1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article of manufacture. More specifically, this invention relates to an expandable folding table having multiple configurations. In the preferred embodiments of this folding table, retractable legs of the table are integrated within a member of composite pedestal assembly which serves to both store such legs and support table top leafs; and, as the table is unfolded, such legs are deployed from each member of the composite pedestal to support the expandable table top as each leaf thereof is progressively unfolded.
2. Background of Invention
Folding tables are known in the art, and typically include two planar tops surfaces (herein also “leafs”) hingedly attached to one another. Generally, the table legs are affixed to the corners of the unfolded table, and are similarly extended or retracted from the underside of the table top of the folding table, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,950 (to Swett, issued Jun. 6, 1938)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,845 (to Hickman, issued Apr. 21, 1969) is representative of a genre of folding table wherein the legs are hingedly attached to a pedestal In the Hickman design, his folding table is provided with a pedestal base (Ref. no. 24), that serves to both support an unfolded leaf pair from the middle of the table, and store such leaf pair when not in use (folded). The Hickman concept also incorporates a fixed leaf (Ref. no. 18) which is located on the top of the pedestal, and fills the gap between each leaf as the table is unfolded.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,670 (to Schultz, issued Feb. 25, 1960) is similar to Hickman, in that two pair of collapsible leafs of the Schultz folding table, are stored within a pedestal-like base. Insofar as the Schultz design contemplates a four leaf design, without any support thereof in the center of the table, Schultz requires the addition of “guide means” and “groove defining strips” (
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,892 (to Favini, issued Nov. 13, 2001) is similar to Schultz, in that the Favini folding table comprises two leafs hingedly attached to one another along a common edge. One of these leafs is also hingedly attached to a pedestal at a location off-set from the center of the table. The Favini table can be deployed with either one or both of the leafs, In order to provide improved support for these leafs, at the time of unfolding thereof, Favini also provides a pedestal base which includes a pair of folding leg assemblies to support each leaf. Each pair of leg assemblies is also unfolded from the pedestal, and thereby supports both ends of the table, while the pedestal provides support at the center thereof.
In each of the folding tables described hereinabove, the table top assembly can be supported either from each end of the unfolded table, or alternatively, by means of legs which are integral with a pedestal base. Where the table top is not support by a pedestal, or by a comparable leg assembly, some other expedient is generally required to prevent the table top from sagging along the center-line/hinge between the two leafs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,657 (to Zollinger, issued March 1987) is representative of an alternative means for achieving such table top support along this center/hinge-line without the use of a pedestal or legs.
In each of the foregoing folding table designs disclosed in the prior art, the use of more than two leafs is generally circumscribed because of the physical limitations inherent is such designs. The Zollinger patent recognizes this limitation and attempts to accommodate the need for physical support along a center/hinge-line by a lock/bolt mechanism that telescopes from one leaf into the adjacent leaf. This telescoping bolt does not, however, provide sufficient support to the abutting leafs to accommodate heavy loads, and is otherwise complex to manufacture and subject to damage and jamming. Accordingly, there continues to exist a need to provide a folding table with more than two leafs with the physical integrity of Hickman and/or Favini design, and yet is readily collapsible for ease of storage and/or transport.
It is the object of this invention to remedy the above as well as related deficiencies in the prior art.
More specifically, it is the principle object of this invention to provide a folding table having up to four folding panels (leafs) stored within a composite pedestal.
It is another object of this invention to provide a folding table wherein each leaf of leaf pair is supported by a leg assembly that is associated with a member of a composite pedestal.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a folding table wherein each leaf of leaf pair is also supported by a member of a composite pedestal.
Additional objects of this invention include a method for supporting a folding table having two pair of leafs.
The above and related objects are achieved by providing a folding table having two pair of leafs hingedly attached to one another along at least one common edge thereof, so as to form a table having at least one, and no more than four leafs, upon unfolding thereof. The four leafs of the folding table of the instant invention are arranged, relative to one another, in a linear array, and further characterized in reference to their relative position along this linear array as having one pair on each of such array as the outer leaf pair, and the two remaining leafs being characterized as the interior leaf pair.
In the preferred embodiments of this invention, the folding table comprises a leaf support assembly having at composite pedestal, wherein each member of the composite includes a pair of legs that extend from or retract into each member of the composite. The composite pedestal is further provided with a filler panel or removable cap that is used to couple each member of the composite to the other, when only one or both leafs, of the outer leafs pair, is unfolded. Conversely, the filler panel, or removable cap, can be readily removed, and thereby permit separation of each member of the composite pedestal. Such separation is accompanied by unfolding of each member of the interior leaf pair, so as to fully unfold the table to the full extent of a four leaf array. Thus, the folding table can be used with as few a one leaf, or as many as four leafs, while providing support for each leaf independent of the other.
The Figures which accompany this application, and referenced herein, depict a representative folding table of this invention. In the embodiments of this invention illustrated in these Figures, the elements appearing in each of the foregoing Figures, and which are common to more than one Figure, are assigned a common reference numeral for each of understanding and economy of expression.
When, as is shown in
The table top end (15, 15′) of each fixed frame (17, 17′) of each member of the composite pedestal (14, 14′) is provided with a permanent cap (18, 18′) of essentially same composition, thickness and finish as each of folding leafs. The permanent caps (18, 18′) and a coupling insert (20)—described hereinafter in the description of FIG. 6—combine to fill the gap in the table top between each of the leafs, as the table is unfolded.
The table of
The folded table, in this compact configuration, can be readily stored or transported for use in business of recreation. Multiple configurations of the folding table of this invention are also within the spirit and scope of this invention. In such multiple configurations, an additional composite pedestal module would be provided wherein the additional composite pedestal would also have two leafs associated therewith. One of the leafs of this additional module would be hingedly attached to one leaf of the outer pair of the basic folding table concept described and illustrated herein and, thereby, extend or expand the linear surface array of basic folding table construct by two more leafs.
Other modification and enhancements to the foregoing folding, consistent with its intended usage, are thus also within the contemplation and spirit of this invention. The foregoing description and accompanying drawing are, thus, intended as simply illustrative of a number of preferred embodiments of this invention, and not otherwise intended as delineating its scope, which is set forth in the claims that follow.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1099780 | Weeks | Jun 1914 | A |
1472575 | Anderson | Oct 1923 | A |
1516323 | Bilton | Nov 1924 | A |
2890089 | Sanchez | Jun 1959 | A |
3029114 | Sanchez | Apr 1962 | A |
3308773 | Long | Mar 1967 | A |
3473492 | Sanchez | Oct 1969 | A |
3520259 | Sanchez | Jul 1970 | A |
3606845 | Hickman | Sep 1971 | A |
3817191 | Hansen et al. | Jun 1974 | A |
D252965 | Petersen | Sep 1979 | S |
4646657 | Zollinger | Mar 1987 | A |
5311826 | Baggiani | May 1994 | A |
6041723 | Peterson | Mar 2000 | A |
6431091 | Chang | Aug 2002 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060005748 A1 | Jan 2006 | US |