ARTICULATING SUPPORT MECHANISM WITH PIVOTAL BRAKE SHOE
A four bar articulating support mechanism has four pivot axes with one of the pivot axes being movable relative to a linkage of the support arm. The linkage has at least two arcuate slots therein that receive a pin. As the linkage is moved vertically relative to a mounting member, the pin slides in the at least two arcuate slots which pivot about a theoretical third pivot axis. The support arm has two brake shoes that are pivotally mounted on a mounting member, the brake shoes having a locking surface that corresponds to a locking surface on the linkage. The mechanism operates on a parallelogram linkage.
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Applicant claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/983,703 filed on Oct. 30, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an articulating support mechanism that is used to support articles on a platform, the mechanism being used with a base and the platform moving up or down or pivoting relative to the base.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Keyboard support mechanisms are known and Wisniewski et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,404 issued Oct. 24, 2000 describes a four bar linkage having a keyboard support that can swing vertically relative to a base such as a desk or table top. A central elongated member has a first link and a second link that are pivotally connected to a mounting member at the same pivot point. The support mechanism has a locking system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide an articulating support mechanism having four pivot axes between a linkage with a mounting member at one end and a platform at another end. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an articulating support mechanism that locks precisely and securely when the mechanism is in the locked position and unlocks easily to permit further movement.
An articulating support mechanism is used to support one or more objects on a platform, the mechanism being used with a base. The mechanism comprises a linkage having a first end and a second end with a mounting member being pivotally connected with the linkage at the first end and the platform is pivotally connected to the linkage at the second end. The linkage has an upper arm and a lower arm, the upper arm being pivotally connected to the mounting member at a first pivot axis and being pivotally connected to the platform at a second pivot axis. The lower arm has at least one arcuate slot that is connected to the mounting member to enable the lower arm to pivot about a third pivot axis. The lower arm is pivotally connected to the platform at a fourth pivot axis. The pivot axes are parallel to one another and the mounting member is sized and shaped to be mounted on the base and to receive the first end of the linkage. The mounting member and the upper arm are constructed to pivot relative to one another about the first pivot axis. A pin extends through the mounting member and through at least one arcuate slot in the lower arm. The third pivot axis is located along an imaginary line about which the at least one arcuate slot pivots when the linkage moves vertically relative to the mounting member, the pin being slidable in the at least one arcuate slot. A brake shoe is pivotally mounted on the mounting member about a fifth pivot axis. The brake shoe and the linkage have locking surfaces thereon that removably lock with one another in infinite positions of the linkage relative to the mounting member. The linkage is locked by gravitational forces and is releasable by an upward force on the linkage or on the platform or by manually tilting the platform upward. The platform is pivotable relative to the linkage independently of the platform and linkage pivoting relative to the mounting member.
An articulating support mechanism is used to support one or more objects on a platform. The mechanism is usable with a base and comprises a linkage having two ends with a mounting member at one end, and a platform at an opposite end. There are two pivot axes at each end, the pivot axes being parallel to one another. The mounting member is sized and shaped to be mounted on the base, the linkage having an upper arm and a lower arm. The upper arm has a first pivot axis with the mounting member, and a second pivot axis with the platform. The lower arm has a third pivot axis with the mounting member, and a fourth pivot axis with the platform. The mechanism has a pin extending through the mounting member, and through at least one arcuate slot. The at least one arcuate slot is located on the lower arm, the at least one arcuate slot on the lower arm pivoting about the third pivot axis and the pin sliding in the at least one arcuate slot as the linkage moves vertically relative to the mounting member. The third pivot axis is located along an imaginary line. A brake shoe is pivotally mounted on the mounting member about a fifth pivot axis, the brake shoe and the linkage having locking surfaces thereon that removably lock with one another in infinite positions at the linkage relative to the mounting member.
An articulating support mechanism is used in supporting one or more objects on a platform, the mechanism being usable with a base. The mechanism comprises a linkage having two ends with a mounting member at one end and a platform at an opposite end, with two pivot axes at each end. The pivot axes are parallel to one another and the mounting member is sized and shaped to be mounted on the base. The linkage has an upper arm and a lower arm, the upper arm having a first pivot axis with the mounting member and a second pivot axis with the platform. The lower arm has a third pivot axis with the mounting member and the fourth pivot axis with the platform. The mechanism has a pin extending through the mounting member and through at least one arcuate slot, the at least one arcuate slot being located on the lower arm. The at least one arcuate slot in the lower arm pivoting about the third pivot axis, and the pin sliding in the at least one arcuate slot as the linkage moves vertically relative to the mounting member. The third pivot axis is located along an imaginary line. A brake shoe is pivotally mounted on the mounting member by a fifth pivot axis. The brake shoe and the linkage have locking surfaces thereon that removably lock with one another in infinite positions of the linkage relative to the mounting member.
In
A brake shoe 34 is pivotally mounted about a fifth pivot axis 36 to the bracket 18. The brake shoe 34 has a locking surface 38 that corresponds to a locking surface 40 on the upper arm 6, both of which are shown by a single dotted line. The locking surface 38 curves inward on the brake shoe 34 and the locking surface 40 curves outward at the first end 10 of the linkage 4. The brake shoe has an actuation surface 42 that corresponds to an actuation surface 43 on the lower arm 8. There is one brake shoe 34 on each side of the support mechanism. The actuation surfaces 42, 43 pivot the brake shoes 34 (only one of which is shown) about the pivot axis 36 as the linkage 4 moves upward and downward relative to the mounting member 12. Preferably, the slot 26 is sized to receive an insert 46 that is heat tempered and the pin 24 moves along an inner edge of the insert 46 which defines the slot 26. Alternatively, the slot 26 can be appropriately sized to receive the pin 24 without the insert 46 and the slot 26 can then be heat tempered. The brake shoes 34 (only one of which is shown in
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As an alternative to the universal screw 48, a sleeve 58 fits over a pin 60 (also shown in
Two nodules 80 (only one of which is shown in
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The support mechanism 2 operates as a four bar parallelogram linkage even though the third pivot axis is imaginary.
Claims
1. An articulating support mechanism for use in supporting one or more objects on a platform, said mechanism being usable with a base, said mechanism comprising a linkage having a first end and a second end with a mounting member being pivotally connected to said linkage at said first end and said platform being pivotally connected to said linkage at said second end, said linkage having an upper arm and a lower arm, said upper arm being pivotally connected to said mounting member at a first pivot axis and being pivotally connected to said platform at a second pivot axis, said lower arm having at least one arcuate slot that is connected to said mounting member to enable said lower arm to pivot about a third pivot axis, said lower arm being pivotally connected to said platform at a fourth pivot axis, said pivot axes being parallel to one another, said mounting member being sized and shaped to be mounted on said base and to receive said first end of said linkage, said mounting member and said upper arm being constructed to pivot relative to one another about said first pivot axis, a pin extending through said mounting member and through said at least one arcuate slot in said lower arm, said third pivot axis being located along an imaginary line about which said at least one arcuate slot pivots when said linkage moves vertically relative to said mounting member, said pin being slidable in said at least one arcuate slot, said first, second, third and fourth pivot axes being in a parallelogram configuration at all times, a brake shoe being pivotally mounted on said mounting member about a fifth pivot axis, said brake shoe and said linkage having locking surfaces thereon that removably lock with one another in infinite positions of said linkage relative to said mounting member, said linkage locking by gravitational forces and being releasable by an upward force on said linkage or on said platform or by manually tilting said platform upward, said platform being pivotable relative to said linkage independently of said platform and said linkage pivoting relative to said mounting member.
2 A support mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pin in said at least one arcuate slot being in a non-parallelogram configuration with said first, second, and fourth pivot axes.
3. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein said mounting member, upper arm, and lower arm, each have two sides and said at least one arcuate slot in said lower arm, being two arcuate slots, one arcuate slot being located on each side of said lower arm.
4. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein said arcuate slots of said lower arm are first arcuate slots, said first arcuate slots being equidistant from said third pivot axis.
5. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said third pivot axis is theoretical, there being no pin located at said third pivot axis.
6. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said upper arm has two second arcuate slots, there being one second arcuate slot in each side of said upper arm, said second arcuate slots being oriented about said first pivot axis.
7. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said arcuate slots in said lower arm have a heat tempered insert lining said slot on each side of said lower arm, there being two inserts.
8. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein said arcuate slots in said lower arm are oriented about said third pivot axis, said third pivot axis being a theoretical pivot axis for said mounting member and said lower arm.
9. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first pivot axis is further from an outer end of said linkage than said third pivot axis.
10. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brake shoe has a curved locking surface that is oriented to correspond to a locking surface of said upper arm.
11. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 10 wherein said locking surface of said brake shoe frictionally engages with said locking surface of said upper arm to lock said mounting member relative to said linkage.
12. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 11 wherein said locking surface on said brake shoe is curved inward and a locking surface on said upper arm is curved outward.
13. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 12 wherein said brake shoe is heat tempered.
14. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 13 wherein said brake shoe is a first brake shoe that is pivotally mounted on one side of said bracket and there is a second brake shoe pivotally mounted on an opposite side of said bracket.
15. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein said platform can be pivoted relative to said linkage independently of said linkage pivoting relative to said mounting member.
16. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second brake shoe is a mirror image of said first brake shoe.
17. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brake shoe has an orientation interface that interacts with a surface of said lower arm to cause said brake shoe to lock with said upper arm.
18. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 14 wherein said brake shoes each have an activation surface that abuts a corresponding activation surface on said lower arm to pivot said brake shoes to maintain said locking surfaces in alignment.
19. An articulating support mechanism for use in supporting one or more objects on a platform, said mechanism being usable with a base, said mechanism comprising a linkage having a first end and a second end, with a mounting member being pivotally connected to said linkage at said first end and said platform being pivotally connected to said linkage at said second end, said linkage having an upper arm and a lower arm, said upper arm being pivotally connected to said mounting member at a first pivot axis and being pivotally connected to said platform at a second pivot axis, said lower arm being slidably connected to a pin extending through said mounting member and into at least one arcuate slot in said lower arm to enable said lower arm to pivot about a third pivot axis, said lower arm being pivotally connected to said platform at a fourth pivot axis, said pivot axes being parallel to one another, and said mounting member being sized and shaped to be mounted on said base, said first and second and fourth pivot axes and said pin having a non-parallelogram configuration, said first, second, third and fourth pivot axes having a parallelogram configuration at all times, said third pivot axis being imaginary, a brake shoe being pivotally mounted on said mounting member about a fifth pivot axis, said brake shoe and said linkage having locking surfaces thereon that removably lock with one another in infinite positions of said linkage relative to said mounting member, said linkage locking by gravitational forces and being releasable by an upward force on said linkage or on said platform or by manually tilting said platform upward, said platform being pivotable relative to said linkage independently of said platform and said linkage pivoting relative to said mounting member.
20. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 19 wherein said mounting member, upper arm, and lower arm each have two sides and said at least one arcuate slot in said lower arm, being two arcuate slots, one arcuate slot being located on each side of said lower arm.
21. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 20 wherein said arcuate slots of said lower arm are first arcuate slots, said first arcuate slots being oriented about said third pivot axis, there being no pin located at said third pivot axis.
22. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 21 wherein said upper arm has two second arcuate slots, there being one second arcuate slot in each side of said upper arm, said second arcuate slots being oriented about said first pivot axis.
23. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 21 wherein said arcuate slots in said lower arm each have a heat tempered insert lining said slot, there being two inserts.
24. An articulating support mechanism for use in supporting one or more objects on a platform, said mechanism being usable with a base and comprising a linkage having two ends with a mounting member at one end and a platform at an opposite end, with two pivot axes at each end, said pivot axes being parallel to one another, said mounting member being sized and shaped to be mounted on said base, said linkage having an upper arm and a lower arm, said upper arm having a first pivot axis with said mounting member and a second pivot axis with said platform, said lower arm having a third pivot axis with said mounting member and a fourth pivot axis with said platform, said mechanism having a pin extending through said mounting member and through at least one arcuate slot, said at least one arcuate slot being located on said lower arm, said at least one arcuate slot in said lower arm pivoting about said third pivot axis and said pin sliding in said at least one arcuate slot as said linkage moves vertically relative to said mounting member, said third pivot axis being located along an imaginary line, a brake shoe being pivotally mounted on said mounting member about a fifth pivot axis, said brake shoe and said linkage having locking surfaces thereon that removably lock with one another in infinite positions of said linkage relative to said mounting member.
25. A support mechanism as claimed in claim 24 wherein said mounting member, upper arm, and lower arm, each have two sides and said at least one arcuate slot in said lower arm, being two arcuate slots, one arcuate slot being located on each side of said lower arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 30, 2008
Publication Date: Jun 4, 2009
Applicant:
Inventor: NICHOLAS L. BLACKBURN (Wellesley)
Application Number: 12/261,918
International Classification: A47B 96/06 (20060101);