Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
FOLDABLE TABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to furniture, and in particular
to foldable tables
and foldable benches, and the manufacturing thereof.
[0002] Foldable tables and benches are furniture items for folding or
collapsing when not in
use to facilitate storage, and unfolding or extending for use. Foldable tables
in the prior art
generally comprise a table top, a leg portion and a support portion, with
upper ends of the leg
portion forming a connection with the table top. Some examples of folding
tables are
described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,042,476 issued to Stanford on October 25, 2011
("Stanford") and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,184 issued to Winter et al. on January 21, 2003
("Winter").
[0003] In Stanford, the support portion or folding mechanism of the table
comprises a first
pivotal-connection portion 100 for pivotally connecting with the leg portion
80, a second
pivotal-connection portion 122 for pivotally connecting with the table top 12
and a ring or a
sleeve 108. To expand the support portion of the table, the first and second
pivotal-
connection portions 100, 122 are extended and secured in the extended position
by the ring
108 such that pivotal movement between the first pivotal-connection portion
100 and the
second pivotal-connection portion 122 is restricted. To fold the support
portion, the ring 108
is disengaged, and the first and second pivotal-connection portions 100, 122
are collapsed
toward each other. Each component of the support portion or folding mechanism
is
constructed of metal and is completely exposed. Thus, a user must make direct
contact with
those components and often times a force must be exerted on the exposed metal
components
to fold and unfold the table.
1
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
[0004] The table in Winter includes a mounting assembly having a support strut
36, and a
slotted member 52 both pivotally attached to an L-bracket 39 underneath the
table. The slot
58 in the slotted member 52 engages a sliding member, i.e., a fastener such as
a knob or
wingnut (not shown) disposed on the leg 18. In the alternative, the slot 58
includes an end
portion with a larger opening so that a similarly sized sliding member could
lock into the
larger opening. In either configuration, the components of the mounting
assembly are metal
plates and direct hand manipulation is required to lock and unlock the leg 18.
[0005] There are several disadvantages to the aforementioned foldable tables.
For instance,
locking and unlocking the legs is work-intensive and requires sufficient hand
strength due to
the frictional engagements of the ring and the fastener. Due to the force
required to lock and
unlock the legs and the various metal components of the locking mechanism,
there is a risk of
injury as well. Furthermore, the table height is not adjustable and therefore
the tables cannot
be used for multiple purposes.
[0006] A need exists, therefore, for a foldable table that is capable of being
safely and easily
expanded and folded, without requiring excessive force to lock and unlock the
legs. A
foldable table with the capability to adjust the height is also needed. The
present invention
satisfies these needs and provides other advantages and benefits that will be
apparent from the
following disclosure.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the
invention
in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is
not an extensive
overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical
elements of the invention
or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present
some embodiments of
2
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
..
..
the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed
description that is
presented later.
[0008] Briefly stated, to achieve the objectives stated above, the present
invention includes a
foldable table comprising a table top having a top surface and a bottom
surface. A frame
assembly is disposed on a bottom surface of the table top and at least two leg
assemblies are
pivotally coupled to the frame assembly. Each of the at least two leg
assemblies are movable
between an extended position whereby each leg assembly is substantially
perpendicular to the
bottom surface of the table top and a folded position whereby each leg
assembly is
substantially parallel and adjacent to the bottom surface of the table top.
The foldable table
also includes at least two support members. Each support member is pivotally
coupled to the
frame assembly and to the at least two leg assemblies. Furthermore, at least
one locking
assembly is coupled to the at least two support members. Each of the at least
one locking
assembly comprises a ramp portion integrally formed with a locking portion. A
channel is
formed under the ramp portion for guiding and receiving a locking pin. The
locking portion
has an opening for receiving a pushbutton and the locking pin.
[0009] In another aspect of the present invention, a foldable table comprises:
a table top
having a top surface and a bottom surface; a frame assembly having a pair of
spaced apart
side rails, each side rail fixedly coupled to the bottom surface of the table
top; a pair of leg
assemblies, each leg assembly having a pair of spaced apart legs pivotally
coupled to the
frame assembly, each leg having a spring-biased locking pin extending from an
outer surface
of the leg and a corresponding jacket member slidably coupled to the leg; and
a plurality of
support members each having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end
of each of the
plurality of support members fixedly pivotally connected to a corresponding
side rail and the
3
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
..
..
distal end of each of the plurality of support members pivotally coupled to a
corresponding
jacket member. Each leg assembly is movable between an extended position
whereby each
leg assembly is substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the table
top when the
locking pin and jacket member are fixedly engaged, and a folded position
whereby each leg
assembly is substantially parallel and adjacent to the bottom surface of the
table top when the
locking pin and jacket member are disengaged.
[0010] In yet another aspect of the present invention, a foldable table
comprises: a table top
having a top surface and a bottom surface; a frame assembly having a pair of
spaced apart
side rails, each side rail fixedly coupled to the bottom surface of the table
top, each side rail
having a spring-biased locking pin extending from an outer surface of the side
rail and a
corresponding jacket member slidably coupled to the side rail; a pair of leg
assemblies, each
leg assembly having a pair of spaced apart legs pivotally coupled to the frame
assembly; and a
plurality of support members each having a proximal end and a distal end, the
proximal end of
each of the plurality of support members fixedly pivotally connected to a
corresponding jacket
member and the distal end of each of the plurality of support members fixedly
pivotally
coupled to a corresponding leg. Each leg assembly is movable between an
extended position
whereby each leg assembly is substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface
of the table
top when the locking pin and jacket member are fixedly engaged, and a folded
position
whereby each leg assembly is substantially parallel and adjacent to the bottom
surface of the
table top when the locking pin and jacket member are disengaged.
4
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] To better understand the present invention, a more particular
description of the
invention will be rendered by reference to the appended drawings.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a first embodiment of a foldable
table of the
present invention illustrated in a fully unfolded position;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the foldable table of FIG. 1 in
a fully folded
position;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the foldable table of FIG. 1 in
a partially folded
position;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a portion of a leg assembly of
the foldable table
of FIG. 1, denoted "4" in FIG. 3;
[0016] FIG. 4A is a sectional view of the leg assembly in FIG. 4 taken along
line "4A-4A";
[0017] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of a
foldable table of the
present invention illustrated in a fully unfolded position;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the foldable table of FIG. 5 in
a fully folded
position;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the foldable table of FIG. 5 in
a partially folded
position;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a side rail of the foldable
table of FIG. 5; and
[0021] FIG. 8A is a sectional view of the side rail in FIG. 8 taken along line
"8A-8A."
[0022] To facilitate an understanding of the invention, identical reference
numerals and
component descriptions have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same
or similar
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the
features shown
in the figures are not drawn to scale, but are shown for illustrative purposes
only.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention relates to a novel table or bench apparatus, and
a method of
manufacturing the apparatus. In particular, the present invention is directed
to a table capable
of easily extending and folding, while providing a safety feature for a user's
hands. The
principles of the present invention, however, are not limited to tables with
such features.
Specifically, the following description is presented to enable one skilled in
the art to make and
use the invention, and is provided in the context of particular applications
and their
requirements. Thus, the following description of embodiments consistent with
the present
invention provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit
the present invention to the precise form disclosed. Various modifications to
the disclosed
embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general
principles set forth
below may be applied to other embodiments and applications, including in other
types of
furniture and structures. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be
limited to the
embodiments described and shown herein.
[0024] Also, certain terminology is used in the following description for
convenience only
and is not limiting. The article "a" is intended to include one or more items.
Where only one
item is intended, the term "one" or similar language is used. Additionally, to
assist in the
description of the table, words such as top, bottom, front, rear, right and
left are used to
describe the accompanying figures. The terminology includes the words above
specifically
mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
6
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
First Embodiment
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1-4A, a foldable table of the first embodiment 100
generally
comprises a table top 101; a pair of side rails 111 fixedly connected to the
table top 101; a pair
of leg assemblies 120, each leg assembly 120 having a pair of legs 121 and
pivotally attached
to the pair of side rails 111; and four support members 131, each slidably
pivotally attached to
a leg 121 on one end and fixedly pivotally attached to a side rail 111 on
another end.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the table top 101 includes a generally planar top
working surface
(not shown) and an opposing bottom surface 105 having a periphery bordered by
opposing
first and second ends 106, 107 and opposing first and second sides 108, 109.
Desirably, the
table top 101 is sufficiently sized to accommodate multiple users and may have
a length of
between five to eight feet in length and a width of between two to three feet.
However, one
skilled in the art will appreciate that the table top 101 could be larger or
smaller. In the
present embodiment, the table top 101 is generally rectangular but it could
have other suitable
shapes and configurations such as square, circular, oval and the like,
depending on the
intended use of the table 100, e.g., utility tables, card tables, personal-
sized tables and the like.
In addition, the corners and edges of the table top 101 could be rounded to
improve the
aesthetic appearance and/or for the safety of the user. It is preferred that
the table top 101 is
constructed of blow-molded plastic but other materials could be used such as
wood or other
types of plastics without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. In one
embodiment, the blow-molded table top 101 is vacuum-molded such that a top
plate is fixedly
adhered to a bottom plate having a plurality of depressions. Each plate could
be single or
multiple layers with each layer having a thickness between 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm
and each plate
could consist of plastic material such as ABS, PP, PS or the like. The
surfaces of each plate
7
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
could also be treated with print, film or spray to show a variety of colors
and/or texture such
as wood grains or marble, or for weather-treatment. The edges of the vacuum
molded plastic
top and bottom plates are connected to each other by welding or gluing, and
the edges could
be further reinforced by a variety of conventional methods known in the art
such as use of a
lining and/or welding.
100271 Referring to FIG. 1, the bottom surface of the table top 105 includes a
pair of spaced
apart side rails 111 fixedly attached thereto to form a frame assembly. The
side rails 111 are
preferably constructed of a metal having a substantially rectangular cross-
section, but the side
rails 111 could be constructed of other materials and take on other shapes
without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the side
rails could be metal
flanges. Each side rail 111 is disposed proximate the first and second sides
108, 109,
respectively. In the preferred embodiment, the side rails 111 are fixedly
attached to grooves
(not shown) integrally formed on the bottom surface 105 of the blow-molded
table top 101
and further affixed by fasteners (not shown) such as screws but other types of
attachment
means such as adhesives could be used. The grooves of the bottom surface 105
could also be
constructed so that the side rails 111 could be form-fit such that additional
attachment means
are not necessary. Alternatively, the bottom surface 105 could be molded with
extended
grooves such that separate side rails are not required and instead various
components, such as
leg assemblies, could be attached directly to the grooves with fasteners.
100281 Referring again to FIG. 1, each leg assembly 120 includes a pair of
spaced apart legs
121 having lower and upper ends 124, 125. In the preferred embodiment, the
legs 121 are
constructed of a hollow tubular metal but other shapes and materials could be
used without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The opposing legs 121 of
each leg
8
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
assembly 120 are fixedly coupled at the upper end 125 with a leg support 122,
preferably by
welding. Each leg support 122 extends across the width of the table top 101
proximate the
first and second ends 106, 107, respectively, and is pivotally coupled to
opposing side rails
111. The leg support 122 provides uniform pivotal movement of each opposing
leg 121. The
opposing legs 121 of each leg assembly 120 are further fixedly coupled,
preferably by
welding, with a cross bar 123 intermediate the lower and upper ends 124, 125
to provide
additional support for a lower portion of each leg assembly 121. It will be
appreciated that
each leg 121 could be directly pivotally attached to the side rail 111 without
the leg support
122. The cross bars 123 of the leg assemblies 120 could also be eliminated
such that each leg
121 could pivot independently. The length of each leg assembly 120 is of equal
length to
provide a level table top 101 and the length of each leg assembly 120 could
vary depending
on the application of the table 100, e.g., for use as a dining table, meeting
table, bed-side
table, coffee table, living room side table, etc. The legs 121 could also be
retractable, as
described in more detail below, such that the height of the table 100 could be
easily adjusted
to different levels.
[00291 Referring again to FIG. 1, the foldable table 100 further includes a
plurality of support
members 131, each having a proximal end 133 (upper portion) and a distal end
135 (lower
portion). The proximal end 133 is fixedly pivotally connected to the side rail
111 while the
distal end 135 of the support member 131 is pivotally connected a sliding
jacket member 141
located on each leg 121.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 4A, the jacket member 141 is a unitary
component
constructed of a hard injection-molded plastic and is substantially tubular
such that it is
slidably connected to each substantially tubular leg 121. However, the jacket
member 141
9
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
could take on other shapes depending on the shape of the leg 121. The jacket
member 141
includes a ramp portion 143 having a guide channel 147 extending along a
bottom surface.
An intermediate portion 145 bridges the ramp portion 143 and a track lock
portion 149 such
that they are integrally formed together. The lock portion 149 is hollow and
cylindrical, and
includes an opening 151 for housing an actuator or push-button 161. In the
preferred
embodiment, the actuator 161 includes a solid cylinder 163 extending outward
from the track
lock portion 149 and an integrally formed base 165 having substantially
similar dimensions as
the opening 151 such that the transverse cross-sectional area of the opening
151 is
substantially covered by the base 165 as shown in FIG. 4A. A first biasing
member 167 such
as a tension spring is disposed around the cylinder 163 and above the base 165
such that the
actuator 161 is normally depressed and the base 165 contacts the outer surface
of the leg 121.
[0031] Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 4A, a spring-loaded pin 153 integrally
connected to a
second biasing member 155, such as a spring, is disposed within each leg 121,
and the pin 153
extends outward from an aperture formed on the leg 121. It will be appreciated
by those
skilled in the art that the spring-loaded pin 153 may be disposed in the
supporting legs 121
through other elastic mechanisms. The second biasing member 155 is constructed
such that
the upward force of the pin 153 is greater than the downward force of the
actuator 161
generated by the first biasing member 167. Also, the height of the pin 153 is
less than the
clearance between the ramp portion 143 and the leg surface 121. The outer
surface of the leg
121 defines a path or track for the jacket member 141 such that the pin 153 is
substantially
aligned with the ramp portion 143 and lock portion 149 of the jacket member
141. The jacket
member 141 is slidable toward the pin 153 until the pin 153 is received within
the opening
151 of the lock portion 149. It is preferred that the pin 153 is rounded at an
upper end to
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
provide smooth engagement with the guide channel 147 and to minimize friction.
The plastic
construction of the components of the locking mechanism or jacket member 141
reduces the
risk of injury for the user compared with components of the prior art having
metal edges.
Risk of injury when locking and unlocking the leg assemblies 120 is further
reduced because
the engaging portion of the locking mechanism 141, i.e., the pin 153 and the
actuator base
165, are not exposed.
[0032] In operation, to set up the table 100 for use, the leg assemblies 120
are pivoted away
from the table top 101 from the folded position as shown in FIG. 2. Each
jacket member 141
slides along each leg 121 such that the spring-loaded pin 153 is received by
the jacket
member 141 ramp portion 143 until the pin 153 is biased downward beneath the
outer surface
of the leg 121. The declined guide channel 147 allows the pin 153 to smoothly
transition
from an extended state to a depressed state. The jacket member 141 slides
further toward the
leg upper end 125 as the pin 153 is received by the opening 151. The pin 153
then extends
beyond the outer surface of the leg 121 and is engaged with the actuator 161
such that the
actuator 161 is moved upward. Thus, the spring-loaded pin 153 and the jacket
member 141
are restricted from movement and are engaged in a locked position. In the
locked position,
the legs 121 are substantially perpendicular to the table top 101 as shown in
FIG. 1. To fold
the table 100, the pair of actuators 161 on each leg assembly 120 is
simultaneously depressed
such that each pin 153 is depressed below the inner surface of each leg 121.
The leg
assemblies 120 are pivoted toward the table top 101 as each jacket member 141
slides toward
the leg lower ends 124 and the pin 153 is disengaged from the base 165 and
remaining
components of the jacket member 141.
11
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
Second Embodiment
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 5-8A, a foldable table of the second embodiment 200
generally
comprises a table top 201; a pair of side rails 211 fixedly connected to the
table top 201; a pair
of leg assemblies 220, each leg assembly 220 having a pair of legs 221 and
pivotally attached
to the pair of side rails 211; and four support members 231, each fixedly
pivotally attached to
a leg 221 on one end and slidably pivotally attached to a side rail 211 on
another end.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 5, the table top 201 includes a generally planar top
working surface
(not shown) and an opposing bottom surface 205 having a periphery bordered by
opposing
first and second ends 206, 207 and opposing first and second sides 208, 209.
Desirably, the
table top 201 is sufficiently sized to accommodate multiple users and may have
a length of
between five to eight feet in length and a width of between two to three feet.
However, one
skilled in the art will appreciate that the table top 201 could be larger or
smaller. In the
present embodiment, the table top 201 is generally rectangular but it could
have other suitable
shapes and configurations such as square, circular, oval and the like,
depending on the
intended use of the table 200, e.g., utility tables, card tables, personal-
sized tables and the like.
In addition, the corners and edges of the table top 201 could be rounded to
improve the
aesthetic appearance and/or for the safety of the user. It is preferred that
the table top 201 is
constructed of blow-molded plastic but other materials could be used such as
wood or other
types of plastics without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. In one
embodiment, the blow-molded table top 201 is vacuum-molded such that a top
plate is fixedly
adhered to a bottom plate having a plurality of depressions. Each plate could
be single or
multiple layers with each layer having a thickness between 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm
and each plate
could consist of plastic material such as ABS, PP, PS or the like. The
surfaces of each plate
12
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
..
..
could also be treated with print, film or spray to show a variety of colors
and/or texture such
as wood grains or marble, or for weather-treatment. The edges of the vacuum
molded plastic
top and bottom plates are connected to each other by welding or gluing, and
the edges could
be further reinforced by a variety of conventional methods known in the art
such as use of a
lining and/or welding.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 5, the bottom surface of the table top 205 includes a
pair of spaced
apart side rails 211 fixedly attached thereto to form a frame assembly. The
side rails 211 are
preferably constructed of a hollow metal having a substantially rectangular
cross-section as
shown in FIG. 8, but the side rails 211 could be constructed of other
materials and take on
other shapes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Each side
rail 211 is disposed proximate the first and second sides 208, 209,
respectively. In the
preferred embodiment, the side rails 211 are fixedly attached to grooves (not
shown)
integrally formed on the bottom surface 205 of the blow-molded table top 201
and further
affixed by fasteners such as screws but other types of attachment means such
as adhesives
could be used. The grooves of the bottom surface 205 could also be constructed
so that the
side rails 211 could be form-fit such that additional attachment means are not
necessary.
Alternatively, the bottom surface 205 could be molded with extended grooves
such that
separate side rails are not required and instead various components, such as
leg assemblies,
could be attached directly to the grooves with fasteners.
[0036] Referring again to FIG. 5, each leg assembly 220 includes a pair of
spaced apart legs
221 having lower and upper ends 224, 225. In the preferred embodiment, the
legs 221 are
constructed of a hollow tubular metal but other shapes and materials could be
used without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The opposing legs 221 of
each leg
13
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
assembly 220 are fixedly coupled at the upper end 225 with a leg support 222,
preferably by
welding. Each leg support 222 extends across the width of the table top 201
proximate the
first and second ends 206, 207, respectively, and is pivotally coupled to
opposing side rails
211. The leg support 222 provides uniform pivotal movement of each opposing
leg 221. The
opposing legs 221 of each leg assembly 220 are further fixedly coupled,
preferably by
welding, with a cross bar 223 intermediate the lower and upper ends 224, 225
to provide
additional support for a lower portion of each leg assembly 221. It will be
appreciated by
those skilled in the art that each leg 221 could be directly pivotally
attached to the side rails
211 without the leg support 222. The cross bars 223 of the leg assemblies 220
could also be
eliminated such that each leg 221 could pivot independently. The length of
each leg assembly
220 is of equal length to provide a level table top 201 and the length of each
leg assembly 220
could vary depending on the application of the table 200, e.g., for use as a
dining table,
meeting table, bed-side table, coffee table, living room side table, etc. In
the preferred
embodiment, each leg 221 includes a lower section 284 telescopically
extendable and
retractable from an upper section 285 such that the height of the table 200
could be easily
adjusted to different levels. That is, the inner cross-sectional dimension of
the upper section
285 is substantially similar to the outer cross-sectional dimension of the
lower section 284
such that the lower section 284 is slidable within the upper section 285. The
upper section
285 is provided with an aperture (not shown) for receiving a spring-biased
button (not shown)
disposed within the lower section 284 when the leg assemblies 220 are
extended. One of
ordinary skill with recognize that the upper section 285 could be provided
with a plurality of
apertures to provide multiple levels of height adjustment. The leg assemblies
220 are
retracted as the button is depressed and disengaged with the aperture. A
grommet 275 is
14
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
fixedly attached to an end of each upper section 285 to support and reinforce
the movement of
the lower section 284.
[0037] Referring again to FIG. 5, the foldable table 200 further includes a
plurality of support
members 231, each having a proximal end 233 (upper portion) and a distal end
235 (lower
portion). The proximal end 233 is slidably pivotally connected to a sliding
jacket member
241 located on the side rail 211 while the distal end 235 of the support
member 231 is fixedly
pivotally connected to each leg 221.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 8A, the jacket member 241 is a unitary
component
constructed of a hard injection-molded plastic and is substantially hollow
with a substantially
square cross-section such that it is slidably connected to each substantially
hollow, square
beam 211. However, the jacket member 241 could take on other shapes depending
on the
shape of the side rail 211. The jacket member 241 includes a ramp portion 243
having a
guide channel 247 extending along a bottom surface. An intermediate portion
245 bridges the
ramp portion 243 and a lock portion 249 such that they are integrally formed
together. The
lock portion 249 is hollow and cylindrical, and includes an opening 251 for
housing an
actuator or push-button 261. In the preferred embodiment, the actuator 261
includes a solid
cylinder 263 extending outward from the track lock portion 249 and an
integrally formed base
265 having substantially similar dimensions as the opening 251 such that the
transverse cross-
sectional area of the opening 251 is substantially covered by the base 265 as
shown in FIG.
8A. A first biasing member 267 such as a tension spring is disposed around the
cylinder 263
and above the base 265 such that the actuator 261 is normally depressed and
the base 265
contacts the outer surface of the side rail 211.
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
10039] Referring again to FIGS. 8 and 8A, a spring-loaded pin 253 integrally
connected to a
second biasing member 255, such as a spring, is disposed within each side rail
211, and the
pin 253 extends outward from an aperture formed on the side rail 211. It will
be appreciated
by those skilled in the art that the spring-loaded pin 253 may be disposed in
the side rail 211
through other elastic mechanisms. The second biasing member 255 is constructed
such that
the upward force of the pin 253 is greater than the downward force of the
actuator 261
generated by the first biasing member 267. Also, the height of the pin 253 is
less than the
clearance between the ramp portion 243 and the side rail surface 211. The side
rail 211
defines a path or track for the slidable jacket member 241 such that the pin
253 is
substantially aligned with the ramp portion 243 and lock portion 249 of the
jacket member
241. The jacket member 241 is slidable toward the pin 253 until the pin 253 is
received
within the opening 251 of the lock portion 249. It is preferred that the pin
253 is rounded at
an upper end to provide smooth engagement with the guide channel 247 and to
minimize
friction. The plastic construction of the components of the locking mechanism
or jacket
member 241 reduces the risk of injury for the user compared with components of
the prior art
having metal edges. Risk of injury when locking and unlocking the leg
assemblies 220 is
further reduced because the engaging portion of the locking mechanism 241,
i.e., the pin 253
and the actuator base 265, are not exposed.
[0040] In operation, to set up the table 200 for use, the leg assemblies 220
are pivoted away
from the table top 201 from the folded position as shown in FIG. 2. Each
jacket member 241
slides along each side rail 211 such that the spring-loaded pin 253 is
received by the jacket
member 241 ramp portion 243 until the pin 253 is biased downward beneath the
outer surface
of the side rail 211. The declined guide channel 247 allows the pin 253 to
smoothly transition
16
CA 02781994 2014-04-15
from an extended state to a depressed state. Each respective jacket member 241
slides further
toward the first and second ends 206, 207 as the pin 253 is received by the
opening 251. The
pin 253 extends beyond the outer surface of the side rail 211 and is engaged
with the actuator
261 such that the actuator 261 is moved upward. Thus, the spring-loaded pin
253 and the
jacket member 241 are restricted from movement and are engaged in a locked
position. In the
locked position, the legs 221 are substantially perpendicular to the table top
201 as shown in
FIG. 5. To fold the table 200, the actuators 261 of each leg assembly 220 are
simultaneously
depressed such that each pin 253 is depressed below the inner surface of each
side rail 211.
The leg assemblies 220 are pivoted toward the table top 201 as each jacket
member 241 slides
toward the mid-portions of the beams 211 and the pin 253 is disengaged from
the base 265
and remaining components of the jacket member 241.
[0041] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present
invention, other and
further embodiments of the invention can be devised without departing from the
basic scope
thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
17
