Work holders – With fluid means – Vacuum-type holding means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2001-03-06
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3723)
Work holders
With fluid means
Vacuum-type holding means
C269S329000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196533
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to work benches and more particularly pertains to a new sheet material work bench for holding sheet material without the need of clamps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of work benches is known in the prior art. More specifically, work benches heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,642; U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,786; U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,006; U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,154; U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,608; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 304.112.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new sheet material work bench. The inventive device includes a support portion. The support portion comprises a central column. The column is generally hollow. A table portion comprises a plate having a top side, a bottom side and a peripheral edge. A plurality of bores are located in the plate. Each of the bores is generally adjacent to a central location of the table portion. A coupling means couples the table portion to the support portion. A suction means draws air through the bores. The suction means is mounted in the support portion and draws air into the support portion through the bores.
In these respects, the sheet material work bench according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of holding sheet material without the need of clamps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of work benches now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new sheet material work bench construction wherein the same can be utilized for holding sheet material without the need of clamps.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new sheet material work bench apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the work benches mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new sheet material work bench which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art work benches, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a support portion. The support portion comprises a central column. The column is generally hollow. A table portion comprises a plate having a top side, a bottom side and a peripheral edge. A plurality of bores are located in the plate. Each of the bores is generally adjacent to a central location of the table portion. A coupling means couples the table portion to the support portion. A suction means draws air through the bores. The suction means is mounted in the support portion and draws air into the support portion through the bores.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new sheet material work bench apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the work benches mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new sheet material work bench which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art work benches, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new sheet material work bench which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new sheet material work bench which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new sheet material work bench which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such sheet material work bench economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new sheet material work bench which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new sheet material work bench for holding sheet material without the need of clamps.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new sheet material work bench which includes a support portion. The support portion comprises a central column. The column is generally hollow. A table portion comprises a plate having a top side, a bottom side and a peripheral edge. A plurality of bores are located in the plate. Each of the bores is generally adjacent to a central location of the table portion. A coupling means couples the table portion to the support portion. A suction means draws air through the bores. The suction means is mounted in the support portion and draws air into the support portion through the bores.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new sheet material work bench that uses suction to hold a portion of sheet material against a work bench and thus leaves the surface of the sheet material free of clamps.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new sheet material work bench that is height adjustable to aid the user in reaching the sheet material.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanyin
Scherbel David A.
Shanley Daniel
LandOfFree
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