US20070221104A1

US20070221104A1 - Foldable table

Info

Publication number: US20070221104A1
Application number: US11/277,049
Authority: US
Inventors: Chuen-Jong Tseng
Original assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co Ltd
Current assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-03-21
Filing date: 2006-03-21
Publication date: 2007-09-27

Abstract

A foldable table includes: a tabletop; and left and right leg units, each of which includes a pivot joint and first and second supporting legs. The second S supporting leg has a top end pivoted to the tabletop. The first supporting leg has first and second segments. The first segment is pivoted to the second supporting leg and has an upper end pivoted to the pivot joint. The second segment has a first end pivoted to the pivot joint, and a second end pivoted to the tabletop. The first and second supporting legs are foldable relative to each other from a non-folded position, in which the first and second segments are aligned along an axis, and in which the first segment of the first supporting leg crosses the second supporting leg, to a folded position, in which the first segment of the first supporting leg is substantially parallel to the second supporting leg.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foldable table, more particularly to a foldable table including a pair of first supporting legs, each of which has first and second segments pivoted to a pivot joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional foldable table 1 that includes left and right leg units 11 and a tabletop 12 mounted pivotally on top ends of the left and right leg units 11. Each of the left and right leg units 11 includes first and second supporting legs 111, 112 pivoted to each other, and a pivot plate 13 pivoted to a top end of the first supporting leg 111. A U-shaped support rod 114 is secured to the pivot plates 113 of the left and right leg units 11, and is pivoted to the tabletop 12.
The aforesaid conventional foldable table 1 is disadvantageous in that the size of the table 1 is still relatively large when folded due to the presence of the U-shaped support rod 14.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable table that can overcome the above drawback associated with the prior art.
Accordingly, a foldable table of this invention comprises: a tabletop; and left and right leg units, each of which includes a pivot joint and first and second supporting legs. The second supporting leg has top and bottom ends and a middle portion extending between the top and bottom ends of the second supporting leg. The top end of the second supporting leg is pivoted to the tabletop. The first supporting leg has first and second segments. The first segment is pivoted to the middle portion of the second supporting leg, and has an upper end pivoted to the pivot joint. The second segment has a first end disposed above the upper end of the first segment and pivoted to the pivot joint, and a second end pivoted to the tabletop. The first and second supporting legs are foldable relative to each other from a non-folded position, in which the first and second segments are aligned along an axis, in which the second end of the second segment is disposed above the upper end of the first segment, and in which the first segment of the first supporting leg crosses the second supporting leg, to a folded position, in which the first segment of the first supporting leg is substantially parallel to the second supporting leg and in which the second end of the second segment is disposed below the upper end of the first segment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a conventional foldable table;
FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a foldable table according to this invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment at a nonfolded position;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view to illustrate how first and second segments of a first supporting leg of the preferred embodiment are pivoted to a pivot joint;
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view to illustrate how the preferred embodiment is folded; and
FIG. 6 is a partly sectional, schematic side view of the preferred embodiment at a folded position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the preferred embodiment of a foldable table according to the present invention is shown to include: a tabletop 5; and left and right leg units 2, each of which includes a pivot joint 23 and first and second supporting legs 21, 22. The second supporting leg 22 has top and bottom ends 221, 222 and a middle portion 223 extending between the top and bottom ends 221, 222 of the second supporting leg 22. The top end 221 of the second supporting leg 22 is pivoted to the tabletop 5 through a pivot plate 54. The first supporting leg 21 has first and second segments 211, 212. The first segment 211 is pivoted to the middle portion 223 of the second supporting leg 22, and has an upper end 2111 pivoted to the pivot joint 23 through a first pivot pin 233. The second segment 212 has a first end 2121 disposed above the upper end 2111 of the first segment 211 and pivoted to the pivot joint 23 through a second pivot pin 234, and a second end 2122 pivoted to the tabletop 5. The first and second supporting legs 21, 22 are foldable relative to each other from a non-folded position (FIG. 3), in which the first and second segments 211, 212 are aligned along an axis (L), in which the second end 2122 of the second segment 212 is disposed above the upper end 2111 of the first segment 211, and in which the first segment 211 of the first supporting leg 21 crosses the second supporting leg 22, to a folded position (FIG. 6), in which the first segment 211 of the first supporting leg 21 is substantially parallel to the second supporting leg 22 and in which the second end 2122 of the second segment 212 is disposed below the upper end 2111 of the first segment 211.
In this embodiment, the pivot joint 23 is in the form of a U-shaped plate, and includes a middle portion 232, and two arm portions 231. The first and second pivot pins 233, 234 extend through the arm portions 231 of the pivot joint 23.
A pivot shaft 3 extends through the middle portions 223 of the second supporting legs 22 and the first segments 211 of the first supporting legs 21 of the left and right leg units 2.
A first stretcher 4 interconnects the first segments 211 of the first supporting legs 21 of the left and right leg units 2. A second stretcher 6 interconnects the second supporting legs 22 of the left and right leg units 2.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, during a folding operation, one end of the table 5 that is distal from the second end 2122 of the second segment 212 of the first supporting leg 21 can be lifted so as to move simultaneously the second supporting leg 22 toward the first segment 211 of the first supporting leg 21 and the second end 2122 of the second segment 212 toward the first segment 211.
With the arrangement of the first and second segments 211, 212 of the first supporting leg 21 and the pivot joint 23, the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art can be mitigated.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A foldable table comprising:

a tabletop; and

left and right leg units, each of which includes a pivot joint and first and second supporting legs, said second supporting leg having top and bottom ends and a middle portion extending between said top and bottom ends of said second supporting leg, said top end of said second supporting leg being pivoted to said tabletop, said first supporting leg having first and second segments, said first segment being pivoted to said middle portion of said second supporting leg, and having an upper end pivoted to said pivot joint, said second segment having a first end disposed above said upper end of said first segment and pivoted to said pivot joint, and a second end pivoted to said tabletop, said first and second supporting legs being foldable relative to each other from a non-folded position, in which said first and second segments are aligned along an axis, in which said second end of said second segment is disposed above said upper end of said first segment, and in which said first segment of said first supporting leg crosses said second supporting leg, to a folded position, in which said first segment of said first supporting leg is substantially parallel to said second supporting leg and in which said second end of said second segment is disposed below said upper end of said first segment.

2. The foldable table as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pivot shaft extending through said middle portions of said second supporting legs and said first segments of said first supporting legs of said left and right leg units.

3. The foldable table as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first stretcher that interconnects said first segments of said first supporting legs of said left and right leg units, and a second stretcher that interconnects said second supporting legs of said left and right leg units.

4. The foldable table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot joint is in the form of a U-shaped plate.