Flip top table

• US 7,677,184 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Olvera, Francisco J., Dhanoa, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/304,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20070137534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 248/188.1, 248/188.6, 108/115, 108/125, 108/129, 108131-133
• US Class Current: 108/115
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0812 the resilient force of the elastic locking means acting in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the leg

Abstract

A flip top table assembly including a table top member having an undersurface, a leg member having a top end, a hinge linking the top member to the top end of the leg member for pivotal movement between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position, a restrainer forming at least first and second openings and forming an edge, a slider forming at least first and second distal pin ends, the slider supported by one of the table top member and the leg member proximate the restraining member and at least a first spring biasing the slider toward the restraining member where, when the top member is in the horizontal position, the first pin end is aligned with the first opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position and, when the top member is in the vertical position, the second pin end is aligned with the second opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the second opening and the first pin end is biased by the spring toward a space adjacent the edge of the restraining member outside the first and second openings.

Claims

1. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end;

a hinge linking the top member to the top end of the leg member for pivotal movement between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position;

a restrainer forming at least first and second openings and forming an edge;

a slider forming at least first and second distal pin ends, the slider supported by one of the table top member and the leg member proximate the restraining member;

at least a first spring biasing the slider toward the restrainer;

wherein, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the first pin end is substantially aligned with the first opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the first opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the second pin end is substantially aligned with the second opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the second opening and the first pin end is biased by the spring toward a space adjacent the edge of the restrainer outside the first and second openings; and

an activator linked to the slider for moving the slider against the force of the spring to a released position wherein the pin ends are displaced from the openings.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the slider includes first and second pins that form the first and second pin ends, respectively.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the spring includes first and second compression springs that form first and second spring passageways, respectively, the first pin extending through the first passageway and the second spring extending through the second passageway.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the distal ends of the pin ends taper.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the activator includes a cable.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the activator further includes a handle and a sheath and the cable includes first and second ends linked to the slider and the handle, respectively, at least a portion of the cable between the first and second ends passing through the sheath.

7. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end;

a hinge linking the top member to the top end of the leg member for pivotal movement between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position;

a restrainer forming at least first and second openings and forming an edge;

a slider forming at least first and second distal pin ends, the slider supported by one of the table top member and the leg member proximate the restrainer;

at least a first spring biasing the slider toward the restrainer, wherein the slider includes first and second pins that form the first and second pin ends, respectively;

wherein, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the first pin end is substantially aligned with the first opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the first opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the second pin end is substantially aligned with the second opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the second opening and the first pin end is biased by the spring toward a space adjacent the edge of the restrainer outside the first and second openings; and

an activation cable wherein the slider further includes a slider bracket that forms first and second openings, the first and second pins passing through the first and second openings, respectively, the activation cable linked at one end to the slider bracket.

8. The assembly of claim 7 further including a hinge bracket mounted to the undersurface of the top member, the slider supported by the hinge bracket with the spring positioned between the hinge bracket and the slider bracket.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the hinge and the hinge bracket are integrally formed.

10. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end;

a hinge linking the top member to the top end of the leg member for pivotal movement between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position;

a restrainer forming at least first and second openings and forming an edge;

a slider forming at least first and second distal pin ends, the slider supported by one of the table top member and the leg member proximate the restrainer;

at least a first spring biasing the slider toward the restrainer;

wherein, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the first pin end is substantially aligned with the first opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the first opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the second pin end is substantially aligned with the second opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the second opening and the first pin end is biased by the spring toward a space adjacent the edge of the restrainer outside the first and second openings; and

wherein the restrainer forms a third opening and, wherein, when the top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the second pin end is substantially aligned with the third opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the third opening.

11. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end;

a hinge linking the top member to the top end of the leg member for pivotal movement between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position;

a restrainer forming at least first and second openings and forming an edge;

a slider forming at least first and second distal pin ends, the slider supported by one of the table top member and the leg member proximate the restrainer;

at least a first spring biasing the slider toward the restrainer;

wherein, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the first pin end is substantially aligned with the first opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the first opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the second pin end is substantially aligned with the second opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the second opening and the first pin end is biased by the spring toward a space adjacent the edge of the restrainer outside the first and second openings; and

wherein the top end of the leg member forms the restrainer and the slider is supported by the undersurface of the top member.

12. The assembly of claim 11 further including a hinge bracket mounted to the undersurface of the top member, the slider supported by the hinge bracket.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the hinge and the hinge bracket are integrally formed.

14. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end and forming at least first and second openings at the top end;

a hinge bracket mounted to the undersurface of the top member;

a pivot pin mounting the hinge bracket to the top end of the leg member for pivotal motion about a pivot axis between a vertical position and a horizontal position wherein the top member is oriented substantially vertically and substantially horizontally, respectively;

a slider forming a pin end, the slider supported by the hinge bracket proximate the top end of the leg member; and

at least a first spring biasing the pin end toward the top end of the leg member;

wherein, the slider and spring move with the hinge bracket and top member when the top member is pivoted between the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the pin end substantially aligned with one of the openings and biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the aligned opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the pin end substantially aligned with the other of the openings and biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the other of the opening; and

wherein the top end of the leg member forms first, second and third openings where the one of the openings is the third opening and the other of the openings is the second opening, and wherein a second pin end is substantially aligned with the first opening and is biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the first opening when the top member is in the substantially horizontal position.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the slider includes first and second pins that each pin includes a distal pin end and wherein the spring biases each of the first and second pin distal ends toward the top end of the leg member.

16. The assembly of claim 15 further including a second spring wherein each of the springs is a compression spring that that forms a spring passageway, the first pin extending through the passageway formed by the first spring and the second pin extending through the passageway formed by the second spring.

17. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the first opening is horizontally at the same level as the third opening.

18. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the first opening is spaced away from the pivot axis a greater distance than the first opening.

19. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the first and second openings are equi-spaced from the pivot axis.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the first opening is formed below the pivot axis and the second opening is formed to the side of the pivot axis.

21. The assembly of claim 14 wherein an activation cable is linked at one end to the slider for moving the slider against the force of the spring to a released position where the pin end is removed from the openings.

22. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end and forming at least first and second openings at the top end;

a hinge bracket mounted to the undersurface of the top member;

a pivot pin mounting the hinge bracket to the top end of the leg member for pivotal motion about a pivot axis between a vertical position and a horizontal position wherein the top member is oriented substantially vertically and substantially horizontally, respectively;

a slider forming a pin end, the slider supported by the hinge bracket proximate the top end of the leg member; and

at least a first spring biasing the pin end toward the top end of the leg member;

wherein, the slider and spring move with the hinge bracket and top member when the top member is pivoted between the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the pin end substantially aligned with one of the openings and biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the aligned opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the pin end substantially aligned with the other of the openings and biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the other of the openings; and

a second spring wherein each of the springs is a compression spring that that forms a spring passageway, the first pin extending through the passageway formed by the first spring and the second pin extending through the passageway formed by the second spring; and

an activation cable wherein the slider further includes a slider bracket that forms first and second openings and that is supported by the hinge bracket, the first and second pins passing through the first and second openings, respectively, the activation cable linked at one end to the hinge bracket.

23. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

a leg member having a top end and forming first, second and third openings at the top end;

a hinge bracket mounted to the undersurface of the top member;

a pivot pin mounting the bracket to the top end of the leg member for pivotal motion about a pivot axis between a vertical position and a horizontal position wherein the top member is oriented substantially vertically and substantially horizontally, respectively;

a slider forming first and second pin ends, the slider supported by the hinge bracket proximate the top end of the leg member; and

at least a first spring biasing the first and second pin ends toward the top end of the leg member;

wherein, the slider and spring move with the hinge bracket and top member when the top member is pivoted between the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal positions, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the first and second pin ends substantially aligned with the first and third openings and biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the aligned openings and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the second pin end substantially aligned with the second opening and biased by the spring toward a restraining position received within the second opening.

24. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the leg member forms a fourth opening at the top end, the pivot post passing through the fourth opening and wherein the second and third openings are equi-spaced from the fourth opening and wherein the distance between the first and fourth openings is greater than the distance between the second and fourth openings.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the slider includes first and second separate pins that form the first and second pin ends, respectively.

26. The assembly of claim 25 further including a second spring wherein each of the springs is a compression spring forming a spring passageway and wherein the first and second pins pass through the passageways formed by the first and second springs, respectively.

27. The assembly of claim 23 further including an activation cable linked at one end to the slider for moving the slider to a release position in which the pin ends are removed from the openings.

28. The assembly of claim 27 wherein a second end of the cable is linked to a handle that is mounted to the undersurface of the top member adjacent and edge of the top member.

29. A flip top table assembly comprising:

a table top member having an undersurface;

first and second leg members having a top ends;

first and second hinges linking the top member to the top ends of the first and second leg members, respectively, for pivotal movement between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position;

first and second restrainers, each restrainer forming at least first and second openings and forming an edge;

first and second sliders, each slider forming a distal pin end, the first slider supported by one of the table top member and the first leg member proximate the first restrainer, the second slider supported by one of the table top member and the second leg member proximate the second restrainer;

first and second springs biasing the first and second sliders toward the first and second restrainer, respectively;

first and second handles mounted to the undersurface of the top member; and

first and second activation cables, each cable including first and second ends, the first ends linked to the first and second sliders and the second ends linked to the first and second handles, respectively, wherein, when the first and second handles are pulled, the sliders move against the force of the first and second springs to released positions wherein the pin ends are removed from the openings, respectively;

wherein, when the table top member is in the substantially horizontal position, the pin end formed by the first slider is substantially aligned with one of the openings formed by the first restrainer and is biased by the first spring toward a restraining position received within the aligned opening and the pin end formed by the second slider is substantially aligned with one of the openings formed by the second restrainer and is biased by the second spring toward a restraining position received within the aligned opening and, when the table top member is in the substantially vertical position, the pin end formed by the first slider is substantially aligned with the other of the openings formed by the first restrainer and is biased by the first spring toward a restraining position received within the other opening and the pin end formed by the second slider is substantially aligned with the other of the openings formed by the second restrainer and is biased by the second spring toward a restraining position received within the other opening.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein the first and second hinges form first and second integral hinge brackets, the first and second sliders are supported by the first and second hinge brackets and the first and second leg members form the first and second restrainers, respectively.