Other

James E Everett

David A Palmer

Michael J Tuhtan

Serge J Bouyssou

A collapsible table, especially suited for supporting persons to be massaged, comprises, in a main embodiment, a pair of hingedly-connected top sections (12) and two pairs of legs (16) hingedly connected to the respective outer ends of the top sections. A foldable leg brace (18) is connected between the side of the table's top at its center and a lower part of each leg. A brace crosspiece (32) interconnects each pair of braces. A pair of short cable support legs (26) extend down from the center of the table. Each of a pair of cables (28) extends in a V-shaped arrangement from near the leg hinges at one end of the table down through holes in the brace crosspieces to the bottom ends of the cable support legs and then up through the other brace cross piece to the leg hinges at the opposite end of the table. Each cable has a stop (10) fixedly attached thereto just above the place where the cable passes through its brace crosspiece, the stop preferably comprising a sleeve (34) crimped to the cable and a helical spring (38) between the crimped sleeve and the crosspiece. The cable stops prevent the leg braces from being folded up unless the cables are first slackened by folding the two top sections of the table together. However since the top sections can't be folded together while the table is upright, especially if weight is on the table, the table's braces and legs are locked when it is upright. In other embodiment, the cable extends directly between leg braces (FIG. 2), legs per se (FIG. 3), or around splayed legs (FIG. 4) to provide an automatic leg, or leg brace, locking feature. In still other embodiments an improved face cradle (FIG. 5A) is provided which comprises a plate (82), one end of which has a hinged connection (90, 98) to the table top, and which includes a support arm (92) hingedly connected (94) to an underside of the plate and adjustably connected (106) to an underside of the table, either by a slot (96) or by a plurality of holes (128, FIG. 7 C). The table can have an adjustable leg (FIG. 6A) comprising two sections (110, 112) which are keyed together (114) and which are separated by spaced pads (116) and bolted together between the pads (122). The legs (FIG. 8A, 144) can alternatively be hinged to the underside of the table's top (142) and supported in open position by a pair of hinged brace arms (146), the ends of which are removably joinable to the the legs, respectively, at locations spaced from the ends of the legs by pin-in-hole (156, 160) and multiple hook and loop fasteners (154, 158).

Collapsible table with foldable leg braces held straight by cables when

A portable, knock-down massage chair includes a generally rectangular case having opposed side walls, each provided with an arcuate cutout extending therein from the upper edge thereof. A lid is hinged to a first end wall of the case and openable to gain access to the interior of the case. Stored within the case are a seat member, a leg rest, an arm rest, a chest support, a face cradle, and a brace assembly. The brace assembly comprises a hinged, two-panel assembly stored adjacent to the bottom of the case, and pivotable therefrom out of the top opening to be joined to the lid to form a rigid triangular support assembly. The chest support and the face cradle are slidably supported on the upper panel of the two-panel assembly, and the seat member is secured atop the side walls adjacent to the second end wall of the case. The leg rest is adapted to be secured within the arcuate cutouts of the side walls in a variable angle fashion, and the arm rest is joined to the lid panel. A person receiving a massage is supported on the seat facing the brace assembly, leaning forward with the chest supported by the chest support, the face on the face cradle, the lower legs on the leg rest, and the arms on the arm rest, so that the back, shoulders, neck, hips and arms are well-presented for massage. A stabilizing member is pivotally joined to the bottom of the case to provide lateral stability to the chair in the erected configuration.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Rosa, CA, United States of America

James E Everett