Back to results
US 5,941,182 AGranted
Self-braking height adjustment mechanism
AssigneeKnoll, Inc.
InventorH. Peter Greene
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeKnoll, Inc.
InventorH. Peter Greene
Estimating the term…
A vertically adjustable workstation comprises one or more legs having a vertical adjustment mechanism which provides an automatic self-braking function. The vertical adjustment mechanism comprises a highly efficient rotating member, such as a ball screw and ball nut assembly. Securely attached to the ball screw and the work surface is a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism has on one end a friction cap which is frictionally engaged with the work surface, and a thrust bearing which provides a first rotational interface between the ball screw and the clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism comprises a roller clutch which allows for free rotation of the ball screw in the upward direction and is engaged with the ball screw when rotated in a downward direction. This arrangement comprises a load path which is directed from the work surface through the mating friction surfaces, the clutch mechanism and thrust bearing into the ball screw. The frictional rotational interface between the table and the friction cap of the clutch mechanism provides the self-braking feature such that backwinding of the table is prevented. A collapsible handle is operatively connected to the ball screw.
A vertically adjustable workstation comprising:
A vertically adjustable workstation comprising:
A self-braking adjustment mechanism comprising:
A vertically adjustable desk comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.