What won’t they think of next! In perusing
the Web, I ran across a patent application for a folding, yes that’s a folding,
kitchen island.
It is described as a “folding frame that
can be conveniently opened for use with four vertical legs and multiple
shelves. The folding frame can be collapsed through a simple procedure to a
compact format.” Talk about convenience!
The application goes on to discuss the
popularity of inexpensive “fold-able furniture (or folding frames)”. These include
any piece of furniture that can be extended or opened for use and folded
for storage and shipping. Some examples include folding kitchen islands,
serving carts, workbenches, drafting tables, craft tables, gardening carts, and storage
shelves. Most of these frames, although somewhat collapsible, still tend to be
bulky and use up more space. Thus, many companies ship the products in
unassembled packages, which allow easier shipments, but require the buyer to
assemble the items and then have less space for storage when folded up.
The solution, as presented in the patent
application, is to create “a pre-assembled folding frame that can be
stored and shipped in a compact format, and can be extended to a
full-size piece of furniture such as a table or cart with multiple shelves. In
addition, it is desirable that the procedure for transitioning between the
collapsed position and the extended position be simple.”
I can’t wait to see the finished product!
Until next time ...
