Wall-Mounted Folding Workbench With Knee-Lock Support Legs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folding workbenches face issues with accessibility of tools when folded, instability leading to accidental folding, complex joint mechanisms, and a footprint that must remain unobstructed, limiting their use for heavy-duty applications.
Innovation Solution
A folding workbench design where legs extend from the wall to the work surface, pivotally connected and featuring a locking mechanism to prevent accidental folding, allowing the workbench to move between a horizontal use position and a vertical storage position without engaging the floor, with legs that are straight in use and bent in storage, and remain within the perimeter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the workbench folds upwardly to a vertical storage position, then storage space is saved, but tools on the wall rack become inaccessible and the footprint on the floor must remain unobstructed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of folding the workbench upward as in prior art, this invention folds the workbench downward to a vertical storage position adjacent the wall. This inversion of the folding direction allows tools on wall-mounted racks to remain accessible while achieving compact storage and eliminating the need for an unobstructed floor footprint.
2Strength
If legs are provided extending from the front edge of the work surface to the floor, then support is provided, but the footprint on the floor must remain unobstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are repositioned to extend from the wall to the front edge of the work surface, utilizing the vertical dimension and wall space rather than extending to the floor. This dimensional change provides adequate support while eliminating the need for floor-obstructing footprints, as the legs remain within the perimeter of the work surface.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent accidental folding, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be automatically actuated by the natural folding motion of the workbench. As the workbench folds downward, the locking mechanism self-activates to engage and lock the workbench in its vertical storage position, preventing accidental folding. This self-service approach provides enhanced stability without requiring complex manual operation or additional control systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If legs with complex joints or sliding components are used to accommodate folding action, then folding capability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are segmented into upper and lower portions connected by a simple knee joint, rather than using complex joints or sliding components. This segmentation allows the legs to accommodate the folding action of the workbench through simple rotational movement at the knee joint, achieving the required adaptability while minimizing device complexity.
5Ease of operation
If the workbench is designed to be lightweight, then ease of folding is improved, but durability for heavy duty use is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The workbench is designed with adjustable parameters including weight, size, and folding characteristics that can be customized based on specific application requirements. This allows the workbench to be optimized for either lightweight portability or heavy-duty durability as needed, rather than being constrained to a fixed design compromise between these opposing requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides secure, stable, and space-efficient storage while maintaining tool accessibility, enhancing durability and safety, and is economical to manufacture, addressing the limitations of prior folding workbenches.
Implementation Method 1
The joint includes a slot in the lower end of the upper leg portion and a pin in the upper end of the lower portion, which is slidably received in the slot. A ramp on the lower portion is received in a notch or cutout in the upper portion and facilitates movement of the leg portions between the use and storage positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A folding workbench includes a work surface pivotally mounted to a wall for movement between a raised, horizontal use position and a lowered, vertical storage position. The workbench includes a pair of legs which are pivotally mounted at opposite ends to the wall and to the work surface. Each leg includes a knee joint. The legs are straight when the work surface is up and bent when the work surface is down. A lock prevents the legs from accidentally folding when the work surface is in the raised, use position.