Abstract:
A folding table comprises an upper panel, a lower panel, and a plurality of legs swingably articulated to the upper panel. The table is collapsible between an open position, in which the panels are separated, and a closed position, in which the panels are adjacent. Displacement of the lower panel into the open position entails deployment of the legs into a substantially upright position supporting the table in its open position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to folding tables, and in particular to those having two working surfaces at different heights. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Collapsible tables are ubiquitous contrivances used for a host of applications. The most common comprise a single working surface, and legs which collapse for easy storage of the table. Less common are collapsing tables having more that one working surface. These tables typically comprise, in their respective open positions, two surfaces, one below the other. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,116 discloses a foldable table having an upper support plate, first and second side support plates extending downward from the upper support plate to contact with a floor, an upper pivot plate downwardly pivotable and hinged to the upper support plate. The first and second side pivot plates are inwardly pivotable and are hinged to the first and second side support plates. The first and second wing plates are formed at the first and second side pivot plates and are upwardly pivotable therefrom. The table is fully folded in a compact configuration when the first and second side pivot plates are pivoted inwardly and the upper pivot plate is pivoted downwardly. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,770 discloses a folding portable table including an upper table surface, a number of folding table legs, and a lower table surface. The lower table surface is held between the legs by pins protruding from the perimeter of the lower table surface and is slideably retained in grooves therein. The pins slide up and down within the grooves, allowing the lower table surface to be raised up to, or lowered down from, the upper table surface. When the lower table surface is raised up adjacent to the upper table surface, the legs can be folded under the upper table surface for transport and storage of the table. The table can be deployed by unfolding the legs and lowering the lower table surface down from the upper table surface. The grooves may be tapered from top to bottom such that the pins are frictionally bound in the deployed position in order to make the table stronger. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a folding table comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, and a plurality of legs swingably articulated to the upper panel. The table is collapsible between an open position, in which the panels are separated, and a closed position, in which the panels are adjacent. Displacement of the lower panel into the open position entails deployment of the legs into a substantially upright position supporting the table in its open position. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a folding table which is collapsible between an open and a closed position. The table comprises an upper panel, a lower panel, and a plurality of legs. Each leg is shiftable between an upright position and stowed position. When the table is in the open position, the panels are separated from one another and the legs are in the upright position, and when the table is in the closed position, the panels are adjacent one another and the legs are in the stowed position. 
   When the table is in the open position, the panels are parallely separated from one another, and when in the closed position, the panels may be in full contact with one another. 
   The table, according to one of the embodiments, comprises at least two supports which attach the panels. The supports are each shiftable between a collapsed position, associated with the table in the closed position, and an erect position, associated with the table in the open position. According to one particular embodiment, the supports extend between corresponding edges of the panels, and each comprises an upper portion and a lower portion hingedly articulated to each other. 
   According to a modification of the present invention, when converting the table to the open position, the bottom panel is displaced away from the top panel by gravity, thereby entailing shifting of the legs to their upright position and the supports to their erect position. The lower panel comprises elongate opening sized and located to allowing swinging therethrough of the legs. This arrangement permits the legs to shift from their stowed position to their upright position upon opening of the table. 
   The top of each leg and the lower panel optionally comprises cooperating arrangements adapted to shift the legs from their upright positions to their stowed positions upon collapse of the table from the open to the closed position. The arrangement, according to one embodiment, is a cam and follower arrangement, wherein the cam is in the form of an inclined plane projecting from the top surface of the lower panel, and the follower is in the form of hooked member projecting from the top of each leg. The hooked member preferably is rounded to facilitate smooth sliding thereof on the inclined plane. 
   The table has, according to a further modification of the present invention, a first latching arrangement adapted to secure it in the closed position, and a second latching arrangement, associated with the supports, adapted to secure the table in the open position. 
   According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the table is adapted to store at least one vise in at least one of the panels. The vise, according to one modification, is fully received within the panel. The vise comprises a fixed jaw section and a movable jaw section connected thereto by a rail and adjustable along the length of the rail. 
   According to a further modification, the upper panel comprises a least one groove, in a top surface thereof, adapted to receive the rail of the vise. The upper panel also comprises at least one through-passing aperture, having reinforced sides, of sufficient size to allow passage therethrough of the rail. Additionally, the upper panel is reinforced at side-margin areas. 
   The table according to the present invention is adapted for use with the vise wherein the rail is passed through the through-passing aperture, allowing the fixed jaw portion to abut a top surface of the upper panel and the movable jaw portion to abut the bottom surface of the upper panel. Additionally, a chuck is provided which is receivable within the aperture and adapted, when thus received, to cooperate for clamping with the vise in a lying position. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, several embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a table according to the present invention in an open position; 
       FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1  in a closed position; 
       FIG. 2B  is a bottom perspective view of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the closed position; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of an upper panel of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4A  is a top perspective view of a lower panel of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4B  is a bottom view of the lower panel illustrated in  FIG. 4A ; 
       FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a support in an open position of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5B  is an exploded perspective view of the support illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
       FIG. 5C  is a perspective view of the support illustrated in  FIG. 5A  in a closed position; 
       FIG. 6A  is a front view of a leg of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6B  is a side view of the leg shown in  FIG. 6A ; 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of a table latching arrangement of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  are perspective views of a vise for use with the table illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 8C  is a perspective view of a jaw foot of the vise illustrated in  FIGS. 8A and 8B ; 
       FIGS. 9A through 9D  are perspective views of the table illustrated in  FIG. 1  showing different uses of the vise therewith; and 
       FIG. 9E  is a bottom perspective view of the upper panel. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
   As seen in  FIG. 1 , there is provided a collapsible table  10 . The table comprises an upper panel  12 , a lower panel  14 , two supports  16 , and four legs  18 . The table is collapsible between an open position, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and a closed position, as illustrates in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
   The upper and lower panels  12 ,  14  are of corresponding shape, which allows for efficient storage of the table when in the collapsed position. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the upper panel may comprise a plurality of apertures  13  adapted to receive a variety of hand tools. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the lower panel  14  comprises four elongate openings  27  and an inclined surface  29  adjacent each one on the upper edge thereof. As shown in  FIG. 4B , the bottom surface of the lower panel comprises guides  46  adapted to receive the legs  18  when in the stowed position. Either the upper or lower panel  12 ,  14  may comprise a carrying handle  15  integrally formed therein and adapted to allow easy transport of the table  10  thereby. The other panel is shaped so as to permit gripping of the handle. 
   Each support  16  is hingedly articulated at its top to the upper panel, and at its bottom to the lower panel. As seen in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , it comprises an upper portion  20  and a lower portion  22 . The two portions  20 ,  22  are hingedly articulated to each other by a rod  24 . The support  16  is swingable about the rod  24  between an erect position and a collapsed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 5C . The supports  16  are retained in the erect positions by a support latching arrangement  26  associates therewith. 
   The legs  18  are swingably articulated to the bottom surface of the upper panel  12 . As seen in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the legs  18  each comprise lateral protrusions  28 , which are positioned so as to provide support for the lower panel  14  when the table  10  is in the open position. At the top of each leg is a hooked member  30 , which is useful when collapsing the table as described below. Each hooked member  30  has at its end a rounded knob  32 . Each leg  18  may further comprise at its bottom a foot  34 , adapted to protect the leg when in use and prevent the table from slipping when in the open position. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates a table latching arrangement  36 . This arrangement is adapted to secure the table  10  in the closed position. It comprises a thumbpad  38  at a top end and a catch  40  at a bottom end. In the middle is a through-passing bore  42 . The upper and lower panels  12 ,  14  each comprise apertures  44   a ,  44   b  adapted for use with the table latching arrangement. The table latching arrangement  36  is secured to the upper panel  12  such that the thumbpad  38  is accessible from the top of the panel and so that it is rotatable about an axis passing through the bore  42 . The thumbpad does not extend above the top surface of the upper panel  12 , and the bottom end of the arrangement  36  extends below the bottom surface thereof. When the table  10  is fully closed, the bottom end of the arrangement passes through aperture  44   b , and the catch  40  receives the bottom surface of the lower panel  14 , thereby securing the table in the closed position. 
   In operation, the table  10  is initially in the closed position. In order to open the table, the table  10  is held parallel to the ground, with the upper panel  12  above the lower panel  14 . The thumbpads  38  are depressed, causing the catches  40  to disengage from the lower panel  14 , which undergoes displacement away from the upper panel  12  and toward the ground. As a result, the supports  16  shift to their erect positions and latch, and the legs  18  swing into their open positions. The displacement of the lower panel  14  is limited by two factors. The first is the length of the supports  16 . The second is the presence of the lateral protrusions  28  on the legs  18 . These two factors also provide support for the lower panel  14 . 
   To collapse to table  10 , the support latching arrangements  26  are disengaged, allowing the supports  16  to be shifted to their collapsed positions. The lower panel  14  is displaced toward the upper panel. Before the panels fully contact one another, the inclined surfaces  29  begin to push on the hooked members  30  of the legs  18 . Further displacement of the lower panel  14  pushes the rounded knob  32  upward, which swings the leg into the stowed position. The inclined surfaces  29  also serve to retain the legs  18  in the stowed position when the table  10  is fully closed. 
   According to one modification, the table  10  comprises vise  70 , illustrated in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . The vise  70  comprises a fixed jaw section  72 , a movable jaw section  74 , and a rail  76 , which exits the fixed jaw section  72  via a sleeve  78 . Each jaw section  72 ,  74  comprises a jaw foot  72   a ,  74   a . The sleeve comprises two lateral extensions  80 . The movable jaw section  74  may be secured to any location along the length of the rail  76 . Tightening of the vise is accomplished by engaging a squeeze handle  82 . This results in sliding displacement of the rails toward the fixed jaw section. The rail  76  may be slid away from the fixed jaw section  72 , thereby loosening the vise, by engaging a release lever  84 . 
   The table is specially adapted for use with the vise  70 . The lower panel  14  comprises molded grips  86 , each adapted to snugly and fully receive a vise  70 . In order not to interfere with closing of the table  10 , the vise  70  is preferably no thicker that the lower panel  14 . 
   The upper panel  12  comprises at least one groove  88  adapted to receive the rail  76  of the vise  70 . The table, at the ends of the grooves  88 , comprises T-shaped niches  89  coaxial therewith and adapted to receive the sleeve  78  at a distal end. The vise may be thus securely held to the table  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 9A . 
   As seen in  FIG. 9B , the upper panel  12  further comprises several through-passing apertures  90 . The apertures  90  are adapted to be used in conjunction with the vise  70  to clamp an article  100  to the table  10  in an area of the top edge which is not immediately adjacent the side edge thereof. In use, the vise  70  is disposed on the table so that the rail  76  passes downwardly through the aperture  90 . The movable jaw section  74  (not seen in  FIG. 9B ) is attached to the rail  76  below the upper panel  12 . In this way, the vise  70  may be used to clamp the article  100  to areas adjacent the apertures  90 . In order to facilitate the clamping in this fashion, the area of the upper panel  12  along the perimeters of the apertures  90  are reinforced by laterally extending ribs  94   a , as illustrated in  FIG. 9E . In addition margins areas along the perimeter of the upper panel  12  are reinforced with laterally extending ribs  94   b  to permit clamping the vise  70  thereto, as seen in  FIG. 9C . As seen in  FIG. 8C , the jaw feet  72   a ,  74   a  may comprises grooves  96  adapted to receive the ribs  94   a ,  94   b  when the vise  70  is clamped to the table. As seen in  FIG. 9D , the apertures may be used in conjunction with a chuck  92  for clamp the article to the table. 
   Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention mutatis mutandis. For example, the shape of the panels may vary, as may the number of legs. It should also be noted that while the embodiment described herein is particularly useful as a worktable, the scope of the present invention is not limited to such use. The collapsible table described herein may be adapted for other uses, such as for food service, laboratory use, infant changing table, etc., without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.