US20020043182A1

US20020043182A1 - Folding and portable table for massage or for any other type of treatment

Info

Publication number: US20020043182A1
Application number: US09/981,264
Authority: US
Inventors: Jean-Luc Simonin
Original assignee: LPG Design Dev
Current assignee: LPG Design Dev
Priority date: 1999-04-20
Filing date: 2001-10-17
Publication date: 2002-04-18
Also published as: CN1348350A; FR2792523B1; AU4125800A; FR2792523A1; EP1171075A1; WO2000062732A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a portable and folding table consisting of a base (2) designed to support a plate (3) whereon a person can lie down, characterised in that: the plate has length and width greater than the support surface of the base on the ground; The lower part of the plate (3) comprises means to be fitted onto the base while being supported around and against the peripheral edge of the box forming said base; the articulation between the two panels (9) forming the plate, is formed by a connecting strip (12) on either side of which the elementary panels (9) are linked so as to form two articulations (13), the width of said connecting strip (12) being not less than the total thickness of the folded side walls of the box(es) forming the base, the dimensions of the two elementary panels (9) forming said plate corresponding substantially to the height and the width of the non-folding side surfaces of the elementary box(es) forming the base.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of the treatment of an individual, lying down either directly on the ground or at a raised level, so as to allow him to perform exercises or to be manipulated and/or treated, for example during massage.

It relates more particularly to a novel type of table which is folding and portable and consists, in the known way, of an underframe and of a top intended to support the person in the lying-down position.

In the remainder of the description, the novel type of table according to the invention will be termed a “massage table” even though it could possibly be used for other applications.

PRIOR ART

Aside from conventional massage tables, the underframe and top of which are permanently joined together, it has long been proposed, for such a use, for folding portable tables to be produced.

Among the solutions hereto proposed, mention may be made of those which form the subject matter of, in particular, the French Patents 2 611 123, 2 591 475 and 2 555 422.

In all these installations which, in general, can be compared with folding tables used in the field of leisure, the underframe is fixed permanently to the top and consists of uprights associated possibly with crossmembers which are articulated to the top and can be folded up against this top, said top also consisting of a number of elements which can be folded one against the other.

Of these devices, the most tempting solution is the one covered by FR 2 555 422 in which the top consists of two equal parts hinged together, and is equipped with legs which can be folded against the underside of said top, making it possible, in the folded and closed condition, to have an assembly which is somewhat in the form of a suitcase.

An embodiment such as this is, however, relatively complex and, in practice, the bearings supporting the hinge pins may become worn to the point of breakage. In addition, while the fact of having legs which allow for heightwise adjustment may seem tempting, this capability is to the detriment of the stability of the table, and the table is tricky to level because the eight legs that such a table has have to be adjusted independently of one another.

It has also been proposed, as is apparent from FR-A-2 572 633, for folding and collapsible furniture to be produced which is made up of an underframe intended to support a top.

In such an embodiment, the underframe consists of a parallelepipedal block with four vertical faces and forming an open box structure at its base and at its upper part, said vertical faces being hinged one to the next in pairs along their common edge.

A solution such as this does, however, pose problems when there is a desire to store and transport the assembly after having collapsed it, given that the side faces of the underframe are simply folded one against the other, thus giving rise to a lengthwise bulk which is twice the width of each side of the base.

In Patent U.S. Pat. No. 4 138 951, which relates to a collapsible and folding table, also consisting of an underframe and of a top which can be set onto the upper part of the underframe, the side faces of said underframe comprise fold zones making it possible to reduce the bulk of the assembly for storage and transport. Likewise, the top may also be folded at its central part.

A solution such as this is not, however, entirely satisfactory, because the underframe occupies a footprint identical to that of the top, and the way in which it is held on said top lacks reliability.

Furthermore, when the underframe and the top are folded, they form an entity which is relatively bulky and difficult to transport and to store.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention sets out to propose a novel type of massage table, which can be folded and is portable, and which is not only extremely simple but also makes it possible to obtain perfect stability during use.

It is also aimed at a novel type of table which eliminates any risks of wear and of breakage that the presence of articulations in the prior-art solutions entail.

Finally, it sets out to produce a structure such that the top can not only be used normally, combined with an underframe, but which can also possibly be used by laying it directly on the ground, thus providing the user with an exercise mat.

In general, the novel type of folding and portable table according to the invention is therefore made up of an underframe intended to support a top on which a person can lie down, and in which:

the underframe consists of at least one parallelepipedal block having just four vertical faces and forming an open box structure at its base and at its top, said vertical faces being hinged one to the next in pairs along their common edge;

the top consists of at least two panels hinged together.

The table according to the invention is characterized in that:

the top has a length and a width that exceeds the footprint of the underframe;

the underside of the top has means capable of fitting onto the underframe and resting around and against the peripheral rim of the box structure forming said underframe;

the hinged articulation between the two panels constituting the top is formed of a connecting strip, to each side of which the elemental panels are connected so as to form two articulations, the width of said connecting strip being at least equal to the total thickness of the folded side walls of the box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe, the dimensions of the two elemental portions constituting said top more or less corresponding to the height and to the width of the non-folding side faces of the elemental box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe.

According to the simplest embodiment, the underframe consists of a single parallelepipedal block, the long side faces of which have a number of fold zones.

According to a preferred embodiment, said underframe is preferably made up of two parallelepipedal blocks that can be pushed together, two opposite faces having a fold zone at their central part.

In this preferred embodiment, the connecting central part comprises, on its underside, means designed to fit onto and around the ends of the panels on each side of the juxtaposed faces of the two elemental blocks that form the underframe, thus improving the stability of the whole.

By way of material that can be used to produce the box structures that form the underframe, use may be made of sheets of densified board, plastic, so as to form, in the unfolded state, a structure of parallelepipedal shape hinged at its four corners, two opposed walls known as the “front face” and the “rear face” also having a fold zone along their entire height.

By virtue of a design such as this, the two box structures can be folded, the two side faces trapping between them the front and rear faces of the box structure which are folded. During transport, the box structures thus folded are arranged between the elemental panels that make up the top, held together by any appropriate means such as a strap, so as to form a compact entity that is easy to store and to transport.

The top for example consists of a sheet of plastic comprising, along its length, one or two fold zones and covered on its top face with a layer which provides the user with comfort, for example a layer of thermocompressed foam, forming a kind of mat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will, however, be better understood by virtue of the concrete exemplary embodiment given hereinbelow by way of nonlimiting indication and which is illustrated by the appended diagrams in which: [0031]
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically, in perspective, one preferred form of a massage table according to the invention, during its use; [0032]
FIGS. 2, 3, [0033] 4 and 5 illustrate, also in perspective, the various phases of operation for collapsing and folding the various elements that make up such a table so as to gather them together (FIG. 5) when there is a desire to move the table;
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative form of box structure for forming the underframe of the table according to the invention; [0034]
FIGS. 7 and 8 are, respectively, views in cross section and in longitudinal section of a table produced in accordance with the invention and more specifically showing the way in which the table top is associated with its underframe; [0035]
FIG. 9 illustrates a simplified form of a variant of a folding underframe for producing a table according to the invention.[0036]

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the appended diagrams, the invention therefore relates to a novel type of table, denoted by the general reference ([0037] 1), which is therefore made up of an underframe, denoted by the general reference (2), supporting a top (3) on which a person can lie down.
The underframe ([0038] 2) consists of two parallelepipedal blocks denoted by the same reference (4), which are open at their base and at their top and therefore have just four vertical faces (5 a, 5 b, 6 a, 6 b) articulated one to the next in pairs along their common edge (7), the two opposed faces (6 a, 6 b) having a fold zone (8) at their central part.
The top ([0039] 3) has a length and a width that exceed the footprint of the underframe which therefore consists of the two box structures (Sa) pushed together. This top (3) consists of at least two panels (9) hinged together.
The top is covered on its upper face with a layer of material which provides the patient with comfort. [0040]
On its underside ([0041] 10) it has means (11) capable of fitting onto the box structures forming the underframe by resting against the peripheral rim of said box structures.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the appended figures, the two main elements ([0042] 9) of which the top is made are hinged together by a connecting strip (12) on each side of which the elemental panels are connected so as to form two hinged articulations (13).
The underside of this connecting strip ([0043] 12) is shaped as a groove defined between two bulges in relief (14) which traps the two side faces (6 a, 6 b) of the two elemental box structures (see FIG. 8).
A top such as this is preferably made by thermoforming a plastic. [0044]
When the top and the underframe are associated with one another as shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and [0045] 8, a perfectly stable table is obtained.
To obtain an entity which can be transported in a minimum amount of space, the dimensions of the elemental box structures ([0046] 4) are such that the area of the side walls (Sa, Sb) correspond to the area of the panels (9) of which the top is made.
Furthermore, the connecting zone ([0047] 12) has a width such that it is equal to about eight times the thickness of the side walls of the box structures.
By way of indication, in the case of a massage table 69 cm wide and a total of 180 cm long, and in which the box structures forming the underframe are made of a material such as densified board with a thickness of 1.5 cm, the side faces ([0048] 5 a, 5 b) will be 67 cm tall and 82 cm long, the width of the panel (6) being 63 cm, the dimensions of the elemental panels (9) corresponding to those of the lateral panels (5) and the joining zone (12) having a width of 14 cm.
By virtue of such a design, it is possible, as is apparent from FIGS. [0049] 3 to 5, for said table easily to be collapsed, each box structure being folded in such a way that the faces (6 a, 6 b) fold about the vertical axis (8) and are held between the side faces (5 a, 5 b), the top is itself also folded and is arranged around the box structures (FIG. 4), the end edges of the tops then being held together by any appropriate means, such as by means of a strap.
With the edges thus folded, all of the elements of which the table is made can therefore easily be stored and transported. [0050]
When said table is to be erected, this operation can be performed very quickly by opening the clasp ([0051] 10) (FIG. 5) then by unfolding the box structures (FIG. 4) and the top (FIG. 3). With the two box structures pushed together, the underside of said top is then fitted into the underframe thus formed.
Of course, the invention is not restricted to the concrete embodiment described and provision could be made, as is apparent from FIG. 6, for there to be additional box structures designed to take transverse reinforcements, such as sheets that can be fitted into grooves made at the upper part of the side faces ([0052] 5) of each box structure.
Aside from its great ease of setting-up, such a table also has additional advantages through the fact that, as the side walls of the underframe are solid, they can be used to support decorative or advertizing material. [0053]
Moreover, additional means may be provided for keeping the elemental box structures folded up, for example by providing attachment means of the “Velcro” type on the folded faces. [0054]
Likewise, when the underframe consists of two elemental box structures, these may have attachment means, also of the “Velcro” type, on the faces facing each other. [0055]
Finally, provision may be made for lateral orifices to be made in the walls of the box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe, these orifices being to hold various accessories. [0056]
Finally, as is apparent from FIG. 9, the underframe may just as easily be produced from a single block of parallelepipedal shape. [0057]
In such an embodiment, the side faces will have fold zones ([0058] 8), while the front and rear faces will, for their part, be formed of rigid panels.
As in the preferred embodiment described previously, it is therefore possible to fold up the underframe which, in its folded form, therefore has a thickness corresponding to the total sum of the thicknesses of each element of the articulated walls. [0059]
In such a case, the top will preferably be produced as before, with a central zone ([0060] 12), thus allowing this element to be used to fold around the underframe in its folded state.

Claims

1. A folding and transportable table made up of an underframe (2) intended to support a top (3) on which a person can lie down, and in which:

the underframe (2) consists of at least one parallelepipedal block having just four vertical faces and forming an open box structure at its base and at its top, said vertical faces being hinged one to the next in pairs along their common edge;

the top (3) consists of at least two panels (9) hinged together, characterized in that:

the top has a length and a width that exceeds the footprint of the underframe;

the underside of the top (3) has means capable of fitting onto the underframe and resting around and against the peripheral rim of the box structure forming said underframe;

the hinged articulation between the two panels (9) constituting the top is formed of a connecting strip (12), to each side of which the elemental panels (9) are connected so as to form two articulations (13), the width of said connecting strip (12) being at least equal to the total thickness of the folded side walls of the box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe, the dimensions of the two elemental portions (9) constituting said top more or less corresponding to the height and to the width of the non-folding side faces of the elemental box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe:

2. The folding and portable table as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the top face of the top is covered with a layer of material that provides the patient with comfort.

3. The table as claimed in one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the underframe (2) consists of a single box structure of parallelepipedal shape, the long side faces of which have a number of fold zones.

4. The table as claimed in one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the underframe (2) consists of two parallelepipedal blocks (4) that can be pushed together, two opposite faces (6 a, 6 b) having a fold zone (8) at their central part.

5. The table as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the connecting central part (12) comprises, on its underside, means (14) designed to fit onto and around the ends of the panels on each side of the juxtaposed faces of the two elemental blocks that form the underframe.

6. The table as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe (2) is or are made of sheets of densified board, plastic, etc.

7. The table as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the top (3) consists of a sheet of thermoformed plastic covered on its top face with a layer that provides the user with comfort, such as a layer of thermocompressed foam, and comprises, on its underside, zones in relief capable of fitting inside the box structure or structures that forms or form the underframe resting against or around the walls of this or these box structure(s).