CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Chinese Utility Model Applications CN 201921425550.2 filed Aug. 29, 2019 and CN 202020712844.X filed Apr. 30, 2020. The disclosure of each application is incorporated herein for all purposes by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to adjustment mechanisms and structures having adjustment mechanisms and, in particular, relates to auto-locking adjustment mechanisms, adjustable assemblies having such adjustment mechanisms and tables having such adjustable assemblies.

BACKGROUND

Most existing foldable tables are not adjustable in height, and do not fully meet the needs of different people. Some existing tables are adjustable but with complex adjustment mechanisms, which may require more than one person for adjusting the height of the tables. In addition, some existing tables lack means to prevent unexpected folding or collapsing of a table, which may lead to hands caught by the table or other safety issues.

Given the current state of the art, there remains a need for adjustment mechanisms and structures such as adjustable assemblies and tables that address the abovementioned issues.

The information disclosed in this Background section is provided for an understanding of the general background of the invention and is not an acknowledgement or suggestion that this information forms part of the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides adjustment mechanisms and structures such as adjustable assemblies incorporating such mechanisms and tables that are easy, convenient and safe to use.

In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides an adjustment mechanism including a casing, a first arm, a second arm, a button, and one or more first elastic members. The casing includes a first side, a second side and a channel between the first and second sides. The first arm is disposed in the channel of the casing and includes a first end adjacent to the first side of the casing. The first arm is movable with respect to the casing along a first direction to selectively allow the first end of the first arm to protrude from the first side of the casing. The second arm is disposed in the channel of the casing and includes a second end adjacent to the second side of the casing. The second arm is movable with respect to the casing along the first direction to selectively allow the second end of the second arm to protrude from the second side of the casing. The button is operably coupled with the first and second arms and movable with respect to the casing along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction such that movement of the button along the second direction causes movement of the first and second arms along the first direction. Each of the one or more first elastic members includes a first end abutting the casing and a second end abutting the button, thereby holding the button at a fixed position in the absence of any external force such that the first end of the first arm remains outside of the first side of the casing and the second end of the second arm remains outside of the second side of the casing.

In some exemplary embodiments, the first arm includes one or more first slots sloped with respect to the first and second directions. The second arm includes one or more second slots sloped with respect to the first and second directions. The button includes one or more first pins and one or more second pins. Each respective first pin in the one or more first pins is operably coupled with a corresponding first slot in the one or more first slots and movable along the corresponding first slot. Each respective second pin in the one or more second pins is operably coupled with a corresponding second slot in the one or more second slots and movable along the corresponding second slot. The one or more first pins and the one or more first slots collectively transfer the movement of the button along the second direction to the movement of the first arm along the first direction. The one or more second pins and the one or more second slots collectively transfer the movement of the button along the second direction to the movement of the second arm along the first direction.

In some exemplary embodiments, the button includes one or more cavities, each for accommodating at least a portion of a first elastic member in the one or more first elastic members.

In some exemplary embodiments, the first arm includes a third slot in the first direction, and the second arm includes a fourth slot in the first direction. The casing includes a third pin and a fourth pin. The third pin is operably coupled with the third slot and movable along the third slot to guide the movement of the first arm along the first direction. The fourth pin is operably coupled with the fourth slot and movable along the fourth slot to guide the movement of the second arm along the first direction.

In some exemplary embodiments, the adjustment mechanism further includes a second elastic member and a third elastic member. The second elastic member is disposed at the third slot of the first arm, and has a first end abutting the third pin and a second end abutting an end of the third slot that faces the first end of the first arm, thereby maintaining the first end of the first arm out of the first side of the casing in the absence of an external force. The third elastic member is disposed at the fourth slot of the second arm, and has a first end abutting the fourth pin and a second end abutting an end of the fourth slot that faces the second end of the second arm, thereby maintaining the second end of the second arm out of the second side of the casing in the absence of an external force.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first arm includes a first protection piece coupled or integrally formed with the third slot of the first arm to prevent disengagement of the second elastic member from the third slot of the first arm. The second arm includes a second protection piece coupled or integrally formed with the fourth slot of the second arm to prevent disengagement of the third elastic member from the fourth slot of the second arm.

In some exemplary embodiments, the button includes one or more fifth slots in the second direction, and the casing includes one or more fifth pins. Each respective fifth pin in the one or more fifth pins is operably coupled with a corresponding fifth slot in the one or more fifth slots and movable along the corresponding second slot to guide the movement of the button in the second direction.

In some exemplary embodiments, the first arm includes a first surface sloped with respect to the first and second directions. The second arm includes a second surface sloped with respect to the first and second directions. The button includes a third surface and a fourth surface sloped with respect to the first and second directions. The third surface is operably coupled with the first surface of the first arm, thereby transferring the movement of the button along the second direction to the movement of the first arm along the first direction. The fourth surface is operably coupled with the second surface of the second arm, thereby the movement of the button along the second direction to the movement of the second arm along the first direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first arm includes one or more first slots each substantially parallel to the first surface, and the second arm includes one or more second slots each substantially parallel to the second surface. The button includes one or more first pins and one or more second pins. Each respective first pin in the one or more first pins is operably coupled with a corresponding first slot in the one or more first slots and movable along the corresponding first slot to guide the movement of the third surface with respect to the first surface of the first arm. Each respective second pin in the one or more second pins is operably coupled with a corresponding second slot in the one or more second slots and movable along the corresponding second slot to guide the movement of the fourth surface with respect to the second surface of the second arm.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second arms are substantially symmetric with respect to the button.

In some exemplary embodiments, the casing includes a cover, and the button is accessible from an exterior side of the cover.

In an exemplary embodiment, each of the first and second arms is substantially straight and elongated along the first direction, and each of the first end of the first arm and the second end of the second arm includes a curved or sloped surface.

In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides an adjustment mechanism including a casing, a first arm, a second arm, and a button. The casing includes a first side, a second side and a channel between the first and second sides. The first arm is disposed in the channel of the casing and movable with respect to the casing along a first direction. The first arm includes a first end adjacent to the first side of the casing, and one or more first slots sloped with respect to the first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The second arm is disposed in the channel of the casing and movable with respect to the casing along the first direction. The second arm includes a second end adjacent to the second side of the casing, and one or more second slots sloped with respect to the first direction and the second direction. The button is operably coupled with the first and second arms and movable with respect to the casing along the second direction. The button includes one or more first pins and one or more second pins. Each respective first pin in the one or more first pins is operably coupled with a corresponding first slot in the one or more first slots and movable along the corresponding first slot. Each respective second pin in the one or more second pins is operably coupled with a corresponding second slot in the one or more second slots and movable along the corresponding second slot. The one or more first pins and the one or more first slots collectively transfer the movement of the button along the second direction to the movement of the first arm along the first direction, thereby selectively pushing the first end of the first arm out of the first side of the casing. The one or more second pins and the one or more second slots collectively transfer the movement of the button along the second direction to the movement of the second arm along the first direction, thereby selectively pushing the second end of the second arm out of the second side of the casing.

In some exemplary embodiments, the first arm includes a third slot in the first direction, and the second arm includes a fourth slot in the first direction. The casing includes a third pin and a fourth pin. The third pin is operably coupled with the third slot and movable along the third slot to guide the movement of the first arm along the first direction. The fourth pin is operably coupled with the fourth slot and movable along the fourth slot to guide the movement of the second arm along the first direction.

In some exemplary embodiments, the adjustment mechanism further includes a second elastic member and a third elastic member. The second elastic member is disposed at the third slot of the first arm, and has a first end abutting the third pin and a second end abutting an end of the third slot that faces the first end of the first arm, thereby maintaining the first end of the first arm out of the first side of the casing in the absence of an external force. The third elastic member is disposed at the fourth slot of the second arm, the third elastic member having a first end abutting the fourth pin and a second end abutting an end of the fourth slot that faces the second end of the second arm, thereby maintaining the second end of the second arm out of the second side of the casing in the absence of an external force.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first arm includes a first protection piece coupled or integrally formed with the third slot of the first arm to prevent disengagement of the second elastic member from the third slot of the first arm. The second arm includes a second protection piece coupled or integrally formed with the fourth slot of the second arm to prevent disengagement of the third elastic member from the fourth slot of the second arm.

In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides an adjustable assembly including a first adjustable support, a second adjustable support and an adjustment mechanism disclosed herein. The first and second adjustable supports are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. Each of the first and second adjustable supports includes an outer tubular bar and an inner bar. The outer tubular bar includes a first restriction hole formed on a first wall of the outer tubular bar. The inner bar is telescopically coupled with the outer tubular bar and includes a plurality of restriction members formed at a first wall of the inner. The adjustment mechanism is disposed in between the first and second adjustable supports. The first side of the adjustment mechanism is coupled with the first adjustable support such that the first end of the first arm is selectively protruded out of the first side of the casing and selectively inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and any one respective restriction member in the plurality of restriction members of the inner bar of the first adjustable support, thereby selectively restricting movement of the inner bar with respect to the outer tubular bar of the first adjustable support. The second side of the adjustment mechanism is coupled with the second adjustable support such that the second end of the second arm is selectively protruded out of the second side of the casing and selectively inserted into the first restriction hole of the outer tubular bar and any one respective restriction member in the plurality of restriction members of the inner bar of the second adjustable support, thereby selectively restricting movement of the inner bar with respect to the outer tubular bar of the second adjustable support.

In some exemplary embodiments, of each of the first and second adjustable supports, the plurality of restriction members of the inner bar includes one or more one-way restriction structures. Each respective one-way restriction structure in the one or more one-way restriction structures includes a restriction slot and a restriction tongue. The restriction slot is formed at the first wall of the inner bar and includes a proximal edge toward the proximal end of the inner bar and a distal edge toward the distal end of the inner bar. The restriction tongue is 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, thereby allowing the adjustment mechanism to restrict the inner bar from moving with respect to the outer tubular bar in one direction but not the other.

In an exemplary embodiment, each of the first end of the first arm and the second end of the second arm includes a curved or sloped surface operably coupled with the restriction tongue of the respective one-way restriction structure of the inner bar to aid disengagement of the first end of the first arm and the second end of the second arm from the restriction slot at the one of the proximal and distal edges of the restriction slot.

The adjustment mechanisms, and structures (e.g., adjustable assemblies and tables) of the present disclosure have other features and advantages that will be apparent from, or are set forth in more detail in, the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

