AU2001100175A4

AU2001100175A4 - A fold away table

Info

Publication number: AU2001100175A4
Application number: AU2001100175A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Simon Peter Garrett Fisher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-07-19
Filing date: 2001-07-19
Publication date: 2001-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2009-07-19

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

INNOVATION

PATENT

Invention Title: A FOLD AWAY TABLE Applicant: SIMON PETER GARRETT FISHER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -2- A FOLD AWAY TABLE Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fold away table of the type which can be moved between a storage position and an in-use or working position.

Background of the Invention In many homes and other buildings where space is at a premium it is not possible to always accommodate a large table or work surface. This is particularly the case in a small garage space where the accommodation of a large table would mean that the vehicle would not fit within the garage space.

Consequently, in such environments there is often not a sufficiently sized work surface to perform projects upon. The present invention seeks to address this problem.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a table arranged to be connected to a wall, said table including a work surface and at least two support legs, said work surface being pivotable between a storage position in which it is located in a substantially vertical plane and a working position, and wherein the work surface is braced in the working position by at least one brace means which includes a first brace member arranged to be rigidly connected at end to one of said support legs and hingedly connected at a second end to a portion of said work surface and a second brace member which is extendable in length and which is connected between said one of said support legs and a portion of said work surface.

Preferably, the first brace member is substantially L-shaped.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the second brace member is pivotally connected at a first end to said one of said support legs and is pivotally connected at a second end to a frame of said work surface.

The second brace member is preferably a telescopic member.

Preferably, the table further includes a wall bracket arranged to be demountably connected to said wall and pivotally connected to said work surface or said frame means of said work surface.

Brief Description of the Drawings An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in the working position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view from the rear of the table shown in Figure 1 in a storage position.

Figure 3 is a perspective partial underneath view of the brace means of the table in a location between the stored position.

Figure 4 is a perspective partial underneath view of the frame of the table and the upper portions of the brace means.

Figure 5 is a partial underneath view of the table in the working position.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the table showing the demountable wall brackets.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the portion marked A in Figure Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment The table 10 shown in Figure 1 includes a work surface 12 which is located on a ledge 13 which extends from a substantially rectangular shaped frame 14. The table 10 is connected to a wall 100 by means of a pair wall brackets 16. The table 10 also includes a pair of support legs 18 and a pair of brace means which will be described in more detail below.

The work surface 12 is preferably made from a sheet of laminated plywood screwed or otherwise attached to the ledge 13. Whilst the frame 14 and the support legs 18 are preferably made from a tubular structural alloy.

The connection between the wall brackets 16 and the frame 14 of the table is such that the table 10 can be moved between a working position, as shown in Figure 1, and a storage position, as shown in Figure 2. In the working position, the work surface 12 is located in a substantially horizontal plane. In the storage position, the work surface 12 is located in a substantially vertical plane and is preferably positioned substantially adjacent the wall 100. In the storage position the support legs 18 and brace means 20 are located substantially adjacent the underside 12a of the work surface 12 so that the width of the table 10, as measured from the wall 100, is minimized. Thus it will be appreciated that although the table 10 can be moved to a working position in which a large work surface 12 is available for use, in the storage position the table 10 occupies only a minimum amount of space.

Figures 3 to 5 illustrate in more detail one of the brace means 20. Each brace means 20 includes a first brace member 22 and a second brace member 24.

Each first brace member 22 is substantially L-shaped and has a first end 22a which is rigidly connected to an associated support leg 18. A second end 22b of the first brace member 22 is connected to a hinge arrangement 26. The hinge arrangement 26 includes first and second plates 28, 30 which are hingedly connected together via a hinge pin 32. The first plate 28 is connected to the second end 22b of the first brace member 22 and the second plate 30 is located below the ledge 13 and is connected to the frame 14. The second plate is L-shaped and is connected to the frame 14 using screws, rivets or the like.

The second brace member 24 is extendable in length and in this embodiment is a telescopic member which is pivotally connect at a first end 24a to its associated support leg 18. A second end 24b of the second brace member 24 is pivotally connected to a u-shaped bracket 34 connected to the underside 12a of the work surface 12.

In order to enable the support legs 18 of the table 10 to be located substantially adjacent the underside 12a of the work surface 12 when it is in the stored position, it is necessary for the support legs 18 to be connected to the work or frame 14 in a manner whereby they can be pivoted to a storage position.

Figure 3 best illustrates the method of connection of the support legs 18 to the frame 14. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper end 18a of each support leg 18 is connected to a hinge arrangement 40 which includes first and a second hinge plates 42, 44 which are hingedly connected together by a hinge pin 46.

The first plate 42 is substantially U-shaped and the second plate 44 is substantially L-shaped. It will be appreciated that the second plate 44 is rigidly connected to the frame 14 using screws, rivets or the like. Accordingly, the hinge arrangement 40 enables the support leg 18 to be moved from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure As illustrated in Figure 5 the second brace member 24 is a telescopic member.

The brace member 24 is in an extended configuration when the support leg 18 is in the working position and is in a retracted configuration, as shown dashed lines, when the support leg 18 is in the storage position.

Figure 6 illustrates the configuration of the wall brackets 16. As shown in this Figure each wall bracket 16 comprises a substantially L-shaped cross sectional member which is arranged to be bolted to the wall 100 by means of a pair of threaded connectors 60 which pass through apertures formed in the wall bracket 16. Each wall bracket 16 is arranged to be connected to a corner of the table 10 so that the work surface 12 can be pivoted between the storage and the working positions. This connection is achieved by means of a pivot pin which includes a shank having a threaded portion 65a and a smooth pivot portion 65b. The threaded portion 65a of the pivot pin 65 threadedly engages with a mating thread formed in an aperture in the wall bracket. The smooth pivot portion 65b extends through an aperture 70 formed in the outer wall of the corner of the frame 14 and through an aperture 72 formed in an L-shaped brace 74 which is attached to the inside corner of the frame 14. The apertures 70, 72 are sized so as to enable the table 10 to be moved between the storage and the working positions.

In order to move the table 10 from the storage position shown in Figure 2 to the working position shown in Figure 1, the user simply lifts the table 10 upwardly so that it pivots about the pivot pin 65. When the work surface 12 is pivoted to a position above the normal working position, the support legs 18 are pivoted outwardly away from the underside 12a of the work surface 12 until they reach a position where they are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the work surface 12. This movement of the support legs 18 causes the first and second brace members 22, 24 to be moved from their storage position to their working position. The table can then be lowered so that the feet 18b of the support legs 18 rest on the ground surface. Once all of the components of the table are thus positioned the table 10 provides a stable work surface 12 on which the user can work.

To return the table 10 to the storage position the work surface 12 is lifted upwardly a sufficient distance to enable the support legs 18 to be swung back to a position in which they are located substantially adjacently to the underside 12a of the work surface 12. Upon movement of the support legs 18 to this position, the first and second brace members 22, 24 are positioned substantially adjacent to the underside 12a of the work surface 12. The work surface 12 can then be lowered causing it to pivot about the pivot pin 65 until the frame 14 contacts against the wall 100. The table 10 is then in the storage position.

It will be appreciated that in the storage position the table 10 occupies a minimum amount of space but yet when moved to the working position offers a large and stable work surface. It is envisaged that such a table would have particular application in a garage space to provide a workspace for a handy person. After use it can be readily returned to the storage position with little effect on the available space in the garage.

Throughout the description the table 10 is described as being moved from a storage position to a working position. In most instances it is envisaged that the working position would be in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the wall 100 so that the work surface 12 is substantially horizontal. However, in some instances it may be desirable for the work surface 12 to be angled, for example when used as a drawing board, and accordingly the present invention encompasses such an arrangement. In order to accommodate an angled work surface in the working position, the configuration of the support legs 18 and brace members 22, 24 may need to be slightly modified.

It will also be appreciated that the table 10 can be readily relocated by disconnecting the work surface 12 from the wall brackets 16 and then remounting the work surface 12 on the same pair or a different pair of wall brackets 16 at another location.

The embodiment has been described by way of example only and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention are envisaged.

Claims

1. A table arranged to be connected to a wall, said table including a work surface and at least two support legs, said work surface being pivotable between a storage position in which it is located in a substantially vertical plane and a working position, and wherein the work surface is braced in the working position by at least one brace means which includes a first brace member arranged to be rigidly connected at one end to one of said support legs and hingedly connected at a second end to a portion of said work surface, and a second brace member which is extendable in length and which is connected between said one of said support members and a portion of said work surface.

2. A table according to claim 1 wherein the first brace member is substantially L-shaped.

3. A table according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the second brace member is pivotally connected at a first end to one of said support legs and is pivotally connected at a second end to a frame of said work surface.

4. A table according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further including a wall bracket arranged to be demountably connected to said wall and pivotally connected to said work surface or a frame of said work surface. A table substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 19 JULY 2001 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for SIMON PETER GARRETT FISHER