Portable Folding Table Structure With Nested Legs for Compact Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable massage tables are not sufficiently compact, robust, lightweight, and easy to use due to their bulky design and complex setup processes.
Innovation Solution
A folding table design featuring an elongated plate composed of four articulated elements with retractable legs, tension cables, and locking mechanisms that allow the legs and articulated arms to fold into the frames of adjacent elements, creating a compact and stable structure when folded, while ensuring quick and easy setup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the table uses a traditional folding structure with two halves, then it is easy to manufacture, but the folded volume is large making it bulky and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is divided into four elements instead of two, allowing each element to be articulated independently on rigid frames. This segmentation enables a more compact folded configuration where elements can be stacked efficiently, reducing the overall folded volume while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs and articulated arms are designed to fold into the frames of adjacent elements when the table is folded. This nesting arrangement allows components to occupy the same spatial envelope, dramatically reducing the folded volume and making the table more portable.
2Weight of moving object
If the table uses a lightweight construction, then it is easier to transport, but it may compromise strength and stability
Solution Approach 1:
The table employs dynamic locking mechanisms that engage tension cables and locking means when the table is in the open position. These mechanisms activate only when needed to support load, allowing the structure to remain lightweight during transport while providing full strength during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters of the table change between folded and open states. When folded, the table is compact and lightweight for transport. When opened, the locking mechanisms engage to provide the necessary strength and stability, effectively changing the structural parameters from a compact configuration to a load-bearing configuration.
3Volume of moving object
If the table uses a compact folded design, then it is more portable, but it may reduce stability and strength when open
Solution Approach 1:
The table transitions dynamically between a compact folded state for portability and a stable open state for use. Locking means and tension cables are designed to engage automatically when the table is opened, providing stability and strength only when needed, while allowing compact folding when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanisms and tension cables are designed to self-engage when the table is opened, automatically providing stability without requiring additional components or complex assembly procedures. The structure serves itself by activating stabilizing features only when in the operational open position.
4Loss of time
If the table uses quick-release locking mechanisms, then setup is faster, but the locking reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanisms are designed to self-engage automatically when the table is opened, eliminating the need for manual operation. This self-service feature maintains locking reliability while reducing setup time, as the locking action occurs passively through the mechanical movement of opening the table rather than requiring active user intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
The table comprises a plate (1) made up of at least four sections (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) mounted on rigid articulated frames (2a), elements for locking the table in the open position, the plate comprising legs (3) made with at least two parts (3a, 3b) articulated together, the first parts (3a) being articulated to the end sections (1a, 1d), braces, comprising two arms (7, 8) articulated together, are articulated to the legs (3) and to the end sections (1a, 1d), locking elements (9, 10) are used between the arms (7, 8) and/or the legs (3), a link (C1) between the articulations (31) of the arms (7, 8) to the end sections (1a, 1d) on which corresponding legs (3) are hinged, and a lock for the articulation (6) between the parts (3a) and (3b) of the legs (3) to keep the legs erected and to make the whole rigid, the whole being designed in such a way that the articulated legs and arms, once folded, fold into the frames (2a).