Folding Table with Two-Position Leg Lock

Abstract

A folding table has a pair of regular, non-foldable legs and a pair of foldable legs that move between a use configuration and a storage configuration. The foldable legs incorporate a two position lock mechanism that selectively allows the legs to be locked in either the use configuration where the legs cooperatively support the table top or the storage configuration where the legs are positioned parallel to the table top. The table top includes a notched lip that allows the legs to lie substantially flush against the table top.

1 . A folding table having a storage configuration and a use configuration, the folding table comprising:
 a table top having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a perimetrical lip having at least one notch;   an upper support member configured to be substantially horizontal when in the use configuration, the upper support member comprising a frame attached to the table top bottom surface;   a set of regular legs, each regular leg having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of each regular leg pivotally connected to the upper support member;   a set of foldable legs comprising:
 a substantially U-shaped leg extension comprising:
 a pair of upper ends that are each pivotally connected to the upper support member; 
 a pair of lower ends that are spaced apart from the pair of upper ends; and 
 a cross member that is transversely oriented between the lower ends; and 
 
 a pair of base leg segments, each having an upper end and a lower end, the upper ends of the base leg segments being pivotally connected to the U-shaped leg extension along a first pivot axis disposed between the lower ends and the upper ends of the U-shaped leg extensions, each base leg segment being pivotally connected to one of the regular legs at a second pivot axis that is parallel to the first pivot axis, 
   wherein, when in the storage configuration,
 the regular legs and the foldable legs lie substantially parallel to the table top with at least a portion of the regular legs and the foldable legs received by the at least one notch in the perimetrical lip of the table top and 
 the cross member of the U-shaped leg extension is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the table top, thereby allowing the cross member to serve as a handle; 
   a pair of lock receptacles disposed in at least one of the upper ends of one at least one of the base leg segments to either side of the first pivot axis, the pair of lock receptacles comprising a use receptacle offset from the first pivot axis by a selected distance and a storage receptacle offset from the first pivot axis by the selected distance; and   a lock pin disposed in the U-shaped leg extension for selectively engaging either the use receptacle or the storage receptacle to selectively lock the U-shaped leg extension to at least one of the base leg segments in the use configuration and in the storage configuration, and to prevent movement of the foldable legs relative to the regular legs.   
     
     
         2 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein the second pivot axis is located in a middle area of the regular legs allowing the regular legs and the foldable legs to move in scissor-like manner. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein the regular legs are longer than the widest dimension of the table top. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein the use receptacle is positioned between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis when the folding table is in the use configuration. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein the lock pin is normally biased to extend in the direction of the base leg segment in which the pair of lock receptacles is disposed. 
     
     
         13 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein the lock pin is selectively retractable to disengage the lock pin from the use receptacle or the storage receptacle allowing the base leg segments and the leg extension to pivot relative to one another and the regular legs and the foldable legs to pivot relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein one of the base leg segments is longer than the other base leg segment. 
     
     
         15 . A folding table having a storage configuration and a use configuration, the folding table comprising:
 a table top comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a perimetrical lip, the perimetrical lip defining at least one notch;   a set of regular legs, each regular leg having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of each regular leg pivotally connected to the table top, the set of regular legs being substantially parallel to and extending beyond the table top through the at least one notch when in the storage configuration;   a set of foldable legs, each foldable leg having a base leg segment and a substantially U-shaped leg extension, each base leg segment having an upper end and a lower end, the U-shaped leg extension having a pair of upper ends that are each pivotally connected to the table top, a pair of lower ends that are spaced apart from the pair of upper ends, and a cross member that is transversely oriented between the lower ends, the upper end of each base leg segment pivotally connected to the U-shaped leg extension at a first pivot axis located between the upper ends and the cross member, each base leg segment pivotally connected to one of the regular legs at a second pivot axis, the cross member of the U-shaped leg extension being spaced apart from the table top bottom surface when in the storage configuration such that the cross member is operable as a handle for carrying the folding table; and   a lock mechanism operable to secure the position of the regular legs relative to the foldable legs when in the use configuration and in the storage configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The folding table of  claim 15  wherein the lock mechanism comprises:
 a first opening disposed in a first member of one of the foldable legs, the first opening located at a selected distance from the first pivot axis in a first direction, the first member being either the base leg segment or the U-shaped leg extension; 
 a second opening disposed in the first member, the second opening located at the selected distance from the first pivot axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and 
 a lock pin carried by a second member, the second member being the other of the base leg segment or the leg extension, the lock pin located at the selected distance from the first pivot axis toward the upper end of the second member, the lock pin selectively engaging one of the first opening and the second opening when the first member and second member are positioned in parallel to prevent movement of the first member relative to the second member. 
 
     
     
         17 . The folding table of  claim 16  wherein the lock pin is selectively retractable to disengage from the first opening or the second opening, thereby allowing the base leg segments and the U-shaped leg extension to pivot relative to one another and the regular legs and the foldable legs to pivot relative to one another. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The folding table of  claim 1  wherein the lower ends of the regular legs and the lower ends of the base leg segments of the foldable legs are coplanar and parallel to the bottom surface of the table top when the foldable table is in the storage configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The folding table of  claim 15  wherein the lower ends of the regular legs and the lower ends of the base leg segments of the foldable legs are coplanar and parallel to the bottom surface of the table top when the foldable table is in the storage configuration.