Height adjustable desk

Abstract

A desk assembly ( 10 ) comprises a base ( 12 ) adapted to stably engage a floor surface. An upright support member ( 14 ) is secured to and extends upwardly from the base. A planar desk ( 34 ) is connected in slidable engagement to the support member ( 14 ) between a lower (L) and an upper position (U). Biasing means, preferably a gas spring ( 100 ), is connected between the base ( 12 ) and the desk ( 34 ). The biasing means biases the desk upwardly from said lower position (L) toward said upper position (U). Locking means is operable to selectively secure said desk intermediate said lower and upper positions. The provision of an upwardly biased force by biasing means, between the upper and lower positions, improves convenience for the user when adjusting height of the desk.

1 . A desk assembly comprising: 
 a base adapted to stably engage a floor surface;    an upright support member secured to and extending upwardly from said base;    a planar desk, connected in slidable engagement to said support member between a lower and an upper position;    biasing means connected between said base and said desk and biasing the desk upwardly from said lower position toward said upper position; and    locking means operable to selectively secure said desk intermediate said lower and upper positions.    
   
   
       2 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein said desk is connected to said support member by support means.  
   
   
       3 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 1  where said biasing means is a gas spring.  
   
   
       4 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 3  wherein said gas spring comprises a single acting piston acting in a cylinder of compressed gas.  
   
   
       5 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein said support member is an extruded column including a vertical wall, the wall having inner and outer vertical surfaces.  
   
   
       6 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 3  wherein said support means comprises: forwardly laterally extending brackets, each bracket having an upper planar surface for supporting said desk; 
 a carrier plate secured to said brackets, said carrier plate positioned on said outer vertical surface of the column in sliding engagement therewith;    a sliding channel piece positioned along said inner vertical surface, secured to said carrier plate by a connector screw, said connector screw extending through a vertically extending slot in said column, the slot extending between said upper and lower positions, the sliding channel piece secured in sliding engagement, moving in unison with the carrier plate between said upper and lower positions along said slot, said gas spring positioned below the sliding channel piece engaging an end piece of said channel piece.    
   
   
       7 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein said brackets incline forwardly outwardly with respect to a median plane of the assembly.  
   
   
       8 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein the locking means comprises a clamp, operable to releasably secure said support means to said support member.  
   
   
       9 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein said clamp comprises a locking screw having a screw head abutting a front face of the carrier plate, the locking screw extending through said carrier plate, said slot and said channel piece and is threadably engaged with a clamp plate, said clamp plate positioned adjacent said vertical wall inner surface, such that selectively threadably engaging said clamp plate engages said clamp plate in frictional engagement in a clamped position with the vertical wall to retain the channel piece and carrier plate in a fixed position between said upper and lower positions.  
   
   
       10 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 9  wherein the locking means further comprises a locking rod, having a forwardly positioned locking knob for rotation of said rod about its axis, said locking rod, engaged with the locking screw, such that rotation of said locking knob rotates said locking screw to selectively engage said clamp plate in said clamped position.  
   
   
       11 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 10 , where said locking rod is rotatably supported by a bracket secured to and extending from an underside of said desk.  
   
   
       12 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 5  where said carrier plate includes wheel arrangements rotatably mounted thereto, which engage in an outer surface of the column.  
   
   
       13 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein forwardly opening vertically extending channels are integrally formed with the vertical wall of the column on each side of the carrier plate, each adapted for accepting one of said wheel arrangements in rolling engagement therewith.  
   
   
       14 . A desk assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein each said bracket includes an outwardly extending horizontal flange upon which the desk may be attached.