Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Folding
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-29
2001-05-22
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Folding
C108S034000, C108S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234089
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates to a foldable table top, and more particularly to a foldable table top comprising a set of interconnected strips of a rigid material that may be stretched over the top of a portable table frame forming a stable table top in which the strips maintain their alignment when in the open state, allowing for a stable, rigid, and flat surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
A picnic table placed in the middle of the desert. A card table sitting in the middle of the woods. A dining table placed next to the campfire. Unless there is a private or public campground surrounding the aforementioned desert, woods, or campfire, it is unlikely that a table will be sitting there for a camper to use. Even in a campground, not every campsite has picnic tables. And for the camper that camps in a less populated area, there will certainly not be any tables around for the camper to use.
The larger the group, the more important it may be to have a table available. This is particularly true for a family of campers. That means that the camper must bring his own table. Moreover, a camper requires a table that is portable, so that he may move the item easily to the location.
Historically, the first portable table sets were one piece, tabletop and “frame,” really just the legs of the table, connected together. Typically, the table was made of a non-bending stiff structure, usually metal, with legs that fold underneath and into the table. The problem with this type of conventional table is that it is bulky, usually very heavy, and difficult to carry. Also, because the “table frame” is limited to four vertical legs, either the whole set must be heavy and be of limited portability, or be lightweight and not very sturdy. Also, with this type of conventional portable table, because the table does not fold up and disconnect from the frame, or legs in this instance, a conventional portable table of the aforementioned type cannot fold up to be easily transportable in any type of car.
As a result, in today's market, the direction of the manufacturers is to provide a table frame and tabletop of greater portability. One way that this has been achieved is to construct a separate portable table top and separate portable table frame. The present day conventional portable tabletops are collapsible, so that they are easily transportable. One significant problem with this collapsible table is finding a way to solve a number of problems at once, namely, finding a sturdy enough material for the table top so that when the table top is opened, there is a flat, sturdy table top on which to place things, allowing the table top to collapse or fold easily, finding a way to secure the table top to a table frame, and giving the table top enough structure so that when opened and secured to a table frame, the table top retains its form, without warping, or where the table top is made of several connected pieces, the pieces do not move around when the table top is opened.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide a foldable table top for use with a portable table frame for portable use, that provides a foldable table top which may be opened to provide a rigid, flat surface, when placed on a portable table frame, namely, by having at least two crossing bands of stretchable material integrally attaching along the underside of a set of longitudinal strips of the table top in such a manner as to allow the longitudinal strips of the table top to be stretched apart as the table top is placed over and attached to a table frame.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable table top made of lightweight but sturdy material to allow the placement of objects on the table top without the danger of the objects falling over, or off the table, namely, by having a table frame securing means, which secures the table top to the table frame in a such a manner as to prevent the foldable table top from moving when the table top is connected to the table frame.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable table top that is easily removed from a table frame and foldable for easy transportation, by using strips of rigid material for the table top, connected together by the crossing bands of stretchable material, and a frame attaching means, which allows the table to be attached and detached from a table frame by stretching the stretchable material, thereby pulling the strips apart and pulling the table on or off the frame so that the table top will be attached or detached from the table frame.
An unexpected result of the crossing bands of stretchable material is an increase in the rigidity of the center of the table top creating greater rigidity and support in the center of the table top when the table top is in the open state.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a foldable tabletop for use with a portable table frame, wherein the foldable tabletop comprises:
a plurality of longitudinal table strips, adapted for lying in parallel when the foldable table top is in the open state;
two crossing bands made of stretchable material being integrally connected to a bottom side of the longitudinal table strips, wherein each of said crossing bands is integrally connected to each longitudinal table strip by a band connecting means;
at least one connecting band made of stretchable material integrally connecting to the bottom side of the plurality of longitudinal table strips perpendicularly to the longitudinal table strip by means of the band connecting means; and
a table frame mounting device for connecting to the set of longitudinal table strips of the foldable table top.
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patent: 5645259 (1997-07-01), Chen
patent: 6026751 (2000-02-01), Tsai
patent: 62019 (1944-02-01), None
patent: 27891 (1898-11-01), None
patent: 2165441 (1986-04-01), None
Zheng Edward
Zheng Paul
Chan Raymond Y.
David and Raymond
Tofasco of America Inc.
Wilkens Janet M.
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