Adjustable bar, leg assembly and table having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10939751-B1
Application number	US-202015931925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 14, 2020
Priority date	Aug 30, 2019
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A table includes a tabletop and a leg assembly to support the tabletop. The leg assembly includes first and second supports each movably connected with the table top. The leg assembly also includes an adjustable bar disposed substantially perpendicular to a height direction of the leg assembly. The adjustable bar has a first end connected with the first support and a second end connected with the second support such that changing a length of the adjustable bar changes a height of the leg assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable bar comprising:
an outer tubular bar comprising a first restriction hole formed on a first wall of the outer tubular bar;
an inner bar comprising:
a proximal end disposed inside the outer tubular bar;
a distal end disposed outside of the outer tubular bar; and
at least one restriction member, wherein the at least one restriction member comprises a second restriction hole formed at a first wall of the inner bar corresponding to the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar; and

a locking/unlocking mechanism configured to control movement of the inner bar with respect to the outer tubular bar, the locking/unlocking mechanism comprising:
a base fixedly coupled with the outer tubular bar;
a casing integrally formed or coupled with the base for housing a pin, wherein the pin is selectively inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the second restriction hole of the inner bar, thereby selectively restricting movement of the inner bar with respect to the outer tubular bar; and
a cover having a first portion pivotally coupled with the casing and a second portion snap-fitted with the casing, wherein the cover prevents accidental release of the pin from the second restriction hole of the inner bar or from both of the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the second restriction hole of the inner bar.

2. The adjustable bar of claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a hole formed at a first side wall of the casing for pivotally coupling the first portion of the cover and a protrusion at a second side wall of the casing for snap-fitting the second portion of the cover.

3. A leg assembly comprising:
a first support;
a second support; and
the adjustable bar of claim 1 disposed substantially perpendicular to a height direction of the leg assembly, the adjustable bar having a first end connected with the first support and a second end connected with the second support such that changing a length of the adjustable bar changes a height of the leg assembly,
wherein when the pin is inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the second restriction hole of the inner bar, adjusting the height of the leg assembly is restricted.

4. A table comprising:
a tabletop; and
a leg assembly to support the tabletop, the leg assembly comprising:
a first support movably connected with the table top at a first portion of the table top;
a second support movably connected with the table top at a second portion of the table top; and
the adjustable bar of claim 1 disposed substantially perpendicular to a height direction of the leg assembly, the adjustable bar having a first end connected with the first support and a second end connected with the second support such that changing a length of the adjustable bar changes a height of the leg assembly,

wherein when the pin is inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the second restriction hole of the inner bar, adjusting the height of the leg assembly is restricted.

5. An adjustable bar comprising:
an outer tubular bar comprising a first restriction hole formed on a first wall of the outer tubular bar;
an inner bar comprising:
a proximal end disposed inside the outer tubular bar;
a distal end disposed outside of the outer tubular bar; and
at least one restriction member, wherein the at least one restriction member comprises one or more one-way restriction structures disposed between the proximal end and distal end of the inner bar and spaced apart along a length direction of the inner bar, wherein each one-way restriction structure in the one or more one-way restriction structures comprises:
a restriction slot formed at a first wall of the inner bar and comprising a proximal edge toward the proximal end of the inner bar and a distal edge toward the distal end of the inner bar; and
a restriction tongue integrally formed or connected with one of the proximal and distal edges of the restriction slot and curved inwardly with respect to the first wall of the inner bar along the length direction of the inner bar toward the other of the proximal and distal edges of the restriction slot; and

a locking/unlocking mechanism configured to control movement of the inner bar with respect to the outer tubular bar, the locking/unlocking mechanism comprising a pin to be selectively inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the restriction slot of any one of the one or more one-way restriction structures of the inner bar, thereby selectively restricting the inner bar from moving along the length direction of the outer tubular bar in one direction but allowing the inner bar to move along the length direction of the outer tubular bar in another direction.

6. The adjustable bar of claim 5 , wherein the restriction tongue is integrally formed or connected with the distal edge of the restriction slot and curved inwardly with respect to the first wall of the inner bar along the length direction of the inner bar toward the proximal edge of the restriction slot, wherein each one-way restriction structure in the one or more one-way restriction structures of the inner bar restricts the inner bar from moving away from the outer tubular bar along the length direction of the outer tubular bar but allows the inner bar to move toward the outer tubular bar along the length direction of the outer tubular bar.

7. The adjustable bar of claim 5 , wherein the at least one restriction member further comprises:
a second restriction hole formed at the first wall of the inner bar between the proximal and distal ends of the inner bar,
wherein the pin is selectively inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the second restriction hole of the inner bar, thereby restricting the inner bar from moving along the length direction of the outer tubular bar.

8. The adjustable bar of claim 5 , wherein the locking/unlocking mechanism further comprises:
a base comprising a base hole and a base pillar formed at a first side wall of the base, wherein the base hole is aligned with the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar;
a casing integrally formed or coupled with the first side wall of the base and surrounding the base hole and the base pillar;
a lever comprising a first end portion aligned with the base hole, a second end portion aligned with the base pillar, and a middle portion between the first and second portions and pivotally connected with the casing, wherein the pin is integrally formed or coupled with the first end portion of the level, and has a free end toward the base hole; and
an elastic member engaged with the base pillar, and having a first end abutting the first side wall of the base and a second end abutting the second portion of the lever, wherein when the restriction slot of any one of the one or more one-way restriction structures of the inner bar aligns with the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar, the elastic member pushes the pin into the restriction slot of the inner bar.

9. The adjustable bar of claim 5 , wherein the locking/unlocking mechanism further comprises:
a base fixedly coupled with the outer tubular bar;
a casing integrally formed or coupled with the base for housing the pin; and
a cover having a first portion pivotally coupled with the casing and a second portion snap-fitted with the casing, wherein the cover prevents accidental release of the pin from the restriction slot of any one of the one or more one-way restriction structures of the inner bar or from both of the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and the restriction slot of the inner bar.

10. A leg assemb

Assignees

• Inno Sports Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Renhua

Classifications

• A47C19/024

  Legs · CPC title

• F16B7/105

  locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position · CPC title

• A47B2200/08

  Linkage means with struts between foot and table top · CPC title

• A47B9/16 Primary

  with means for, or adapted for, inclining the legs of the table for varying the height of the top, e.g. with adjustable cross legs · CPC title

• F16M2200/028

  by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections · CPC title