Workstation assemblies including rotating furniture affordances
A reconfigurable assembly includes a stationary base and a workstation including a worktop supported by the base. A mounting assembly secures the workstation to the base for rotation about a vertical axis through the base and worktop, and includes a first coupler forming first and second limit surfaces within an arcuate path about the vertical axis that define a limit space of a first length, and a second coupler that forms first and second stop surfaces that define a limit space of a second length along the arcuate path. The workstation is rotatable about the vertical axis between a first limit position where the first stop surface contacts the first limit surface and a second limit position where the second stop surface contacts the second limit surface.
1 . A reconfigurable assembly comprising:
a stationary base;
a workstation including a worktop forming a worksurface and an undersurface, the workstation supported by the base with the worksurface in a substantially horizontal orientation;
a mounting assembly securing the workstation to the base for rotation about a vertical axis passing through the base and the worktop, the mounting assembly including a first coupler secured to the base and a second coupler secured to the workstation wherein the first coupler forms first and second stationary limit surfaces within an arcuate path about the vertical axis that define a limit space having a first length dimension along the arcuate path, the second coupler forms first and second stop surfaces within the limit space having a second length dimension along the arcuate path that is less than the first dimension with the first and second stop surfaces facing the first and second limit surfaces along the arcuate path; and
wherein, the workstation is rotatable about the vertical axis between a first limit position where the first stop surface contacts the first limit surface and a second limit position where the second stop surface contacts the second limit surface.
2 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 1 wherein the workstation further includes a leg having upper and lower ends, the lower end of the leg including the second coupler and affixed to the base for rotation about the vertical axis, the worktop secured to the upper end of the leg.
3 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 2 wherein the leg is height adjustable.
4 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 3 wherein the leg includes a lower leg member and an upper leg member, the lower leg member affixed to the base for rotation about the vertical axis, the upper leg member telescopically mounted to the lower leg member for movement between extended and contracted positions.
5 . The reconfiguration assembly of claim 4 wherein an edge defines the shape of the worktop, the edge including a rear edge having a first substantially straight rear edge portion and a second substantially straight rear edge portion that form an obtuse angle and an apex adjacent the obtuse angle, the leg mounted to the undersurface of the worktop adjacent the apex.
6 . The reconfiguration assembly of claim 5 wherein the first substantially straight rear edge portion is substantially parallel to a first vertical plane when the workstation is in the first limit position and the second substantially straight rear edge portion is substantially parallel to the first vertical plane when the workstation is in the second limit position.
7 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 5 wherein the edge further includes first and second substantially straight lateral edges that extend from distal ends of the first and second rear edge portions toward a front edge of the worktop and, wherein, the first and second substantially straight lateral edges angle toward each other from the rear edge toward the front edge such that the first lateral edge is substantially perpendicular to the first vertical plane when the worktop is in the first limit position and the second lateral edge is substantially perpendicular to the first vertical plane when the worktop is in the second limit position.
8 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 5 wherein the obtuse angle is within a range between 135 degrees and 145 degrees.
9 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 4 wherein the leg is a first leg, and the assembly further includes at least a second leg spaced from the first leg, the second leg height adjustable and controlled such that the worksurface remains substantially horizontal as height is adjusted.
10 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 9 including a caster at the lower end of the second leg.
11 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 1 wherein the base includes a stationary leg having upper and lower ends, the first coupler affixed to the upper end of the leg and the second coupler affixed to the undersurface of the worktop for rotation about the vertical axis.
12 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 1 wherein the base includes a cup structure having an undersurface and forming an upwardly opening cylindrical cavity, the cup structure mountable to an ambient floor surface with the undersurface adjacent the floor surface and the cup opening upward and centered along the axis of rotation.
13 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 1 wherein a range of rotation between the first and second limit positions is substantially 40 degrees.
14 . A reconfigurable assembly comprising:
a stationary base;
a workstation including a worktop forming a worksurface and an undersurface, an edge defining the shape of the worktop, the edge including a rear edge having a substantially straight first rear edge portion and a substantially straight second rear edge portion that form an obtuse angle and an apex at the obtuse angle, wherein the workstation is supported by the base for rotation about a vertical axis through the base between first and second limit positions at which positions the workstation is limited from further rotation;
wherein, the first substantially straight rear edge portion is substantially parallel to a first vertical plane when the workstation is in the first limit position and the second substantially straight rear edge portion is substantially parallel to the first vertical plane when the workstation is in the second limit position.
15 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 14 wherein the base is affixed to an elongated spine subassembly having a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to the length dimension, the length dimension extending parallel to the first vertical plane.
16 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 15 wherein the first vertical plane divides the width dimension in half and wherein the first and second rear edge portions are adjacent the vertical plane when the workstation is in the first and second limit positions, respectively.
17 . A reconfigurable assembly comprising:
a first stationary base;
a second stationary base adjacent the first stationary base;
a first workstation including a first worktop forming a first worksurface and an undersurface, an edge defining the shape of the first worktop, the edge including first and second adjacent and substantially straight edge portions that form a first angle, wherein the first workstation is supported by the first base for rotation about a vertical axis through the first base between first and second limit positions at which rotation of the first workstation is limited;
a second workstation including a second worktop forming a second worksurface and an undersurface, an edge defining the shape of the second worktop, the edge including third and fourth adjacent and substantially straight edge portions that form a second angle, wherein the second workstation is supported by the second base for rotation about a vertical axis through the second base between first and second limit positions at which rotation of the second workstation is limited;
wherein, the first edge portion is substantially parallel to and proximate the third edge portion when the workstations are in the first limit positions and the second edge portion is substantially parallel to and proximate the fourth edge portion when the workstations are in the second limit positions.
18 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second edge portions are first and second rear edge portions of the first worktop that form an obtuse angle and wherein the third and fourth edge portions are first and second rear edge portions of the second worktop that form an obtuse angle.
19 . The reconfigurable assembly of claim 18 wherein the obtuse angles are between 110 and 160 degrees.
20 . A reconfigurable assembly comprising:
a first stationary base;
a second stationary base spaced from the first stationary base;
a first workstation including a first worktop forming a first worksurface and an undersurface, an edge defining the shape of the first worktop, the edge including a substantially straight first lateral edge, wherein the first workstation is supported by the first base for rotation about a vertical axis through the first base between first and second limit positions;
a second workstation including a second worktop forming a second worksurface and an undersurface, an edge defining the shape of the second worktop, the edge including a substantially straight second lateral edge, wherein the second workstation is supported by the second base for rotation about a vertical axis through the second base between first and second limit positions;
wherein, the first lateral edge is substantially parallel to and proximate the second lateral edge when the workstations are in the first limit positions and the first lateral edge is spaced from and forms an acute and with the second lateral edge when either one of the first and second workstations is in a position other than the first limit position.