Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Plural related horizontal surfaces – Nested or stacked units
Patent
1999-07-30
2000-07-11
Chen, Jose V.
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Plural related horizontal surfaces
Nested or stacked units
108119, A47B 700
Patent
active
060856696
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a table with a tabletop and a load-bearing structure with wheels for the tabletop.
Since they can be rolled, such tables are suited for use at various locations or, respectively, for constructing a table arrangement with an enlarged table surface, for example for conference purposes. In order to fix the table position, the rollers of the table can be fashioned as, for example, stop casters and/or only two of, for example, four table legs can be provided with rollers, whereas the other two table legs fix the position of the table, which can be easily displaced and maneuvered by lifting at that end at which the table legs free of rollers are provided.
What is disadvantageous about such rollable tables, as well as, moreover, given non-rollable tables, however, is an at most limited stackability. Given tables of the same size, these can be arranged in stacks of two with their tabletops lying on top of one another. Given preferably identical tables of different sizes and different heights, these can also be stacked in greater numbers limited, however, by their utilization. A stacking or, respectively, stowing of a greater plurality of tables of the same size, however, has not been hitherto possible, for which reason--precisely in conjunction with conference rooms--the tables must, when not being used, be either placed against the walls or stored in a separate room.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is comprised in improving the initially cited table such that it can be stacked in large unit numbers in space-saving fashion.
This object is achieved by a table having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are recited in the subclaims.
In accord therewith, a horizontal stacking of a plurality of tables with high stacking density can be achieved on the basis of the inventive table in that, first, the tabletop can be folded up at one table end, preferably at the table end that is provided with rollers, whereas, on the other hand, the table frame that is thereby freed projects to such an extent from the folded-up tabletop, exhibits a general V-shape and lies lower than at least the lower edge of the folded-up tabletop so that a plurality of tables given folded-up tabletop can be horizontally stacked with tabletops adjacent to one another and frames nested inside one another. As soon as the tables stacked in this way are separated and the tabletop is folded down into a horizontal use position in which it rests on the frame, the table can be used in the traditional way or individually or placed against one another.
In detail, the tabletop load-bearing structure is inventively composed of a vertically proceeding frame to whose upper side the tabletop is pivotably articulated and of a support for this vertical frame that, proceeding from the frame, comprises legs that diverge essentially V-shaped and stand on the substrate distanced from the frame and onto which the table top can be folded down into a horizontal use position.
Advantageously, the V-shaped support proceeds at least essentially horizontally under the folded-down tabletop and then merges into vertically downwardly proceeding table legs. What is thereby achieved is that this table, which can be horizontally stacked in great numbers, assures the same led freedom as a traditional table of the species under discussion.
In order to lend the inventively stackable table the necessary stability in the area of the vertically proceeding frame as well and to also assure an appealing appearance of the overall tabletop load-bearing structure, the vertically proceeding frame of the structure is fashioned as a U-shaped frame standing on its head whose lateral legs form table legs and to whose upwardly disposed, horizontal base the tabletop is pivotably hinged.
The drag bearings for the tabletop can be formed in a traditional way. However, plastic formed parts with aligning bores for the passage of the horizontal base of the U-shaped vertical frame that are sec
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Haberli Alfredo W.
Marchand Christophe
Chen José V.
Cornell John W.
Gebruder Thonet GmbH
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