Adjustable support arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9657889-B1
Application number	US-201313839835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

An adjustable support arm utilizing an elastomeric member having a dynamic attachment point to support the weight of an attached object. The adjustable support arm can include a lower bracket that is connected to an upper bracket by an upper arm and a lower arm. The elastomeric member counterbalances the weight of an attached object. The first end of the elastomeric member can be attached to a linkage, which can include a first, second, and third link and the second end of the elastomeric member can be attached to one of the arms. The links can be coupled to each other between the upper and lower arms such that the linkage is dynamically moveable upon movement of the support arm.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An adjustable support arm, comprising:
a first bracket;
a second bracket configured for mounting an attached device;
an upper arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the upper arm is pivotally connected to the first bracket, and wherein the second end of the upper arm is pivotally connected to the second bracket;
a lower arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lower arm is pivotally connected to the first bracket, and wherein the second end of the lower arm is pivotally connected to the second bracket;
a first link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first link is pivotally connected to the upper arm to define a first pivot point in the upper arm about which the first link pivots;
a second link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second link is pivotally connected to the lower arm to define a second pivot point in the lower arm about which the second link pivots, and wherein the second end of the second link is pivotally connected to the second end of the first link by a fastener to form a V-shaped linkage defining a vertex and an open end, with the V-shaped linkage oriented such that the vertex is positioned more proximate to the second bracket than the open end; and
a biasing member positioned between the upper arm and the lower arm, wherein a first end of the biasing member is connected to the first end of the upper arm, and wherein a second end of the biasing member is connected to the vertex of the V-shaped linkage.

2. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the upper arm and a longitudinal axis of the biasing member define a variable angle, with the variable angle increasing as the adjustable support arm is raised and decreasing as the adjustable support arm is lowered.

3. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member has an adjustable length, with the adjustable length of the biasing member decreasing as the adjustable support arm is raised and increasing as the adjustable support arm is lowered.

4. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , wherein the upper arm, the lower arm, the first bracket and the second bracket form a parallelogram linkage.

5. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a spring.

6. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , wherein the first pivot point and the second pivot point are substantially aligned along a vertical axis when the adjustable support arm is in a horizontal position.

7. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member has a length and the length of the biasing member expands or contracts relative to a change of angle of the support arm.

8. The adjustable support arm of claim 1 , further comprising a third link pivotally connected to the vertex of the V-shaped linkage.

9. The adjustable support arm of claim 8 , wherein the biasing member is coupled to the third link.

10. An adjustable support arm adjustable between a raised position and a lowered position, the support arm comprising:
a) a parallelogram linkage comprising:
i) a first bracket;
ii) a second bracket configured for mounting an attached device;
iii) an upper arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the upper arm is pivotally connected to the first bracket, and wherein the second end of the upper arm is pivotally connected to the second bracket;
iv) a lower arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lower arm is pivotally connected to the first bracket, and wherein the second end of the lower arm is pivotally connected to the second bracket;

b) a biasing member having a first end, a second end, and a variable length, wherein the first end of the biasing member is connected to the first end of the upper arm, and wherein the variable length of the biasing member is greater at the lowered position than at the raised position; and
c) a V-shaped linkage configured to provide a dynamic attachment point for the second end of the biasing member, the V-shaped linkage comprising:
i) a first link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first link is pivotally connected to the upper arm to define a first pivot point in the upper arm about which the first link pivots; and
ii) a second link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second link is pivotally connected to the lower arm to define a second pivot point in the lower arm about which the second link pivots; and wherein the second end of the second link is pivotally connected to the second end of the first link such that the V-shaped linkage defines a vertex and an open end, with the vertex being positioned between the open end and the second bracket.

11. The adjustable support arm of claim 10 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the upper arm and a longitudinal axis of the biasing member define a variable angle, with the variable angle increasing as the adjustable support arm is raised and decreasing as the adjustable support arm is lowered.

12. The adjustable support arm of claim 10 , further comprising a variable angle defined by a longitudinal axis of the upper arm and a longitudinal axis of the biasing member, with the variable angle and the variable length of the biasing member causing the vertex of the V-shaped linkage to move in both a longitudinal plane and a vertical plane relative to the upper arm as the adjustable support arm is raised and lowered.

13. The adjustable support arm of claim 10 , wherein the first pivot point and the second pivot point are substantially aligned along a vertical axis when the adjustable support arm is in a horizontal position.

14. An adjustable support arm, comprising:
a) a parallelogram linkage comprising:
i) a first bracket;
ii) a second bracket;
iii) an upper arm pivotally connected to the first bracket and the second bracket;
iv) a lower arm pivotally connected to the first bracket and the second bracket;

b) a biasing member having a first and second end, wherein the first end of the biasing member is connected to either the upper arm or the lower arm; and
c) a V-shaped linkage configured to provide a dynamic attachment point for the second end of the biasing member, the V-shaped linkage comprising:
i) a first link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first link is pivotally connected to the upper arm to define a first pivot point in the upper arm about which the first link pivots;
ii) a second link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second link is pivotally connected to the lower arm to define a second pivot point in the lower arm about which the second link pivots; and
iii) a vertex formed by the pivotal connection of the second end of the second link to the second end of the first link, wherein the vertex of the V-shaped linkage is positioned further from the first end of the biasing member in comparison to at least one of the first pivot point in the upper arm or the second pivot point in the lower arm.

15. The adjustable support arm of claim 14 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the upper arm and a longitudinal axis of the biasing member define a variable angle, with the variable angle increasing as the adjustable support arm is raised and decreasing as the adjustable support arm is lowered.

16. The adjustable support arm of claim 14 , wherein the biasing member has a variable length, with the variable length of the biasing member decreasing as the adjustable support arm is raised and increas

Assignees

• Humanscale Corp

Inventors

• Chumakov Vladimir Stanislavovich

Classifications

• F16M13/022

  repositionable · CPC title

• F16M11/24

  changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, {e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each other}(F16M11/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M11/2092

  comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage · CPC title

• F16M2200/063

  Parallelogram arms · CPC title

• F16M11/08 Primary

  around a vertical axis {, e.g. panoramic heads (F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title