Foldable leg for furniture

Details Foldable leg for furniture Foldable leg for furniture

2001-08-31

2002-05-14

Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)

Horizontally supported planar surfaces

Folding

Legs fold axially parallel to surface edges

C108S129000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06386119

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foldable leg, and more particularly to a foldable leg for furniture, such as a table, a chair or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a conventional foldable leg for furniture in accordance with the prior art is used to support a tabletop (
60
) and comprises two connecting bars (
61
), brackets (
62
), legs (
63
), locking arms (
65
), drive bars (
67
) The tabletop (
60
) has a top, a bottom and an edge. The connecting bars (
61
) are parallel to each other, have two ends on each bar (
61
) and are attached to opposite sides of the bottom of the tabletop (
60
). A bracket (
62
) is attached to each end of each connecting bar (
61
). Each leg (
63
) has one end pivotally connected to a bracket (
62
) and the other end stands on a surface, such as a floor or the ground. Each locking arm (
65
) has one end pivotally attached to a connecting bar (
61
) the other end is connected by a drive bar (
67
). A groove (
66
) is longitudinally defined in the locking arm (
65
). A locking pin (
64
) extends from the leg (
63
) into the groove (
66
) in the locking arm (
65
).
A folding metal shelf (
69
) has four edges, a skirt (not numbered) extending downward from each edge and four guiding grooves (
690
) defined in the skirt and corresponding to the locking arms (
65
). Each of the locking arms (
65
) has a locking pin (
68
) extending into the corresponding guiding groove (
690
) to hold the folding shelf (
69
).
With reference to
FIGS. 6 and 7
, to operate the conventional foldable leg, the user must push the drive bar (
67
) to make two legs (
63
) corresponding to the ends of the drive bar (
67
) pivot inward. As the legs (
63
) pivot inward, the locking pins (
64
) on the legs (
63
) move along the grooves (
66
) in the corresponding locking arms (
65
) and pivot the locking arms (
65
) toward the connecting bars (
61
). The other locking pin (
68
) in the locking arm (
65
) slides in the guiding groove (
690
) and lifts the folding shelf (
69
) toward the bottom of the tabletop (
60
). When the legs (
63
) are completely folded against the tabletop (
60
) the folding shelf (
69
) is held against the bottom of the tabletop (
60
) between the connecting bars (
61
).
However, the conventional foldable leg for furniture has the follow disadvantages.
1. It is inconvenient to use. Two corresponding legs (
63
) must be folded at the same time, otherwise the locking arm (
65
) and the leg (
63
) will be seized.
2. Striking the drive bar (
67
) to make the locking pin (
64
) of the leg (
63
) escaping from the dead point will be painful to the user's hand.
3. The drive bar (
67
) will deform if the user strikes the drive bar (
67
) with his leg to prevent his hand from hurting.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional foldable leg for furniture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved foldable leg for furniture that is easy to operated and can be used in more applications.
To achieve the objective, the foldable leg for furniture in accordance with the present invention comprises a tubular leg with a top and bottom end and a pivot assembly attached to the top end of the tubular leg. The pivot assembly includes a front plate with two sides and two wings perpendicularly extending from opposite sides of the front plate and facing each other. Each of the wings has a top forming a guiding side and an elongated slot defined longitudinally in each of the wings. A bracket is pivotally connected to the pivot assembly and includes two parallel side plates and each has a through hole defined in a lower portion of the side plate. A locking plate connects the two side plates and the locking plate selectively locked by the pivot assembly. A spring has two ends respectively secured on the pivot pin and a free end of the tongue of the pivot assembly.
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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4838181 (1989-06-01), Lukt
patent: 5323713 (1994-06-01), Lukt et al.
patent: 5845589 (1998-12-01), Pfister
patent: 172682 (1934-10-01), None
patent: 1079438 (1954-11-01), None

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