Joint and foldable structures employing the same

A bracket for use in a folding joint mechanism, comprising:

• a planar body having a front end and an opposite back end;
• said front end having a normally extending stop protrusion projecting from a side of said bracket and having a stop surface, said front end defining a front pivot point,
• said back end defining a back pivot point and a first edge surface;
• and
• a central portion of said body joining said front end to said back end and having a common first edge surface.

A support structure, comprising:

• at least one generally linear support member made up of a plurality of brackets, each said bracket having a front end and a back end;
• said front end having a normally extending stop protrusion projecting from a side of said bracket and having a stop surface, said front end defining a front pivot point, said back end defining a back pivot point and a first edge surface;
• said front end of said first bracket being joined to said back end of said second bracket at said pivot points such that said brackets pivot relative to each other between a stowed position in which said first and second brackets are adjacent each other in generally parallel, aligned orientation, and an extended position in which said second bracket is extended linearly relative to said first bracket and said stop surface of said first bracket engages said edge surface of said second bracket;
• and
• in said extended position, said joint withstanding weight loads exerted on said edge surface.