Latch mechanism for folding table leg
First Claim
1. A latch mechanism for a folding table that includes stowable legs, a modesty panel and a horizontal table top supported by the legs, the latch mechanism latching the legs of the table into an upright position, the latch mechanism comprising:
- a pin having a base and a tip, said base being rigidly fastened to a leg of the table such that said tip projects away from said leg;
a spring plate defining a bore sized to receive at least a portion of said tip of said pin therethrough, said spring plate being attached to said modesty panel such that said pin aligns with said bore when the table leg is opened to its upright position;
a bracket attached to said modesty panel, said bracket defining a backstop surface positioned adjacent said bore of said spring plate to contact said pin when said pin is aligned with said bore;
means for resiliently biasing said spring plate away from said modesty panel and against said pin when the table leg is in its upright position to continuously urge said pin against said backstop; and
whereby said pin is freed from said bore allowing said legs of the table to move to their stowed position when said spring plate is moved toward said modesty panel against the action of said means for resiliently biasing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A latch mechanism for a folding table in which the table includes stowable legs, a modesty panel and a horizontal table top supported by the legs. The latch mechanism latches the legs of the table into an upright position. The latch mechanism includes a pin rigidly fastened to a leg of the table such that the tip of the pin projects away from the leg. A cantilever spring plate defining a bore sized to receive at least a portion of the tip of the pin therethrough is attached to the modesty panel of the table. The bore of the spring plate aligns with the pin when the table is opened to its upright position. The cantilever spring plate includes a bend which resiliently biases the spring plate away from the modesty panel. The pin is freed from the bore allowing the legs of the table to move to their stowed position when the spring plate is moved toward the modesty panel against the biasing action of the cantilever spring plate.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A latch mechanism for a folding table that includes stowable legs, a modesty panel and a horizontal table top supported by the legs, the latch mechanism latching the legs of the table into an upright position, the latch mechanism comprising:
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a pin having a base and a tip, said base being rigidly fastened to a leg of the table such that said tip projects away from said leg; a spring plate defining a bore sized to receive at least a portion of said tip of said pin therethrough, said spring plate being attached to said modesty panel such that said pin aligns with said bore when the table leg is opened to its upright position; a bracket attached to said modesty panel, said bracket defining a backstop surface positioned adjacent said bore of said spring plate to contact said pin when said pin is aligned with said bore; means for resiliently biasing said spring plate away from said modesty panel and against said pin when the table leg is in its upright position to continuously urge said pin against said backstop; and whereby said pin is freed from said bore allowing said legs of the table to move to their stowed position when said spring plate is moved toward said modesty panel against the action of said means for resiliently biasing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A folding table comprising:
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a horizontal table top; four legs each having one end pivotally attached to said table top and being movable between a stowed position and an upright position; a vertical modesty panel attached along one edge of said table top such that two of said four legs are adjacent said modesty panel when said two legs are in said upright position; a latch mechanism for locking at least one of said two legs in said upright position, said latch mechanism including a pin attached to one of either a leg or said modesty panel and a spring plate attached to the other of said leg or said modesty panel; said spring plate having an edge biased to an outward position away from said other of said leg or said modesty panel but being depressible from said outward position; said pin having a tapered tip that engages said edge of said spring plate when said leg is in said upright position; and wherein said edge of said spring plate is continuously resiliently urged toward said outward position against the tapered tip of said pin when said leg is in said upright position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A latch mechanism for a folding table having stowable legs, a modesty panel and a horizontal table top supported by the legs, the latch mechanism latching a leg of the table into an upright position, the latch mechanism comprising:
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an elongated spring plate with one end attached to the modesty panel and an opposite other end resiliently biased away from the modesty panel toward the leg when the leg is in its upright position, said spring plate including an edge located adjacent said other end; a pin having a tip and being rigidly fastened to a leg of the table such that said tip projects away from the leg, said tip engaging said edge of said spring plate when the leg is in its upright position; and a bracket attached to said modesty panel, said bracket including a backstop surface positioned to contact said pin when said leg is in said upright position such that said pin is engaged between said backstop surface and said edge of said spring plate, when said edge of said spring plate is continuously resiliently urged against said pin when the leg is in its upright position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification