Folding furniture latch assembly

Abstract

A latch release assembly for folding furniture is provided for simultaneously releasing a plurality of latchable hinges. A rigid elongate member is connected at each end to a latch release lever of a latchable hinge. The rigid elongate member simultaneously transfers a releasing force to each release lever in order to actuate and open the connected latches to allow the latchable hinges to open and pivot. The latch release assembly may be fitted to a table top and table support frame to provide a latching hinge system for a folding table to allow a user to actuate a table from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation to facilitate compact and space-saving storage.

Claims

1. A latch release assembly comprising: a plurality of latchable hinges in spaced arrangement, each of said latchable hinges comprising: a first bracket; a second bracket; a hinge pivotably coupling said first bracket with said second bracket; a catch portion disposed on said first bracket and spaced apart from said hinge; and a latch lever pivotably coupled at said second bracket, wherein a portion of said latch lever is configured to engage said catch portion to secure said first bracket and second bracket relative to one another in a closed position, and said latch lever is pivotable to release said portion of said latch lever from said catch portion to open said latchable hinge; and a connection member coupled between respective distal ends of each of said latch levers of said plurality of latchable hinges, said connection member comprising a rigid elongated member having cutouts on both ends, each of said cutouts configured to engage with and fixedly couple to a respective end portion of said latch lever of each of said latchable hinges; wherein said connection member is configured such that a user may simultaneously pivot said latch levers of said plurality of latchable hinges by applying a release force at said connection member.

2. The latch release assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of latchable hinges are disposed at a bottom portion of a table top, such that said table top is pivotable about said latchable hinges.

3. The latch release assembly of claim 2, wherein said latchable hinges are supported at a table support frame.

4. The latch release assembly of claim 3, wherein said table support frame comprises a plurality of vertical support members spaced apart from one another and each vertically supporting a respective one of said latchable hinges.

5. The latch release assembly of claim 4, wherein each of said vertical support members is supported by at least two wheels.

6. The latch release assembly of claim 4, wherein said table support frame further comprises a horizontal support member coupled between said plurality of vertical support members.

7. A pivotable table comprising: a table top; a table support frame; and a latch assembly comprising: a pair of latchable hinges in spaced arrangement and each disposed between a bottom portion of said table top and a portion of said table support frame such that said table top is pivotable relative to said table support frame about said latchable hinges, each of said latchable hinges having a pivotable latch release lever; and an elongated connection member comprising cutouts on both ends of said elongated connection member, each of said cutouts configured to engage with and fixedly couple to a respective distal end portion of said latch release lever of each of said latchable hinges, wherein said elongated connection member is configured to simultaneously pivot said latch release lever of each of said latchable hinges upon application of a release force at said connection member such that said latch assembly is operable to modify the orientation of at least a portion of said table top relative to said table support frame.

8. The pivotable table of claim 7, wherein each of said latchable hinges further comprises a top base coupled to said table top, a bottom base coupled to said table support frame, and a hinged connection coupling said top base with said bottom base.

9. The pivotable table of claim 8, wherein each of said latchable hinges further comprises a catch portion at said bottom base and said latch release lever is pivotably coupled at said top base, wherein a portion of said latch release lever is configured to engage said catch portion to secure said top base and bottom base relative to one another in a closed position, said latch release lever is pivotable to release said portion of said latch release lever from said catch portion to open said latchable hinge.

10. The pivotable table of claim 7, wherein said table support frame comprises a plurality of vertical support members spaced apart from one another and each vertically supporting a respective one of said latchable hinges.

11. The pivotable table of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of vertical support members is supported by two wheels.

12. The pivotable table of claim 10, wherein said table support frame further comprises a horizontal support member coupled between said plurality of vertical support members.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a folding furniture latch release assembly disposed on a pivotable table in accordance with the present invention, the table top is illustrated in a vertical or storage orientation;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pivotable table of FIG. 1 shown with the table top in a horizontal orientation;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the latch release assembly of FIG. 1, illustrating the latch assembly mounted between the bottom surface of the table top and a table support frame;

(4) FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the folding furniture latch release assembly;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the latchable hinges of the latch release assembly of FIG. 4, shown in a latched position;

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the latchable hinges of the latch release assembly of FIG. 4 shown in an unlatched position; and

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another latchable hinge of the latch release assembly, spaced apart from the latchable hinge of FIG. 6, shown in an unlatched position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a latch assembly 10 is provided for simultaneously releasing multiple latches of article of convertible furniture, such as folding or pivotable furniture. The latch release assembly 10 includes a connection member 12, and at least two latchable hinges 14 (FIG. 1). The latch release assembly 10 may be adapted for use with convertible furniture such as a folding, pivotable, or flip-nest desk or table 22. The connection member 12 is connected to the hinges 14, and is configured to allow a user to simultaneously actuate a release lever 20 of each latchable hinge 14. The connection member 12 is sufficiently rigid and durable to withstand and transfer the force necessary to simultaneously actuate the release levers 20 in order to release the latchable hinges 14. The connection member 12 may be an elongate cylindrical rod and may include cutouts or openings 18 on each end of the connection member 12, each cutout 18 configured to engage a release lever 20 of one of the latchable hinges 14. The connection member 12 may be attached to the release levers 20 by mechanical fasteners, glue, welds, etc.

(9) In the illustrated embodiment, as best understood from FIGS. 1 and 3, the latch release assembly 10 is disposed on a pivotally convertible table 22, such that the latch assembly 10 is pivotally fixed between the bottom side of a table top 24 and a lower table support frame 26. Table top 24 is pivotable about the latchable hinges 14 from a horizontal orientation, shown in FIGS. 2-3, to a vertical or storage orientation, shown in FIG. 1. Latchable hinges 14 are supported from below by the lower table support frame 26. In the illustrated embodiment each latchable hinge 14 is disposed on a top portion of a tee-shaped vertical support 26a. A set of vertical supports 26a are laterally spaced to provide support for the table top 24 and are laterally supported by at least one horizontal support member 30 disposed between the vertical supports 26a. The table 22 is configured such that when the table top 24 is in a vertical orientation the table 22 can nest with additional tables 22 (nesting not shown). Optionally, as illustrated in FIG. 1, tee-shaped vertical supports 26a are supported by wheels 32 in order to easily maneuver the table 22.

(10) In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3-7, the latchable hinges 14 are represented as folding table adaptors manufactured under the part number FIS 409 by Plako GmbH of Ennepetal, Germany, although other types of latchable hinges may be used. The latchable hinges 14 each include a release lever 20, a hinge 34, a bottom or lower support attachment base or hinge bracket 36, and a top or upper table attachment base or hinge bracket 38 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The hinge 34 is configured to pivotally connect the support attachment base 36 and the table attachment base 38. The support attachment base 36 is mechanically attached to the top of a respective one of the vertical supports 26a. The table attachment base 38 is mechanically attached to the bottom side of the table top 24 such as with screws, bolts, glue, or the like. The support attachment base 36 includes a catch portion, in the form of a set of engaging teeth 40 configured such that when the table top 24 is pivoted from the vertical to the horizontal orientation, a middle portion of the release lever 20 slides over the top of teeth 40, enters (as urged by a spring force provided by a tension spring 42) below the engaging teeth 40 after clearing the distal portion of the engaging teeth, and finally rests underneath the bottom of teeth 40 such that the release lever 20 is constrained from vertical movement when in a set latching position (FIGS. 6 and 7). When the middle portion of the release lever 20 is constrained by the engaging teeth 40, the latchable hinge 14 and table top 24 are secured in a closed or horizontal position. It will be appreciated that the catch portion of the latchable hinge 14 may be formed by a single tooth, ridge, lip, or any other suitable catch element. The release lever 20 is hingedly supported within the table attachment base 38 and is constrained by the tension spring 42, such that the release lever 20 may be rotated relative to the attachment base 38 and will be urged toward the set latching position due to tension force from the tension spring 42. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-7, the connection member 12 is fixedly connected to the release lever 20 and configured such that the release lever 20 and the engaging teeth 40 remain operable for securing the latchable hinge 14 in a latched position, without interference between the connection member 12 and the engaging teeth 40.

(11) Accordingly, the latch release assembly of the present invention provides a release member to simultaneously release at least two latchable hinges. The latch release assembly provides a mechanism to simply simultaneously release a latch to allow a piece of pivotable furniture to pivot in order to make storage easier. An elongate member coupled to the release levers of at least two latchable hinges transfers an application of force to the elongate member from the elongate member to the release levers of the at least two hinges to actuate the latchable hinges to unlatch substantially simultaneously and allow the furniture to pivot about the latchable hinges.

(12) Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.