Abstract:
The present invention discloses a hanging patio set frame assembly for supporting a table and an umbrella which can be quickly and easily attached to a balcony wall or railing in a removable manner. A vertical frame is hung from a balcony wall using swinging clamps and stabilized using telescoping compression plates. A table top is supported on the frame and provision is made on the frame for supporting the stick portion of a patio umbrella to provide shade for the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to a hanging table and umbrella patio set hanger frame assembly for supporting a table and an umbrella which can be quickly and easily attached to a wall or railing in a removable manner. In an exemplary embodiment the support assembly is particularly adapted for use over a railing type structure. It should be appreciated however, that the assembly of the present invention may be attached to other structures such as a boat railing, porch railing, balcony railing, chain link fence railing, and over the tailgate of a pickup truck. It is also envisioned that the assembly of the present invention can also be attached to walls as well as to railings. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The portable patio table and umbrella assembly of the invention differs from known patio table and umbrella assemblies in that it is designed to be both compact and movable on a patio by being supported on a patio wall or railing and is characterized by increased stability and convenience in use. The present assembly lacks the usual vertical legs for supporting the table and umbrella directly on a level floor. These vertical legs frequently pose a problem when the patio set is used on an outdoor deck in that the bottom ends of the legs fall into the spaces between adjacent floor boards and render the tray uneven and/or unstable during use as well as waste otherwise useable patio space. The issue of space usage on patio decks is of paramount concern for users since it is usually in limited scope and presents the only private outdoor venue for many condominium and apartment dwellers. 
         [0003]    In the prior art, various portable trays for similar purposes are known. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,803 to Peterson discloses an accessory or tray which is suspended from a balcony by a pair of brackets. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,151 to Jarrard discloses a folding table for the trunk lid of an automobile having adjustable telescoping vertical legs. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,881 to De Long discloses a tray which is removably attached to the side rails of a hospital bed. The tray includes an adjustable telescoping brace to accomodate rails of different rung spacing. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,751 to Sampson et al discloses a similar tray for an outdoor barbecue grill. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,276 to Enos discloses a portable platform having brackets for attachment to the bumper of an automobile. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Accordingly, the present invention has as non-limiting objects in its construction and use at least the following: 
         [0010]    A patio set embodying the present invention is capable of being used with varying sized and shaped balconies in that the unit does not protrude more than approximately 1.5 inches beyond the balcony edge, thereby allowing it to be used with both large and small balconies. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present invention is found in a patio set embodying the present invention that provides for safety, as the inventive structure makes it virtually impossible for any patio set part or piece, such as a nut, bolt, screw, etc to fall off from the balcony, as all such components are located away from the balcony edge, thereby providing a safe environment for those below the balcony. 
         [0012]    Yet another object of the present invention is found in a patio set embodying the present invention that provides for the safety of a user of the patio set in that a user of the patio set may easily and safely attach an umbrella to the patio set by having the umbrella pole slide into securing brackets without having to lift the umbrella up and over the balcony edge. This is a safety concern not met by many existing balcony patio sets, as umbrellas are both cumbersome to handle and may cause danger for the old or infirm who attempt to install umbrellas on patio sets especially in windy weather. 
         [0013]    The present invention is embodied in a portable patio table and umbrella assembly for attachment to a balcony or patio wall or railing. The assembly comprises a frame designed to be supported by hanging upon a wall or railing of a patio. The frame has two spaced part elongated arm members each of which has a longitudinal axis that extends generally vertically upward. At the upper end of each of these arm members is an L-shaped frame member that extends generally perpendicular from the arm and can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the arm member. Together the arm and L-shaped frame members form an outwardly extending hanger which is shaped to fit over and hang from the patio side wall or railing. In order to hold the frame closely against the wall or railing, each of the arm members has a locking knob that threadably mates with the upper end of the arm. When tightened, the locking knob frictionally compresses the L-shaped frame member against the arm member to prevent rotation of the L-shaped frame member and holds the L-shaped frame member fixed. This arrangement creates a swinging clamp capable of accommodating differing thicknesses in the patio walls or railings to hold the frame securely. 
         [0014]    Upper and a lower horizontally brace members extend laterally between the arm members to connect the arm members together in a generally rectangular rigid frame. The brace members preferably each have a bracket for receiving and releasably retaining the stick portion of a patio umbrella. 
         [0015]    Upper and lower leveling and stabilizing plates are held spaced apart from their respective upper and lower horizontal brace members. Each of these plates has a compression knob threadably mating with its respective brace member and connects the compression plate with the brace member for varying the spacing therebetween. Tightening or loosening the compression knob moves the compression plate inward or outward from its brace member so that the leveling and stabilizing plates rest against the patio side wall or railing when the L-shaped frame members are fitted over the patio wall or railing, thereby allowing for adjustment to support the frame in a substantially vertical position. 
         [0016]    A pair of brackets are slidably mounted on each of the elongated arm members for supporting a table top. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    In the accompanying drawings: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hanging table and umbrella patio set hanger frame assembly according to the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view showing the frame assembly of  FIG. 1  attached to a balcony wall enclosing an outdoor deck; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view showing the top of the frame assembly; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a view showing an exterior view of the frame assembly of  FIG. 2  attached to a balcony wall enclosing an outdoor deck; and, 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 4  illustrating an exterior view of the frame assembly of  FIG. 2  attached to a balcony railing enclosing an outdoor deck. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Referring now to the drawings, a hanging table and umbrella patio set hanger frame assembly for support upon a side wall or railing of a patio deck that embodies the present invention will be described. 
         [0024]    A patio set hanger frame assembly  10  according to the invention attaches to a balcony  12  enclosing an outdoor deck  14 . The balcony wall  12  has a horizontal top  16  as depicted in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 . 
         [0025]    The present frame assembly  10  is designed for attachment to varying types of balcony walls and railings, including those balconies employing a railing which is wider at its top horizontal portion than at its vertical portion, thus providing a large overhang at the top of the balcony railing. A balcony with this type of railing does not easily accommodate the usual brackets and hangers that are commonly employed in the known patio set hanger frame assemblies and, for this reason, the known frame assemblies have not exhibited good stability and convenience in use. 
         [0026]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings with particular reference to  FIG. 1 , the frame assembly  10  has two spaced part elongated arm members  18 ,  20  each of which has a longitudinal axis that extends generally vertically upward. At the upper ends  22 ,  24  of each of these arm members, are L-shaped frame members  26 ,  28  that extend generally perpendicular from its arm and can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the arm member. L-shaped members  26 ,  28  act as swinging clamps, better described below, that act together their associated arm members to form an outwardly extending hanger which is shaped to fit over and hang from the patio side wall or railing. 
         [0027]    L-shaped members  26 ,  28  are preferably made from a flat stock material having an extending pin  30 ,  32  to engage the patio wall or railing. Likewise, it is preferable that the underside of L-shaped members  26 ,  28  have a rubber cushion to prevent marking of the patio wall or railing due to the forces exerted by frame assembly  10  as it hangs on the patio wall or railing. While the length of L-shaped members  26 ,  28  is not critical due to the swinging or rotating nature of its engagement with the patio wall or railing, it is necessary that it be of sufficient length to work with a large number of such walls or railings having varying geometries. As such, a length of approximately 11 inches has been found to work well with most known cases. 
         [0028]    In order to hold the frame assembly  10  closely against the wall or railing, each of the arm members  18 ,  20  has a locking knob  38 ,  40  respectively, that threadably mates with the upper end  22 ,  24  of each arm. When tightened, the locking knob frictionally compresses the L-shaped frame member against the arm member to prevent rotation of the L-shaped frame member and holds the L-shaped frame member fixed. This arrangement creates a swinging or rotating clamp capable of accommodating differing thicknesses in the patio walls or railings to hold the frame securely. In fact, with this swinging or rotating clamping arrangement, the invention is capable of hanging from patio railings or walls having an enlarged shelf topping that projects outwardly from the remainder of the wall or railing. 
         [0029]    Upper and a lower horizontally brace members  42 ,  44  respectively, extend laterally between the arm members  18 ,  20  to connect the arm members together in a generally rectangular rigid frame. The brace members preferably each have a bracket  46 ,  48  respectively, for receiving and releasably retaining the stick portion of a patio umbrella. One such preferred bracket is to have two spaced apart projecting tabs and to use a heavy duty strap or a hook and loop tape, such as Velcro, to hold an umbrella stick firmly in the interior of the provided channel between the tabs of the bracket. Other retaining methods are also contemplated as being with the scope of the invention as well and should not be limited to this particular preferred arrangement. 
         [0030]    Additional frame stabilizing members  62  laterally extending between the arms  18 ,  20  are preferably added for additional rigidity of the frame assembly  10 . 
         [0031]    Upper and lower leveling and stabilizing plates  50 ,  52  respectively, are held spaced apart from their respective upper and lower horizontal brace members  42 ,  44 . Each of these plates has a compression knob  54  threadably mating with its respective brace member and preferably each plate has at least two spaced apart compression knobs for better distribution of the forces exerted by the frame against the patio wall or railing by hanging. Each knob  54  connects its compression plate with its associated brace member for varying the spacing therebetween. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , tightening or loosening the compression knob moves its compression plate inward or outward from its brace member so that the leveling and stabilizing plates rest against the patio side wall or railing when the L-shaped frame members are fitted over the patio wall or railing, thereby allowing for adjustment to support the frame in a substantially vertical position to accommodate varying patio wall and railing geometries. 
         [0032]    A pair of brackets  56 ,  58  are slidably mounted on each of the elongated arm members for supporting generally opposing sides of a table top  60 . Table brackets  56 ,  58  preferably employ a spring biased adjustable push pin to allow for their adjustment along the arm members to select the desired table top height. A single table top supporting bracket is also within the scope of this invention, although its use is not preferred as being overly complicated for manufacturing and pricing purposes. 
         [0033]    Brackets  56 ,  58  are also preferably hinged to allow for the table top to be collapsed towards the frame when not in use. This is a useful feature, as patio space is usually limited and a user may not wish to be bothered to remove the frame assembly when not in use and reinstall it when needed. This feature also makes it possible to package the tray in relatively small boxes for both shipment and storage. 
         [0034]    Additionally, table top  60  may be removable from brackets  56 ,  58  by being clipped to brackets  56 ,  58 , or it may be permanently mounted thereto by bolting. Frame assembly  10  and its associated hardware may be fabricated from aluminum tubing or flat stock for weather resistance. If steel or iron is used it is preferred that such exposed parts be properly coated either by paint or a weather resistant coating of plastic or rubber to avoid rust or the destructive effects of leaving the frame assembly exposed to the weather on a balcony patio. While the use of metal for fabrication of the frame assembly is preferred, plastic tubing, such as that commonly used in the plumbing industry, may also be employed in construction of the frame assembly. 
         [0035]    Likewise, table top  60  is preferably fabricated from weather resistant materials such as wood, plastic or coated metal and may be shaped to fit into the patio space provided, for example, both a rigid or flexible rectangular or semi-circular tray having a flat or undulating surface are contemplated to be within the scope of this invention. 
         [0036]    Attachment to the balcony wall or railing is easily and quickly accomplished as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 , by simply placing the arms with their L-shaped members  26 ,  28  across the top of the railing or wall  12  allowing pin members  30 ,  32  to engage the rear or outward side of balcony wall or railing  12 , while the elongated, horizontal arm members  18 ,  20  rest against the interior vertical portion of wall or railing  12  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 . The stabilizing plates  50 ,  52  are then adjusted by turning the compression knobs  54  to move the stabilizing plates  50 ,  52  in either a forward or rearward direction to level and stabilize the table top  60  in a substantially horizontal plane. 
         [0037]    To disassemble and remove the frame assembly for storage after use where the table top is clipped to its supporting brackets, it is only necessary to remove the table top  60  by unclipping it from the two supporting brackets  56  and  58  and then folding or collapsing the two brackets inwardly towards arm members  18  and  20 . Compression knobs  54  and locking knobs  38  and  40  are then loosened, so that the frame can be easily lifted off balcony wall or railing  12 . The frame assembly can then be stored away with the table top  60  placed on top of the collapsed framework. 
         [0038]    While only a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has been described, it is understood that many variations are possible without departing from the principles of this invention as defined by the claims which follow.