Abstract:
An adjustable jaw table clamp apparatus for quickly and easily attaching table cover and skirting to a table. The disclosed apparatus provides a lightweight, easy to manufacture clamping device that is adjustable. There is disclosed a clamping apparatus that is adjustable and can fit various table thicknesses with a design that is universal and can accommodate the thicknesses of different table top sizes. The apparatus comprises a variably adjusting clamping device that is easy to use and may be reusable.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a clamp apparatus for detachably connecting a table cover to a skirt adjacent to the edges of a table. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Table covers are used on a variety of types of tables such as dining tables, banquet tables, and speaker stands, for example. It is often necessary to remove them, as when they get soiled or wrinkled. However, at the same time they need to be retained in place especially in applications where they are subjected to various outside influences such as wind in an outside environment, movement about a banquet hall, on a veranda or in outside restaurants. Also, for table covers that have or consist only of a separate overhanging skirt portion, a way to easily detachably connect them to the table is necessary. 
         [0003]    Heretofore, clips connectable to the edge of a table were provided with grommets that snapped into sockets in a strip of material sewn onto table skirts. However, these devices required that clips be precisely located on the table to match the locations of sockets on the skirt. This is often cumbersome and difficult to do. Moreover, as table top thicknesses vary, different clip sizes would be needed which could also be unnecessarily cumbersome when dealing with the various sizes. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a means for attaching a table cover and/or the skirting to a table with an easy to use clamping apparatus that can adjustably fit various table sizes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present invention addresses the above-described deficiencies and others. Specifically, the present invention provides a clamp apparatus for quickly and easily attaching table cover and skirting to a table. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, easy to manufacture clamping device. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is disclosed a clamping apparatus that is adjustable and can fit various table thicknesses with a design that is universal and can accommodate the thicknesses of different table tops. In accordance with yet another object of the invention is disclosed a variably adjusting clamping device that is easy to use and may be reusable. 
         [0006]    In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of the adjustable jaw clamping apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the adjustable jaw clamping apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable jaw clamping apparatus with an alternate slide jaw adjusting means, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is perspective view of another embodiment of the adjustable jaw clamping apparatus with an alternate slide jaw adjusting means, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, as to organization and method of use, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following disclosure considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
         [0013]    As used herein, the term “comprises” refers to a part or parts of a whole, but does not exclude other parts. That is, the term “comprises” is open language that requires the presence of the recited element or structure or its equivalent, but does not exclude the presence of other elements or structures. The term “comprises” has the same meaning and is interchangeable with the terms “includes” and “has”. The term set has the meaning of one or more of said element. Furthermore, any use of the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Referring now to the figures,  FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of the adjustable jaw clamping apparatus (AJC)  100 . The AJC  100  is comprised of a fixed jaw  10  with a fastening means  20 , and a rod  30  attached to both said fixed jaw  10  and a operatively connected to a movable slide jaw  40 .  FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the AJC  100  illustrating the upper fixed jaw  10  in relation to the rod  30  and fastening means  20 . 
         [0015]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a pictorial table&#39;s edge  50  that the respective jaws of the AJC  100  clamp onto in an adjustable fashion. As the upper, fixed jaw  10  is placed on the upper side of a table&#39;s edge  50  as illustrated and the lower, slide jaw  40  is moved in the direction depicted by the arrow via a spring adjusted trigger mechanism comprising a spring  41 , a trigger  42  operatively coupled to the slide jaw  40  by way of a connecting pin  43 . The trigger  42  has a proximal end and first leg  42 p which operatively engages a respective first leg  41   f  of the spring  41 . Furthermore, the trigger  42  has a distal end and second leg  42   d  that operatively engages the inner side of the rod  30 . 
         [0016]    The inner side of the rod  30  is serrated with an array of serrations, grooves, notches, or the like,  35 , which frictionally and mechanically engage the distal end of the trigger  42   d  such that the slide jaw  40  may be adjustably moved upward along the length of the rod  30  and may also be maintained in a fixed position once the slide jaw  40  is adjacent the table&#39;s edge  50 . The serrations  35  provide the frictional engagement for placement of the trigger  42 . The spring  41  operatively engages both said slide jaw  40  and said trigger  42  due to compression forces generated by the coil turns of the spring center  41 c. 
         [0017]    The second leg of the spring  41 s is pressed against the underside of the slide jaw  40  for aiding in providing upward and downward mobility of said slide jaw  40 . The slide jaw  40  has a recessed portion having a groove or recess  46  which at least partially surrounds said rod  30  for facilitating translational movement of the slide jaw  40  with relation to the rod  30  along a longitudinal axis of said rod  30 . The spring  41  may be coupled to the trigger  42  and slide jaw  40  by known bonding and/or attaching means well known to an artisan of skill in the art. 
         [0018]    The fixed jaw  10 , fastening means  20 , and the rod  30  are all integrally connected by either a bonding means known in the art, such as for example, chemical bonding via epoxies, or the like and/or a mechanical bonding such as manufacturing molding process well known in the art. The fastening means  20  has at least two sides wherein a first side is connected to the fixed jaw  10  and rod  30  and a second side providing attachment means  25  for connecting to a table cover. The attachment means  25  may be a hook and loop fastening mechanism such as a Velcro strip (as depicted in  FIG. 2 ), or button, or loops, or equivalent fastening means, for attaching the AJC  100  to a table cover. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of the AJC  100  wherein an alternate mechanism for translating the slide jaw  40  is employed. In this embodiment, the lower slide jaw  40  is frictionally engaged on rod  30  serving as a linear ratchet shaft and moves up and down along the serrations  35  of the rod  30  and thus avoiding back slip. Stopper  32  serves to keep the jaw  40  in place along the serrations  35  while the dog lever  34  can be manually depressed to release the frictional engagement on the serrations  35  and to thus translate the jaw  40  either up or down the rod  30 . A base  39  serves to engage with stopper  32  to limit the lower most position of the jaw  40 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates yet another embodiment of the AJC  100  having an alternative mechanism for translating the slide jaw  40 . Shown in a closed position about table&#39;s edge  50 , the slide jaw  40  has a spring-loaded mechanism that facilitates the abutment of the lower jaw  40  against the table&#39;s edge  50  by way of the coil spring  32  coiled longitudinally about rod  30 . The coil spring  30  exerts compression forces outwardly on both the stop member  31  as well as slide jaw stopper  44 . The slide jaw stopper  44  is sized and configured such that the diameter is greater than the diameter of the coil spring  30 . The distal end of the rod  30  has a stop member  31  having a diameter larger than the diameter of the coil spring  32  and operatively connected to said rod  30  such that it serves to keep the coil spring  30  in place along the rod  30  and thereby facilitating translational movement of lower jaw  40 . 
         [0021]    In each of the embodiments, the AJC  100  may be sized and dimensioned to fit about varying sizes of tables. In some embodiments, however, the approximate length of the AJC  100  may be about 2-5 inches and having a width in the range of 0.5 to 1 inch wide ad weighing less than 6 ounces, depending on materials. The upper fixed jaw  10 , slide jaw  40 , fastening means  20 , and the rod  30  may be comprised of any suitable, light weight plastic, such as for example, acetyl, polypropylene, nylon, ABS, high density polystyrene, impact modified polypropylene, and/or combinations thereof. The attachment means  25  and the fastening means  20  may be of the same width of the rod  30  and fixed jaw  10 ; and moreover, the width of the rod  30  is the same as the fixed jaw  10 . The upper fixed jaw  10  may be the same size and dimension as the slide jaw  40 . 
         [0022]    It is to be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances, some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. 
         [0023]    Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the instant disclosure. 
         [0024]    The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.