Low-Effort Manual Actuation Techniques for Standing Desks
21 patents in this list
Updated:
Standing desks are becoming more and more common since they promote movement throughout the workplace and have health benefits. On the other hand, if it takes a lot of work, regularly changing the desk height can become tedious.
Sliding from a sitting to a standing position is made easy with the use of low-effort manual actuation devices. The low-effort manual actuation approaches for standing desks that have recently advanced are examined on this page.
1. Innovative Manual Height Adjustment Mechanism for Ergonomic Standing Desks
Gangwei Huang, 2023
A manual lifting-lowering computer table that allows adjusting the height of the tabletop and keyboard independently. The table has a sliding mechanism on the bottom of the tabletop that allows raising and lowering the tabletop while keeping the keyboard stationary. The sliding mechanism consists of hinged feet with sliders that glide on channels in the base. This allows the tabletop to be lifted and lowered independently of the keyboard. The keyboard is fixed to the base and doesn't move. The sliding mechanism also has features like brackets and baffles to secure the components in place during lifting and lowering.
2. Easy-Adjust Telescoping Mechanism for Height-Adjustable Tables
Humanscale Corporation, 2023
A height-adjustable table with a vertical telescoping leg mechanism that allows easy and stable adjustment of table height. The telescoping legs slide vertically in parallel tracks to raise and lower the tabletop. A counterbalance mechanism equalizes the lifting force to make height adjustment easy. A brake prevents accidental adjustment. A torque adjustment allows customizing the lifting force. The parallel sliding legs eliminate rocking and tilting when extended.
3. Tool-less Height Adjustment Mechanism for Height-Adjustable Tables
Smith System Manufacturing Company, 2023
A height-adjustable table with selectively adjustable leg assemblies that allow easy height adjustment without tools. The leg assemblies have telescoping sections with threaded bores. Set screws can be inserted into the bores to fix the leg lengths or withdrawn to allow adjustment. This allows the user to quickly and easily adjust the table height by turning the set screws. The screws can then be locked in place to secure the leg lengths. This provides tool-less height adjustment without needing to disassemble or loosen any connections.
4. Noise-Reducing and Stability-Enhancing Elevation Mechanism for Standing Desks
Douglas Pan, 2023
A desk frame elevation structure that reduces movement noise while increasing stability during vertical movement of the desk board. The structure has an elevation unit with an inner tube received in an outer tube that is telescopic. A roller unit with rollers on the inner tube and buffer pads on the outer tube allows smooth vertical movement. The rollers roll on the outer tube's inner periphery and the buffer pads prevent impact noise between the tubes. This reduces noise compared to a gap between the tubes allowing friction. The rollers and buffers also provide stability during movement.
5. Biased Arm Locking Mechanism for Height Adjustable Work Surfaces
Colebrook Bosson & Saunders (Products) Limited, 2022
Height adjustable work surface with a locking mechanism to secure the height in various positions. The surface has a platform with a height adjustment assembly, leg assembly, and locking assembly. The leg assembly moves between raised, lowered, and intermediate positions. The locking assembly engages the height adjustment assembly to secure the leg assembly in a selected position. The locking assembly has biased arms that extend from underneath the platform and can be engaged by the user to lock or release the height.
6. Silent Telescopic Buffer Mechanism for Noise-Reduced Standing Desk Adjustment
Douglas Pan, 2022
A silent desk lifting mechanism that reduces noise and improves stability when raising and lowering a desk surface. It uses a single telescopic tube inside another tube, with upper and lower buffer pads. The inner tube is fixed to the base and the outer tube is connected to the desk. A control button on the telescopic rod raises/lowers the desk. The buffer pads absorb impacts when the desk reaches the limits of travel. This setup reduces impact noise compared to separate base and desk lifts.
7. Innovative Table-on-Table Design for Easy Adjustment and Leveling of Standing Desks
NINGBO LEADER INTELLIGENT DEVICE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., 2022
A lifting table-on-table design that allows adjustable height and leveling without complex mechanisms or uneven stresses. The table has an upper panel, lower panel, bracket component, and base. The upper panel has slides on the lower side. The base has parallel bottom rods with inner slides. The bracket connects the upper and lower panels. It has X-shaped brackets with slides at the ends. The slides on the upper panel match the slides on the base to move the bracket. A lifting mechanism on the lower bracket raises the upper panel. This allows height adjustment and leveling without telescopic rods or uneven stresses.
8. Innovative Gas Spring-Assisted Mechanism for Adjustable Height Desktops
NINGBO SOMLE AUDIO-VISUAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD, 2022
Desktop lifting table that allows adjustable height working position while maintaining a compact footprint. The table has a lifting mechanism with hinged arms that can rotate to raise or lower the tabletop. A driving mechanism with a gas spring, seat, and manipulating member attached to the lower arm end. The gas spring retracts when not acted on, but when the manipulating member moves it, the gas spring extends to raise the tabletop. The lower arm slides on the tabletop using a pivot, slide link, and pulley. This allows the tabletop to slide up or down as the lower arm extends or retracts.
9. Ergonomic and Mobile Workstation with Low-Effort Height Adjustment for Floor Seating
Bridgewater Strategies, LLC, 2022
An adjustable height workstation that allows users to work ergonomically in a variety of positions, including seated on the floor, by providing a compact, mobile, and configurable workstation that can be lowered to floor level without obstruction. The workstation uses a tapered pulley assembly and counterbalance mechanism to counterbalance the weight of the work surface and accessories as they are lowered, allowing them to be easily adjusted to floor level without tipping over. This allows users to comfortably work while seated on the floor without the workstation getting in the way of their knees. The workstation can also be positioned in corners and moved around without cords as it is powered by a rechargeable battery.
10. Ergonomic Height Adjustment Mechanism for Standing Desks
Office Kick, Inc., 2022
Height adjustable desktop that allows a user to move the work surface to a desired and/or ergonomic position. The desktop includes an upper work surface platform, a base platform, and a height adjustment mechanism that allows the work surface to rise and lower to the desired height of the operator.
11. Innovative Gas Spring-Assisted Lifting Mechanism for Adjustable Standing Desks
Loctek Inc., 2022
Desk-mounted lifting platform with a unique lifting mechanism and detachable keyboard tray for improved user experience compared to prior art platforms. The lifting platform has an X-shaped lifting arm configuration with gas springs between the upper and lower supports. This allows vertical height adjustment by operating the gas spring valve on the upper support. The gas spring axis intersects the workbench plane at an angle. The platform also has a detachable keyboard tray that can be easily removed without tools. The tray connects to a frame on the upper support and has a detachable hanger that disconnects from the frame.
12. Innovative Actuator-Assisted Variable Height Adjustment for Standing Desks
URBAN PLOUGH LLC, 2021
Variable height desk that allows a user to move between lowered and raised positions by a user and may be supported at any position between the lowered and raised positions. The desk includes a main support, a number of linear guides mounted to the main support, a desk mounting panel mounted to and configured to move along the linear guides, a desk surface mounted to the desk mounting panel, and an actuator accommodated in the main support and configured to raise and lower the desk mounting panel.
13. Gas Strut-Assisted Height Adjustable Desk for Easy Manual Actuation
Posturite Ltd., 2020
Height adjustable desk that can be placed on top of an existing desktop to raise and lower the overall height of the desktop. The desk includes a base frame for placing on an existing desktop, a desktop that is connected to the base frame by first and second support members, and a gas strut.
14. Telescoping Segments for Stable Height Adjustment in Mobile Workstations
Midmark Corporation, 2020
A mobile workstation with a vertical adjustment mechanism that allows a broad range of height adjustment while maintaining stability. The adjustment assembly has three telescoping segments - bottom, middle, and top - that can retract simultaneously at the same rate. This coordinated retraction prevents wobbling and keeps the workstation balanced as it raises and lowers. The segments are connected with pulleys and cables or just cables.
15. Innovative Height Adjustable Mechanism for Effortless Standing Desk Operation
DSA International, LLC, 2020
Height adjustable work surfaces that can be raised or lowered by any person. The surface includes a conventional table portion, a height adjustable portion, a trapezoidal frame structure, a lift mechanism and legs.
16. Innovative Adjustable Pivot Mechanism for Effortless Height Adjustment in Standing Desks
FELLOWES, INC., 2020
Variable height workstation with adjustable pivots that maintain a horizontal work surface as it moves between fully lowered and raised positions. The workstation has a base, lift mechanism, lower adjustable pivot, upper adjustable pivot, and lock. The lower pivot rotates vertically to lower/raise the platform. The upper pivot rotates vertically. The lock prevents upper pivot rotation when lowered. This allows a horizontal work surface at any height. The lower pivot force regulator adjusts rotation force. The upper pivot force regulator adjusts rotation force. The lock releases at a preset height.
17. Innovative Manual Adjustment Mechanism for Height-Adjustable Workstations
Movi Workspace Pty Ltd, 2020
Desk mountable workstation that reduces, limits, overcomes, or ameliorates some of the problems, drawbacks, or disadvantages associated with prior art devices. The workstation includes a monitor platform defining a substantially planar work surface; a base located beneath the monitor platform, the base defining a bottom surface without legs that is adapted to sit on an existing desk; first and second sets of arms coupling the monitor platform to the base, wherein the first and second sets of arms are adapted for movement of the monitor platform substantially in parallel with the base between a fully raised position and a fully lowered position; and a user-operable locking mechanism associated with the upper platform, the locking mechanism adapted to releasably lock the upper platform in the fully raised position, and in at least one intermediate position between the fully raised position and the fully lowered position.
18. Knee Action Safety Device with Gas Spring for Injury-Free Desk Height Adjustment
Anthony A. Paul, Joseph G. Paul, 2020
A desk raising and lowering mechanism that prevents injury during descent by using a knee action safety device in combination with a gas spring. The mechanism allows adjusting the desk height. As the desk lowers, the knee action safety device engages to provide resistance. The gas spring assists lowering. This creates a weightless final descent, preventing limbs or hands from getting crushed. The knee action safety device co-acts with the gas spring to control lowering and provide safety.
19. Rack and Pinion Mechanism for Easy Height Adjustment and Storage of Standing Desks
The Stanley Works Israel Ltd., 2020
A workbench with adjustable height and compact storage using a rack and pinion mechanism to extend and retract the legs. The workbench has a work surface, legs, a handle, and a rack and pinion system connecting them. Moving the handle relative to the work surface causes both legs to extend or retract into the work surface via the rack and pinion mechanism. This allows adjusting the height of the workbench and collapsing it for compact storage.
20. One-Handed Height Adjustment Mechanism for Foldable Standing Desks
Jiaxing Haihong Mechanical and Electrical Technology Co., Ltd., 2020
Foldable height-adjustable desk workstation that allows one-handed raising and lowering without the spanners on both sides having to be turned simultaneously. It uses a synchronous link mechanism between the lifting bars that keeps them in sync when one is raised or lowered. This allows unlocking and moving the desktop with one hand.
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Advances in low-effort manual actuation, ranging from a focus on novel lifting mechanisms like independent tabletop and keyboard adjustments to locking mechanisms ensuring stability at different desk heights, make more accessible and user-friendly standing desks that encourage better ergonomics and healthier work habits possible.