Collapsible table

Abstract

A collapsible table which can be readily assembled and disassembled, is portable in its disassembled form and is adaptable to a variety of uses normally associated with a table.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible table which is adaptable for outdoor use in association with a parasol. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a collapsible table which is easily assembled and disassembled without the need of any special tools and skill and accordingly can be readily disassembled into a portable form.

As city life becomes more congested and pollution becomes a significant factor which must be reckoned with, people living and working in the cities have a need for leaving the cities or in any case leaving the congestion and escaping to the country side for spending their leisure hours. The present invention provides the individual with a handy, collapsible table which can be readily carried any distance to its point of use where it can be readily assembled for picnics and the like and then disassembled when it is necessary to return to the city. The collapsible table of the present invention can be conveniently used for serving meals, drinking, writing, and other like activities, and can be readily assembled and disassembled without the use of tools and without the need of a high mechanical aptitude.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a collapsible table which is light in weight, can be readily assembled and disassembled and thus can be conveniently transported from one location to another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible table which is readily adaptable for outdoor use in association with a parasol.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible table which requires no accurately machined parts for its assembly and disassembly and thus can be very economically produced.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein,

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the table in an assembled form in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pipes and supporting elements to be utilized in the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the table illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along line A--A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to a collapsible table including as main elements, a main table 2, a sub-table 3, stools 4 and a relatively larged size parasol 1. A supporting element 5 having the shape of a four leaf clover is provided with a bore 6a disposed in the center of the clover leaf and bores 6b located in each of the leaves of said clover leaf shape. The central bore 6a is adapted to receive the main pipe 7 for supporting the parasol and the radial bores 6b are adapted to receive pipes 8 for supporting the stools 4. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, four bores 6b are utilized to receive four pipes 8 for supporting four stools. However, it is readily apparent that the apparatus could be modified to accommodate any reasonable number of stools. Each of the stool-support pipes 8 is provided with a section having a U-shape. An end portion 9 of support pipe 8 is held in the bore 6b of the supporting element 5, and a second end portion 10 is inserted in a hole 11 disposed in the underside of the stool 4. Thus the stool is secured to the top of the end portion 10 without the assistance of any mechanical elements such as screws, bolts and the like.

In the illustrated drawings, two supporting elements 5 are employed in substantially parallel position to support the end portion 9 in two different locations. A sub-table 3 is disposed on the supporting element 5, said sub-table containing a centrally disposed bore which is adapted to be concentric with the central bore 6a of the supporting element 5. In the assembled state, the respective bores of the sub-table and the support element receive the main pipe 7, and as such, function as a single unit. Alternatively, the supporting element and the sub-table can be a single element.

A main table 2 is located above the sub-table 3, said main table having on its underside a boss 12 which is concentrically disposed about a bore 13 which is adapted to receive a parasol pillar 14. The main pipe is fitted in the boss 12 and the parasol pillar 14 is passed through the bore 13 of the main table and the main pipe 7 so that its end portion can be stuck into the ground. In order to secure the stability of the stool 4 on the pipe end portion 10, this portion of the pipe can be bent outwards, as indicated by reference numeral 15 to increase the area of contact with the ground. Alternatively, a stay could be used.

As described above, the main table 2, the sub-table 3, the supporting elements 5, the main pipe 7, the stool-support pipes 9 and the stools 4 are all assembled as a unit, with the additional insertion of the parasol 1. The assembling and disassembling of the collapsible table of the present invention can be readily accomplished by women and minors because no special skills or tools are required for assembly and disassembly. Thus, the collapsible table of the present invention can be readily carried in automobiles.

Normally, the assembly of the table is started by inserting the main pipe 7 and the stool-support pipes 8 into the bores 6a and 6b of the supporting element 5, respectively. This is followed by fixing the main table 2 and the sub-table 3 in their respective places. At this point, the parasol 1 can be conveniently inserted. Finally, the stools 4 are fitted on the top end of the pipe portions 10.

When transporting and storing the disassembled table, the stool-support pipes 8 are preferably bundled with each pipe being held in the supporting elements 5 as shown in FIG. 2. The remaining parts are separately handled. The plurality of supporting elements may be replaced by a single box-shaped supporting element. The main table can be conveniently used for serving meals, drinking, writing and other like activities, and the sub-table can be effectively used as a shelf. Because the table of the present invention requires no accurately machined parts, such as threads for screws and the like, the overall economy of producing the table is particularly advantageous.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as departures from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all modifications as are embraced by the appended claims are intended to be included within the purview of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible table which can be readily folded into a compact state comprising at least one support element having a central bore and a plurality of radially disposed bores, a main pipe disposed in the central bore, a table coaxially disposed around and fitted on the top end portion of the main pipe, a plurality of substantially U-shaped subordinate pipes, each having a base portion and a first and second free end portion and extending radially from the main pipe, the first of said free end portions being disposed in the radial bores, the second of said free end portions terminating in stools and each of said base portions being adapted to provide contact with the surface of the ground and providing support for both the table and the stools, the base portions of said subordinate pipes having a stabilizing portion which extends radially beyond the center of the respective stools and then returns on itself to a position for vertically supporting said stools, said extending portion increasing the stability of the table and stools, said first free end portions being rotatably disposed in said radial bores so that they can be radially positioned for maximum support or readily folded into a compact state.

2. The collapsible table of claim 1, wherein the supporting element holds the pipes together as a bundle.

3. The collapsible table of claim 1, wherein the supporting member of a parasol is disposed in the main pipe.

4. The collapsible table of claim 3, wherein the supporting member of the parasol is provided with a pointed end portion which can be readily stuck into the ground.

5. The collapsible table of claim 1 comprising two substantially identical support elements coaxially disposed about the main pipe and vertically spaced apart from each other in substantially parallel relationship, each of said first free end portions of the substantially U-shaped subordinate pipes being rotatably disposed in the corresponding bores of both of said support elements.

6. The collapsible table of claim 5, wherein a sub-table is coaxially disposed around the main pipe and positioned on top of the uppermost supporting element and below the main table.

7. The collapsible table of claim 1, wherein one substantially U-shaped subordinate pipe is provided for each stool.

8. The collapsible table of claim 1, wherein all of the components of the table slidably fit together and cooperate with each other to produce a stable table which does not require nuts and bolts and thus which can be readily disassembled without requiring any tools or particular skills.