Patent Abstract:
A table includes a tabletop and legs for the tabletop. The tabletop includes a blow-molded structure and components coupled to the blow-molded structure to rigidify the tabletop.

Full Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61,325,693, filed Apr. 19, 2010, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a table, and particularly to a table with a blow-molded tabletop. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a corner support for a tabletop. 
     SUMMARY 
     A table in accordance with the present disclosure includes a tabletop and legs for elevating the tabletop above the ground. The tabletop includes a blow-molded structure and a frame made of metal and coupled to an underside of the blow-molded structure. 
     In illustrative embodiments, a corner-reinforcement unit is molded using a plastics material and is a component separate from the blow-molded structure. A separate corner-reinforcement unit is mounted on each corner of the tabletop to rigidify the corner. In illustrative embodiments, each corner-reinforcement unit is coupled to one or both of the blow-molded structure and frame to retain that unit in an anchored position on the corner of the tabletop. 
     In illustrative embodiments, each corner-reinforcement unit is retained in a stationary position in a socket formed in the underside of the blow-molded structure at one of the outer corners of the blow-molded structure. The socket is formed to lie below the top surface of the tabletop and inside an outer side wall of the tabletop so that the corner-reinforcement unit retained therein is not visible to a user looking down at the tabletop rigidified by the corner-reinforcement units. 
     In illustrative embodiments, each corner-reinforcement unit is a monolithic component molded of a plastics material and configured to include a rigidifier and a frame mount. The rigidifier comprises an endless perimeter band and a series of stiffener beams coupled to inwardly facing surfaces of the perimeter band and arranged to extend across an interior region of the rigidifier bounded by the perimeter band. The frame mount is coupled to the perimeter band and mated to a frame included in the tabletop and mounted to the underside of the blow-molded structure so that the corner-reinforcement unit is retained in a stationary position in the companion socket formed in the blow-molded structure. 
     In illustrative embodiments, a corner-reinforcement unit is retained in a stationary position in each of four outer corners included in a rectangular tabletop. In one embodiment, the tabletop is included in a centerfold table including separate blow-molded first and second platforms coupled to one another by a center hinge and each platform carries two corner-reinforcement units. In other embodiments, the tabletop includes a monolithic blow-molded structure carrying, for example, four corner-reinforcement units. 
     Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a center-folding table showing a tabletop and leg units supporting opposite end portions of the tabletop; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the underside of the tabletop of  FIG. 1  (before installation of the leg units) showing that the tabletop includes a right top portion comprising a blow-molded first platform, a first corner-reinforcement unit coupled to an outer first corner of the blow-molded first platform, a second corner-reinforcement unit coupled to an outer second corner of the blow-molded first platform, a carry handle coupled to a first side of the first platform, and two wheel units coupled to a second side of the first platform and showing that the tabletop also includes a left top portion comprising a blow-molded second platform, a third corner-reinforcement unit coupled to an outer first corner of the blow-molded second platform, and a fourth corner-reinforcement unit coupled to an outer second corner of the blow-molded second platform; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of the first corner-reinforcement unit of  FIG. 2  before it is coupled to the outer first corner of the blow-molded first platform shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged portion of the plan view of the blow-molded first platform included in the right top portion of the tabletop before the first and second corner-reinforcement units, carry handle, and wheel units are coupled to the blow-molded first platform and showing that an interior unit-receiving socket sized to receive one of the corner-reinforcement units is formed in each of the outer first and second corners of the blow-molded first platform and that a diagonally extending tab-receiving slot is formed in the floor of each of the unit-receiving sockets; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  after (1) the first corner-reinforcement unit has been mounted in a first of the interior unit-receiving sockets to rigidify the outer first corner of the blow-molded first platform; (2) the second corner-reinforcement unit has been mounted in a second of the interior unit-receiving sockets to rigidify the outer second corner of the blow-molded first platform; and (3) a U-shaped first frame segment has been mounted on the underside of the blow-molded first platform to cause a first curved section in the U-shaped first frame segment to mate with the first corner-reinforcement unit and to cause a second curved section in the U-shaped first frame segment to mate with the second corner-reinforcement unit; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of the first corner-reinforcement unit mounted in the companion interior unit-receiving socket formed in the outer first corner of the blow-molded first platform showing placement of a downwardly extending anchor tab included in the first corner-reinforcement unit into the companion diagonally extending tab-receiving slot formed in the floor of that unit-receiving socket; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another table in accordance with the present disclosure showing a tabletop and leg units supporting opposite end portions of the tabletop and showing that the tabletop includes a monolithic countertop comprising a blow-molded first platform and a blow-molded second platform. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A tabletop  10  having four corners  11 - 14  is included in a table  15  as suggested in  FIG. 1 . Tabletop  10  is supported by left-side and right-side leg units  16 ,  17  also included in table  15  as suggested in  FIG. 1 . Tabletop  10  includes a blow-molded counter  18 , a frame  19  coupled to the underside of blow-molded counter  18 , and a separate corner-reinforcement system  20  configured and arranged to reinforce each of four tabletop corners  11 - 14 , as shown, for example, in  FIG. 2 . In illustrative embodiments, corner-reinforcement system  20  comprises units  21 - 24  that are manufactured separately and then retained in place on blow-molded counter  18  in companion interior unit-receiving sockets  121 - 124  formed in table top corners  11 - 14  using fasteners anchored to units  21 - 24  and to one or both of blow-molded counter  18  and frame  19 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7 , blow-molded counter  18  includes a blow-molded first platform  31  carrying first and second corner-reinforcement units  21 ,  22  and a blow-molded second platform  32  carrying third and fourth corner-reinforcement units  23 ,  24 . Blow-molded counter  18  also includes a hinge  28  interconnecting first and second platforms  31 ,  32 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8 , tabletop  110  in a table  115  includes a monolithic blow-molded counter  118  comprising interconnected, blow-molded first and second platforms  31 ,  32  and carrying all four corner-reinforcement units  21 - 24 . 
     In an illustrative embodiment, corner-reinforcement system  20  includes a first corner-reinforcement unit  21  mating with blow-molded counter  18  at a first outer corner  11  of tabletop  10  as suggested in  FIGS. 2 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . An illustrative first corner-reinforcement unit  21  is shown in detail in  FIG. 3 . Corner-reinforcement system  20  also includes a second corner-reinforcement unit  22  mating with blow-molded counter  18  at a second outer corner  12  of tabletop  10 , a third corner-reinforcement unit  23  mating with blow-molded counter  18  at a third outer corner  13  of tabletop  10 , and a fourth corner-reinforcement unit  24  mating with blow-molded counter  18  at a fourth outer corner  14  of tabletop  10  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 2 . 
     In an illustrative embodiment, table  15  is a center-folding table and left-side and right-side leg units  16 ,  17  are movable relative to blow-molded counter  18  at the option of a user from the extended, use positions shown in  FIG. 1  to collapsed, storage positions (not shown) along the underside of tabletop  10 . Once left-side and right-side leg units  16 ,  17  are stored in their collapsed, storage positions, left and right top portions  26 ,  27  of tabletop  10  are folded toward one another about a pivot axis  128  established by a hinge  28  (shown, for example, in  FIG. 2 ) interconnecting left and right top portions  26 ,  27 . 
     Right top portion  27  of tabletop  10  includes a blow-molded first platform  31  and separate first and second corner-reinforcement units  21 ,  22  as suggested in  FIGS. 2 and 5 . First corner-reinforcement unit  21  is coupled to a first outer corner  11  of tabletop  10  defined by a first outer corner of blow-molded first platform  31  as suggested in  FIG. 2 . Second corner-reinforcement unit  22  is coupled to a second outer corner  12  of tabletop  10  defined by a second outer corner of blow-molded first platform  31  as also suggested in  FIG. 2 . 
     Left top portion  26  of tabletop  10  includes a blow-molded second platform  32  and separate third and fourth corner-reinforcement units  23 ,  24  as suggested in  FIG. 2 . Third corner-reinforcement unit  23  is coupled to a third outer corner  13  of tabletop  10  defined by a first outer corner of blow-molded second platform  32  as suggested in  FIG. 2 . Fourth corner-reinforcement unit  24  is coupled to a fourth corner  14  of tabletop  10  defined by a second outer corner of blow-molded second platform  32  as also suggested in  FIG. 2 . 
     In illustrative embodiments, blow-molded counter  18  comprises blow-molded first platform  31  of right top portion  27 , blow-molded second platform  32  of left top portion  26 , and hinge  28  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . First and second corner-reinforcement units  21 ,  22  reinforce corners  11 ,  12 , respectively, of blow-molded first platform  31  in blow-molded counter  18  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  5 . Third and fourth corner-reinforcement units  23 ,  24  reinforce corners  13 ,  14 , respectively, of blow-molded second platform  32  in blow-molded counter  18  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     In an illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , frame  19  includes a U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  coupled to the underside of blow-molded first platform  31  and arranged to mate with each of the separate first and second corner-reinforcement units  21 ,  22 . As suggested in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  includes a first side rail  191 , a second side rail  192  arranged to lie in spaced-apart parallel relation to first rail  191 , and an end rail  193  arranged to interconnect first and second side rails  191 ,  192 . Similarly, frame  19  includes a U-shaped second frame segment  19 - 2  coupled to the underside of blow-molded second platform  32  and arranged to mate with each of the separate third and fourth corner-reinforcement units  23 ,  24  as suggested in  FIG. 2 . As suggested in  FIG. 2 , U-shaped second frame segment  19 - 2  includes a first side rail  291 , a second side rail  292  arranged to lie in spaced-apart parallel relation to first rail  291 , and an end rail  293  arranged to interconnect first and second side rails  291 ,  292 . In an illustrative embodiment, frame  19  is made of a metal material, but it is within the scope of this disclosure to use any suitable rigid material. 
     In illustrative embodiments, as suggested in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , end rail  193  of U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  includes a first curved section  193 A coupled to first side rail  191  and to first corner-reinforcement unit  21 , a second curved section  193 B coupled to second side rail  192  and to second corner-reinforcement unit  22 , and a straight section  193 C arranged to interconnect first and second curved sections  193 A,  193 B. As suggested in  FIG. 2 , end rail  293  of U-shaped second frame segment  19 - 2  has a shape similar to end rail  193  and is coupled to third and fourth corner-reinforcement units  23 ,  24 . 
     First corner-reinforcement unit  21  includes a rigidifier  121  and a frame mount  221  coupled to rigidifier  121  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 3 . In an illustrative embodiment, each of second, third, and fourth corner-reinforcement units  22 ,  23 , and  24  has a substantially identical shape. Rigidifier  121  of first corner-reinforcement unit  21  is configured to provide means separate from blow-molded first platform  31  for rigidifying a first outer corner  11  of blow-molded first platform  31  (and tabletop  10 ). Frame mount  221  is configured to mate with U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  as suggested in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     Rigidifier  121  includes a perimeter band  40  and a series of stiffener beams  51 - 55  arranged to lie in spaced-apart fan-shaped relation to one another and coupled to inwardly facing surfaces of perimeter band  40  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 3 . Perimeter band  40  is endless in an illustrative embodiment. Rigidifier  121  also includes a downwardly extending anchor tab  56  appended to a third beam  53  as suggested in  FIG. 3 . 
     Perimeter band  40  includes, in series, a first curved band section  401 , a first straight band section  402 , a second curved band section  403 , and a second straight band section  404  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 3 . Band sections  401 - 404  cooperate to define an interior region  50  containing stiffener beams  51 - 55  as suggested in  FIG. 3 . First curved band section  401  is coupled to frame mount  221  as suggested in  FIG. 3  and has a curved portion that is characterized by a relatively larger first radius of curvature as suggested in  FIG. 5 . Second curved band section  403  is characterized by a relatively smaller second radius of curvature as suggested in  FIG. 5 . 
     Frame mount  221  includes a curved flange  221 F and a curved base  221 B as shown, for example, in  FIG. 3 . Curved base  221 B is arranged to interconnect a lower edge of each of curved flange  221 F and first curved band section  401  to form channel means  221 C therebetween for receiving a portion (e.g., first curved section  193 A of end rail  193 ) of U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  of frame  19  therein as suggested in FIGS.  2  and  5 - 7 . In an illustrative embodiment, curved flange  221 F has a radius of curvature that is about equal to the radius of curvature of first curved band section  401  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . 
     First corner-reinforcement unit  21  is mounted in a companion first interior unit-receiving socket  121  formed in blow-molded first platform  31  as suggested in  FIGS. 4-7 . First interior unit-receiving socket  121  is empty in  FIG. 4 . 
     During assembly of components to form tabletop  10 , first corner-reinforcement unit  21  is placed in socket  121  as suggested in  FIG. 5  illustratively to cause downwardly extending anchor tab  56  (appended to third stiffener beam  53 ) to extend into a companion diagonally extending tab-receiving slot  156  formed in a floor  121 F of socket  121  as suggested in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Thereafter, first curved section  193 A of end rail  193  of U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  is placed into channel means  221 C formed in first corner-reinforcement unit  21  and first frame segment  19 - 1  is retained in place on blow-molded first platform  31 . It is within the scope of this disclosure, as suggested diagrammatically in  FIG. 6 , to use any suitable fastener F 1  to anchor first corner-reinforcement unit  21  to blow-molded first platform  31  and/or any suitable fastener F 2  to anchor first corner-reinforcement unit  21  to first frame segment  19 - 1  (e.g., first curved frame section  193 A) so that first corner-reinforcement unit  21  is retained in place on blow-molded first platform  31  at first outer corner  11 . 
     Second corner-reinforcement unit  22  is mounted in a companion second interior unit-receiving socket  122  formed in blow-molded second platform  32  as suggested in  FIGS. 4-7 . Second interior unit-receiving socket  122  is empty in  FIG. 4 . 
     During assembly of components to form tabletop  10 , second corner-reinforcement unit  22  is placed in socket  122  illustratively to cause downwardly extending anchor tab  56  to extend into a companion diagonally extending tab-receiving slot  256  formed in a floor  122 F of socket  122  as suggested in  FIG. 5 . Thereafter, second curved section  193 B of end rail  193  of U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1  is placed into channel means  222 C formed in second corner-reinforcement unit  22  and first frame segment  19 - 1  is retained in place on blow-molded first platform  31 . It is within the scope of this disclosure to use any suitable fastener to anchor second corner-reinforcement unit  22  to blow-molded first platform  31  and/or any suitable fastener to anchor second corner-reinforcement unit  22  to first frame segment  19 - 1  (e.g., second curved frame section  193 B) so that second corner-reinforcement unit  22  is retained in place on blow-molded first platform  31  at second outer corner  12 . 
     In an illustrative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , right top portion  27  of tabletop  10  also includes a carry handle  60  and first and second wheel units  61 ,  62 . Carry handle  60  is coupled to first side rail  192  of U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1 . First and second wheel units  61 ,  62  are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another and are coupled to second side rail  192  of U-shaped first frame segment  19 - 1 . 
     In illustrative embodiments, each of corner-reinforcement units  21 - 24  is made of a plastics material and frame  19  is made of a metal material such as steel or aluminum. Each unit  21 - 24  is an injection-molded part separate from each of blow-molded (HDPE) platforms  31 ,  32 . Such a feature facilitates construction of a blow-molded table provided with custom-designed corner-reinforcement units configured to meet any applicable corner-sturdiness requirement and use more or less plastics material to meet applicable manufacturing cost budgets. Units  21 - 24  are molded separately from rest of tabletop  10  and then sandwiched between blow-molded platforms  31 ,  32  and portions of frame  19 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 0