Folding table

• US 6,003,447 A
• Filed: 08/21/1998
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Falcon Products Inc. (Commercial Furniture Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Falcon Products Inc. (Commercial Furniture Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cox, Lewis D., Hill, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US09/138,129
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.02, 108/64, 108/115, 108/124, 108/123, 108/128, 108/132, 108/23, 108/133, 312/223.1, 312/223.6
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/003 Connecting table tops to underframes connecting furniture tubing to non-tubular parts F16B12/42
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0013 Desks with central bearing beams
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0026 Desks with C-shaped leg
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0815 the resilient force of the elastic locking means acting in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the leg

Abstract

A folding table (1) with a table top (5) and a pair of breakaway legs (15) supporting the top. A brace member (47) at each end of the table has a leg assembly (7,9) attached thereto. A top supporting beam (11) extends along the table top between the brace members. The support beam is pivotally mounted to the table top. Each leg assembly has a hinge structure (35) near its top end and a foot structure (24) at its bottom end. The hinge (35) allows the leg (15) to break down and fold inwardly against the table top. A pair of leg braces (81,83) are attached to the support beam and are moveable with the beam. Each leg brace is removably attached to a corresponding leg by a locking assembly (87). When the leg braces (81,83) are attached to the leg, they transfer downward force from the table top to the legs at a point below the hinges (35) to keep the legs in the unfolded position. The locking assembly (87) can be disengaged and the leg braces pivoted out of the way to allow the legs to be folded. A wire gallery (13) is removably attached to the leg braces (81,83) below the table top.

Claims

1. In a folding table including a top, a support beam pivotally mounted to said top, said support beam extending longitudinally of said top, the improvement comprising a breakaway folding leg assembly, said leg assembly including a first part mounted to said top, a second part including a leg attached to said first part, and a hinge mounted between said first and said second parts, said hinge permitting breakaway pivotal movement of said leg toward said table top to define a folded position for said leg, a brace attached to said support beam so as to be movable with said support beam, said brace being interconnectable with said leg in the operative, table supporting position of said leg, and a wireway structure attached to said brace, said wireway structure including a bottom wall having a length dimension, a frame including a rear frame part, said rear frame part having a pair of spaced end pieces, at least one of said end pieces being mountable to said brace.

2. The improvement of claim 1 further including a plunger assembly attached to said brace for interconnecting said brace to said leg.

3. The improvement of claim 2 further including a catch assembly mounted to said top and adapted to hold said leg in its folded position.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said wireway is removably mounted to said second brace.

5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said leg assembly has a channel formed in it, said channel adapted to communicate with said wireway in at least the unfolded position of said leg.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said leg assembly further including a spacer positioned between said first part and said second part, said spacer varying the height of the top in the unfolded position of said leg.

7. A folding table, comprising:

a top having a length dimension and a width dimension;

a beam for supporting said top extending along said top along the length dimension, said beam being pivotally mounted to said top;

a pair of folding leg assemblies, each of said leg assemblies including a first part mounted to said top, a second part including a leg attached to said first part, and a hinge mounted between the first and second parts, said hinge permitting pivotal movement of said leg toward said top to define a folded position for said leg, one each of the first parts of said leg assemblies being mounted to said top near the respective ends of said beam;

a pair of braces, one each of said braces being attached to said beam in operational relationship with one each of said leg assemblies, said braces being movable with said beam;

a locking assembly associated with each of said braces, said locking assembly removably locking respective ones of said braces to respective ones of said pair of leg assemblies; and

a wire gallery mounted to said braces.

8. The folding table of claim 7 wherein said wire gallery further includes a first frame member, a spaced second frame member, and a bottom wall interconnecting said first and said second frame members.

9. The folding table of claim 8 wherein said wire gallery further includes a cover hingedly attached to one of said first and said second frame members.

10. The folding table of claim 9 wherein said locking assembly further includes a spring biased plunger mounted to respective ones of said pair of braces, respective ones of said pair of leg assemblies pair having a plunger receiving openings formed in them for locking said braces to said to said leg assemblies.

11. In a table assembly including a top, at least a pair of legs supporting the top, and a brace associated with the top, the improvement which comprises a wire gallery assembly for housing electrical accessories for use in conjunction with the table, said wire gallery assembly comprising:

a bottom wall;

a front panel mounted to said bottom wall;

a first frame member attached to said bottom wall;

a second frame member attached to said bottom wall in space relationship to said first frame member;

a back wall attached between said bottom wall and said second frame member;

attachment structure associated with said second frame member and adapted to permit attachment of said wire gallery assembly to said brace, and an electrical connection device carried by said wire gallery; and

a clip mounted to one of said first frame member and said front panel for holding said panel in abutting relationship with said first frame member.

12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said back wall is formed from a flexible material.

13. The wire gallery assembly of claim 12 wherein said electrical connection device has at least one extension associated with it for connection to a second electrical connection device.

14. A folding table comprising:

a top;

a top supporting beam extending along said top, said beam being pivotally mounted to said top;

first and second leg assemblies, each of said leg assemblies including a first part mounted to said top in operative relational position with respect to said beam, a second part including a leg, and a hinge mounted between the first and said second parts, said hinge permitting breakaway pivotal movement of said leg toward said top to define a folded position for said leg said hinge and said first and said second parts being arranged to permit said leg to move in a first direction, but to prevent leg movement in a direction that is the reciprocal of the first direction of movement;

a pair of braces, each of said braces being attached to said beam;

a locking assembly associated with each of said braces, said locking assembly interconnecting respective ones of said braces and said legs, said braces transmitting force supplied to said top to said legs so as to maintain said legs in an open position; and

a wire gallery mounted to said table; and

a mounting structure between said wire gallery and said table, said mounting structure permitting removal of said wire gallery.

15. The folding table of claim 14 wherein said wire gallery includes a bottom wall, the front panel being pivotally mounted with respect to said bottom wall, a pair of frame members mounted to said bottom wall to define a channel therewith, and a back wall mounted between one of said frame members and said bottom wall, the mounting structure adapted to permit attachment of said wire gallery to at least one of said braces.

16. A folding table comprising:

a top;

a first brace part mounted to said top;

a first leg;

a first hinge between said first leg and said first brace part, said first hinge permitting movement of said leg in a first direction while limiting movement of said leg in a second direction reciprocal to said first direction;

a beam rotationally mounted to said top;

a second brace mounted to said beam, in the vicinity of said first leg;

a first locking structure for releasably locking said second brace to said first leg in the operational position of said table;

a third brace part mounted to said top in space relationship to said first brace part, said beam extending generally between said first brace part and said third brace part;

a second leg;

a second hinge between said second leg and said third brace part, said hinge permitting movement of said second leg in a first direction while limiting movement of said second leg in a second direction reciprocal to said first direction;

a fourth brace mounted to said beam near said second leg;

a second locking structure for releasably locking said fourth brace to said second leg in the operational position of said table; and

a wireway assembly mounted to at least one of said second brace, said fourth brace, and said beam.