Abstract:
A hinge mechanism for folding a table leg against a table top includes a body that is attachable to the table top and that has a cavity formed therein, and a pivot having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being connectable to the table leg, the second portion being generally cylindrical and axially displaceable and rotatable between a first rotational position and a second rotational position in the cavity. The second portion of the pivot has a radially protruding first projection and a biasing element that applies a biasing force to urge the pivot in a first direction parallel to the axis of the second portion. Preferably, the cavity includes first and second recesses that receive the first projection when the second portion is displaced in the first direction in the first and second rotational positions, respectively.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of co-pending provisional application No. 60/361,052, filed Feb. 28, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a hinge mechanism for folding table legs of the type having locking means for releasably locking the legs of a table at least in the unfolded condition of the table, wherein the table is ready for use.  
           [0004]    In many situations it is desirable to be able to fold the legs of a table such that the legs abut the table top so as to save space and to allow easy storage and transport of the table.  
           [0005]    Such a folding table is disclosed in UK patent application GB 2 049 025 where a hinge mechanism comprises an open U-shaped bracket attached to the bottom surface of a table top, and is provided with a shaft around which a leg of the table may pivot from a folded to an unfolded position, locking means being provided for locking the leg in both positions, the leg being released from both locked positions by manually displacing the leg along the shaft against the force of a coil compression spring. The mechanism is open and therefore can cause severe pinching of fingers during the locking and pivoting operations. Furthermore, the unfolding of the legs requires release of the locking mechanism which is rather impractical when setting up the table. Finally, the hinge mechanism is rather large and unsightly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a hinge mechanism of the type disclosed in the above-cited reference that avoids the risk of pinching fingers, wherein the unfolding operation is more practical, and that has a compact and attractive design.  
           [0007]    According to the invention this object is achieved by the mechanism comprising a pivot having a first and a second portion, the first portion being adapted for integral or releasable connection to a leg of a table, the second portion being generally cylindrical and axially displaceable and rotatable between a first rotational position and a second rotational position in a cavity or hollow of a body adapted for being attached to a table top, said second portion comprising a radially protruding first projection, a biasing means being provided for urging said pivot in a first direction parallel to the axis of said second portion, said cavity or hollow comprising a first and a second recess adapted for receiving said first projection when said second portion is displaced in said first direction in said first and second rotational positions, respectively.  
           [0008]    All the cooperating locking and rotating means are enclosed in a cavity or hollow, such that little or no pinching of fingers is possible. Furthermore, the design is compact and practical to operate.  
           [0009]    In the currently preferred embodiment of the hinge mechanism according to the invention, the shape of said first projection is such relative to the shape of said first recess that rotation of said second portion is not allowed when said first projection is received in said first recess, and said shape of said first projection is such relative to the shape of said second recess that rotation of said second portion from said second position towards said first position causes said pivot to move in a second direction opposite said first direction against the biasing force of said biasing means.  
           [0010]    The unfolding of the leg may be carried out simply by applying a certain force to the leg in the unfolding direction without having to perform any extra unlocking operation.  
           [0011]    In the currently preferred embodiment, said second recess comprises a sloped surface arranged at an angle relative to said first direction, said first projection having a surface portion adapted to glide along said sloped surface when said second portion is displaced in said first direction in said second rotational position, and said first projection is shaped like a wedge tapering in said first direction to a front edge of said wedge. Thus, a self-centering effect is achieved between the wedge and the first recess  
           [0012]    In said currently preferred embodiment, said surface portion is constituted by said front edge, and said biasing means comprises a coil compression spring, said cavity or hollow being provided with a first abutment means and said second portion being provided with a second projection, said coil spring being arranged such that one end thereof abuts said abutment means, and the other end thereof abuts said second projection.  
           [0013]    Preferably, said second projection is constituted by at least a portion of an annular circumferential collar.  
           [0014]    So as to achieve a more stable and secure locking function in the unfolded position of the leg, said second portion may comprise a third radially protruding projection, said cavity or hollow comprising a third recess adapted for receiving said third projection in said first rotational position of said second portion.  
           [0015]    In the currently preferred embodiment, said sloped surface is a surface of a rib or wall provided in said cavity or hollow, and is made of a resilient plastic material such as polyarylamide with 50% glass fibers admixed. Thus, a particularly efficient and durable frictional braking retention of the leg in the folded position is achieved.  
           [0016]    Preferably, a first stop surface is provided in said cavity or hollow for cooperation with a second stop surface of said second portion for determining said second rotational position.  
           [0017]    So as to be able to vary the retention force in the folded position of the leg, the position of said first and/or second stop surface may be adjustable for adjusting the location of said second rotational position, and said first stop surface may comprise the end of a screw or bolt.  
           [0018]    So as to able to adjust the retention force from the outside of the body, said screw or bolt may extend from the outer surface of said body, such that said screw or bolt may be rotated from outside said body.  
           [0019]    The present invention further relates to a hinge mechanism for folding table legs, the mechanism comprising a pivot adapted for integral or releasable attachment to a leg of a table and for pivotable attachment to a table top such that the pivot can rotate between a first position corresponding to the unfolded position of said leg and a second position corresponding to the folded position of said leg, releasable locking means being provided for releasable locking of said pivot in said first position, and frictional brake means being provided for frictionally retaining said pivot in said second position and to a folding leg table comprising a hinge mechanism as disclosed above. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    In the following, the invention will be explained more in detail with reference to a currently preferred embodiment shown, solely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings where:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic bottom perspective views of a folding table with legs unfolded and folded, respectively,  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a currently preferred hinge mechanism according to the invention seen in the direction towards the bottom of the associated table top,  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mechanism of FIG. 2 seen in the direction opposite to the view direction in FIG. 3,  
         [0024]    FIGS.  5 - 8  are a series of schematic bottom plan views of the hinge mechanism showing different stages in the folding operation of the hinge mechanism and the associated table leg or legs,  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the top bracket portion shown in FIG. 4 with the encircled region A cut away,  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the top bracket portion of FIGS. 4 and 9,  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 10,  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is an enlarged scale view of the encircled region B in FIG. 11, and  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 is an enlarged scale view, similar to FIG. 12, of an alternative embodiment with an adjustable holding resistance in the folded position of the table. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]    Referring first to FIGS.  1 - 2 , a table  1  is shown having four folding legs  2  pivotably attached to the bottom surface of a table top  3  by means of hinge mechanisms  4  and  5 , according to the invention, attached to the bottom surface. The legs  2  are paired by means of connecting rods  6 , such that folding of the legs  2  from the unfolded position in FIG. 1 to the folded position in FIG. 2 takes place pairwise. The hinge mechanism according to the invention may just as well be utilized in connection with legs that fold singly, i.e., not in pairs. In that case, the connecting rods  6  are left out.  
         [0031]    Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the hinge mechanism  4  comprises top and bottom bracket portions  7  and  8 , respectively, intended for being attached to one another by attachment means such as screws (not shown) extending through four holes  9  and  10  in the portions  8  and  7 , respectively. The top portion  7  is intended to be attached to the bottom of the table top  3  by attachment means such as screws (not shown) extending through four holes  11 . In FIG. 4 many of the details shown in FIG. 3 are left out for the sake of clarity.  
         [0032]    When the top and bottom portions  7  and  8  are attached to one another, they define an interior hollow for receiving a cylindrical portion  12  of a pivot  13  having an end portion  14  for insertion in an aperture in the top of a leg  4  for connecting the leg to the pivot  13 . The pivot has a second end portion  15  for insertion in an aperture in a connecting rod  6  for connecting the pivot  13  to the connecting rod. The end portions  14  and  15  have longitudinal surface grooves for frictionally engaging the leg  2  and the rod  6 , respectively.  
         [0033]    The cylindrical portion  12  has a radial wedge shaped locking projection  16  and a diametrically opposed radial wedge shaped locking projection  17 . The cylindrical portion  12  is furthermore provided with an annular collar or circumferential projection  18  (best seen in FIG. 4) intended to serve as an abutment for one end of a compression spiral spring  19 , the other end abutting against a shoulder  20  provided in bracket portion  7 .  
         [0034]    The bracket portions  7  and  8  are provided with wedge shaped locking recesses  21  and  22  for receiving the locking projections  16  and  17 , respectively when the coil compression spring  19  urges the pivot  13  in the direction of arrow R 1  while the pivot is in the rotational position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponding to the unfolded position of the legs  2  shown in FIG. 1, i.e. with the end portion  14  substantially at right angles to the bottom surface of table top  3 .  
         [0035]    The top bracket portion  7  is provided with a flat gliding surface  23  arranged mechanisms  4  and  5 , according to the invention, attached to the bottom surface. The legs  2  are paired by means of connecting rods  6 , such that folding of the legs  2  from the unfolded position in FIG. 1 to the folded position in FIG. 2 takes place pairwise. The hinge mechanism according to the invention may just as well be utilized in connection with legs that fold singly, i.e., not in pairs. In that case, the connecting rods  6  are left out.  
         [0036]    Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the hinge mechanism  4  comprises top and bottom bracket portions  7  and  8 , respectively, intended for being attached to one another by attachment means such as screws (not shown) extending through four holes  9  and  10  in the portions  8  and  7 , respectively. The top portion  7  is intended to be attached to the bottom of the table top  3  by attachment means such as screws (not shown) extending through four holes  11 . In FIG. 4 many of the details shown in FIG. 3 are left out for the sake of clarity.  
         [0037]    When the top and bottom portions  7  and  8  are attached to one another, they define an interior hollow for receiving a cylindrical portion  12  of a pivot  13  having an end portion  14  for insertion in an aperture in the top of a leg  4  for connecting the leg to the pivot  13 . The pivot has a second end portion  15  for insertion in an aperture in a connecting rod  6  for connecting the pivot  13  to the connecting rod. The end portions  14  and  15  have longitudinal surface grooves for frictionally engaging the leg  2  and the rod  6 , respectively.  
         [0038]    The cylindrical portion  12  has a radial wedge shaped locking projection  16  and a diametrically opposed radial wedge shaped locking projection  17 . The cylindrical portion  12  is furthermore provided with an annular collar or circumferential projection  18  (best seen in FIG. 4) intended to serve as an abutment for one end of a compression spiral spring  19 , the other end abutting against a shoulder  20  provided in bracket portion  7 .  
         [0039]    The bracket portions  7  and  8  are provided with wedge shaped locking recesses  21  and  22  for receiving the locking projections  16  and  17 , respectively when the coil compression spring  19  urges the pivot  13  in the direction of arrow R 1  while the pivot is in the rotational position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponding to the unfolded position of the legs  2  shown in FIG. 1, i.e. with the end portion  14  substantially at right angles to the bottom surface of table top  3 .  
         [0040]    The top bracket portion  7  is provided with a flat gliding surface  23  arranged perpendicular to the axis of the portion  12  and along which the front edge  24  of the wedge shaped projection  16  glides when the pivot  12  is rotated in the direction of the arrow R 3  subject to the biasing force of the spring  19  in the direction R 1 .  
         [0041]    Adjacent the flat gliding surface  23 , a sloped gliding and braking surface  25  is provided such that a shallow recess is formed into which the edge  24  of the wedge  16  glides along said sloped surface  25  urged by the coil spring  19  (in the direction R 1 ) when the pivot  13  has been rotated approximately 90 degrees in the direction of arrow R 3  from the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The sloped gliding and braking surface is shown from other angles and in larger scale in FIGS. 9, 11 and  12   
         [0042]    Referring now to FIGS.  5 - 8 , different stages in the process of folding a leg from the locked position thereof shown in FIG. 1 to the folded position shown in FIG. 2 are illustrated.  
         [0043]    In FIG. 5 the wedge projections  16  and  17  are inserted fully in the respective wedge shaped recesses  21  and  22  and held there by the coil spring  19  such that an effective locking of the leg  2  in the unfolded position of FIG. 1 is achieved. The coil spring is in its most extended position.  
         [0044]    In FIG. 6, the pivot  13  with leg  2  and connecting rod  6  has been pulled manually in the direction R 4  against the force of the coil spring  19  which is in its most compressed position. Hereby, the wedges  16  and  17  are fully extracted from the respective recesses  21  and  22  and the pivot  13  is free to be rotated in the direction R 3  (counter-clockwise when viewed in the direction R 4 ) with the front edge  24  of the wedge  17  gliding along the flat surface  23 .  
         [0045]    In FIG. 7 the pivot  13  has been rotated approximately 90 degrees, and the front edge  24  is located at the boundary between the flat glide surface  23  and the sloped glide and brake surface  25  shown in dotted lines because it is located lower than the flat surface  23 .  
         [0046]    In FIG. 8, the pivot  13  has been rotated slightly further in the direction R 3  and the front edge  24  has glided down the sloped surface  25  in the direction R 4  under the influence of the force of the spring  19  and is in the position shown in FIG. 12. This is the holding position where the legs  2  are held in the folded position by the resistance against rotation of the pivot  13  in the unfolding direction resulting from the force of the spring  19  that must be overcome, and the friction between the sloped surface  25  and the front edge  24  of the wedge  16 .  
         [0047]    This resistance is not a locking action but a holding action that results in that the leg  2  may be unfolded by merely pulling the leg against the resistance. Hereby, the legs  2  are maintained in the folded position of FIG. 2 by the resistance against rotation that relatively easily may be overcome, and does not require any other manipulation than more or less gently pulling on the legs  2 . This facilitates the use of the folding table, as the legs are maintained in the folded position during transport and storage, but it allows rapid and easy unfolding of the legs.  
         [0048]    In FIG. 9, a portion of the lateral wall of the bracket portion  7  has been cut away to show how the sloping surface  25  is achieved by means of an elongate rib or wall  30  with a tapered cross section.  
         [0049]    FIGS.  10 - 12  further illustrate the design of the sloping surface  25  on the tapered rib  30 . In FIG. 12 it can be seen how the rounded top  31  of the rib  30  cooperates with the rounded corner edge  32  of the front edge  24  of the wedge  16  in the holding position. The rib  30  is made of a relative hard but somewhat resilient plastic material (polyarylamide with 50% glass fibers admixed, such as the product sold under the trade name of IXEF 1022), while the wedge  16  is made of die-cast zinc. When the leg  2  is to be unfolded, the top  31  and the corner edge  32  will disengage with a click caused by a relief of a deformation of the rounded top  31  by the corner edge  32 . Moreover, as the surface  25  is slightly rough, a certain friction between the corner edge  32  and the surface  25  will, together with the force of the spring  19  in the direction R 5 , exert a certain further resistance against rotation of the pivot  13  in the leg-unfolding direction.  
         [0050]    The resistance against unfolding may be varied by varying the inclination and width of the surface  25  as well as the surface texture and thereby the friction between the surface  25  and corner edge  32 . The further the rounded corner edge  32  of the wedge  16  is located past the start of the curvature of the rounded top  31  in the holding position, the greater the initial deformation when unfolding, and thereby the resistance against unfolding (the aforementioned “click”), will be. If the rounded corner edge  32  is too far beyond the curvature start, the wedge will be locked behind the rib  30 . Therefore, such a situation should be prevented, either by limiting the rotation of the pivot in the folding direction of the pivot, and/or by limiting the inward travel of the wedge  17  past the rounded top edge  31 . In the currently preferred embodiment, the rotation is stopped by an abutment on the bracket portion  8  against which the wedge  17  abuts in the holding position shown in FIG. 12.  
         [0051]    As all the locking and holding elements are enclosed in the hollow or cavity formed between the two bracket portions  7  and  8 , there is little or no risk that fingers will be pinched during folding and unfolding of the legs.  
         [0052]    When the legs  2  are connected in pairs by the connecting rods  6  as shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 , the brackets of each pair are inverted relative to one another such that the end portions  14  and  15  of the hinge mechanism  5  are oriented relative to the compression direction of the spring  19  thereof opposite the orientation thereof in the hinge mechanism  4 , such that both hinge mechanisms  4  and  5  of a pair of legs  2  may be unlocked by exerting a force on one of the legs of each pair in the direction R 6  or R 7 , respectively.  
         [0053]    If the hinge mechanisms  4  and  5  of each leg pair are arranged as shown in FIG. 1 such that all the legs  2  are equidistant from the respective corners of the table top  3  so that no unsightly asymmetry arises, then the distance of travel between the fully extended condition of the spring  19  (FIG. 5) and the fully compressed condition thereof (FIG. 6) should be at least equal to half the thickness of the legs  2 , such that the legs of each pair will be staggered enough in the folded position that all the legs may be folded up to abut the table top  3  as shown in FIG. 2, thereby allowing stable stacking of the folded tables on top of each other.  
         [0054]    The design of the locking projections  16  and  17  as wedges, and the corresponding recesses  21  and  22  as wedge-shaped spaces, afford the advantage of the insertion of the wedges in the recesses being self-centering. This self-centering therefore compensates for inaccuracies in the alignment, synchronization, or matching of the two cooperating hinge mechanisms  4  and  5  for a pair of legs  2 . Furthermore, any wear of a recess in the plastic material of the bracket portions  7  and  8  will be compensated by the wedge shapes, and therefore such wear will not result in any play in the locking function of the wedge/recess locking mechanism. Thus the table will be stable in the unfolded condition even after considerable wear of the recesses  21  and  22 . Although two wedges  16  and  17  are utilized for the sake of strength, one wedge  16  is only necessary to achieve most of the advantages of the present invention. The locking projection  16  may have other shapes such as a cylinder, a cone or a truncated cone, the recess  21  having a suitable shape for retaining the projection in a locked relationship with compensation for wear.  
         [0055]    Other frictional braking designs for holding the pivot  13  in the folded position with a force that can be overcome by a relatively weak unfolding pull on the legs  2  are conceivable. A projection on the pivot may for instance be inserted between two resilient rough surfaces or into an aperture in a rubber body such that a frictional resistance to retract the projection from between the two surfaces or from the aperture is achieved, resulting in the desired relatively weak holding resistance against unfolding of the legs  2 .  
         [0056]    The sloped surface  25  may be wider and have different angles of slope or a continually increasing angle—for instance a curved surface such that the holding force is increased the further the rounded corner edge  32  travels up the surface  25  until being stopped by the abutment mentioned above.  
         [0057]    The abutment on the bracket portion  8  mentioned above for stopping the rotation of the pivot  13 , and thereby limiting the travel distance of the wedge along the surface  25  in the direction of the force of the spring  19 , may be substituted by a screw or bolt  39  (FIG. 13) that is accessible from outside the bracket  8  so as to be adjustable, so that the degree of rotation of the pivot  13 , and thereby the travel distance, may be varied, thus allowing the intensity of the leg-holding resistance or brake to be varied by the end user of the table according to the desired degree of retention of the legs in the folded position thereof. Such adjustability of the travel distance/rotation may be combined with an increasing degree of slope of the surface  25 , as indicated in FIG. 13, wherein it is illustrated that the further the rounded corner edge  32  travels in the direction R 5 , the steeper is the slope of the contacted portion of the sloped surface  25 , the sloped surface being composed of three flat zones  40 ,  41  and  42 , each with a different angle of slope, and a rounded zone  43  with a continuously increasing angle of slope.  
         [0058]    For a given coil spring  19 , the resistance against rotating the pivot  13  in the direction from the folded position of the legs to the unfolded position thereof is substantially larger for an initial position of the wedge  16  as shown with dotted lines in FIG. 13 than for an initial position thereof as shown with full lines. Thus if the allowed degree of rotation of the pivot is increased, for instance by adjusting the abutment or stop screw or bolt  39  mentioned above to protrude more or less into the hollow of the bracket, then the holding force in the folded position of the legs will be smaller or larger, respectively.  
         [0059]    Although a preferred embodiment is disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that a number of variations and modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the pertinent arts. Such variations and modifications should be considered within the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.