Portable tables for massage and physical therapy

• US 5,974,979 A
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chris Tatum, Kevin Mark Grady
• Original Assignee: Chris Tatum, Kevin Mark Grady
• Inventors: Tatum, Chris, Grady, Kevin Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US09/100,012
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 108/35, 108/33, 108/36, 108/153.1, 108/115, 108/123, 108/132, 108/129, 108/133, 108/131, 248/434, 248/174, 248/175, 248/176, 248/169, 248/173, 5/620, 5/621, 5/622, 5/627, 269/901
• US Class Current: 108/36
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0064 Table leg assembly held in folded position by tension means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/09 Furniture held together by tension cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/087 with struts supporting the legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/009 Physiotherapeutic tables, beds or platforms; Chiropractic or osteopathic tables with incorporated massage means A61H2201/0138
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/105 Portable, foldable or collapsible tables, e.g. for surgery or treatment portable, foldable or collapsible chairs for surgery or dental treatment A61G15/002

Abstract

Portable folding tables which are particularly adapted for massage and other body therapy uses wherein each table includes two top sections which are hingedly connected at one end and which are supported by legs which are pivotally connected thereto. Each leg is reinforced by either a longitudinal pivotally folding brace, a guide assembly or a positive stop member. The legs, and reinforcing braces when used, are automatically deployed and stabilized by cable systems which extend both longitudinally and diagonally relative to the table legs.

Claims

1. A portable foldable table adapted for use for massage and other body therapy, comprising:

first and second table top sections having inner and outer ends, and means for hingedly connecting said inner ends of said first and second table top sections to one another whereby said first and second table top sections may be folded in overlying relationship relative to one another, each of said outer ends defining first and second spaced corners,

first and second leg assemblies, each including first and second legs pivotally mounted at first and second pivot points adjacent said first and second spaced corners of said first and second table top sections, respectively, said first leg of said first leg assembly being oriented generally diagonally with respect to said first leg of said second leg assembly and said second leg of said first leg assembly being oriented generally diagonally with respect to said second leg of said second leg assembly, each of said leg assemblies including means for limiting the pivotal movement of said first and second legs relative to said first and second table top sections as said legs are moved from a first stowed position beneath said first and second table top sections to a deployed position when the table is erect, and

a cable stabilization system including at least two diagonally oriented cable segments extending between said first and second leg assemblies beneath said first and second table top sections and at least two longitudinal cable segments extending from adjacent said outer ends of each of said first and second sections vertically downwardly to said first and second leg assemblies, respectively.

2. The portable table of claim 1 including at least one inverted guide truss mounted beneath said first and second table top sections, said at least two diagonal cable segments extending through said at least one guide truss.

3. The portable table of claim 1 in which each of said first and second leg assemblies includes a pair of longitudinal braces, each having an inner segment pivotally connected to said first and second table top sections in spaced relationship with respect to said first and second legs thereof and an outer segment pivotally connected to the first and second legs, and a pivot joint connecting each of said first and second segments.

4. The portable table of claim 3 in which one of said longitudinal cable segments extends from adjacent said first pivot point of each of said first legs of said first and second table top sections to said pivots joints of said longitudinal braces associated with said first legs and one of said longitudinal cable segments extends from adjacent said second pivot point of each of said second legs of said first and second table top sections to said pivot joints of said longitudinal braces associated with said second legs.

5. The portable table of claim 4 including at least four diagonal cable segments extending and crossing with one another beneath said first and second table top sections, a separate one of said diagonal cable segments being secured in an area of said pivot joint of one of said longitudinal braces and adjacent a diagonally oriented one of said first and second spaced first and second table top sections.

6. The portable table of claim 5 including at least one inverted guide truss mounted beneath said first and second table top sections, said at least four diagonal cable segments extending through said at least one guide truss.

7. The portable table of claim 4 including at least two diagonal cable segments extending and crossing with one another beneath said first and second table top sections, said diagonal cable segments extending between and being secured in an area of said pivot joints of diagonally oriented longitudinal braces of said first and second leg assemblies.

8. The portable table of claim 6 including at least one inverted guide truss mounted beneath said first and second table top sections, said at least four diagonal cable segments extending through said at least one guide truss.

9. The portable table of claim 1 including at least one longitudinally extending center cable having opposite ends, means for connecting one of said opposite ends to a first of said diagonal cable segments and means for connecting the second of said opposite ends to a second of said diagonal cables, said first diagonal cable segment having a first end connected to a longitudinal brace associated with said first leg of said first leg assembly and a second end connected to a longitudinal brace associated with said second leg of said first leg assembly, and said second diagonal cable segment having a first end connected to a longitudinal brace associated with said first leg of said second leg assembly and a second end connected to a longitudinal brace associated with said second leg of said second leg assembly.

10. The portable table of claim 9 wherein each of said means for connecting said opposite ends of said center cable to said first and second diagonal cable segments includes a spool having an opening therethrough and means for mounting said opposite ends of said center cable about said spools, and each of first and second diagonal cable segments extending through said openings in said pools.

11. The portable table of claim 10 including at least one inverted guide truss mounted beneath said first and second table top sections, said center cable extending through said at least one guide truss.

12. The portable table of claim 1 in which said means for limiting the pivotal movement of said legs relative to said first and second table top sections includes a guide track mounted adjacent each of said first and second corners of said first and second table top sections, means for guidingly engaging an upper portion of each of said first and second legs of each of said first and second leg assemblies within said guide tracks whereby said upper portions of each of said first and second legs are slidable and pivotal relative to said guide tracks.

13. The portable table of claim 12 including four of said diagonal cable segments extend diagonally beneath said first and second table top sections from adjacent a lower portion of each of said first and second legs of said first and second leg assemblies to a connection adjacent an upper end of said first and second legs of an opposite of said first and second leg assemblies whereby said diagonal cable segments urge said upper portion of said leg assemblies to slide within said guide tracks to thereby engage a stop wall associated with said guide tracks to retain said legs in a canted position relative to said first and second table top sections when said table is erect.

14. The portable table of claim 13 wherein each of said vertical segments is integrally formed with one of said diagonal cable segments.

15. The portable table of claim 13 including at least one inverted guide truss mounted beneath said first and second table top sections, said diagonal cable segments extending through said at least one guide truss.

16. The portable table of claim 1 wherein each of said means for limiting the pivotal movement of said first and second legs relative to said first and second table top sections includes a longitudinally extending guide means mounted adjacent each of said first and second corners of said first and second table top sections, guide means extending from an upper portion of each of said first and second legs of said first and second leg assemblies and slidably engageable with said guide elements, a pair of parallel longitudinally extending cables, one of said longitudinally extending cables extending from adjacent said guide means of said first leg of said first leg assembly to adjacent said guide means of said first leg of said second leg assembly and the other of said longitudinal cables extending between said guide means of said second leg of said first leg assembly to said guide means of said second leg of said second leg assembly, said longitudinally extending cables being operable to urge said guide means of each of said first and second legs forwardly into abutment with a stop associated with each of said guide means.

17. The portable table of claim 16 including at least one inverted guide truss mounted beneath said first and second table top sections, said pair of longitudinally extending cables extending through said at least one guide truss.

18. The portable table of claim 16 in which two of said longitudinal cable segments and one of said diagonal cable segments are formed as an integral cable, one of said integral cables extending from each of said first and second corners of said first top section vertically downwardly to guide means associated with said first and second legs of said first leg assembly and extending diagonally beneath said first and second table top sections to second guide means associated with the first and second legs of said second leg assembly and subsequently, vertically upwardly to points of attachment adjacent said first and second corners of said second table top section.

19. The portable table of claim 1 in which said means for limiting the pivotal movement of said legs relative to said first and second table sections includes a stop member mounted adjacent an upper end portion of each of said first and second legs of said first and second leg assemblies, each of said first and second legs having an abutment face for engaging said stop members when said first and second legs are pivoted to a deployed position.

20. The portable table of claim 19 in which each of said longitudinal cable segments extends from a point of attachment at one end to one of said first and second legs of one of said first and second leg assemblies upwardly about a guide means secured to an adjacent one of said first and second corners of one of said first and second table top sections and said diagonal cable segments extending from each of said guide means diagonally downwardly to a point of attachment with a diagonal one of said first and second legs of an opposite one of said first and second leg assemblies.

21. The portable table of claim 20 wherein each one of said longitudinal cable segments is integrally formed with one of said diagonal cable segments.

22. The portable table of claim 20 including a brace cable mounted to each of said first and second legs and extending diagonally from each of said first and second legs to an adjacent one of said first and second table top sections.

23. The portable table of claim 19 in which each of said longitudinal cable segments have a first end mounted to one of said first and second corners of one of said first and second table top sections and extend about a guide means associated with an adjacent one of said first and second legs and a diagonal cable segment extending from each of said guide means diagonally beneath the table to a point of attachment at a diagonal one of said first and second corners of the other of said first and second table top sections.

24. The portable table of claim 23 wherein each one of said longitudinal cable segments is integrally formed with one of said diagonal cable segments.

25. The portable table of claim 23 including a brace cable mounted to each of said first and second legs and extending diagonally from each of said first and second legs to an adjacent one of said first and second table top sections.