TABLE WITH HINGED TOP

DESCRIPTION

The present patent relates to the sector of furniture and in particular it concerns a new table with hinged top provided with wheels. Tables are known which comprise one or more legs resting on the ground and a horizontal top rigidly constrained to said legs and suitable for placing objects thereon.

Folding tables are also known, in which said legs are hinged to said top, in such a way as to be able to rotate in relation to it, moving from a position substantially orthogonal to said top to a position substantially parallel to said top.

Folding tables offer the advantage of being able to be folded in such a way as to allow the user to considerably reduce their overall dimensions and to store and stack them comfortably when they are not used. The main drawback posed by the known folding tables lies in that in order to unfold/fold them it is necessary to carry out a series of rather complicated operations, which must be performed by more than one person, since the legs must be folded by grasping them one by one or in pairs, at the same time holding also the top. Tables with hinged top to be applied to walls are also known, which comprise a top suited to be hinged to one or more apposite brackets fixed to the wall, and wherein said top can be rotated in relation to said brackets and to the wall from a folded position, substantially parallel to the wall, to an open position, in which it is orthogonal to the wall. Said top can furthermore be constrained in said open position by means of apposite articulated arms or another type of retainer.

Said tables with hinged top suited to be applied to walls are generally fixed permanently to the wall, which means that they cannot be easily removed when they are not needed, but to do that it is necessary to use special tools. To remedy all the above mentioned drawbacks a new type of table with

hinged top has been designed and constructed, which is very compact when folded and which is provided with hidden wheels.

The main object of the present invention is to allow the overall dimensions of the table to be reduced to a minimum when it is folded, thanks to its extremely compact structure.

Another important object of the invention is to make the table easy to move when it is folded, thanks to the presence of apposite hidden wheels. Another important object of the present invention is to guarantee the stability of the table when it is open, since it has at least three points of contact with the ground, said points of contact being stable thanks to the presence of special lever mechanisms that lift the wheels from the ground. Another important advantage offered by the present invention lies in that it simplifies the opening/folding operations as well as the transport of the folded table, since it can be opened/folded with a single rotating movement of the top, even by one person using one hand only, with no need for special tools. In fact, the new table can be easily opened/folded translated/stabilized by one person without the help of a second person who supports the legs or part of the top. These and other direct and complementary objects are achieved by the new table with hinged top comprising in its main parts an upper top hinged to a structure so that it can be rotated from a substantially vertical folded position to a substantially horizontal open position.

Said structure comprises at least one leg or vertical element to the upper end of which said rotating top is hinged. Said vertical element is integral with a base or platform resting on the ground, provided on its lower surface with a side edge for containing hidden wheels suited to translate vertically from an upper position, recessed into said side edge of the platform, to a lower position, projecting beyond said side edge of the platform. The rotation of said top causes, through the action of special lever mechanisms, the upward and downward translation of said wheels, so that

said platform rests on the ground with the edges and not with the wheels when said top is in the horizontal open position, and rests on the wheels when said top is in the vertical folded position.

Said structure also comprises at least one further auxiliary foot or leg resting on the ground, hinged to said top, and also said leg can be folded, in relation to the top itself, from a position parallel to the top to a position orthogonal to the top.

In particular, when said top is in the horizontal open position, said auxilitary leg is arranged orthogonal to said top and to the ground and resting on the ground, while when said top is in the vertical folded position, said auxiliary leg does not rest on the ground and is arranged parallel to said top and orthogonal to the ground.

Said top can have any shape, that is, it can be rectangular, polygonal or have a generically curved profile. The characteristics of the new table with hinged top will be highlighted in greater detail in the following description, with reference to the enclosed drawing, attached as an example without limitation.

Figures 1 and 2 respectively show a top view and a side view of the new table with hinged top, while Figures 3 and 4 show a schematic side view of the new table with hinged top when in use.

Figure 5 shows a double section (right side, left side) with lowered and lifted wheels. Figure 6 shows a bottom view of the platform or supporting base (P) only, with lever mechanisms for translating the wheels (T).

The new table with hinged top comprises at least one top (R) hinged to a structure (S) and tipping in relation to said structure (S) from a vertical folded position (1) to a horizontal open position (2) and vice versa.

Said structure (S) comprises at least one leg or vertical element (G) resting on the ground, whose upper end (Gl) is hinged to said top (R) while its lower end (G2) is integral with a base or platform (P) resting on the ground, and at least one further auxiliary leg or foot (A) resting on the ground

hinged to said top (R) and rotating with respect to said top (R) from a position parallel to the top (R) when in the vertical folded position (1) to a position orthogonal to said top (R) when in the open horizontal position (2) and vice versa. Said structure (S) comprises also at least one rod (B) hinged to said leg or vertical element (G) and to said auxiliary foot (A), wherein said top (R), said leg or vertical element (G), said auxiliary foot (A) and said rod (B) substantially form an articulated parallelogram, such that said top (R) and said rod (B) remain parallel, as well as said leg or vertical element (G) and said auxiliary foot (A).

As schematically shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6, said base or platform (P) of said leg or vertical element (G) comprises a lower side edge (Pl) for containing hidden wheels (T) translating in a substantially vertical direction from an upper position, recessed within said side edge (Pl), to a lower position, projecting beyond said side edge (Pl), and vice versa, and wherein said translation is caused, through lever mechanisms (L), by the rotation of said top (R) from said horizontal open position (2) to said vertical folded position (1) and vice versa. Said lever mechanisms (L) comprise at least one lever (Ll) integral with said top (R) and rotating around a fixed point (Gl), wherein at least one rod

(L3) is hinged through a pin (L2) to said lever (Ll), provided with at least one eccentric groove, said at least one rod (L3) being suited to translate parallel to said leg or vertical element (G) and being connected, directly or indirectly, by means of oneTjofScωre further ϊevers (L5, L7), to at least one support (L6) of said wheels (T), and wherein the rotation of said first lever

(Ll) integrally with said top (R) causes the translation of the pin (L2) from the upper position (L2") to the lower position (L2') and the consequent translation of said wheels (T) parallel to said leg or vertical element (G). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, said lever mechanisms (L) are substantially contained inside said leg (Gl) and said platform (P).

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.