Portable support assembly for a workpiece

• US 20020105129A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAG Industries Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ZAG Industries Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Levy, Ronny
• Granted Patent: US 6,659,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 269/45
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/04 portable
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/06 of trestle type
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/12 with storage compartments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 269/90 Supporting structure having work holder receiving apertures or projections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 269/901 Collapsible or foldable work holder supporting structure

Abstract

A workpiece support assembly includes an elongated workpiece support structure and a pair of support members pivotally connected to one another towards upper ends thereof. The support members are pivotally movable between an open position and a folded position. The workpiece support structure has a workpiece support surface constructed and arranged to support a portion of a workpiece. The workpiece support assembly further includes a tabletop assembly. The tabletop assembly is movable into a deployed position in which the tabletop is disposed substantially horizontally in overlying relation to the workpiece support structure, with the pair of support members in their open operative position. The deployed tabletop presents an upper tabletop surface to support a workpiece. The tabletop assembly is movable, with the pair of support members in their open operative position, into a storage position which exposes the elongated workpiece support surface.

Claims

1. A workpiece support assembly, comprising:

an elongated workpiece support structure;

a pair of support members pivotally connected to one another towards upper ends thereof and supporting said workpiece support structure, said support members being pivotally movable between a) an open operative position and b) a folded position, said pair of support members being constructed and arranged when in said open operative position thereof to support said workpiece support structure horizontally, in spaced relation above a ground surface;

said workpiece support structure having an elongated, workpiece support surface constructed and arranged to support a portion of a workpiece; and

a tabletop assembly including a tabletop and a tabletop support structure;

said tabletop assembly being movable into a deployed position in which said tabletop is disposed substantially horizontally in overlying relation to said workpiece support structure, with said pair of support members in said open operative position, and presenting an upper tabletop surface to support a workpiece, said upper tabletop surface being larger than said elongated, workpiece support surface;

said tabletop assembly being movable, with said pair of support members in said open operative position, into a storage position which exposes said elongated workpiece support surface.

2. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said tabletop support structure is connected between said tabletop and one support member of said pair of support members.

3. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein when said pair of support members are in the folded position thereof and said tabletop assembly is in the storage position thereof, said support members and said tabletop are disposed in essentially side-by-side parallel relation with one another.

4. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 2 further including a vise assembly comprising a housing structure, a movable member movably mounted for movement with respect to said housing structure, a threaded member rotatably mounted in said housing structure and threadedly engaged with said movable member such that rotation of said threaded member moves said movable member with respect to said housing structure, and a fixed member, said housing structure and fixed member being releasably lockable with respect to said tabletop surface when said tabletop assembly is deployed such that a workpiece placed between said movable member and said fixed member can be held in a fixed position with respect to said tabletop surface by moving said movable member against said workpiece by rotating said threaded member so that said workpiece is gripped between said movable member and said fixed member.

5. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said fixed member can be releasably locked with respect to said tabletop surface in a range of positions relative to said housing structure to accommodate workpieces of different sizes.

6. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said vise assembly further includes a crank handle mounted to said threaded member to rotate said threaded member.

7. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said tabletop includes storage space to store said vise assembly.

8. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said elongated support structure, said pair of support members, said tabletop assembly and said fixed member, said movable member and said housing structure of said vise assembly are each constructed of a molded plastic.

9. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said tabletop includes a storage container.

10. A workpiece storage assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising a locking assembly constructed and arranged to releasably lock said tabletop assembly in the storage position thereof.

11. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said tabletop support structure is connected between said tabletop and one support member of said pair of support members, wherein when said pair of support members are in the open position thereof and said tabletop assembly is in the storage position thereof, said one support member of said pair of support members and said tabletop are releasably locked to one another by said locking assembly in essentially side-by-side parallel relation with one another, and wherein when said tabletop assembly is releasably locked in the storage position thereof, the support members are movable between the open operative and folded positions thereof.

12. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein when said tabletop assembly is releasably locked in the storage position thereof and when said pair of support members are in the folded position thereof, said support members and said tabletop are disposed in essentially side-by-side parallel relation with one another.

13. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said elongated support structure, said pair of support members, said tabletop assembly and said locking assembly are each constructed of a molded plastic.

14. A workpiece storage assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein said locking assembly is comprised of a pair of molded plastic projections on one of either the tabletop or the one support member and a molded plastic recess on the other of either the tabletop or the one support member, the pair of projections being constructed and arranged such that movement of the tabletop assembly into the storage position thereof moves the pair of projections on to a snap fit locking relation with the recess and wherein said pair of projections are manually movable into a released relation with the recess to deploy the tabletop assembly.

15. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said elongated support structure, said pair of support members, and said tabletop assembly are each constructed of a molded plastic.

16. A workpiece storage assembly as defined in claim 15, said tabletop assembly further including a plurality of molded plastic core structures integrally formed in the tabletop of the tabletop assembly, each core structure having a closed cross section and extending under the upwardly facing surface of the tabletop and generally perpendicularly to said elongated support structure when said tabletop assembly is deployed, said plurality of core structures being constructed and arranged to rigidify said tabletop.

17. A workpiece storage assembly as defined in claim 16, further comprising a plurality of elongated reinforcing elements, each elongated reinforcing element being secured within a hollow interior space of a respective core structure to further rigidify said tabletop.

18. A workpiece storage assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein each said elongated reinforcing element is constructed of a metallic material.

19. A workpiece storage assembly as defined in claim 11, further comprising a vise assembly comprising a housing structure, a movable member movably mounted for movement with respect to said housing structure, a threaded member rotatably mounted in said housing structure and threadedly engaged with said movable member such that rotation of said threaded member moves said movable member with respect to said housing structure, and a fixed member, said housing structure and said fixed member being releasably lockable with respect to said tabletop surface when said tabletop assembly is deployed such that a workpiece placed between said movable member and said fixed member can be held in a fixed position with respect to said tabletop surface by moving said movable member against said workpiece by rotating said threaded member so that said workpiece is gripped between said movable member and said fixed member.

20. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein each of said housing structure and said fixed member includes a locking structure having a lock engaging element and wherein said tabletop surface includes a plurality of spaced openings, each opening including a complimentary lock engaging element constructed and arranged to releasably lockingly engage the lock engaging element on the locking structure inserted therein, said openings being spaced to enable said housing structure and said fixed member to be positioned a range of distances from one another on said tabletop surface, said fixed member, said housing structure and said openings being instructed and arranged such that when said lock engaging elements on said housing structure and said fixed member, respectively, engage the complimentary locking elements in a respective opening, workpiece gripping surfaces on the movable and fixed members respectively are generally in opposing relation to one another and spaced from one another to engage a workpiece placed therebetween.

21. A workpiece support assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein said elongated support structure, said pair of support members, said tabletop assembly and said fixed member, said movable member and said housing structure of said vise assembly are each constructed of a molded plastic.