Patent Application
20220322818
Aspects of the disclosure relate to functional mechanical designs and apparatus. Specifically, aspects of the disclosure relate to folding tables with improved utility and performance.
Functional furniture plays an important role in everyday activities. Exemplary activities may relate to the workplace, the home, retail locations, office settings, educational locations, eateries, leisure, and any other activity that may utilize furniture such as a table.
Folding features may increase the utility of functional furniture such as a table. A folding table may be easily stowed away in a much smaller space than is occupied by the table when unfolded. Many conventional folding tables, however, require significant force input to fold and/or unfold the table. Reducing the force input required to fold and/or unfold the table is often associated with reduced structural strength and/or performance of the table.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide systems and methods for folding tables (or other folding furniture or surfaces), with reduced force input requirements for folding and/or unfolding the table. It would be further desirable for the folding tables to be associated with high structural strength and performance.
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a folding surface, and/or associated support mechanisms. A support mechanism may support the surface and facilitate folding of the surface. The surface may include a first portion and a second portion.
The support mechanism may include a first apron assembly affixed to a bottom surface of the first portion of the surface. The support mechanism may also include an opposing second apron assembly affixed to a bottom surface of the second portion of the surface. Each apron assembly may define an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis.
Each apron assembly may include a cross bar disposed along the z-axis and four perpendicular bars disposed along the x-axis. The four perpendicular bars may be affixed to the cross bar and oriented substantially perpendicular to the cross bar. Each of an inner two of the four perpendicular bars may include an inward-facing leg mount.
Each apron assembly may include a coupling flange that extends, along the x- and the y-axes, from each end of the cross bar. Each coupling flange may define a coupling hole for connecting to the coupling holes defined by the coupling flanges of the opposing apron assembly.
Each apron assembly may include an elbow flange that extends, along the x- and the y-axes, from the cross bar. The elbow flange may define a mounting hole.
The support mechanism may include a first leg assembly that is affixed to each of the leg mounts of the first apron assembly, and a second leg assembly that is affixed to each of the leg mounts of the second apron assembly.
The support mechanism may include a first folding arm that is affixed to the mounting hole of the first apron assembly and to the second leg assembly, and a second folding arm that is affixed to the mounting hole of the second apron assembly and to the first leg assembly.
In a preferred embodiment, the distance in each apron assembly along the y-axis between the mounting hole and the coupling holes may be less than 40 millimeters, the distance in each apron assembly along the y-axis between the coupling holes and the leg mounts may be more than 69 millimeters, and the distance in each apron assembly along the x-axis between the coupling holes and the leg mounts may be less than 120 millimeters.
In operation, application of a first force when the surface is in an unfolded, or deployed, position may convert the surface into a folded position. Application of a second force when the surface is in the folded, or undeployed, position may convert the surface into the unfolded, or deployed, position.
The objects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Apparatus and methods described herein are illustrative. Apparatus and methods in accordance with this disclosure will now be described in connection with the figures, which form a part hereof. The figures show illustrative features of apparatus and method steps in accordance with the principles of this disclosure. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that structural, functional, and procedural modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a folding surface and/or associated support mechanisms. A support mechanism may support the surface and facilitate folding of the surface. The surface may include a tabletop. The tabletop may be part of a table. The surface may include a first portion and a second portion.
The support mechanism may include a first apron assembly (e.g., apron assembly 107 in
Each apron assembly may include a cross bar (e.g., cross bar 113) disposed along the z-axis. Each apron assembly may also include four perpendicular bars (e.g., bars 115, 117, 119, and 121) disposed along the x-axis. The four perpendicular bars may be affixed to the cross bar and oriented substantially perpendicular to the cross bar. Each of an inner two (e.g., bars 117 and 119) of the four perpendicular bars may include an inward-facing leg mount, e.g., mounts 123 and 125. Inward facing refers to the direction towards the region between the inner two bars. Mount 125 may be partially hidden in the views in
In certain embodiments, the inner two of the four perpendicular bars may be a first length and the outer two of the four perpendicular bars may be a second length. The first length may be longer than the second length. In some embodiments, the first length may be substantially 600 millimeters and the second length may be substantially 300 millimeters. (For the purposes of the application, the term “substantially,” as used to describe a value, may be understood to refer to +/−0.5% of the value.) In other embodiments, the first length may be in the range between 550 and 650 millimeters and the second length may be in the range between 250 and 350 millimeters.
Each apron assembly may include a coupling flange (e.g., flanges 127 and 129) that extends, along the x- and the y-axes, from each end of the cross bar. Each coupling flange may define a coupling hole (e.g., holes 131 and 133) for connecting to the coupling holes defined by the coupling flanges of the opposing apron assembly. For example,
Each apron assembly may include an elbow flange (e.g., flange 139) that extends, along the x- and the y-axes, from the cross bar. The elbow flange may be a double flange that includes 2 adjacent flanges (e.g., flanges 141 and 143). The elbow flange may define a mounting hole (e.g., hole 145). In certain embodiments, the elbow flange (i.e., each adjacent flange) may include two sections. The two sections (e.g., sections 147 and 149) may be joined together at a joint (e.g., joint 151). The two sections may form an angle at the joint.
In some embodiments, the four perpendicular bars may be affixed to the cross bar with bolts (e.g., bolts 153, 155, 157, and 159). In certain embodiments, the apron assembly may be absent a welded joint. The apron assembly may also be absent another component of the apron assembly (apart from the cross bar) connecting any two of the four perpendicular bars.
The support mechanism may include a first leg assembly (e.g., leg assembly 161) that is affixed to each of the leg mounts of the first apron assembly. The support mechanism may also include a second leg assembly (e.g., leg assembly 163) that is affixed to each of the leg mounts of the second apron assembly.
The support mechanism may include a first folding arm (e.g., folding arm 165) that is affixed to the mounting hole of the first apron assembly and to the second leg assembly. The support mechanism may also include a second folding arm (e.g., folding arm 167) that is affixed to the mounting hole of the second apron assembly and to the first leg assembly.
In some embodiments, the support mechanism may include a third leg assembly (e.g., leg assembly 169) that is affixed to the first apron assembly. The support mechanism may also include a fourth leg assembly (e.g., leg assembly 171) that is affixed to the second apron assembly. The third and fourth leg assemblies may connect to the apron assemblies via another set of leg mounts (e.g., 124 and 126) included in the inner two perpendicular bars of each apron assembly. The first folding arm may also be affixed to the fourth leg assembly and the second folding arm may also be affixed to the third leg assembly. In some embodiments, the third and fourth leg assemblies may include latching mechanisms (e.g., mechanisms 170 and 172) for latching to each other when the table is folded. The latching may, in part or in whole, keep the table in the folded position.
In certain preferred embodiments, the distance in each apron assembly along the y-axis between the mounting hole and the coupling holes may be less than 40 millimeters. The distance in each apron assembly along the y-axis between the coupling holes and the leg mounts may be more than 69 millimeters. The distance in each apron assembly along the x-axis between the coupling holes and the leg mounts may be less than 120 millimeters.
In certain embodiments, the distance (e.g., distance 173) in each apron assembly along the y-axis between the mounting hole and the coupling holes may be substantially 35.5 millimeters. The distance (e.g., distance 175) in each apron assembly along the y-axis between the coupling holes and the leg mounts may be substantially 69.5 millimeters. The distance (e.g., distance 177) in each apron assembly along the x-axis between the coupling holes and the first leg mounts may be substantially 114.5 millimeters.
In some embodiments, the distance (e.g., distance 179) in each apron assembly along the x-axis between the first leg mounts and the second leg mounts may be substantially 479 millimeters. The distance (e.g., distance 181) in each apron assembly along the x-axis between the mounting hole and the coupling holes may be substantially 102 millimeters. The angle (e.g., angle 183) formed between the elbow flange and the coupling flange may be substantially 65 degrees. In some embodiments, distances 173-181 may be anywhere within 20 millimeters of the values recited in this application, and angle 183 may be within 10 degrees of 65.
In operation, application of a first force when the surface is in an unfolded position may convert the surface into a folded position. Application of a second force when the surface is in the folded position may convert the surface into the unfolded position. The forces may be applied to the surface. The forces may be applied to the table or tabletop. The forces may be applied to a seat. The forces may be applied to any suitable part of the table.
In some embodiments, application of 30 pounds of force or less to the tabletop or seat may be sufficient to fold the table. In certain embodiments, application of 25 pounds of force to the table may be sufficient to fold the table. The force sufficient to fold the disclosed table may be less than a force that is sufficient to fold a conventional prior art folding table. The reduction in the force may be attributed, at least in part, to efficient dimensions of certain components of the table. The dimensions may provide, inter alia, leverage advantages over other conventional folding tables.
Certain embodiments may also include a plurality of seats (e.g., seats 505 and 507 of table 500). The seats may be connected to the leg assemblies. The seats may be horizontal when the surface is in the unfolded position. The seats may be within 30 degrees of vertical when the surface is in the folded position. In some embodiments, the seats may be within 10, 15, 20, 25, 35, 40, 45, 50, or other suitable number of degrees from vertical when in the folded position.
In some embodiments, the shape of the first portion of the surface (e.g., the tabletop), may mirror the shape of the second portion of the surface. For example, illustrative table 600 shown in
The first portion and the second portion may form a unified, flat surface (e.g., surfaces 605 and 705) when the surface is in the unfolded position. The unified, flat surface may include a gap between the first and second portions.
In certain embodiments, the unified, flat surface may form the shape of a circle (as shown for illustrative table 600 in
In some embodiments, the diameter of the unified, flat surface (e.g., diameters 607 and 707) may be substantially 60 inches. The diameter of an octagonal surface may be an outer diameter, i.e., the diameter of a circle that circumscribes the octagon. In other embodiments, the diameter may be within 30 inches of 60, or any other suitable diameter.
In some embodiments, the leg assemblies may be configured to accommodate multiple configurations of the plurality of seats. One of the multiple configurations, shown in table 600 in
Another one of the multiple configurations, shown in table 800 in
Yet another one of the multiple configurations, shown in table 900 in
The modular design of the support bars, the apron assembly, and other components of the disclosed folding table may provide structural advantages. The modular design may also provide efficiency advantages. Efficiency advantages may include reduced shipping size and/or weight. Efficiency advantages may also include reduced weight of the assembled table, and/or certain components thereof. Reduced weight may, in addition to being desirable itself, also allow for a reduced input force in folding and/or unfolding the table.
Methods for designing, rendering, and producing the disclosed apparatus are also disclosed. Designing and/or rendering the disclosed apparatus may include creating a digital image based on specification inputs. The specification inputs may include components and/or dimensions disclosed herein.
The steps of methods may be performed in an order other than the order shown and/or described herein. Embodiments may omit steps shown and/or described in connection with illustrative methods. Embodiments may include steps that are neither shown nor described in connection with illustrative methods.
Illustrative method steps may be combined. For example, an illustrative method may include steps shown in connection with another illustrative method.
Apparatus may omit features shown and/or described in connection with illustrative apparatus. Embodiments may include features that are neither shown nor described in connection with the illustrative apparatus. Features of illustrative apparatus may be combined. For example, an illustrative embodiment may include features shown in connection with another illustrative embodiment.
The drawings show illustrative features of apparatus and methods in accordance with the principles of the invention. The features are illustrated in the context of selected embodiments. It will be understood that features shown in connection with one of the embodiments may be practiced in accordance with the principles of the invention along with features shown in connection with another of the embodiments.
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps shown and described herein may be performed in other than the recited order and that one or more steps illustrated may be optional. The methods of the above-referenced embodiments may involve the use of any suitable elements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readable data structures. In this regard, other embodiments are disclosed herein as well that can be partially or wholly implemented on a computer-readable medium, for example, by storing computer-executable instructions or modules or by utilizing computer-readable data structures. For example, methods for producing an apparatus may, in certain embodiments, be wholly or partially executed by designing the apparatus via software, such as computer aided design (CAD) software.
Thus, methods and systems for a folding table and associated folding mechanisms are provided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation, and that the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.
