Portable Table Assembly with Interlocking Planks for Compact Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable tables are not compact enough for single users to easily transport and store, and often have unstable configurations when used as work surfaces, posing safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A portable table assembly featuring interlocking planks that form a tabletop and a collapsible leg assembly with adjustable clamps, allowing for secure and stable setup, easy disassembly, and compact storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tabletop is made as a single large piece, then the table is easier to assemble, but the table becomes too bulky to transport and store easily
Solution Approach 1:
The tabletop is divided into multiple separate planks that can be individually handled and transported. Each plank is a manageable size that fits within the carrying bag, yet when assembled they form a large stable surface. The planks are connected through interlocking joints to create the complete tabletop structure.
2Volume of moving object
If the leg assembly is made detachable, then the table is easier to transport, but the securing mechanisms become difficult and cumbersome to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The leg assembly incorporates self-latching mechanisms that automatically engage and secure the legs to the tabletop when assembled. The latches are designed to be spring-loaded or friction-based, allowing them to self-lock without requiring complex manual adjustment or multiple fastening steps, thus maintaining ease of operation while enabling detachability.
3Device complexity
If the tabletop rests on leg assemblies, then the table is simpler to construct, but the tabletop becomes unsteady and shifts position creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The tabletop planks are merged with the leg assemblies through interlocking joints that combine both support and stabilization functions. The joints create a unified structure where the planks are mechanically connected to the legs, preventing lateral movement and positioning shifts while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking joints incorporate curved or rounded surfaces that provide friction-based stabilization. The curved contact surfaces between planks and legs create natural positioning points that prevent the tabletop from shifting laterally, while the rounded geometry simplifies the joint design compared to rigid rectangular connections.
4Volume of moving object
If multiple planks are used to form the tabletop, then the table becomes more compact for transport, but the planks require interlocking mechanisms that increase assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanisms use simple, inexpensive wooden dowels or metal pins that are easily replaced if needed. These basic fastening elements provide sufficient connection strength without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms, keeping the overall system simple while enabling multiple planks to be securely assembled.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable table assembly and a method of assembling a portable table are provided. The table includes individual planks that laterally interlock with each other to form a tabletop and leg assemblies for supporting the tabletop. The leg assemblies each have a crossbeam and opposing clamps at each end of the crossbeam. The planks are arranged perpendicularly to the crossbeams, and planks on the ends of the tabletop are securely retained against the crossbeams. The table breaks down into individual planks and leg assemblies for transport and storage.