Workstation with tilt-adjustable tabletop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workstations with adjustable tabletops lack efficient mechanisms for tilting adjustments that provide a wide range of angles while maintaining a compact design and ensuring user safety, particularly in terms of pinch points and ease of operation.
Innovation Solution
A tilt-adjustable workstation with a tabletop pivotably coupled to a leg via a tabletop mount, assisted by a gas spring system that includes a tilt axis and gas spring axes positioned strategically to allow for a wide range of tilt angles with minimal change in gas spring length and angle, combined with a lock mechanism for controlled tilting and a cover for safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional adjustable tabletop mechanism is used, then the tabletop can be tilted, but the mechanism is complex and creates pinch points that reduce safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex traditional adjustment mechanism entirely, extracting only the essential function of tilt adjustment. The gas spring directly connects the tabletop to the leg mount, eliminating intermediate linkage components that create pinch points and mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas spring acts as an intermediary element between the tabletop and leg mount, providing both the tilting force and the structural connection in a single component. This mediator simplifies the system by combining support and adjustment functions.
2Device complexity
If the tilt axis is positioned centrally, then the structure is symmetric and simple, but the gas spring must undergo large changes in length and angle reducing compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately positions the tilt axis asymmetrically at the rearward 40% of the tabletop depth, creating an optimized geometric relationship between the tilt axis, gas spring attachment points, and tabletop center of gravity. This asymmetric positioning minimizes the gas spring's operational envelope.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the positional parameters of the tilt axis (locating it at rearward 40% rather than center) and the gas spring attachment points, the patent optimizes the geometric configuration to reduce the gas spring's length and angle variations during tilting operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wide range of tilt angles is enabled, then user versatility is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex and less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring is configured to work dynamically across a wide angular range (0 to 100 degrees), with its mounting geometry optimized to maintain compact dimensions throughout the full tilt range. The system transitions smoothly between positions without requiring additional mechanisms.
4Volume of moving object
If the adjustment mechanism is made compact, then space efficiency is improved, but pinch points increase reducing safety
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the traditional linkage mechanism entirely and using only the gas spring with pivot connections, the patent eliminates the pinch points that would exist in intermediate linkages while maintaining a compact form factor.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables a workstation with a wide range of tilt angles, improved safety by minimizing pinch points, and ease of operation through a compact design and efficient use of the workspace, allowing single-handed adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
a gas spring having a gas spring front end portion and a gas spring rear end portion spaced apart from the gas spring front end portion along a gas spring axis
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable workstation includes a tabletop having opposed upper and lower surfaces, a leg for supporting the tabletop, a gas spring having opposed spring front and rear ends, and a tabletop mount affixed to an upper end of the leg and pivotably coupled to the lower surface of the tabletop at a tilt axis. The spring front end is pivotably coupled to the lower surface of the tabletop. The spring rear end is pivotably coupled to the mount at an elevation lower than the tilt axis. The tabletop pivots in a first direction about the tilt axis upon extension of the gas spring to raise a front edge of the tabletop relative to a rear edge of the tabletop. The tabletop pivots in a second direction about the tilt axis upon retraction of the gas spring to lower the front edge of the tabletop relative to the rear edge of the tabletop.