Articulated support bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional collapsible tables and benches with support brackets lack a reliable locking mechanism that automatically locks the bracket in the extended position during use and unlocks it when the furniture is folded, leading to potential collapse issues.
Innovation Solution
An articulated support bracket with a first arm and a second arm, where the second arm's locking portion has an edge that increasingly diverges, and a locking ring that automatically engages and disengages based on the furniture's position, ensuring self-locking in the use position and self-unlocking when folded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional locking mechanism is used in the support bracket, then the bracket can be locked in the extended position, but the locking mechanism may fail to be in the proper position if the bracket is not fully extended, leading to potential collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the bracket's position. The locking ring slides along the first arm and automatically engages with the locking portion of the second arm when the bracket is extended, without requiring manual operation. This self-service mechanism ensures reliable locking while eliminating the need for manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static design to a dynamic one where the locking ring can slide freely along the first arm. The locking portion of the second arm features an increasingly divergent edge that guides the locking ring into the engaged position automatically as the bracket extends, creating a dynamic locking system that adapts to the bracket's position.
2Reliability
If the locking mechanism is designed to lock automatically in the extended position, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the sliding locking ring and divergent edge design
Solution Approach 1:
The locking ring serves multiple functions: it guides the extension movement of the second arm, automatically engages with the locking portion to provide positive locking, and can be easily disengaged when the bracket is folded. The increasingly divergent edge of the locking portion also serves as both a locking surface and a guide for the locking ring, reducing the need for separate components.
3Volume of moving object
If the bracket is designed to fold completely underneath the tabletop for storage, then space efficiency is improved, but the locking mechanism must reliably unlock to prevent damage during folding
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of designing a mechanism that actively unlocks during folding, the design inverts the approach by creating a mechanism that automatically locks during extension. The increasingly divergent edge of the locking portion ensures that as the bracket folds back underneath the tabletop, the locking ring naturally disengages from the locking portion, providing reliable unlocking through the reverse motion rather than an active unlocking mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An articulated support bracket for a table and a table containing the support bracket. The support bracket includes a first arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being rotationally attached to a frame of a table or bench; a second arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being rotationally attached to a leg of the table and the distal end being rotationally attached to the distal end of the first arm; and a locking ring slidably disposed on the first arm between the proximal end and the distal end of the first arm for engaging a locking portion of the second arm when the locking ring is in a locking position. The locking portion has a first edge that increasingly diverges from a second edge when moving from the distal end toward the proximal end of the second arm.