Patent Application
20060021552
The invention relates to tables, and more particularly to tables with support legs that fold for easy storage.
Folding tables such as banquet tables have a table top and a support on each end attached to the underside of the table top. Each support can include a pair of legs and can be collapsible or can fold between an extended position and a stored position. In the extended position, the supports are approximately perpendicular to the table top, while in the stored position, the supports are folded against the table top. By placing the supports in the stored position, the table can be stored in a comparatively small space.
In a particular known table, each support is rotatably attached to the underside of the table top. A two bar linkage has a first end connected to the underside of the table top and a second end connected to the support at a position approximately midway down the support. As the support is rotated from the stored position to the extended position, the linkage is extended and locks the support in the extended position
At least some known tables are cumbersome to use. For example, some two bar linkage systems may be difficult to move into the locking position. Some systems may also present undesirable pinch points.
a is a detail view taken from the circumscribed portion of
a, 7b, and 7c are detailed side views in partial cross-section of a latch on the underside of the table, taken along line 7-7 in
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and the equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings,
The first support 22 and second support 24 can maintain the table top 38 in an elevated position above a substrate 44. The first support 22 is rotatably attached to the underside 42 of the table top 38 and is rotatable between at least an extended position, as is depicted in
Referring now to
The table top 38 is plate-like and in this example is constructed of molded plastic and can be formed by blow molding or other suitable processes. The table top 38 can include a series of depressions 48 on its underside to provide rigidity and strength. Other materials can be used to manufacture the table top 38 such as wood, fiber board, metal, or combinations thereof. The table top 38 can also include a lip or skirt 50 extending downward from its outer perimeter or near the perimeter to help obscure the structures on the underside 42 of the table top 38 from sight as well as provide increased strength to the table top 38.
The table top 38 can, as in this example, include a frame 52 on its underside. The disclosed frame 52 is constructed to provide support to the table top 38 without adding a substantial amount of weight. The frame 52 in this example includes a first rail 54 and a second rail 56 extending along the front side 30 and the back side 32, respectively. The rails 54, 56 in this example are Z-shaped and made from steel. Other constructions of the frame 52 are known to those of skill in the art depending on a particular application. For example, if the table 20 must support a great amount of weight, the frame 52 can also include a number of cross members connecting the rails 54, 56. The rails 54, 56 can also have increased size in wall thickness and cross-section, or the rails 54, 56 could have a different cross-sectional shape such as a tube or an I-beam.
The first support 22 can be rotatably connected to the frame 52. The first rail 54 of the frame 52 can include a right end receiving hole 58 and the second rail 56 can also include a right end receiving hole 60. The receiving holes 58, 60 are aligned opposite one another. The first support 22 as shown includes a cross member 62 with a front end 64 and a back end 66 rotatably disposed in the right end receiving holes 58, 60 of the first rail 54 and second rail 56, respectively. The front end 64 and the back end 66 are inserted into the respective receiving holes 58, 60 to provide a connection such that the cross member 62 defines an axis of rotation A. The first support 22 can be rotated relative to the table top 38 about the axis of rotation A between at least the stored position and the extended position. Other methods of connection will be evident to those having ordinary skill in the art, including bearings, bushings, a cross member fixed to the frame 52 with the remainder of the support being rotatably connected to the cross member, or the like. In another embodiment, no frame 52 is used, and instead, receiving holes or depressions can be disposed directly in the underside 42 of the table 20, with the first support 22 rotatably received in the receiving holes.
The first support 22 further includes a pair of legs 68 extending away from the cross member 62. As is known, the legs 68 support the table top 38 in an elevated position above the substrate 44. In this example, the legs 68 have an angled configuration and are made from tube steel. However, any configuration, cross section, and/or material of the legs 68 suitable to support the table top 38 in an elevated position is possible. Further, more or fewer legs can be used in the first support 22. Even one leg can be used if the leg includes a foot that can provide stability. The pair of legs 68 in this example is connected by a cross-brace 70 that maintains the legs 68 in a spaced relationship. This can help to maintain the table top 38 in a stable position.
Referring now to
The bearing brace 46 is pivotably attached to the first support 22 at a joint 72. In this example, the bearing brace 46 is attached to the cross-brace 70. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will see other useful joints between the bearing brace 46 and the first support 22. The bearing brace 46 includes a first end 74 and a second end 76. In this example, the bearing brace 46 includes two legs 77a, 77b. The two legs 77a, 77b are joined at the first end 74 and extend toward the second end 76 away from each other to form the shape of the letter ‘V,’ with the first end 74 being a vertex 75 of the ‘V.’ At the second end 76 the legs 77a, 77b are connected to each other by a member 77c (seen best in
The two legs 77a, 77b and member 77c of the bearing brace 46 are rotatably connected to the cross-brace 70 by a hinge 78 at the joint 72 which in this example: is near the second end 76. It is also possible for the second end 76 to extend past the joint 72, such that the joint 72 is in the middle of the bearing brace 46.
Referring to
When the first support 22 is in the stored position as shown in
In another example, the spring force F2 is increased such that the force F2 of the spring 80 draws and rotates the first end 74 of the bearing brace 46 toward the right side 28. The first end 74 of the bearing brace 46 bears against the underside 42 of the table top 38, raising the support 22. In this manner, the spring 80 forces the first support 22 to rotate about the cross member 62 in an opening direction D1 and biases the first support 22 from the stored position toward the extended position. Thus, either the torsional spring 71 or the spring 80 can be used to bias the support to either position. In the extended position, the legs 68 extend generally downward from the table top 38 and the bearing brace 46 extends at an angle back upward from the cross brace 70 to the underside 42 of the table top.
While in this example the spring 80 biases the first support 22 as such, it is also easily possible to configure the spring 80 to bias the first support 22 in an opposite manner, i.e. from the extended position to the stored position, if desired.
A first support 22 and a second support 24 are shown in this example. It is possible, however, for a table to include only a single support constructed as disclosed herein. In such an example, the support can include a foot with a wide base to provide the necessary stability for a given table top.
The table 20 further includes a first set-up latch 82 on the underside 42 of the table top 38 as shown in detail in
The lever 88 and the catch 90 can be moved between a closed position, shown in
The first set-up latch 82 may be further supported by a bracket 94 fastened to the underside 42 of the table top 38. The bracket 94 can ensure that the first set-up latch 82 is not moved laterally toward the right side 28 of the table 20.
The table 20 can further include a storage latch 95 on the underside 42 of the table top 38, also for use with the first support 22. The storage latch 95 may be constructed similarly to the first set-up latch 82, including a housing 96, an interior receiver 97, and a lever 98, and may operate in essentially the same manner. As is shown in
A wear track 100 can be disposed on the underside 42 of the table top 38 between the first set-up latch 82 and the storage latch 95. The wear track 100 can be made from a hard plastic or metal or any other material that can protect the underside 42 of the table top 38 from wear caused by sliding contact of the vertex 75 of the bearing brace 46 as it moves between the stored position and the extended position.
To move the first support 22 from the stored position shown in
The torsional force F2 of the spring 80 maintains the first end 74 of the bearing brace 46 on the wear track 100 as the vertex 75 travels toward the first set-up latch 82. When the first end 74 reaches the set-up latch 82, the first end 74 of the bearing brace 46 contacts the cam surface 91 of the catch 90, overcomes the spring bias, and forces the catch 90 of the first set-up latch 82 from the closed position to the open position, as shown in
To move the first support 22 from the extended position to the stored position, the user can engage and push the lever 88 on the first set-up latch 82 in direction D2 to move the catch 90 from the closed position shown in
A second example of a latch 102 is shown in
In a further example, the set-up latch 82 and the storage latch 95 are not spring loaded, but instead are gravity gate latches. Thus, when the table top 38 is in an upside-down position as shown in
Referring now to
The table 110 includes a table top 124 that can be similar in structure to the table top 124 of the first example with a top side 126, an underside 128, and a frame 130 that includes a first rail 132 and a second rail 134 along opposite sides of the table top 124. The rails 132, 134 each include a receiving hole 136, 138 near the respective right side 112. Again, the structure of the table top 124 can vary from that described.
The first support 118 includes a cross member 140 with a front end 142 and a rear end 144 each inserted into a respective receiving hole 136, 138. The cross member 140 is thereby secured to the frame 130 and is rotatable with respect to the table top 124 and defines an axis of rotation A2. The first support 118 includes a pair of spaced apart support legs 146 extending radially outward from the cross member 140. Although two support legs 146 are shown herein, again, more or fewer legs can be used.
A pair of cross-braces 148 and 150 connect the two support legs 146 and maintain the support legs 146 in a spaced relationship. The cross-braces 148, 150 provide support to the support legs 146 and in this example are generally parallel to each other.
A bearing brace 154 is rotatably attached to the upper cross-brace 150. The bearing brace 154 has a pair of legs 155a, 155b, each leg having a first end 156 and a second end 158. In this example, the second ends 158 are rotatably coupled to the cross-brace 150, and the first end 156 is distal from the cross-brace 148. The first ends 156 of the legs 155a, 155b are joined together by a cross-rail 157.
The upper cross-brace 150 in this example includes a pair of brackets 160, with the ends of the bearing brace 154 rotatably held therein. Other structure to rotatably secure the bearing brace 154 to the upper cross-brace 150 can be used, as will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The lower cross-brace 148 in this example includes a pair of opposed brace latches 162. The opposed brace latches 162 can each include a housing 164 inside which are spring loaded extensions 166. The extensions 166 in one example are biased out of their respective housings 164 toward each other and are adapted to maintain the bearing brace 154 against the lower cross-brace 148 by trapping the legs 155a, 155b between the extensions 166 and the lower cross-brace 148. This allows for the bearing brace 154 to be maintained in a stationary position relative to the support legs 146 as the first support 118 is rotated upward. The bearing brace 154 can be released from the extensions 166 by simply rotating the bearing brace 154 toward the table top 124, away from the support 118, with enough force to overcome the force of the springs on the extensions 166.
A set-up latch 168 is disposed on the underside 128 of the table top 124. The set-up latch 168 is configured to receive the cross-rail 157 of the bearing brace 154 to maintain the first support 118 in the extended position. As can best be seen in
The table 110 can include additional structure to secure the first support 118 to the underside 128 of the table top 124 in the stored position. This can include any type of structure such as a latch 180 that can releasably fasten the support legs 146 or cross-brace 148 or 150 to the table top 124. Alternatively, such additional latch or latches can secure the bearing brace 154 to the underside of the table top 124.
To move the first support 118 from the stored position shown in
The cross-rail 157 of the bearing brace 154 can then be secured to the underside 128 of the table top 124 with the set-up latch 168. The user can insert the cross-rail 157 through the angled top surfaces 176 of the extension members 174 between the opposed housings 170 and into the receiving area 178. The cross-rail 156 can then be maintained in the receiving area 178 by the weight of the table top 124.
In another example, any of the aforementioned latches can simply be a recess molded into the underside 42 of the table top 38. Thus, for example, the set-up latch could be a recess with a diameter such that the first end 74 of the bearing brace 46 could be disposed in the recess in a slight interference fit to ensure that the first end 74 could be releasably maintained therein. Other latches are similarly known by those of ordinary skill in the art and are within the scope of this disclosure.
The foregoing description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is contemplated that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
