Height Adjustable Work Platform Apparatus

Abstract

A height adjustable work platform apparatus. The height adjustable work platform apparatus includes a frame slidably supporting a cantilevered platform for supporting articles thereon. The platform is slidably engaged with a pair of rails disposed on the frame, which allows the platform to be adjusted vertically. The apparatus further includes a spring-biased pin disposed on the undersurface of the platform that is configured to engage complementary slots disposed on the surface of the upright members of the frame. A vertically-biased pulley system internal to the frame biases the platform to a raised position in order to reduce the amount of effort required to lift the platform. The frame of the apparatus includes a lower portion that is sized and shaped to receive the frame of the platform, thereby allowing the platform to rest flush against the lower portion when fully lowered.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/886,925 filed on Oct. 19, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/975,526 filed on Aug. 26, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/768,928 filed on Feb. 25, 2013, each hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety in order to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to desks and office furniture items. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a new and novel desktop surface that can be raised and lowered from a work surface, allowing the keyboard and monitor height to be adjusted from the work surface for improved ergonomics.

Many jobs in the modern economy require an individual to spend much of their day in a seated position and in front of a computer. The computer improves worker productivity, allows for rapid communication between distant parties, and facilitates the efficient creation of data or a platform for analyzing the same without requiring the user to engage in much physical exertion. With this improvement in productivity, however, comes with it the fact that the common computer user is sedentary and in a static body position for long periods of time. This positioning of the body and inactivity may not be ideal for the human body, and can lead to physical injuries over time.

Work place ergonomics specialists and occupational health professionals analyze these types of work place environments and have developed many solutions for alleviating physical pain and for preventing common work place injuries related to office employees. These solutions include ergonomic furniture items such as specialized chairs and desks, as well as ergonomic computer equipment such as adjustable computer stands and shaped keyboards that prevent wrist injuries. These devices are varied in the art and relate to a means of adjusting the work environment or positioning the user such that physical injuries are prevented. These injuries most often include some form of back injury, wrist or shoulder injury, neck soreness or eyesight issues.

The typical workday for many people requires that they sit at a desk, remaining seated for an extended period of time. This can decrease blood flow to extremities and cause soreness throughout the day. Over time, chronic problems, particularly in the back, can develop. In order to promote increased blood flow or stretch, many people leave their desk and take a short break. Wellness programs and workplace awareness campaigns exist for addressing these office maladies, however the most direct means of combatting long term office injuries is furniture and computer peripherals that position the user in the most ergonomic and healthy body posture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of office furniture articles now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new adjustable work surface device that can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when supporting a computer and desk articles in an elevated position for improved user ergonomics.

The present height adjustable work platform apparatus includes a frame slidably supporting a cantilevered platform adapted to support articles thereon. The platform is slidably engaged with a pair of rails disposed on the frame, which allows the platform to be adjusted vertically. The apparatus further includes a spring-biased pin disposed on the undersurface of the platform that is configured to engage complementary slots disposed on the interior surface of the rails. An internal vertically-biased pulley system biases the platform to a raised position in order to reduce the amount of effort required to lift the platform. The frame of the apparatus includes a lower portion that is sized and shaped to receive the frame of the platform, thereby allowing the platform to rest flush against the lower portion when fully lowered

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable work surface device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable work surface device that is deployable from an existing work surface, whereby no installation or modification thereof is required prior to deployment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable work surface device that can support an office computer and its peripheral items, common work place items, and the user bearing down on the device without risk of collapsing the device during use.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable work surface device that is securely lockable in a given position with respect to the underlying work area and provides an assisted means of adjustment that requires low levels of input from the user during changes in position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable work surface device that is of simple construction and offers a single degree of freedom, wherein the assembly can be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy that are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the underside of the work surface of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the platform frame of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface along line 3-3.

FIG. 4A shows a sectional view of an upright member of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface along line 4-4, wherein the work surface is in a raised position.

FIG. 4B shows a sectional view of an upright member of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface along line 4-4, wherein the work surface is in a lowered position.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of an upright member of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface along line 5-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the height adjustable work surface. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface. The apparatus comprises an L-shaped frame having an upper frame portion 11 and a lower frame portion 21. The upper frame portion 11 comprises a U-shaped assembly having a pair of upright members 12 connecting to an upper, horizontal member 13 that form an inverted U-shaped structure. The lower frame portion 21 comprises a substantially rectangular frame having side members 22 that are adapted to provide a widened base having sufficient weight to support the load of the frame and any anticipated working loads without tipping forward or rearward. The upper frame portion 11 and the lower frame portion 21 are secured together to form an overall L-shaped structure.

The work space platform 31 is supported below its upper surface 32 by way of a platform frame 33. The distal ends of the frame platform 33 are slidably engaged with the rails 14 of the upright members 12. The platform frame 33 comprises a substantially rectangular structure that is adapted to fit within the interior perimeter of the L-shaped frame lower portion 21 when the platform 31 is in its lowest position. In this way, the platform frame 33 and frame lower portion 21 share a common geometry and overlap one another to allow the platform upper surface 32 to descend as far as possible towards the underlying support surface while providing stable support therefor. When in its lowest position, i.e. when the platform frame 33 is received within the lower frame portion 21, the undersurface of the work space platform 31 is configured to rest flush against the surface of the lower frame portion 21.

Each of the upright members 12 of the upper frame portion 11 includes a rail 14. Each rail 14 is an elongated slot that is configured to slidably receive one of the distal ends of the platform frame 33. Therefore, the work space platform 31 is slidably connected to both rails 14 and is cantilevered from the upper frame portion 11. In one embodiment of the present apparatus, the rails 14 extend partially up the lengths of the upright members 12 in order to limit the upper extent with which the work space platform can be raise. In an alternative embodiment of the present apparatus, the rails 14 extend the entire length of the upright members 12. The upper surface 32 of the work space platform 31 provides a height-adjustable work surface for supporting articles thereon, e.g., a personal computer and its peripherals. The surface 32 may also be sufficiently large enough to accommodate a writing space and support work materials thereon for the standing or seated user.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-3 and 5, there are shown a perspective view of the underside of the work surface, a sectional view of the platform frame along line 3-3, and a sectional view of an upright member along line 5-5 of an illustrative embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface. The height-adjustable work surface further includes a lever 41 disposed on the undersurface of the platform frame 33. The lever 41 is mechanically connected to a pin 51 such that actuation of the lever 41 causes the pin 51 to be extended or retracted. In the depicted embodiment of the present apparatus, the lever 41 is a member extending perpendicularly from a distal end of the pin 51. The assembly of the pin 51 and the lever 41 are slidably supported within a bracket 42 attaching the assembly to the platform frame 33.

The pin 51 is biased to its extended position by a spring 53. In one embodiment of the present invention the pin 51 extends through a helical spring 53. The pin 51 further includes a stop 54 fixedly disposed thereon. The spring 53 extends between the stop 54 and a surface of the bracket 42. When the pin 51 is drawn backwardly by actuating the lever 41, the stop 54 bears against the spring 53 and thereby compresses the spring 53. When the lever 41 is released, the elastic potential energy of the compressed spring 53 is released and the pin 51 extends back to its resting, extended position.

The upright members 12 further include a plurality of slots 52 disposed on the surface of the upright members 12 adjacent to the channel through which the distal ends of the platform frame 33 extend to engage the rails 14. The slots 52 are configured to receive the pin 51 therein. When the pin 51 is engaged with a slot 52, the pin 31 locks the work surface platform 31, preventing the work space platform 31 from moving vertically. Each slot 52 allows the work space platform 31 to be positioned a discrete elevation level, thereby allowing a user to position the work space platform 31 at a desired height.

In an illustrative embodiment of the present apparatus, the platform frame 33 is slidably attached to each of the upright members 12 via wheels 91 disposed at the distal ends of the platform frame 31 that are configured to engage with each rail 14. The slidable engagement between the wheels 91 and the rails 14 allows for the work space platform 31 to be translated longitudinally along the upright members 12, without any corresponding lateral movement permitted. In alternative embodiments of the present apparatus, other slidable engagements between the platform frame 31 and the upper frame portion 11 are contemplated.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there are shown sectional views of an upright member of an embodiment of the present height-adjustable work surface along line 4-4, wherein the work surface is in a lowered position and a raised position, respectively. The height-adjustable work surface further includes a vertically-biased pulley mechanism configured to bias the work surface platform 31 to a raised position. The vertically-biased pulley mechanism includes a spring 61 that extends within and along each upright member 12 of the frame upper portion 11. The vertically-biased pulley mechanism further includes a cable 63 that is threaded through a pulley 62. The cable is attached at a first end to the spring 61 and at a second end to the distal end of the platform frame 33. The spring 61 biases the work space platform 31 away from the underlying work surface and the lower frame portion 21 in order to facilitate lifting of the work space platform 31 and any contents thereon.

In the depicted embodiment of the present apparatus, the spring 61 is biased towards the work space platform 31 being in a raised position. When the work space platform 31 is in a lowered position, as shown in FIG. 4A, the spring 61 is stretched, thereby storing elastic potential energy. If the work space platform 31 is locked in place, i.e. the pin 51 is engaged with a corresponding slot 52, then the work space platform 31 will be held in place. When the locking mechanism is disengaged, then the bias of the spring 61 to return to its non-stretched state will facilitate the raising of the work space platform 31 to its raised position, as shown in FIG. 4B. The work exerted by the spring 61 when the locking assembly is disengaged decreases the amount of effort necessary from a user to lift the work space platform 31.

In an illustrative embodiment of the present apparatus, the vertically-biased pulley mechanism, i.e. the assembly of the spring 61, the pulley 62, and the cable 63, are wholly enclosed and contained within the respective upright member 12. In one embodiment of the present apparatus, each upright member 12 includes a vertically-biased pulley mechanism. In an alternative embodiment of the present apparatus, only one of the upright members 12 includes a vertically-biased pulley mechanism.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1) A height-adjustable platform apparatus, comprising:

a first upright member including a first rail extending longitudinally therealong;

a second upright member including a second rail extending longitudinally therealong;

a platform including a frame, a first distal end of the frame including a wheel slidably engaged with the first rail and a second distal end of the frame including a wheel slidably engaged with the second rail;

a spring-biased pin disposed on the platform, the spring-biased pin biased towards an extended position;

the first upright member including a plurality of slots disposed along a surface thereof, the plurality of slots configured to receive the spring-biased pin;

wherein engagement of the spring-biased pin with one of the plurality of slots prevents the platform from moving longitudinally along the first upright member and the second upright member;

a vertically-biased pulley assembly comprising a pulley disposed within the first upright member, the pulley including a cable;

wherein the vertically-biased pulley assembly is configured to bias the platform to a raised position;

a first end of the cable connected to a spring and a second end of the cable connected to the frame of the platform; and

wherein the spring is biased to exert a vertical force on the platform via the pulley.

2) The height-adjustable platform apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertically-biased pulley assembly is enclosed within the first upright member.

3) The height-adjustable platform apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lever in mechanical communication with the spring-biased pin, the lever configured to retract the spring-biased pin when actuated.

4) The height-adjustable platform apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an upper frame portion including the first upright member and the second upright member;

a lower frame portion extending perpendicularly from the upper frame portion, the lower frame portion including an open interior configured to receive the frame of the platform.