The present disclosure relates generally to expandable tables and, more particularly, to improvements in jupe-type expandable tables.
A jupe-type table, also known as an expanding round table, is a versatile piece of furniture that combines the elegance of a round table with the functionality of an expandable table surface. The tabletop comprises a plurality of main table sections that join at a common center to form a small table and a plurality of expansion leaves that can be inserted between the main table sections as needed to create a table with larger surface area. When the table is fully closed, the leaves are neatly stored below the table surface, creating a small table surface. The main table sections diverge when they are pulled radially outward to provide space for the insertion of the expansion leaves, creating a larger table surface. Jupe-type tables can serve as a compact dining table for everyday use, but when expanded, provide ample space for hosting larger gatherings or events. Examples of jupe-type tables are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,464,653 to Dodge and U.S. Pat. No. 10,383,433 to Guglielmi.
The present disclosure relates to improvements in expandable, jupe-type tables. The expandable table comprises a base or pedestal that rests on the floor or other support surface, a frame supported by the pedestal, and a tabletop. The tabletop comprises a plurality of main table sections that join at a common center to form a small table and a plurality of expansion leaves that can be inserted between the main table sections as needed to create a table with larger surface area. When the table is fully closed, the expansion leaves are neatly stored below the table surface. The main table sections diverge when they are pulled radially outward to provide space for the insertion of the expansion leaves 60, creating a larger table surface.
The expandable table includes a frame comprising a plurality of main rails extending radially between the center of the frame and a plurality of expansion rails branching off of the main rails. The main table sections of the tabletop slidably mount to respective main rails so as to move radially inward and outward along the main rails. The expansion leaves slidably mount to respective expansion rail sets to move between a storage (folded) position and a deployed (unfolded) position.
One aspect of the disclosure comprises a deployment mechanism to facilitate deployment of the expansion leaves from the storage position in the compact configuration to a deployed position in the expanded configuration. The deployment mechanism comprises, for each expansion leaf, a pivot member connecting the outer section of the expansion leaf to the frame so as to rotate about a pivot axis between the deployed position and the storage position and a lift guide attached to an expansion rail of the frame. The lift guide has a guide surface engaged by a follower on the expansion leaf to guide the inner section of the expansion leaf along an inclined path between the storage position and the deployed position when the outer section is rotated about a pivot axis.
In some embodiments, the guide surface of the lift guide includes a peak intermediate the ends of the guide surface, a launch portion extending upward from a starting level to the peak of the guide surface, and a landing portion defining an ending level lower than the peak of the guide surface. During deployment of the expansion leaf, the follower begins at the starting level in the launch portion of the guide surface, travels upward along the launch portion of the guide surface, over the peak of the guide surface, and comes to rest in the landing portion of the guide surface.
Another aspect of the disclosure comprises a removable stopper to prevent the main table sections from sliding off the ends of the main rails during use. The stoppers can be removed to allow installation and/or re[placement of the main table sections.
Referring now to the drawings,
The main table sections 52 slidably mount to respective main rails 22 so as to move radially inward and outward along the main rails 22. The expansion leaves 60 slidably mount to respective expansion rail sets to move between a storage (folded) position and a deployed (unfolded) position.
The main rails 22 are extruded from aluminum or other lightweight material and include channels 24 (
In one embodiment, a removable stopper 80 is inserted into the open end of each channel 24 to prevent the main table sections 52 from sliding off of the main rail 22.
The expansion rails 30 comprise a rectangular tube (
The apron 40 comprises six curved segments 42. Each curved segment 42 is attached at opposing ends to respective main rails 22. The curved segments 42 may be secured to the main rails 22 and expansion rails 30 by weldment or threaded fasteners. In either case, the curved segments 42 join with the main rails 22 so that the open ends of the channels 24 in the main rails 22 are not obstructed. The outer surface of curved segments 42 may be covered by a wood laminate or other material giving the appearance of a natural wood finish.
As previously noted, the tabletop 50 comprises a plurality of main table sections 52 and a plurality of expansion leaves 60. The main table sections 52 and expansion leaves 54 can be made or wood, or composite material with a natural wood appearance. In one embodiment, the components of the tabletop 50 are made of blockboard. The components of the tabletop 50 can be shaped to form a perfect circle in either the closed configuration, or the expanded configuration.
Each main table section 52 has an outer curved edge 54 and converging sides 56 forming an approximate sector of a circle. A slide 58 is attached to the underside of each main table section 52. Slide 58 fits in channel 24 in one of the main rails 22 and allows the main table section 52 to slide radially inward and outward along the main rail 22.
Each expansion leaf 60 comprises two parts: an outer section 62 and an inner section 68. The outer section 62 and inner section 68 of each expansion leaf 60 are connected by a hinge 74 that allows the expansion leaf 60 to fold into a storage position. The outer section 62 includes a curved outer edge 64 that forms part of the outer perimeter of the tabletop 50 in the expanded configuration and parallel sides 66 that abut with the sides of the main table sections 52 in the expanded configuration. The inner section 68 has two parallel sides 70 and two converging sides 72 forming an overall-pencil-shape with a pointed end. The parallel sides 70 abut the converging sides 52 of the main table sections 52 in the expanded configuration, while the converging sides 72 abut the converging sides 72 of another expansion leaf 60 in the expanded configuration.
The expansion leaves 60 are mounted to respective expansion rail sets by a deployment mechanism 100. In the disclosed embodiment, a separate deployment mechanism is provided for each expansion leaf 60. The deployment mechanism 100 for an expansion leaf 60 comprises three main components: a sliding pivot 102, and lift guide 110, and a follower 120. Each expansion leaf 60 uses two sliding pivots 102, two lift guides 110, and two followers 120, i.e., one of each for each side of the expansion leaf 60. The sliding pivots 102 rotatably connect the expansion leaf 60 to the parallel expansion rails 30 in an expansion rail set, so that the expansion leaf 60 can be rotated between the storage position and the deployed position as hereinafter described. The lift guide 110 and follower 120 guide the pointed end of the expansion leaf into position while the expansion leaf 60 is being deployed.
The sliding pivot 102 comprises two main parts: a slotted bracket 104 with a guide slot 106 and a pivot pin 108. The slotted brackets 104 mount to vertical surfaces of expansion rails 30 facing the expansion leaf 60. The pivot pins 108 mount to the underside of the outer section 62 of the expansion leaf 60 and extend outward from the parallel sides 66 of the outer section 52. The axis of the pivot pin 108 is offset vertically from the plane of the expansion leaf 60. This offset causes the expansion leaf 60 to lift upward into the plane of the table surface when being deployed and to drop back below the plane of the table surface when being returned to the storage position. Slotted brackets 104 include openings 107 that enable the insertion and removal of the pivot pins 108 into the guide slots 106 so that the expansion leaves 30 can be removed. Guide slots 106 allow for some radial movement of the expansion leaf 60 during the deployment of the expansion leaf 60 and the return of the expansion leaf 60 to the storage position.
The lift guide 110 comprises a mounting tab 112 and guide arm 114 made from a flat metal plate. The mounting tab 112 abuts the bottom surface of the expansion rail 30 and provides means for attaching the lift guide 110 to the expansion rail 30. In one embodiment, threaded fasteners secure the lift guide 110 to the bottom surface of the expansion rail 30. The threaded faster passes through an opening (not shown) in the mounting tab 112 and screws into a mounting hole (not shown) in the bottom of the expansion rail. Guide arm 114 lies flat against the vertical surface of the expansion rail 30 and includes an upper surface with a complex curvature. The upper surface functions as a guide surface 116 for the follower 120 as hereinafter described. The complex curvature includes three parts. The first part referred to herein as the launch portion comprises a concave curve that curves upwardly. The second part referred to herein as the central portion comprises a convex curve that defines a peak along the guide surface. The third part referred to herein as the landing portion comprises a concave curve that curves downward slightly and then flattens to forms a landing area for the follower 120 in the deployed position.
The follower 120 comprises a bearing 122 (
In some embodiments, the side edges 56, 66, and 70 of the main table sections 52 and expansion leaves 60 include magnets 90 embedded therein to hold the table sections together. The edges 56 of the main table sections 52 may include a first set of magnets 90 that engage with magnets 90 on adjacent main table sections 52 in the compact configuration, and a second set of magnets 90 that engage with magnets 90 on an adjacent expansion leaf 60 in the expanded configuration. The edges 66, 70 of the expansion leaves 60 include a single set of magnets 90 to engage with the magnets 90 on the main table sections 52.
In some embodiments, the side edges 56, 66, and 70 of the main table sections 52 and expansion leaves 60 include a series of slots 92, 96. The slots 92 in the side edges 56 of the main table sections 52 are engaged by posts 94 extending from the side edges 66, 70 of the expansion leaves 60. The slots 96 in the side edges 66, 70 of the expansion leaves 60 are engaged by posts 98 extending from the side edges 56 of the main table sections 52. The engagement of the posts 94, 98 with the slots 92, 96 prevents the expansion leaves 60 from lifting upward during use.
The exemplary table illustrated in the Figures embodies a circular design where table surface comprises a perfect circle in the open or expanded configuration (
The table geometry could be based on other geometric shapes in addition to a circle. For example, the table could be elliptical, oval, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal.
The present disclosure may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the disclosure. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.