Abstract:
A reversible cover designed to cover a table or other furniture in its entirety or in part. A table cover is constructed using a web with coloration and/or print on both sides. Borders may be present around the table cover. The borders may be created by folding the body of the table cover or may be applied independently. The borders are usually made from the same material as the web cover, and are applied so as to show the coloration of the opposite side of the cover. The borders may also be realized using colored or printed materials different from the web cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to horizontally supported planar surfaces more particularly to table covers and the method of making same.  
           [0003]    2. Background Art  
           [0004]    Table covers of many different shapes and materials for different uses existed since ancient times. The necessity of covering the table surface can be one of protection, one dictated by hygiene, or simply esthetic. The materials used for such covers are varied according to the use of the table cover. Fabric is usually utilized to cover tables for esthetic and hygienic reasons. Sometimes the covers are as wide as or wider than the table top on which they are used, and sometimes they are smaller sizes: the so called placemats or table scarves of various shapes.  
           [0005]    Part of prior art has focused on the materials and shapes of the table covers:  
           [0006]    O”Brien U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,089 discloses a table cover made of fabric extension runner the width of a placemat and long enough to run the length (or width) of a table top.  
           [0007]    Caldares U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,529 discloses a tablecloth having a central portion on which serving pieces may be placed, with a series of individual dining portions of the tablecloth projecting outwardly from the central portion at spaced locations and having individual place settings on these different portions, and with the tablecloth having cutaway areas between the individual dining portions and at which the table top is directly visible to give the overall assembly a unique and pleasing appearance.  
           [0008]    Kelldorf U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,399 discloses a fabric table cover assembly including a table cover having a top portion configured for covering a top of a table and a bottom portion configured to at least partially cover a support portion of the table.  
           [0009]    Part of the prior art has focused instead on specific uses of the table cover, sometimes adding specific features to render it more practical:  
           [0010]    Kerrygan U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,183 discloses a novel tablecloth which has pockets on its sides that allow for storage of utensils, napkins, plates, and the like, as well as writing implements, files, letters, and other useful items.  
           [0011]    Vaniseghem, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,976 discloses a roll of flexible material that is divided into multiple table place settings sections. Each place setting section includes a relatively recessed circular portion formed in the flexible material and also eating utensils which are attached to the flexible material. The sections are separated from each other by perforations for removal of one or more as desired.  
           [0012]    One common limitation to traditional and novel table covers is that they are intended to be used only or preferably on one side; the reverse side reveals seams and various imperfections, in addition to being devoid of pattern, design and coloration. Often the reverse side cannot be used because part of the coloration of the design of the top side shows through rendering the reverse side of the table cover unappealing. The top side of the cover, therefore, is the one customarily used as a table cover, while the reverse side does not perform according to the need and expectations of the user.  
           [0013]    The reversible table cover I have invented overcomes this limitation; either side can be used at the user&#39;s discretion because both sides offer decorative and appealing characteristics.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0014]    The present invention alleviates some of the prior art limitation described above.  
           [0015]    One object of the reversible table cover is the possibility to be used on either side. In fact each side has a coloration or print that renders the table cover equally appealing on both sides. Prior art neither rendered the reverse side of the table cover uniform in color, nor applied a print or coloration in order to prevent the print from the finished side from passing through the material.  
           [0016]    Another object of the invention is to provide a simple yet effective way to add borders that enhance the different coloration or print on the opposite sides of the table cover. Such borders can be created by folding the cover web on itself at the sides of the table cover or by seaming joint pieces of the same material to the side of the table cover or again by seaming pieces of different material to the sides of the table cover. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a view of one embodiment of the invention showing the top side of a reversible cover shaped as a tablecloth with borders folded under.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a view of the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 1 showing the bottom side of a reversible cover shaped as a tablecloth placed over a table with borders folded over so as to show the coloration or the print of the top side of the cover web.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 shows a detail of the folded border.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a view of another embodiment of the invention showing the top side of a reversible cover shaped as a placemat with borders folded under.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a view of the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 4 showing the bottom side of a reversible cover shaped as a placemat placed over a table with borders folded over so as to show the coloration or the print of the top side of the cover web.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a view of another embodiment of the invention showing the top side of a reversible cover shaped as a tablecloth with borders of the same material of the cover web seamed to the borders of the cover.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a view of the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 6 showing the bottom side of a reversible cover shaped as a tablecloth placed over a table with borders of the same material of the cover web seamed to the border of the cover.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 shows a detail of the seamed border.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a view of another embodiment of the invention showing the top side of a reversible cover shaped as a tablecloth with borders obtained by folding on itself a cut of material different from the table cover web and seaming it to the borders of the cover.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is a view of the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 9 showing the bottom side of a reversible cover shaped as a tablecloth placed over a table with borders obtained by folding on itself a cut of material different from the table cover web and seaming it to the borders of the cover.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 shows a detail of the seamed border obtained by folding on itself a cut of material different from the table cover web.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 shows a detail of a border alternative to the one illustrated in FIG. 11 that is obtained by seaming together two different cuts of material different from the material of the table cover web. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0029]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein: however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.  
         [0030]    One embodiment of the invention, among others, as depicted in FIG. 1 shows a table cover  20  in the shape of a tablecloth, covering a table  23  of conventional construction having a horizontally disposed surface called table top  26  and a plurality of legs  22 , for example four legs, depending from the corners of the table top  26  in order to support it. Alternatively, any other suitable leg arrangement can be used for supporting the table top, for example, a pedestal type leg. The term table, herein is used to denote conventional tables and also to include other furniture which can be covered like: credenzas, end tables, secretary desks, sideboards, stools, etc. The matter used in the fabrication of the table cover is a web with coloration or print on the top side and on the bottom side. The best material to produce such web is fabric, given its flexibility and its physical characteristics, even if other materials can be used successfully.  
         [0031]    One limitation in the use of fabric is that often the print or the coloration applied on one side of it would partially show through on the other side causing an unsightly effect. One way to prevent this, among others, consists in dyeing the fabric before printing on it. The dye should be chosen in a coloration similar to the base color of the print. This way the dyeing would not interfere with the print on one side of the fabric while preventing possible spots of print from passing through the fabric. The final outcome of this finishing process is a fabric that is printed on one side and has an even coloration on the opposite side, rendering the material suitable for the production of reversible table covers.  
         [0032]    In a similar way the web, be it of fabric or any other suitable material, can be produced having prints on both sides. Such prints will be of a color and design able to prevent the print on the opposite side to show through, once again rendering such means suitable for the production of double sided table covers.  
         [0033]    One embodiment of a reversible table cover  20 , as depicted in FIG. 1, comprises a cover body  24 , showing the coloration or print of the top of the web, and some cover borders  28  obtained by folding part of the body of the table cover under the surface of the same along the sides of it and by seaming such border so as to maintain such folded position. The borders  28  are attached to one another at the corners of the table cover.  
         [0034]    This particular construction shows uniformly the print of one side of the web all over the cover and its borders.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 2 depicts the same embodiment of the table cover  20  placed on a table top  26  on the reverse side. The body of the reverse side of the table cover  30  shows the coloration or print of one side of the web while the borders  28  show the coloration or print of the opposite side of the web.  
         [0036]    A detail of the border  28  is shown in FIG. 3. Such border as described above is folded and kept in such folded position by a seam  32 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a reversible table cover in the shape of a place mat  20 ( a ) comprising a cover body  24 ( a ), showing the coloration of the top of the web, and some cover borders  28 ( a ) obtained by folding part of the body of the table cover under the surface of the same along the sides of it and seaming such border so as to maintain such folded position. The borders are attached to one another at the corners of the table cover.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 5 shows the same embodiment of the invention as in FIG. 4 placed on the table top  26  on its reverse side, so that the body of the reverse side of the table cover  30 ( a ) shows the coloration or print of one side of the web while the borders  28 ( a ) show the coloration or print of the opposite side of the web.  
         [0039]    Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 6. A reversible table cover in the shape of a tablecloth  20 ( b ) comprising a cover body  24 , showing the coloration of the top of the web, and some cover borders  34  each obtained by seaming together two equal cuts of the same material of the web cover lengthwise, pairing one side of the said cuts with the reverse side of the other cut. A detail of such borders  34  helping to explain how to construct them is depicted in FIG. 8. Here two cuts of the web are joined together by way of seam  36 . The joint pieces will be folded along the seam so as to form a border  34  that will show one coloration or print on one side and the reverse coloration or print on the other side. The borders are attached to one another at the corners of the table cover.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 7 shows the same embodiment of the invention as in FIG. 6 placed on the table top  26  on its reverse side, so that the body of the reverse side of the table cover  30  shows the coloration or print of one side of the web while the borders  34  show the coloration or print of the opposite side of the web.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 9 shows again another embodiment of a reversible table cover in the shape of a tablecloth  20 ( c ) comprising a cover body  24  showing the coloration of the top of the web, and some cover borders  38  obtained by folding lengthwise cuts of a material different from the cover web, as shown in FIG. 11 and attaching the same to the cover body  24  by mean of a seam  40 . Such borders  38  can also be formed by two separate cuts of a material different from the cover web attached lengthwise to one another by mean of a seam  36  as shown in FIG. 12. The borders are attached to one another at the corners of the table cover.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 10 shows the same embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 9 placed on a table top  26  on its reverse side so that the body of the reverse side of the table cover  30  shows the coloration or print of the cover web on the opposite side as the one shown in FIG. 9 with the borders  38  showing the coloration or print of the material, different from the cover web, with which they are constructed.  
         [0043]    Since certain changes may be made in the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be construed in an illustrative and not limiting sense.