a table extension. a a

Brief Description of the Drawings S...

By way of example embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a position adjustable table according to this invention with a base unit located under a sofa, Figure 2 illustrates a jack-up mechanism of the position adjustable table of Fig 1 and securing the base under the sofa, and also illustrates the rotation of the tabletop in vertical plane, Figure 3 illustrates two mutually telescoping portions of the position adjustable table of Fig 1 used for height adjustment of the table, Figure 4 illustrates movement in the horizontal plane of the tabletop of the position adjustable table of Fig I and also illustrates two optional attachments, namely a cup holder and a tabletop extension, Figure 5 illustrates an alternative construction for the frame unit of the position adjustable table of Fig 1 in which the tubular base frame is replaced by one made from solid material.

Figure 6 is a schematic arrangement illustrating assembly of parts of the table of Fig 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a laptop computer mounted on the table of Fig 1, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative jacking mechanism for a position adjustable table according to this invention.

Detailed Description of Example(s) of the Invention The illustrated position adjustable table is for use in conjunction with a support structure 23 for a seated or reclining human body, e.g. seating such as a chair, sofa, * :. armchair, or a couch or a bed, the support structure having legs, feet or the like that * provide a space between the main body of the support structure and the floor or other : support surface upon which the support structure stands. 25

Essentially, the illustrated position adjustable table comprises: 1. a base unit 10 for insertion into the space beneath the main body of the support a' structure; a. as 2. a swivel unit 11 mounted on the base unit 10 to project upwardly from the base unit beside or in front of the seating's support structure 23, and to swivel between an in-use position and an out-of-use position which permits a person seated or reclining on the support structure 23 to rise substantially unimpeded, and 3. a tabletop 12 mounted on top of the swivel unit 11 by orientation adjustment means permitting adjustment of the orientation of the tabletop 12 in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

The swivel unit 11 comprises a lower vertical arm 31 mounted upon the base unit 10 for arcuate motion about a vertical axis, an intermediate arm 32 extending from the top of the lower arm 31 and inclined to the horizontal plane (at an angle other than zero or 90 ) and preferably at an angle of 600, and an upper arm 33 extending generally horizontally from the top of the intermediate arm 32.

The lower vertical arm 31 is rotatably mounted in an elongated tubular socket 30 upstanding from and fixed to the base unit 10 to permit rotation of the swivel unit 11 through 360 , two diametrically opposite positions for the swivel unit 11 - permitted by the rotatable mounting of its lower arm 31 in tubular socket 30 - being shown in Fig 1. For this, the lower arm 31 is provided with a pair of plastic collars 34 that are spaced apart longitidinally of the lower arm 31 and fit closely within the elongated tubular socket 30 (see Figs 6 and 8). The swivel unit 11 is thus freely mounted on the base 10 in the bearing provided by the collars 34 and allowing 360 swivelling about the vertical axis of the elongated tubular socket 30 - as indicated by arrow 14 (Fig 1) - in order to allow an optimum working position to be adopted and facilitate the user's unimpeded entry and exit (i.e. getting up) from the support structure 23 by swivelling of the table out of the way. * ,* s.s.

The intermediate arm 32 comprises two mutually telescoping portions 35,36 for adjusting the effective length of the intermediate arm, clamping means comprising a lever-operated locking screw 15 being provided to clamp said portions 35,36 to one another in a desired effective length position. The height of the table can thus be * : adjusted as indicated by arrow 16 (Fig 3).

The tabletop 12 comprises a plate mounted on the generally horizontal upper arm 33 by orientation adjustment means 38 which permit adjustment of the orientation of the tabletop 12 in both the vertical and horizontal planes. For this, a bar 39 is mounted pivotally on an axle 18 from the underside of the plate so as to be rotatable in a plane parallel to the plate (see Fig 6), the ends of the bar being each provided with a pair of adjustable clamping blocks 17 that engage tightly but slidingly the horizontal upper arm 33 of the swivel unit 11. This sliding engagement allows the plate to pivot in the vertical plane about the axis of the generally horizontal upper arm 33 thereby to vary its inclination to that vertical plane - as shown by arrow 19 (Fig 2). In addition, the pivotal mounting of the bar 39 allows the plate's angular attitude in the horizontal plane also to be varied - as shown by arrow 20 (Fig 4). This combination of possible movements allows for a comfortable and/or ergonomic working position to be achieved.

As best shown in Figs 1 and 2, the base unit 10 has a jacking mechanism 13 associated therewith. This mechanism includes an elongate bar 37 which, when the jacking mechanism 13 is operated to elevate the bar 37, engages the underside of the support * structure's main body 23 and thereby clamps the base unit 10 between said underside * : 15 and the floor (or other surface upon which the base unit stands). This ensures a secure SI..

* ***. fixing of the base unit 10 under the support structure's main body 23. This is best * : s * shown in Fig 8 which illustrates an alternative, scissors-action jacking mechanism 43 having a bar 47 to engage the underneath surface of the front board of the sofa 23 as the scissors action of the jacking mechanism 43 is activated by rotation of a screw rod : 20 44. The latter is provided with left hand and right hand screw threads 41,42 at its 5*. opposite ends and has a hexagonal blind bore 46 at one end to receive an Allen key (not S...

shown) to effect rotation of rod 44 about its axis.

The base unit 10 may be provided with fixed feet 25 or these may be replaced by castors for easy movement of the table.

Optionally, the tabletop is provided with mounting points for additional attachments such as a cup holder 21 and/or table extension 22 (see Figs 3 and 4).

An alternative arrangement to the tubular frame-like construction for the base unit 10 is by fabricating it as a solid material base 24 (Fig 5) This can be of sufficient weight such as to serve as a counter balance and potentially render use of the jacking mechanism 13, 43 unnecessary. A similar effect can be achieved by retaining the illustrated tubular framelike construction for the base unit 10 but mounting thereon one or more rectangular weighted panels that have projecting flanges to rest upon the frame with the body of the panels nested within the frame contour.

Figure 7 illustrates how a laptop computer can be clamped to the perforated tabletop by bolts extending through spaced apart perforations, eccentric discs at the top of the bolts engaging clampingly the top of the laptop computer.

When not in use the table can be easily disassembled by rotating the table into a vertical position and withdrawing the swivel unit from the bearing 30 of the base unit 10.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the * ** invention, and the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described may be varied in :: 15 construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different * 0S features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought. o.. * I S

IS S IS.,

S S * III

Claims

1. A position adjustable table for use in conjunction with a support structure for a seated or reclining human body, e.g. seating such as a chair, sofa, armchair, or a couch or a bed, which support structure has a space therebeneath, said position adjustable table comprising: a base unit for insertion beneath the support structure, a swivel unit mounted on the base frame to project upwards therefrom, beside or in front of the support structure, said swivel unit comprising a lower vertical arm mounted upon the base unit for arcuate motion about a vertical axis, an intermediate arm extending from the top of the lower arm and inclined to the horizontal plane, and an upper arm extending generally horizontally from the top of the intermediate arm, and : *. a tabletop mounted on the upper arm. S... S.'. * S

S... . . . .

2. A table according to Claim I wherein the vertical arm is rotatably mounted in an * : * elongated tubular socket upstanding from and fixed to the base unit.

3. A table according to Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the intermediate arm comprises S..

a' 20 two mutually telescoping portions for adjusting the effective length of the *5*M ** intermediate arm, clamping means being provided to clamp said portions to one another in a desired effective length position.

4. A table according to any preceding Claims wherein the tabletop is mounted on the upper arm by orientation adjustment means permitting adjustment of the orientation of the tabletop in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

5. A table according to Claim 4 wherein the orientation adjustment means comprises a bar mounted pivotally to the underside of the tabletop, and clamping blocks on said bar to clasp the said upper arm.

6. A table according to any preceding Claim wherein the base unit has a jacking mechanism associated therewith, said mechanism including an elongate bar to engage the underside of the support structure when the jacking mechanism is operated to elevate the bar and thereby to clamp the base unit between the support structure and the floor (or other surface upon which the base unit stands).

7. A position adjustable table for use in conjunction with a support structure for a seated or reclining human body, e.g. seating such as a chair, sofa, armchair, or a couch or a bed, which support structure has a space therebeneath, said position adjustable table comprising: a base unit providing a frame of generally rectangular outline for insertion and removal in a fore-and-aft direction beneath the support structure, ajacking mechanism comprising a bar extending in said fore-and-aft direction : * and mounted on said base frame for elevation into engagement of the underside of S...

a * ** 15 the seating's support structure to clamp the base unit between the seating's support *S..

structure and the floor or other surface upon which the base unit stands, * : a a swivel unit mounted on the base frame to project upwards therefrom, for arcuate motion about a vertical axis, and having a topmost portion directed a generally horizontally, * a 20 height adjustment means associated with the swivel unit to adjust the extent *S.a of said upward projection, and a tabletop mounted on the generally horizontal topmost portion by orientation adjustment means permitting adjustment of the orientation of the tabletop in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

8. A table according to Claim 7, wherein the swivel unit comprises a lower vertical arm, an intermediate arm extending from the top of the lower arm and inclined to the horizontal plane, and an upper arm extending generally horizontally from the top of the intermediate arm and constituting said topmost portion of the swivel unit.

9. A table according to Claim 8, wherein the height adjustment means is provided by two mutually telescoping portions of the intermediate arm and by clamping means to clamp said mutually telescoping portions to one another in a desired effective length position.

10. A table according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the vertical arm is rotatably mounted in a tubular socket upstanding from and fixed to the base unit.

11. A table according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 or to any one of Claims 8 to 10, wherein the intermediate arm is also inclined to the vertical plane.

12. A position adjustable table substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in Figs 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A table according to Claim 12 as modified by the description references to andlor *.. illustrations of Figs 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

*... 15 S.,. S. S * S S * S. *SS * . S * S... S * SS*