Table attachment for chairs

• US 5,564,779 A
• Filed: 12/16/1993
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arthur L. Tolbert, Wayman F. Standifer
• Original Assignee: Arthur L. Tolbert, Wayman F. Standifer
• Inventors: Standifer, Wayman F., Tolbert, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US08/168,604
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 297/135, 297/144, 297/148-151, 297/154, 297/155, 297/160-162, 297/170, 297/171, 297/173, 297/174, 297/463.1, 108/50
• US Class Current: 297/144
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/70 of foldable type

Abstract

A tabletop attachment for chairs is provided which is mounted onto a leg of a chair. The attachment includes an arm connected to the tabletop. The pivotal movement of the arm enables the tabletop to be stored under the seat of the chair when it is not in use. If mounted onto a collapsible chair, the tabletop can fold with the chair without affecting collapsibility or portability of the chair. Horizontal pivotal movement of the tabletop away from the chair enables a person sitting in the chair to get in and out of the chair without removing food or other items from the tabletop.

Claims

1. A table attachment for mounting onto a leg of a chair, the chair also having a seat with a space disposed underneath the seat, the table attachment comprising:

a plate for mounting directly onto the leg of the chair;

an arm pivotally attached to the plate, the arm capable of pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane from a down position to an up position;

means for locking the arm in a fixed position against the plate and in the up position;

a frame;

means for pivotally connecting said frame to the arm;

the frame capable of pivotal movement in a generally horizontal plane when the arm is in the up position;

a table supported by the frame, the table being disposable in the space underneath the seat of the chair when the arm is in the down position.

2. The table attachment of claim 1,

wherein the means for pivotally connecting a frame to the arm includes a link connected to the arm, the link being pivotally connected to the frame.

3. The table attachment of claim 2,

wherein the link is pivotally attached to the arm and is capable of pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane.

4. The table attachment of claim 3,

wherein the arm further includes a first stop to restrict upward pivotal movement of the link and a second stop to restrict downward pivotal movement of the link.

5. The table attachment of claim 4,

wherein the link includes a shaft extending outward from a distal end thereof,

the frame includes a collar,

the shaft is accommodated in the collar to pivotally attach the frame to the link.

6. The table attachment of claim 5,

wherein the shaft includes means for restricting pivotal movement of the collar and frame about the shaft.

7. The table attachment of claim 5,

wherein the collar further includes a bushing disposed within the collar, the bushing includes a slot, the shaft includes a dog, the dog being accommodated in the slot, the dog limiting pivotal movement of the slot and thereby restricting pivotal movement of the bushing, the collar and the frame about the shaft.

8. The table attachment of claim 7,

wherein the means for locking the arm in the up position includes a pin passing through the arm and being spring-biased toward the plate, the plate includes an aperture for accommodating the pin when the arm is in the up position.

9. The table attachment of claim 8,

wherein the chair is further characterized as having a back, a pair of front legs, and a pair of rear legs, the chair being capable of assuming a folded position where the back adjoins the seat and the rear legs adjoin the front legs, the table adjoining an underside of the seat when the chair is in the folded position.

10. A table attachment for a chair, the attachment comprising:

mounting means for connecting the table attachment directly to a leg of the chair;

a link means;

arm means pivotally connected to said mounting means, said arm means for pivotally connecting said link means to the mounting means and providing vertical pivotal movement of the table attachment;

the link means connecting the arm means to a frame means;

the frame means for pivotally connecting the link means to a table top and providing horizontal pivotal movement of the table top;

the table top supported by the frame means.

11. The attachment of claim 10,

wherein the link means is pivotally connected to the arm means and also provides vertical pivotal movement of the frame means and table top.

12. The attachment of claim 11,

further comprising stop means to restrict pivotal movement of the link means.

13. The attachment of claim 12,

wherein the arm means further includes a means for locking the arm means in an upright position with respect to the mounting means.

14. The attachment of claim 13,

wherein the means for locking the arm means in the upright position includes a pin that passes through the arm means and matably engages an aperture disposed in the mounting means, the pin and aperture being in alignment when the arm means is in the upright position.

15. The attachment of claim 14,

further comprising stop means to restrict pivotal movement of the frame means.

16. A table attachment for mounting onto a leg of a chair, the chair also having a seat with a space disposed underneath the seat, the table attachment comprising:

a plate for mounting onto the leg of the chair;

an arm pivotally attached to the plate, the arm capable of pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane from a down position to an up position;

means for locking the arm in the up position;

a frame;

means for pivotally connecting said frame to the arm, said means for pivotally connecting said frame to the arm including

a link pivotally connected to the arm, the link being capable of pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane, the arm further including a first stop to restrict upward pivotal movement of the link and a second stop to restrict downward pivotal movement of the link, the link including a shaft extending outward from a distal end thereof,

the frame including a collar, the shaft of the link being accommodated in the collar to pivotally attach the frame to the link, the frame capable of pivotal movement in a generally horizontal plane when the arm is in the up position;

a table supported by the frame, the table being disposed in the space underneath the seat of the chair when the arm is in the down position.

17. The table attachment of claim 16,

wherein the shaft includes means for restricting pivotal movement of the collar and frame about the shaft.

18. The table attachment of claim 16,

wherein the collar further includes a bushing disposed within the collar, the bushing includes a slot, the shaft includes a dog, the dog being accommodated in the slot, the dog limiting pivotal movement of the slot and thereby restricting pivotal movement of the bushing, the collar and the frame about the shaft.

19. The table attachment of claim 16,

wherein the means for locking the arm in the up position includes a pin passing through the arm and being spring-biased toward the plate, the plate includes an aperture for accommodating the pin when the arm is in the up position.

20. The table attachment of claim 16,

wherein the chair is further characterized as having a back, a pair of front legs, and a pair of rear legs, the chair being capable of assuming a folded position where the back adjoins the seat and the rear legs adjoin the front legs, the table adjoining an underside of the seat when the chair is in the folded position.

21. A table attachment for a chair, the attachment comprising:

mounting means for connecting the table attachment to a leg of the chair;

arm means for pivotally connecting a link means to the mounting means and providing vertical pivotal movement of the table attachment, the arm means further includes a means for locking the arm means in an upright position with respect to the mounting means, the means for locking the arm means in the upright position includes a pin that passes through the arm means and matably engages an aperture disposed in the mounting means, the pin and aperture being in alignment when the arm means is in the upright position;

the link means connecting the arm means to a frame means, the link means is pivotally connected to the arm means and also provides vertical pivotal movement of the frame means;

the frame means for pivotally connecting the link means to a table top and providing horizontal pivotal movement of the table top, the table top supported by the frame means;

stop means to restrict pivotal movement of the link means.

22. The attachment of claim 21,

further comprising stop means to restrict pivotal movement of the frame means.