DRIVE DEVICE FOR HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE TABLE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Taiwanese Invention Patent Application No. 113143826, filed on Nov. 14, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a drive device, and more particularly to a drive device for a height adjustable table.

BACKGROUND

A conventional height adjustable table includes a table leg set, a table body disposed on the table leg set, two telescopic sets that are spaced apart from each other and that are connected between the table leg set and the table body, and a conventional drive device. The conventional drive device includes a motor connected to one of the table leg sets, and a transmission rod connected to and driven by the motor to rotate, and disposed under the table body. The transmission rod is integrally connected between the telescopic sets, is rotatable, and drives the telescopic sets to retract or extend through rotation thereof, thereby raising or lowering the table body relative to the table leg set.

However, since the transmission rod is relatively long and heavy, it is relatively difficult to assemble the transmission rod. Furthermore, since the transmission rod has a relatively long length, noise may be generated when the height of the table body is adjusted through rotation of the transmission rod due to a momentum thereof.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a drive device for a height adjustable table that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a drive device for a height adjustable table is provided. The height adjustable table includes a table leg set, a table body that is elongated in a longitudinal direction and that is disposed on the table leg set in a vertical direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, and a first telescopic set and a second telescopic set that are disposed between the table leg set and the table body, that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and that are telescopically movable in the vertical direction. The drive device includes a gear box, a plurality of first drive shafts, a plurality of second drive shafts, a plurality of first shaft connectors, a plurality of second shaft connectors, and a drive motor. The gear box includes a housing that is adapted to be disposed under a middle portion of the table body in the longitudinal direction, a main gear that is disposed in the housing, a worm screw that meshes with the main gear, and a main drive shaft that extends in the longitudinal direction, that is coaxially connected to and co-rotatable with the main gear, and that has two opposite ends extending outwardly from the housing. The plurality of first drive shafts are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and are disposed at one side of the main drive shaft in the longitudinal direction. One of the plurality of first drive shafts that is farthest from the main drive shaft is adapted to be connected to the first telescopic set. The plurality of second drive shafts are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and are disposed at another side of the main drive shaft opposite to the one side of the main drive shaft in the longitudinal direction. One of the plurality of second drive shafts that is farthest from the main drive shaft is adapted to be connected to the second telescopic set. The plurality of first shaft connectors are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. One of the plurality of first shaft connectors is connected between the main drive shaft and one of the plurality of first drive shafts that is proximate to the main drive shaft, and each of remaining the plurality of first shaft connectors is connected between any two adjacent ones of the plurality of first drive shafts. The first shaft connectors are made of a non-metallic material. The plurality of second shaft connectors are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. One of the plurality of second shaft connectors is connected between the main drive shaft and one of the plurality of second drive shafts that is proximate to the main drive shaft, and each of remaining the plurality of second shaft connectors is connected between any two adjacent ones of the plurality of second drive shafts. The second shaft connectors are made of a non-metallic material. The drive motor is disposed in the housing, is adapted to be disposed under a middle portion of the table body in the longitudinal direction, and is connected to the worm screw for driving the worm screw to rotate when energized, such that the main gear, the main drive shaft, the plurality of first shaft connectors, the plurality of second shaft connectors, the plurality of first drive shafts and the plurality of second drive shafts are driven to rotate, thereby driving telescopic movements of the first telescopic set and the second telescopic set to move the table body relative to the table leg set in the vertical direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various features may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drive device for a height adjustable table according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and the height adjustable table.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partly exploded perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the drive device and the height adjustable table, illustrating a table body of the height adjustable table being at a certain height.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating the table body of the height adjustable table being moved upwardly as compared to FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

It should be noted herein that for clarity of description, spatially relative terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “on,” “above,” “over,” “downwardly,” “upwardly” and the like may be used throughout the disclosure while making reference to the features as illustrated in the drawings. The features may be oriented differently (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an embodiment of a drive device of the present disclosure for a height adjustable table 9 is shown. The height adjustable table 9 includes a table leg set 91, a table body 92 elongated in a longitudinal direction (X) and disposed on the table leg set 91 in a vertical direction (Z) transverse to the longitudinal direction (X), a first telescopic set 93, and a second telescopic set 94. The first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94 are disposed between the table leg set 91 and the table body 92, are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X), and are telescopically movable in the vertical direction (Z).

In this embodiment, the first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94 include a plurality of mechanical components, and are telescopically movable in the vertical direction (Z) by virtue of cooperation among the mechanical elements such as screws, gears, etc. Since the main feature of the present disclosure does not reside in the specific structures and mechanical components of the first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94, further details of the same are omitted herein for the sake of brevity.

The drive device includes a gear box 2, a plurality of first drive shafts 3, a plurality of second drive shafts 4, a plurality of first shaft connectors 5, a plurality of second shaft connectors 6, and a drive motor 7.

The gear box 2 includes a housing 21 adapted to be disposed under a middle portion of the table body 92 in the longitudinal direction (X), a main gear 22 disposed in the housing 21, a worm screw 23 meshing with the main gear 22, and a main drive shaft 24 extending in the longitudinal direction (X), coaxially connected to and co-movable with the main gear 22, and having two opposite ends extending outwardly from the housing 21.

The first drive shafts 3 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X) and are disposed at one side of the main drive shaft 24 in the longitudinal direction (X). One of the first drive shafts 3 that is farthest from the main drive shaft 24 is adapted to be connected to the first telescopic set 93. For example, the first telescopic set 93 includes a gear (not shown) connected to and driven by the one of the first drive shafts 3.

The second drive shafts 4 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X) and are disposed on another side of the main drive shaft 24 opposite to the one side of the main drive shaft 24 in the longitudinal direction (X). One of the second drive shafts 4 that is farthest from the main drive shaft 24 is adapted to be connected to the second telescopic set 94. For example, the second telescopic set 94 includes a gear (not shown) connected to and driven by the one of the second drive shafts 4.

The first shaft connectors 5 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X). One of the first shaft connectors 5 is co-rotatably connected between the main drive shaft 24 and one of the first drive shafts 3 that is proximate to the main drive shaft 24, and each of remaining first shaft connectors 5 is co-rotatably connected between any two adjacent ones of the first drive shafts 3. The first shaft connectors 5 are made of a non-metallic material.

The second shaft connectors 6 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X). One of the second shaft connectors 6 is co-rotatably connected between the main drive shaft 24 and one of the second drive shafts 4 that is proximate to the main drive shaft 24, and each of remaining second shaft connectors 6 is co-rotatably connected between any two adjacent ones of the second drive shafts 4. The second shaft connectors 6 are made of a non-metallic material. In this embodiment, the amounts of the first drive shafts 3, the second drive shafts 4, the first shaft connectors 5, and the second shaft connectors 6 are two, but the present disclosure is not limited herein.

The drive motor 7 is disposed in the housing 21, is adapted to be disposed under the middle portion of the table body 92 in the longitudinal direction (X), is connected to the worm screw 23 for driving the worm screw 23 to rotate when energized, such that the main gear 22, the main drive shaft 24, the first shaft connectors 5, the second shaft connectors 6, the first drive shafts 3 and the second drive shafts 4 are driven to rotate, thereby driving telescopic movements of the first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94 to move the table body 92 relative to the table leg 91 in the vertical direction (Z).

In this embodiment, the first shaft connectors 5 and the second shaft connectors 6 are made of a plastic steel material or a glass fiber reinforced nylon material.

In practice, when the drive motor 7 drives the worm screw 23 to rotate, the main gear 22 meshing with the worm screw 23 and the main drive shaft 24 co-rotatable with the main gear 22 are rotated, thereby driving rotation of the first drive shafts 3 and the second drive shafts 4 via the first shaft connectors 5 and the second shaft connectors 6, so that the first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94 are telescopically extended or retracted in the vertical direction (Z).

As shown in FIG. 4, when the first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94 are retracted, the table body 92 is moved toward the table leg set 91 and is lowered in the vertical direction (Z). As shown in FIG. 5, when the first telescopic set 93 and the second telescopic set 94 are extended, the table body 92 is moved away from the table leg set 91 and is elevated. Thus, the height of the table body 92 of the height adjustable table 9 may be adjusted to meet user requirements.

Since the gear box 2 and the drive motor 7 are disposed under the middle portion of the table body 92 in the longitudinal direction (X), a total length of the first drive shafts 3 and a total length of the second drive shafts 4 are substantially the same. Thus, when the drive motor 7 is energized to drive rotation of the first drive shafts 3 that are interconnected by the first shaft connectors 5 and the second drive shafts 4 that are interconnected by the second shaft connectors 6, rotational force of the drive motor 7 may be evenly distributed to the first drive shafts 3 and the second drive shafts 4 that are disposed at the two opposite sides of the main drive shaft 24 in the longitudinal direction (X) under the table body 92. As compared to the conventional drive device of the conventional height adjustable table described in the background section that includes the transmission rod having a relatively long length, the total length of the first drive shafts 3 and the total length the second drive shafts 4 are shorter. Thus, it is easy and convenient to assemble the drive device of the present disclosure to the height adjustable table 9. Furthermore, since the first shaft connectors 5 and the second shaft connectors 6 are made of a plastic steel material or a glass fiber reinforced nylon material, a weight of the first drive shafts 3 and a weight of the second drive shafts 4 are relatively light, so noise generated thereby when a height of the table body 92 is adjusted may be relatively low.

In summary, by virtue of cooperation among the first drive shafts 3, the second drive shafts 4, the first shaft connectors 5, the second shaft connectors 6, and the drive motor 7 that is disposed under the middle portion of the table body 92, the drive device for a height adjustable table 9 of the present disclosure is simple to assemble, and may reduce noise during height adjustment of the table body 92.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects; such does not mean that every one of these features needs to be practiced with the presence of all the other features. In other words, in any described embodiment, when implementation of one or more features or specific details does not affect implementation of another one or more features or specific details, said one or more features may be singled out and practiced alone without said another one or more features or specific details. It should be further noted that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is(are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.