US 5,549,052 AGranted

Table with movable top surface

AssigneeUltra-Mek, Inc.

InventorD. Stephen Hoffman

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a table comprising a base, a table surface, and a mechanism for controlling the movement of the table surface relative to the base. The table surface is movable between a retracted position, in which the table surface is generally horizontally disposed above and adjacent the base, and an extended position, in which the table surface is generally horizontally disposed above the base and a major portion of the table surface resides forwardly of the base. The mechanism is mounted to a table base and a table surface. The mechanism has a front pivot link, pivotally interconnected to the base at a first pivot, and a rear pivot link, pivotally interconnected to the base at a second pivot link. The mechanism is mounted to the surface at the upper portion of the front pivot link at a third pivot, and at the upper portion of the rear pivot link at a fourth pivot. The mechanism is configured such that it can be mounted inboard of the table base end panels.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A table comprising:

a base;
a table surface;
and
a mechanism for controlling the movement of said table surface relative to said base between a retracted position, in which said table surface is generally horizontally disposed above and adjacent said base, and an extended position, in which said table surface is generally horizontally disposed above said base and a major portion of said table surface resides forwardly of said base, said mechanism comprising:
(a) mounting means attached to said base;
(b) a front pivot link comprising lower, central, and upper portions, the central portion having front and rear edges, said lower portion being pivotally interconnected with said base mounting means at a first pivot;
(c) a rear pivot link comprising lower, central, and upper portions, the central portion having front and rear edges, said lower portion being pivotally interconnected with said base mounting means at a second pivot;
and
(d) means for mounting said mechanism to said table surface pivotally interconnected with said front pivot link upper portion at a third pivot and with said rear pivot link upper portion at a fourth pivot;
said front and rear pivot links being configured so that a first of said pivot link central portions is lateral of a second of said pivot link central portions and so that in the extended position, said rear edge of said first pivot link central portion is rearward of said rear edge of said second pivot link central portion and said front edge of said first pivot link central portion is forward of said front edge of said second pivot link central portion.

7 more elements

A table comprising:

a base;
a table surface;
a mechanism controlling the movement between a retracted position, in which said table surface is generally horizontally disposed above said base, and an extended position, in which said table surface is generally horizontally disposed above and adjacent said base and a major portion of said table surface resides forwardly of said base, said mechanism comprising:
(a) mounting means attached to said base;
(b) a front pivot link comprising lower, central, and upper portions, the central portion having front and rear edges, said lower portion being pivotally interconnected with said base mounting means at a first pivot;
(c) a rear pivot link comprising lower, central, and upper portions, the central portion having front and rear edges, said lower portion being pivotally interconnected with said base mounting means at a second pivot;
and
(d) means for mounting said mechanism to said table surface pivotally interconnected with said front pivot link upper portion at a third pivot and with said rear pivot link upper portion at a fourth pivot;
said front and rear pivot links being configured so that a first of said central portions of said pivot links is lateral of a second of said pivot link central portions and so that said rear edge of said first pivot link central portion is rearward of said front edge of said second pivot link central portion and said front edge of said first of said pivot link central portion is forward of said front edge of said second said pivot link central portion, and wherein said central portion of said front pivot link is rearwardly offset from a line between said first and third pivots, and wherein said central portion of said rear pivot link is forwardly offset from a line extending between said second and fourth pivots.

6 more elements

A mechanism suitable for use with a table having a base and an extendable table surface movable between a retracted position, in which the table surface is generally horizontally disposed above the base, and an extended position, in which the table surface is generally horizontally disposed above the base and a major portion of the table surface resides forwardly of the base, said mechanism comprising:

mounting means adapted to be attached to the table base;
a front pivot link comprising lower, central, and upper portions, said central portion having front and rear edges, said lower portion being pivotally interconnected with said base mounting means at a first pivot;
a rear pivot link comprising lower, central, and upper portions, the central portion having front and rear edges, said lower portion being pivotally interconnected with said base mounting means at a second pivot;
and
table surface mounting means adapted to attach to the table surface, said table surface mounting means being pivotally interconnected with said front pivot link upper portion at a third pivot and with said rear pivot link upper portion at a fourth pivot;
said front and rear pivot links being configured so that one of said central portions of said pivot link is wider than the other of said pivot link central portions, and so that, when the table is in the extended position, said rear edge of the wider of said pivot link central portions is rearward of said front edge of the other of said pivot link central portions, and said front edge of said wider of said pivot link central portions is forward of said front edge of the other of said pivot link central portions.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.