Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to the field of tables of the type which comprises a table top and a table stand with a supporting body, wherein the table top is supported by at least a first surface of the supporting body. More specifically, the present invention relates to an arrangement for attaching at least one accessory to such a table.

The present invention also relates to a table comprising such an arrangement.

Background

EP-2 926 688-A1 discloses a table according to the above, where the table stand is collapsible and power-driven. The present invention may however be applied to table stands of any general kind, be they collapsible or not collapsible, and power- driven or not power driven. Hence, EP-2 926 688-A1 merely serves as an example of a table of the type which comprises a table top and a table stand with a supporting body, wherein the table top is supported by at least a first surface of the supporting body.

An office desk is one common example of a table according to the above. In an office environment, it is sometimes, or even often, desired to attach one or more accessories to the table. Examples of such accessories may, without limitation, include a cable trays, desktop screens and computer cabinet holders. In the prior art, such an accessory has typically been attached to the table top, making use of the typical material thereof such as wood, plastic or a composite material, all being suitable for anchoring of the accessory by means of for instance screws. If more than one accessory were to be attached to the table, then each such accessory was mounted independently of each other to the table top, therefore requiring its own attachment interface in the form of screws, holders, brackets, etc.

Some attempts have been made in the prior art to attach an accessory to an office desk by mounting an accessory holder for the accessory to an upper side of the supporting body of the table stand.

The prior art approaches have some shortcomings. For instance, the prior art may require that the table top is first mounted to the table stand, before the accessory can be mounted to the table top. This is typically the case for approaches where the accessory is attached to the table top. On the other hand, for approaches where the accessory is instead attached to the upper side of the supporting body of the table stand, the required mounting order may instead be first the accessory and then the table top.

Hence, the order of assembly has limitations in this respect. Furthermore, retrofitting of an accessory to the table at a point in time after manufacture or assembly might require that the table top be removed, the accessory be mounted, and the table top then be mounted again.

In situations where the accessory is mounted to the table top, there may be problems or limitations when the accessory is heavy and/or mounted in a way such that the table top may be exposed to a large bending torque. The latter case may for instance be when a large-sized desktop screen is mounted at or to a later edge of the table top. It is recalled that the typical material of a table top is less strong than other materials, such as metal.

Another potential drawback is that parts of the attachment interface for the accessory (e.g. screws, holders, brackets, etc) may be readily visible from a typical working position and/or to standing visitors, thereby causing visual disturbance.

Accordingly, the present inventors have realized that the prior art approaches for attaching an accessory to a table, for instance as referred to above, can be improved by addressing one or more of the problems or drawbacks mentioned above. Summary

It is an object of the invention to offer improvements in the technical field of tables of the type which comprises a table top and a table stand with a supporting body, and more specifically when it comes to attachment of accessories.

One aspect of the present invention is an arrangement for attaching at least one accessory to a table of the type which comprises a table top and a table stand with a supporting body, the table top being supported by at least a first surface of the supporting body. The arrangement comprises an accessory holder for said at least one accessory. The arrangement also comprises one or more engagement members provided on a second surface of the supporting body of said table stand, said second surface facing in a direction different from a direction in which the supporting body supports the table top, said one or more engagement members being adapted for attaching the accessory holder to the supporting body of the table stand. Moreover, the arrangement comprises anchoring means for anchoring the accessory holder to the supporting body of the table stand. In a normal operating position of the table with its table stand standing on a horizontal floor or ground, the first surface of the support body faces upwards towards an underside of the table top and the second surface of the support body faces downwards towards the floor or ground. The first surface and the second surface of the support body are opposing top and bottom sides of a plate-shaped structure of the supporting body.

An arrangement according to this aspect of the present invention solves or at least mitigates one or more of the problems or drawbacks identified in the background section above.

Another aspect of the present invention is a table which comprises a table stand, a table top mounted on top of the table stand, and an arrangement according to the abovementioned aspect of the present invention for attaching at least one accessory.

Embodiments of the invention are defined by the appended dependent claims and are further explained in the detailed description section as well as on the drawings.

It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof. All terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc]" are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Objects, features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

Fig 1 is an isometric view of a table comprising a table top and a table stand according to one embodiment, suitable for comprising an arrangement for attaching at least one accessory according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs 2 and 3 are isometric views of the table stand in Fig 1, with the table top removed.

Fig 4 is an isometric view of the table stand in Figs 1-3 with first and seconds stands in a collapsed position relative to a supporting body. Fig 5 is an isometric view of a portion of the table stand in Figs 1-4, illustrating the mounting of a sidewing bracket at one end of the supporting body.

Fig 6 is an isometric view of another portion of the table stand in Figs 1-4, illustrating another sidewing bracket being mounted at another end of the supporting body.

Fig 7 is an isometric view of an elongated main support structure being part of the supporting body of the table stand in Figs 1-6.

Fig 8 is an exploded view showing the parts of the elongated main support structure in Fig 7.

Figs 9 and 10 are side and top views, respectively, of an elongated central beam being one of the parts of the elongated main support structure in Figs 7 and 8.

Figs 11 and 12 are side and top views, respectively, of an elongated first lateral beam being another one of the parts of the elongated main support structure in Figs 7 and 8.

Figs 13 and 14 are side and bottom views, respectively, of guide means in the form of a guide rail for guiding the central beam of the elongated main support structure, the guide rail being part of a limiter arrangement for preventing the proximal ends of the first and second lateral beams of the elongated main support structure from being displaced more than a threshold distance from each other.

Figs 15 and 16 are side and top views, respectively, of the first stand being pivotally attached to the elongated first lateral beam, with the first stand in a collapsed position relative to the elongated first lateral beam.

Figs 17 and 18 are side and top views, respectively, of the first stand being pivotally attached to the elongated first lateral beam, with the first stand in an extended position relative to the elongated first lateral beam.

Fig 19 is an isometric view of a sidewing bracket of the supporting body. Figs 20, 24, 25, 26 and 27 are exploded, isometric, top, side and front views, respectively, of an alternative guide means in the form of an insert element for guiding the central beam of the elongated main support structure, the insert elements being part of a limiter arrangement for preventing the proximal ends of the first and second lateral beams of the elongated main support structure from being displaced more than a threshold distance from each other.

Figs 21-23 are exploded, side and top views, respectively, illustrating how a pair of such insert elements are mounted in the elongated main support structure. Fig 28 illustrates the function of one of the insert elements as part of the limiter arrangement in a first state which allows length adjustment of the elongated main support structure of the supporting body.

Fig 29 illustrates the function of one of the insert elements as part of the limiter arrangement in a second state which prevents further length extension of the elongated main support structure of the supporting body.

Figs 30 and 31 are sectional and enlarged detailed views of releasable securing means of the insert element, the securing means comprising a number of screws or bolts and accompanying beveled nuts and additionally serving to allow releasing and locking, respectively, of the central beam with respect to the first or second lateral beam of the elongated main support structure.

Fig 32 is an isometric view of a sidewing bracket of the supporting body, similar to the sidewing bracket of Fig 19 but further comprising tab-shaped engagement members being part of the arrangement according to one embodiment for attaching at least one accessory, wherein the engagement members are adapted for attaching an accessory holder to the supporting body of the table stand.

Figs 33 and 34 are side and bottom views, respectively, of the sidewing bracket in Fig 32.

Figs 35 and 36 are isometric views illustrating how a first kind of accessory holder may be attached to the supporting body of the table stand from below, i.e. from a direction which allows the table top of the table to remain on the supporting body of the table stand and/or does not require that the accessory holder be attached to the supporting body prior to the mounting of the table top on top of the supporting body.

Figs 37 and 38 are isometric and top views, respectively, of anchoring means in the form of an adapter element, the adapter element allowing attachment of different accessory holders to the supporting body of the table stand.

Fig 39 is an exploded isometric view illustrating how the adapter element is mounted to the underside of the sidewing bracket by means of anchoring members in the form of a single screw or bolt.

Figs 40 and 41 are isometric and sectional views, respectively, illustrating the adapter element mounted to the underside of the sidewing bracket by means of the single screw or bolt.

Fig 42 is an exploded isometric view illustrating how the first kind of accessory holder is mounted to the underside of the adapter element by means of anchoring members in the form of two screws or bolts. Fig 43 is an exploded isometric view illustrating how a second kind of accessory holder is mounted to the underside of the adapter element by means of anchoring members in the form of two screws or bolts.

Fig 44 is an exploded isometric view illustrating how both the first kind of accessory holder and the second kind of accessory holder are mounted to the underside of the adapter element by means of the respective two screws or bolts.

Fig 45 is an isometric view illustrating the end result when the first kind of accessory holder and the second kind of accessory holder have been mounted to the underside of the adapter element, which in turn has been mounted to the underside of the sidewing bracket, wherein the first kind of accessory holder is shown to hold an accessory in the form of a cable tray, and wherein the second kind of accessory holder may hold an accessory in the form of a desktop screen.

Fig 46 is an exploded isometric view illustrating how a third kind of accessory holder and an accessory in the form of a computer cabinet holder may be attached to the supporting body of the table stand from below, without use of an adapter element.

Fig 47 is an isometric view illustrating how a fourth kind of accessory holder and an accessory in the form of a trash can may be attached to the supporting body of the table stand from below, without use of an adapter element.

Fig 48 is an isometric view illustrating how a fifth kind of accessory holder and an accessory in the form of a pen tray may be attached to the supporting body of the table stand from below, without use of an adapter element.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;

rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

Figs 1-3 illustrate a table 3 comprising a table stand 1 and a table top 2 according to one embodiment. The table 3 may, for instance and without limitation, be an office desk. The table top 2 may be made of a suitable material such as wood, plastic or a composite material, and is mounted on top of a supporting body 10 of the table stand 1. The table top 2 is supported by at least a first surface of the supporting body 10.

An arrangement for attaching at least one accessory to a table, such as table 3, will now be described throughout this document with particular (but still non-limiting and exemplifying) reference to FIGs 32-48. Examples of such accessories are shown at 160, 164, 166 and 168 in FIGs 32-48.

Broadly speaking, the arrangement comprises an accessory holder for said at least one accessory (e.g. 160, 164, 166, 168). Examples of such accessory holders are seen at 140, 142, 144, 146 and 148 in FIGs 32-48.

The arrangement also comprises one or more engagement members provided on a second surface of a supporting body of a table stand, such as supporting body 10 of table stand 1. The second surface faces in a direction different from the direction in which the supporting body 10 supports a table top, such as table top 2. In order words, the normal direction of the second surface is different from the normal direction of the first surface. Examples of such engagement members are seen at 121, 122, 12 , 122' in FIGs 32-48. The or each engagement member is adapted for attaching the accessory holder (e.g. 140, 142, 144, 146, 148) to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1.

The arrangement moreover comprises anchoring means for anchoring the accessory holder to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1. Examples of such anchoring means are seen at 150, 153, 154-155, 156-157, 158 in FIGs 32-48.

This arrangement has an advantage in that it allows convenient attachment of the accessory (e.g. 160, 164, 166, 168) to the table 3, even with the table top 2 in place on top of the supporting body 10. In other words, the order of assembly for the table 1 is not restricted to an order where the accessory will necessarily first have to be attached to the table 3 before mounting of the table top 2, or where the table top 2 will necessarily first have to be mounted to the table stand. Instead, thanks to the inventive arrangement, the order of assembly is not restricted in this respect. Also, the

arrangement makes it possible to retrofit the accessory to the table 3 without having to remove the table top 2.

Another advantage is that the accessory will be attached, through the accessory holder, to the table stand 1 rather than directly to the table top 2. Hence, no invasive or other modifying actions will have to be taken on the table top 2. Since the table stand 1 may preferably be made in a stronger material, such as metal, than the table top 2 (e.g. wood, plastic or composite material), the arrangement may provide for an improvement in strength for the attachment of the accessory to the table compared to the prior art. To facilitate the accessibility for an accessory mounting operation or accessory retrofitting operation, the second surface of the support body 10 is oriented in a plane which is different from a plane in which the first surface of the support body 10 is oriented. The second surface of the support body 10 is oriented in a plane which is rotated in about 180 degrees with respect to a plane in which the first surface of the support body 10 is oriented.

Hence, in a normal operating position of the table 3 with its table stand 1 standing on a horizontal floor or ground, the first surface of the support body 10 will face upwards towards an underside of the table top 2. As mentioned, the second surface of the support body 10 then advantageously faces downwards towards the floor or ground. Examples of the first, upwardly facing surface of the support body 10 are seen at 131, 13 in FIGs 32-48, its normal direction being indicated by a first arrow 13 In in Fig 41. Examples of the second, downwardly facing surface of the support body 10 are seen at 132, 132' in FIGs 32-48, its normal direction being indicated by a second arrow 132n in Fig 41.

Hence, since the second surface (e.g. 132, 132') of the support body 10 faces in the opposite direction, i.e. vertically downwards, compared to the first surface (e.g. 131, 13 ) of the support body 10, there will be an advantage in mechanical strength both from the fact that the accessory is attached to the table stand 2 and not to the table top 1, and from the fact that the load on the engagement members on the second surface caused by an attached accessory will act in the direction of gravity - large bending torques on the second surface caused by a heavy accessory may therefore be avoided or reduced.

The orientation of the second surface with its engagement members facing vertically downwards may also make for instance the anchoring means less visible from a typical working position or to standing visitors, thereby avoiding visual disturbance.

The above advantages notwithstanding, alternatives (not part of the presently claimed invention) may be conceivable where, for instance, the second surface of the support body 10 faces in a direction perpendicular to the underside of the table top 2 (i.e. perpendicular to the direction that the first surface 131 faces).

In the disclosed embodiment of Figs 1-3, the supporting body 10 has an elongated main support structure 11 and extends in a longitudinal direction L. The supporting body 10 also comprises first and second sidewing brackets 12, 12' which are attached to the ends of the elongated main support structure 11. The first and second sidewing brackets 12, 12' are preferably made of metal such as, for instance, steel. The sidewing brackets 12, 12' are shown in more detail in Fig 19. A more advanced embodiment 112 of the sidewing bracket is shown in detail in Figs 32-34. This embodiment 112 of the sidewing bracket is particularly advantageous for the purpose of allowing attachment of said at least one accessory 160, 164, 166, 168 to the table 3. As will be explained in more detail later with reference to FIGs 32-48, the first surface (e.g. 131, 13 ) and the second surface (e.g. 132, 132') of the support body 10 may advantageously be opposing top and bottom sides of a plate-shaped structure 114, 114' of the supporting body 10, and even more advantageously the plate-shaped structure 114, 114' may be part of the sidewing bracket 112.

A more thorough description of the arrangement for attaching the at least one accessory 160, 164, 166, 168 to the table 3 will be given later with reference to FIGs 32-48.

In the disclosed embodiment, the table stand 1 is collapsible and comprises first and second collapsible stands 20, 20' which are preferably made of metal such as, for instance, steel. The first and second stands 20, 20' are pivotally attached to the supporting body 10 at or near its respective ends in order to allow the first stand 20 and the second stand 20' to extend or collapse relative to the supporting body 10. Fig 4 is an isometric view of the table stand 1 with the first and seconds stands 20, 20' in a collapsed position relative to the elongated main support structure 11 of the supporting body 10. The sidewing brackets 12, 12'; 112 of the supporting body 10 are not seen in Fig 4 by may in fact remain attached to the elongated main support structure 11 even when it is collapsed.

The elongated main support structure 11 of the supporting body 10 of the disclosed embodiment is provided with hooks 37, 38, 37', 38' at its ends. Each hook 37 forms a slot 37a for receiving a releasable fastening member 50, 51, 50', 5 . The releasable fastening member 50, 51, 50', 5 serves to anchor the first or second sidewing bracket to the elongated main support structure as well as to anchor the first or second stand in an extended position relative to the supporting body.

As seen in Fig 19, each of the first and second sidewing brackets 12, 12' is formed by first and second elongated fixation members 13, 13' extending at an angle from an elongated base member 18. The first and second fixation members 13, 13' of the sidewing brackets 12, 12' are adapted for fastening of the table top 2 to the table stand 1. The second sidewing bracket 12' is a mirrored copy of the first sidewing bracket 12. (It is recalled that a more advanced embodiment 112 of the sidewing bracket, particularly advantageous for the purpose of allowing attachment of said at least one accessory 160, 164, 166, 168 to the table 3, is shown in detail in Figs 32-34 and will be described in more detail later).

More specifically, each of the first and second fixation members 13, 13' of the first and second sidewing brackets 12, 12' has a plate portion 14 adapted for fastening of the table top 2. To this end, the plate portion 14 has openings 17 through which fastening elements such as screws or bolts may be inserted and anchored to the underside of the table top 2.

Moreover, each of the first and second fixation members 13, 13' of the first and second sidewing brackets 12, 12' also has a mounting portion adapted for mounting of the first or second sidewing bracket 12, 12' to the elongated main support structure 11 as well as to the first or second stand 20, 20', as indicated by an arrow in Fig 5.

The mounting portion 15 has a slot 16 for receiving the aforementioned releasable fastening member 50, 51, 50', 5 , preferably a screw or bolt, which serves to anchor the first or second sidewing bracket 12, 12' to the elongated main support structure 11 as well as to anchor the first or second stand 20, 20' in an extended position relative to the supporting body 10.

More specifically, the releasable fastening member 50, 51, 50', 5 may be a screw or alternatively a bolt, and the collapsible table stand 1 comprises at least four such screws provided as follows. A first screw/bolt 50 and a second screw/bolt 51 are provided for anchoring the first stand 20 to one end of the elongated main support structure 11 in the extended position of the first stand 20 relative to the supporting body 10 and for anchoring the first sidewing bracket 12 to said one end of the elongated main support structure 11. A third screw/bolt 50' and a fourth screw/bolt 5 are provided for anchoring the second stand 20' to another end of the elongated main support structure 11 in the extended position of the second stand 20' relative to the supporting body 10 and for anchoring the second sidewing bracket 12' to said another end of the elongated main support structure 11.

The slot 16 in the mounting portion 15 has an outer mouth 16a for receiving a base part 50a of the releasable fastening member 50 when attaching the first or second sidewing bracket 12, 12' to the elongated main support structure 11.

The slot 16 in the mounting portion 15 also has an inner opening 16b for engaging a head part 50b of the releasable fastening member 50. The inner opening 16b is preferably countersunk and facilitates the first or second sidewing bracket 12, 12' to remain attached to the elongated main support structure 11 also when the first or second stand 20, 20' is moved from the extended position towards a collapsed position relative to the supporting body 10.

In the disclosed embodiment, the collapsible table stand 1 is power-driven to allow assisted adjustment of the vertical height of the table top 2 over the ground level. To this end, the first stand 20 comprises a first driving unit 21 and one or more first telescopic leg sections 22 driven by the first driving unit 21 to move axially relative to each other and to a fixed leg section 22a (being the outermost leg section in the disclosed embodiment). Correspondingly, the second stand 20' comprises a second driving unit 21 ' and one or more second telescopic leg sections 22' driven by the second driving unit 21 ' to move axially relative to each other and to a fixed leg section 22a' (being the outermost leg section in the disclosed embodiment). A controller 4 is provided for controlling synchronous actuation of the first and second driving units 21, 21 '. The controller 4 is connected by first wiring 5 to the first driving unit 21 and is connected by second wiring 5' to the second driving unit 21 ' .

As can be seen in the drawings, each of the first and second stands 20, 20' of the disclosed has the general shape of an inverted L, wherein the first and the second driving unit 21, 21 ', respectively, is contained at the foot portion of the inverted L (i.e. at the upper part of the stand 20, 20', towards the table top 2). At the end of the leg portion of the inverted L (i.e. at the lowermost part of the stand 20, 20', towards the floor or ground), base plate members 24, 24' are provided to allow the table 3 to stand stable on the floor or ground. The base plate members 24, 24' are preferably made of metal such as, for instance, steel. They may have feet 24a, 24a' on the underside thereof and may be connected to a lowermost one of the telescopic leg sections 22, 22' . In the disclosed embodiment, the lowermost telescopic leg section is the axially innermost one; however in other embodiments the order may be the opposite. There is no particular limitation in the number of telescopic leg sections 22, 22'; for instance there may be only one such telescopic leg section 22, 22' being axially movable with respect to the fixed leg section 22a, 22a'. In yet other embodiments, the table stand 1 may have means for manual adjustment of the vertical height and/or may not have any telescopic leg sections at all.

In the disclosed embodiment, the elongated main support structure 11 of the supporting body 10 comprises three primary parts: an elongated central beam 40, an elongated first lateral beam 30 and an elongated second lateral beam 30'. All of these parts are preferably made of metal such as, for instance, steel. As is seen particularly in Figs 7-10, the elongated central beam 40 is formed by a bottom surface 41 and first and second side walls 42, 42' extending perpendicularly from the bottom surface. The central beam 40 has a generally U-shaped cross-section. The bottom surface 41 is essentially solid, i.e. solid across its entire surface, except that an opening 46 for the wirings 5, 5' and/or other minor openings for mounting or ventilation purposes may optionally be made in the bottom surface 41.

As is seen particularly in Figs 7-8 and 11-12, the elongated first lateral beam 30 is formed by first and second side walls 32, 33 and a bottom surface 31 extending perpendicularly between the first and second side walls along a proximal portion 34 of the first lateral beam 30. The first lateral beam 30 has a generally U-shaped cross- section at the proximal portion 34, and a proximal end 36 of the proximal portion 34 of the first lateral beam 30 is open for slidably receiving the central beam 40 from a first end 41a thereof. A distal portion 35 of the first lateral beam 30 is connected to the first stand 20, as can be seen for instance in Fig 3 and as will be discussed in more detail later.

As is also seen particularly in Figs 7-8 and 11-12, the elongated second lateral beam 30' is formed by first and second side walls 32', 33' and a bottom surface 3 extending perpendicularly between the first and second side walls along a proximal portion 34' of the second lateral beam. The second lateral beam has a generally U- shaped cross-section at the proximal portion 34', and a proximal end 36' of the proximal portion 34' of the second lateral beam 30' is open for slidably receiving the central beam 40 from a second end 41a' thereof. A distal portion 35' of the second lateral beam 30' is connected to the second stand 20', as, again, can be seen for instance in Fig 3 and will be discussed in more detail later.

Each of the first and second side walls 32, 33, 32', 33' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' may have an angled top portion 39 with a flat surface and one or more openings 39a for mounting members, preferably screws or bolts, to fasten the table top 2 to the table stand 1. This is best seen in Fig 12. The provision of the angled top portion 39 does not change the fact that the elongated first and second lateral beams 30, 30' have a generally U-shaped cross-section.

The first and second side walls 32, 33, 32', 33' and the bottom surfaces 31, 31 ' are essentially solid, i.e. solid across their entire surfaces, except possibly for certain minor openings e.g. for mounting or ventilation purposes.

As can be seen understood from the drawings, particularly from Fig 2, respective channels are formed by the first lateral beam 30 and the central beam 40, and by the second lateral beam 30' and the central beam 40, respectively. The first and second wirings 5, 5' may advantageously run in these channels. Hence, the first and second wirings 5, 5' will be concealed from an external observer by the side walls 32, 33, 32', 33' as well as the bottom surfaces 31, 3 , 41 of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' and the central beam 40. This is an improvement over the prior art.

As can be seen best in Figs 2, 3, 6 and also in Figs 15, 16, 17, in the extended position of the first stand 20 relative to the supporting body 10, the first driving unit 21 is received between the first and second side walls 32, 33 of the first lateral beam 30 at the distal portion 35 thereof. Likewise, in the extended position of the second stand 20' relative to the supporting body 10, the second driving unit 21 ' is received between the first and second side walls 32', 33' of the second lateral beam 30' at the distal portion 35' thereof.

Each of the first and second driving units 21, 21 ' comprises a housing and an electric motor contained therein. The housing comprises openings for receiving releasable anchoring members 52, 53, 52', preferably screws or bolts, to pivotally anchor the first and second stands 20, 20' to the first and second side walls 32, 33 of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' . In the disclosed embodiment, the housing also includes a transmission (speed reduction mechanism) between the electric motor and a leading end of an outgoing shaft, such as a screw shaft. The shaft protrudes through an opening in the housing and actuates the telescopic leg sections 22. However, electric driving units for power-driven table stands with telescopic leg sections are available in the market, and the skilled person will readily be able to find or design alternative implementations of the driving units 21, 21 ' using common general knowledge.

In the disclosed embodiments, the elongated main support structure 11 of the supporting body 10 further comprises guide means 70, 60 for guiding the central beam 40 to be slidably supported on the bottom surfaces 31, 31 ' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' . This allows for a convenient adjustment of the length of the supporting body 10 in the longitudinal direction L by displacing the first lateral beam 30 and/or second lateral beam 30' with respect to the central beam 40 in said longitudinal direction L. In this way, the table stand 1 may be adapted for use with table tops of different sizes.

In a first design, the guide means 70 for guiding the central beam 40 comprises a plurality of guide rails 72, preferably made of plastic. One such guide rail 72 is shown in detail in Figs 13 and 14. Through openings 76 and 39b, the guide rails 72 are mounted by screws 79 or bolts on respective insides of the side walls 32, 33, 32', 33' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' . The guide rails 72 are mounted parallel to the respective bottom surfaces 31, 3 of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' and at a distance between a lower lateral edge 74a of a respective one of the guide rails 72 and a respective bottom surface 31, 3 of the first or second lateral beam 30, 30'. This distance is preferably slightly larger than a height of the first and second side walls 42, 42' of the central beam 40 from its bottom surface 41.

In the disclosed design, for a shortest possible or feasible length of the length- adjustable supporting body 10, the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' are brought in contact with or at least immediately close to each other. For a longer length than the shortest length of the length-adjustable supporting body 10, the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' are consequently at a distance from each other, the distance being bridged by the central beam 40.

Advantageously, the table stand 1 further comprises a limiter arrangement for preventing the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' from being displaced more than a threshold distance from each other.

In the first design of the guide means 70, the limiter arrangement is

implemented as follows. Each of the guide rails 72 comprises a tab 78 protruding from the lower lateral edge 74a of the guide rail 72; see in particular Figs 13 and 14. At each end of each first or second side wall 42, 42' of the central beam 40, an end stop portion 43 comprises a recess 44 and an abutment 45; see in particular Fig 9. The recess 44 is dimensioned to capture the tab 78 of the guide rail 72 when the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' are displaced by said threshold distance from each other. Hence, if during length-adjustment or assembly of the supporting body 10 the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' are moved too far from each other in the longitudinal direction L (i.e. the distance between them reaches the threshold distance), the limiter arrangement will prevent further movement of the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' away from each other.

A second design of the guide means 60 for guiding the central beam 40 is illustrated in Figs 20-31. In this design, the guide means 60 comprises a pair of insert elements 61, 61 ', preferably made of plastic. Just as in the first design, the insert elements 61, 61 ' are part of a limiter arrangement for preventing the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' of the elongated main support structure 11 from being displaced more than a threshold distance from each other. In addition, the insert elements 61, 61 ' in the second design of the guide means 60 serve to provide improved stability for the support body 10 by allowing the central beam 40 to be released and locked, respectively, with respect to the first or second lateral beam 30, 30'. This is done by means of releasable securing means 63, 64, as will be described in more detail below.

As seen in Figs 21-23, the first insert element 61 is mounted inside the first lateral beam 30, whereas the second insert element 61 ' is mounted inside the second lateral beam 30'. Each insert element 61, 6 is attached to the inside surfaces (inwardly facing surfaces) of the first and second side walls 32, 33 and 32', 33' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30', respectively, by means of fasteners (such as screws, bolts, rivets, plugs, etc) through openings in the first and second side walls 32, 33 and 32', 33', as seen in Figs 21 and 22. The fasteners are anchored to the insert element 61 at corresponding positions 61c, as seen in Fig 20. A lowermost portion 61d of each insert element 61, 61 ' is parallel to the respective bottom surfaces 31, 3 of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' and is provided at a distance to the respective bottom surface 31, 3 of the first or second lateral beam 30, 30' . The distance is slightly larger than a height of the first and second side walls 42, 42' of the central beam 40 from its bottom surface 41.

The releasable securing means 63, 64 comprises, for each insert element 61 and 61 ', respectively, a first and a second screw or bolt 64 and a first and a second beveled nut 63. The screws or bolts 64 are inserted through openings 61a and 61b in the side walls 32, 33, 32', 33' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30'. The nuts 63 are received in recesses 62 at each side of the insert element 61 and 61 ', respectively. When the screw or bolt 64 is released (loosened, untightened), as seen in Fig 30, a user may displace the first lateral beam 30 and/or the second lateral beam 30' with respect to the central beam 40 in the longitudinal direction L, and thereby adjust the length of the support body 10. This is illustrated in Fig 28.

When a desired displacement has been achieved, the user may tighten the screw or bolt 64, as seen in Fig 31. As a result, a locking member 61e of insert element 61 will be forced by the beveled nut 64 into engagement with the sidewall 42 of the central beam 40. In turn, the sidewall 42 will engage with the sidewall 32 of the lateral beam 30, wherein the central beam 40 will be locked in position with respect to the first or second lateral beam 30, 30' . This will also provide improved stability for the support body 10.

Reference is now made to Figs 28 and 29 which illustrate how the user may displace the first lateral beam 30 and/or the second lateral beam 30' with respect to the central beam 40 in the longitudinal direction L, and thereby adjust the length of the support body 10, in retracting and extending directions as indicated by the arrows in the drawings. During this operation, the aforementioned limiter arrangement prevents the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' of the elongated main support structure 11 from being displaced more than a threshold distance from each other (the second lateral beam 30' being shown in Figs 28 and 29). To this end, the insert element 61 has a tab 68 which protrudes towards and is biased against the bottom surface 41 of the central beam 40. The bottom surface 41 has a first opening 69a in which the tab 68 may be captured if the displacement reaches the threshold distance.

In the situation shown in Fig 28, the displacement has not reached the threshold distance, and the tab 68 has not been captured by the first opening 69a. On the other hand, in the situation shown in Fig 29, the displacement has indeed reached the threshold distance, and the tab 68 is captured by the first opening 69a. By the bias of the tab 68, it will also be captured in a second opening 69b in the bottom surface 31 ' (31) of the second (first) lateral beam 30' (30), and accordingly lock the position of the central beam 40 with respect to the second (first) lateral beam 30' (30). Hence, the first and second openings 69a, 69b are adapted capture the tab 68 of the insert element 61, 61 ' when the proximal ends 36, 36' of the first and second lateral beams 30, 30' are displaced by said threshold distance from each other.

Reference is now again made to FIGs 32-48 for a more thorough description of the arrangement for attaching the at least one accessory 160, 164, 166, 168 to the table 3.

Figs 32-34 show isometric, side and bottom views of the sidewing bracket 112 of the supporting body 10. The sidewing bracket 112 is similar to the sidewing bracket 12 of Fig 19, except that it has been provided with additional elements 121-125 and 12 -122', which make it particularly advantageous for the purpose of allowing attachment of the at least one accessory 160, 164, 166, 168 to the table 3. Just like the second sidewing bracket 12' is a mirrored copy of the first sidewing bracket 12, there may be a mirrored copy " 112"'of the sidewing bracket 112, attached at the opposite end of the elongated main support element 11 of the supporting body 10, or more specifically to the distal portion 35 of the first lateral beam 30 in the disclosed embodiment.

The sidewing bracket 112 is formed by first and second elongated fixation members 113, 113' extending at an angle from an elongated base member 118. The first and second fixation members 113, 113' are adapted for fastening of the table top 2 to the table stand 1 and for supporting the table top 2.

More specifically, analogously to what was previously mentioned for the sidewing brackets 12, 12' of Fig 19, each of the first and second fixation members 113, 113' of the sidewing bracket 112 has a plate-shaped structure 114 (and 114') which is adapted for fastening of the table top 2. To this end, the plate-shaped structure 114 (and 114') has openings 117 through which fastening elements such as screws or bolts may be inserted and anchored to the underside of the table top 2. Hence, the top side of the plate-shaped structure 1 14 (and 114') is a first surface 131 (and 131 ') of the supporting body 10, the table top 2 being supported by this first surface 131 (and 131 ').

Moreover, analogously to what was previously mentioned for the sidewing brackets 12, 12' of Fig 19, each of the first and second fixation members 113, 113' of the sidewing bracket 112 also has a mounting portion 115 adapted for mounting of the sidewing bracket 112 to the distal portion 35 of the first lateral beam 30 as well as to the first stand 20, as indicated by the arrow in Fig 5.

The mounting portion 115 has a slot 116 for receiving the aforementioned releasable fastening member 50, 51, 50', 5 , preferably a screw or bolt, which serves to anchor the sidewing bracket 112 to the elongated main support structure 11 as well as to anchor the first stand 20 in the extended position relative to the supporting body 10.

The slot 116 in the mounting portion 115 has an outer mouth 116a for receiving the base part 50a of the releasable fastening member 50 when attaching the sidewing 112 to the elongated main support structure 11.

The slot 116 in the mounting portion 115 also has an inner opening 116b for engaging the head part 50b of the releasable fastening member 50. The inner opening 16b is preferably countersunk, thereby facilitating for the sidewing bracket 112 to remain attached to the elongated main support structure 11 also when the first stand 20 is moved from the extended position towards the collapsed position relative to the supporting body 10.

The sidewing bracket 112 further comprises engagement members 121, 122 (and 121 ', 122'), which are part of the arrangement according to one embodiment for attaching at least one accessory and which are adapted for attaching an accessory holder 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1. The engagement members 121, 122 (and 121 ', 122') are provided on a second surface 132 (and 132'), respectively, of the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1. The second surface 132 (and 132') faces in a direction different from a direction in which the supporting body 10 supports the table top 2.

More specifically, the second surface 132/132' is the bottom side of the plate- shaped structure 114, 114' of the sidewing bracket 112, which is part of the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1. Hence, in the disclosed embodiment, the first surface 131 (13 ) and the second surface 132 (132') of the support body 10 are the opposing top and bottom sides of the plate-shaped structure 114 (114') of the sidewing bracket 112 of the supporting body 10. It is recalled that in a typical operating position of the table 3 with its table stand 1 standing on a horizontal floor or ground, the first surface 131 (131 ') of the support body 10 faces upwards towards an underside of the table top 2 (see normal direction 13 In indicated in Fig 41), whereas the second surface 131, 13 of the support body 10 faces downwards towards the floor or ground (see normal direction 132n indicated in Fig 41).

Advantageously, and as is seen in Figs 32-34 and 41, each engagement member 121, 122, 12 , 122' is a tab which at its base 121a extends from the second surface 132 (132') of (the sidewing bracket 112 of) the supporting body 10. Each tab has an elongated main part 121b ending at an open end. The elongated main part is essentially parallel to the second surface 132 (132'). In the disclosed embodiment, each tab 121 has been formed integrally with the plate-shaped structure 114 (114') of the sidewing bracket 112 by cutting three sides of an opening 123 (124) in the plate-shaped structure 114 (114'), and bending the resulting tab 121 to the desired position as seen in the drawings. In other embodiments, the tabs may be separate elements which are welded or otherwise anchored onto the bottom side of the plate-shaped structure 114 (114') (i.e. on the aforementioned second surface 132 (132')).

By using the engagement members or tabs 121, 122 (and 121 ', 122'), an accessory holder 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 may be attached to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1 from below, i.e. from a direction which allows the table top 1 of the table 3 to remain on the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1 and/or does not require that the accessory holder 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 be attached to the supporting body 10 prior to or after the mounting of the table top 1 on top of the supporting body 10.

Anchoring means 150; 153; 154-155; 156-157; 158 serve for anchoring the accessory holder 140, 142, 144, 146, 148 to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1.

Different embodiments of the arrangement for attaching different kinds of accessory holders for different accessories are shown in Figs 32-48. Generally, in a first group of embodiments of the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory, the anchoring means comprises an adapter element 150 which allows attachment of different accessory holders to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1. The adapter element 150 is mounted to the underside of the sidewing bracket 112 from a position below the underside of the table top 1 by engagement with the engagement members or tabs 121, 122 (and 12 , 122') and by means of anchoring member(s) of the anchoring means. In turn, one or more accessory holders is/are mounted to the underside of the adapter element by means of additional anchoring member(s) of the anchoring means. The first group of embodiments is illustrated particularly in Figs 35-45, in which it can be seen that the accessory holder 140, 142 is attached to the sidewing bracket 112 to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1 via the adapter element 150.

In a second group of embodiments of the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory, no adapter element is required. The accessory holder is mounted directly to the underside of the sidewing bracket 112 from a position below the underside of the table top 1 by engagement with the engagement members or tabs 121, 122 (and 121 ', 122') and by means of anchoring member(s) of the anchoring means. The second group of embodiments is illustrated particularly in Figs 46-48.

The first group of embodiments of the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory will now be described with particular reference to Figs 35-45.

Figs 35 and 36 illustrate how a first kind of accessory holder 140 may be attached to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1 from below. The accessory holder 140 comprises holding means 140a for holding an accessory in the form of a cable tray 160 (seen in Fig 45). Figs 37 and 38 are isometric and top views,

respectively, of anchoring means in the form of the aforementioned adapter element 150. As mentioned, the adapter element 150 allows attachment of different accessory holders to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1, and therefore represents a standardized accessory attachment interface which is an improvement over the prior art.

Figs 37 and 38 illustrate the adapter element 150 in more detail. The adapter element 150 may be formed as a main body of suitable material, such as plastic, composite material or metal. The adapter element 150 has openings or recesses 151, 152 which are dimensioned and positioned to match with the tabs 121, 122 on the underside of the sidewing bracket 112. The adapter element 150 may hence be slid into engagement with the tabs 121, 122 from below, and then be anchored to the sidewing bracket 112 by means of an anchoring member 153 such as a screw or bolt (seen in Figs 39 and 41).

To this end, as can be seen particularly in Figs 33 and 41, a space 121c is formed between the elongated main part 121b of the tab 121 and the second surface 132 (132') of the supporting body 10, i.e. the bottom side of the plate-like structure 114

(114') of the sidewing bracket 112. The space is adapted for receiving a section 150b of the adapter element 150 of the anchoring means when the respective tab 121 has been inserted into the respective opening or recess 151 of the adapter element 150.

For anchoring purposes, an opening 125 is provided in the second surface 132 of the sidewing bracket 112 of the support body 10 between the first and second engagement members (tabs) 121, 122, which are provided at a distance from each other that matches with the distance between the openings or recesses 151, 152 in the adapter element 150. The opening 125 is adapted for receiving the anchoring member 153 as it is inserted through an opening 153a in the adapter element 150.

As seen in Fig 41, it suffices that a tip portion of the anchoring member 153 reaches into the opening 125 to fixate the adapter element 150 on the underside of the sidewing bracket 112 when the engagement members (tabs) 121, 122 are engaged in the openings or recesses 151, 152 in the adapter element 150. However, as is also seen in Fig 41, the opening 125 may run through the plate-shaped structure 114 and therefore allow, in an alternative embodiment, the anchoring member 153 to extend through the opening 125 and engage with the table top 2 at the opposite first surface 131 of the plate-like structure 114.

The adapter element 150 has additional openings 154a-157a which are adapted to receive additional anchoring members 154-157 which may be, for instance, screws or bolts. By the provision of the openings 154a-157a and selected ones of the anchoring members 154-157, the adapter element 150 may serve to allow selective mounting of a first kind of accessory holder, such as the accessory holder 140, for a first accessory, such as the cable tray 160, or a second kind of accessory holder, such as the accessory holder 142, for a second accessory being of a different type than the first accessory, such as for instance a desktop screen. This is seen in Figs 42 and 43; the accessory holder 142 has an opening 142a for receiving a fastening member for fastening such a desktop screen to the accessory holder 142.

In fact, in an advantageous embodiment, the adapter element 150 may serve to allow selective mounting of any of the following alternatives: 1) a first kind of accessory holder, such as the accessory holder 140, for a first accessory, such as the cable tray 160,

2) a second kind of accessory holder, such as the accessory holder 142, for a second accessory being of a different type than said first accessory, such as for instance the aforementioned desktop screen,

3) the first kind of accessory holder (e.g. 140) together with the second kind of accessory holder (e.g. 142), wherein both of the first and second accessories (e.g. 160, 162) can be attached to the same table 3 using the same adapter element 150.

Alternative 3) is illustrated in Figs 44 and 45.

The second group of embodiments of the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory will now be described with particular reference to Figs 46-48. It is recalled that for the second group of embodiments, no adapter element is required. The accessory holder 144, 146, 148 is instead mounted directly to the underside of the sidewing bracket 112 from a position below the underside of the table top 1 by engagement with the engagement members or tabs 121, 122 (and 12 , 122') and by means of anchoring member(s) of the anchoring means. An example of such an anchoring member is seen at 158 in Fig 46 in the form of a screw or bolt.

The accessory holder 144, 146, 148 may be formed as an integral part of the respective accessory 164 (computer cabinet holder), 166 (trash can) or 168 (pen tray), or it may be a separate part attached to the respective accessory 164, 166, 168 by suitable fastening means such as screws, bolts, nuts, adhesive points or welding points. As is seen schematically in Figs 44-46, the accessory holder 144, 146, 148 has an upper, bent portion which comprises openings or recesses similar to the openings or recesses in the adapter element 150. The purpose of these openings or recesses is to allow attachment of the accessory holder 144, 146, 148 to the underside of the sidewing bracket 112 by engagement with the engagement members or tabs 121, 122 (121 ', 122').

Similarly to what has been described above with reference particularly to Figs 33 and 41, the space which is formed between the elongated main part 121b of the tab (e.g. 121) and the second surface 132 (132') of the supporting body 10 is adapted for receiving a section of the upper, bent portion of the accessory holder 144, 146, 148 when the tab 121 has been inserted into a respective one of the openings or recesses in the upper, bent portion of the accessory holder 144, 146, 148.

The provision of first and second engagement members or tabs 121, 122 which are provided at a distance from each other on the second surface 132 of the supporting body 10, e.g. on the underside of the sidewing bracket 112, and with the opening 125 for the receiving the anchoring member being provided in the second surface 132 between the first and second engagement members or tabs 121, 122, is beneficial. As little as a single anchoring member, such as the screw or bolt 158 as seen in Fig 46, may be required for anchoring an accessory (such as the computer cabinet holder 164 in Fig 46), and therefore offers a highly expedient and component minimal procedure for securing the accessory to the table 3.

This provision is believed to be beneficial also to the first group of

embodiments of the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory, since it will reduce the number of anchoring members for anchoring the adapter element 150 to a minimum, namely one.

Alternative embodiments may instead have one engagement member, such as a single tab, and first and second openings being provided at a distance from each other in the second surface of the supporting body 10, the engagement member being positioned between the first and second openings. The first and second openings will be adapted for receiving first and second anchoring members, respectively, comprised in said anchoring means.

The provision either of two engagement members 121, 122 and one anchoring member (such the screw 158, or the screw 153 seen in Figs 39 and 41) which is received in one opening (e.g. opening 125) between the two engagement members, or of one engagement member and two anchoring members received in two openings with the anchoring member provided between them, will provide a strong and yet easily performed anchoring of the accessory holder to the supporting body 10 of the table stand 1, capable of preventing rotation of the accessory in a plane parallel to the table top 2. Hence, such provision is believed to be beneficial, for the first group of embodiments as well as for the second group of embodiments of the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory.

As is clear from the description above, the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory according to the invention may provide a standardized interface for attachment of different kinds of accessories to a table. Such accessories may, for instance, include one or more of the following: a cable tray 160, a desktop screen, a computer cabinet holder 164, a trash can 166, and a pen tray 168.

The arrangement for attaching at least one accessory as described herein may advantageously be included in a table (such as the table 3), which comprises: the arrangement for attaching at least one accessory as described herein, a table stand (such as the table stand 1), and a table top (such as the table top 2) mounted on top of the table stand. In some embodiments, the table stand is collapsible and/or power driven.

The invention has been described above in detail with reference to

embodiments thereof. However, as is readily understood by those skilled in the art, other embodiments are equally possible within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. For instance, even though the table stand disclosed herein is has a single, typically rectangular table top (i.e., the table stand has two stands), other designs are possible where such as a table stand is additionally provided with a third stand and an additional part of the supporting body extending for instance perpendicularly from the elongated main support structure to the third stand. Such a table stand may beneficially support a table top having another shape than rectangular, such as for instance an L shape.

An alternative inventive aspect of the present invention is an arrangement for attaching at least one accessory to a table of the type which comprises a table top and a table stand with a supporting body, the table top being supported by at least a first surface of the supporting body. The arrangement comprises an accessory holder for said at least one accessory. The arrangement also comprises one or more engagement members provided on a second surface of the supporting body of said table stand, said second surface facing in a direction different from a direction in which the supporting body supports the table top, said one or more engagement members being adapted for attaching the accessory holder to the supporting body of the table stand. Moreover, the arrangement comprises anchoring means for anchoring the accessory holder to the supporting body of the table stand.