Expandable Table

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/228,316, which was filed on Jul. 31, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates generally to expandable tables and, more particularly, to improvements in jupe-type expandable tables.

A jupe-type table, also known as an expanding round table, is a versatile piece of furniture that combines the elegance of a round table with the functionality of an expandable table surface. The tabletop comprises a plurality of main table sections that join at a common center to form a small table and a plurality of expansion leaves that can be inserted between the main table sections as needed to create a table with larger surface area. When the table is fully closed, the leaves are neatly stored below the table surface, creating a small table surface. The main table sections diverge when they are pulled radially outward to provide space for the insertion of the expansion leaves, creating a larger table surface. Jupe-type tables can serve as a compact dining table for everyday use, but when expanded, provide ample space for hosting larger gatherings or events. Examples of jupe-type tables are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,464,653 to Dodge and U.S. Pat. No. 10,383,433 to Guglielmi.

The present disclosure relates to improvements in expandable, jupe-type tables. The expandable table comprises a base or pedestal that rests on the floor or other support surface, a frame supported by the pedestal, and a tabletop. The tabletop comprises a plurality of main table sections that join at a common center to form a small table and a plurality of expansion leaves that can be inserted between the main table sections as needed to create a table with larger surface area. When the table is fully closed, the expansion leaves are neatly stored below the table surface. The main table sections diverge when they are pulled radially outward to provide space for the insertion of the expansion leaves, creating a larger table surface.

The expandable table includes a frame comprising a plurality of main rails extending radially between the center of the frame and a plurality of expansion rails branching off of the main rails. The main table sections of the tabletop slidably mount to respective main rails so as to move radially inward and outward along the main rails. The expansion leaves slidably mount to respective expansion rail sets to move between a storage (folded) position and a deployed (unfolded) position.

One aspect of the disclosure comprises a deployment mechanism to facilitate deployment of the expansion leaves from the storage position in the compact configuration to a deployed position in the expanded configuration. The deployment mechanism comprises, for each expansion leaf, a pivot member connecting the outer section of the expansion leaf to the frame so as to rotate about a pivot axis between the deployed position and the storage position and a lift guide attached to an expansion rail of the frame. The lift guide has a guide surface engaged by a follower on the expansion leaf to guide the inner section of the expansion leaf along an inclined path between the storage position and the deployed position when the outer section is rotated about a pivot axis.

In some embodiments, the guide surface of the lift guide includes a peak intermediate the ends of the guide surface, a launch portion extending upward from a starting level to the peak of the guide surface, and a landing portion defining an ending level lower than the peak of the guide surface. During deployment of the expansion leaf, the follower begins at the starting level in the launch portion of the guide surface, travels upward along the launch portion of the guide surface, over the peak of the guide surface, and comes to rest in the landing portion of the guide surface.

Another aspect of the disclosure comprises a removable stopper to prevent the main table sections from sliding off the ends of the main rails during use. The stoppers can be removed to allow installation and/or replacement of the main table sections.

Referring now to the drawings,illustrate an expandable tableaccording to an exemplary embodiment. Expandable tablecomprises a base or pedestalthat rests on the floor or other support surface, a framesupported by the pedestal, and a tabletop. Tabletopcomprises a plurality of main table sectionsthat join at a common center to form a small table as shown inand a plurality of expansion leavesthat can be inserted between the main table sectionsas needed to create a table with larger surface area as shown in. In the illustrated embodiment, the main table sectionsare wedge-shaped or pie-shaped so that the table surface approximates a circle. When tableis fully closed, the expansion leavesare neatly stored below the table surface. The main table sectionsdiverge when they are pulled radially outward to provide space for the insertion of the expansion leaves, creating a larger table surface.

illustrate how tableexpands to form a large table surface.shows tablein the closed or compact configuration providing a small table surface. To expand table, the user pulls the main table sectionsradially outward. When pulled radially outward, the wedge shaped sectionsdiverge from one another to expose the expansion leavesunderneath the table surface as shown in. The expansion leafvisible inis in a folded configuration. To deploy the expansion leaves, the user unfolds and positions the expansion leaves. The process of unfolding and deploying the expansion leavesraises the expansion leavesinto the plane of the table surface.shows the expansion leavesin the unfolded or deployed position. Following deployment of the expansion leaves, the user pushes the main table sectionsand expansion leavesradially inward, which causes the main table sectionand expansion leavesto converge and form the large table surface as shown in.

illustrates frameof the expandable tableaccording to one embodiment. Framecomprises a plurality of main rails, a plurality of expansion railsbranching off of the main rails, and an apron. The number of main railscorresponds with the number of main table sections. In the illustrative embodiment, there are six main table sections and six main rails, although the number of main table sectionsis not material. The main railsextend outward from the center of frameto the apron, which extends circumferentially around frameforming an outer perimeter of frame. In each sector of frame, two expansion railsextend parallel to one another from respective main railsto the apronto form an expansion rail set. The expansion railsin the same expansion rail set extend parallel to and equidistant from a radial dividing the sector, i.e., the wedge-shaped area defined by two main rails and the apron.

The main table sectionsslidably mount to respective main railsso as to move radially inward and outward along the main rails. The expansion leavesslidably mount to respective expansion rail sets to move between a storage (folded) position and a deployed (unfolded) position.

The main railsare extruded from aluminum or other lightweight material and include channels() in the upper surfaces that serve as tracks for the main table sections. Slidesattached to the underside of the main table sectionstravel back and forth in channel. Channelsand slidesare shaped so that the main table sectioncannot be vertically removed from channel. Channelis open at the outer end to allow insertion and removal of the slidesattached to the main table sectionsthrough the open end.

In one embodiment, a removable stopperis inserted into the open end of each channelto prevent the main table sectionsfrom sliding off of the main rail.illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the removable stopper. The stoppercomprises a block made of metal, wood, plastic, or composite material. The stopperis shaped for insertion into the end of channelin the main rail. The stopperincludes a through-holethat is engaged by a stopper pindisposed inside the main rail. Springbiases the stopper pininto engagement with the through holein the stopper. The stopper pinincludes an armthat extends outward through an openingin the side wall of the main rail. A user can remove a main table sectionof the tableby pulling downward on the armof the stopper pinto disengage the stopper pinfrom the stopperand removing the stopper. Once stopperis removed, slideattached to the underside of the main table sectioncan slide out of the open end of channel.

The expansion railscomprise a rectangular tube () extruded from aluminum or other lightweight material. Each expansion railbranches off a respective main railand extends to the apronas seen in. The expansion railsare preferably welded to the main railsbut other forms of attachment, such as threaded fasteners, can also be used. The two expansion railsbetween the same pair of main railsextend parallel to one another and form an expansion rail set for an expansion leaf. A deployment mechanismdescribed in more detail below comprising a sliding pivot, lift guide, and followersupports each expansion leafbetween a respective expansion rail set.

The aproncomprises six curved segments. Each curved segmentis attached at opposing ends to respective main rails. The curved segmentsmay be secured to the main railsand expansion railsby weldment or threaded fasteners. In either case, the curved segmentsjoin with the main railsso that the open ends of the channelsin the main railsare not obstructed. The outer surface of curved segmentsmay be covered by a wood laminate or other material giving the appearance of a natural wood finish.

As previously noted, the tabletopcomprises a plurality of main table sectionsand a plurality of expansion leaves. The main table sectionsand expansion leavescan be made or wood, or composite material with a natural wood appearance. In one embodiment, the components of the tabletopare made of blockboard. The components of the tabletopcan be shaped to form a perfect circle in either the closed configuration, or the expanded configuration.

Each main table sectionhas an outer curved edgeand converging sidesforming an approximate sector of a circle. A slideis attached to the underside of each main table section. Slidefits in channelin one of the main railsand allows the main table sectionto slide radially inward and outward along the main rail.

Each expansion leafcomprises two parts: an outer sectionand an inner section. The outer sectionand inner sectionof each expansion leafare connected by a hingethat allows the expansion leafto fold into a storage position. The outer sectionincludes a curved outer edgethat forms part of the outer perimeter of the tabletopin the expanded configuration and parallel sidesthat abut with the sides of the main table sectionsin the expanded configuration. The inner sectionhas two parallel sidesand two converging sidesforming an overall-pencil-shape with a pointed end. The parallel sidesabut the converging sidesof the main table sectionsin the expanded configuration, while the converging sidesabut the converging sidesof another expansion leafin the expanded configuration.

The expansion leavesare mounted to respective expansion rail sets by a deployment mechanism. In the disclosed embodiment, a separate deployment mechanism is provided for each expansion leaf. The deployment mechanismfor an expansion leafcomprises three main components: a sliding pivot, and lift guide, and a follower. Each expansion leafuses two sliding pivots, two lift guides, and two followers, i.e., one of each for each side of the expansion leaf. The sliding pivotsrotatably connect the expansion leafto the parallel expansion railsin an expansion rail set, so that the expansion leafcan be rotated between the storage position and the deployed position as hereinafter described. The lift guideand followerguide the pointed end of the expansion leaf into position while the expansion leafis being deployed.

The sliding pivotcomprises two main parts: a slotted bracketwith a guide slotand a pivot pin. The slotted bracketsmount to vertical surfaces of expansion railsfacing the expansion leaf. The pivot pinsmount to the underside of the outer sectionof the expansion leafand extend outward from the parallel sidesof the outer section. The axis of the pivot pinis offset vertically from the plane of the expansion leaf. This offset causes the expansion leafto lift upward into the plane of the table surface when being deployed and to drop back below the plane of the table surface when being returned to the storage position. Slotted bracketsinclude openingsthat enable the insertion and removal of the pivot pinsinto the guide slotsso that the expansion leavescan be removed. Guide slotsallow for some radial movement of the expansion leafduring the deployment of the expansion leafand the return of the expansion leafto the storage position.

The lift guidecomprises a mounting taband guide armmade from a flat metal plate. The mounting tababuts the bottom surface of the expansion railand provides means for attaching the lift guideto the expansion rail. In one embodiment, threaded fasteners secure the lift guideto the bottom surface of the expansion rail. The threaded faster passes through an opening (not shown) in the mounting taband screws into a mounting hole (not shown) in the bottom of the expansion rail. Guide armlies flat against the vertical surface of the expansion railand includes an upper surface with a complex curvature. The upper surface functions as a guide surfacefor the followeras hereinafter described. The complex curvature includes three parts. The first part referred to herein as the launch portion comprises a concave curve that curves upwardly. The second part referred to herein as the central portion comprises a convex curve that defines a peak along the guide surface. The third part referred to herein as the landing portion comprises a concave curve that curves downward slightly and then flattens to forms a landing area for the followerin the deployed position.

The followercomprises a bearing() that mounts to the underside of the inner sectionof the expansion leaf. Bearingtravels along the guide surfaceof the guide armwhen the expansion leafis being deployed or returned to storage. In the storage position, the followerrests on an upper surfaceof the mounting tabthat protrudes from the expansion rail. The upper surfaceof the mounting tabfunctions as a rest stop for the bearingin the storage position. During deployment, the bearingtravels up the launch portion of the guide surfaceand moves toward the landing area. Bearingtravels over the peak in the central portion of the guide surfaceand comes to a stop in the landing area as shown in. During the return of the expansion leaf, the followermoves back from the landing area to the launch portion of the guide surface.

illustrate how the deployment mechanism works.shows the expansion leafin a storage position below the table surface. In this configuration, the outer sectionof the expansion leafis inverted and folded over on top of the inner section. The pivot pinis located toward the outer end of the guide slotin the slotted bracket. The bearingof the followerrests on the upper surfaceof the mounting tab.shows the main table sectionsliding radially outward to expose the expansion leaf.show the expansion leafbeing unfolded. When the outer sectionis being unfolded, the inner sectionis pushed forward and the bearingof the followerbegins to travel upward along the launch portion of the guide surface. Once the expansion leafis unfolded, the expansion leafis pushed inward so that the followerpasses over the peak in the central portion of the guide surfaceand comes to a stop in the landing area as shown in. In the expanded configuration, the pivot pinis located near the inner end of the guide channelin the slotted bracket. The shape of the guide armhelps to hold the expansion leavesin place.

In some embodiments, the side edges,, andof the main table sectionsand expansion leavesinclude magnetsembedded therein to hold the table sections together. The edgesof the main table sectionsmay include a first set of magnetsthat engage with magnetson adjacent main table sectionsin the compact configuration, and a second set of magnetsthat engage with magnetson an adjacent expansion leafin the expanded configuration. The edges,of the expansion leavesinclude a single set of magnetsto engage with the magnetson the main table sections.

In some embodiments, the side edges,, andof the main table sectionsand expansion leavesinclude a series of slots,. The slotsin the side edgesof the main table sectionsare engaged by postsextending from the side edges,of the expansion leaves. The slotsin the side edges,of the expansion leavesare engaged by postsextending from the side edgesof the main table sections. The engagement of the posts,with the slots,prevents the expansion leavesfrom lifting upward during use.

The exemplary table illustrated in the Figures embodies a circular design where table surface comprises a perfect circle in the open or expanded configuration () and an irregular circle in the closed or compact configuration (). Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the table could embody a multitude of shapes and variations.illustrate an alternate embodiment where table surface comprises a perfect circle in the closed or compact configuration () and an irregular circle in the open or expanded configuration ().

show another circular design where the table includes four main table sectionsinstead of six. Other designs could comprise more than six main table sectionsor fewer than four main table sections.

The table geometry could be based on other geometric shapes in addition to a circle. For example, the table could be elliptical, oval, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal.illustrate a design that is square in the closed or compact configuration and rectangular in an open or expanded configuration. These examples are intended to illustrate some of the possibilities and are not limiting. The present disclosure may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the disclosure. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.