Folding table

Abstract

Folding table having a fastener to releasably hold each of one or more legs, rigidly attatched to a rotational leg supportive structural shaft parallel and adjacent to the underside of the table. The legs can be fastened or unfastened into/from an erect position by a rotational leverage force applied to the leg. The fastener provides a manually breakable and engagable grip between two surfaces being fastened to each other. The primary resistance of such a table against collapse is due to the limit of the legs' opening rotational travel, the frictional force of the floor on the legs, and the rotational sets of table legs being configured substantially oppositely. In a four-legged rectangular table configuration, when using such fasteners, each pair of legs is rigid in the opposite direction, providing overall table rigidity. Also encompassed is a variation permitting non-releasing leg latching, including a latch release mechanism.

1 . A folding table, comprising: 
 a table top;    at least one leg, each leg being rigidly connected to a respective cross member to form a respective rigid leg assembly;    a pivot assembly pivotally connecting each respective leg assembly to an underside of said table, said pivot assembly substantially spanning a length of a respective cross member; and    a means for holding each leg assembly in a first position,    wherein an axis of each said pivot assembly is eccentric to a respective cross member, allowing the cross member a limited range of rotation from said first position when one of said legs is erect, to said second position, when said one of said legs is folded against the underside of the table, when said cross member is in said first position, a surface of a respective rigid leg assembly contacts a surface of the underside of the table.    
   
   
       2 . The folding table according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for holding the leg assembly comprises an automatically engaging and automatically disengaging fastener structured and arranged to join the cross member to the table structure and preventing rotation of the cross member with a grip sufficient for maintaining reasonable resistance to table collapse, and permitting ready breaking of this grip by a user applying manual lever force to an end of the leg in order to fold the leg assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The folding table according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for holding the leg assembly is selected from the group consisting of limited grip fasteners that are magnetic, adhesive, vacuum, mechanical, or rubber, enabling automatic engaging of the legs in the first position and automatic disengaging of the legs from the first position by applying manual pressure to a leg assembly.  
   
   
       4 . The folding table according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for holding the leg assembly is a locking spring having a cross sectional contour enabling automatic engaging of the legs in the first position and automatic disengaging of the legs from the first position through manual rotational pressure applied at a leg.  
   
   
       5 . The folding table according to  claim 4 , wherein the cross member is approximately square in cross section, and said pivot assembly is a continuous hinge mounted at a longitudinal corner of the rotational leg assembly adjacent to the table surface.  
   
   
       6 . The folding table according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a channel profile frame supporting the table top,    a base plate rigidly attached to and supported by said channel profile frame, and    a channel profile structural member rigidly combined with the channel profile frame which together form a closed profile rigid tube situated adjacent and parallel to a respective leg assembly affording a mounting surface and rigid support for the locking spring, one of said leg assemblies being mounted within a perimeter of the frame and adjacent to said frame through said pivot assembly to a surface of said base plate.    
   
   
       7 . The folding table according to  claim 4 , wherein the locking spring is metallic, plastic or elastic material.  
   
   
       8 . The folding table according to  claim 1 , wherein the means of holding the leg assembly in the first position are fixed to the table.  
   
   
       9 . The folding table according to  claim 1 , wherein the means of holding the leg assembly in the first position are fixed to the cross member.  
   
   
       10 . The folding table according to  claim 3 , wherein the axis of the pivot assembly is at a corner of the cross member allowing the cross member to turn from the first position to the second position, so that when said legs are in said first position, the legs end their freedom of travel by the cross member contacting a rigid stopping surface which is part of the underside of the table.  
   
   
       11 . The folding table according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one leg is connected to a respective cross member to form one of a U-shaped, L-shaped, I-shaped and Y-shaped leg assembly.  
   
   
       12 . The folding table according to  claim 1 , wherein there are at least three rotational leg assemblies and the table top has a non-rectangular shape.  
   
   
       13 . The folding table as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there is at least two of said leg assemblies that are substantially opposite to each other so that said leg assemblies open in substantially opposing directions.  
   
   
       14 . The folding table as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a means for disengaging said means for holding each leg assembly in said first position.  
   
   
       15 . A folding table, comprising: 
 a table top;    at least one leg pivotally connected to said table top, said at least one leg being pivotable from a first position substantially parallel to said table top, to a second position substantially perpendicular to said table top;    at least one cross member extending substantially parallel to said table top, said at least one leg being rigidly connected to a respective cross member, said respective cross member pivoting when said at least one leg pivots;    at least one pivot assembly rigidly connected at a respective first end to said table top and rigidly connected at a respective second end to a respective cross member; and    at least one fastener engaging a respective cross member when a respective leg is in said second position and being spaced apart from said respective cross member when said respective leg is in said first position.    
   
   
       16 . The folding table as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said at least one leg, said at least one cross members and said at least one fastener number three and said table top is substantially round.  
   
   
       17 . A folding table according to  claim 15 , wherein the fastener is a locking spring having a cross sectional contour that automatically engages a respective cross member when a respective leg is in said second position, and automatically disengages said respective cross member when said respective leg is in said first position, when a user manually applies rotational pressure to said respective leg.  
   
   
       18 . The folding table according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one cross member is substantially square in cross section and said at least one pivot assembly is a continuous hinge.  
   
   
       19 . The folding table according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a channel profile frame supporting the table top, said at least one leg and at least one cross members being mounted within a perimeter of the frame and adjacent thereto, and    a channel profile structural member rigidly connected to the channel profile frame to form a closed profile rigid enclosure situated adjacent and parallel to the cross member, said fastener being connected to said channel profile structure.    
   
   
       20 . The folding table according to  claim 15 , wherein a pair of legs are fixed to a respective cross member, forming a U-shape rigid pair of two legs and the cross member.  
   
   
       21 . The folding table as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein there are at least two legs that are substantially opposite to each other so that each of said at least two legs open in a substantially opposing direction.  
   
   
       22 . The folding table as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said fastener extends over a majority of said respective cross member.  
   
   
       23 . The folding table as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising a fastener disengaging mechanism that is movable from a first fastener disengaging position spaced apart from said fastener to a second fastener disengaging position in contact with said fastener, so that in said second fastener disengaging position, said fastener disengages said respective crossmember.  
   
   
       24 . The folding table according to  claim 23 , wherein the fastener is a locking spring having a cross sectional contour that automatically engages a respective cross member when a respective leg is in said second position, and said fastener disengaging mechanism includes a spring driven handle that is pivotable to cause the mechanism to contact and disengage said locking spring from said respective cross member so that said respective leg is movable to said first position, when a user manually applies rotational pressure to said respective leg.  
   
   
       25 . The folding table according to  claim 24 , wherein the handle is pivotal about a shaft and comprises a release plate that slidingly engages the crossmember when the handle is pivoted.  
   
   
       26 . The folding table according to  claim 25 , wherein the shaft pivots within an elongate hole and an arc of motion between said first fastener disengaging position and said second fastener disengaging position is substantially 90°.  
   
   
       27 . A foldable support structure, comprising: 
 a substantially planar top;    a plurality of legs pivotally connected to said top, said plural legs being pivotable from a first position substantially parallel to said top, to a second position substantially perpendicular to said top;    a plurality of pivotable cross members extending substantially parallel to said top, at least one of said plural legs being rigidly connected to a respective cross member, so that said respective cross member pivots when said at least one plural leg pivots;    a plurality of pivot assemblies connected at a respective first end to said top and connected at a respective second end to a respective one of said plural cross members and spanning a length of a respective one of said plural cross members; and    a plurality of fastening members connected to said top and releasably engaging a respective one of said plural cross members when said plural legs are in said second position and being spaced apart from said respective one of said plural cross members when said plural legs are in said first position.    
   
   
       28 . The foldable support structure as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said fastening members are selected from the group consisting of snap-open/snap-shut resilient fasteners, magnets, releasable adhesives, suction members, elastic or mechanical clips and locking springs.  
   
   
       29 . The foldable support structure as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said plural pivot assemblies span substantially an entire length of said respective one of said plural cross members.  
   
   
       30 . The foldable support structure as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising a plurality of disengaging members connected to a respective one of said plural cross members that disengage a respective one of said plural fastening members from said respective one of said plural cross members.  
   
   
       31 . The foldable support structure as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein each of the plural disengaging members comprises a handle pivotal from a first handle position to a second handle position, said handle disengaging a respective one of said plural fastening members in said second handle position, and a handle stopping block to stop said handle from pivoting beyond said second handle position.