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WO2003068020A1 - Mecanisme de charniere servant a plier les pieds d'une table et table pliante equipee de ce mecanisme - Google Patents

Mecanisme de charniere servant a plier les pieds d'une table et table pliante equipee de ce mecanisme Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003068020A1
WO2003068020A1 PCT/DK2003/000093 DK0300093W WO03068020A1 WO 2003068020 A1 WO2003068020 A1 WO 2003068020A1 DK 0300093 W DK0300093 W DK 0300093W WO 03068020 A1 WO03068020 A1 WO 03068020A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
hinge mechanism
projection
mechanism according
pivot
leg
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/DK2003/000093
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Poul Christiansen
Claus MØLGAARD
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HOWE Europe AS
Original Assignee
HOWE Europe AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by HOWE Europe AS filed Critical HOWE Europe AS
Priority to AU2003218952A priority Critical patent/AU2003218952A1/en
Priority to EP03714701A priority patent/EP1487298A1/fr
Publication of WO2003068020A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003068020A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B3/00—Folding or stowable tables
    • A47B3/08—Folding or stowable tables with legs pivoted to top or underframe
    • A47B3/0809—Folding or stowable tables with legs pivoted to top or underframe with elastic locking means
    • A47B3/0812—Folding or stowable tables with legs pivoted to top or underframe with elastic locking means the resilient force of the elastic locking means acting in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the leg
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B2200/00—General construction of tables or desks
    • A47B2200/0011—Underframes
    • A47B2200/002—Legs
    • A47B2200/0033—Securing a U-formed table leg under the table top

Definitions

  • Hinge mechanism for folding table legs an a folding table comprising such a mechanism.
  • the present invention relates to a hinge mechanism for folding table legs of the type having locking means for releasably locking the legs of a table at least in the unfolded condition of the table, wherein the table is ready for use.
  • a hinge mechanism comprises an open U-shaped bracket attached to the bottom surface of a table top and being provided with a shaft around which a leg of the table may pivot from a folded to an unfolded position, locking means being provided for locking the leg in both positions, the leg being released from both locked positions by manually displacing the leg along the shaft against the force of a coil compression spring.
  • the mechanism is open and therefore can cause severe pinching of fingers during the locking and pivoting operations.
  • the unfolding of the legs requires release of the locking mechanism which is rather impractical when setting up the table.
  • the hinge mechanism is rather large and unsightly.
  • One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a hinge mechanism of the type in reference that avoids the risk of pinching fingers, wherein the unfolding operation is more practical, and that has a compact and attractive design.
  • the mechanism comprising a pivot having a first and a second portion, the first portion being adapted for integral or releasable connection to a leg of a table, the second portion being generally cylindrical and axially displaceable and rotatable between a first rotational position and a second rotational position in a cavity or hollow of a body adapted for being attached to a table top, said second portion comprising a radially protruding first projection, a biasing means being provided for urging said pivot in a first direction parallel to the axis of said second portion, said cavity orhollow comprising a first and a second recess adapted for receiving said first projection when said second portion is displaced in said first direction in said first and second rotational position, respectively.
  • the shape of said first projection is such relative to the shape of said first recess that rotation of said second portion is not allowed when said first projection is received in said first recess, and said shape of said first projection is such relative to the shape of said second recess that rotation of said second portion from said second position towards said first position causes said pivot to move in a second direction opposite said first direction against the biasing force of said biasing means.
  • the unfolding of the leg may be carried out simply by applying a certain force to the leg in the unfolding direction without having to perform any extra unlocking operation.
  • said second recess comprises a sloped surface arranged at an angle relative to said first direction, said first projection having a surface portion adapted to glide along said sloped surface when said second portion is displaced in said first direction in said second rotational position, and said first projection is shaped like a wedge tapering in said first direction to a front edge of said wedge.
  • said surface portion is constituted by said front edge
  • said biasing means comprises a coil compression spring, said cavity or hollow being provided with a first abutment means and said second portion being provided with a second projection, said coil spring being arranged such that one end thereof abuts said abutment means and the other end thereof abuts said second projection.
  • said second projection is constituted by at least a portion of an annular circumferential collar.
  • said second portion may comprise a third radially protruding projection, said cavity or hollow comprising a third recess adapted for receiving said third projection in said first rotational position of said second portion.
  • said sloped surface is a surface of a rib or wall provided in said cavity or hollow and made of a resilient plastic material such as polyarylamide with 50% glass fibres admixed.
  • a particularly efficient and durable frictional braking retention of the leg in the folded position is achieved.
  • a first stop surface is provided in said cavity or hollow for cooperation with a second stop surface of said second portion for determining said second rotational position.
  • the position of said first and/or second stop surface may adjustable for adjusting the location of said second rotational position, and said first stop surface may comprise the end of a screw or bolt.
  • the present invention further relates to a hinge mechanism for folding table legs, the mechanism comprising a pivot adapted for integral or releasable attachment to a leg of a table and for pivotable attachment to a table top such that the pivot can rotate between a first position corresponding to the unfolded position of said leg and a second position corresponding to the folded position of said leg, releasable locking means being provided for releasable locking of said pivot in said first position and frictional brake means being provided for frictionally retaining said pivot in said second position and to a folding leg table comprising a hinge mechanism as disclosed above.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 are schematic bottom perspective views of a folding table with legs unfolded and folded, respectively,
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a currently preferred hinge mechanism according to the invention seen in the direction towards the bottom of the associated table top,
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mechanism of Fig. 2 seen in the direction opposite to the view direction in Fig. 3,
  • Figs. 5-8 are a series of schematic bottom plan views of the hinge mechanism showing different stages in the folding operation of the hinge mechanism and the associated table leg or legs,
  • Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the top bracket portion shown in Fig. 4 with the encircled region A cut away,
  • Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the top bracket portion of Figs. 4 and 9, Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig 10,
  • Fig 12 is an enlarged scale view of the encircled region B in Fig. 11 .
  • Fig. 13 is an enlarged scale view similar to Fig. 12 of an alternative embodiment with an adjustable holding resistance in the folded position of the table.
  • a table 1 having four folding legs 2 pivotably attached to the bottom surface of a table top 3 by means of hinge mechanisms 4 and 5 according to the invention attached to said bottom surface, the legs 2 being paired by means of connecting rods 6 such that folding of the legs 2 from the unfolded position in Fig. 1 to the folded position in Fig. 2 takes place pairwise.
  • the hinge mechanism according to the invention may just as well be utilized in connection with legs that fold singly, i.e. not in pairs, the connecting rods 6 being left out.
  • the hinge mechanism 4 comprises top and bottom bracket portions 7 and 8, respectively, intended for being attached to one another by means of not shown screws extending through four holes 9 and 10 in the portions 8 and 7, respectively.
  • the top portion 7 is intended to be attached to the bottom of the table top 3 by means of not shown screws extending through four holes 11.
  • Fig. 4 many of the details shown in Fig. 3 are left out for the sake of clarity.
  • top and bottom portions 7 and 8 When the top and bottom portions 7 and 8 are attached to one another they define an interior hollow for receiving a cylindrical portion 12 of a pivot 13 having an end portion 14 for insertion in an aperture in the top of a leg 4 for connecting the leg to the pivot 13.
  • the pivot has a second end portion 15 for insertion in an aperture in a connecting rod 6 for connecting the pivot 13 to the connecting rod.
  • the end portions 14 and 15 have longitudinal surface grooves for frictionally engaging the leg 2 and the rod 6, respectively.
  • the cylindrical portion 12 has a radial wedge shaped locking projection 16 and a diametrically opposed radial wedge shaped locking projection 17.
  • the cylindrical portion 12 is furthermore provided with an annular collar or circumferential projection 18 (best seen in Fig. 4) intended to serve as an abutment for one end of a compression spiral spring 19, the other end abutting against a shoulder 20 provided in bracket portion 7.
  • the bracket portions 7 and 8 are provided with wedge shaped locking recesses 21 and 22 for receiving the locking projections 16 and 17, respectively when the coil compression spring 19 urges the pivot 13 in the direction of arrow R1 while the pivot is in the rotational position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 corresponding to the unfolded position of the legs 2 shown in Fig. 1, i.e. with the end portion 14 substantially at right angles to the bottom surface of table top 3.
  • the top bracket portion 7 is provided with a flat gliding surface 23 arranged at perpendicular to the axis of the portion 12 and along which the front edge 24 of the wedge shaped projection 16 glides when the pivot 12 is rotated in the direction of the arrow R3 subjected to the biasing force of the spring 19 in the direction R1.
  • a sloped gliding and braking surface 25 Adjacent the flat gliding surface 23, a sloped gliding and braking surface 25 is provided such that a shallow recess is formed into which the edge 24 of the wedge 16 glides along said sloped surface 25 urged by the coil spring 19 (in the direction R1) when the pivot 13 has been rotated approximately 90 degrees in the direction of arrow R3 from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
  • the sloped gliding and braking surface is shown from other angles and in larger scale in Figs. 9, 11 and 12
  • FIGs. 5 - 8 different stages in the process of folding a leg from the locked position thereof shown in Fig. 1 to the folded position shown in Fig. 2 are illustrated.
  • the wedge projections 16 and 17 are inserted fully in the respective wedge shaped recesses 21 and 22 and held there by the coil spring 19 such that an effective locking of the leg 2 in the unfolded position of Fig. 1 is achieved.
  • the coil spring is in its most extended position.
  • Fig. 7 the pivot 13 has been rotated approximately 90 degrees and the front edge 24 is located at the boundary between the flat glide surface 23 and the sloped glide and brake surface 25 shown in dotted lines because it is located lower than the flat surface 23.
  • This resistance is not a locking action but a holding action that results in that the leg 2 may be unfolded by merely pulling the leg against the resistance.
  • the legs 2 are maintained in the folded position of Fig. 2 by the resistance against rotation that relatively easily may be overcome and does not require any other manipulation than more or less gently pulling on the legs 2. This facilitates the use of the folding table as the legs are maintained in the folded position during transport and storage but allows rapid and easy unfolding of the legs.
  • a portion of the lateral wall of the bracket portion 7 has been cut away to show how the sloping surface 25 is achieved by means of an elongate rib or wall 30 with a tapered cross section.
  • Figs. 10 -12 further illustrate the design of the sloping surface 25 on the tapered rib 30.
  • Fig. 12 it can be seen how the rounded top 31 of the rib 30 cooperates with the rounded corner edge 32 of the front edge 24 of the wedge 16 in the holding position.
  • the rib 30 is made of a relative hard but somewhat resilient plastic material (polyarylamide with 50% glass fibres admixed sold under the trade name of IXEF 1022) while the wedge 16 is made of die castedzinc.
  • the resistance against unfolding may be varied by varying the inclination and width of the surface 25 as well as the surface texture and thereby the friction between the surface 25 and corner edge 32.
  • the rotation is stopped by an abutment on the bracket portion 8 against which the wedge 17 abuts in the holding position shown in Fig. 12.
  • the hinge mechanisms 4 and 5 of each leg pair are arranged as shown in Fig. 1 such that the all the legs 2 are equidistant from the respective corners of the table top 3 so that no unsightly asymmetry arises, then the distance of travel between the fully extended condition of the spring 19 (Fig. 5) and the fully compressed condition thereof (Fig. 6) should be at least equal to half the thickness of the legs 2 such that the legs of each pair will be staggered enough in the folded position that all the legs may be folded up to abut the table top 3 as shown in Fig. 2 thereby allowing stable stacking of the folded tables on top of each other.
  • the design of the locking projections 16 and 17 as wedges and the corresponding recesses 21 and 22 as wedge shaped spaces affords the advantage of the insertion of the wedges in the recesses being self-centering and therefore compensates for inaccuracies in the alignment, synchronisation or matching of two cooperating hinge mechanisms 4 and 5 for a pair of legs 2. Furthermore, any wear of a recess in the plastic material of the bracket portions 7 and 8 will be compensated by the wedge shapes and therefore such wear will not result in any play in the locking function of the wedge/recess locking mechanism. Thus the table will be stable in the unfolded condition even after considerable wear of the recesses 21 and 22.
  • the locking projection 16 may have other shapes such as a cylinder, a cone or a truncated cone, the recess 21 having a suitable shape for retaining said projection in locked relationship with compensation for wear.
  • a projection on the pivot may for instance be inserted between two resilient rough surfaces or into an aperture in a rubber body such that a frictional resistance to retract the projection from between the two surfaces or from the aperture is achieved resulting in the desired relatively weak holding resistance against unfolding of the legs 2.
  • the sloped surface 25 may be wider and have different angles of slope or a continually increasing angle - for instance a curved surface such that the holding force is increased the further the rounded corner edge 32 travels up the surface 25 until being stopped by the abutment mentioned above.
  • the abutment on the bracket portion 8 mentioned above for stopping the rotation of the pivot 13 and thereby limiting the travel distance of the wedge along the surface 25 in the direction of the force of the spring 19 may be substituted by a screw or bolt accessible from outside the bracket 8 so as to be adjustable so that the degree of rotation of the pivot 13 and thereby the travel distance may be varied thus allowing the intensity of the leg holding resistance or brake to be varied by the end user of the table according to the desired degree of retention of the legs in the folded position thereof.
  • Such adjustability of the travel distance/rotation may be combined with increasing degree of slope of the surface 25 as indicated in Fig.
  • the resistance against rotating the pivot 13 in the direction from the folded position of the legs to the unfolded position thereof is substantially larger for an initial position of the wedge 16 as shown with dotted lines in Fig. 13 than for an initial position thereof as shown with full lines.
  • the holding force in the folded position of the legs will be smaller or larger, respectively.

Landscapes

  • Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un mécanisme de charnière servant à plier les pieds (2) d'une table à pieds pliants et comprenant une ferrure de support composée de deux parties (7, 8) destinées à recevoir une partie pivotante (13) fixée au pied (2) et comprenant des protubérances (16, 17) de verrouillage en forme de coin qui ressortent radialement et qui sont destinées à être introduites dans des rainures (21, 22) de verrouillage prévues sur les moitiés (7, 8) de la ferrure de support afin que le pied (2) soit bloqué en position dépliée. Pour débloquer le pied, le faire pivoter et le bloquer en position pliée, la moitié supérieure (7) de la ferrure de support est équipée d'un ressort (19) permettant à la partie pivotante (13) d'être déplacée axialement (R1) pour que les protubérances (16, 17) soient dégagées des rainures (21, 22). Dans un mode de réalisation, la partie pivotante (13) peut pivoter (R3) pour embrayer le bord (24) d'attaque de l'une (16) des protubérances devant être maintenues par friction par une surface (25) de freinage. Cette invention porte également sur une table à pieds pliants équipée de ce mécanisme de charnière.
PCT/DK2003/000093 2002-02-18 2003-02-13 Mecanisme de charniere servant a plier les pieds d'une table et table pliante equipee de ce mecanisme Ceased WO2003068020A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2003218952A AU2003218952A1 (en) 2002-02-18 2003-02-13 Hinge mechanism for folding table legs and a folding table comprising such a mechanism
EP03714701A EP1487298A1 (fr) 2002-02-18 2003-02-13 Mecanisme de charniere servant a plier les pieds d'une table et table pliante equipee de ce mecanisme

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DKPA200200252 2002-02-18
DKPA200200252 2002-02-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003068020A1 true WO2003068020A1 (fr) 2003-08-21

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/DK2003/000093 Ceased WO2003068020A1 (fr) 2002-02-18 2003-02-13 Mecanisme de charniere servant a plier les pieds d'une table et table pliante equipee de ce mecanisme

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1487298A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2003218952A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2003068020A1 (fr)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005027386A1 (de) * 2005-06-14 2006-12-21 Korb & Korb Innenarchitektur Und Design Tisch mit einklappbaren Beinpaaren
DE202008005046U1 (de) 2008-04-11 2008-07-03 Design Ballendat Gmbh Tisch mit verschwenkbarem Bügelfuß
DE102008051092A1 (de) * 2008-10-09 2010-04-15 Kusch & Co. Sitzmöbelwerke GmbH & Co. KG Klapptisch
DE102010060191A1 (de) 2010-01-18 2011-07-21 Karl Kilpper GmbH kalo-Sitzmöbelfabrik, 71287 Tisch mit einklappbaren Tischbeinen
US8656527B2 (en) * 2011-06-16 2014-02-25 Furniture of America, Inc. Multifunctional furniture
US9055821B2 (en) * 2011-06-16 2015-06-16 Furniture of America, Inc. Multifunctional furniture
US9167892B1 (en) 2014-04-23 2015-10-27 DSA International, Inc. Offset folding leg assembly
JP2023150692A (ja) * 2022-03-31 2023-10-16 フクビ化学工業株式会社 脚付き家具

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1885384A (en) * 1929-11-04 1932-11-01 Eugene A Snow Card table
US2697018A (en) * 1952-09-30 1954-12-14 Georgides George Zanos Lap tray with leg engaging means
US2714543A (en) * 1954-06-22 1955-08-02 Elmer J Hosler Fixture brackets with leg support and lock assembly for tables
US4064815A (en) * 1976-07-19 1977-12-27 Berco Industries Table leg locking mechanism

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1885384A (en) * 1929-11-04 1932-11-01 Eugene A Snow Card table
US2697018A (en) * 1952-09-30 1954-12-14 Georgides George Zanos Lap tray with leg engaging means
US2714543A (en) * 1954-06-22 1955-08-02 Elmer J Hosler Fixture brackets with leg support and lock assembly for tables
US4064815A (en) * 1976-07-19 1977-12-27 Berco Industries Table leg locking mechanism

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005027386A1 (de) * 2005-06-14 2006-12-21 Korb & Korb Innenarchitektur Und Design Tisch mit einklappbaren Beinpaaren
DE202008005046U1 (de) 2008-04-11 2008-07-03 Design Ballendat Gmbh Tisch mit verschwenkbarem Bügelfuß
EP2108282A1 (fr) 2008-04-11 2009-10-14 Dauphin Entwicklungs- u. Beteiligungs GmbH Table dotée d'un pied coudé basculant
DE102008051092A1 (de) * 2008-10-09 2010-04-15 Kusch & Co. Sitzmöbelwerke GmbH & Co. KG Klapptisch
DE102010060191A1 (de) 2010-01-18 2011-07-21 Karl Kilpper GmbH kalo-Sitzmöbelfabrik, 71287 Tisch mit einklappbaren Tischbeinen
US8656527B2 (en) * 2011-06-16 2014-02-25 Furniture of America, Inc. Multifunctional furniture
US9055821B2 (en) * 2011-06-16 2015-06-16 Furniture of America, Inc. Multifunctional furniture
US9167892B1 (en) 2014-04-23 2015-10-27 DSA International, Inc. Offset folding leg assembly
JP2023150692A (ja) * 2022-03-31 2023-10-16 フクビ化学工業株式会社 脚付き家具
JP7712240B2 (ja) 2022-03-31 2025-07-23 フクビ化学工業株式会社 脚付き家具

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2003218952A1 (en) 2003-09-04
EP1487298A1 (fr) 2004-12-22

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