Patent Publication Number: US-2022211171-A1

Title: Pedestal Leg Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/563,268 filed on Sep. 6, 2019 and entitled PEDESTAL LEG ASSEMBLY which is hereby incorporated by reference 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of table and pedestal legs and more specifically to a leg having locking and/or power supply capabilities. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recreational vehicles, such as boats, RVs, and the like, often include furniture arranged within the vehicle&#39;s interior. In some cases, the furniture, such as tables, may be removable to create more floor space. Removable tables often comprise a table top and one or more removable legs that are fixed into an opening in the floor. The table leg or legs may be locked into openings to support a table top, and removed from openings to create more space as needed. 
     Current designs of removable table legs suffer from various deficiencies. First, locking mechanisms have several drawbacks. For example, many table leg locking mechanisms are difficult to operate or require multiple users to both hold and lock the leg in place. The locking process can be time consuming and onerous. In addition, some locking legs that are screwed into place lack simple mechanisms to prevent unwanted unlocking or removal of the leg from the corresponding opening. 
     Further, current locking leg designs fail to provide simple solutions for supplying power to a corresponding table top. 
     For at least these reasons, an improved locking table leg is needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     A pedestal leg assembly is generally provided. The pedestal leg assembly may comprise a pedestal leg having a top end, bottom end, and sidewall extending therebetween. The leg may include a plurality of teeth positioned about a circular portion of the leg at or near the bottom end. A connecting bolt may be connected in a threaded engagement with a bottom end of the pedestal leg. The assembly may include a floor base having an recessed portion to receive the bottom end of the pedestal leg. The recessed portion may include a slot in its bottom surface to receive the bolt therein. The floor base may further include a release mechanism configured to pivot between a lock position and a release position. At least a portion of the release mechanism extends into the recessed portion in lock position and is positioned to engage at least one of the teeth to prevent rotation of the pedestal leg in at least one direction. When pivoted into release position, the release mechanism moved away from engagement with the teeth to allow rotation of the pedestal leg in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. 
     In an embodiment, the teeth may be positioned about the sidewall of the leg and angled or slanted to allow rotational movement of the pedestal leg one direction when the release mechanism is in lock position. The release lever may include a release tab that protrudes through a top surface of the floor base and is accessible from above the floor base to move the release lever into release position. The release lever may further include a biasing mechanism to bias the release lever to locking position. The floor base may include a hard stop configured to restrict rotation of the bolt when the bolt is inserted through the slot. 
     In an embodiment, the pedestal leg assembly may be configured to relay power from the floor base to a supported top surface. The powered pedestal leg assembly may include a pedestal leg having a top end, and a bottom end and a sidewall extending therebetween, and a floor base having an recessed portion to receive the bottom end of the pedestal leg. An electrical contact assembly may be connected to an underside of the floor base. The electrical contact assembly may include a plug configured to protrude through an opening in a bottom surface of the recessed portion. The bottom end of the pedestal leg may include an electrical contact positioned to engage the plug when the pedestal leg is inserted into the recessed portion. The electrical contact assembly is configured to receive input power to provide power to the pedestal leg. 
     The powered pedestal leg assembly may include a power bus to transfer the input power to the top end of the pedestal leg. The pedestal leg may include an electrical contact at its top end configured to receive power from the power bus. Power from the electrical contact at the top end may be transferred to a table top supported by the pedestal leg. 
     The electrical contact assembly may include one or more pogo pins retained between a top holder and a bottom holder. A retainer and a biasing member may be positioned over each pogo pin. The retainer and biasing member are biased away from the pogo pin to prevent exposure of the pogo pin unless a force is applied to the retainer. The electrical contact on the bottom of the pedestal leg may comprise a ring contact having two or more isolated electrical contact surfaces positioned concentric to one another. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The operation of the invention may be better understood by reference to the detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a locking pedestal leg; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of a locking table leg; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded end view of a locking table leg having a pedestal cap with locking teeth; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an isometric view of a pedestal cap; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a cutaway view of a pedestal leg connected to a floor base; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an assembly view of a floor base; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a bottom view of a floor base; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an assembly view of a powered pedestal leg; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an exploded view of a floor base assembly having a powered connection to a pedestal leg; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exploded view of a floor base contact assembly; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an exploded view of a pedestal bottom end having a powered connection; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a cutaway view of a pedestal bottom end having a powered connection; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an exploded view of a pedestal top end having a powered connection to a surface; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a cutaway view of a pedestal top end having a powered connection to a surface; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates table contacts and power distribution assembly. 
         FIG. 16  illustrates the bottom of a pedestal leg having vertically arranged teeth; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates the underside of a floor base  12  having a release mechanism configured to pivot vertically; and 
         FIG. 18  illustrates an exploded view of a floor base having a release mechanism with vertically arranged teeth. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the respective scope of the invention. Moreover, features of the various embodiments may be combined or altered without departing from the scope of the invention. As such, the following description is presented by way of illustration only and should not limit in any way the various alternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustrated embodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     A pedestal leg assembly  10  is generally presented, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-15 . The pedestal leg assembly, also referred to herein as “pedestal,” “leg,” or the “assembly,” may be generally configured to connect to a base  12  and to support a top surface  14 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-7 , a locking pedestal leg assembly  10  is generally shown. The assembly  10  comprises a leg or shaft  18 . The leg  18  may be generally hollow and may be any appropriate shape, such as cylindrical. The leg  18  may be formed of any appropriate material to provide sturdy structural support for a surface, such as metals, plastic, or the like. 
     The leg  18  may include a top end  20  and bottom end  22 . The top end  20  may be configured to support a surface or table  14  while the bottom end  22  may be configured to connect to a floor base  12 , as described in further detail below. The top end  20  may connect to a table base  24 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The table base  24  may connect to the top end  20  using any appropriate fastening techniques, such as a tension fit, screws, and the like. The table base  24  may include an upward facing flat top surface  26  having openings or brackets designed to connect to and support the table surface  14 . 
     The pedestal leg assembly  10  may be configured to connect to and lock with a floor base  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5-7 , the floor base  12  may comprise a top surface having an opening or indentation  28  therein. The opening  28  may be sized and shaped to receive a bottom portion of the pedestal leg  18  therein. For example, the opening may be circular to receive a cylindrical portion of the leg  18 . The opening  28  may be cylindrically shape having a circular sidewall  30  and a bottom surface  32 . The floor base  12  may include mounting holes to facilitate mounting the base  12  to a floor or surface. 
     The pedestal leg  18  may include an end cap  34  positioned at its bottom end  22 . The end cap  34  may be connected to the bottom end  22  in any appropriate manner, such as inserting into the hollow opening of the bottom end  22  and fixed to the leg by rivets  36  or any appropriate fastener. The end cap  34  may include a threaded opening  38  arranged generally parallel with the outer walls of the leg  18 . The threaded opening  38  may be approximately centrally positioned within the cross section of the cylindrical leg  18  and end cap  34 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the pedestal leg may include a T-bolt  40  inserted into the threaded opening. The T-bolt  40  may include a head  42  and threaded shaft  44  arranged to form a T-shape, wherein the head  42  includes two generally flat surfaces and extends lengthwise wider than the profile of the threaded shaft  44 . The T-bolt  40  may be inserted into the threaded opening  38  with the head  42  extending away from the end cap  34  at an adjustable distance, wherein the distance is adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the T-bolt  40 . 
     The end cap  34  may further include a plurality of teeth  46  positioned about an outer portion of the end cap  34 . The teeth  46  may face outward, away from a central axis of the pedestal leg assembly  10 . As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the teeth  46  may be slanted to allow rotation of the pedestal leg assembly  10  in one rotation while preventing rotation in the opposite direction, as described in further detail below. 
     The floor base  12  may include a release lever  48 . The release lever  48  may be pivotally connected to the floor base  12  to pivot between a lock position and a release position. For example, as best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the release lever may be pivotally connected to the underside of the floor base  12  by way of a fastener  50 , such as a shoulder screw. The release lever  48  may include a first end that comprises a notch  52 . The notch  52  may extend through and hole  54  in the sidewall  30  and/or bottom surface  32  when in lock position. The notch  52  may be configured to engage the teeth  46  when in lock position to prevent rotational movement of the pedestal leg assembly  10  in a first direction while still allowing rotational movement in the opposite direction. The release lever may be biased toward lock position, such as biased by a torsion spring  56  or the like. A second end of the release lever  48  may comprise a tab  58  and may extend upwards through the underside of the floor base to be exposed above and accessible to the top surface of the floor base  12 . The opening in the floor base  12  through which the tab  58  extends may be large enough to allow for lateral movement of the tab  58  to pivot the release lever  48  between lock position and release position. In release position, the notch  52  may be pulled away from the sidewall  30  to allow free rotational movement of the pedestal leg assembly  10  in both directions, both clockwise and counterclockwise. 
     The floor base  12  may further include a slot  60  positioned in the bottom surface  32 . The slot  60  may be sized and shaped to fit the head  42  of the T-bolt  40  therethrough, such as generally rectangular. As shown in  FIG. 7  from an underside view of the floor base  12 , include a hard stop  62  positioned adjacent to the slot  60  on the underside of the floor base  12 . The hard stop  62  may abut the head  42  of the T-bolt  40  once it is inserted into the slot  60  and rotated. For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the hard stop  62  is positioned to allow 90 degrees of rotation of the T-bolt head  42  to position the head  42  perpendicular to the slot  62 . This positioning prevents the T-bolt  40  from being removed from engagement with the base  12  while abutted with the hard stop  62 . 
     In use, the pedestal leg assembly  10  may be provided with the T-bolt  40  at least partially inserted into the floor base  12  aligning the T-bolt head  42  with the slot  62  and inserting it therethrough. The leg assembly  10  may then be rotated in a first direction, such as clockwise. Upon rotation, the T-bolt head  42  will abut the hard stop  62  when the head is rotated approximately 90 degrees from the slot position. The pedestal leg assembly  10  may continue to be rotated in a clockwise direction once the T-bolt head  42  abuts the hard stop  62 , which will serve to screw the T-bolt  40  into the threaded opening  38  thereby tightening the T-bolt&#39;s connection to the floor base  12 , until the connection is fully tightened. During the clockwise rotation of the pedestal leg assembly  10 , the release lever  48  may be in lock position, which is the default position due to the biasing spring  56 . The angle of the teeth  46  combined with the angle of the notch  52  may allow rotation of the pedestal leg assembly  10  in a clockwise direction to tighten the leg assembly  10  but may prevent any counterclockwise rotation of the leg assembly  10  to loosen the connection or allow rotation of the T-bolt head  42  back into alignment with the slot  62  to facilitate removal of the leg  10 . 
     To disconnect the leg assembly  10  from the floor base  12 , the release lever  48  may be moved into release position by pressing the tab  58  to override the force of the biasing spring  56  and pivot the notch  52  away from the hole  54 . Once the release lever  48  is in release position leg assembly  10  may be freely rotated in either direction, and may be unscrewed in counterclockwise direction to loosen the connection with the floor base and rotate the T-bolt head into alignment with the slot  62  to remove the leg assembly  10  from the floor base. 
     While rotational movements are described herein as clockwise or counterclockwise, it will be appreciated that the actual directions of rotation may be interchangeable in practice. 
     In an embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 16-18 , the leg assembly  10  may be configured to allow both connection and disconnection of the leg  18  when the release lever  48  is depressed. As shown in  FIG. 16 , the bottom end  22  of the leg  18  may include teeth  130  that are oriented vertically to engage one or more similar fixed teeth  132  on the release lever  48 . The vertical orientation of the teeth  130 ,  132  may prevent any movement or rotation of the leg  18  in either direction while the teeth  130 ,  132  are integrated. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , a spring  134 , such as a leaf spring, may be positioned under the release mechanism  48  to bias the release mechanism upwards and away from a supporting surface. When the button or tab  58  is depressed, the release mechanism  48  may pivot downward, toward the supporting surface, and away from the hole  54  and any potential engagement with an inserted leg  18 . 
     To connect the leg  18  to the base  12  the T-bolt head  42  may be inserted through the slot  62 . The tab or button  58  may be depressed to lower the release lever  48  out of lock position and into release position, away from hole  54  in the sidewall  30  and out of position where it would engage the teeth  130  on the leg  18 . The T-bolt  40  may engage the hard stop  62  and the leg  18  may be rotated, while the release lever  48  is depressed, until the T-bolt  40  is fully and tightly connected to the base  12 . The release lever  48  may then be released and the teeth  130 ,  132  may engage. The engaged teeth  130 ,  132  act as a rotation lock to prevent any unwanted rotation of the leg  18 , to prevent both unscrewing of the leg  18  or over locking of the leg  18 . To disconnect the leg  18  from the base  12 , the release lever  48  may be depressed and leg  18  may be unscrewed and the T-bolt head  42  aligned with the slot  62  to remove the leg  18 . 
     In an embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 8-15 , the pedestal leg assembly  10  may include a powered connection. The powered connection may be received through the floor base  12  and transfer power through the leg  18  and to a table top  14 . The power connection may include a power signal, a communication signal, or a combination thereof. The components of the powered leg assembly  10  described below may be used alone or in conjunction with the locking components pedestal leg assembly  10  described above. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8-10 , the floor base  12  may include an electrical power connection. The floor base  12  may be configured to safely connect power to and through the leg  18 , as described below. The power connection may be an AC power connection, such as a 120 VAC connection, or a DC power connection, such as a 12 VDC power connection. While the pedestal leg assembly  10  is shown and described as having a two wired connection, it will be appreciated that the same or similar designs to those described herein may be implemented using a three-wire, four-wire, or any number of wires in a wired connection. 
     The floor base  12  may be configured to mechanically and electrically receive a powered connection. The floor base  12  may include a plug opening  72  in the bottom surface  32 . The plug opening  72  may be sized and shaped to receive one or more electrical connections, such as connection wires, or a supporting fixture or assembly therethrough. For example, a contact assembly  74  may connect to the floor base  12  and provide a housing for the electrical connection. The contact assembly  74  may comprise a top holder  76  and bottom holder  78  configured to house the electrical connection parts and interconnect the input power with the floor base  12 . The top and bottom holders  76 ,  78  may be circular and generally flat and configured to engage one another to contain electrical connection components therebetween. The top holder  76  may include a plug  80  sized and shaped to insert and protrude through the plug opening  72 . The bottom holder  78  may include one or more, such as a pair, of pogo pin receptacles  82 . The receptacles  82  may be configured to hold pogo pins  84  in a fixed position. 
     The pogo pins  84  may each be surrounded by a spring  86  and covered by a retainer  88 . The retainers  88  may be biased away from the pins  84  and may be pushed toward the pins when a force is applied thereon. The retainers  88  may be formed of a non-conductive material, such as plastic, and may generally comprise a cylindrical outer guard to protect the pins  84  from unwanted contact. The retainers may include openings at the top of each cylindrical guard to allow contact with the pins therethrough. 
     A wire harness  90  may connect to the bottom holder  78  to provide an input electrical connection  92 . The wire harness  90  may comprise any bundle of electrically powered wires. The wires may connect to an underside of the bottom holder  78  to conduct power to the pins  84 . In an embodiment, the floor base  12  may include a mechanically activated safety switch. The switch may be configured to relay power from the harness  90  to the pogo pins  84 . The switch may be activated by sensing that a pedestal leg assembly  10  is inserted into the floor base  12 . For example, the switch may be activated by receiving a mechanical input, such as a protrusion from the leg assembly  10  when inserted into the floor base opening  28 , to activate the switch and relay power from the harness  90  to the pins  84 . Alternatively, other sensing mechanisms, such as magnetic or other sensing devices, may be used to sense when contact is made between the leg assembly  10  and the floor base  12 . 
     When the top and bottom holders  76 ,  78  are assembled, the retainers  88  may protrude from the openings of the plug  80 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . The retainers  88  may depress when a force is applied thereon to push down and expose the pogo pins  84 . The exposed pins may then conduct power to any contacted device. 
     The leg assembly  10  may be configured to receive power at its bottom end and transfer the power through the leg  18 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the end cap  34  may comprise a ring contact  94  and ring contact holder  96 . The ring contact  94  and contact holder  96  may both be generally circular and having a central opening to allow the T-bolt  40  to protrude therethrough. The contact holder  96  may hold the contact ring  94  in place and provide an insulating outside surface to prevent unwanted electrical contact with the ring  94 . The contact ring  94  may include one or more contact surfaces  98  isolated from one another. For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the contact ring  94  may include two contact surfaces  98  arranged concentrically from one another. The contact surfaces may be isolated to allow one surface to carry a first power signal, such as high voltage, and the second surface to carry a common or ground signal. 
     The contact ring  94  may be arranged to face the contact surfaces toward the floor base  12 . The retainers  88  and pogo pins  84  may be positioned so as to align when the leg assembly  10  and floor base  12  are engaged. For example, a first contact surface  98  may align with a first pogo pin  84  and a second contact surface  98  may align with a second pogo pin  84  to individually transfer power signals from each pin  84  to a contact surface  98  on the contact ring  94 . When the leg assembly  10  is seated in the opening  28 , the contact ring  94  may depress the retainers  88 , exposing the pogo pins  84  and creating an electrical contact between the pins  84  and the respective contact surfaces  98 . 
     The leg assembly  10  may include insulated power busses or wires  95  to transfer power connections from the bottom end  22  to the top end  22  of the assembly  10 . The transfer bus  95  may comprise isolated wire or wires, conductive paths integrated into the interior of the leg  18 , or any other means of transferring the input power to the top end  20  of the assembly  10 . 
     In an embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 13-15 , the top end  20  may be configured to pass power from the power bus  95  to the top surface  14 . A contact holder  100  may be inserted into the top end  20  and positioned near an opening in the top end  20 . The contact holder may receive a power connection from a transfer harness  102 . The transfer harness  102  may specifically interconnect the bus  95  with the contact holder  100 . The contact holder  100  may include openings  104  to receive contact pins, such as pogo pins  106  therethrough. The pogo pins  106  may connect to the transfer harness  102  and extend power through the contact holder  100 . 
     A spring or biasing member  108  may be placed over each pogo pin  106  an covered by a pogo sleeve  110 . The sleeve  110  may include an opening that allows the pogo pin  106  to protrude therethrough only when a force is applied to the sleeve  110  to depress the spring  108 . A retainer  112  may be placed over the sleeves  110  to protect them from unwanted contact and retain them in place. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 14-15 , the top end  20  of the leg assembly  10  may be configured to interface with a power distribution assembly  114  of a top surface  14 . The top surface  14  may include one or more powered applications, such as lights, outlets, and the like. Each powered application may be fed by power distribution connector  116 . The connectors  108  may be wired back to a central power hub  118 , such as a printed circuit board (“PCB”). The power hub or PCB  118  may be configured to receive a plurality of power distribution connectors  108  and feed them from a single input power line. 
     The top surface  14  may include a PCB holder  120  to support the PCB  118 . The PCB holder  112  may connect to the underside of the top surface  14  and hold the PCB  118  therein. A potting  119  may be filled above the PCB  118  to protect the PCB from water or other environmental hazards. The PCB holder  120  may be generally sized and shaped to extend into the opening in the top end  20  of the leg  18 . For example, the PCB holder  120  may be generally cylindrical and configured to extend down into the top opening of the leg  18  when the top surface  14  is rested on the table base  24 . 
     The PCB holder  120  may include a top ring contact  122  connected thereto. The top ring contact  112  may include one or more contact surfaces isolated from one another and aligned to engage the pogo pins  106  when the PCB holder  120  is inserted into the top of the leg  18 . 
     While the electrical connection between the base  12  and the leg assembly  10  and the electrical connection between the leg assembly  10 , and top surface  14  are shown and described as utilizing pogo pin connections, it will be appreciated that other connections may be used to relay power from the base  12  to the leg assembly  10  and from the leg assembly  10  to the top surface  14 . These connections may include use of a leaf spring, wiper, barrel connector, magnetic connector, blade connection, and slip ring, either individually or in combination with one another. Further it will be appreciated that any other known electrical connection styles and designs may also be utilized and implemented with the designs shown and described herein. 
     In use, the leg assembly  10  may be connected to a base  12  by inserting the T-bolt  40  into the slot  60  and rotating the leg assembly  10 . The release lever  48  may allow rotation in a first direction and prevent rotation in the opposite direction, to allow the leg assembly  10  to be screwed into place. Upon rotation, the T-bolt head  42  may abut the hard stop  62  and rotation of the leg assembly  10  may tighten the T-bolt  40  to the base  12 . The ring contact  94  may engage and depress the retainers  88  to contact the lower pogo pins  84  and create a connection between the input power  92  and the transfer bus  95 . The transfer bus may provide an electrical connection to the transfer harness  102  which may feed power to the upper pogo pins  106  which are housed in the contact holder  110 . A top surface  14  having a PCB holder  120  and contact ring  112  may be inserted into the top end  20  of the leg  18 . The contact ring  112  may engage the retainer  112  and depress the sleeve  110  and spring  108  to contact the pogo pins  106  and provide a powered connection to the table top  14 . To release the leg assembly  10  from the base, the release tab  58  may be activated to remove the release lever  48  away from the teeth  46  and allow the T-bolt  40  to be unscrewed and removed from the base  12 . 
     Although the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to just the embodiments disclosed, but that the invention described herein is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the claims hereafter. The claims as follows are intended to include all modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalent thereof.