GB2347079A - Flexibly braced folding treatment table - Google Patents

Abstract

The table has two top sections 1 hinged to each other at 2 and each carrying a folding leg assembly consisting of two legs 4 spaced by a cross member 5. Two sets of flexible braces (eg wires) 7,8 extend from a spacer 6, which is hinged to one of the top sections, the first set 7 extending direct to a cross member 5 and the second set 8 extending over pulleys 9 at the ends of the table sections to a cross member adjacent to the leg. A compression strut 10 in the form of a tube surrounds each brace 8 between the pulley and cross member and is dimensioned to form a compression strut between them when the table is erected.

Description

A FLEXIBLY BRACED FOLDING TREATMENT TABLE This invention relates to a braced folding treatment table that may be used for therapeutic massage, or other related body work, or any use requiring the subject to be comfortably supported at the required working height.

When practitioners carry out travelling therapeutic massage or other relevant work, they require a lightweight, portable table which provides a rigid, stable and supportive surface on which the subject may lie.

There are lightweight portable treatment tables known in the art, of two main design types. Tables with legs in mid-table are less stable and tend to last for less time than cable-braced tables. Cable-braced tables are superior in design, being better braced and steadier, and therefore longer-lasting.

The present invention relates to a type of flexibly braced table with a flexible brace/pulley structure.

This flexible braced structure is characteristically quick to set up, but has the tendency to collapse when the subject sits on one end of the table.

The present invention provides a rigid, stable and supportive treatment table which is safer for the subject to use. To achieve these improvements, a folding treatment table with flexible braces is provided comprising two table top sections hinged to one another about a first hinge line. A pair of leg assemblies are each pivotally mounted on the underside of a table top section. The pivots are so positioned and orientated to allow rotation about an axis parallel to but between the first hinge line and the end of each table top section remote from the first hinge line. Each assembly comprises a pair of legs with a cross-member extending parallel to the table top between them.

A spacer member is hinged to the underside of one of the table top sections adjacent to the first hinge line so as to allow rotation about an axis parallel to the first hinge line. A first set of flexible braces extends between at least one point on the spacer member, each point or points being remote from the table top, and the cross-member of the leg assemblies. A second set of flexible braces extends from points on the spacer member remote from the table top to points on the cross-member adjacent to the legs, four brace guide members each located on the underside of the table top sections adjacent to the end remote from the first hinge line and each of the second set of braces passing around one of the guide members, four strut members each mounted on one of the second set of braces between the guide members and the cross-member.

The strut members are so dimensioned that when the table is in the unfolded condition, they form a compression strut between the guide members and the cross-member.

When the treatment table is in the folded condition, the tube lies loosely on its brace with each of the leg assemblies folded to lie flat adjacent to and parallel with the table on which it is mounted.

In the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the strut members are formed from tubes of appropriate dimensions. The guide members are most preferably pulleys, but may also be smooth surfaced eyelets, blocks with appropriate channels or any other known means for diverting the orientation of the braces.

The braces are most preferably steel cable, but may be of any other known material of low elasticity.

The particular advantage of the construction of the present invention is that the strut member is not attached to either the guide members or the crossmembers. This allows the whole of the leg assembly, spacer, braces and strut members to lie substantially parallel to the table top.

In an alternative construction of the present invention, each strut member is hinged to the cross-member at one end and has one of the second sets of braces attached to its other end. The strut member then operates in the same way as in the previously described embodiment.

Other embodiments of a table according to the present invention are possible. In those embodiments, the strut members are so attached to either the second set of wire braces, the cross-member or the guide member, and so dimensioned, that when the leg assemblies are in the correct position to support the table, the strut members act as compression struts between the cross-member and the guide member. In these embodiments, the act of moving the legs into the correct support position causes the strut members to move into the correct position. The act of moving the leg assemblies out of the correct position when folding them to lie flat against the table top causes the strut member to move into a position whereby it lies substantially flat against the table top.

The invention is further described and explained by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side perspective drawing of a treatment table according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a partial side view of the treatment table of Figure 1 in a semi-folded condition.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 in which two table top sections 1 are hinged to one another about a first hinge line 2, a pair of leg assemblies are each pivotally mounted on pivotal means 3 attached to the underside of a table top 1 to allow rotation of the leg assemblies about an axis parallel to hinge line 2 from the folded to the unfolded position. The leg assemblies each comprise two telescopically height adjustable legs 4 with a crossmember 5 between them. In an alternative embodiment, the legs 4 are of a fixed length.

A spacer member 6 is hinged to the underside of one of the table tops 1 adjacent to hinge line 2. From this spacer member 6 at a position remote from the hinge to the table top 1 originates a first set of wire braces 7 extending to a point on cross-member 5 adjacent to a leg 4. A second set of wire braces 8 extend from the spacer member 6 over a pulley in its housing 9 to the crossmember 5. A metal tube 10 surrounds the second wire brace 8 between the pulley housing 9 and the cross-member 5 and is of such a length as to fit exactly between pulley housing 9 and cross-member 5 when the table is in the unfolded condition. It accordingly provides a compression strut to make the position of legs 4 and hence the treatment table rigid and stable.

Figure 2 shows part of the treatment table in a semifolded condition. The spacer member 6 is rotated about an axis parallel to the first hinge line 2.

When spacer 6 is hinged toward table top 1, the braces 7 and 8 extending toward the leg assembly towards which spacer 6 is being hinged, are slackened and that leg assembly can be folded about pivots 3 to lie substantially parallel to table top 1. The braces 7 and 8 extending to the other leg assembly are pulled by the hinging of spacer 6 and thus cause that leg assembly to fold about pivots 3 and lie substantially parallel to the other table top 1. Because tubes 10 are not fixed to either pulley 9 or cross-member 5, they do not prevent the rotation of the leg assemblies.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. A flexibly braced folding treatment table comprising two table top sections hinged to one another about a first hinge line, a pair of folding leg assemblies, each pivotally mounted on the underside of a table top section for rotation about an axis parallel to, but between the first hinge line and the end of each table top section remote from the first hinge line, consisting of two legs with a cross-member extending parallel to the table top between them, a spacer member hinged to one of the table top sections adjacent to the first hinge line so as to allow rotation about an axis parallel to the first hinge line, an arrangement of flexible braces including a first set of flexible braces extending between points on the spacer member remote from the table top and the crossmembers of the leg assemblies and a second set of flexible braces extending from points on the spacer member remote from the table top to points on the crossmember adjacent to the legs, four brace guide members each located on the underside of the table top sections adjacent to the end remote from the first hinge line and each of the second set of braces passing around one of the guide members, four strut members each mounted on one of the second set of braces between the guide members and the cross-member, the strut members being dimensioned such that when the table is in the unfolded condition, they form a compression strut between the guide member and the cross-member, and when the table is in the folded condition, the strut member lies on its brace with each of the leg assemblies folded to lie flat adjacent to and parallel with the table on which it is mounted.
2. 2. A braced folding treatment table comprising two table top sections hinged to one another about a first hinge line, a pair of folded leg assemblies, each table top section having one leg assembly mounted on its underside, the manner of mounting being such that the leg assemblies rotate about an axis parallel to the first hinge line, such axis being between the first hinge line and the end of the table remote from the hinge line, each leg assembly consisting of two legs and a cross-member extending parallel to the table top and between the two legs, a spacer member hinged to one of the table top sections adjacent the first hinge line so as to allow rotation about an axis parallel to the first hinge line, a first set of wire braces attached to the spacer member in a position remote from the table top and extending directly to the cross-members of the leg assemblies or to the legs themselves, and a second set of wire braces extending from a position on the spacer member remote from the table top via at least one wire brace guide member associated with each leg assembly to an anchorage point on or connected to a cross-member or a leg, characterised in that each of the second set of braces is so attached to or associated with a strut member that erection of the table into its configuration for use as a table causes the strut members to be positioned so as to form compression struts between the leg assembly and the guide member, the compression members being released from that position when the leg assemblies are folded to lie adjacent to the table top section upon which the leg assembly is mounted.
3. 3. A flexibly braced folding treatment table according to Claim 1 or 2 whereby the guide members comprise a pulley in a housing which form a firm abutment for one end of the strut member.
4. 4. A flexibly braced folding treatment table according to any one of the preceding Claims whereby the leg assemblies comprise two telescopically height adjustable legs.
5. 5. A flexibly braced folding treatment table substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.