Light-weight folding massage table - Patent Review 4943041

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BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a lightweight sturdy collapsible table used for massage which can easily be used in a open upright position or as a flat surface on a floor.

It is highly desirable for a masseuse to be able to easily transport a massage table and to be able to assemble and disassemble the table easily and quickly. The table must be lightweight and have a minimum number of parts. The application of various massage techniques places high loads and stresses on the surface of the table and its members. Prior tables relied heavily on wooden or metal bracing members, which resulted in excess weight and the need to place the supporting members a distance from the table edge resulting in excess torque and strain. By extensive use of approriately attached cables, replacing heavy structural members, as has been used in ultralight aircraft, considerable weight is reduced, without a sacrifice in load bearing capacity. Cables as braces are elastic, as opposed to solid members, and do not tear as easily when overstressed or squeak when pressure is applied. The use of cabling also permits rapid assembly and disassembly of the table. Prior tables which used cables to absorb the load resulted in a poor distribution of the load on the table with a corresponding high rate of wear and part failure. It is key, as in the present invention, for the legs to be rigidly supported or braced against lateral or longitudinal movement. It is also highly desirable, for certain massage techniques, for the table to be used flat on the floor, as is possible with this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a light-weight folding highly stable massage table which uses a cabling system capable of supporting a person being massaged, when the table is both in an upright and a flat position. together with the pressure exerted on the person by the masseuse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the massage table in a closed position.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged exploded view of the table clasping mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the table in a semi-opened position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the table in a fully opened position.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the table in a fully opened position, and the attached head rest.

FIG. 5 is a end view of the table in a fully opened position.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the bridge tube.

FIG. 7 is a enlarged view of a leg and leg brace joint.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a leg, at a leg-table frame joint.

FIG. 9 is a top sectional view of a leg and leg-table frame joint.

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the table frame locking mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a top view of an arm rest.

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of the head rest, in a detached and in a stored position.

FIG. 13 is a side section of the head rest inserted in the end of the table.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the table in the opened flat position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The preferred embodiment of the folding table, as shown in FIG. 1 in a closed position, in FIG. 2 in a semi-opened position, in FIG. 3 in a fully opened position, and in FIG. 14 in an opened flat position, consists of pair sections of padded 10 wooden rectangualr surfaces 11 with a peripheral underframe 9. The sections are joined together by a hinged means 65.

Two telescoping pairs of legs are rotatably attached to the inner side of the table frame a short distance from the outer ends of the undersurface of each section, by means of a bolt 5 inserted into a T-nut 4, as shown in FIG. 9. The legs consist of an inner tube 13 inserted into an outer tube 12. The outer tubes contains a multiplicity of holes 7 running along its length. The inner tubes contain a U-shaped spring 8 inside, with a button-like tip 6 attached at one end, the button passing through a hole in the inner tube and a hole in the outer tube, which firmly fixes the leg at the desired length, as shown in FIG. 7. The pair of legs are connected by a horizontal brace tube 14 affixed to each leg by a T-fixture 90, as shown in FIG. 7.

An adjustable thumb screw 3 is bolted transversely through a hole at the top of the outer leg tube, directed perpendicular to the joint bolt 5. Another adjustable thumb screw 2 is bolted through a hole in the flat end of thumb screw 3. A pair of leg brace cables 20 are looped through the hole in the flat end of thumb screw 2, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and extended diagonally to the lower part of the opposite leg located at the same end, and looped thereon, for lateral support and stability, as shown in FIG. 7.

A bridge cable 28 running longitudinally along the underside of the table, close to the inner frame in an V shape, frame one end of the table to the other end is looped around bolt 5 between the top end of the leg and the table frame for superior strength as compared to prior art, which had used other attachment arrangements. In the opened position, the center of the bridge cables pass through a slot in the end of a bridge tube 15 and is fixed in place by a tab means 34 which is attached to the cable. A screw 30 affixed internally by a nut 31 means and crimps 32 and 33, respectively, inside the bridge tube, can be adjusted to raise or lower the bridge cable and thereby lowering or raising the middle of the table, as shown in FIG. 6. The bridge cable can be removed from the bridge tube when it is desired to use the table flat on the floor with the legs in a collapsed position.

As shown in FIG. 10, a table locking bolt 91 passes through a hole in the upper flattened end of the bridge tube. The bolt passes through a hole in one inner end of the table and through a corresponding hole in the inner end of the opposite section of the table. A nylon bushing 92 is placed between the head of the bolt and the bridge tube. The bolt passes through and internally threaded T-bolt 93 on the inner surface of the frame, and through and internally threaded T-nut 94 on the outer surface of the frame. When the table is in the fully opened position, the bolt passes through an internally threaded barrel T-nut 95 inserted in the outer edge of the outer table section. An end bolt 96 holds the barrel T-nut firmly in place. The bolt passing through both sections firmly locks the two table sections in place laterally and vertically and distributes the top load across both sections, eliminating the need for heavy elongated hinges which were needed for strength in prior art.

In the opened position, the bridge, which is bent near the top end, extends angularly downward, as shown in FIG. 4. A bridge support cable 22 connected from the lower end of each bridge tube, extends across the width of the table and is secured at its center to the inner end of its section. This arrangement permits the bridge tubes to be placed close to the edges of the table, without a corresponding increase in structure weight, and thereby reducing the torque on the top of the table when a person is sitting on the edge. This arrangement allows the bridge cable to be attached to the leg joint bolt, which is directly attached to the side frame and thereby places a compression load on the side frame instead of a tension on the end frame, which would weaken the table and reduce its load carrying capacity. The angular arrangement allows the bridge tube to swing out of the way when the table is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2 or in the flat open position. A VELCRO piece 97 is attached to the lower end of the bridge tube which attaches to VELCRO on a block 98 attached to the undersurface of the table, when the table is in the closed or semi-closed position, as shown in FIG. 2.

A table-leg brace cable 26 is looped around each outer end of each horizontal brace tube 14, and extends lengthwise and diagonally to the side of the opposite section a short distance from the inner end of that section, as shown in FIG. 3. This arrangement keeps the leg pair from outwardly collapsing, permits the detachment of the end cables 24 when the table is partially closed, as shown in FIG. 2, and places a strong tension on the end cables, when attached, resulting in a extremely stable configuration in the opened position.

A pair of end cables 24 are adjustably attached to the horizontal brace tube and detachably connected, by means of grommets 45 onto a snap 44, to the outer end of each section. When in a fully opened and connected position, this arrangement keeps the leg pair from inwardly collapsing and requiring a rigid weight adding leg brace.

A soft face rest 85 is supported by a cloth surface 82, the outer perimeter of which is inserted a U-shaped tube 81. The cloth reduces the weight of the headrest. Both sides of the U-shaped tube is rotatably attached to an S-shaped head support tube 80. The other end of the head support tube is upwardly notched 33. The notched end of the tubes are inserted into grommets 86 which are located at the end of the table. A spring 98 and tab 99 means holds the head support tube in place. This permits the headrest to be readily raised or lowered. A removable handrest, as shown in FIG. 11, consisting of a C-shaped tube 89 covered by cloth 90 at each end, can be inserted between the face rest and the surface as seen in FIG. 12, which shows the handrest 90 inserted between the cloth surface 82 and the U-shaped tube 81 of the face rest. The flat surface inserted therein maintains the handrest in a horizontal plane. A convenient platform for the person being massaged is thereby provided so they may rest their arms or hands alongside their head.

Carrying handles 61 are affixed to one corresponding side of each section. A shoudler strap 60 is detachably affixed to one inner edges of the frame.

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