Collapsible Table Frame With Adjustable Footprint and Compact Bundling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable collapsible tables face challenges in minimizing storage and transport space without compromising the usable table size, often requiring complex collapsing procedures and separate components, making them bulky and difficult to transport.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible table design featuring a tabletop that can be independently compressed, a frame with adjustable telescoping rails, and pivotally connected legs that can be locked in place, allowing for easy expansion to various sizes while minimizing the collapsed size for storage and transport, with all components remaining in a unitary, integrated design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the table is designed with a larger tabletop and frame footprint to provide a larger table surface, then the utility and usability of the table is improved, but the size of the collapsed table becomes too large, bulky and difficult to carry
Solution Approach 1:
The table is divided into separable components: a tabletop that can be detached from the frame, and a frame with detachable legs. This segmentation allows each component to be independently collapsed or folded to a minimal size, enabling a large tabletop to be transported in a compact state without requiring the entire assembled table to be large when collapsed.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs are designed to nest within the frame structure when collapsed, and the tabletop can be folded or rolled into a compact form. This nesting arrangement minimizes the overall volume of the collapsed table while maintaining the capability to assemble a large table surface when needed.
2Volume of moving object
If the table is designed to collapse into a compact bundle for easy transport, then the storage and transport space is optimized, but the usable size of the table when set up is limited and often too small for many desired uses
Solution Approach 1:
The table frame incorporates adjustable members that permit the size and footprint of the frame to be expanded to multiple usable table sizes. This dynamic adjustability allows the same compact frame structure to support various table configurations, from small to large surfaces, depending on user needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The table is designed with universal components that can be configured for multiple uses and sizes. The adjustable frame and detachable tabletop allow a single table to serve multiple functions and accommodate different group sizes, maintaining versatility while preserving compact collapse capability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional folding table designs are used with legs folded out and locked into position, then the table provides stable support, but the folded footprint of the table is identical to the set-up footprint and does not easily fit within the user's vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are designed as separate, detachable components from the frame, allowing them to be completely disassembled and stored separately or nested within the frame. This segmentation enables the table to be collapsed to a fraction of its set-up footprint while maintaining stable support when assembled, as the legs can be securely reattached to provide rigid support.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable and collapsible table structure comprises a tabletop, a table frame, and a plurality of folding legs pivotally attached to the table frame. The tabletop is independently collapsed to a bundled condition, for example, by folding or rolling. Similarly, the table frame and the folding legs are collapsed so as to minimize the amount of space taken up by the collapsed and bundled table frame and legs. The bundled tabletop and the collapsed table frame and legs can be further bundled or packed together for transport and/or storage. The table frame comprises adjustable members that permit the size and footprint of the table frame to be expanded to multiple usable table sizes without compromising the size of the collapsed and bundled table. The folding legs may be adjustable to reduce the size taken up by the legs in the compressed and bundled condition of the table.