EP0031845A1 - Versatile table - Google Patents

Abstract

A table with a surface (12) is adjustable to different heights and inclinations and remains in the chosen position without adjustment of button, lever and the like and it is lockable in the desired position by adjustment of a single button (40). Also, possible configuration of the lateral adjustment of the table surface, and possible articles holding components (56, 60) for fixedly holding articles on the adjustable surface.

Description

Title: Versatile Table

DESCRIPTION

Field Of The Invention

The present invention relates generally to devices for holding articles in different positions and more particularly to a table that has an adjustable surface for orienting articles in different attitudes of height, inclination and lateral position including a novel article holding arrangement for securely holding an article, such as an open book, on the multi-positionable table surface.

Discussion Of The Prior Art

Tables that have surfaces which can be adjusted to different height and inclination positions such as drafting boards and hospital bed tables are in common use.

One inconvience associated with the use of such devices is that two separate settings of knobs or levers and the like are required to adjust the height and the inclination of a table surface.

Another inconvience associated with the use of such tables is that their surfaces are not easily moved laterally. Therefore material held down on the table by tape or other means can not be easily moved to the most desirable position for reading, writing or drawing.

Furthermore surfaces of such tables are not generally inclinable beyond 90° nor do they provide a means for holding articles on a surface which is inclined. Therefore they are incapable of providing a useful table surface for a person who desires to (or must) read, write or draw while lying in a prone position.

_ wipo Altematively, mechanical arms and the like which may be used to orient a surface in any desired position are either not sturdy enough to bear up under typical pressures placed on a table surface . . . and/or can not be easily adjusted or locked in the desired position . . . and/or do not provide means for holding articles on a surface . . . and/or are very complicated and costly to construct.

Summary Of The Present Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a table which can be quickly adjusted to hold articles in the desired attitude of height, inclination and lateral position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an over-lap type table that may be used on a chair, a couch, a bed, the floor or elsewhere and that may be folded compactly for easy portability and storage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a versatile table which can serve as a bookholder, portable desk, bed table, easel, copyholder, music stand, drawing board, car table, cookbook holder, TV tray, wheelchair tray, lectern, dictionary stand etc.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device for holding articles on a surface regardless of its orientation, in particular to provide a device for holding an open book on a surface regardless of its orientation . . . yet allow pages of the book to be easily turned.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a table which enables a person to read faster-longer, hands free, in comfort, with less eyestrain and better posture whether sitting or lying down.

Still another object is to provide a versatile table of simple design and low cost construction. Briefly the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a table surface that is pivotally connected to "arms" which hold the surface in different attitudes of height and inclination. Due to the pivotal arrangement of table arms with table surface, the table surface is locked in a fixed position when arms are locked in a fixed position, locking arms in a fixed position is accomplished by tightening a single knob. When the knob is tightened, lower extremities of the table arms are pressed tightly against upper extremities of table legs, locking them in fixed relation to one another. On the other hand, loosening the knob allows table arms and the table surface to pivot freely in relation to one another and in relation to table legs affording adjustment of the table surface to different attitudes of height and inclination.

Optional features include components that enable the table surface to freely slide laterally and/or components for holding articles on the table surface regardless of its orientation.

An important advantage of the present invention is that it provides a table surface which can be quickly adjusted to different heights and inclinations and will remain in the position placed without adjusting knobs, levers and the like. However, if heavy pressure is to be placed on the table top, it may be locked in the desired height and tilt position by the tightening of a single knob.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the table surface can be adjusted to inclinations greater than 90°.

Still another advantage of the present invention is that the table can be folded up for compact storage and easy portability.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description of the of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the several figures of the drawing. In The Drawing

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a versatile table in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the upper structure of the table shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the upper structure of the table similar to that of Figure 2 showing the addition of components for lateral movement of the table surface.

Figure 4 is a back elevation view of the table showing details of the table support structure including components for lateral movement of the table surface.

Figure 5 is a side elevation view of the upper table support structure with the addition of scissor members for extension of table top height.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the table showing a book held by components for holding articles on the table surface.

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the basic principal of the table top height and tilt locking arrangement.

Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiments

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is shown in the perspectivie view, a versatile table device 10 in accordance with the present invention. The table top surface 12 has a lip 14 secured to it along one edge. Front arms 16 and rear arms 18 are pivotally connected by rivits to brackets 20 which are secured to the table top 12 by rivits 22. Each arm 18 consists of two pieces pivotally connected by a rivit at an elbow. Each arm 16 is a single piece.

As shown in Figure 4, arms 16 and 18 at their lower extremities are pivotally connected to a rod 2k- as ate the upper extremities of table leg members 26 and 28. Each arm lower end is adjacent to a leg member upper extremity. In the spaces between arms and legs along the length of the rod 24 are two small cylinderical spacers 30 and a long square tube spacer 32 which separates left and right leg members. Each end of rod 24 is threaded. On one end of the rod is a star-washer 34 and a cap nut 36. On the other end of the rod is a lock washer 38, a flat washer 39 and knob 40. Rotating the knob 40 in a clockwise direction presses spacers and extremities of arms and legs together locking them in fixed relation to one another.

As best shown in Figure 1, each leg member 26 and 28 is pivotally connected to a foot 42 by a rivit. A leg brace 44 is pivotally connected at its lower extremity to each foot 42. At the upper extremity of each brace 44 is a pin 46 which may be a rivit extending through a hole in the upper extremity of brace 44 and held in place by a push nut 48 as shown in Figure 4. Each leg member 26 has a number of holes 50 along its length into which a brace pin 46 may be inserted whereby the angle of table foot to table leg may be changed to adjust the height of table legs. This novel adjustable table leg arrangement is covered by my U.S. patent #3,894,709 issued July 15. 1975.

In the preferred embodiment, table feet, legs, leg-braces and arms are formed using lightweight anodized aluminum bar stock 1/2" × 1/8" . To facilitate pivoting , a steel washer is inserted between aluminum parts where they are pivotally joined by a rivit.

To provide protection against marring furniture on which table feet rest are plastic tips 52 covering the ends of feet 42 and plastic washers 54 at the pivot points where feet and leg members are joined. Plastic washers 54 are larger in diameter than the width of bar stock and thereby they keep the metal feet and legs from touching the surface on which the table rests. The table top 13 may be made of a hardboard material such as 1/4" thick Masonite with edges bullnosed and holes punched in the table top at points where the top is secured to brackets by pop rivits. The hardboard top may be covered by a vynal plastic to simulate woodgrain.

A tray may also serve as the table top.

The two piece table top lip 14 may be made of a plastic molding secured to the table top along one edge by a double coated tape. The gap between the two piece lip is to accommodate a component of the apparatus for holding articles on the table surface.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the apparatus for holding articles on the table surface consists of three elastic bands, each forming a loop. Two of the bands 56 and 58 encircle the table top 12 in a direction roughly parallel to lip 14. The third band 60 encircles the table top and also encircles bands 56 and 58 in a direation roughly perpendicular to them. Bands 56 and 58 are slidably engaged with left and right edges of the table top 12 and therefore may be moved. The purpose of strap 60 is to restrain straps 56 and 58 from pulling away from the table top surface at points where strap 60 crosses over straps 56 and 58. A rod or other means could be substituted for elastic band 60, but an elastic band has been found to be effective and a low cost means for restraining straps 56 and 58 from pulling away from the table top surface when these straps are used to hold down articles on the table surface.

As illustrated by Figure 6, a book is held on a table surface by placing it on top of strap 65 and angling straps 56 and 58 over corners of the book. When all four corners of a book are held by straps 56 and 58, the table top surface can be turned up-side-down and the book will be held on the surface. Pages of the book are turned by sliding page corners out from under straps angled over righthand corners of a book, then sliding page corners under straps angled over lefthand corners of the book.

Many books want to snap shut rather than stay open. Straps of the present invention hold books open on a surface and keep pages from arching up by holding them down flat, thereby facilitating reading of pages. It a book is exceptionally heavy and is to be held up-side-down, the front or back cover of the book may be slid under restraining strap 60 for additional support. The straps may also be used to hold any other thing to which they are suited such as papers to keep them from blowing away in a high wind, or an artist's canvas or sketch pad.

Figure 7 illustrates the basic principle employed for locking a surface 70 in the desired height and inclination position by the setting of a single knob 72. Single-piece arm 74 is pivotally connected at its upper extremity to a bracket 75 which is secured to the surface 70. Two-piece arm 76, which pivots at its elbow, is pivotally connected at its upper end to a bracket 77 that is secured to the surface 70. At their lower extremities arms 74 and 76 are pivotally connected to a bolt 80 which is held by bolt support member 82. Lower extremities of arms 74 and 76 are adjacent to the ends of support member 82 so that when knob 72, which screws onto bolt 80 is tightened, arm lower extremities are pressed against the sides of support member 82, locking them in position. Loosening knob 70 allows arms to pivot. The amount of pressure between arms and bolt support 82 can be controlled by tightening the knob to a setting that will allow the position of the arms, and therefore the surface 70, to be changed to different positions and yet have sufficient pressure to remain in the position placed.

It is noted that means other than the bolt-and-knob arrangement illustrated may be used for pressing arms against the support member 82. For example, a cam-and-lever means may also be employed. Simultaneous locking of the table surface in a given freight and inclination position is accomplished by utilizing a well known principal of geometry which roughly stated is . . . When the lengths of all three sides of a triangle are fixed, so are all of the angles of the triangle. Figure 7 illustrates this principal as applied to the present invention in its simplest form. Three sides of a triangle are formed by: (1) the distance between the two pivot point axes of the upper segment of two-piece arm 76, which distance is fixed, (2) the distance between the two axes points where the upper extremities of arms 74 and 76 pivotally connect with brackets 75 and 77, which distance is a fixed length, and (3) the distance between the elbow pivot axis of two-piece arm 76 to the axis point where single-piece arm 7k pivotally connects with bracket 75, which distance is variable dependent on the angle which single-piece arm 74 makes with the lower segment of two-piece arm 76 . This angle is fixed by tightening of knob 80 whereby the length of the third side of the triangle is fixed to hold surface 70 in a fixed position of height and inclination.

As may be observed from Figure 6, an imaginary straight line drawn through the two points where upper extremities of arms 74 and 76 connect with surface 70 does not parallel the axis of bolt 80. This arrangement enables just two arms and a single knob setting to control adjustments of surface 70 height and inclination.

Figures 3 and 4 show optional components for enabling table surface 12 to move freely laterally. Two U-shaped slide members 90 and 92 are secured to table surface 12 by pop rivits 22. Slide member 90 is slidably connected to rod 94 and slide member 92 is slidably connected to a rod 96. Each rod slips through two holes, one hole in each leg of a U-shaped slide member. Rods 94 and 96 are parallel and serve as tracks or guide rails along which slides 92 and 94 slide. Rods 94 and 96 are threaded on each end. Rod 94 is securely connected at its ends to the upper ends of parallel rod-supports 98 by nuts 100 which jam lock rod-supports 98 to rod 94. Rod 96 is secured to arms 16 by jam nuts 102. Lower ends of rod-supports 98 are pivotally connected with rod 96 and restrained from coming off ends of rod 96 by push nuts 104. This arrangement allows table surface 12 to slide freely left or right to bring a page of an open book ( or other article on the table surface) directly in front of the eyes of a person using the present invention.

An alternative arrangement that may be employed for lateral slide of the table top is to secure tracks directly to the underside of the table surface and slidably connect these tracks to brackets which pivotally connect with the upper extremities of arms 16 and 18.

Arms 18 at their upper extremities are pivotally connected by rivits to rod supports 98 at points 106.

An alternative arrangement for extending the height to which the table top 12 may be raised, yet enable compact fold up of the table, is shown in Figure 4. This scissors or accordian like arrangement may be used either with the stationary table top model (as shown in Figure.2) or with the sliding table top model (as shown in Figure 3). Arms 110 and 111 are pivotally connected at their lower extremities with rod 24 and the balance of the lower table support structure is the same as disclosed above. Arm 110 is pivotally connected at its upper extremity by a rivit to arm 112, and arm 111 is pivotally connected at its upper extremity by a rivit to arm 113 which in turn is pivotally connected to table top support bracket 115. Arm 112 is pivotally connected at its upper extremity by a rivit to arm 114 which in turn is pivotally connected to table top support bracket 116. Arm 112 and 113 are pivotally connected to each other at their midpoints. This scissor arrangement may be further extended by adding on more arms according to the pattern shown, to permit the table top to be raised higher. Turning now to construction of the table legs. Each leg consists of two members; a straight member 26 and a formed member 28. Formed leg member 28 braces and gives structural strength to straight leg member 26.

It is noted that the upper part of leg member 28 parallels leg member 26, then is bent at an angle to join with leg member 26. This enables the table to fold-up compactly because where leg member 28 parallels leg member 26, it does not interfere with arm 16 when it is moved to the table fold-up position.

As shown in Figure 4, formed in the upper extremity of leg member 28 is a groove 66 into which an end of square tube 32 fits snuggly. Purpose of this groove/square tube arrangement is to keep left and right table leg assemblies parallel to one another when table leg and/or table top adjustments are made. Otherwise table position adjustments are complicated by having to adjust legs separately to make them parallel.

Alternatively, the same purpose may be accomplished by embossing an indentation in leg member 28 to fit around the end of the square tube or to form a protrusion from leg member 28 that fits snuggly inside or outside the end of tube 32 or to weld or otherwise secure leg members 28 to a spacer tube.

It is apparent from the above that the present invention affords its user a great deal of flexibility in holding things in different positions . . . that adjustments of table surface height and inclination and lateral movement can be made quickly and easily . . . that articles, in particular an open book, can be securely held on the table surface regardless of its orientation.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific uses described above since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention necessarily limited to specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation, it being considered that the invention comprehends any variations covered by the basic principles disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for holding a surface in different attitudes of height and inclination comprising: a surface, an axel which is pivotally supported by at least one axel support member, at least one arm consisting of a single member,

at least one arm consisting of two members which are pivotally connected at an elbow, each arm pivotally connected at its upper extremity to said surface and pivotally connected at its lower extremity to said axel at a location adjacent to at least one side of at least one axel support member,

means for pressing said lower arm extremities against sides of said axel support member(s),

whereby said surface, arms and axel support member(s) are held in fixed relation to one another when pressure is increased and are free to pivot when pressure is reduced.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including the addition of means for slidably connecting said surface to said arms.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 including the addition of scissor arm members for extending the height of said table.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said axel support members are table leg members which are connected together by means whereby said table leg members parallel each other when pivoted around said axel.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said axel support members are table legs, each leg consisting of at least two mambers which parallel each other at their upper extremities to permit fold-up of table arms and legs.

6. A glide for a table supported by foldable table feet and legs, wherein said feet are pivotally connected to said legs and said glide consists of: a washer made of non abrasive material and greater in diameter than the width of a foot, the center of said washer located on an axis where a foot is pivotally connected to a leg, whereby foot and leg, where they are pivotally connected, are raised by said washer above the surface on which the table rests to prevent abrasive leg and foot edges from marring a surface on which the table stands.

7. Apparatus for holding articles on a surface which is held in different angles of inclination comprising: a surface, two streachable straps which are slidably engaged with opposite edges of the surface, a strap restrainer connected to the surface, said strap restrainer roughly perpendicular to said straps and slidably engaged with them so that the straps are restrained from pulling away from said surface at points where the straps are engaged with the strap restrainer, whereby an article, such as a book, may be held securely on the surface by placing a book on top of the strap restrainer and angling the streachable straps over corners of a book.