Patent Publication Number: US-7895952-B2

Title: Sand stand

Description:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter fully assembled and positioned as to be ready to be placed in the substrate; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a close up perspective view of the top portion of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an underside perspective view of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a component view of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter; and 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter with the curtain pulled back. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the claimed subject matter are generally illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of portable table apparatus  10  that is fully assembled having an upper table top  12  that includes a centrally located post opening (shown with pipe section  18  passing through the opening) and a lower table top  16  including a centrally located post opening. The lower table top  16  is shown positioned below the upper table top  12 , a post made up of pipe sections  18  and sleeve connectors  20  having a distal end for penetrating a substrate and an opposite end for passing through the centrally located pole opening in said upper table top and in said lower table top, and a curtain  14  removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top  12 . Cap  22  is also shown attached to the end of pipe section  18  at upper table top  12 . 
     Upper table top  12  and lower table top  16  can be formed from wood, paper, rubber, metal, Plexiglas, Lexan, molded plastic or any other suitable material. Upper and lower table tops may also be equal in diameter and thickness or different. Upper table top  12  and lower table top  16  each have an edge. In various embodiments, the thickness of the table tops can vary from 1/16″ to 3 inches. Upper table top  12  and lower table top  16  may also be interchangeable. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 , upper table top  12  and lower table top  16  are round, but they can be any size or shape. In various embodiments, the shapes of either or both tables can also be octagon, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon or hexagon shapes. 
     Other embodiments include upper and lower table tops with a surrounding rigid strip (not shown) which may be formed from metal, plastic or other durable materials. 
     Hook and/or loop may be then affixed to this rigid strip. This reinforced edge may be made up of one ore more hard, rigid strips positioned along a portion of the edge. The strips have a hook or loop material applied to the exterior of the strip or strips so as to complement the hook or loop found on the inside of curtain  14 . A nylon mesh pocket (not shown) may also be affixed to the underside of lower table top  16  providing additional space for storage. Hook and loop may also be applied to the edge of lower table top  16 . 
     Lower table top  16  may include a lip around the edge that raises the edge of lower table top  16 , for instance to maintain soft drink cans in an upright position when portable table apparatus  10  is accidentally bumped or jarred during periods of wind gusts. Elastic straps, attached through or to the surface or any other area of lower table top  16  or upper table top  12  may also be used to hold items in place. Upper table top  12  may also include a similar lip around the edge of upper table top  12  and it may have elastic straps to hold items to the surface of upper table top  12 . 
     The portable, collapsible table apparatus  10  may also have more than one lower table tops  16  instead of a single lower table top  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 , the post used as a support stand for table apparatus  10  consists of multiple sections of pipe segment  18  which may be formed with terminal beveled distal end at the lowermost segment  18  to allow penetration into sand or soil with ease. Pipe section  18  can be slidably withdrawn from upper table top  12  and lower table top  16 , after which table top  12  can be lifted from uppermost pipe segment  18 . 
     Upper table top  12  is positioned so that a first pipe section  18  extends through and below the center of upper table top  12 . Cap  22  is placed on the end of pipe section  18  which extends from the central opening on upper table top  12 . 
     When used in multiples, pipe sections  18  can be of the same or different lengths, to define a single post. A single pipe section  18  can also be used as the post. For example, several PVC pipe lengths assembled in one or more units can form the post. Pipe segments  18  may have an outer diameter of approximately two to three inches and is sized to snugly fit within connectors  20 . Other embodiments of pipe section  18  can have varying diameters from ¼ inch to 6 inches. Cap  22  can be secured to the end of uppermost section  18  using threading on the cap and on the section  18 , or it can be secured with friction forming a snug fit. 
     Pipe sections  18  can be secured together with connector sleeves  20  that may be integral to the pipe lengths or attached by the end user before use. In one embodiment, connectors  20  are positioned over the ends of the pipe sections  18  and pressed together. In this embodiment, no other components are needed to combine multiple pipe sections  18  into a post. As shown in  FIG. 1 , four pipe sections  18  can be mated with three sleeves  20  to form a post. By removing or adding one or more pipe sections  18  and/or by varying the length of each pipe section  18 , the height of apparatus  10  can be adjusted. In another embodiment, the pipe sections may also be joined at the ends using complementary male and female threaded ends. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the uppermost pipe segment  18  passes through the center of the upper table top  12  and the center of the lower table top  16 . Also shown in  FIG. 5  is the uppermost segment  18  connected to the lowermost pipe segment  18  utilizing connector  20 . 
     Curtains  14  are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  5  as affixed to the exterior edge of upper table top  12  so as to hang down below the edge of lower table top  16 . Hook and loop material such as Velcro® may be used to attach an edge of curtain  14  to the outer edge of upper table top  12 . Curtain  14  has a hook or loop strip sewn into the interior top edge of curtain  14  so as to abut the edge of lower table top  16  and curtain  14  may also have an additional length of hook and/or loop material sewn into a lower section of curtain  14  so as to complement and abut a hook and/or loop strip on the edge of lower table  16 . Curtain  14  may also be attached to upper table  12  and/or lower table  16  with other materials or manners such as a clip placed on the side, upper surface or lower surface of upper table top  12 . 
     Curtain  14  can be made of fabric, cloth, plastic, metal, rubber, latex or other similar material and the apparatus could come in different colors, lengths and shapes. The length may be long enough to cover more than one lower tables  16 , such up to 72 inches long in some embodiments. It may also be very short, such as 1″ long for other embodiments. It can also be from 1 to 72 inches wide so that it does not wrap around table tops completely or so that it wraps around the table tops several times. The shape of curtain  14  may be square, rectangular, triangular or other shape. Curtain  14  provides protection against wind blowing over drinks or items placed on lower table  16 . These items, for example drinks or personal electronic equipment, can thus be protected from elements such as sand and sun. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a component view of an embodiment of portable table apparatus  10 . Apparatus  10  is easy to assemble, easy to transport, and light to carry. When disassembled, portable table apparatus  10  can be compactly stored and transported in a nylon or fabric bag.  FIG. 5  also illustrates curtain  14  partially drawn away from lower table top  16 . It can be used for the beach, parks, backyards, picnics and many other places. 
     Portable table apparatus  10  may be adjusted to varying heights for different users or uses by changing the number of pipe sections and/or the length of each pipe section. Table apparatus  10  may be constructed at the factory to a predetermined height or it may be height adjustable by the end user by using combinations of shorter and longer pipe sections  18 . Embodiments of portable table apparatus  10  are light in weight and able to be carried and set up by an individual on a beach or the like in a few minutes. Once in place, table apparatus  10  should remain stationary even in strong winds and it can be used to protect valuables against the elements while the user is engaged in other activities. Portable table apparatus  10  can be used to provide a personal storage surface for items at arms length. Portable table apparatus  10  can also be broken down into its components and stored easily when not in use, and when assembled, used to support drinks or food when one sits in an area with soft substrate such as the sand on a beach or grass at a park. After use, by simply reversing the assembly steps table apparatus  10  can be quickly disassembled and manually carried off until the next use. 
     The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.