GB2320424A - A collapsible table for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible table which can be mounted on the window of a vehicle is disclosed. The table comprises a table top 1 having an elongate arm 2 and a leg 3. Arm 2 is pivotally mounted on the table top and comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected portions 4,5,6,7 which allow the arm to follow the contours of the vehicle. Leg 3 is pivotally mounted on the underside of the table top and has an adjustable foot 16 for uneven ground. Both the arm 2 and the leg 3 fold under the table top for storage. A table top extension is also described which attaches to plates 45.

Description

A COLLAPSIBLE TABLE This invention relates to a collapsible table such as a picnic table.

Collapsible tables are well known which can be packed into the boot of a car and used as a picnic table. Such tables usually comprise a table top and a number of individual legs pivotally mounted on the underside of the table top together with an arm which can be snapped into position to support the leg in its extended condition.

Another known collapsible table has a table top to which are pivotally attached along one edge thereof a spaced pair of legs which constitute one pair of two opposed pairs of legs. The spacing between the one pair of legs being smaller than the other pair of legs so that the one pair of legs fits within the other pair of legs when collapsed against the table top. The legs comprise two opposed pairs of legs which are pivotally interconnected one with the other so that in the erected condition the two pairs of legs together define an X-shaped configuration. In the erected position of the table an upper end of the other pair of legs not pivotally interconnected with the table top can be held in clips located at the side of the table opposed to that side of the table along which the one pair of legs is pivotally mounted.

The difficulty with such tables is that they are inherently unstable because the legs are of fixed length and the table cannot easily be used on a surface which is other than a smooth flat surface. Moreover, the various pivotal joints and the snapped position arm connection of the first mentioned table often becomes worn and the table rocks in any of a number of directions.

To some extent this problem has been met by producing a collapsible table in which the legs are adjustable in length to take account of uneven ground Whilst such construction had the advantage of preventing rocking in various directions the loosening of the joints nevertheless allowed the table to be rocked resulting in instability of the table.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible table in which the above mentioned disadvantages have been substantially mitigated.

According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible table comprising table means, and movable support means mounted on the table, means which is adapted for attachment to a window of a vehicle so as to support the table means against the vehicle.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention the movable support means comprises an arm having means at one end remote from the table means for securing the arm onto the window of the vehicle, such as a car. Conveniently, the arm comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected portions, one or more of which portions may be provided with a buffer for protecting the window glass or paint work of the car. The portions of the arm are conveniently interconnected one with the other for allowing the arm to follow the general contours of the car body, and the arm preferably is pivotally mounted on the table top so that in a storage or collapsed condition of the table the arm is pivotable to a position lying in the same major plane as and beneath a table top of the table means.

Preferably, a table leg is mounted on the table top at a point remote from the interconnection of the arm thereto, to support the table top relative to the ground. The leg is conveniently pivotally interconnected with the table top and may itself be of a fixed length or adjustable in length.

Conveniently, an adjustable foot is mounted at a free end of the leg remote from the pivotal interconnection of the leg with the table top. The leg may be provided with adjustable means for adjusting the length of the leg. Preferably, the foot is pivotally mounted on the free end of the leg.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a collapsible table in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the underneath of a table top of the collapsible table of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view along the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a partial side elevational view of a foot attached to a leg of the table; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the underside of a table top extension member.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is described a collapsible table such as a picnic table shown in the drawings.

The picnic table comprises an elongate rectangular table top 1 having an elongate arm 2 pivotally mounted at one of the table top and an elongate leg 3 of fixed length extending downwardly in Fig. 1 towards the ground or other surface on which the table is to be stood, to support the opposite end of the table remote from that end to which the arm 2 is connected to the table.

The elongate arm 2 comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected portions 4, 5, 6 and 7 with each one being pivotally interconnected to the next by a tongue and recess construction between adjacent edges of adjacent portions respectively. Portion 7 is pivotally mounted on the table top 1 in a recess 8 in the table top on one side of portion 7 remote from the pivotal interconnection with the portion 6. The portion 4 forms a free end of the elongate arm 2 and has a groove 9 defined between the portion 4 and an overlapping part 10 of the portion 4. A rubber buffer pad 11 is provided on the same side of the arm 2 as the overlapping part 10, as will hereinafter be described below.

The leg 3 is pivotally mounted on the underside of the table top 1 and is pivotable in the direction of double arrow headed line A so that the arm 3 can be stored away beneath the table top 1 in a collapsed condition of the table. An adjustable foot 16 is mounted at a free end 17 of the arm 3 remote from the pivot of the arm 3 with the table top 1. The pivotal adjustment of the foot is achieved by releasing a nut 18, setting the foot and re-tightening the nut.

The leg 3 is provided on one side thereof remote from arm 2 with a strengthening rib 19 for ensuring the rigidity of the arm along its length.

The table top 1 comprises a flat planar elongate rectangular board 20 having on an underside thereof a raised edge 21 extending substantially around the outer peripheral edge of the table top 1 and extending downwards from the table top in the same direction as the leg 3 extends in Fig. 1. The portion 7 of the arm 2 is mounted on an elongate cylinder 22 to one side of a rotational axis thereof defined in this embodiment by a rod 24 fixedly mounted on the raised edge 21 and extending through the cylinder 22.

The arm 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, is similarly mounted on a cylindrical element 26 for rotation about an axis defined by an elongate rod 27, fixed relative to blocks 28 mounted on the underside of the table top 20. Block 28 is not shown in Fig.4. The arm 3 is provided, in the region of the pivot 26, with a foot 30 which extends substantially at right angles to the arm 3 in a direction towards the edge 21 of the table top when the leg 3 is in an extended position.

To move the arm to a stored or collapsed position of the table the arm 3 is rotated about pivot 26 in the direction of arrow headed line B so that a surface 31 of the arm 3 lies adjacent the undersurface of the table top 1. The foot 30 has a chamfered face 32 which meets a tapering face 33 on the side of the foot adjacent the undersurface of the table. The tapering and chamfering of these surfaces assists in the foot 30 moving passed the raised edge 21 and allowing the arm 3 to pivot in the direction of arrow headed line B until it is adjacent the board 20.

Turning now to Fig. 5 there is shown a partial side view of the free end of the leg 3 showing its interconnection with the foot 16.

Referring to Fig. 6, a table top extension 35 comprises an elongate rectangular member 36 having a raised edge 37 extending peripherally around three sides of the extension 36 from an undersurface and partly along the fourth side 38 thereof. At the open ends of the raised edge 37 are provided right angle brackets 39,40 which are each provided with an upstanding lip 41,42, respectively. A fixed block 43 having a central groove 44 is located on the side of the extension opposed to the side 38 thereof.

In a collapsed condition of the picnic table the leg 3 lies adjacent and in the plane of the table top 1 with the rib 19 on the side of the leg remote from the table top. The arm 2 is pivoted in the direction of arrow headed line C in Fig. 1, whereupon the arm will lie substantially within the depth of the rim 21 underneath the table top 1 to present a minimum thickness of the table in its collapsed condition.

The table top 1 is provided at one end (Fig.

1) with a buffer pad 46 of rubber or foam and at the opposite end there is provided a pair of right angled plate 45 which are fixed to the edge 21 and is arranged to overlap end face 47 of the table 1. A space 48 of relatively small dimensions is thereby formed between the overlapping part of the plate 45 and the space 48 receives in use the upstanding parts 41,42 of the plates 39,40 respectively, so that the extension 36 can be attached to the table 1, thereby extending the length of the table. In Fig. 4 an angled aperture 49 in the rib 19 is arranged to receive a support rod (not shown) which extends from the aperture 49 into the groove 44 of the block 43 to support the outermost end of the extension 36 when connected to the table 1 as described above.

To use the picnic table, the arm 2 is pivoted to the position shown in Fig. 1 from its collapsed condition and the portion 4 is attached to a top edge of an open window of a door of a motor car, for example.

The pivotal interconnection of the various portions 4,5,6,7 of the arm 2 allows the arm to follow the general contours of the window and body shape of the car door. The buffer pads 11 and 46 protect the paintwork of the car from excessive rubbing of the arm 2 or the table 1 against the car paintwork.

As will be appreciated from Fig. 2 the pivot for the arm 2 is located in the recess 8 at one end of the elongate rectangular table 1 and in the extended position shown in Fig. 1 the portion 7 is arranged to be located to one side of the rotational axis of rod 27, that is, the outermost side so that the arm 2 remains reasonably close to the body of the car to which the table is attached. The recess 8 is of sufficient depth to ensure that the arm 2 can, if necessary, be pivoted in the opposite direction to the arrow headed line C to assist in adjusting the table top into a practical usable position when the car and table is stood on uneven ground.

The leg 3 is pivoted downwardly towards the ground and on relatively flat ground can be located in the position shown in Fig. 1 but where the ground is more uneven and more stability is required the leg is further pivotable to the left in Fig. 1, that is, in the opposite direction to arrow headed line B in Fig. 4 so that the angled surface 33 of the foot 30 engages the underside of the table 20. With the leg 3 lying at an obtuse angle relative to the underside of the table 1 the component of force through the leg 1 forces the table against the car and thereby provides a useful rigid and secure table.

As previously disclosed above the table 1 can be extended by attaching the extension 36 by attachment of the flanges 41,42 into the grooves 48 defined by the respective angled plates 46 and the edge 21 of the table top. The support rod is then located in the angled aperture 49 in the rib 19 of leg 3 and extends with its opposed end to that in aperture 49 located in groove 44 of the block 3 beneath the edge of the table extension remote from the edge interconnecting with the table 1.

The adjustable foot 16 located at the outermost end of the arm 3 is pivotally adjusted by loosening the nut arrangement 18, setting the adjustable foot 16 and tightening the nut 18 so that uneven ground can be accommodated. Conveniently, the picnic table can be made of wood or a hard plastics material with integrally moulded hinges. Preferably, the leg 3 rather than being a rigid leg as described in the above embodiment, may be adjustable in length by utilising a telescopic leg structure or alternatively by overlapping leg portions in which the outermost leg portion is slidable relative to a fixed portion in any suitable known manner.

Although there has been described an elongate rectangular table, Applicant's invention could equally apply to a table of any shape or size. Conveniently, the innermost end of the table relative to a car in use is adjustable in height by winding up and down of the window of the car to which the portion 4 of the arm 2 is attached. The table of this invention is surprisingly stable in use.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS:

1. A collapsible table comprising table means, a movable support mounted on the table means which is adapted for attachment to a window of a vehicle so as to support the table means against the vehicle.

2. A table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable support means comprises an arm having means at one end remote from the table means for securing the arm onto the window of the vehicle.

3. A table as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the table is adaptable for attachment to a car.

4. A table as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the arm comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected portions, one or more of which portions is provided with a buffer for protecting the window glass or paint work of the car.

5. A table as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the portions of the arm are interconnected one with the other for allowing the arm to follow the general contours of the body, and the arm is pivotally mounted on the table top so that in a storage or collapsed condition of the table the arm is pivotable to a position lying in the same major plane as and beneath a table top of the table means.

6. A table as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a table leg is mounted on the table top at a point remote from the interconnection of the arm thereto, to support the table top relative to the ground.

7. A table as claimed in claim 6, wherein the leg is pivotally interconnected with the table top.

8. A table as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the leg is of a fixed length.

9. A table as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the leg is adjustable in length.

10. A table as claimed in any one of claims 7, 8 or 9, wherein an adjustable foot is mounted at a free end of the leg remote from the pivotal interconnection of the leg with a table top.

11. A table as claimed in claim 10, wherein the foot is pivotally mounted on the free end of the leg.

12. A collapsible table substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.