Tilting Tabletop Bracket Locking for Stable Upright Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional tiltable tables suffer from instability and complex operation mechanisms, making it difficult to securely maintain the tabletop in horizontal or vertical positions and requiring cumbersome disassembly for storage.
Innovation Solution
A tilting tabletop mechanism featuring a bracket with lock elements and an actuator that securely maintains the tabletop in either horizontal or vertical positions, allowing easy pivoting between the two with a simple and stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a traditional tiltable table mechanism is used to pivot the tabletop between horizontal and vertical positions, then storage space is reduced, but the table becomes unstable and difficult to secure in the horizontal position
Solution Approach 1:
The lock element is biased by a spring to automatically engage with the lock surface when the tabletop is in the horizontal position, and automatically disengage when pivoted to the vertical position. The mechanism self-secures without requiring manual intervention, maintaining stability while enabling easy reconfiguration between positions
Solution Approach 2:
A bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the tabletop and support frame. The bracket includes a lock element that interfaces with a lock surface on the support frame, providing a dedicated securing mechanism that stabilizes the tabletop in the horizontal position without interfering with the pivoting motion to the vertical position
2Adaptability or versatility
If a complex tilting mechanism with multiple levers and releases is used, then the tabletop can be tilted between positions, but the operation becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The complex multi-lever mechanism is replaced by extracting only the essential function: a single lock element that automatically engages or disengages based on the tabletop position. The spring bias eliminates the need for manual release levers, reducing the operation to simply pivoting the tabletop
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-biased lock element automatically performs the locking and unlocking functions based on the tabletop's position. When the tabletop is pivoted to horizontal, the lock element self-engages; when pivoted to vertical, it self-disengages, eliminating the need for user intervention in the locking mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An article of furniture has been developed having a tilting tabletop mechanism, which securely maintains a tabletop in either a generally horizontal or generally vertical position while permitting a user to tilt the tabletop easily. The article of furniture includes a first component, a second component, a first member, a second member, a first lock element, and a second lock element. The second component is pivotally coupled to the first component. The first and second members are connectable to a first secured component. The first secured component is one of the first and second components. The first lock element is mounted to engage the first member when the first component is in a first position relative to the second component. The second lock element is mounted to engage the second member when the first component is in a second position relative to the second component.