FOLDABLE TABLE ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLES

• US 20160375810A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Trim Korea, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Trim Korea, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Martin, Gregory, Dinant, Bruno, Kong, Byung Seok
• Granted Patent: US 9,896,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/793 for use as storage compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/002 of trays

Abstract

A foldable table assembly for vehicles includes a base bracket, a first rotary arm provided with one end connected with the base bracket and elastically rotatable upwards about the end by a first elastic member, a second rotary arm provided with one end hinged to the base bracket and to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the first rotary arm, and a table connected with the other ends of the first and second rotary arms. The table includes base plates hinged to the other ends of the first and second rotary arms, an intermediate support plate connected with the base plate to be rotatable when a bearing member is interposed between the intermediate support plate and the base plate, and table plates connected with the intermediate support plate to be slidably movable when sliding members are interposed between the table plates and the intermediate support plate.

Claims

1. A foldable table assembly for vehicles, comprising:

a base bracket;

a first rotary arm provided with one end connected with the base bracket to be rotatable, and to be elastically rotated upwards about the end thereof by a first elastic member;

a second rotary arm provided with one end hinged to the base bracket and to be rotated in accordance with rotation of the first rotary arm; and

a table connected with and supported by the other ends of the first rotary arm and the second rotary arm and having table plates, usage position and direction of which are adjustable by a bearing member and sliding members when the table is popped up to a predetermined height by upward rotation of the first rotary arm and the second rotary arm,

wherein the table includes base plates hinged to the other ends of the first rotary arm and the second rotary arm, an intermediate support plate connected with the base plate to be rotatable on the base plates when the bearing member is interposed therebetween, and the table plates connected with the intermediate support plate to be slidably movable on the intermediate support plate when the sliding members are interposed therebetween.

2. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, wherein the base bracket is installed within a receiving space provided in a console housing of a rear seat console, and, as the first rotary arm is elastically rotated upwards about the end thereof connected with the base bracket by the first elastic member, the table protrudes upwards from the console housing to be usable.

3. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 2, wherein a console armrest provided with one end hinged to the console housing to be rotatable, configured to open or close the receiving space through rotation, and closing the receiving space after pop-up of the table is installed.

4. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, wherein the base plates include:

a first base plate hinged to the other ends of the first rotary arm and the second rotary arm; and

a second base plate hinged to the first base plate and rotatable with respect to the first base plate to be disposed horizontally for use of the table, the intermediate support plate being connected with the second base plate,

wherein the second base plate disposed horizontally on the erected first base plate connected with the first rotary arm and the second rotary arm is supported by a support member connected between the first base plate and the second base plate.

5. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, wherein the first elastic member is a spiral spring provided with one end connected with a spring fixing part of the base bracket and the other end connected with one end of the first rotary arm.

6. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, further comprising an operating lever configured to lock the first rotary arm in a downward rotated state and to release a locked state of the first rotary arm during user'"'"'s operation to execute pop-up of the table.

7. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 6, wherein the operating lever includes:

a lever part extended in a vertical direction and hinged to an inner part of the console housing to be rotatable, an lower end of the lever part pressing a latch part of the first rotary arm to maintain the locked state of the first rotary arm;

a push button switch part extended horizontally from an upper end of the lever part and configured to allow the lever part to rotate in a direction of releasing the locked state of the first rotary arm in response to the push button switch part pushed downwards to execute pop-up of the table; and

a second elastic member installed at a hinge coupling part of the lever part and elastically rotating the lever part in a direction of locking the first rotary arm.

8. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, further comprising a decelerator configured to adjust a pop-up velocity of the table, wherein the decelerator includes:

a rotation gear installed on one side surface of the first rotary arm; and

a guide gear installed on the base bracket, having an arc shape having a predetermined length, and rotated when the rotation gear is engaged with the guide gear.

9. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 4, wherein a locking device configured to prevent reverse rotation of the first rotary arm and the second rotary arm downwards after pop-up of the table is provided on the base plate to lock the second rotary arm in the pop-up state of the table, the locking device including:

a stopper installed on the first base plate to be rotatable and supporting the other end of the second rotary arm to prevent reverse rotation of the second rotary arm when the stopper is engaged with the other end of the second rotary arm rotated upwards to a pop-up position of the table; and

a locking fin configured to fix rotation of the stopper supporting the other end of the second rotary arm.

10. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 9, wherein:

the locking fin to automatically fix rotation of the stopper when the second base plate is rotated to be disposed horizontally is installed on the second base plate;

an insertion hole to allow the locking fin to pass and protrude from a surface of the first base plate provided with the stopper installed thereon is formed on the first base plate; and

the locking fin passing through the insertion hole and protruding from the first base plate is locked with the stopper fixing the other end of the second rotary arm to fix rotation of the stopper.

11. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 9, wherein one end of the stopper is hinged to the first base plate to be rotatable and a third elastic member to rotate the stopper in a direction of releasing locking of the second rotary arm is installed between the other end of the stopper and the first base plate.

12. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, wherein the table plates include:

a first table plate connected with the intermediate support plate to be slidable when the sliding members are interposed therebetween; and

a second table plate coupled with the first table plate by a hinge member and rotated about the hinge member to overlap the first table plate to become a folded state or rotated about the hinge member in an opposite direction to be spread substantially coplanar with the first table plate to become an unfolded state.

13. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 1, wherein:

a rotation regulation plate is installed on the intermediate support plate to be rotated integrally with the intermediate support plate;

a regulation unit connected with the rotation regulation plate is installed on the base plate; and

the regulation unit regulates rotation of the intermediate support plate per predetermined angle through the rotation regulation plate to stop the intermediate plate at the predetermined angle after rotation.

14. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 13, wherein:

the regulation unit is configured to release the stop of the intermediate plate if force equal to or more than a predetermined load in a rotating direction is applied to the intermediate plate;

the regulation unit includes a ball housing formed on the second base plate and a ball elastically supported by a spring in the ball housing to be elastically protruded from the ball housing; and

recesses, into which at least a part of the ball protruding from the ball housing is inserted, are formed along a circumference of the rotation regulation plate by predetermined intervals.

15. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 14, wherein protrusions protruding from the rotation regulation plate and caught by the ball housing to regulate a maximally rotated position of the intermediate support plate are formed at the circumference of the rotation regulation plate.

16. The foldable table assembly for vehicles of claim 15, wherein two protrusions protruding from the rotation regulation plate and separated by a predetermined length in a circumferential direction are formed at the circumference of the rotation regulation plate.