CA2632334A1

CA2632334A1 - Folding table with transport mechanism

Info

Publication number: CA2632334A1
Application number: CA002632334A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Robert Farber; Jason C. Farber
Original assignee: GSC Technologies Corp
Current assignee: 1244311 BC Ltd
Priority date: 2007-08-31
Filing date: 2008-05-27
Publication date: 2009-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-27
Also published as: CA2632334C; US7574964B2; EP2030526A1; AU2007249094A1; US20090301358A1; AU2007249094B2; US7987800B2; US20090056593A1; EP2030526B1

Abstract

A folding table includes two tabletop halves pivotally joined together at an axle, with one or more legs connected to each half. A transport member, such as a wheel is mounted on the axle. To transform the table from an "in-use" condition to a "transport" condition, the legs are collapsed to seat adjacent to the underside of the associated tabletop half. The tabletop halves are then pivoted toward each other until the undersides are in facing relationship to each other. So pivoting the tabletop halves exposes the transport member, which can be positioned against the ground to roll or slide the table to a different location.

Claims

1. A folding table comprising:

a first tabletop half having an inside edge and an underside;

a second tabletop half having an inside edge and an underside, wherein the tabletop halves are pivotally connected together along an axle at or adjacent to the inside edges;

a first leg connected to the first tabletop half;

a second leg connected to the second tabletop half, wherein each leg is movable between a support condition extending away from the associated tabletop half to engage the ground and a stored condition positioned adjacent to the underside of the associated tabletop half; and at least one transport member mounted on the axle, wherein the tabletop halves are pivotal toward each other about the axle to place their undersides in facing relationship to each other when the legs are in the stored condition, and wherein so pivoting the tabletop halves exposes the transport member between the inside edges of the tabletop halves for engagement with the ground for transport of the folding table.

2. The folding table of claim 1, wherein the transport member comprises a wheel.

3. The folding table of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of wheels spaced along the axle.

4. The folding table of claim 1, further comprising a handle associated with at least one of the tabletop halves at or adjacent to an outside edge of the associated tabletop half.

5. The folding table of claim 1, wherein the transport member is at least partially received within one of the tabletop halves.

6. The folding table of claim 1, wherein one of the inside edges includes a channel and the transport member is at least partially received within the channel.

7. The folding table of claim 1, wherein the transport member extends beyond the inside edges of the tabletop halves when the transport member has been exposed.

8. A folding table comprising:

a first tabletop half having an inside edge and an underside;

a second tabletop half having an inside edge and an underside, wherein the tabletop halves are pivotally connected together along an axle at or adjacent to the inside edges;

a first leg connected to the first tabletop half;

a second leg connected to the second tabletop half; and at least one transport member mounted on the axle, wherein the folding table is movable between an in-use condition in which each leg extends away from the associated tabletop half to engage the ground, the inside edges of the tabletop halves engage each other to provide a substantially horizontal support surface, and the transport member is supported a distance above the ground, adjacent to and below the inside edges of the tabletop halves, and a transport condition in which each leg is positioned adjacent to the underside of the associated tabletop half, the undersides of the tabletop halves are in facing relationship to each other, the inside edges of the tabletop halves are spaced from each other, and the transport member is exposed between the inside edges of the tabletop halves for engagement with the ground for transport of the folding table.

9. The folding table of claim 8, wherein the transport member comprises a wheel.

10. The folding table of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of wheels spaced along the axle.

11. The folding table of claim 8, further comprising a handle associated with at least one of the tabletop halves at or adjacent to an outside edge of the associated tabletop half.

12. The folding table of claim 8, wherein the transport member is at least partially received within one of the tabletop halves.

13. The folding table of claim 8, one of the tabletop halves includes a channel and the transport member is at least partially received within the channel.

14. The folding table of claim 8, wherein the transport member extends beyond the inside edges of the tabletop halves when the folding table is in the transport condition.

15. A method of collapsing and transporting a folding table comprising:

collapsing legs of the folding table to be adjacent to an underside of a tabletop of the folding table;

folding the tabletop along a pivotal axle thereof to place a portion of the underside of the tabletop in facing relationship to another portion of the underside of the tabletop, thereby exposing a transport member mounted on the axle;

positioning the transport member against the ground; and moving the folding table along the ground while the transport member is in engagement with the ground.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said folding the tabletop in half includes exposing a plurality of transport members mounted on the axle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said moving the folding table along the ground includes rolling the transport members along the ground.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said moving the folding table along the ground includes gripping a handle at or adjacent to an outside edge of the tabletop.