Patent Abstract:
A lightweight, collapsible table is disclosed which includes a main body which has tracks to receive slideable legs and slideable auxiliary members. The table top is hinged to allow an angled useful orientation. The various portions of the table are slideable and/or foldable into the body to provide a very compact, easy to transport assembly when the table is not in use. The body includes hinges which allows the table top to be rotated and a stand to hold the table top in an angled position as desired by a user. Auxiliary members slideably engage the body to allow the user access thereto when the table is in use. The legs are also slideably engaged within the body and include a positive stopping mechanism so that a user may adjust the width (i.e., spacing) of the legs. Additionally, the legs are extendable such that the height of the table may be adjusted by the user.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to foldable or collapsible tables and, more specifically, to collapsible or foldable tables which may be collapsed into an easily transported size and shape, but which expand to create a large work surface for one or more individuals.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    It is generally known in the art to provide a foldable table for a work surface. The foldable table may be opened to provide a suitable work surface for an individual or a group of individuals, but may be folded for convenient transport and storage. Generally, these commonly known foldable tables have a rigid tabletop with legs that simply fold underneath the tabletop for transport. Also, some tables include a foldable top surface which can collapse to enclose the legs during transport.  
           [0003]    Some foldable tables include large table surfaces which are not collapsible, thereby increasing their overall size even when folded. These types of tables may be suitable for a large group or a conference setting but are not suitably designed for one person. Furthermore, the tabletop itself is typically not movable in relationship to the legs, thus allowing only a single height with no height adjustability.  
           [0004]    Other known types of tables generally intended for use by an individual still restrict the specific configuration which the table can take. Generally, the legs are fixed and allow for only a single table height and increase the smallest possible configuration of the table. Additionally, the tabletops are often fixed in a single orientation making it hard or impossible for a user to adjust the table for ease of use.  
           [0005]    Many known types of tables include fixed members that do not allow a variable orientation of the tabletop portion either in the collapsed or open positions. The tabletop is fixed in one location so that the user has no choice in orientating the tabletop. Furthermore, it would be highly desirable to have additional work surfaces besides the main work surface that may be utilized by the user, while still not increasing the overall size (i.e., footprint) of the table. When the table is collapsed, it is desirable to have as small and compact a unit for transport while not sacrificing stability or strength of the table when the table is in its open (i.e., useable) configuration.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention overcomes the above-described limitations by providing a collapsible, easily portable, and light weight table. The table comprises a body portion that has a top surface and a bottom surface. A first track and a second track are disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface where at least one leg, and more preferably a pair of legs, are slideably engaged in the first track. An auxiliary member is slideably engaged in the second track. A table surface is pivotally supported from the body portion and capable of being supported at an angle from then body portion to thus form a convenient work surface. Each of the legs are foldable such that the table forms a very compact, easy to transport assembly when transported by a user.  
           [0007]    In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention a personal table is disclosed which includes a body which has a first surface and a second surface. At least a leg is included which has a first end and a second end that is slideable between the first surface and second surface of the body. A work surface is also operably affixed to the body and is positionable between a first position and a second position.  
           [0008]    In a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, a collapsible and portable table includes a body which has a first surface and a second surface, and a first and second track formed between the first and second surface. A work surface is also affixed to the body and is positioned between a first position and a second position. Finally, a leg is slideably engaged in the first track where the leg may slide from a position substantially adjacent to the body to a position further away from the body.  
           [0009]    The collapsible table of the present invention allows for ease of customization for a particular user and provides several ergonomic advantages. Generally, the table may be opened up into a very user-friendly configuration. The table has extendable legs to adjust the height, a rotating table top to adjust the angle from which a user views the table top and auxiliary members to hold extra items that the user may have and may desire to use while using the collapsible table. However, the table itself includes several means to allow all of the different portions thereof to be easily reconfigured into a very compact, collapsed orientation.  
           [0010]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible table in a fully extended position according to the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective fragmentary view of a collapsible table shown in its fully extended orientation according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 a  is similar to FIG. 2 which shows certain portions of the table in phantom lines in their extended positions; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the collapsible table according to the present invention in its fully collapsed orientation.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
         [0017]    With reference to FIG. 1, a collapsible table  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The table  10  includes several portions that may be folded, collapsed, or otherwise re-orientated toward a body  12  of collapsible table  10 . A top surface  14  of body  12  defines a substantially flat surface which includes several cutouts  16  to reduce the weight of collapsible table  10  and to allow various features of the table to be moved or stowed. On a front side or first side  17   a  of body  12 , a work-surface or tabletop  18  is hingedly affixed to body  12  through a female/male hinge  20 . For exemplary purpose only, a first portion  20   a  of hinge  20 , includes a female detent, whereas a second portion  20   b  of hinge  20  includes a male member  20   c  which engages the female detent, and rotation may be had in the direction of arrow A through the engagement of the male member and female detent. First portion  20   a  is formed from body  12  whereas second portion  20   b  is formed from a portion of tabletop  18 . The female-to-male interconnection forms hinge  20  about which tabletop  18  may rotate.  
         [0018]    Further connected to first side  17   a  of body  12  is a catch lever  22 . An outside edge  22   a  of catch lever  22  is also rotatable about a catch hinge  24  in a similar manner as the hinge  20 . A first portion  24   a  of catch hinge  24  is formed from body  12  and includes a female detent. A second portion  24   b  of catch hinge  24  includes a male member  24   c  formed on outside edge  22   a  of catch lever  22 . Catch lever  22  is able to rotate in the direction of arrow B.  
         [0019]    Tabletop  18  includes a slot  28  of the substantially same dimensions, including length, width, and thickness, of catch lever  22 . Slot  28  in tabletop  18  allows for a flush engagement of catch lever  22  with an upper surface  30  of tabletop  18  when catch lever  22  is in a folded position. Therefore, catch lever  22  can be folded into slot  28  to create a substantially flat surface on the upper surface  30  of tabletop  18 .  
         [0020]    With continuing reference to FIG. 1 and further reference to FIG. 2, a rear portion or second side  32  of body  12  includes a support structure or stand lever  34  to hold tabletop  18  in the raised position. Stand lever  34  rotatably engages body  12  with a stand hinge  36  similar to hinge  20  and catch hinge  24 . Stand hinge  36  is comprised of female hinge blocks  36   a  which each include female detents. The female detents each receive male members  37  which extend from a bottom portion  38  of stand lever  34 . A bottom surface or lower surface  40  of tabletop  18  includes a groove  42 . Groove  42  receives a top edge portion  44  of stand lever  34 . When top edge portion  44  of stand lever  34  is received in groove  42 , tabletop  18  is held at an angle “2” by stand lever  34  to top surface  14  of body  12 . Angle “2” is generally between 5 degrees and 45 degrees, but may be any angle suitable to the purpose of collapsible table  10 .  
         [0021]    A bottom surface  46  of body  12  is, parallel with, but a distance from top surface  14  of body  12 . The distance between bottom surface  46  and top surface  14  provides an area and defines a portion of an auxiliary track  47  to receive slidably engaged members. A first of these members is a cup holder  48 . Cup holder  48  includes a main bore  50  generally adapted to hold a cup of various sizes. Cup holder  48  also includes auxiliary bores  52  to hold various other items. An engagement arm or member  54  is received in auxiliary track  47 . A first end  54   a  of arm  54  is attached to cup holder  48  while a second end  54   b  is received through slot  53  and in auxiliary track  47  with a second end. Arm  54  includes a tab  56  (FIG. 2) which is adapted to be received in bores  60  of a back-wall or rearwall  62  which spans the distance between bottom surface  46  and top surface  14  of body  12 . Though not shown, tab  56  is spring-loaded so that it is biased in an outward position to extend through bores  60 . A force applied by a user, however, presses tab  56  into arm  54  to release arm  54  from its relatively locked position to allow a sliding motion of cup holder  48  in the directions of arrow D. Bores  60  are located such that a user may selectively reveal or conceal the cup holder  48 . Therefore, the user may determine the position of cupholder  48  relative to body  12  and fix cupholder  48  in that position.  
         [0022]    A second auxiliary member which is adapted to be received in body  12  is a tablet or other accessory holder  64 . Accessory holder  64  is not shown to include bores but may include bores as well to hold various accessories. Accessory holder  64  also includes an arm  66  and a tab  68  that is also received in bores  60  in the backwall  62 . Again, tab  68  may be depressed to allow sliding motion of the accessory holder  64  in auxiliary track  47 . Therefore, the user may determine the position of accessory holder  64  relative to body  12  and accessory holder  64  in that position.  
         [0023]    Referring further to FIG. 1, a first leg  70  and a second leg  70 ′ extend from body  12  toward a support structure, generally the ground or other relatively flat solid surface which may also include a bed or the like. Each leg  70 ,  70 ′ includes an upper leg member  72 ,  72 ′ that has a top portion  72   a ,  72   a ′ and a bottom portion  72   b ,  72   b ′, wherein bottom portion  72   b ,  72   b ′ telescopically receives a lower leg member  74 ,  74 ′ to allow a vertical adjustment of body  12  relative to the support surface. Extending from the lower leg member  74 ,  74 ′ is a leg locking member  75 ,  75 ′. The leg locking member  75 ,  75 ′ is shown to be engaging the bottom portion  72   b ,  72   b ′ of the upper leg member  72 ,  72 ′ to hold the legs  70 ,  70 ′ in their most extended positions. The leg locking members  75 ,  75 ′ held out by an inherent spring biasing, however, a separate spring may also be included to bias the leg locking members  75 ,  75 ′. It will be understood, however, that various bores may be included in the upper leg members  72 ,  72 ′ to receive the leg locking member  75 ,  75 ′ such that the legs  70 ,  70 ′ may be locked in a plurality of extended positions. It will also be understood that various other means may hold legs  70 ,  70 ′ in their extended positions such as a friction hold, and the above is a non-limiting example. In this way the legs may take on any number of extended lengths, wherein one exemplary length is twenty-nine inches, a standard table height. At a distal end of each lower leg member  74 ,  74 ′ is a foot  76 ,  76 ′. Foot  76 ,  76 ′ is shown in one exemplary form to have a convoluted shape to allow it to rest evenly even on unflat surfaces. The feet  76 ,  76 ′ may also be hollow to reduce the overall weight of the collapsible table  10 . At top portion  72   a , of upper leg member  72 , is a first leg hinge  77 , similar in form to hinge  20 , is formed. A leg arm  78  includes female hinge members  80  that receives male members  82  which extend from top portion  72   a  of upper leg member  72 . In this way, the leg  70  may be rotated and collapsed underneath body  12 . A second leg hinge  77 ′ is also formed at top portion  72   a ′ of upper leg member  72 ′ of second leg  70 ′. The principal difference between second leg hinge  77 ′ and leg first leg hinge  77  is that a female hinge member  90 , extending form leg arm  78 ′, of second leg  70 ′ is shorter than female hinge member  80  of first leg  70 , for reasons described herein.  
         [0024]    Leg arms  78 ,  78 ′ are also slideably received in leg track  79  in the body  12 , leg track  79  is substantially parallel to auxiliary track  47 . Each leg arm  78 ,  78 ′ includes a tab  84 ,  84 ′ which is spring-loaded (not shown). Tabs  84 ,  84 ′ are received in one of a plurality of bores  86  formed in a frontwall  88  of body  12 . A user may selectively depress tab  84  and then slide leg arm  78 ,  78 ′ in the direction of arrow D to choose the desired width of legs  70 ,  70 ′. In one exemplary form, bores  86  are about one inch apart, but may vary from about 0.25 inches to about one-half the length of leg track  79  depending upon the desired variability of leg widths for collapsible table  10 .  
         [0025]    All the portions of table  10  make it well suited to be easily collapsed into a very compact orientation for ease of transport and storage. With additional reference to FIG. 3, table  10  is shown in its fully collapsed position. Stand lever  34  has been rotated in the direction of arrow C and now lies substantially planar with top portion  14  of body  12 . Once stand lever  34  no longer engages groove  42 , tabletop  18  rotates in the direction of arrow A and lays substantially parallel to top surface  14  of body  12 . In this way, a flat surface has been created on a first side of body  12 . Tab  56  of cup holder  48  and tab  68  of accessory holder  64  are depressed allowing cup holder  48  and accessory holder  64  to be slid towards body  12  and be substantially concealed by body  12 . Tab  56  and tab  68  then engage the centrally located bores to hold cup holder  48  and accessory holder  64  inside body  12 . Leg arms  78 ,  78 ′ slide towards body  12  to be substantially concealed within body  12 . Tabs  84 ,  84 ′ are depressed to allow each leg arm  78 ,  78 ′ to be slid as far inward towards body  12  as allowed by the space such that female hinge members  80 ,  90  are substantially flush with the side of body  12 . Tabs  84 , when released, then engage the centermost bores to hold leg arms  78 ,  78 ′ and legs  70 ,  70 ′ in a position substantially parallel to a side of body  12 . Second leg members  74 ,  74 ′ of legs  70 ,  70 ′ are received into first leg members  72 ,  72 ′ of legs  70 ,  70 ′ to bring them to their shortest extension possible.  
         [0026]    Once the legs  70 ,  70 ′ have been collapsed such that second members  74 ,  74 ′ are slid as far as possible into their respective leg members  72 ,  72 ′, then legs  70 ,  70 ′ may be folded to be brought close to bottom surface  46  of body  12 . This is accomplished by first folding second leg  70 ′ towards bottom surface  46  of body  12 . Then, first leg  70  is folded over top of second leg  70 ′. The longer extension of female hinge member  80  is substantially equal to the thickness of second leg  70 ′ such that first leg  70  may be folded substantially flat against the folded second leg  70 ′. A leg-holding member  96  is formed on first leg  70  that engages female hinge member  80  of leg hinge  77  to hold first leg  70  in its collapsed position. Furthermore, since leg  70  is positioned over second leg  70 ′, it holds second leg  70 ′ in a collapsed position as well. Also, tabletop locking members  100 , which extend from a bottom surface  40  of tabletop  18 , engage detents  102  in the backwall  62  of body  12 . This ensures that tabletop  18  is held in place when collapsed, and further is substantially parallel to top surface  14  of body  12  to hold stand lever  34  in its substantially planar position with top surface  14  of body  12  as well.  
         [0027]    Therefore, collapsible table  10  may be collapsed into a size that is substantially equal to the area of the tabletop  18  and the thickness of body  12  and female hinge member  80 . Also, certain portions of collapsible table  10  may include bores to reduce the mass, and thereby the weight of collapsible table  10 . Generally, legs  70 ,  70 ′ and body  12  also include bores  104  or other open areas that allow for a reduction of mass and to decrease wind resistance to reduce toppling of collapsible table  10  when the table is used outdoors in adverse conditions.  
         [0028]    The plurality of bores  86  formed in frontwall  88  of body  12  allow for a variable adjustment of leg arms  78  from a distance away from or towards body  12 . Therefore, a wider and more stable stance can be obtained. Alternatively, a narrower stance can be obtained to accommodate a tight area. It will also be understood that legs  70 ,  70 ′ may be produced to allow a wide range of heights to be accommodated. The telescopic reception of each lower leg member  74 ,  74 ′ into its respective upper leg member  72 ,  72 ′ allows collapsible table  10  to be used by a user who is either sitting or standing, depending upon which position is more comfortable and/or convenient to the user for the task at hand. Additionally, a user may use collapsible table  10  from either side of collapsible table  10 . Catch lever  22  may hold books or papers which a user wishes to prop up for easier viewing when the user uses collapsible table  10  from first side  17   a . Catch lever  22  may also hold in place a typing instrument, such as portable computer, when a user is using collapsible table  10  from rear side  32 , to allow a more ergonomic placement of the wrists over the portion of tabletop  18  that is held up by stand lever  34 . Additionally, it will be understood that cup holder  48  and tablet holder  64  are merely exemplary accessories that may be held within auxiliary tracks  47 . Therefore, additional accessories may be supplied separately or with collapsible table  10  such that the user of collapsible table  10  may choose which accessories to be placed in auxiliary tracks  47 . Additionally, since tabs  56 ,  68  are selectable, a user may remove cup holder  48  and accessory holder  64  and switch them to opposite sides of the body  12  for more customization of collapsible table  10  by a user. Finally, the user may use collapsible table  10  with tabletop  18  in its angled or collapsed orientation. A user may desire or require a non-angled surface and stand lever  34  may be selectively disengaged from slot  42  without fully collapsing collapsible table  10 .  
         [0029]    Legs  70 ,  70 ′ may also be held in their uncollapsed position in several ways. One non-limiting example would be to include a detent on male members  82 ,  82 ′ which would receive a complimentary extension from the female hinge members  80 ,  90  thus holding legs  70 ,  70 ′ in their uncollapsed positions. Another system would comprises holding the legs  70 ,  70 ′ open with the friction of the surface upon which the collapsible table  10  is placed. Other systems may be included to hold the legs  70 ,  70 ′ in their uncollapsed positions.  
         [0030]    Collapsible table  10  may be formed of any material well-suited to the designs and uses of a user. Generally, a plastic or composite material may allow for ease of molding and a lightweight collapsible table  10 . However, metals or other materials, such as aluminum, may be used to form collapsible table  10 . If collapsible table  10  is to be used to support articles having significant weight, then a material such as aluminum or other metal may be desirable to form collapsible table  10 .  
         [0031]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0