U.S. patent application number 11/177520 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-11 for table with folding legs and internal frame.
Invention is credited to John Grimm, Bruce A. Thrush.
Application Number | 20070006784 11/177520 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37617140 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070006784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thrush; Bruce A. ; et
al. |
January 11, 2007 |
Table with folding legs and internal frame
Abstract
A blow-molded or other plastic table has an internal frame. The
internal frame preferably includes at least first and second
support beams disposed lengthwise in the top, and more preferably
also has both lateral and medial support beams, and a cross member
that couples the lateral and medial support beams. The lateral and
medial support beams need not extend the length of the table, and
indeed in some embodiments they extend less than half the length of
the table. Such a configuration allows the top to be manufactured,
shipped, and stored in halves or other pieces. The lateral support
beams can also be disposed to overlap, with or without touching one
another. The top is preferably blow molded, and includes a core
having a first plurality of baffles. Such baffles can be disposed
in any suitable manner, including longwise and cross-wise.
Inventors: |
Thrush; Bruce A.; (Laguna
Niguel, CA) ; Grimm; John; (Santee, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROBERT D. FISH;RUTAN & TUCKER LLP
611 ANTON BLVD 14TH FLOOR
COSTA MESA
CA
92626-1931
US
|
Family ID: |
37617140 |
Appl. No.: |
11/177520 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/129 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 37/04 20130101;
A47B 3/0912 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/129 |
International
Class: |
A47B 3/00 20060101
A47B003/00 |
Claims
1. A table, comprising: an internal frame disposed within a molded
plastic top; and a folding leg disposed underneath the top.
2. The table of claim 1 wherein the internal frame includes first
and second support beams disposed lengthwise in the top.
3. The table of claim 1 wherein the internal frame includes a third
support beam that is disposed between the first and second support
beams.
4. The table of claim 3 wherein the internal frame includes a cross
member that couples the first, second, and third support beams.
5. The table of claim 4 wherein at least one of the support beams
and cross member comprises a metal.
6. The table of claim 1 wherein the internal frame includes a first
support disposed lengthwise in the top, and having a length of less
than half as long as the top.
7. The table of claim 6 wherein the internal frame includes a
second support disposed to overlap a portion of the first support
along a length of the top.
8. The table of claim 7 wherein the first support does not touch
the second support.
9. The table of claim 1 wherein the internal frame includes left
and right lateral supports, and a medial support.
10. The table of claim 9 wherein the top has a length, and the
medial support is less than half the length of the top.
11. The table of claim 1 further comprising first and second
parallel medial support beams.
12. The table of claim 1 wherein the top comprises a core having a
first plurality of baffles.
13. The table of claim 12 wherein the first plurality of battles
disposed parallel to a length of the table.
14. The table of claim 12 wherein the core further comprises a
second plurality of baffles disposed parallel to a width of the
table.
15. The table of claim 1 wherein the internal frame includes a
medial support beam to which the folding leg is attached.
16. The table of claim 11 wherein the folding leg is farther
attached to a pivot, which is disposed widthwise in a depression
underside the top.
17. The table of claim 1 wherein the top is split into first and
second sections, with each of the sections having a portion of the
internal frame.
18. The table of claim 17 wherein the first and second sections are
pivotally couple to one another.
19. The table of claim 17 wherein the first and second sections are
completely removable from one another.
20. The table of claim 17 wherein the first and second sections are
completely removable from one another.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The field of the invention is utility tables with folding
legs.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There is a continuing demand for so-called utility tables,
tables having legs that fold up against the underside of a table
top. For many years utility tables were made with heavy plywood
tops, but such tables proved to be extremely heavy and unwieldy.
More recently utility tables have been manufactured with
honeycombed wood or thermoplastic blow molded plastic tops.
[0003] A significant difficulty with blow molded plastic tops is
that the plastic is not especially strong. To solve that problem
designers have usually placed external frames along the underside
of the top. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,674 (September 2000),
U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,092 (August 2002), U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,370
(February 2005) all to Stanford, U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,742 (September
2003) to Nien, and US2005/0103239 (publ. May 2005) to Neunzert et
al. These and all other referenced patents and applications are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore,
where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is
incorporated by reference herein is inconsistent or contrary to the
definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that
term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the
reference does not apply.
[0004] External frames, however, detract from the visual appearance
of the tables, and requires the tables to be thicker than otherwise
needed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,152 (December 2003) to Tsai describes a
utility table having an internal frame, consisting of two lateral
support beams and four cross-members that interconnect the lateral
support beams. In the '152 application, however, the internal frame
is sandwiched between bottom and top panels that are formed as
separate units, and then connected together. Such tables are
undesirable because the panels have to be rather thick to provide
needed strength.
[0005] What is still needed is a utility table having a unitary
molded plastic table top with an internal frame.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides apparatus, systems and
methods in which a table has molded plastic top with an internal
frame.
[0007] The internal frame preferably includes at least first and
second support beams disposed lengthwise in the top. In more
preferred embodiments the top includes both lateral and medial
support beams, and a cross member that couples the lateral and
medial support beams. The beams can be made of any suitable
material(s), but are preferably metal.
[0008] The lateral and medial support beams need not extend the
length of the table, and indeed in some embodiments they extend
less than half the length of the table. Such a configuration allows
the top to be manufactured, shipped, and stored in halves or other
pieces. The lateral support beams can also be disposed to overlap,
with or without touching one another.
[0009] The top is preferably blow molded, and includes a core
having a first plurality of baffles. Such baffles can be disposed
in any suitable manner, including longwise and cross-wise. In
preferred embodiments different sets the baffles are disposed in
different orientations.
[0010] Each of the legs preferably attached to a medial support
beam, and are most advantageously also attached to the
corresponding cross member and a pivot disposed widthwise in a
depression underside the top.
[0011] Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention,
along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals
represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a molded plastic
table having an internal frame.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a non-exploded perspective view of the table of
FIG. 1, without the plastic portion of the table top.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a non-exploded plan view of the table of FIG. 1,
without the plastic portion of the table top, and with a breakout
showing a space between overlapping longitudinal supports.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a corner of the table of
FIG. 1, with portions of the overlapping top surface removed to
reveal underlying baffles.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a blowup of a corner portion of the table of FIG.
4.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a blowup of a medial portion of the table of FIG.
4.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the underside
of the table of FIG. 1, showing a handle recess.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the underside of the table
of FIG. 1, with legs extended.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a medial portion of the
table of FIG. 8, showing a pedestal footing pivot.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a corner portion of the
table of FIG. 8, showing a transverse support bracket.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the table of FIG. 1,
showing access ports and access port caps.
[0023] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a
side of the table of FIG. 11, showing an access port and a
corresponding access port cap.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a non-exploded perspective view of a portion of a
side of the table of FIG. 11, showing an access port and a
corresponding access port cap.
[0025] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the underside of an
alternative table that is separable and pivotable across its
width.
[0026] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the underside of the table
in FIG. 14, with the left and right sides of the table separated
from one another.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] In FIGS. 1, and 2 a table 1 generally comprises a table top
10, internal frame members 15L, 15R, and pedestals (leg assemblies)
20L, 20R.
[0028] The table top 10 comprises a blow-molded plastic. Table 1
can be of any suitable length and width dimensions, including 4
feet by 4 feet, 4 feet by 6 feet, and all popular sizes of utility
tables. Because of the relatively high strength and light weight of
the tables contemplated herein, such tables can be longer than are
usually available in competitors' tables, including length of 8
feet or more. Thickness can vary as needed, but generally would
fall within the range of about 1.5 to 4 inches. Contemplated table
tops can also have a generally round, oval or other shape,
depending on the shape of the corresponding mold. Still further,
contemplated tables can be formed in a single piece, such as that
shown in FIGS. 1, 2, or in two or more pieces, as exemplified in
FIG. 14. Although preferred embodiments have no external frame
members, it is contemplated that the underside of table top 10 may
have molded supports including dimples, beams, and so forth.
[0029] Internal frame members 15L, 15R are preferably mirror images
of one another, although they could have different configurations
and dimensions. Indeed, the corresponding right side frame members
12R, 14R, 16R, 18R are advantageously mirror images of the
corresponding left side frame members 12L, 14L, 16L, 18L, and this
numbering system is carried through to all L and R numbered
elements.
[0030] All of the various frame members are preferably made of a
metal alloy, most preferably a stainless or other steel. The
various components can have a round, C-beam, I-beam, H-beam or any
other suitable cross-sectional shape, of any suitable dimensions.
Preferred cross-sectional shapes preferably have a longest
dimension (height or width) of less than an inch.
[0031] Frame members 12L and 16L are considered lateral
longitudinal supports because they are lateral relative to a
midline of the table top 10, and because they generally run along a
long axis of the table top 10. Lateral longitudinal supports 12L,
16L are preferably placed within 3 inches of the lateral edges of
the top 10, and more preferably about 2 inches from the lateral
edges. Medial longitudinal support 18L is positioned at the midline
of the table, also substantially oriented along the long midline
axis of the table top. In alternative deigns one or more medial
longitudinal supports could be placed off center, and indeed all of
the longitudinal supports could be oriented away from being
strictly parallel to the long midline axis of the table top.
[0032] Frame members 14L, 14R are considered transverse supports
because they run transverse (orthogonally or otherwise) to the
longitudinal supports. Transverse support 14L interconnects lateral
longitudinal supports 12L and 16L, and transverse support 14R
interconnects lateral longitudinal supports 12R and 16R. The
interconnections could theoretically be glued or in some other
manner held together chemically, but in preferred embodiments the
interconnected frame components merely fit into one another using a
pin-hole or tongue-and-groove type connection. The pins, holes and
so forth can have any practical sizes and shapes. In FIG. 2 the
reader will observe that the medial longitudinal support 18L rests
on the transverse support 19L, but each of the lateral longitudinal
supports 12L, 16L have a hole through which a portion of the
transverse support 19L extends. These are preferred configurations,
and all other suitable configurations are contemplated.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows another aspect of table 1, which is preferred
but not necessary. Here, the lateral longitudinal supports 18L,
18R, overlap in a longitudinal direction, but do not touch one
another. Thus, there is no longitudinal member that is supported at
its ends by the two leg pivots 19L, 19R. A similar configuration
preferably applies to the lateral longitudinal supports 16L,
16R.
[0034] Returning to FIGS. 1, 2, and also with respect to FIGS. 4,
8, and 11, pedestal 20L generally comprise a mounting bracket 22L,
an arm 24L, a yoke 26L and leg posts 28L. Pedestal 20L pivots at
pivot 19L against the bottom of table top 10. These components can
cooperate in a known fashion, including folding down into pedestal
recess 46L. As noted above, table 1 has right side (R-numbered)
components the correspond to each of the left side (L-numbered)
components. As best seen in FIG. 2, the pedestal pivot 19L is
slidably coupled to longitudinal supports 12L, 16L, and supports
medial support 18L. Also shown in FIG. 2 is that the mounting
bracket 22L preferably mounts on medial support 18L. It should also
be appreciated that tables could have only a single pedestal, or
more than two pedestals.
[0035] In FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 the inside of table top 10 has a
plurality of baffles 33. Such baffles are preferably manufactured
continuous with the upper and lower sides of the top 10, and are
oriented in any suitable manners. Among other things, some portions
of table top 10 can have more closely spaced baffles than other
portions, with more closely spaced baffles advantageously used for
areas requiring greater strength.
[0036] FIGS. 7 and 8 show handle recesses 40. Such recesses can be
used with or without handles. The recesses are preferably molded
into the top 10, and are contemplated to be used in a conventional
manner.
[0037] FIG. 9 shows greater detail of the mounting bracket 22R,
including a pivot 23R and a screw 50. These components are
contemplated to operate in a conventional manner.
[0038] FIG. 10 shows greater detail of the mounting of the leg
pivot 19R, using a leg pivot bracket 42R. These components are
contemplated to operate in a conventional manner.
[0039] FIGS. 11-13 shows greater detail of various access ports and
caps. In particular, FIG. 11 shows an access port 56 for transverse
support 14R, and corresponding access port cap 54. As currently
contemplated it is only necessary to have a single access port for
each internal frame member. Thus, for example, table top 10 only
has a single access port 56 for transverse support 14R. The access
ports can be cut after formation of the table top 10, but are
preferably molded directly into the top 10. Access ports can be any
suitable sizes and shapes. It should be noted that within each of
FIGS. 1-13, the components are depicted with accurate dimensions
relative to one another for an especially preferred embodiment.
[0040] FIGS. 14-15 generally depict an alternative deign, in which
the left and right sides of a table 2 are pivotally and separably
connected to one another. The inside of the table top can be as
described above, except that none of the longitudinal supports (not
shown) would not run across the midline. Instead, strength across
the midline can be provided by interlocking extensions 70. Pivoting
can be accomplished in any suitable manner, as for example using
pins 60. As used herein the term "split", as it refers to the two
sides of the table 2, means that the two sides can be completely or
pivotally separated from one another.
[0041] This embodiment also shows handles 58 disposed in the handle
recesses. Pedestals 20L and 20R and other aspects of the table 2
can be as described above for table 1.
[0042] Thus, specific embodiments and applications of unitary body
tables with folding legs and internal frames have been disclosed.
It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that
many more modifications besides those already described are
possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The
inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except
in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting
both the specification and the claims, all terms should be
interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the
context. In particular, the terms "comprises" and "comprising"
should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or
steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced
elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or
combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not
expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refers to at
least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B,
C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one
element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc.
* * * * *