Patent Publication Number: US-2012037051-A1

Title: Computer Table That Is Folded and Expanded Easily And Quickly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a table and, more particularly, to a computer table for mounting a computer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional computer table is used for mounting a computer to facilitate a user operating the computer. However, the conventional computer table cannot be folded to have a smaller volume when not in use, thereby increasing the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the computer table. In addition, the conventional computer table is not assembled and disassembled easily and quickly, thereby causing inconvenience to a user when assembling and disassembling the computer table. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a computer table, comprising a board assembly including a support board, a movable board pivotally connected with the support board by two elastic fastening members and two connecting members, and two fixing brackets each mounted on the support board and each connected with a respective one of the two elastic fastening members. 
     Each of the two fixing brackets of the board assembly has a surface formed with at least one pivot hole and at least one guide slot. The guide slot of each of the two fixing brackets has a first end formed with a first locking groove and a second end formed with a second locking groove. Each of the two elastic fastening members of the board assembly has a first distal end formed with a bent pivot portion pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the respective fixing bracket and a second distal end formed with a bent locking portion movably mounted in the guide slot of the respective fixing bracket and releasably locked in the first locking groove or the second locking groove of the guide slot. 
     Each of the two elastic fastening members of the board assembly is pivotally mounted on the movable board by a pivot seat and is detachably locked onto a respective one of the two fixing brackets. Each of the two elastic fastening members of the board assembly has a substantially U-shaped profile. The guide slot of each of the two fixing brackets has a substantially arc-shaped profile. The first locking groove of each of the two fixing brackets is inclined relative to the guide slot. The second locking groove of each of the two fixing brackets is inclined relative to the guide slot. Each of the two connecting members of the board assembly has a first end pivotally connected with the support board and a second end pivotally connected with the movable board. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a computer table that is folded and expanded easily and quickly. 
     According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the computer table can be folded to have a smaller volume so as to decrease the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the computer table. 
     According to another advantage of the present invention, the computer table is assembled and disassembled easily and quickly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the computer table. 
     According to a further advantage of the present invention, the movable board is movable to space from the support board and is movable to abut the support board so that the board assembly is expanded for use with a user and can be folded when not in use to have a smaller volume so as to decrease the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the computer table. 
     According to a further advantage of the present invention, the board assembly is assembled easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling the computer table. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a board assembly of a computer table in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a locally enlarged view of the board assembly of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the board assembly of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the board assembly of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic operational view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic operational view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a computer table in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a top cross-sectional view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a locally enlarged view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded cross-sectional view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective folded view of the computer table as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-6 , a computer table in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a board assembly  1  that can be folded and expanded to support a computer. 
     The board assembly  1  includes a support board  10 , a movable board  13  pivotally connected with the support board  10  by two elastic fastening members  130  and two connecting members  132 , and two fixing brackets  11  each mounted on the support board  10  and each connected with a respective one of the two elastic fastening members  130 . 
     The movable board  13  of the board assembly  1  is disposed under the support board  10  and has a size smaller than that of the support board  10 . 
     Each of the two fixing brackets  11  of the board assembly  1  has a surface formed with at least one pivot hole  111  and at least one guide slot  112 . The guide slot  112  of each of the two fixing brackets  11  has a substantially arc-shaped profile and has a first end formed with a first locking groove  113  and a second end formed with a second locking groove  114 . The first locking groove  113  of each of the two fixing brackets  11  is inclined relative to the guide slot  112 . The second locking groove  114  of each of the two fixing brackets  11  is inclined relative to the guide slot  112 . 
     Each of the two connecting members  132  of the board assembly  1  has a first end pivotally connected with the support board  10  and a second end pivotally connected with the movable board  13 . 
     Each of the two elastic fastening members  130  of the board assembly  1  is pivotally mounted on the movable board  13  by a pivot seat  132  and is detachably locked onto a respective one of the two fixing brackets  11 . Each of the two elastic fastening members  130  of the board assembly  1  has a substantially U-shaped profile and has a first distal end  131  formed with a bent pivot portion  133  pivotally mounted in the pivot hole  111  of the respective fixing bracket  11  and a second distal end  134  formed with a bent locking portion  135  movably mounted in the guide slot  112  of the respective fixing bracket  11  and releasably locked in the first locking groove  113  or the second locking groove  114  of the guide slot  112 . 
     In use, each of the two elastic fastening members  130  of the board assembly  1  is perpendicular to the support board  10  and the movable board  13  as shown in  FIG. 4  when the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is locked in the second locking groove  114  of the respective fixing bracket  11  so that the movable board  13  is parallel with and spaced from the support board  10 , and each of the two elastic fastening members  130  of the board assembly  1  is parallel with the support board  10  and the movable board  13  as shown in  FIG. 6  when the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is locked in the first locking groove  113  of the respective fixing bracket  11  so that the movable board  13  is movable to abut the support board  10 . 
     In operation, referring to  FIGS. 4-6  with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is initially locked in the second locking groove  114  of the respective fixing bracket  11  so that each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is locked onto the respective fixing bracket  11  so as to position the movable board  13 . At this time, the movable board  13  is parallel with and spaced from the support board  10  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Thus, the movable board  13  is expanded for use with a user. 
     When the user applies a force to push the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  to detach from the second locking groove  114  of the respective fixing bracket  11 , the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is movable in the guide slot  112  of the respective fixing bracket  11  as shown in  FIG. 5  to reach the first locking groove  113  of the respective fixing bracket  11 . Then, the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is inserted into and locked in the first locking groove  113  of the respective fixing bracket  11  by the elastic force of each of the two elastic fastening members  130 . At this time, the movable board  13  abuts the support board  10  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus, the movable board  13  is folded when not in use. 
     When the user again applies a force to push the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  to detach from the first locking groove  113  of the respective fixing bracket  11 , the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is movable in the guide slot  112  of the respective fixing bracket  11  as shown in  FIG. 5  to reach the second locking groove  114  of the respective fixing bracket  11 . Then, the locking portion  135  of each of the two elastic fastening members  130  is inserted into and locked in the second locking groove  114  of the respective fixing bracket  11  by the elastic force of each of the two elastic fastening members  130 . 
     Accordingly, the movable board  13  is movable to space from the support board  10  and is movable to abut the support board  10  so that the board assembly  1  is expanded for use with a user and can be folded when not in use to have a smaller volume so as to decrease the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the computer table. In addition, the board assembly  1  is assembled easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling the computer table. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-12 , the computer table in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a frame assembly  2  connected with the board assembly  1  to support the board assembly  1 . The frame assembly  2  includes a rear frame  21  and two side frames  20  pivotally mounted on two opposite ends of the rear frame  21  respectively. 
     Each of the two opposite ends of the rear frame  21  has an upper portion and a lower portion each provided with a first pivot section  23 . Each of the two side frames  20  has a rear end having an upper portion and a lower portion each provided with a second pivot section  24  pivotally connected with the respective first pivot section  23  of the rear frame  21  by a pivot pin  211  so that the rear end of each of the two side frames  20  is pivotally connected with the rear frame  21 . Each of the two side frames  20  has a front end having an upper portion formed with an elongate locking slot  22 . 
     The support board  10  of the board assembly  1  is detachably mounted on the rear frame  21  and the two side frames  20  of the frame assembly  2 . The support board  10  of the board assembly  1  has a front end provided with two locking pieces  14  each inserted into and detachably locked in the locking slot  22  of a respective one of the two side frames  20  to attach the support board  10  of the board assembly  1  to the two side frames  20  of the frame assembly  2 . The support board  10  of the board assembly  1  has a rear end provided with a threaded locking plate  15  locked onto the rear frame  21  by a threaded locking knob  212  to attach the support board  10  of the board assembly  1  to the rear frame  21  of the frame assembly  2 . The threaded locking knob  212  is extended through the rear frame  21  and is screwed into the threaded locking plate  15  of the support board  10 . 
     In assembly, the second pivot section  24  of each of the two side frames  20  is pivotally connected with the respective first pivot section  23  of the rear frame  21  by the pivot pin  211  so that the rear end of each of the two side frames  20  is pivotally connected with the rear frame  21 . Then, each of the two locking pieces  14  of the support board  10  is inserted into the locking slot  22  of the respective side frame  11 . Then, the support board  10  is moved rearward relative to the two side frames  20  so that each of the two locking pieces  14  of the support board  10  is locked in the locking slot  22  of the respective side frame  11  as shown in  FIG. 10  to attach the support board  10  to the two side frames  20 . Finally the threaded locking knob  212  is extended through the rear frame  21  and is screwed into the threaded locking plate  15  of the support board  10  to attach the support board  10  to the rear frame  21  so as to assemble the computer table as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     When not in use, the threaded locking knob  212  is unscrewed from the threaded locking plate  15  of the support board  10  and is removed from the rear frame  21  to detach the support board  10  from the rear frame  21 . Then, the support board  10  is moved forward relative to the two side frames  20  so that each of the two locking pieces  14  of the support board  10  is unlocked and detached from the locking slot  22  of the respective side frame  11  as shown in  FIG. 11  to detach the support board  10  from the two side frames  20 . Thus, the support board  10  can be removed from the rear frame  21  and the two side frames  20 . In such a manner, after the support board  10  is removed from the rear frame  21  and the two side frames  20 , each of the two side frames  20  is pivoted relative to the rear frame  21  so that each of the two side frames  20  can be moved to abut the rear frame  21  so as to fold the computer table as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Accordingly, the computer table can be folded to have a smaller volume so as to decrease the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the computer table. In addition, the computer table is assembled and disassembled easily and quickly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the computer table. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.