GB2064949A - Foldable table and bench assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a foldable table and bench assembly comprising a table top 11, a bench such as 12 or 13, and first and second leg structures pivotally (18) attached to the table top and the bench. The pivotal connections 18 comprise releasable snap connections. The assembly can be secured to a wall. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Foldable table and bench assembly This invention relates to a foldable table and bench assembly and has particular application to a foldable table and bench assembly intended to be secured to a wall structure and, when folded from its position of use, to lie substantially flat against the wall structure.

In British Patent Specification No. 1020663 there is described a foldable table and bench assembly comprising a table top, two benches and two substantially identical end leg structures, one of which is permanently attached to a wall structure.

The two leg structures are pivotally attached to the table top and to the two benches so that, in use, the table top and the two benches are supported in substantially horizontal planes by the two leg structures and, when not in use, the table top and two benches can be pivotted upwardly, relative to the wall structure, to a position where the table top and benches are substantially adjacent and parallel to the wall structure, the leg structure not permanently attached to the wall pivoting relative to the table top and bench assemblies to lie in a plane substantially parallel to the wall-attached leg structure. Thus, in the folded condition, the assembly defines a compact unit against the wall structure.

In the above described assembly the leg structures are formed from tubular material and the pivotal connections are formed by parts of the tubular leg structures engaged in bearings presented by the table top and benches but, in practice, conventional bearings as are available for the assembly are expensive to manufacture. Further, the leg structures are attached to the table top and benches, by first locating the bearings on the relavanttubular sections of the leg structure and then attaching the bearings to the table top and benches using a tool, such as a screw driver, and to remove the table top and/or one or more benches from the assembly the bearings must be first detached from the table top, again using a tool.The necessity of using a tool, such as a screw driver, means that the table top, benches, and the leg structures, must be permanently secured together at the manufacturing site, thus requiring relatively large and cumbersome packagings for delivery or the assembly must be despatched to the location site as a kit of parts, which greatly reduces the overall dimensions of the package for an assembly but requires a person skilled in the art of assembly, with suitable tools, at the location site.

A further disadvantage of the prior art constructions is that the table and/or a bench, cannot be replaced other than by a person skilled in the use of hand tools.

The present invention seeks to provide a foldable table and bench assembly capable of being packaged as a kit of parts and assembled therefrom without the use of tools.

According to the present invention there is provided a foldable table and bench assembly comprising a table top, a bench extending in the longitudinal direction of the table top, a first end frame structure pivotally attached to one end region of the table top and the bench, and a second end frame structure pivotally attached to the other end region of the table and the bench, and whereby the two end frames can pivot relative to the table top and bench in substantially parallel planes from an open condition, wherein the frames lie substantially at right angles to the table top and bench, to a folded condition wherein the frames lie in planes substantially parallel with the table top and bench, characterised in the pivotal connections between the end frames and the table top and/or the bench comprise snap connections which can be made or broken without the use to tools.

Preferably the pivotal connections between the table top, the bench and the end frames are all snap-on connections.

Preferably the assembly comprises two benches, both pivotally attached to the leg frames, arranged one on each side of the table top.

Preferably the snap-on connections are attached to the table top and/or the or each bench, and the parts of the leg frames to be engaged by said snap-on connections are tubular in cross-section.

Preferably each snap-on connection comprises a moulding of plastics material defining two spaced two spaced apart generally parallel resilient arms, closer together at their free ends than at their mid-regions spaced from their free ends.

Preferably each moulding includes an end wall arranged to axially locate that part of the leg frame snapped into the moulding.

Preferably the mouldings are attached to the table top and/or benches by screws.

It will thus be seen that by using the snap-on connections proposed by the present invention the following advantages are obtained.

(1) The various assemblies can be fully constructed, with all the permanent attachments made, at a manufacturing location, or different manufacturing locations, and the assembly packaged as a kit of parts for easy and economic packaging and transportation to the user site location.

(2) The assembly can be constructed at the user site location by unskilled personnel without the use of tools.

(3) In a position for use the table top or bench or benches attached to the leg structures can be readily replaced if damaged.

(4) The assembly can be readily broken down from its user site location and removed to a storage location.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows, a table and bench assembly in its folded out-of-use condition, Figure 2 shows, a side view, from the right, of the assembly illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view, similar to Figure 2, with the table and bench assembly in the condition of use and, Figure 4 shows, in perspective view, one snap-on pivotal connection in accordance with the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1,2and3 the table and bench assembly generally comprises a table top 11,two benches 12 and 13, and two end frame structures 14 and 15. The table top 11, bench 12, and bench 13, conveniently comprise simple timber panels but the table top 11 may include a laminate of hard wearing material on its upper surface and the benches 12 and 13 may be plain or provided with padding.

The end frame structure 14 comprises two tubular members 16 and 17, the member 16 comprising an upright length 16a, an upper horizontal length 1S, a lower horizontal length 16c, a bench support upright 16it, and a T-piece 1 6e secured to the upper end of length 166. The tubular member 17 is a mirror image of member 16 and thus comprises an upright length 17a, an upper horizontal length 17b, a tower horizontal length 17c, a bench support upright 17d and a T-piece 17e secured to the upper end of length ?7d.

The upright tengths 16a and 17a are secured together, as by welding.

The end frame is identical to the end frame 14 and it will thus be seen that the end frames 14 and 15 comprise four identical tubular members, such as 16 or 17, which greatly facilitate manufacture.

The end frame 14 connects with table top 11 at two snap-on connectors 18 adjacent one end of table top 11, upper horizontal lengths l6band 1 7h snapping into connectors 18, the T-piece 16e snaps into two connectors 18 at one end of bench 12, and the T-piece 17e snaps into two connectors 18 at the adjacent end of bench 13. The end frame 15 connects with the table top 11 and benches 12 and 13 via connectors 18 in identical manner to end frame 14.

The connectors 18 are identical in construction and Figure 4 shows one connector 18 for receiving the upper horizontal length 17b.

The connector 18, which is conveniently moulded from a resilient plastics material, comprises a base part 18a with two arms 18h and 18c outstanding therefrom in generally parallel relationship. The free ends of arms 18h and l8care spaced apart by a distance less than the spacing at the mid-region between said free ends and the base 18a, so much so, that the moulding defines a bore 18d, parallel with the base 18a and open by the stot like opening between the free ends of arms 18a and lab.

The bore 186 has such diameter as to snugly receive the tubular length 17b and to permit rotation al displacement of length 17b therein, and the spacing between the free ends of arms 18h and 18c is such as to permit the length l7bto pass between the arms 18b and 18c only with resilient deformation of said arms l8band 18c.Thus,thelength 97b can be entered into bore l8dbyforcingthelength 17b between arms 18b and 18c, said arms 18b and 18c snapping back to retain length 17b in bore 186, and the length 17b can be "snapped" out of bore lad, again by forcing the length ? 17b outwardly through the slot between arms 18b and 18c.

Each connector 18 8 thus affords its relevant tubular length of frame 14 or 15 a "snap ?n "snap out" facility whilst affording an effective hinge facility for said length.

Each connector 18 further includes a flange 18e adjacent one end and extending into the bore 18dto define an abutment for locating the free end of the tubular length in the bore 18e, and thereby axially locating the ends of the frames 14 and 15 relative to the table top 11 and benches 12 and 13.

Each connector is conveniently located and secured in its desired location on table top 11, bench 12, or bench 13 by screws (not shown) which pass through the base 18a.

The table and bench assembly is constructed at the manfacturing location by assembling the four identical tubular members to form the end frames 14 and 15 and screwing the connectors 18 to the table top 11 and benches 12 and 13 in accordance with a predetermined pattern, conveniently using jigs.

Thereafter, the assembly compising the separate elements 11,12,13,14 and 15 may be packaged to compact form and despatched to the assembly location.

Atthe assembly location the parts 1 t, 12 and 13 are simply "snapped" onto the end frames 14 and 15 and the assembly is complete.

When the assembly is to be secured to a wall structure S, one or other of the upright lengths of frame 15, corresponding to the length 16a or 17a, is drilled at two vertically spaced apart locations (this drilling may be carried out at the manufacturing location) and the frame 15 is screwed to the wall S by screws 19 with tubular spacers 20 on screws 19 spacing frame 15 from wall S. Conveniently the frame 15 may be screwed to wall S before assembly with parts 11, 12 and 13.

With frame 15 secured to wall S as described aboveandthetaEaletop 11, and benches 12 and 13 snapped onto frames 14 and 15 the assembly, in its position of use, adopts the condition shown in Figure 3 and wherein the table top 11 and benches 12 and 13 are maintained in substantially horizontal planes.

From the position of the use shown in Figure 3, the assembly is displaced to its folded condition by simply rotating the table top 11 clockwise, a viewed in Figure 3, about its snap on pivotal connection with frame 15 when, due to the frame 14 connection with the benches 12 and 13, the said benches 12 and 13 are rotated ctockwise about theirsnap-on pivotal connections with frame 15, the frame 14 pivotally displacing about its pivotal connections with parts 11,12 and 13 to maintain location in a plane parallel to frame 15 untit the table top 11 engages wall S as shown in Figure 2 to define a fully folded condition for the assembly.To bring the assembly from its fully folded condition to its position of use it is only necessaryto rotate table top 11 and benches 12 and 13 anti-clockwise as viewed in Figures 2 or 3 until frame 14 engages the floor when the table top 11 and benches 12 and 13 are in their positions of use.

It will now be seen that apart from providing a simpte structure, four identical leg frame members, a table top 11, two identical benches 12 and 13 and twelve identical connectors 18,the only operation requiring the use of a tool is the securement of frame 15 to wall S and the actual table assembly is made by "snap-on" connectors located and secured at the manufacturing site.

Whilst the present invention has been described byway of example with reference to a specific example it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Claims (8)

1. A foldable table and bench assembly comprising a table top, a bench extending in the longitudinal direction of the table top, a first end frame structure pivotally attached to one end region of the table top and the bench, and a second end frame structure pivotally attached to the other end region of the table and the bench, and whereby the two end frames can pivot relative to the table top and bench in substantially parallel planes from an open condition, wherein the frame lie substantially at right angles to the table top and bench, to a folded condition wherein the frames lie in planes substantially parallel with the table top and bench, characterised in that pivotal connections between the end frames and the table top and/or the bench comprise snap connections which can be made or broken without the use of tools.

2. A foldable table and bench assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the pivotal connections between the table top, the bench and the end frames are all snap-on connections.

3. Afoldabletableand bench assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the assembly comprises two benches, both pivotally attached to said frames, arranged one on each side of the table top.

4. A foldable table and bench assembly as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 in which the snap-on connections are attached to the table top and/or the or each bench, and the parts of the frames to be engaged by said snap-on connections are tubular in cross-section.

5. A foldable table and bench assembly as claimed in claim 1,2,3 or 4 in which each snap-on connection comprises a moulding of plastics material defining two spaced apart generaily parallel resilient arms, closer together at their free ends than at mid-regions spaced from said free ends.

6. A foldable table and bench assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which each moulding includes an end wall arranged to axially locate that part of the frame snapped into the moulding.

7. A foldable table and bench assembly as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the mouldings are attached to the table top and/or benches by screws.

8. A foldable table and bench assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.