CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to International Application No. PCT/CA2018/051193 filed on Sep. 21, 2018 with the Canadian PCT Receiving Office; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/138,422 filed Sep. 21, 2018 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/561,479 filed Sep. 21, 2017 said applications incorporated hereinto by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of utility equipment, carts, and furniture, and in particular, to modular components for demountable engagement into various configurations of assemblies for uses such as work surfaces, shelving units, racks, utility carts, equipment support apparatuses, staging systems, and bedframe systems.

BACKGROUND

Utility equipment of various forms are essential to every industry and can range vastly in size and complexity in order to meet the particular needs of a selected industry. Irrespective of the industry, most utility equipment is designed to have a single function. Consequently, a variety of utility equipment is required to meet the various needs of a selected industry.

Many work environments can make use of portable height-adjustable equipment support apparatus, racks, stands, storage, shelving, and carts that can be easily, quickly, and safely raised and lowered to enable positioning or transfer of equipment, instruments, devices, hardware, components, materials, supplies, merchandise, clothing, sports gear, luggage, and other items onto and from an assembly after which, sections of the assembly can be raised out of the way to provide clearance to staff moving about in proximity to and/or under the assembly. Additionally, it may be desirable to raise and lower assembled work surfaces to provide ergonomic standing or sitting use of the work surface by individuals having different heights and performing different types of work tasks. Man-lift and staging systems can also be configured where work tasks or access may be required at varying heights in a variety of work settings. A number of height-adjustable equipment support apparatuses, racks, stands, carts, storage systems, shelf-lift systems, table-lift systems, and bed-lift systems can additionally be configured for various household needs.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure generally relates to telescoping modules configured for demountable engagement into modular assemblies comprising work surfaces and/or shelving systems and/or utility carts and/or storage systems and/or racks and/or equipment support apparatuses and/or stands and/or staging systems and/or bedframe systems. More specifically, this disclosure pertains to telescoping modules that may be incorporated into sturdy and durable utility system assemblies for temporary use on a work site or a home location wherein the assemblies can be configured and quickly assembled by interconnecting and securely engaging a plurality of modular structural support components to configure a desired utility assembly. After the need for the utility system assembly has been satisfied and the assembly is no longer required on a work site or other location, it can be quickly and easily disassembled into the individual modular elements that can be collected together for transport or storage.

One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to three types of telescoping modules wherein the first type has a pair of opposed female ends, the second type has a pair of opposed male ends, and the third type has a female end and an opposed male end. A fourth type of telescoping module disclosed herein comprises two opposed male ends between which a positionable threaded rod and retaining components stably extend the length between the male ends of the telescoping module.

Each of the male ends of the second, third, and fourth types of telescoping modular components comprises a cylindrical body with one or more linear set(s) of two or more spaced-apart prongs on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body. Each of the female ends has a cylindrical receptacle with one or more linear channels and/or prong-retaining slots for receiving therein the cylindrical body and the at least one linear set of prongs. The female ends are provided with locking assemblies and/or fasteners for releasable engagement of the male ends. The telescoping modules disclosed herein are particularly suitable for demountable engagement with the various types of modules disclosed in International PCT Application No. PCT/CA2017/050376.

According to one aspect, a cylindrical body of a male end may have two or more linear sets of two or more spaced-apart prongs wherein the linear sets are equidistantly spaced apart around the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body. According to another aspect, a cylindrical receptacle of a female end may have two or more equidistantly spaced-apart linear channels and/or prong-retaining slots to receive and engage therein the cylindrical body having two or more linear sets of prongs.

According to one aspect, the telescoping modules disclosed herein may be used to configure and assemble storage racks and/or shelves and/or carts that may be lowered for access and then raised up to provide additional storage space underneath or alternatively, to provide clearance for other purposes.

According to another aspect, the telescoping modules disclosed herein can be used as legs or alternatively, incorporated into legs for a work surface such as, for example, a counter or a work bench or a desk or a business work station or a work platform or man-lift, and the like. Height-adjustable furniture assemblies may also be configured such as tables, seating, bedframes, and the like.

According to some embodiments, the telescoping modules disclosed herein may be incorporated into a variety of equipment-support apparatuses, stands, racks, and the like.

