Patent ID: 8161892

Claim:
An expandable table comprising a frame, at least one leg supporting said frame, first and second top portions movably connected or interconnected to said frame, an intermediate top portion movably connected or interconnected to said frame, and a movement mechanism connected or interconnected to said frame, said movement mechanism configured to cause said first and second top portions to move along a longitudinal axis of said frame between fully unexpanded and fully expanded positions, said movement mechanism configured to cause said intermediate top portion to move between an upper and lower position in a manner that is normal to said longitudinal axis of a plane of movement of said first and second top portions, said movement mechanism is configured to atomatically cause said intermediate top portion to move between a lower position and an upper position based on the orientation and movement of said first and second top portions along said longitudinal axis of said frame, said movement mechanism including a multi-level guide arrangement and a guide gate, said guide gate configured to move in a first position and a second position, said first position and second position of said guide gate controlling access to a particular level of said guide arrangement to enable upward or downward movement of said intermediate top portion, said multilevel guide arrangement including a first level, a second level, and a transition region connected to said first and second level, said first level is configured to cause said intermediate top portion to be positioned in said lower position, said second level is configured to cause said intermediate top portion to be positioned in said upper position, said transition region is configured to cause said intermediate top portion to move between said upper and lower positions, said intermediate top portion including guides that move in said first level, said second level, and said transition region when said intermediate top portion moves between said first and second levels as said first and second top portions move along said longitudinal axis of said frame between said fully unexpanded and said fully expanded positions, said guide gate controlling movement of said guides between said first level and said second level, said guides causing said guide gate to move between said first position and said second position, said intermediate top portion includes an opening designed to receive an umbrella pole, said movement mechanism configured to enable said intermediate top portion to move normal to said longitudinal axis of said plane of movement of said first and second top portions while at least a portion of the umbrella pole remains positioned within said opening of said intermediate top portion.