Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Folding – Legs fold axially parallel to surface edges
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-17
2003-05-13
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3637)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Folding
Legs fold axially parallel to surface edges
C248S439000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561106
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a folding table, more particularly to a folding table which can prevent untimely folding thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional folding table includes a table top, a pair of support pedestals pivotally attached to the table top, a pair of pivotal support braces and a retaining assembly. In order to enhance safety and structural stability, some of the conventional folding tables are relatively complex in structure. It is thus desirable to provide a folding table which is simple in structure, which is easy to extend, and which can prevent untimely folding thereof when the support braces of the folding table are at the extended state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a folding table which is simple in structure and which can prevent untimely folding thereof.
Accordingly, the folding table of this invention includes a pair of support pedestals, a pair of side rails, a pair of foldable support braces, and a table top mounted on the side rails.
The support pedestals are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction. Each of the support pedestals has a top end formed with an end rail that extends in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and that has distal end segments opposite to each other in the transverse direction, and a bottom end adapted to be placed on a ground surface.
The side rails extend in the longitudinal direction and are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction. Each of the side rails has opposite ends connected pivotally and respectively to an adjacent pair of the distal end segments of the end rails of the support pedestals such that the support pedestals are movable relative to the side rails between a folded position, where the support pedestals are disposed to lie adjacent to the side rails, and an unfolded position, where the support pedestals are disposed generally transverse to the side rails.
Each of the support braces props releasably a respective one of the support pedestals in the unfolded position, and includes a rail connecting portion and a pedestal connecting portion. The rail connecting portion has a first end section connected pivotally to the side rails, and an opposite second end section. The pedestal connecting portion has a first end segment connected pivotally to a respective one of the support pedestals, and an opposite second end segment that is disposed to lie against the second end section of the rail connecting portion. The rail connecting portion and the pedestal connecting portion are generally aligned with each other in an extended state of the support brace to prop the respective one of the support pedestals in the unfolded position.
The second end section of the rail connecting portion is formed with first and second fastener holes. The second end segment of the pedestal connecting portion is formed with a third fastener hole that is registered with the first fastener hole, and a fourth fastener hole that is registered with the second fastener hole when the support brace is at the extended state.
One of the second end segment of the pedestal connecting portion and the second end section of the rail connecting portion of each of the support braces is formed with a notch. The other of the second end segment of the pedestal connecting portion and the second end section of the rail connecting portion of each of the support braces is formed with a projection that extends into the notch to ensure that the fourth fastener hole is registered with the second fastener hole when the support brace is at the extended state.
Each of the support braces further includes a pivot fastener extending through the first and third fastener holes for connecting pivotally the second end segment of the pedestal connecting portion to the second end section of the rail connecting portion, and a locking fastener extending through one of the second and fourth fastener holes and removably engaging the other of the second and fourth fastener holes to retain releasably the support brace at the extended state.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2148823 (1939-02-01), Lapeyre
patent: 2278810 (1942-04-01), Virtue et al.
patent: 3072451 (1963-01-01), Greenberg et al.
patent: 3695567 (1972-10-01), Weagle
patent: 5070796 (1991-12-01), Marone et al.
patent: 5509361 (1996-04-01), Chen
patent: 5921623 (1999-07-01), Nye et al.
patent: 5983807 (1999-11-01), Tarnay et al.
patent: 6471173 (2002-10-01), Tseng
Ladas & Parry
Shin Yeh Enterprise Co., Ltd.
Wilkens Janet M.
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