Expandable table

An expandable table comprising:

• a frame comprising an apron, a plurality of main rails extending radially between a center of the frame and the apron, and a plurality of expansion rails extending between respective main rails and the apron;
• a plurality of main table sections that, in a compact configuration, join at a center to form a small table surface, the main table sections being slidably mounted to respective main rails of the frame so as to diverge when the main table sections slide radially outward from the center;
• a plurality of expansion leaves configured for insertion between the main table sections in the expanded configuration, each expansion leaf comprising an outer section and an inner section hingedly connected to the outer section so as to fold in a storage position and to unfold in a deployed position;
• a deployment mechanism to facilitate deployment of the expansion leaves from a storage position in the compact configuration to a deployed position in the expanded configuration, the deployment mechanism comprising, for each expansion leaf:
• a pivot member connecting the outer section of the expansion leaf to the frame so as to rotate about a pivot axis between the deployed position and the storage position;
• a lift guide attached to an expansion rail of the frame and having a guide surface engaged by a follower on the expansion leaf to guide the inner section of the expansion leaf along an inclined path between the storage position and the deployed position when the outer section is rotated about the pivot axis;
• and
• wherein the guide surface includes a peak intermediate the ends of the guide surface, a launch portion extending upward from a starting level to the peak of the guide surface, and a landing portion defining an ending level lower than the peak of the guide surface.