GB2599625A

GB2599625A - Folding table

Info

Publication number: GB2599625A
Application number: GB2013711.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ovitz Raphael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-09-01
Filing date: 2020-09-01
Publication date: 2022-04-13
Also published as: GB202013711D0

Abstract

A foldable table 10 comprises a table top 12, itself comprising a central polygonal plate 20 and a plurality of arm sections 22 which extend radially from the polygonal plate with substantially constant width, hingedly secured to the polygonal plate. The table further comprises a plurality of triangular sections 24 arranged in sets of four between adjacent arm sections, the triangular section and arm section being hingedly secured at each abutting edge of a triangular section and an arm section, and a triangular section and another triangular section. The table further comprises a central support 14 upon which the table top is supported, and a strut system 18 linking the arm sections and the central support such that the table is configurable in a first unfolded position where the arm sections and triangular sections lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central support, and is configurable in a second folded position where the arm sections and triangular sections are substantially aligned with the central support. The polygonal plate may be octagonal. The central support may comprise coaxial telescopic sections 25,26. At least some of the arm sections may be provided with magnetic strips.

Description

FOLDING TABLE

The present specification relates to folding table, that is, tables that allow parts of the table to fold in order to take up less space.

There are many known types of space-saving tables, particularly used in commercial settings such as restaurants and function halls, where it may be in desirable to fold the tables so that they can be stored or set to one side when not in use, allowing the floorspace to be used for other purposes. The design of folding tables often compromises the overall quality of the table. For example, some of the folding tables have reduced durability and break easily. Some others require a lot of physical exertion to set them up, disassemble and move from one location to another. Other folding tables are difficult to store as they take up a lot of space even when folded. Some are built with poor-quality mechanisms, earning these tables a shorter life span.

Foldable tables may have collapsible legs, or a table top which is foldable, or both. The table top may be split in two, so the table folds in half when not in use. An alternative configuration is the drop-leaf table, which reduces the table's size somewhat. A common type of folding table leg configuration is a scissor mechanism, which forms an x shape in use, which then flattens down when folded.

CN107736722A shows a table with a table top made up of square and triangular panels. The square panels are foldable into a cubic configuration, while the triangular panels fold over the square panels. Folding this device requires the user to fold the individual panels manually. The triangular panels are not fixedly supported at one edge, introducing a weakness on the table top at this point. The folded form is relatively large.

The object of the present invention is to provide a convenient folding table that has a compact form in the folded position. Other objectives will be

in apparent from the description.

According to the present invention, there is provided a folding table according to claim 1.

Reference to table itself being folded refers to the table being in a collapsed or compacted state, while reference to the table being unfolded refers to the table being in the open, usable state. References to particular parts of the table folding or unfolding will be evident from the context.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the table in the unfolded position; Figure 2 is a plan view of the table in the unfolded position; Figures 3a and 3b are cross sections of part of the table top in a partial folded and folded position respectively; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the table in the folded position; Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the table; Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the table in the unfolded position; and Figure 7 is a side elevation of the table in a partially folded position; Referring to figure 1, a table 10 according to an embodiment of the invention in comprises a table top 12 supported on a central support 14, the central support terminating on splayed feet 15 which may feature wheels or castors 16 to facilitate moving the table.

Referring also to figure 2, the table top 12 comprises a central octagonal plate 20 and several leaf sections, specifically eight arm sections 22 and thirty-two triangular sections 24.

The arm sections 22 extend radially and distributed at equal angles from the octagonal plate 20, each arm section 22 abutting an edge of the octagonal plate 20. The arm section 22 may be made of metal, covered by wood-effect vinyl. Each arm section 22 has a constant width, so that the area between adjacent arm sections 22 defines a triangle on the table top 12. Four triangular sections 24 are located between each pair of adjacent arm sections 22, to form the remainder of the table top 12. The triangular sections 24 are distributed at equal angles between each pair of adjacent arm sections 22, with their long edges radiating from a corner of the octagonal plate 20 as shown.

The central support 14 comprises a tubular octagonal upper pole 25 and a lower pole 26 which is also octagonal, and which may also be tubular. The lower pole 26 has a smaller cross section than the upper pole 25, so that the lower pole 26 can fit snugly inside the upper pole 25 and move up and down within the upper pole 25.

in The octagonal plate 20 is located on top of the upper pole 25. A button 28 in the centre of octagonal plate 20 is provided which actuates and/or initiates the folding/unfolding of the table as will be described in more detail below.

Each arm section 22 is pivotally linked to the upper pole 25 by a strut 18, all the struts 18 being pivotally linked to a runner (not shown) that is slidably attached to the upper pole 25. The struts 18 and runner may conveniently be formed from metal.

The arms are locked in a horizontal state in use. The arm sections 22 are each attached to the octagonal plate 20 by a hinge (not shown), allowing the arm sections 22 to fold down from a horizontal orientation to a vertical or near vertical orientation. In order to fold the table, a user presses the button 28, which releases the arm sections 22 from the locked open state and allows them to be pivoted downwards from the octagonal plate 20. The central support 14 may include a spring mechanism, for example a spring located on lower pole 26 which bears against upper pole 25 and exerts an upward force on the upper pole, biasing the arm sections 22 in the open position. The user presses downwards on the arm sections to overcome the force of the spring and fold the table.

Referring to figure 3a, the arm sections 22 and four triangular sections 24 between each arm section 22, are connected to each other with hinges (not shown) between adjoining edges of adjacent members. When the arm sections 22 are folded from their horizontal orientation to their vertical in orientation (shown in figure 3b), the triangular sections 24 fold together in an accordion-like manner from a flat configuration, through a zigzag configuration (shown in figure 3a) to a configuration where they are stacked against each other (shown in figure 3b).

During the folding, the upper pole 25 is permitted to slide on the lower pole 26, so that the central support 14 reduces in length in a telescopic manner.

Referring to figure 4, in the folded position the arm section 22 lies against the central support 14, the triangular sections 24 being disposed between the arm section 22 and the upper pole 25. Referring to figure 3, the width of the upper pole 25 is less than the width of the octagonal plate 20, and the octagonal shape of the upper pole 25 is angularly displaced from the octagonal plate 20 by approximately 22.5 degrees in order to maximise the separation d between the arm section 22 and the upper pole 25 to provide space to stow the triangular sections 24. A lower spring-loaded tooth may be located on the upper pole 25 to lock the runner at its lowest extent and so lock the table in the folded position and prevent the spring in the central support 14 forcing the arm sections 22 upwards. The lower spring-loaded tooth which produces a click sound to indicate to the user that the table 10 is fully collapsed and locked in place In order to unfold the table 10, the button 28 is again pressed, releasing the lower spring-loaded tooth and allowing the spring in the central support 14 to raise the arm sections 22 to a horizontal orientation and unfold the table, in a in reverse of the process previously described for the folding of the table. The runner travels towards the top of the upper pole 25, until it locks in place at the upper extent, for example by engaging with an upper spring-loaded tooth which produces a click sound to indicate to the user that the table 10 is fully open and locked in place.

It will be seen therefore that the button 28 operates by retracting the upper and lower spring-loaded teeth to allow the runner to move from its uppermost or lowermost position, initiating both the folding and unfolding operations. Less ideally, the spring bias provided by the central pole 14 could instead operate to assist the unfolding of the table.

These arm sections 22 do not fold into the umbrella-mechanism; they are connected to the central octagon and simply fold down moving from a horizontal to vertical position. They can therefore be sufficiently strong and thick, and can support the entire table surface.

Referring to figure 6, four additional legs 30 may be provided to support the weight of the table top 12, particularly when the table is larger, these legs being located beneath four of the eight arm sections. Referring also to figure 7, the legs 30 are split in two to provide an upper and lower half 31, 32 joined by a hinge. Each leg 30 may be semi-circle shaped with the curvature of each leg oriented in confrontation with the central support 14 so that the upper and lower half of the leg 30 can fold so that the flats of the upper and lower half lie against each other together forming a circular cross section. At or in near the hinge between the upper and lower half 31, 32 of each leg 30, a strut 39 is attached, this strut 39 being pivotally joined with another strut 38. Strut 38 is pivotally secured to the central support 14, and the pivot between the struts 38, 39 is slidably secured to the underside of an arm section 22. As the arm section 22 is folded downwards from the octagonal plate 20, the struts 38, 39 are brought folded towards the central support 14, causing the leg 30 to fold against the arm section 22 to be stored behind the arm section 22 in the space between two sets of folded triangular sections 24.

In a larger table, each of the arm sections 22 could be longer than the height of the table. In order to accommodate this length when the arm sections22 are in the vertical position, the central support 14 is formed from an outer pole 35 and inner pole 36, where the inner pole 36 extends beneath the outer pole 35 to rest upon the ground when the table is in the unfolded position, but slides through the outer pole 35 when the table 10 is being folded to the collapsed position so that the outer pole 35 then rests on the ground. The strut 38 is pivotally attached to the upper part of the outer pole 35.

The feet 15 and castors 16 are attached on a runner to the lower part of the outer pole 35. This causes the wheels to travel down along with the runner when table is being folded, and this will in turn push the inner pole 36 upwards to create more height to accommodate the folded arm sections 22. In order to increase this table's commercial functionality as a practical, storage-friendly table, a light magnetic strip may be added to the arm in sections 22 to enable one to move many folded tables together from one location to another.

The embodiments described here provide a folding table that folds to a very compact form. For example, a table having a table top 12 that's 170x170cm in may fold down to the octagonal plate 20 of approximately 35cm2, which is approximately 4% of its cubic size.

The provision of arm sections having a substantially constant width, and the arm sections being provided with struts, in combination with the triangular sections, means that the arm sections can provide a good strength to the table, which would not be the case if the table top were composed only of triangular sections.

The button provides an easy means to initiate folding and unfolding. It will be realised that other equivalent release means could though be provided to release the mechanism to fold from the folded position to the unfolded position and vice versa.

The principles described herein can be applied to different sizes and shapes of

table.

The addition of legs attached to the arm section provides a robust support for the table top for a larger table. The legs conveniently fold and unfold automatically with the folding and unfolding of the table.

The triangular sections, and the additional legs where provided, conveniently fold up between the arm sections and the central support when the table is in the folded state. The robust arm sections protect the less robust triangular sections in the folded state. The octagonal form of the folded table provides a convenient shape for compactly packing several folded tables.

The provision of wheels or casters at the base of the central support ensure that a user can easily move around the table, and the provision of magnetic strips on the outer arm sections allow a group of folded tables to 'stick' to 20 each other and move together.

Although square-shaped tables have been illustrated herein, the mechanism and principles could be applied to table tops having other shapes. Various sizes and heights could be provided. A table having an octagonal central plate and eight arm sections is described in the specific embodiments, but it will be realised that other polygonal central shapes with different numbers of arm sections could extend from such polygonal shapes using the principles disclosed herein.

Claims

Claims 1. A foldable table comprising a table top, itself comprising a central polygonal plate a plurality of arm sections which extend radially from the polygonal plate with substantially constant width, hingedly secured to the polygonal plate in a plurality of triangular sections arranged in sets of four between adjacent arm sections the triangular section and arm section being hingedly secured at each abutting edge of a triangular section and an arm section, and a triangular section and another triangular section.a central support upon which the table top is supported a strut system linking the arm sections and the central support such that the table is configurable in a first unfolded position where the arm sections and triangular sections lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central support and a second folded position where the arm sections and triangular sections are substantially aligned with the central support.
2. A table according to claim 1 wherein the polygonal plate is octagonal.
3. A table according to either previous claim wherein the central support comprises coaxial telescopic sections.
4. A table according to claim 3 wherein the linkage of the arm sections and the central support by the strut system causes the central support to telescope when the table is moved between the first position and the second position..
5. A table according to any previous claim wherein at least some of the arm in sections are provided with magnetic strips to allow more than one table to be secured together in the second position.
6. A table according to any previous claim wherein foldable legs are provided, the foldable legs being pivotally attached to at least some of the arm sections.
7. A table according to claim 6 wherein pivotally attached foldable legs having a strut system pivotally secured to the central support.
8. A table according to any previous claim wherein releasable securement mechanism in first and/or second position.
9. A table according to any previous claim wherein central support having wheels.
10. A table according to any previous claim wherein one telescopic section of central support slidably extends through another telescopic section of central support bearing the wheels to raise them from the ground in the second position.