Hand foldable and portable furniture

• US 5,997,113 A
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cleon E. Benson
• Original Assignee: Cleon E. Benson
• Inventors: Benson, Cleon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/086,893
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 211/149, 211/135, 16/389, 16/392, 108/50.01, 108/115, 108/193, 108/162, 108/159, 108/157.15, 108/157.17, 108/50.02, 312/258, 312/259, 312/262, 312/140.2, 312/140.3, 312/140.1, 312/195, 312/208.1
• US Class Current: 312/195
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/12 Stowable tables with detachable top leaves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 43/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like

Abstract

A hand foldable and portable article of furniture comprising planar back and right and left side members hinged at edge surfaces thereof such that the right and left side members swing between a folded position with the side members on a back of the back member and a unfolded position in which the side members are substantially perpendicular to the back member and upper edges of the back and side members are interlocked in mating grooves in a planar top member, one of the back and side members being transversely bendable at its upper edge to spring lock into its mating groove to tightly interlock the article of furniture in its unfolded position.

Claims

1. A hand-foldable and portable article of furniture comprising;

a planar back member having a back and a front and top, bottom, right and left edge surfaces;

a planar right side member having top, bottom, right and left edge surfaces;

a planar left side member including top, bottom, right and left edge surfaces, at least one of the planar back, right side and left side members being transversely bendable from the plane thereof adjacent its top edge surface;

first hinge means spaced from the top edge surfaces of the back and right side members and located at the right edge surface of the back and at the left edge surface of the right side member for swinging the right side member on an axis substantially parallel to the right edge surface of the back member between a folded position parallel to and on the back of the back member to an unfolded position substantially perpendicular to the back member;

second hinge means spaced from the top edge surfaces of the back and left side members and located at the left edge surface of the back member and at the right edge surface of the left side member for swinging the left side member on an axis substantially parallel to the left edge surface of the back member between a folded position substantially parallel to and on the back of the back member to an unfolded position substantially perpendicular to the back member; and

a planar top member including top and bottom surfaces and having a slot in the bottom surface dimensioned to receive the top edge surface of the back, right side and left side members when the at least one of the planar back, right side or left side members is transversely bent adjacent its top edge surface to firmly interlock the top member to the back, right side and left side members when the right and left side members are in the unfolded position.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein the first hinge means comprises a first plate connected to the back member at the right edge surface thereof and extending from a vertically extending pivot adjacent the back of the back member and a second plate extending from the pivot a distance greater than a width of the back member to connect to the right side member at the left edge surface thereof.

3. The article of furniture of claim 2 wherein the second hinge means comprises a third plate connected to the back member at the left edge surface thereof and extending from a vertically extending pivot adjacent the back of the back member and a fourth plate extending from the pivot a distance greater than the width of the back member to connect to the left side member at the right edge surface thereof.

4. The article of furniture of claim 1 further comprising:

a planar shelf member having opposing outwardly extending tongues and;

wherein the right and left side members include closed-end grooves receiving the opposing outwardly extending tongues to interlock the shelf member to the side members in the unfolded position.

5. The article of furniture of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of planar shelf members each having outwardly extending opposing tongues; and

wherein the right and left side members each include matching pairs of closed-end grooves for receiving opposing outwardly extending tongues of different ones of the shelves to interlock the shelves to the side members when in the unfolded position.

6. The article of furniture of claim 1 further comprises:

a planar shelf having opposing end surfaces;

an upwardly extending back having opposing end surfaces;

means for securing the upwardly extending back to the planar shelf at a location spaced from one of the opposing end surfaces of the shelf to define a transversely bendable end for the upwardly extending back; and

L-shaped closed-end grooves in the right and left side members dimensioned to receive the opposing end surfaces of the planar shelf and the opposing end surfaces of the upwardly extending back when the transversely bendable end is bent to interlock the shelf and the right and left side members in the unfolded position.

7. The article of furniture of claim 6 further including a second shelf slidably supported on a top of the planar shelf to slide in and out of the article of furniture.

8. The article of furniture of claim 6 further including a wedge on a back surface of the upwardly extending back for fitting into its mating groove to more tightly secure the transversely bendable end of the upwardly extending back in the groove.

9. The article of furniture of claim 8 further including a locking plate secured to one of the side members adjacent the groove and extending over the wedge to releaseably lock the wedge and upwardly extending back within the groove.

10. A method of assembling a foldable and portable article of furniture comprising:

(a) connecting a planar right side member to a planar back member by a first hinge spaced from a top edge surface of the back member and from a top edge surface of the right side member to swing the right member between a folded position substantially parallel to and on a back of the back member to an unfolded position substantially perpendicular to the back member;

(b) connecting a planar left side member to the planar back member by a second hinge spaced from the top edge surface of the back member and from a top edge surface of the left side member to swing the left side member between a folded position substantially parallel to and on the back of the back member to an unfolded position substantially perpendicular to the back member; and

(d) with the back and right and left side members in the unfolded position, bending one of the top edge surfaces of one of the back and side members and securing it in a mating groove in a bottom surface of a planar top member of the article of furniture to interlock the back and right and left side members to the planar top member.

11. The method of claim 10 further including prior to step (d), the step of inserting opposing ends of a planar shelf into mating closed-end grooves in the right and left side members to interlock the shelf to the right and left side members in the unfolded position.

12. The method of claim 11 further including a step of bending a transversely bendable portion of an upwardly extending back secured to the planar shelf at a location spaced from one of its opposing end surfaces and inserting an end of the bent portion into one of the mating grooves in one of the right and left side members to aid in interlocking the planar shelf to the right and left side members.

13. A hand foldable and portable article of furniture comprising planar back and right and left side members hinged at edge surfaces thereof such that the right and left side members swing between a folded position with the side members on a back of the back member and an unfolded position in which the side members are substantially perpendicular to the back member and upper edges of the back and side members are interlocked in mating grooves in a planar top member, one of the back and side members being transversely bendable at its upper edge to spring lock into its mating groove to tightly interlock the article of furniture in its unfolded position.