US20020083870A1

US20020083870A1 - Table with a foldable supporting device

Info

Publication number: US20020083870A1
Application number: US10/067,257
Authority: US
Inventors: Kun-Chen Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-07
Filing date: 2002-02-07
Publication date: 2002-07-04

Abstract

A table with a foldable supporting device includes a tabletop and a supporting device provided to support the tabletop. The tabletop has a first face and a second face respectively extending down from a first side and a second side of the tabletop. A limit bar is mounted between the two faces to construct a gap between the limit bar and the tabletop. The supporting device has an H-shaped first leg and an H-shaped second leg pivotally attached to each other. The first leg is pivoted under the tabletop at top ends and the second leg is only abutting under the tabletop at top ends. Thus, the second leg enables to move along the gap between the limit bar and the tabletop via a crosspiece mounted between the two upper ends of the second leg when the table is folded.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a table, and more particularly to a table with a foldable supporting device.

2. Description of Related Art

With reference to FIG. 5, a conventional table with a foldable supporting device in accordance with the prior art comprises a tabletop ( 50) and a supporting device (60). The tabletop (50) has a top and a bottom. The supporting device (60) is pivotally mounted on the bottom of the tabletop (50) to support the tabletop (50).

The foldable supporting device ( 60) comprises two first legs (61) and two second legs (62). Each first leg (61) is pivotally connected to the corresponding second leg (62) in an X-configuration. Each first leg (61) includes two opposite distal ends (not numbered). One end is pivotally connected to the bottom of the tabletop (50), and the other end abuts a supporting surface, such as a floor (not numbered). The second legs (62) are formed by a U-shaped linkage (621) and two lower legs (622). The U-shaped linkage (621) is pivotally attached to the bottom of the tabletop (50) with the first legs (61) inside the “U”. The lower legs (622) are pivotally connected to a middle portion of a corresponding side of the U-shaped linkage (621) and a bump (611) is attached on each lower leg (622) of the second (62) near the pivot for resting the U-shaped linkage (621). Each lower leg (622) has two opposite ends (not numbered). One end is pivotally connected to the middle portion of the U-shaped linkage (621), and the other end abuts a supporting surface, such as a floor. Each lower leg (622) is also pivotally connected to the outside of the corresponding first leg (61) near the end of the lower leg connected to the U-shaped linkage (622).

With reference to FIG. 6, the U-shaped linkage ( 621) is pulled up and moved toward the bottom of the tabletop (50) when the supporting device (60) is folded. However, the supporting device (60) will fold accidentally when an upward force is applied to one side of the tabletop (50) near the first leg (61) or a downward force is applied to the other side of the tabletop (50) near the U-shaped linkage (621). Then the table is inclined and the objects on the table will fall from the tabletop (50).

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional table with a foldable supporting device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved table with a foldable supporting device.

To achieve the objective, the table with a foldable supporting device in accordance with the present invention includes a tabletop and a supporting device provided to support the tabletop. The tabletop has a first face and a second face respectively extending downwardly from a first side and a second side of the tabletop. A limit bar is mounted between the first and the second face to form a gap between the limit bar and the tabletop. The supporting device has an H-shaped first leg and an H-shaped second leg pivotally attached to each other. The first leg has two upper ends pivotally connected to a bottom of the tabletop and two lower ends abutting a supporting surface. The second leg has two upper ends abutting the bottom of the tabletop and held in place by the second face, and two lower ends abut the supporting surface. The second leg has a crosspiece mounted between the two upper ends of the second legs, which moves in the gap when the table is folded.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side plan view of a table with a foldable supporting device in accordance with the present invention; [0011]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table with a foldable supporting device in FIG. 1; [0012]
FIG. 3 is an operational cross sectional side plan view of the table with a foldable supporting device in FIG. 1; [0013]
FIG. 4 is an operational cross sectional side plan view of the table with a foldable supporting device in FIG. 1; [0014]
FIG. 5 is a side plan view of a table with a foldable supporting device in accordance with the prior art; and [0015]
FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the table with a foldable supporting device in FIG. 5 when the supporting device is folded.[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a table with a foldable supporting device in accordance with the present invention comprises a tabletop ([0017] 20) and a supporting device (10) provided to support the tabletop (20). The tabletop (20) has a top, a bottom, edges and a skirt (22).
The supporting device ([0018] 10) includes a first leg (11) and a second leg (12) pivotally attached to each other to form an X-shape wherein the second leg (12) has a length slightly longer than that of the first leg (11). Each leg (11, 12) is H-shaped and has a crossbar (111, 121) and two upright members (110, 120). The crossbar (111, 121) is securely connected to the corresponding upright members (110, 120) to provide a rigid structure to the supporting device (10). Each leg (11, 12) has two first ends abutting a supporting surface, such as a floor. Each of the first ends of the two legs (11, 12) has a cap (112, 122) mounted around a corresponding one of the first ends of the two legs (11, 12). The first leg (11) has two second ends pivotally attached to the bottom of the tabletop (20). The second leg (12) comprises two second ends abutting the bottom of the tabletop (20) and a crosspiece (124) having two opposite ends securely attached to a corresponding one of the second ends of the second leg (12). The second leg (12) includes two distal ends opposite to the supporting surface and having a resilient pad (123) mounted on the distal ends of the second leg (12) to prevent the bottom of the tabletop (20) from being scraped by the distal ends of the second leg (12).
The tabletop ([0019] 20) includes two L-shaped brackets (21) attached to the bottom of the tabletop (20) at two opposite sides for combining the first leg (11) to the tabletop (20). Each bracket (21) has one side attached to the bottom of the tabletop and the other side pivotally connected to a corresponding one of the second ends of the first leg (11). The skirt (22) has a first face (221) extending down from the edge of the tabletop (20) corresponding to the first leg (11) and a second face (222) extending downward from the edge of the tabletop (20) corresponding to the second leg (12). The second face (222) stops the second leg (12), and the resilient pad (123) abuts the second face (222) and the bottom of the tabletop (20). A limit bar (23) is mounted under the tabletop (20). The limit bar (23) has two opposite ends respectively attached to an interior of faces (221, 222) of the skirt (22). The limit bar (23) is separated from the bottom of the tabletop (20) so as to define a gap (A) between the limit bar (23) and the bottom of the tabletop (20). The gap (A) allows the crosspiece (124) to move between the bottom of the tabletop (20) and the limit bar (23) when the table is folded. The limit bar (23) is bent to form a recess (231) at one end near the second faces (222).
Still referring to FIG. 1, the brackets ([0020] 21) are very close to the first face (221) of the skirt (22), and the second leg (12) abuts the second face (222) of the skirt (22) so the tabletop (20) can provide an excellent supporting force. If the tabletop (20) is lifted up by an upward force (F) occurring on the tabletop (20) near the second face (222), the crosspiece (124) engages the recess (231) of the limit bar (23) and stops the tabletop (20) from exceeding inclining. Therefore, the limit bar (23) keeps the second leg (12) from sliding toward the first leg (11) by means that the supporting device (10) will not be accidentally folded due to an improper force.
To fold the table, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the side of the tabletop ([0021] 20) near the second leg (12) is lifted up just enough to relieve the pressure on the second leg (12), and the second leg (12) is moved toward the first leg (11). At the same time, the crosspiece (124) moves along the gap (A) between the tabletop (20) and the limit bar (23) toward the first face (221). The tabletop (10) is then pivoted to abut the supporting device (20) and complete the process of folding the table with a foldable supporting device.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. [0022]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A table with a foldable supporting device, comprising:

a tabletop with a top, a bottom and edges and including:

a skirt extending down from edges of the tabletop and having a first face extending down from one edge of the tabletop and a second face parallel and opposite to the first face and extending down from the other edge of the tabletop; and

a supporting device provided to support the tabletop and including:

an H-shaped first leg with two upper ends each pivotally connected to the bottom of the tabletop near the first face of the skirt and two lower ends adapted to abut a supporting surface; and

an H-shaped second leg pivotally connected to the H-shaped first leg to form an X-shaped structure, the H-shaped second leg having two upper ends abutting the bottom of the tabletop and stopped by the second face of skirt around the edge of the tabletop, and two lower ends adapted to abut the supporting surface;

wherein the improvement comprises:

the tabletop including a limit bar with two opposite ends respectively secured on the first face and the second face under the tabletop, the limit bar separated from the bottom of the tabletop to define a gap between the limit bar and the bottom of the tabletop; and

the H-shaped second leg including a crosspiece with two opposite ends respectively connected to a corresponding one of the two upper ends of the H-shaped second leg and moveably received in the gap between the bottom of the tabletop and the limit bar as the table is folded.

2. The table with a foldable supporting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the limit bar bent to form a recess near the second face of the skirt; and

the crosspiece engages in the recess of the limit bar when an upward improper force is applied to the second side of the tabletop.

3. The table with a foldable supporting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tabletop further has two L-shaped brackets attached to the bottom of the tabletop for connecting the H-shaped first leg to the tabletop.

4. The table with a foldable supporting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tabletop further has two L-shaped brackets attached to the bottom of the tabletop for connecting the H-shaped first leg to the tabletop.