The present invention relates to folding frame systems and, more particularly, to folding frame systems with V-shaped leg assemblies and folding foot assemblies.
My U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,934 shows a folding frame system with a V-shaped leg assembly and folding foot assembly. The V-shaped leg has been found to be superior in strength to legs formed from single or telescoping struts. It proposes a folding foot assembly at a bottom of the V-shaped leg. It is desirable to provide a more robust folding foot assembly.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a foot assembly for a V-leg assembly of a folding frame system comprises a first U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by a web, a second U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by a web, a cylindrical toot member, and a pivot pin extending, through a hole in the web of the first bracket, a hole in the foot member, and a hole in the web of the second bracket so that the first bracket, the foot member, and the second bracket are all pivotable relative to one another about the pivot pin.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a folding leg assembly is provided for a folding frame system, the folding frame system including at least three pivotably attached strut pairs, the folding frame system being movable between a folding frame closed position in which struts of the at least three strut pairs are disposed parallel to each other and a folding frame open position in which struts of the at least three strut pairs are locked in non-parallel positions and ends of the, struts of each strut pair of the at least three strut pairs define a rectangle. The folding leg assembly comprises two leg strut assemblies, each leg strut assembly including a top leg strut and a tubular bottom leg strut in which the top leg strut is telescopingly slidable between a top leg strut closed position and a top leg strut open position, a top end of each top leg strut including a joint for pivotable attachment to an end of a start of a strut pair of the at least three strut pairs of the folding frame system, a lock for locking the top leg strut in the top leg strut open position, and two arm strut assemblies, each arm strut assembly corresponding to a respective leg strut assembly, each arm strut assembly being pivotably attached at a bottom end to a point on the bottom leg strut of the respective leg strut assembly, a top end of each arm strut assembly including a joint for pivotable attachment to an end of a strut of a strut pair of the at least three strut pairs of the folding frame system, wherein the two leg strut assemblies are pivotably attached to each other at bottom ends of bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies, the joints at the top ends of top leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies each being pivotably attached to top ends of struts of the strut pair of the at least three strut pairs, the joints at the top ends of arm strut assemblies of the two arm strut assemblies each being pivotably attached to bottom ends of the struts of the strut pair, and a foot assembly for pivotably attaching the two leg strut assemblies to each other at bottom ends of the bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies, the foot assembly permitting pivotal movement of the two leg strut assemblies, the foot assembly comprising a first U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by, a web, a second U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by a web, a cylindrical foot member, and a pivot pin extending through a hole in the web of the first bracket, a hole in the foot member, and a hole in the web of the second bracket so that the first bracket, the foot member, and the second bracket are all pivotable relative to one another about the pivot pin, each of the first and second U-shaped brackets receiving one of the bottom ends of the bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies between the two legs of the U-shaped bracket, the bottom end of each bottom leg strut of the two leg strut assemblies being pivotably attached to a respective U-shaped bracket by a respective foot pin extending through the two legs of the U-shaped bracket and the bottom end of the bottom leg strut.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a folding frame system comprises a roof assembly including at least three pivotably attached strut pairs, adjacent pairs of at least three pivotably attached strut pairs defining at least three corners of the roof assembly, the roof assembly being movable between a roof assembly closed position in which struts of the at least three strut pairs are disposed parallel to each other and a roof assembly open position in which struts of the at least three strut pairs are locked in non-parallel positions and ends of the struts of each strut pair of the at least three strut pairs define a rectangle, and at least one folding leg assembly attached to the roof assembly, each folding leg assembly comprising two leg strut assemblies, each leg strut assembly including a top leg strut and a tubular bottom leg strut in which the top leg strut is telescopingly slidable between a top leg strut closed position and a top leg strut open position, a top end of each top leg strut including a joint for pivotable attachment to an end of a strut of a strut pair of the at least three strut pairs of the roof assembly, a lock for locking the top leg strut in the top leg strut open position, two arm strut assemblies, each arm strut assembly corresponding to a respective leg strut assembly, each arm strut assembly being pivotably attached at a bottom end to a point on the bottom leg strut of the respective leg strut assembly, a top end of each arm strut assembly including a joint for pivotable attachment to an end of a strut of a strut pair of the at least three strut pairs of the roof assembly, wherein the two leg strut assemblies are pivotably attached to each other at bottom ends of bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies, the joints at the top ends of top leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies each being pivotably attachable to top ends, of struts of the strut pair of the at least three strut pairs, the joints at the top ends of arm strut assemblies of the two arm strut assemblies each being pivotably attachable to bottom ends of the struts of the strut pair, a foot assembly for pivotably attaching the two leg strut assemblies to each other at bottom ends of the bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies, the foot assembly permitting pivotal movement of the two leg strut assemblies, the foot assembly comprising a first U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by a web, a second U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by a web, a cylindrical foot member, and a pivot pin extending through a hole in the web of the first bracket, a hole in the foot member, and a hole in the web of the second bracket so that the first bracket, the foot member, and the second bracket are all pivotable relative to one another about the pivot pin, each of the first and second U-shaped brackets receiving one of the bottom ends of the bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies between the two legs of the U-shaped bracket, the bottom end of each bottom leg strut of the two leg strut assemblies being pivotably attached to a respective U-shaped bracket by a respective foot pin extending through the two legs of the U-shaped bracket and the bottom end of the bottom leg strut.
According to still another an aspect of the present invention, a folding leg assembly for a folding frame system is provided, the folding frame system including at least three pivotably attached strut pairs, the folding frame system being movable between a folding frame closed position in which struts of the at least three strut pairs are disposed parallel to each other and a folding frame open position in which struts of the at least three strut pairs are locked in non-parallel positions and ends of the struts of each strut pair of the at least three strut pairs define a rectangle. The folding leg assembly comprises two leg strut assemblies, each leg strut assembly including a top leg strut and a tubular bottom leg strut in which the top leg strut is telescopingly slidable between a top leg strut closed position and a top leg strut open position, a top end of each top leg strut including a joint for pivotable attachment to an end of a strut of a strut pair of the at least three strut pairs of the folding frame system, a lock for locking the top leg strut in the top leg strut open position, two arm strut assemblies, each arm strut assembly corresponding to a respective leg strut assembly, each arm strut assembly being pivotably attached at a bottom end to a point on the bottom leg strut of the respective leg strut assembly, a top end of each arm strut assembly including a joint for pivotable attachment to, the folding frame system, wherein the two leg strut assemblies are pivotably attached to each other at bottom ends of bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies, top ends of top leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies each including a joint for pivotable attachment to top ends of struts of a strut pair of the at least three strut pairs, top ends of arm strut assemblies of the two arm strut assemblies each including a joint for pivotable attachment to bottom ends of the struts of the strut pair, and a foot assembly for pivotably attaching the two leg strut assemblies to each other at bottom ends of the bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies, the foot assembly permitting pivotal movement of the two leg strut assemblies, the foot assembly comprising an elongated U-shaped bracket having two legs connected by a web, holes through legs of the bracket at opposite first and second ends of the bracket, the first and second ends of the bracket receiving respective ones of the bottom ends of the bottom leg struts of the two leg strut assemblies between the two legs of the U-shaped bracket, the bottom end of each bottom leg strut of the two leg strut assemblies being pivotably attached to the U-shaped bracket by a respective foot pin extending through the two legs of the U-shaped bracket and the bottom end of the bottom leg strut.
The features and advantages of the present invention are well understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which like numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
A folding frame system 21 according to an aspect of the present invention is seen in
For purposes of discussion, the folding frame system 21 of
Each folding frame system 21 includes at least one folding V-shaped leg assembly 27 attached to the roof assembly 23. The folding frame system 21 of
As seen in
A lock 39 for locking the top leg strut 31a and 31b in the top lea strut open position relative to the bottom leg strut 33a and 33b is provided. The lock 39 can be in any suitable form, such as in the form of a spring-loaded pin or button 41 disposed in a tubular top leg strut 31a and 31b with an end of the pin or button extending out of a hole 43 in a wall of the tubular top leg strut, and that is adapted to be received in a hole 45 in a tubular bottom leg strut 33a and 33b to prevent axial movement of the tubular top lea strut and tubular bottom lea strut relative to each other. By compressing the spring of the spring-loaded pin or button 41, the pin or button can be moved out of the hole 45 in the tubular bottom leg strut 33a and 33b so that the tubular bottom leg strut can be moved axially relative to the tubular top leg strut 31a and 31b.
The folding leg assembly 27 further includes two arm strut assemblies 47a and 47b. Each arm strut assembly 47a and 47b corresponds to a respective leg strut assembly 29a and 29b. Each arm strut assembly 47a and 47b is pivotably attached at a bottom end 49a and 49b of the arm strut assembly 47a and 47b to a point 51a and 51b on the bottom lee strut 33a and 33b of the respective leg strut assembly 29a and 29b. As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,934, which is incorporated by reference, each arm strut assembly 47a and 47b is preferably pivotably attached to the bottom kg strut 33a and 33b by means of a substantially U-shaped bracket 53 that preferably includes a rounded port ion for receiving the bottom leg strut and two substantially flat legs between which the bottom end 49a and 49b of the at strut assembly 47a and 47b is pivotally mounted by a pin.
A top end 55a and 55b of each arm strut assembly includes a joint 57a and 57b similar to the joint 37a and 37b for pivotable attachment to an end of a strut of a strut pair 25 of the at least three strut pairs of the folding frame system, 23.
The two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b are pivotably attached to each other at bottom ends 59a and 59b of bottom leg struts 33a and 33b of the two leg strut assemblies. The joints 37a and 37b at the top ends 35a and 35b of the top leg struts 31a and 31b of the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b are each being pivotably attached to top ends (on an outside of the erected folding frame system) of struts of the strut pair 25 of the at least three strut pairs. The joints 57a and 57b at the top ends 55a and 55b of the an strut assemblies 47a and 47b are each being pivotably attached to bottom ends (on an inside of the erected folding frame system) of the struts of the strut pair 25.
A foot assembly 61 is provided for pivotably attaching the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b to each other at bottom ends 59a and 59b of the bottom lee struts 33a and 33b of the two leg strut assemblies. The foot assembly 61 permits pivotal movement of the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b. The foot assembly 61 comprises a first U-shaped bracket 63 having two legs 65a and 65b connected by a web 67, a second U-shaped bracket 69 having two legs 71a and 71b connected by a web 73, a cylindrical foot member 75, and a pivot pin 77 extending through a hole 79 in the web of the first bracket, a hole 81 in the foot member, and a hole 83 in the web of the second bracket so that the first bracket, the foot member, and the second bracket are all pivotable relative to one another about the pivot pin. Each of the first and, second U-shaped brackets 63 and 69 receive one of the bottom ends 59a and 59b of the bottom leg struts 33a and 33b of the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b between the two legs of the U-shaped bracket. The bottom end 59a and 59b of each bottom leg strut 33a and 33b of the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b is pivotably attached to a respective U-shaped bracket 63 and 69 by a respective foot pin 85 extending through the two legs of the U-shaped bracket and the bottom end of the bottom leg strut.
The foot member 75 can be solid but, as seen in
The foot member 75 can be rectangular in a cross-section perpendicular to a longest dimension of the foot member. The foot member 75 has a first end 87 and a second end 89, and the hole 81 in the foot member is ordinarily closer to the first end than to the second end. The foot member 75 typically comprises a second hole 91 closer to the second end 89 than to the first end, the second hole being perpendicular to the first hole 81 and perpendicular to the longest dimension of the foot member. The second hole 91 can receive a stake or bolt for securing the folding frame system 21 to the ground.
When erecting a folding frame system 21 as seen in
The foot assembly 161 includes an elongated U-shaped bracket 163 having two legs 165 and 167 connected by a web 169, with holes 171 through legs of the bracket at opposite first and second ends 173 and 175 of the bracket. The first and second ends 173 and 175 of the bracket 163 receive respective ones of the bottom ends 59a and 59b of the bottom leg struts 33a and 33b of the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b between the two legs 165 and 167 of the U-shaped bracket. The bottom end 59a and 59b of each bottom leg strut 33a and 33b of the two leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b is pivotably attached to the U-shaped bracket by a respective foot pin 185 extending through the two legs 173 and 175 of the U-shaped bracket and the bottom end of the bottom leg strut. The bracket 163 comprises a second hole 177 in the web 169 of the U-shaped bracket for receiving a structure such as a stake or a bolt for securing the folding frame system relative to a surface. The second hole 177 is ordinarily midway between the first and second ends of the bracket. The foot assembly 161 facilitates providing a simple to manufacture foot assembly that provides for relative movement of the leg strut assemblies 29a and 29b and requires no action on the part of the user to unfold any component of the foot assembly.
In the present application, the use of terms such as “including” is open-ended and is intended to have the same meaning as terms such as “comprising” and not preclude the presence of other structure, material, or acts. Similarly, though the use of terms such as “can” or “may” is intended to be open-ended and to reflect that structure, material, or acts are not necessary, the failure to use such terms is not intended to reflect that structure, material, or acts are essential. To the extent that structure, material, or acts are presently considered to be essential, they are identified as such.
While this invention has been illustrated and described in accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.