DESK HAVING ONE OR MORE COMPACT CONFIGURATIONS

Description

RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/734,590, filed Dec. 16, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein.

FIELD

The present application relates to desk systems.

BACKGROUND

Desk systems used for office and home office settings and the like are well-known. Examples of known desk systems include U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2017/0000254A1, 2019/0025781A1, and 2019/0082823A1.

Prior art desk systems are typically sold in a fully or partially disassembled state, thus requiring more work for a user setting up a desk system. For example, some desk systems are sold with disconnected have legs that must be assembled to the underside of the upper platform or a frame body. Some desk systems have frames with the legs attached to which the user must attach the upper platform.

Also, prior art desk systems once erected in their operational configuration generally remain in that configuration, and have a profile dictated by that configuration. Some may have a reduced vertical profile as a result of lowering, and some may have the ability to have some parts folded or retracted, like a keyboard tray that slides underneath a main platform or folds up. However, these do not significantly reduce the size profile of the system in terms of horizontal footprint.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the inventors have developed a desk system that can be transitioned from a compact configuration to an operational configuration with the legs and feet remaining connected with the platform. In this aspect, the desk system comprises a platform with a working surface that faces upwardly in the operational configuration of the desk system. At least two legs are connected to the platform at an upper end thereof for extending vertically to support the platform in the operational configuration of the desk system. An elongated foot is connected to each of the at least two legs at a lower end thereof, each foot being moveable between (a) an operational position in which the foot extends outwardly in a fore-aft direction of the desk system to provide stability to the desk system in the fore-aft direction, and (b) a compact position in which the foot extends away from the fore-aft direction. The operational configuration includes each foot being moved to the operational position thereof such that the feet are engaged with a ground surface and the legs are oriented vertically to support the platform with its working surface facing upwardly. The compact configuration of the desk system includes at least each foot being moved to the compact position thereof.

In another aspect, the inventors have developed a design for a desk system that can be moved to a reduced profile configuration while remaining standing—a standing compact configuration. This enables the desk system to remain standing, but have a lower profile to create more space for the user (such as in a tighter modular office space) or for storage of one or more desk systems while standing upright. The desk system comprises a platform with a working surface that faces upwardly in the operational configuration of the desk system. At least two legs connected are to the platform at an upper end thereof for extending vertically to support the platform in the operational configuration of the desk system. An elongated foot is connected to each of the at least two legs at a lower end thereof, each foot being extendible and retractable in a rectilinear manner in a radial direction with respect its associated leg.

Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a desk system in accordance with an embodiment of the present application in the operational configuration;

FIG. 2 is a left profile view of the desk system of FIG. 1 in the operational configuration;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the design system of FIG. 1 in the fully compact configuration;

FIG. 4 is a right profile or end view of the desk system of FIG. 1 in the fully compact configuration, including a container showed schematically for shipping or storage of the system;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the desk system of FIG. 1 before movement of the desk system from the fully compact configuration to the operational configuration;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view like FIG. 5 showing the movement of the legs as the desk system is moved from the fully compact configuration to the operational configuration;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view like FIG. 5 showing the movement of the feet as the desk system is moved from the fully compact configuration to the operational configuration;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the region where a leg and foot meet, looking downwardly with the foot rotated between a compact position to the left and an extended operational position to the right;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view showing the desk system of FIG. 1 being moved from the operational configuration to a standing compact configuration;

FIG. 10 is bottom plan and front elevational views of the desk system of FIG. 1 being moved from the standing compact configuration to the operational configuration;

FIG. 11 is a cross-section of a foot showing one embodiment of an actuator for the foot, the actuator unactuated;

FIG. 12 is the view of FIG. 11 with the actuator actuated;

FIG. 13 is a cross-section of a foot showing another embodiment of an actuator for the foot, the actuator unactuated;

FIG. 14 is the view of FIG. 13 with the actuator actuated;

FIG. 15 is a cross-section of a foot showing yet another embodiment of an actuator for the foot, the actuator unactuated;

FIG. 16 is the view of FIG. 15 with the actuator actuated;

FIG. 17 is a side view of a series of desk systems in accordance with a different embodiment in the standing compact configuration, with one being moved to the operational configuration;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the desk system in FIG. 17 in the operational configuration; and

FIG. 19 shows an optional feature using foot extensions that extend/retract.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application discloses a desk system having an operational configuration and a compact configuration. One non-limiting embodiment of a desk system 10 having such configurations is illustrated in FIGS. 1-10.

The reference to the desk system having an operational configuration and a compact configuration, such as a fully compact configuration and/or a standing compact configuration, and being moveable or transitionable therebetween refers to the ability of the desk system to be manipulable between at least the operational configuration and one or more compact configurations while having at least the legs and feet connected, as discussed below. The term operational configuration refers to the normal use condition of the desk system in which the legs extend vertically, stabilized by the feet, to support the platform facing vertically upwardly, such as for writing, supporting a computer, tablet, display monitor, keyboard, mouse etc. The term standing compact configuration refers to a configuration in which the legs remain in a vertical orientation but some components of the desk system are moved to create a reduced profile, particularly in a fore-aft direction (e.g., FIG. 2), whereby the desk system can be more out of a user's way. The standing compact configuration may optionally enable multiple desk systems to be arranged standing face to face or front to back for storage of multiple systems, or it may allow a single desk system to be more out of the user's way and/or take up less space by having reduced profile. The term fully compact configuration refers to a configuration that is more compacted than the standing compact configuration and in which the legs are moved to a position generally along a lower surface of the platform. The fully compact configuration may be used, e.g, for shipping, such as when the desk system is being transported to a point of sale, or to the end user/customer. The fully compact configuration may also be used by an end user/customer that desires to store the desk system in a more compact configuration (i.e., not standing like the standing compact configuration). As such, the fully compact configuration may serve as a shipping configuration or a long-term or more compacted storage configuration. These purposes are not limiting characterizations, and the fully compact configuration can be used for any purpose. The more general category compact configuration refers to a configuration of the desk system that is more compact than the operational configuration, including for example the standing compact and the fully compact configurations.

A desk system need not have both the standing and the fully compact configurations, and can have just one compact configuration (e.g., one of the standing and fully compact configurations, or a different one). For example, in some embodiments a desk system could have legs fixedly attached beneath the platform such that the desk system can only move between the operational and standing compact configurations while remaining assembled (and a more compact configuration, such as for shipping, would require some disassembly with disconnection of the legs). Likewise, a desk system could move between an operational configuration and a fully compact configuration without having a standing compact configuration. An example of such a design is having the feet rotate to fold upward towards the legs, rather than rotating about the vertical axes of the legs, whereby the feet are not useable for engaging the ground surface in their compacted position. Details of the various configurations and the structural features of the desk system's 10 illustrated embodiments are provided below.

The desk system 10 comprises a platform 12 with a working surface 14 that faces upwardly in the operational configuration of the desk system. The platform 12 is the part of the desk system 10 that is used for normal functional desk purposes, such as placing a computer, laptop, display monitor or the like on surface 14, writing on papers on surface 14, or any other activity for which a desk is used. The platform 12 may have any construction or configuration, and may be made from any suitable materials, such as metal, plastic, wood or a combination thereof. The platform 12 may have a keyboard tray that slides from a stored position beneath the platform 12 and an extended position extending outward from the platform 12; however, the tray would be considered a component of or addition to platform 12 and is not considered a platform itself.

In the illustrated embodiment, the platform 12 optionally includes a movable part 16 that is moveable between (a) an operational position extending outwardly in the fore-aft direction (e.g., FIG. 2) and facing upwardly to provide at least part of the working surface 14 in the operational configuration of the desk system 10, and (b) a compact position moved inwardly from the operational position so as to not extend horizontally outwardly in the fore-aft direction. The fore-aft direction refers to the direction that is perpendicular to the page in FIG. 1 and to the left and right in FIG. 2, and in this embodiment the movable part 16 extends in the forward direction outwardly towards the user. In the illustrated embodiment, the desk system 10 includes a stationary platform part 18 and the movable platform part 16 extends forwardly from it in the operational position. That design, however, is not limiting and in some embodiments the platform 12 can have one part providing the working surface 14 (e.g., FIGS. 17-18) and in some embodiments more than two parts can provide the working surface 14. In the illustrated embodiment, in the operational position the moveable platform part 16 extends outwardly in the fore-aft direction from the stationary platform part 18 and faces upwardly to provide part of the working surface 14 in the desk system's 10 operational configuration, and in the compact position the moveable platform part 16 is moved inwardly from the operational position so as to not extend horizontally outwardly in the fore-aft direction from the stationary platform part 18 (or such that its outward extension from the stationary platform part 18 is minimized).

That is, the moveable part 16 has its own operational position, which is used when the desk 10 is in its operational configuration, and a compact position used for each of the two compact configurations of the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, which are the fully compact configuration and the standing compact configuration. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the desk system 10 in its operational configuration, and the movable part 16 is in its operational position in the fore-aft direction (and specifically the forward direction) as discussed above. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the desk system 10 in the fully compact configuration with the moveable part 16 in its compact position, which in this embodiment is an orientation that is essentially perpendicular to the stationary part 18 in the downward direction therefrom. This fully compact configuration may be used for shipping, as discussed above, and the legs discussed later below are folded up facing the bottom surface of the platform 12, here the stationary part 18. A container 20, such as a box, carton, crate, etc. is shown schematically to represent how the fully compact configuration can be used to more compactly fit the desk system 10 inside the container 20 as a packaged desk system for shipping/delivery purposes. Similarly, FIG. 9 shows the desk system 10 in the standing compact configuration, in which the movable part 16 is in the same compact position to reduce the profile of the desk system 10 in the fore-aft direction while the desk system 10 remains standing.

The movable part 16 can have different orientations in the compact position other than perpendicular to the stationary part 18, such as being folded or pivoted to overlie the stationary part 18 or any other position of reduced profile, including positions between perpendicular downward and overlying the stationary part 18. Thus, the perpendicular orientation illustrated is not intended to be limiting.

When referring to directions of the desk system or components thereof, such as horizontal, vertical, fore-aft, lateral, etc., for the sake of convenience those terms will refer to the desk system 10 in its operational configuration. In a compacted configuration, and particularly a fully compacted configuration such as for shipping or longer term storage (e.g., FIGS. 3 and 4) where the legs are folded in, the desk system 10 can be placed in any orientation, including standing on a lateral end, upside down, etc. However, for convenience the directional system of the operational configuration will continue to be used (rather than defining a directional system that can change based on how the user decides to orient the desk system for shipping or storage). The reader of this specification or a user of the desk system will readily understand that the directional system of the operational configuration can be ascertained with reference to an element of the system that other parts move relative to. For example, in FIG. 1, the legs 26/28, feet 32/34 and movable platform part 16 move relative to the stationary platform part 18, which in operational use will face upwardly with the legs depending vertically downwardly therefrom. Thus, even if the desk system is upside down or standing on a lateral end in a compact configuration, the directional system will remain with reference to the stationary part 18 of the platform 12 or the frame 30 to which it is fixed. In the design of FIGS. 17 and 18 where the entire platform 12 can move, the operational configuration position of the frame element 30, relative to which the legs and movable platform part move, may be considered the point of reference.

In the illustrated embodiment, the platform 12 also includes at least one retainer for holding the movable part 16 in the operational position thereof. In the operational position of the movable part 16, the retainer can be moved to a retaining position to retain the movable part 16 in the operational position. To allow the movable part 16 to move to the compact position thereof, the retainer can be moved to a releasing position to release the movable part 16 for movement to the compact position thereof. The retainer in the illustrated embodiment may include, as a non-limiting example, a lock in the form of an elongated rigid member 22, such as a rod, bar or the like, that is attached to an optional handle 24. The handle 24 may be located at or near the forward edge of the movable part 16 of the platform 12, and the rigid member 22 is slidably mounted underneath the movable part 16. When the movable part 16 is in its operational position, the rigid member 22 can be slid inwardly to extend underneath the stationary part 18, thus providing the retaining position of the retainer and supporting the movable part 16 against downward pivoting from its operational position. For additional or alternative retention, the inner end of the rigid member 22 can be received in a corresponding receiver structure mounted underneath the stationary part 18. By way of non-limiting example, the mounting bracket or frame 30, discussed below for pivotally connecting the legs 26, 28, may have a receiving opening for the inner end of the rigid member 22. To release the retainer from its retaining position and move it to its releasing position, the user can move the rigid member 22 outwardly from extension underneath the stationary part 18, such as by pulling on the handle 24, thus enabling the movable part 16 of the platform 12 to pivot downwardly relative to the stationary part 18 to its compact position.

As mentioned, the desk system 10 also comprises at least two legs 26, 28 connected to the platform 12 at an upper end thereof for extending vertically to support the platform 12 in the operational configuration of the desk system 10. In the illustrated embodiment, as an option, the legs 26, 28 are extendible and retractable legs. As can be seen, the legs 26, 28 in the illustrated embodiment have a non-limiting telescoping design in which the lower leg part of narrower diameter slides within the upper leg part of wider diameter to extend/retract the overall length of each leg 26, 28. The extension/retraction of the legs 26, 28 may be performed using one or more motors under operation of a controller to adjust the height of the platform 12 and its work surface 14 in the operational configuration. For example, the user may set the platform 12 to a sitting height for use when seated on a chair or to a standing height for use when standing. The exact setting for each of these heights may be customized to the specific user. Some designs may include a motor for each leg 26, 28 for controlling the extension of each leg individually, typically under a central or common control, or one motor linked to driven mechanisms for each leg 26, 28. In other embodiments, the legs 26, 28 can be manually adjusted, and in some embodiments the legs 26, 28 may be non-adjustable and simply have a static or fixed length. In other designs the legs may not extend/retract and the platform may move up and down with respect to a base frame. Examples of such designs are included in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2017/0000254A1, which is U.S. Pat. No. 10,114,352B2, 2019/0025781A1, which is U.S. Pat. No. 10,649,422B2, and 2019/0082823A1, which is U.S. Pat. No. 10,568,418B2, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. Also, the extension/retraction may be in small periodic or cyclical amounts designed to encourage small changes or movements in user posture/positioning, as discussed in above-incorporated U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0025781A1.

The legs 26, 28 in the illustrated embodiment are pivotally connected underneath the platform 12. A mounting frame or bracket 30 may optionally be mounted beneath the platform 12 to serve as the mounting point for the legs 26, 28. The manner in which the legs 26, 28 are pivotally mounted is not intended to be limiting, and any form of such mounting may be used.

The legs 26, 28 may be moved to a compact position extending laterally along a lower surface of the stationary part 18 of the platform 12. This is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrating the fully compact configuration of the desk system 10 with the legs 26, 28 and the movable part 16 in their respective compact positions. FIGS. 5-7 also show the pivoting of the legs 26, 28 as the desk system 10 transitions from the fully compact configuration to the operational configuration, with the legs 26, 28 being moved to the operational position thereof extending vertically to support the platform 12. This shows the advantage in some embodiments of how the desk system 10 can be shipped assembled in the fully compact configuration and erected to the operational configuration, thus avoiding the need for the user to perform substantial assembly steps. In embodiments where the legs 26, 28 can extend/retract, the fully compact configuration may include having the legs retracted to a fully retracted position, or at least sufficiently far to ensure that the legs 26, 28 can each be pivoted to the compact position without interfering with each other.

The desk system 10 also comprises an elongated foot 32, 34 connected to each of the at least two legs 26, 28, respectively, at a lower end thereof. Each foot 32, 34 is moveable between (a) an operational position in which the foot 32, 34 extends outwardly in the fore-aft direction of the desk system to provide stability to the desk system in the fore-aft direction, and (b) a compact position in which the foot 32, 34 extends away from the fore-aft direction. The operational configuration of the desk system 10 includes each foot 32, 34 moved to the operational position thereof and the movable platform part 16 being moved to the operational position thereof, such that the feet 32, 34 are engaged with a ground surface and the legs 26, 28 are oriented vertically to support the platform 12 with its working surface 14 facing upwardly. Conversely, the compact configuration of the desk system 10 (for any type of compact configuration) includes at least each foot 32, 34 being moved to the compact position thereof and the movable part 16 of the platform 12 being moved to the compact position thereof.

In particular, each foot 32, 34 extends forwardly from their legs 26, 28 in the fore-aft direction of the desk system 10, which is the same direction the movable part 16 of the platform 12 extends. The elongated shape of the feet 32, 34 provides enhanced stability, and the forward extension from legs 26, 28 that are set rearward of the laterally extending centerline of the desk system 10 is designed to increase the desk stability. Typically, the bulk of the weight supported by a desk system 10 like that depicted is towards the rear, which is typically where a computer or display will most likely be positioned, with lighter components like a mouse, keyboard, etc. towards the front. Hence, having the legs set slightly back from centerline advantageously locates the support under the most likely location of the weight to be supported. However, because users may lean on the desk system 10 at the forward edge of the platform 12, which tends to tilt the system 10 forwardly (to the right in FIG. 2), the elongated feet 32, 34 extending forwardly stabilizes the desk system 10 against such forward tilting.

For purposes of the compact configuration, the illustrated embodiment has two different compact positions for the feet 32, 34, each for the two different compact configurations. Again, the broader aspects of the present application do not require more than one compact configuration, and hence the inclusion of two in the illustrated embodiment is not limiting. In the illustrated embodiment, each foot 32, 34 is rotatably attached to the lower end of its associated leg 26, 28 to rotate about a vertical axis. The system's 10 standing compact configuration includes at least each foot 32, 34 being moved to the compact position thereof and the movable platform part 16 being moved to the compact position thereof with the legs in a vertical orientation, whereby the standing compact configuration has a lower profile in the fore-aft direction. In an embodiment, each foot 32, 34 in the compact position for the standing compact configuration is rotated to extend in a lateral direction of the desk system 10, as shown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, the feet 32, 34 are oriented to point inwardly towards one another in the lateral direction. This reduces the overall profile in the fore-aft direction because the feet 32, 34 are not oriented in the forward direction as in FIG. 2. In conjunction with the moveable part 16 being folded down to its compact position, this reduces the overall profile of the desk system in the fore-aft direction, while the desk system 10 remains free-standing with its legs 26, 28 vertical. The inward pointing of the feet 32, 34 towards one another also keeps the feet 32, 34 from extending outward in the lateral direction, and keeps them more packaged in the space between the legs. However, depending on leg position (such as if the legs are closer to the center), having the feet 32, 34 oriented to point away from one another in the compact position for the standing compact configuration is also an option. Also, the compact position may be realized by the feet 32/34 being rotated away from the forward direction, but not entirely to the extent they are oriented entirely in the lateral direction.

The desk system's 10 fully compact configuration includes at least each foot 32, 34 being moved to the compact position thereof, the movable platform part 16 being moved to the compact position thereof, and the legs 26, 28 being moved to a compact position extending laterally along a lower surface of the stationary part 18 of the platform 12. Thus, the desk system 10 has a reduced profile in both the fore-aft and vertical directions more amenable for shipping or long-term storage. As mentioned, each leg 26, 28 is pivotally connected for movement between (a) the operational position extending vertically to support the platform in the operational configuration of the desk system (e.g., FIGS. 1 and 2) and (b) the compact position thereof shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIGS. 5-7 show the pivoting of the legs 26, 28 and feet 32, 34 as the desk system 10 is erected from the fully compact configuration to the operational configuration, with FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the operational configuration in its final state. As can be seen in FIGS. 3-5 in particular, in the fully compact configuration of the desk system 10 the feet 32, 34 in the compact position thereof are oriented to extend from the legs 26, 28 in the compact position thereof in a generally vertically downward direction away from the stationary part 18 of the platform 12 (as discussed above, the downward direction is relative to the operational position of the desk system, and thus the downward direction is upward in FIGS. 4-7 because the desk system 10 is upside down). This configuration allows the legs 26, 28 to be moved more closely to the platform 12 for a more reduced overall profile. As can be seen in FIGS. 5-7, as the legs 26, 28 are unfolded to their operational, vertical orientation, the legs 32, 34 will extend laterally outwardly, and the user rotates them to the forward orientation as shown in FIG. 7 to achieve the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Likewise, in the fully compact configuration of the desk system 10 the movable part 16 of the platform 12 in the compact position thereof extends in a generally vertically downward direction away from the stationary part 18 of the platform 12

In the illustrated embodiment, having the feet 32, 34 oriented vertically downward in their compact position for the desk system's 10 fully compact configuration allows them to be longer in the forward direction to provide more stability in the desk system's 10 fully operational configuration, while also allowing the movable part 16 to be oriented downward for a smaller fully compact configuration. Specifically, the orientation of the feet 32/34 in the fully compact configuration may allow them to be longer in the forward direction without interfering with the folding down of the movable part 16.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of one non-limiting example for securing a foot 32, 34 in its compact position and/or operational positions thereof. The foot 32, 34 has a tubular member 36 rotatably received on the bottom end of the leg 26, 28. The leg 26, 28 bottom end includes at least one stop 40, and optionally two stops 40 and 41 spaced apart circumferentially. The tubular member 36 has at least one receiving opening 42, and optionally two receiving openings 42, 43 spaced apart circumferentially. When the foot 32, 34 is in its operational position (to the right in FIG. 8), a screw or other insertable member 44 (such as a pin or the like) can be inserted into receiving opening 42. The member 44 inserted in opening 42 is positioned to abut stop 40 to limit rotation past the operational position. The limit is preferably set at the operational position such that the axis of the foot is fore-aft in the direction of the desk system 10, but some additional play may be permitted past that position. Similarly, the other stop 41 limits rotational movement of the foot 32, 34 from the operational position back towards the compact position. This limit may be set closer to the operational position than illustrated if desired. Optionally, the stop 41 may have a receiving opening 45. Collectively, the limits are selected to avoid an unstable condition for the desk system 10, and the extent to which the feet 32, 34 are permitted to vary from the fore-aft direction may differ depending on various factors, such as overall size of the system, weight distribution and the like.

Additionally, when the foot 32, 34 is in the compact position (to the left in FIG. 8), the opening 43 can be aligned with the opening 45 on the stop 41 and the insertable member 44 can be inserted into the openings 43, 45 to secure the foot 32, 34 in its compact configuration. The same approach can also be used between stop 40 and member 44, with an opening being provided in stop 40 to limit rotation. These openings for receiving the receiving member 44 may also be unthreaded or threaded, although threading is advantageous when used with a correspondingly threading member 44 (such as screw) to reduce inadvertent withdrawal. These structures could be reversed, with the leg having a tubular member in which the leg is received, and thus the illustrated design is not limiting. Likewise, the insertable member need not be inserted into a stop 40, 41. For example, the opening 43 could be circumferentially adjacent the stop 41 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 8's left image such that abutting between the stop 41 and the member 44 inserted into the opening 43 can stop counterclockwise rotation of the foot 32/34. The same would be applied to the other foot with the arrangement being to prevent rotation of the other foot in the clockwise direction (i.e., the opening 43 could be circumferentially adjacent the stop 41 in the clockwise direction to provide abutting between the stop 41 and the member 44 inserted in the opening 43). The rotational directions may be reversed depending on the selected fully compacted configuration.

The feet 32, 34 in the fully compacted configuration need not necessarily be designed for rotation about the vertical axis of the legs 26, 28. For example, the feet could be designed to pivot upwardly to extend vertically alongside the legs 32, 34. Such a configuration would enable the legs 26, 28 to fold down to their compact position in the fully compact configuration of the desk system 10 and also avoids interference with the folding of movable part 16. In such a design, the desk system 10 could also have a standing compact configuration provided by a design where a bottom of each leg 26, 28 engages the ground surface to provide some amount of stability when the feet are pivoted upwardly to reduce the fore-aft profile. The standing configuration may be used for leaning the desk system against a wall, another desk system, or any other object, so the stability need not achieve complete free standing ability in that configuration.

For embodiments where the feet 32, 34 rotate about the vertical axis of the legs 32, 34, each foot 32, 34 may have a restraint for inhibiting rotation of the foot about the vertical axis from the operational position, and a release actuator operable by the user for de-activating the restraint. The term restraint means a feature that inhibits movement of a foot from its position, such as its operational position. Examples of restraints include mechanical interlocks, frictional resistance, camming relations, magnetic securement, etc.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show one example of a restraint 48 and an actuator 50. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the foot 32/34 is rotatably mounted to the lower end of the leg 26/28 (the use of the “/” indicates this can be the same on either foot and leg). The bottom of the leg 26/28 has an anti-slip friction pad 52 that engages the ground surface, and thus resists movement of the desk system 10 on the ground surface. The materials used for the friction pad 52 are well-known in the art and readily understood by a person of ordinary skill. The material of such a pad is any suitable material that increases frictional resistance to sliding of the leg bottom surface, and hence the desk system 10, on a ground surface. Examples of such a material (for this anti-slip friction pad and others mentioned herein) include rubber, softer plastics, cast materials like silicone, molded materials like TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer), TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane), and TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber), etc.

The restraint 48 of each foot 32/34 is also an anti-slip friction pad 54, which is located at a distal end of the foot 32/34 for engaging the ground in the operational position of the foot 32/34 and operational configuration of the desk system 10. The same materials mentioned above for pad 52 (or any other friction pad material) may also be used for pad 54.

The actuator 50 is operable by the user to de-activate the restraint by raising the friction pad 54 out of contact with the ground surface, as shown in FIG. 12. Specifically, the bottom surface of the foot's body in FIGS. 11 and 12 may optionally have one or more low friction pads or protrusions (also called sliders) 56 that more easily slide along the ground surface. A person of ordinary skill in the art is readily familiar with this class of materials, and includes any suitable material for sliding along ground surfaces, including but not limited to felt pads, pads made or coated with PTFE (Teflon®), hardened low friction polycarbonates, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, etc. The actuator 50 is operated by the user to cause the friction pad 54 of the associated foot 32/34 to move vertically relative to the foot 32/34, and in FIGS. 11-12 the actuator 50 includes a lever 58 operable by the user to raise the friction pad 54 relative to the foot. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the fulcrum of the lever 58 is at pin 60 forward of the connection to a lifter element 62 that raises and lowers the friction pad 54, such that the user raises the anti-slip friction pad 54 out of contact with the floor by depressing the lever 58 per FIG. 12. In that state, the low friction pad(s) or slider(s) 56 on the foot 32/34 are in contact with the ground surface, thus enabling the user to easily rotate the foot 32/34 between operational and compact positions. This is particularly useful for moving the feet 32/34 between their operational position and the compact position used for the standing compact configuration. A spring 64 is included that applies a bias to force the lifter element 62 downwardly and the lever 58 upwardly when the user is not pressing on the lever 58, thus normally maintaining the anti-slip friction pad 54 in contact with the ground surface.

In some embodiments, it is possible that the foot 32/34 and mounting thereof to the leg 26/28 may be sufficiently rigid such that the foot 32/34 remains cantilevered with the distal end remaining out of contact with the floor when the lever 58 is depressed and the lifter element 62 and pad 54 is raised. That may obviate the need for the low friction pad(s) or slider(s) 56 in some designs. However, because a user may press downwardly with more weight than anticipated, the friction pad(s) or slider(s) 56 may still be used in a design where the foot 32/34 is expected to remain cantilevered in the event sufficient weight is put on the foot 32/34 to bend it down to floor contact.

In some embodiments, the top surface of the lever 58 may also be provided with an anti-slip frictional material to prevent the user's foot from slipping. This frictional material may also assist the user in rotating the foot 32/34 about the vertical axis of the leg by the user using only his/her foot, with the frictional engagement enabling the user to drag the foot 32/34 around about the vertical axis while depressing it downwardly.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show another example of a restraint 48 and actuator 50. This design is similar to FIGS. 11 and 12, except that the anti-slip friction pad 54 and the low friction pad(s) or slider(s) 56 are reversed and the fulcrum for the lever 58 and its associated pin 60 is rearward of the pivotal connection to a lifter element 62 that raises and lowers. Because common or analogous elements are used between the designs of FIGS. 11-12 and 13-14, common reference numbers will be used. That helps illustrate that the reversal of components is the friction pad 54 being positioned on the bottom surface of the foot's 32/34 body, and the low friction pad or slider 56 being provided on the lifter element 62. Because of the change on the lever fulcrum, the friction pad(s) 54 will remain normally in contact with the floor surface when the user is not depressing the actuator 52. When the lever 58 is operated by the user, the lever 58 forces the lifter 62 with the low friction pad (slider) 56 thereon downwardly against the ground to raise the distal end of the foot 32/34 and the friction pad(s) 54 out of contact with the ground surface. Thus, in this design the feet 32/34 can be rotated between an operational position and a compact position like the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, except that in FIGS. 13 and 14 the lifter element 62 is forced downwardly to raise the end of the foot 32/34 out of contact with the ground surface, instead of being raised upwardly to enable lowering of the foot 32/34. Similarly, the spring 64 in FIGS. 13-14 also does the reverse, applying a bias to force the lifter element 62 upwardly and the lever 58 upwardly when the user is not pressing on the lever 58, thus normally allowing the friction pad(s) 54 on the foot 32/34 bottom to remain in contact with the ground surface with the low friction pad/slider 56 raised.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show another example of a lock or restraint 48 and actuator 50. In FIGS. 15 and 16, the restraint 48 of each foot 32/34 is a mechanical interlock 66 that engages a corresponding interlock 68 on the leg 26/28 to rotationally fix the foot 32/34 with respect to the leg 26/28. The actuator 50 is connected to the mechanical interlock 66 and operable by the user to de-activate the restraint 48 by disengagement of the mechanical interlock 66 from the corresponding interlock 68 to enable rotation of the foot 32/34. In the illustrated design, the interlock 66 is a pin slidably mounted to the foot 32/34 and the corresponding interlock 68 is an opening formed in the leg 26/28 or a component thereof. The pin 66 is biased by a spring 70 in the direction of the opening 68 such that the pin 66 is biased towards insertion into the opening 68. The pin 66 in the illustrated design is connected to the lever 58 by a connector element 72, such as a cable, rigid linkage element, or the like, and the spring 70 engages a shoulder 74 on the pin 66. As shown, the connection of the connector element 72 is positioned such that downward depression of the lever 58 about its pivot axis pulls the connector element 72 to move the pin 66 outwardly against the spring 70 and out of engagement with the opening 68, thus freeing the foot 32/34 for rotation about the vertical axis of the leg 26/28. When the user releases the lever 58, the spring 70 will biases the pin 66 back inwardly. If the pin 66 is not aligned with the opening 68, or another opening like 68′ corresponding to another fixed position, the foot 32/34 may remain able to rotate about the vertical axis until the pin becomes aligned with an opening, e.g., opening 68, or 68′ such that the spring 70 forces the pin 66 for insertion therein to fix the rotational position of the foot 32/34. Although only openings 68 and 68′ are seen in FIGS. 15 and 16, any number or circumferential location may be used for the openings to establish the desired number of fixed positions for the foot 32/34.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 16, the components related to restraint and release of the foot 32/34 are located inside the body of the foot 32/34 which is partially hollow for receiving those components. In other embodiments, such structures may be located outside the body of the foot 32/34, or have some parts inside and some parts outside.

The design in FIGS. 15 and 16 has wheels 74, such as caster wheels, as an optional feature.

These restraint/actuator examples are not intended to be limiting, and are simply examples to show how some embodiments may work. Any other suitable design may be used as well, including other forms of latches, interlocks, frictional locking, detents, etc.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate another embodiment of the desk system 10. Because many of the same components are used between the embodiments previously described and the embodiment of FIGS. 17-18, common reference numbers will be used for the common or analogous features. Any variation applicable to the embodiment relating to FIG. 1, or any other embodiment of the present application, may be applied to the embodiment in FIGS. 17-18. The difference in FIGS. 17 and 18 is that the entire platform 12 pivots to the compact position shown in FIG. 17 in which it extends vertically downward. Thus, the platform 12 may be regarded as only having a moveable part with no stationary part. The frame 30 remains in the same position, and the platform 12 is pivotally connected thereto for movement between the operational (FIG. 18) and compact (FIG. 17). FIG. 17 shows the desk system 10 in a standing compact configuration with the movable part, i.e., the entire platform 12, pivoted down to its compact position, and the feet 32/34 pivoted inwardly to their compact positions, whereby the profile of the desk system 10 is reduced in the fore-aft direction, and particularly the forward direction.

FIG. 17 also shows a number of the desk systems 10 arranged in a front to back series. This configuration is advantageous for storing multiple tables in a standing compacted manner, such as for conference tables. This approach may also be used since this allows for motorized height adjustable tables to be compactly stored away and if they have battery powered lift motors they can be possibly gang recharged, i.e. connected together to the same charging source.

The feet 32, 34 may optionally have locks, e.g., latches, pins, etc., like that described in reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 that are actuated by the user separately from movement of the platform 12. As another alternative (which may be applied to any embodiment and not just that of FIGS. 17 and 18), the foot locks may be actuated in response to movement of the platform 12 from the operational position or operation of a platform retainer (e.g. a lock) to release the platform 12 for movement from the operational position. For example, each lock on a foot 32. 34 may have a cable connected to it, which cable when operated causes actuation of the associated foot lock to move it from a locking position securing the foot 32, 34 in its operational position to a releasing position freeing the foot 32, 34 for movement to its compact position. Such a cable could be connected to the platform 12, such that downward pivoting of the platform translates the cable to actuate the foot lock to its releasing position. Such a cable could also be connected to a platform retainer, such as a latch or other securement, that is used to secure the platform 12 in its operational position, whereby moving that retainer to release the platform for movement from its operational position would also actuate the foot locks to release the feet 32, 34 for movement from their operational position. Such foot locks could be biased towards the locking position, such as by a spring or other resilient structure, and translation of the cable by pulling the cable actuates the foot locks to the releasing position by shifting the lock against the resilient structure. Such translation could also be affected by relieving tension in the cable in a design where a spring or other resilient structure biases the foot lock to the releasing position. Other structures instead of cables, such as rigid links (including rods or levers), could likewise be used to affect such operation of transferring motion associated with either movement of the platform 12 from its operational position or operation of a platform retainer, such as a latch, to release the platform 12 for movement from its operational position.

In other embodiments, electronics can be used to coordinate release of the foot locks with the release or movement of the platform 12. For example, the foot locks could be operated by solenoids, and a sensor could detect when a user starts moving the platform 12 from the operational position (or a certain amount away from the operational position, including to the compact position), and in response trigger the solenoids to release the foot locks. Similarly, a sensor could be associated with a platform retainer that secures the platform 12 in the operational position, and movement of that platform retainer to its releasing position could also be detected by the sensor to trigger the solenoids for release of the foot locks. Similarly, the platform retainer could be operated electronically (such as by a solenoid) and a single operator input (such as button on a panel or any other user interface) could trigger release of both the foot locks and the platform retainer at the same time, or separate inputs could be used to release them separately. Motors, particularly small ones, or other electronically responsive devices, such as piezoelectric materials, electrically responsive alloys, etc. could also be used to operate the foot locks or a platform retainer.

The design illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 can also be shipped in a configuration with the platform 12 moved to extend downwardly to be essentially parallel to the legs 26, 28, as shown in FIG. 17, and the feet 32, 34 moved to their compact position pointing inwardly towards one another (a shipping configuration). This provides the shipping configuration with an overall rectangular shape having a thin profile in the direction perpendicular to the platform 12 in its compact position. Alternatively, the design can be shipped in a configuration with its platform in its normal operational position and the legs 26, 28 folded upwardly underneath the platform 12. To help achieve a more compact configuration, the legs 26 can be retracted/lowered to lower the platform 12 so it resides closer to the feet 32/34 (and thus minimizes the height). As mentioned, the legs 26 may have any extendable/rectractable configuration, including telescoping, rail interconnections, or any such configuration that allows for linear movement in an extending/retracting manner to vary height, including manual adjustments and motorized adjustments.

As mentioned previously, any desk system according to the present application can be put in a container, like desk system 10 inside container 20, and thus the present application provides a packaged desk system for shipping as a separate aspect of the present application. The packaged system comprises the container for shipping the desk system, which may be any type of container, and a desk system like those discussed above with a fully compact configuration in which at least each foot 32, 34 is moved to the compact position thereof, the movable platform part 16 is moved to the compact position thereof, and the legs 26, 28 are moved to a compact position extending laterally along a lower surface of the stationary part 18 of the platform 12. The packaged system enables the desk system 10 to be removable from the container 20 and movable to the operational configuration by moving each of the legs 26, 28, feet 32, 34, and movable part 16 of the platform 12 to the respective operational positions thereof. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the desk system in the fully compact configuration and FIGS. 6-8 show the sequence of the transition to the operational configuration, and particularly the movement of the legs and feet, with the operational configuration depicted in its final state in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the movable platform part 16 moved to its operational position. As can be appreciated from FIGS. 6-8, in the fully compact configuration of the desk system 10, the feet 32, 34 are in the compact position thereof and are oriented to extend from the legs 26, 28, which are also in the compact position thereof in a generally vertically downward direction away from the stationary part 18 of the platform. The feet 32, 34 are moveable to the operational position thereof after removal of the desk system 10 from the container 20. Similarly, in the fully compact configuration of the desk system 10, the movable part 16 of the platform 12 in the compact position thereof extends in a generally vertically downward direction away from the stationary part 18 of the platform 12, and the movable part 16 is moveable to the operational position thereof after removal of the desk system 10 from the container 20. The packaged desk system may have other structures or configurations and may have any, some or all of the features discussed herein or any other suitable features.

FIG. 19 shows an example of a foot design that can be used with any embodiment described herein or any other desk system. In FIG. 19, the feet are extendible/retractible in the radial direction. Specifically, the foot 80 has a pair of opposing foot extensions 82, 84 extending radially away from one another. A base 86 is attached to the lower end of a leg 88. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 86 has a central member 90 to which each of the foot extensions 82, 84 are slidably mounted. The central member 90 may be a rod, bar, or any other structure to which the foot extensions 82, 84 are slidably mounted for rectilinear movement, such as by telescoping mounting, rail and guide, dovetail mounting, or the like. The member 90 may be included in opening extending diametrically through the base 86 and in which the foot extension(s) 82, 84 are inserted. Each of the foot extensions 82, 84 has a fastener 92, 94 for securing the foot extension 82, 84 in a radial position relative to the central member 90. Specifically, each foot extension 82, 84 is a threaded fastener 92, 94 received in a threaded opening in the foot 82, 84, which when tightened bears against the central member 90 to prevent radial movement of its associated foot extension 82, 84. This design allows the foot extension(s) 82 and/or 84 to be retracted radially inwardly for a compact position taking up less space and extended radially outwardly for an operational position increasing stability. This approach may be combined with any design herein or any other desk system. For example, the design in FIG. 19 could be used with embodiment with the movable part 16 whereby retraction of one or both of the foot extensions 82 and/or 84 is sufficient to clear the folded down movable part 16 for enabling folding of the legs 26, 28 (and one or both foot extensions 82, 84 can be extended to increase stability when the desk system is in the operational position). Thus, each elongated foot 82, 84 (or just one may be used) is connected to each of the at least two legs 88 of the system 10 at a lower end thereof, each foot being extendible and retractable in a rectilinear manner in a radial direction with respect its associated leg.

The design of FIG. 19 could be implemented differently, and the example illustrated is not intended to be limiting. For example, the central member 90 can be eliminated, and the foot extensions can slide within an opening in the base 86. Similarly, the radially inner ends of the foots extensions 82, 84 can be slidably mounted to one another directly, such as by telescopic mounting, rails and guide, dovetailing or the like. Such an approach may increase the amount of retraction, thus making the design more compact when the foot extensions are retracted radially inwardly. Similarly, the fasteners 92, 94 can have different designs, including threaded fasteners, such as screws or the like, or unthreaded fasteners, such as pins, clips, snap-fits, tabs, or the like.

As another option, the design of FIG. 19 can be implemented with one or both of the feet extensions 82, 84 being removable. For example, in the shipping configuration both feet 82, 84 can be included as separate components and then assembled by attachment to member 90 in the manner discussed above. Likewise, only one extension for each foot may be included as a separate component and assembled by attachment. This approach may be useful where one extension fits within the profile of the fully compacted configuration, while the other extends outward from that configuration- and thus separation of only one extension on each side is needed for limiting the overall profile size.

The foregoing embodiments have been provided solely for understanding the structural and functional principles of the present application by way of example, and are not intended to be limiting. To the contrary, the present application encompasses all modifications, alterations, substitutions, and equivalents within the spirt and scope of the appended claims.