Details for Patent: 6,931,679

Title:	Foldable stand for a hammock
Abstract:	A foldable hammock stand includes an elongate base that has opposite left and right end portions, a pair of first lateral members coupled pivotally to the left end portion of the elongate base, a pair of second lateral members coupled pivotally to the right end portion of the elongate base, and a pair of posts coupled pivotally and respectively to the left and right end portions of the elongate base.
Inventor(s):	Tseng; Chuen-Jong (Chiayi Hsien, TW)
Assignee:	Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Chiayi Hsien, TW)
Filing Date:	Jul 09, 2004
Application Number:	10/888,837
Claims:	1. A foldable stand for suspending a hammock above the ground, said foldable stand comprising: a base unit including an elongate base that has opposite left and right end portions, each of said left and right end portions of said elongate base having opposite front and rear walls, and a top wall that interconnects said front and rear walls of a respective one of said left and right end portions of said elongate base, a pair of first lateral members, each of which is coupled pivotally to a respective one of said front and rear walls of said left end portion of said elongate base, each of said first lateral members being pivotable relative to said elongate base to a first unfolded position, where each of said first lateral members is disposed generally transverse to the respective one of said front and rear walls of said left end portion of said elongate base, and a pair of second lateral members, each of which is coupled pivotally to a respective one of said front and rear walls of said right end portion of said elongate base, each of said second lateral members being pivotable relative to said elongate base to a second unfolded position, where each of said second lateral members is disposed generally transverse to the respective one of said front and rear walls of said right end portion of said elongate base; and a pair of posts, each of which is coupled pivotally to said top wall of a respective one of said left and right end portions of said elongate base, each of said posts being pivotable relative to said elongate base to a third unfolded position, where each of said posts forms an angle with said top wall of the respective one of said left and right end portions of said elongate base, said posts being adapted to support the hammock when said posts are disposed at the third unfolded position; wherein each of said left and right end portions of said elongate base further has a bottom wall, said bottom wall being opposite to said top wall and interconnecting said front and rear walls of the respective one of said left and right end portions of said elongate base, said base unit further including a pair of level-adjusting members, each of which includes a screw rod that threadedly engages said bottom wall of a respective one of said left and right end portions of said elongate base. 2. The foldable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base unit further includes a pair of first mounting brackets connected securely and respectively to said front and rear walls of said left end portion of said elongate base, and connected pivotally and respectively to said first lateral members, a pair of second mounting brackets connected securely and respectively to said front and rear walls of said right end portion of said elongate base, and connected pivotally and respectively to said second lateral members, and a pair of third mounting brackets connected securely and respectively to said top walls of said left and right end portions of said elongate base, and connected pivotally and respectively to said posts. 3. The foldable stand as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: a retaining unit including a first retainer that fastens each of said first lateral members to the respective one of said first mounting brackets to retain said first lateral members at the first unfolded position, a second retainer that fastens each of said second lateral members to the respective one of said second mounting brackets to retain said second lateral members at the second unfolded position, and a third retainer that fastens each of said posts to the respective one of said third mounting brackets to retain said posts at the third unfolded position. 4. The foldable stand as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first retainer includes a pair of first locking pins, each of which extends removably through a respective one of said first mounting brackets and a respective one of said first lateral members, said second retainer including a pair of second locking pins, each of which extends removably through a respective one of said second mounting brackets and a respective one of said second lateral members, said third retainer including a pair of third locking pins, each of which extends removably through a respective one of said third mounting brackets and a respective one of said posts. 5. The foldable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base unit further includes a pair of sleeve members, each of which is sleeved on said elongate base and serves as a respective one of said left and right end portions of said elongate base. 6. The foldable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein said posts extend upwardly, inclinedly and away from each other when said posts are disposed at the third unfolded position. 7. The foldable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first lateral members is further pivotable relative to said elongate base to a first folded position, where said first lateral members are juxtaposed to said elongate base, each of said second lateral members being further pivotable relative to said elongate base to a second folded position, where said second lateral members are juxtaposed to said elongate base, each of said posts being further pivotable relative to said elongate base to a third folded position, where said posts are juxtaposed to said elongate base.