Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6640730
-
Patent Number
6,640,730
-
Date Filed
Thursday, December 6, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 4, 200321 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Mai; Lanna
- Anderson; Jerry A.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 108 15718
- 108 115
- 108 1571
- 108 181
- 108 163
- 108 35
- 108 67
- 248 188
- 248 1881
- 403 233
- 403 234
- 135 145
- 135 131
- 135 141
- 135 151
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A table comprises a tabletop, joints, legs, a connecting device and auxiliary supporting devices, the tabletop is formed with pipes and rails, the rails are formed on two sides of each pipe, perpendicularly, and every two rails are connected by the joint, each joint is formed by a pair of blocks, with one block secured to the rail and the other block slidably attached to the rail, the legs are connected by the auxiliary supporting devices to support the tabletop.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a table, and more particular to a table with a foldable tabletop.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This applicant had applied an application, and received the patent previously, with a U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,751, which is also related to a foldable table, however, it still possesses some shortcomings:
1. The tabletop is formed by a number of plates, and every two adjacent plates are connected by a pair of connecting device and pivot, which is costly.
2. The tabletop is formed by assembling a number of plates together, the joint area has gaps.
3. The supporting areas for the tabletop are merely top heads of four legs, which structure is too weak that may not support too heavy objects on it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a table, which tabletop is formed by a number of pipes connected and the joint areas are seamless.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a table, which is easy to carry when folding into a compact one.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a table, which has a strong structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view showing the tabletop being flipped over to one side of the legs;
FIG. 3
is an enlarged view of the tabletop of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a view showing disengagement of a connecting device of the present invention;
FIG. 5
is a view showing the present invention in an open status;
FIG. 6
is a view showing folding of the legs of the present invention;
FIG. 7
is a view showing the legs are covered by the folded tabletop;
FIG. 8
is a view showing the tabletop in a folded status.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The table of the present invention, as shown in
FIGS. 1 through 5
, comprises a tabletop
1
supported by a number of legs
3
and auxiliary supporting devices
5
in an open status, to fold the table, simply collapse the legs
3
and auxiliary supporting devices
5
, and fold the tabletop
1
. The table further comprises a number of joints
2
, and a connecting device
4
.
The tabletop
1
is formed by a number of pipes
11
and rails
12
which connect the pipes
11
together. Each rail
12
has a hollow body with a slot
121
there on, and each pipe
11
has a pair of apertures
111
at respective ends perpendicularly for the rails
12
to extend therein. The rails
12
are inserted into the apertures
111
and secured with fasteners
112
to combine the pipes
11
together forming the tabletop
1
. One of the pipes
11
of the tabletop
1
has a hole
13
. Every two adjacent rails are connected by a joint
2
thereat.
The joint
2
is formed by connecting a pair of blocks
21
and
22
together, the first block
21
is secured to the rail
12
with a fastener
121
, while the other block
22
comprises a number of locating apertures
221
and one of the locating apertures
221
is secured with a fastener
222
to the slot
121
of the rail
12
in a slidably manner.
The legs
3
are used to support the tabletop
1
, each leg
3
has a pair of sleeves
31
and
32
equally spaced from each other for connection of the auxiliary supporting devices
5
thereat. One sleeve
31
is secured to a leg
3
by a fastener
311
, while the other sleeve
32
is slidably attached to the leg
3
. A rib
33
on the leg
3
limits movement of the sleeve
32
. Three of the legs
3
comprise a head
34
on the top, while the fourth leg
3
has a connecting device
4
on the top which connects the tabletop
1
and allows the tabletop
1
to rotate.
The connecting device
4
comprises a connector
41
, a pair of bolts
42
and
43
, two washers
44
and a lid
45
. The bolt
42
has an aperture
421
at one end portion. The connector
41
has a seat
411
on the top for the bolt
42
to extend along with the washers
44
there through, while the other bolt
43
is inserted transversely through the seat
411
and intercourse with the aperture
421
of the bolt
42
, thus the bolt
42
is able to bring the tabletop
1
to rotate. The top end of the bolt
42
exposing from the tabletop
1
is capped with the lid
45
.
Each auxiliary supporting device
5
is connected in between two legs
3
as the control mechanism to open and close the legs
3
. Each auxiliary supporting device
5
is formed with a pair of posts
51
and
51
′ in a cross connection, with the connecting areas of each post
51
or
51
′ secured with a pair of blocks
52
and
53
, while the other ends of the posts
51
and
51
′ are secured to the sleeves
31
and
32
, respectively. By activating the auxiliary supporting devices
5
, the sleeves
32
slide along the legs
3
, simultaneously.
In assembly, the tabletop
1
is rotated along the connecting device
4
, and the legs
3
are expanded, which brings the sleeves
32
to slide along the legs
3
and slide the auxiliary supporting devices
5
along the legs
3
, as well, until the sleeves
32
reach the ribs
33
, thus the legs
3
have reached to there limits, and are stabled in position, the tabletop
1
is flipped upwards, so that it seats on tops of the heads
34
and the blocks
52
. There are eight points engaging with the tabletop
1
, the table is stronger than prior arts.
When folding the table of the present invention, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the tabletop
1
is flipped down until it has reached to one side of the legs
3
, as shown in
FIG. 6
, and then the sleeves
32
and the blocks
52
and
53
are slid, thus the legs
3
are all collapsed together. Meanwhile, the blocks
22
are slid along the rails
12
to gain gaps between each pipe
11
so that the pipes
11
may be folded to the smallest size as shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8
.
Claims
- 1. A folding table comprising a tabletop, joints, legs, a connecting device, and auxiliary supporting devices, said tabletop being formed with pipes connected together, said legs comprising two sleeves with one sleeve able to slide on said leg and connected with said auxiliary supporting devices, each said auxiliary supporting device being secured between every two adjacent legs and linked with said legs, said connecting device being secured at one end of said legs to be connected with said tabletop for rotation,said tabletop being formed with pipes and rails, each said pipe having a set of connected rails, said rails being connected by a collapsible joint, said joint having one end secured to one said rail, and another end of said joint being secured to said adjacent rail, said joint including a connected pair of blocks extending respectively into said connected rails, each said auxiliary supporting device comprising at least one linking block connected by posts to said sleeves between adjacent legs, at least one of said blocks engaging with a bottom end of said tabletop upon spreading the legs and auxiliary supporting devices being disposed to provide support for said tabletop.
- 2. The table, as recited in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary supporting device is formed with a pair of posts in cross connection with blocks on the adjacent ends of said posts.
US Referenced Citations (7)