U.S. patent application number 11/824532 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-24 for task oriented workstation with adjustable supports and variable assist pulley.
Invention is credited to Craig Dye.
Application Number | 20080018211 11/824532 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38970773 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080018211 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dye; Craig |
January 24, 2008 |
Task oriented workstation with adjustable supports and variable
assist pulley
Abstract
A task-oriented workstation having a plurality of adjustable
supports and work surfaces. The supports are linked to work
surfaces as well as holders for workstation paraphernalia such as
monitors and keyboards. In preferred embodiments, each support is
preferably highly articulated, offering multiple degrees of
freedom, i.e., translation and rotation about the several axes. A
feature of a workstation embodiment is a variable assist pulley
used to provide biased approximated linear bias to an object to be
elevated. Another feature concerns the ability to easily modify the
initial level of elevation bias provided to a track mounted
support. Additional features of the workstation include car-mounted
horizontal supports and constant angle horizontal surfaces.
Inventors: |
Dye; Craig; (Issaquah,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GRAYBEAL, JACKSON, HALEY LLP
155 - 108TH AVENUE NE
SUITE 350
BELLEVUE
WA
98004-5973
US
|
Family ID: |
38970773 |
Appl. No.: |
11/824532 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60817551 |
Jun 28, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/223.3 ;
74/89.22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 74/18848 20150115;
A47B 21/02 20130101; A47B 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/223.3 ;
074/089.22 |
International
Class: |
A47B 97/00 20060101
A47B097/00 |
Claims
1. A workstation element comprising: a vertical column having a
generally vertical track portion; a car slidingly engagable with
the vertical track portion, and having means for receiving a
support arm; and a motion arresting element pivotal relative to the
car and having a track or column contacting portion whereby in a
first mode, the coefficient of friction between the element and the
track, column or track and column is insufficient to prevent
bidirectional motion of the car relative to the track, and in a
second mode, the coefficient of friction between the element and
the track, column or track and column is sufficient to prevent at
least unidirectional of the car relative to the track.
2. The workstation element of claim 1 wherein the motion arresting
element comprises the support arm receiving means.
3. The workstation element of claim 1 wherein the motion arresting
element engages the track or the column when biased in one
direction but not another.
4. The workstation element of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal axis
of the car remains congruent with an axis of the track or column
during operation of the motion arresting element.
5. The workstation element of claim 1 wherein the support arm
comprises a first vertical support member to which is coupled a
first horizontal support having an extending portion wherein one of
the first vertical support member is rotationally coupled to the
support arm receiving means or the first horizontal support is
rotationally coupled to the first vertical support member.
6. The workstation element of claim 5 wherein the support arm
receiving means accommodates two support arms, and the workstation
element further comprises a second vertical support member to which
is coupled a second horizontal support having an extending portion
wherein one of the second vertical support member is rotationally
coupled to the support arm receiving means or the second horizontal
support is rotationally coupled to the second vertical support
member.
7. The workstation element of claim 6 further comprising a
generally planar member linked to the extending portions of the
first and the second horizontal supports.
8. The workstation element of claim 5 further comprising a
peripheral support member rotationally attached to the extending
portion.
9. A workstation element comprising: a vertical column having a
generally vertical track portion; a car slidingly engagable with
the vertical track portion, and having means for receiving a
support arm; a variable assist pulley having a drum, and a
rotational bias element linked to the drum and a mechanical ground;
and a cable having a first end linked to the drum and a second end
linked to the car whereby motion of the car imparts motion to the
variable assist pulley and vice versa.
10. The workstation element of claim 9 wherein a portion of the
drum has a frusto-conical geometry.
11. The workstation element of claim 10 wherein the cable
interfaces a different portion of the drum during each revolution
thereof.
12. The workstation element of claim 9 wherein the drum
circumference is user definable.
13. The workstation element of claim 12 wherein the drum defines an
axis and a axially translatable diverging element radially
displaces a surface of the drum.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed towards a task-oriented
workstation having a plurality of adjustable supports and work
surfaces. The supports are linked to work surfaces as well as
holders for workstation paraphernalia such as monitors and
keyboards. In preferred embodiments, each support is preferably
highly articulated, multiple degrees of freedom, i.e., translation
and rotation about the several axes.
[0002] Embodiments of the workstation invention comprise a primary
vertical column having a generally vertical track portion. The
track portion may be integral with the column or may be attached to
or associated with the column, depending upon the desired mode of
implementation. The track portion is formed to slidingly receive a
car therein and/or thereon, where the car comprises means for
receiving a support arm, which is intended to provide sufficient
support for a targeted object such as a computer monitor or work
surface. The car comprises friction reducing elements such as
bushings, roller bearings, and/or HDPE blocks in singularity or
combination to reduce the coefficient of friction between the car
and the generally vertical track portion, whether under load or
not. By this arrangement, a user may modify the relative elevation
of the car, and thereby modify the position of the support arm and
related structure.
[0003] While the position of the car on any track portion may be
maintained through conventional means such as stoppers, set screws,
toggles or other motion interferences means, in one subgroup of
embodiments within this series an optional canting feature is used.
By this feature, the position of the car is maintained through a
canting or camming action whereby the geometry of the means for
receiving a support arm, in the form of a support arm interface,
pivotally contacts the track portion. In one version thereof, the
car is fit in or on the track portion, and a bracket is attached to
an exposed portion of the car if the car does not already have such
a feature integrated therewith. The bracket or integral feature
pivotally receives the support arm interface, which in this case is
a housing. The housing extends past one side of the car, and
preferably the lower portion of the car, such that frictional
contact with the track is possible when the housing is pivoted on
the bracket. When an off-vertical load vector (i.e., one that is
convergent to the car) is presented to the car by the support arm,
a torque arm is created, which causes the extending portion of the
housing to contact the track portion. The greater the load, the
greater the force present between the housing and the track
portion. If the friction between the housing and the track portion
resulting from the force is sufficient at the point of impingement,
the car will remain stationary as long as the load is present. In
this manner, a user need only lift the support arm to move the
assembly up; to move it down, the user need only maintain a near
vertical alignment with the pivot point on the car/bracket and/or
not exceed the critical load necessary to cause frictional
engagement between the track portion and the housing.
[0004] Those persons skilled in the art will appreciate that
alternative configurations are possible, and include establishing a
suitable geometry such that the car is pivotal in the track portion
and includes at least one high-friction track abutting feature
whereby movement of the car in the track portion is arrested upon
canting of the car in the track.
[0005] In another subgroup of embodiments within this series, a
distal end of a cable, which has a proximal end anchored to a
variable assist pulley, is attached to one end of the car. The
variable assist pulley comprises a drum and a rotational bias
element linked to the drum and a mechanical ground such that the
force imparted to the variable assist pulley by the cable is at
least partly counteracted by the rotational bias element. In
certain embodiments, the rotational bias element is a coil spring,
adjusted to be operative over the range of motion of the car. The
result of this arrangement is that the force imparted upon the car
by the weight of the support arm and targeted object is at least
partially counteracted by the rotational bias imparted by the coil
spring.
[0006] A feature of this aspect of the invention relates to a known
deficiency of coil springs: the rotational bias imparted by a coil
spring is not linear over the range of operation. To counteract
this deficiency, a feature of the invention provides for modifying
the mechanical advantage of the variable assist pulley, as will now
be described. As the tension in the coil spring decreases, which
results in a decrease of imparted force (tension) on the cable
attached to the car, the cable is progressively positioned on
increasing diameter portions of the drum, thereby increasing
mechanical advantage and mitigating the decreased force imparted by
the coil spring. The rate of progressive positioning of the cable
on the drum is a function of the rate of decrease in effective
tension imparted by the coil spring, and is therefore not static.
By simple calculations, the skilled practitioner is able to
ascertain the correct correlation between the two values, thereby
establishing the appropriate rate of increased mechanical advantage
as the tension force exerted by the coil spring decreases.
[0007] Another feature of this aspect of the invention relates to
the variable loads encountered by the car when the support arm
carries targeted accessories of differing weights. To address this
condition, this feature provides means for modifying the drum
diameter, thereby modifying the static mechanical advantage
provided by the variable assist pulley. In such embodiments, the
drum comprises an outer surface that is segmented in the axial
direction. A conic or frusto-conic wedge, intermediate between a
drum shaft and the outer surface of the drum is selectively
positioned to cause the segmented outer surface to radially expand
or contract. This modification to the diameter of the outer surface
of the drum causes a corresponding change in the mechanical
advantage established by the variable assist pulley. The segments
are preferably restrained from unchecked radial expansion by at
least one radial constricting member linking the segments, and are
further preferably restrained from unintentional non-radial
movement by lands formed on the outer surface of the conic or
frusto-conic wedge and grooves formed on the inner surface of the
segmented outer surface. Those persons skilled in the art will
appreciate that controlled or intended non-radial movement of the
drum segments is within the scope of the invention, and such
movement may be intentionally designed into the arrangement
described herein.
[0008] Other embodiments of the workstation invention are directed
towards providing multi-axis task surface articulation. In one
series of these embodiments, a vertical track is combined with a
car slidably engaged therewith. As with other embodiments, the car
assembly may have a canting feature and/or a variable assist pulley
feature for modifying its position along the track. In these
embodiments, however, either the car, or a separate structure
attached or integrated with the car, is adapted to receive a pair
of vertical support members, such as through the use of a support
arms interface. Preferably the vertical support members are
disposed adjacent to one another, with their proximal ends
rotationally held by the support arms interface. Thus, the vertical
support members are free to rotate about the vertical axis.
[0009] Each vertical support member has a horizontal support arm
extending from respective distal ends thereof. Each horizontal
support arm includes an extending portion at a distal end thereof.
The each extending portion preferably is coaxially located in a
respective horizontal support arm, and increases the effective
length of the support arm. A work surface attachment point is
preferably located at a distal end of each extending portion, and
permits rotational attachment of the work surface there at. For
optimal functionality and support, the attachment points of the
extending portions are preferably divergently displaced on the work
surface. Thus, the work surface is supported by the distal ends of
the extending portions and by the distal end of the vertical
support members as well as horizontal support arms. In this manner,
the work surface is free to move on these supporting surfaces,
i.e., it is retained only at the attachment points, and therefore
has complete planar freedom of movement.
[0010] Other features present in various embodiments of the
invention include the use of modular interlocking panels to provide
the framework of the workstation where tracks, support brackets
and/or other panels can be interlocked with any given panel,
thereby providing great flexibility in constructing a customized
workstation; multipurpose stiles for receiving panels, tracks,
support brackets and accessories; reversible hinge assemblies for
extending work surfaces to accommodate specific user needs; and
others.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a robust embodiment of the
invention illustrating a primary vertical support column integrated
into a workstation where the primary vertical support column is
used to support a computer monitor, and further illustrating a six
degrees of freedom task surface and a positionable keyboard
support;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective, exploded view of a modular
stile used to receive a pair of panels and a support bracket
adapted to receive a horizontal stationary work surface;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a modular panel
having integrated stiles where a spanning bracket is shown attached
thereto;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross section elevation view of the
panel-stile-bracket arrangement of FIG. 2 after final assembly;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a keyboard support
track with a car/pivotal mount combination;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the car/pivotal
mount combination where the linkage between the car and the mount
is below the horizontal midline of the car, thereby providing for a
canting feature;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a detailed exploded view of FIG. 6, particularly
showing the relative positions of the various components;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a plan view of FIG. 6;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a partial cross section elevation view of FIG. 6
where the car/pivotal mount is shown in the free-sliding
position;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a partial cross section elevation view of FIG. 6
where the car/pivotal mount is shown in the stationary position,
with a portion of the pivotal mount impinging upon the track to
arrest downward motion;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of keyboard support system
particularly illustrating the range of possible motions
thereof;
[0022] FIG. 12 is a perspective, partial exploded view of a hinge
assembly of the keyboard support system of FIG. 11;
[0023] FIG. 13 is an elevation view illustrating the range of
motion of the hinge assembly of FIG. 12;
[0024] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a work surface support
assembly illustrating several degrees of freedom through
translation of a pair of vertical support members and rotation of
the same;
[0025] FIG. 15 is an isolated perspective view of the work surface
support assembly of FIG. 14, particularly illustrating the
independent rotation of the vertical support members and the
location of a displaced pair of associated support arms;
[0026] FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the components
and relative arrangements and motions of the work surface support
assembly of FIG. 15;
[0027] FIG. 17 is a bottom plan view of a first position of the
work surface support assembly of FIG. 15 with a second position
shown in phantom;
[0028] FIG. 18 is a bottom plan view of the first position of the
work surface support assembly of FIG. 16 with a third position
shown in phantom;
[0029] FIG. 19 is a partial perspective view of the primary
vertical support column and track assembly;
[0030] FIG. 20 is an isolated detailed perspective view of a
variable assist pulley used in conjunction with the assembly of
FIG. 19;
[0031] FIG. 21 is a second isolated detailed perspective view of a
variable assist pulley in a first position with internal parts
shown in phantom;
[0032] FIG. 22 shows the pulley of FIG. 21 in a second position,
namely, an enlarged drum diameter configuration after rotation of
an adjusting nut and translation of a conic wedge;
[0033] FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of the pulley of
FIG. 20;
[0034] FIG. 24 is a cross section elevation view of the pulley of
FIG. 21;
[0035] FIG. 25 is a cross section elevation view of the pulley of
FIG. 22;
[0036] FIG. 26 is a schematic elevation view in partial section
where the car is in a lower position and a cable connecting the car
to the pulley is in an extended status;
[0037] FIG. 27 is a schematic elevation view in partial section
where the car is in an upper position and a cable connecting the
car to the pulley is in a retracted status;
[0038] FIG. 28 is a detailed perspective view of a support arm
extending from the car of the vertical support column and track
illustrating the various components thereof; and
[0039] FIG. 29 is a partial exploded perspective view of the
components shown in FIG. 28.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION EMBODIMENTS
[0040] The following discussion is presented to enable a person
skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention.
Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent
to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may
be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims. Thus, the invention is not intended to be limited
to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope
consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
[0041] The figures referenced above provide the skilled
practitioner with sufficient information and guidance such that the
illustrated embodiment may be constructed and used according to the
invention.
* * * * *