Horizontally supported planar surfaces – With receptacle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-18
2003-07-22
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3637)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
With receptacle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06595143
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to various articles of furniture adapted particularly to younger persons, and more specifically to a children's activity table having various educational features thereon. The present table includes a writing or marking surface thereon and disassembles by means of removal of two cruciform leg panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has long been recognized that the earlier educational development is begun with young children, the easier and more complete their education is likely to be. Most parents do all within reason to ensure that their children begin the learning process very early in life, at least on an informal basis. Accordingly, innumerable educational toys, games, and equipment have been provided for children in the past. As an example, chalk boards and the like having the alphabet and single digit numbers thereon, have been known for generations.
However, most such educational toys, games, and other devices have been relatively limited in the scope of the learning activities which they provide. The chalk board example noted above only provides an erasable writing surface, with no provision for removable letters and numbers which may be arranged on a surface as desired. Where such letters and numbers are provided (e. g., alphabetic blocks, etc.), no surface is provided to secure them in place as desired. Also, while various educational games and other activities have been developed in the past, they are each relatively narrow in the field or scope of education which they provide. Moreover, such games and the like generally require some form of table or other surface upon which they may be placed for use.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a children's activity table which provides various educational and entertainment activities for small children. The present table is configured particularly for small children, having a height and size adapted for the relatively small stature of such children. The present table includes an erasable marking surface (“whiteboard”) thereon, and provision for holding an assortment of erasable markers and erasing means at various points on the table. Each edge of the table also includes a series of removably attachable alphanumeric characters, which may be arranged as desired by children using the present activity table invention. The present table is easily disassembled for storage by removing a pair of flat leg panels assembled in a cruciform plan for supporting the table for use.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,738,276 issued on Dec. 3, 1929 to Freeman Barney, titled “Standard,” describes a cruciform support having an open area in the upper and lower centers thereof when assembled. The two support panels are identical to one another, with each having an opening to each side thereof with a flange completely surrounding the perimeter. Barney fails to disclose any form of table or other article for placement upon his standard. Moreover, while he discloses that the two panels may be secured to one another by a bolt, he also fails to disclose any means of positively securing a table or any other article to his standard. The present table does not positively secure the two leg panels to one another (other than by their mating slots), but rather bolts the overlying table to the two panels to form a secure assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,908 issued on Feb. 6, 1973 to Michael F. Notko, titled “Fiber Board Table,” describes a round table having a pair of leg panels forming a cruciform support when assembled. Each leg panel is folded from a sheet of fiberboard, rather than being formed of a single sheet of a more durable material (wood, plastic, etc.) as in the present table. Moreover, the Notko leg assembly requires further reinforcement across its upper center and beneath the table surface in the form of another fiberboard panel, which precludes installation of an opening therein for containing an article, as provided by the present table.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,958 issued on Nov. 16, 1982 to Charles C. Wehrenberg, titled “Attachable, Level-Correcting Volumeter And Stand For Round Bottom Flasks,” describes a cruciform support formed of two flat panels which secure together by means of mating slots in their bottom centers. The upper portions of the panels are open for receipt of a round bottom flask, and serve to support such a flask in a generally upright position. However, no means of positively securing the panels to an overlying flat surface (table, etc.) is disclosed. In fact, the Wehrenberg disclosure teaches away from the relatively rigid panels of the present table assembly, stating that the two panels are flexible to allow them to deflect for installation about a flask (column 2, lines 34-36).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,189 issued on Nov. 22, 1994 to Thomas P. Thompson, titled “Shopper's Caddy,” describes a cruciform support formed of two slotted panels which interlock when assembled. The panels each include bag retention means adjacent their outer corners, for holding the handles of one or more conventional grocery bags or the like. Thompson does not provide any means for securing a flat table top to his support, nor does he anticipate such a need, as the embodiment of FIGS. 4
a
and 4
b
of his patent show upwardly extending knobs, which would preclude the resting of a flat surface across the upper edges of the cruciform panels. Moreover, Thompson does not provide any leg clearance or container receptacle openings in the lower or upper portions of his panels, as provided in the present children's activity table.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,510 issued on Jul. 25, 1995 to Louis Wey et al., titled “Detachable Table Stand Assembly,” describes a table support comprising four separable legs, with each leg comprising a three dimensional frame formed of rods. The legs do not interlock together to form a cruciform structure, but are secured together by a series of clamps. While they may be disassembled from one another, they cannot fold or lie flat, as can the present table top flat support panels. Moreover, Wey et al. do not disclose any means of positively securing a table top to the upper portion of the leg assembly, whereas the present children's activity table includes such positive locking or securing means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,568 issued on Jun. 18, 1996 to Michael K. Boone et al., titled “Combination Bulletin Board An (sic) Dry-Erase Message Board,” describes a board having a dry-erase “whiteboard” area with a surrounding cork board area. The only points in common between the Boone et al. board and the present children's activity table, is the use of a dry-erase whiteboard material for the central portion thereof. The present table does not have a penetrable border therearound, as it is not desirable to provide sharp objects for pinning notes or the like to the material of the present table, given its intended use by very small children. Moreover, the Boone et al. board teaches away from the border of the present table due to the raised periphery of the Boone et al. board, which would preclude ease of access of articles resting upon the border area. Most importantly, Boone et al. do not disclose any leg support means for their board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,380 issued on Mar. 10, 1998 to Kim Kennelly, titled “Combination Writing Board And Abacus,” describes a device having a folding frame with an abacus extending across the upper portion and a writing board extending from the upper portion, outwardly across the lower portion of the frame. The only point in common with the present invention is the use of a dry erase type material for the writing board. Kennelly does not provide any form of disassembleable cruciform support panels for a raised table surface, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, no border area for the removable placement of alphanumeric characters or other articles
Chen José V.
Litman Richard C.
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