WO2003005856A1

WO2003005856A1 - An oblong auxiliary table

Info

Publication number: WO2003005856A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/001374
Authority: WO
Original assignee: Öhrling, Ivar
Priority date: 2001-07-13
Filing date: 2002-07-11
Publication date: 2003-01-23
Also published as: SE519626C2; SE0102499D0; SE0102499L

Abstract

The present invention refers to an oblong auxiliary table comprising two table-tops (6, 7), each table-top comprising two guide means (8, 9) for connecting the table-tops to each other while allowing their displacement relative to each other telescopically, in order to vary the length of the table. The guide means comprises a channel (8) with a C-shaped cross section on one table-top and a corresponding bulge (9) on the other. Further, the table comprises a locking means (10, 12) consisting of a set of seats (10) on one table-top, and a corresponding male member (12) on the other, intended for engagement with one seat of said set of seats for locking the two table-tops in any desired position in order to settle the length of the table.

Description

An oblong auxiliary table Prior Art

By the Swedish design registration 65 371, a sup- plementary table for such turnable tables that are found in passenger vessels or vehicles, more precisely at the back side of the backrest of individual passenger seats is previously known. The purpose of this supplementary table is to increase the storage area for the passenger in connection with consump- tion of food or beverage, preferably by receiving drinking- glasses or the like. The supplementary table is elongated and has, at opposite ends thereof, turnable arms that are articu- latedly connected with the supplementary table and with two fastening devices, which are intended to be fastened on- oppo- site side edges of the backrest-supported main table. A problem in supplementing the main tables with supplementary tables is that the width of the main tables may vary, e.g. between miscellaneous types of aircrafts. For this reason, the elongated supplementary tables have to be made of different lengths in order to fit different main tables. Therefore, the manufacturing of supplementary tables, which in practice is carried out by moulding of plastics, becomes expensive. Stock-keeping of supplementary tables also becomes expensive and circumstantial.

Objects and Features of the Invention

The present invention aims at obviating the above- mentioned problems and at providing an improved supplementary ^' table. Therefore, a primary object of the invention is to provide a supplementary table that in a universal way may be mounted on main tables of varying width. An additional object is to create a supplementary table that is stable and reliable.

According to the invention at least the primary object is attained by the features stated in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the table according to the invention are further defined in the dependent claims. Brief Description of the Appended Drawings In the drawings :

Fig 1 is a perspective view of a main table applicable to a backrest as well as a supplementary table according to the invention,

Fig 2 is an enlarged perspective view of only the supplementary table,

Fig 3 is a perspective view of the supplementary table with two leaves forming part of the table being spaced- apart from each other, and

Fig 4 is a perspective view of the two leaves of the table with the bottom side faced upwards.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention In fig 1, numeral 1 designates a main table that has been supplemented with a supplementary table 2 according to the invention. The main table 1 is in a suitable way (not shown) applicable to the back side of backrests of passengers seats, more precisely in such a way that the table may, if required, be turned out from the backrest to the horizontal position shown in fig 1. The supplementary table 2 is long narrow and has at opposite short ends thereof arms 3 that are articulat- edly connected to the supplementary table as well as fasteners 4 by means of which the supplementary table afterwards may be mounted on the main table. The arms 3 are of such a nature.that the supplementary table automatically accompanies the main table when- this is turned up against a backrest. In the^' supplementary table 2, there are holes 5 for receiving glasses, mugs or the like. Reference is now made to figs 2-4, which in detail illustrate the nature of the table 2. Characteristic of the table 2 is that the same is composed of two separately manufactured leaves 6, 7. Along opposite long sides, said leaves 6, 7 have interacting guide devices with the purpose of holding together the leaves and at the same time enabling displacement; of the same in relation to each other with the object of vary-' ing the length of the table. In the shown, preferred example of embodiment, each individual guide device includes, on one hand; a cross-section-wise substantially C-shaped flute 8 along the longside edge of one of the leaves, and on the other hand a bulge 9 insertable in the flute in the corresponding longside edge of the second leaf. The individual bulge 9 may advantageously be of a partially cylindrical shape having approxima- tely the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the hollow space inside the C-shaped flute, whereby the bulges may inserted with narrow fit in the flutes.

In order to interlock the leaves 6, 7 in a desired setting position in relation to each other and thereby fix the length of the table, the table includes a particular locking device. In the preferred embodiment shown, the locking device includes a set of reciprocally spaced-apart seats 10 at the bottom side of the leaf 6, as well as an elastically resilient male member or projection 12 that protrudes upwards from the top side of the second leaf 7. In practice the two leaves are manufactured by moulding of plastics, the leaves being given a limited wall thickness, e.g. within the range of 1-2 mm. In doing so, the seats 10 may be formed as spaces between cross- section-wise wedge-shaped teeth 11 in a continuous serration at the bottom side of the leaf 6. By the fact that the teeth 11 are cross-section-wise wedge-shaped, ^' a front surface extending obliquely downwards/backwards from the bottom side of the leaf is formed on each tooth. Also the male member 12 may be in the shape of a cross-section-wise wedge-shaped tooth having a front surface that extends obliquely backwards/upwards from the top side of the leaf 7. Said tooth 12 is located at the inner end of the leaf 7, more precisely on a wall portion designated 14 that is delimited between two slots 13 that extend a distance from the inner end of the leaf 7. By being delimited by the slots 13, the wall portion 14 becomes elastically resilient, more precisely thanks to the inherent elasticity in the plastic material.

At opposite outer ends thereof, the two leaves 6, 7 are formed with, side flanges 15, which extend downwards from the individual leaf. In these side flanges, holes 16 are formed for the hinges of the arms 3 initially mentioned.

Assembling of the two leaves 6, 7 is carried out in the following way: The cylindric-shaped bulges 9 are inserted in the flutes 8 with the leaf 7 located underneath the leaf 6. When the tooth 12 of the leaf 7 meets the first tooth 11 in the serration on the bottom side of the leaf 6, the tooth 12 will retract and slide over the tooth 11 to subsequently, snap-in and be locked in the seat 10 being next behind. This phenomenon may be repeated a number of times until the leaf 7 is inserted so far that the table has obtained the desired length. In this state, the tooth 12 interlocks the leaves in relation to each other by engaging a selected seat in the serration.

An advantage of the table according to the invention is that it may be made from two standard components or parts, which together form a table having an adjustable length, the table in a universal way being usable as a supplementary table for main tables of different width.

Feasible Modifications of the Invention

The invention is not solely limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings. Thus, the guide device or devices that hold together the two leaves- in the table may be formed in another way than in the shape of C- shaped flutes and cylindrical bulges, respectively. Also the design of the locking device to interlock the leaves in the desired length position may be varied. For instance, the seats for the male member may be in the form of shallow countersinks directly in the bottom side of a leaf.

Claims

Claim

An elongated supplementary table including two leaves (6, 7), which have two guide devices (8, 9) that hold together the leaves and at the same time enable displacement of the leaves in relation to each other with the object of varying the length of the table, and which are lockable in a desired setting position in relation to each other by means of a locking device (10, 12), the individual guide device comprising, on one hand, a cross-section-wise substantially C-shaped flute (8) along a longside edge of one of the leaves, and on the other hand a bulge (9) insertable in the flute on the corresponding longside edge of the second leaf, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking device comprises a set of reciprocally spaced-apart seats (10) on a bottom side of one of the leaves (6) and a male member (12) protruding upwards from the top side of the other leaf (7), which may be brought into engagement with a selected seat (10) in order to fix the length of the table, said male member (12) being formed on a free edge of a section of a leaf portion (13), which is delimited between two slots (14) and flexible thanks to the inherent elasticity in the material of the leaf.