Foldable and elongatable table
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable tables are limited in accommodating more than two people, requiring multiple tables to be arranged side by side, which is inconvenient for both customers and staff in hotel or restaurant settings.
Innovation Solution
A foldable and elongatable table design featuring rotation coupling and telescopic connections allows for configurations from folded to extended and elongated states, enabling increased seating capacity by adding a supplementary portion to the table surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple foldable tables are arranged side by side to accommodate more people, then the seating capacity is improved, but the space occupation and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple tables into a single unified structure by adding a third pair of legs that can be coupled with the first and second pairs. This merging allows the structure to function as one table while providing seating for more people, eliminating the need to arrange multiple separate tables side by side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs telescopic connections that allow the distance between the first pair of legs and the third pair of legs to be adjusted. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the table to adapt its configuration based on seating requirements, transforming from a fixed two-person table to an extended configuration that accommodates additional people without requiring multiple separate tables.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple foldable tables are arranged side by side to accommodate more people, then the seating capacity is improved, but the storage space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple tables into a single elongated table structure. By coupling the third pair of legs with the first and second pairs through telescopic connections, the invention creates one table that can accommodate more people, thereby reducing the number of separate tables needed for storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The table is segmented into modular components (first pair of legs, second pair of legs, third pair of legs) that can be independently folded and stored. The telescopic connections allow these segments to be collapsed into a compact configuration for storage, while still providing extended seating capacity when deployed.
3Quantity of substance
If the table structure is extended to accommodate more people, then the seating capacity is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic connections serve multiple functions: they connect the first and third pairs of legs, allow distance adjustment, and provide structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in structural complexity despite the extended seating capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescopic connections introduce dynamic adjustability to the structure, allowing the table to transform between compact and extended configurations. This dynamic mechanism enables the table to accommodate variable seating requirements without requiring completely different structural designs for each configuration.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
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AI summary
A foldable and elongatable table (1) comprising: a rest plane (2); a first pair of legs (3); a second pair of legs (4); a third pair of legs (5); a first telescopic connection (6); a second telescopic connection (7); the third pair of legs (5) is movable, by means of the first telescopic connection (6) and the second telescopic connection (7), between a first position (P), in which it is proximal to the second pair of legs (4), and a second position (D), in which it is distal to the second pair of legs (4); the foldable and elongatable table (1) is configured and predisposed so as to assume: a folded configuration (A) in which: the third pair of legs (5) is in the first position (P); the first leg (3a) and the third leg (4a) are arranged with respect to the rest plane (2) so that the relative free end is near the rest plane (2); the pairs of legs (3, 4, 5) are arranged in such a way as to be flanked to one another; an extended configuration (B) in which: the third pair of legs (5) is in the first position (P); the first leg (3a) and the third leg (4a) are arranged with respect to the rest plane (2) in such a way that the relative free end is distant from the rest plane (2); the pairs of legs (3, 4, 5) are arranged in such a way as to delineate, respectively, a cross; an elongated configuration (C), wherein: the third pair of legs (5) is in the second position (D); the first leg (3a) and the third leg (4a) are arranged with respect to the rest plane (2) in such a way that the relative free end is distant from the rest plane (2); the pairs of legs (3, 4, 5) are arranged in such a way as to be flanked to one another, a cross.