US20120234212A1

US20120234212A1 - Portable table

Info

Publication number: US20120234212A1
Application number: US13/404,267
Authority: US
Inventors: Derek Boirun; Joseph Blumenthal; John Gutman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-02-25
Filing date: 2012-02-24
Publication date: 2012-09-20

Abstract

A portable table having a disk shaped bowl with an interior receiving area for securing articles. The bowl is defined by a circumferential edge and a base region, an exterior side of the base region has an insertion area. A lid is mountable on the bowl for securing the storage of articles within the bowl. A pole has an upper portion which is insertable into the insertion area of the base region and a lower portion which is insertable into a receiving medium. In a closed position the pole is secured within the interior receiving area of the bowl. The interior receiving area of the bowl is oriented upward and away from the receiving medium. The lid forms both a horizontal plane for the placement of articles on top as well as within the bowl.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/464,010, filed on Feb. 25, 2011, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to a table. More particularly, this application relates to a portable table with storage capacity inside the table top.
2. Description of Related Art
It is popular to use a portable table at the beach for picnicking and recreational needs. Swimmers, sunbathers and the like have developed a desire for a table to be used at lakes and beaches which can be easily transported to and from their vehicles and which can be easily assembled and disassembled after use. Conventional pool or lawn furniture is suitable for permanent locations but cannot be easily moved or handled by an individual.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,163 to Levesque discloses a portable table kit for use in conjunction with a pole used substantially upright in supporting a beach umbrella having at least two containers each including a generally flat upper wall, a major upright vertically oriented wall and body portions including a lower wall cooperating with the upper surface and the major wall to define a hollow interior article containment portion. The upper walls form a table surface and the groove forms a vertical passage for engaging receipt of the pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,090 to Fogarty discloses a travelling toy tea table having a closed container including a dish shaped member. The container is closed by a top or lid. The table is assembled by disassociating the dish shaped member from the top and using the dish shaped member as a table pedestal by inverting it. A column is provided for the support of the table top. The lower end of the column is received by the socket. The lid is then inverted and supported above the pedestal at a given distance slightly less than the total length of the column. As assembled, the table may be used by children for tea sets. When disassembled, the utensils and support may be stored within the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,166 to Credle discloses a portable umbrella table including a table stake which can be driven into the ground. The table top is then placed over the stake by fitting the stake into the socket on the bottom surface of the table top. A convenient storage pocket is provided immediately below an opening in the table top for maintaining articles of value.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,977 to Williams discloses a table having a support pole. The support pole can be separated into two pieces at its midsection. An internally threaded adjustment knob is utilized to join the two pieces and to also provide a mechanism for adjusting the length of the pole. A flat disc shaped member functions as the table top. On the underside of the table the boss is threaded to receive the upper side of the support pole. Once the support pole has been ground inserted the table top may be attached to the upper end of the support pole. To enhance portability, a carrying case is provided to store the disassembled elements.
However, the above described prior art arrangements do not disclose a portable table kit capable of providing storage capacity while in use with easy access to the articles stored within its bowl shaped table top.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY

The present arrangement is a portable table which provides storage capacity both while in use and when disassembled. While in use the present arrangement provides for storage within its bowl shaped table top in order to store small items such as food, beverages and the like and at the same time keeping these items easily accessible. When the table is disassembled the leg of the table is stored within the table top providing for an easily transportable portable table.
To this end, the present Invention provides for a portable table kit for use with a receiving medium having a disk shaped bowl with an interior receiving area for securing articles. The disk shaped bowl is defined by a circumferential edge and a base region, an exterior side of the base region has an insertion area.
A releasable lid is mountable on the disk shaped bowl which is receivable within the interior side of the circumferential edge for securing the storage of articles within the disk shaped bowl thereby forming a secured storage area within the interior receiving area. A pole element has an upper portion which is insertable into the insertion area of the base region of the bowl and a lower portion which is insertable into a receiving medium.
The disk shaped bowl is openable from a first closed position where the pole is secured within the interior receiving area of the disk shaped bowl. The releasable lid secures the storage of the pole. The second open position allows the pole to be removed from the interior receiving area of the disk shaped bowl. The pole is insertable into the insertion area in the base region of the bowl and the lower portion is insertable into the receiving medium.
The interior receiving area of the disk shaped bowl is oriented upward and away from the receiving medium so that when the lid is re-secured to the disk shaped bowl while the pole is in the receiving medium, an upper surface of the releasable lid forms both a substantially horizontal plane for the placement of articles on top of the lid as well as within the interior receiving area within the bowl.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention can be understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable table according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bowl in a closed position according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bowl in an open position with the lid removed according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the lid according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B-4C are perspective views of the bowl and lid in an open position according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bowl in an open position with the lid removed and leg included inside according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows an alternative arrangement with the leg/pole attached to the underside of disk shaped bowl according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of pole in a disassembled state according to one embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a underside perspective view of the pole inserted into the base region of the bowl according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the portable table with a foam insert according to one embodiment;

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the portable table with a foam float according to one embodiment;

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the portable table with a detachable base according to one embodiment;

FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the detachable base according to one embodiment;

FIG. 11 shows the above table clipped to a chair according to one embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a top view of multiple bowls attached to one another according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 13A and 13B show a lid of the portable table configured with a game board according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, a portable table 10 is illustrated having a disk shaped bowl 12 with an interior receiving area 14 for storing articles. Disk shape bowl 12 is defined by a circumferential edge 16 and a base region 18. The exterior side of base region 18 has a cross-shaped insertion area 20. A pole 24 has an upper portion 26 which is insertable into insertion area 20 and an angled lower portion 28 which is insertable into a receiving medium. Pole 24 has a cross-shaped cross section.
Referring to FIG. 2 which illustrates table 10 in a first closed position, a releasable lid 22 is mountable on disk shaped bowl 12 and is received within an interior side of circumferential edge 16 for securing storage of articles within disk shaped bowl 12 and forming a secured storage area within interior receiving area 14.
Referring to FIGS. 2-4C, lid 22 is easily detachable and snaps securely into place within circumferential edge 16. The interior side of circumferential edge 16 has a ridge 30 for supporting a corresponding circumferential edge 32 of releaseable lid 22 below an upper limit of circumferential edge 16 of disk shaped bowl 12. In a dosed position, tab 34 of lid 22 is engaged in recess 36 of circumferential edge 16 of disk shaped bowl 12. In order to detach lid 22 from disk shaped bowl 12 for access to interior receiving area 14, tab 34 is easily lifted out from recess 36, removing lid 22 from ridge 30 of circumferential edge 16 of disk shaped bowl 12.
Turning now to the leg arrangement and assembly of table 10, referring to FIG. 5, when portable table 10 is not in use and is in the disassembled state, pole 24 is stored within interior receiving area 14 of disk shaped bowl 12 in two halves, upper and lower portions 26 and 28. Pole halves 26, 28 when detached from one another and from base region 18 are housed inside interior receiving area 14 for easy transport of portable table 10. Pole halves 26, 28 are secured within interior receiving area 14 by clips 38 on the upper surface of base region 18 of disk shaped bowl 12. In an alternative arrangement, shown in FIGS. 4B-4C, clips 38 may be located on the lower surface of lid 22, so that the inside of disk shaped bowl 12 remains clear and flat. In yet another alternative arrangement, shown in FIG. 6, instead of clips 38, recesses 39 may be located on the lower side of disk shaped bowl 12, so that the pole 24 may be stored outside of the interior receiving area 14 of disk shaped bowl 12.
In the open position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, pole 24 has been removed from interior receiving area 14 of disk shaped bowl 12 and interior receiving area 14 provides a storage housing for other small articles such as cell phone, keys, money, etc.
Referring to FIGS. 7-8, when portable table 10 is in use pole 24 is removed from inside interior region 14, upper portion 26 is connected to lower portion 28 to form pole 24. Upper portion 26 has an upper insertion end insertable into insertion area 20 of base region 18 and a lower mating end. Lower portion 28 of pole element 24 has a lower angled portion insertable into a receiving medium and an upper mating end, matable with the lower mating end of upper portion 26 of pole element 24. In alternative arrangements, the end of lower portion 28 of pole element 24 may be corkscrew or other shapes, other than angled, depending on the receiving medium (sand, dirt etc. . . . ) that table 10 is intended to be used on. Upper portion 26 is then inserted into insertion area 20 in base region 18 of disk shaped bowl 12. Lower portion 28 is inserted into any receiving medium such as sand, soil, snow, a display surface of cork, Styrofoam and the like. Lower portion 28 is angled at its bottom end so that it is easily staked into the receiving medium.
It is noted that the cross shape for pole elements 24 and insertion area 28 are for exemplary purposes only. Pole elements 24 and insertion area 28 may have other shapes, including but not imited to square, oval, circle, triangle etc. . . . Additionally, rather than pure shape fit, upper portion 26 of pole portion 24 may be thread fit into insertion area 28. For example, in another embodiment, upper portion 26 screws into lower portion 28 to form pole 24. Upper portion 26 of pole 24 is then screwed into the exterior side of disk shaped bowl 12.
Lid 22 is then re-secured to disk shape bowl 12. The upper surface of lid 22 forms a horizontal plane for the placement of articles on top of lid 22 serving as a table top. Lid 22 also secures interior receiving area 14 within disk shaped bowl 12 retaining the articles placed therein.
Referring to FIG. 1, interior receiving area 14 of disk shaped bowl 12 is oriented upward and away from the receiving medium, i.e. sand or soil. This provides for easy access to articles contained therein since the storage capacity is enclosed within the user's table top and as such is at the user's fingertips.
According to one embodiment, portable table 10 is made is plastic. However, portable table 10 can be made from any material that is strong, lightweight, and will not corrode or be damaged by the sun, rain, snow, salt, sand or dirt.
In one embodiment, table 10 is designed for individual use but may be shared by more than one person. Table 10 weighs approximately 1 pound and can support up to 7 pounds of weight. The table top measures approximately 11 inches in diameter and pole 24 measures approximately 19 inches in length, made up of two interlocking halves, each measuring 9.5 inches.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, portable table 10 is for use at the beach. Disk shaped bowl 12 is used at the beach to store food and beverages and small items, such as a bottle of water, book, sun lotion and sun glasses so that the items are removed from the sand and yet remain easily accessible. Pole 24 is imbedded into the sand.
Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, in another embodiment when pole 24 cannot be imbedded into a receiving medium such as sand or dirt, a detachable base 40 is available for use on hard surfaces. Pole 24 is inserted into cross-shaped insertion area 42 of detachable base. In one embodiment detachable base 40 can be stored within lid 22. Detachable base 40, tripod or other multi legged stable support arrangement can also be stored by attaching to the underside of base region 18 of bowl 12. Detachable base 40 may also be provided with a series of prongs 44 which can be inserted into dirt or grass surfaces thereby providing stability to portable table 10.
In another further embodiment, when pole 24 cannot be imbedded into the receiving medium, disk shaped bowl 12 can be mounted to a beach chair or the like with a clippable spring action clothes pin type bracket 200 as shown for example in FIG. 11, which may likewise be configurable to be stored within disk shaped bowl 12.
According to a further embodiment, disk shaped bowl 12 is provided with an inner circumferential foam core 46 as shown in FIG. 9A, so as to increase the buoyancy of disk shaped bowl 12, thus allowing bowl 12 to float within a body of water. Foam core 46 can be mounted within interior receiving area 14 or along the circumference in a ring shaped manner so as to effect a minimal reduction in the storage area within bowl 12. FIG. 9B shows an alternative arrangement with a foam external sleeve 47 fitted instead over the outside of disk shaped bowl 12 for a similar effect.
A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 12, wherein a plurality of disk shaped bowls 12 are connected together in order to form a conjoined series of bowls 12 and thus a larger area for recreation. Means for conjoining the series of bowls are known in the art, but may include a separate attachment bracket, clips, or a separate plastic tray within which bowls 12 snap together.
In another embodiment, lid 22 is designed for the printing of corporate logos, sports logos, high school and university logos, cartoon characters, high resolution photo images and the like.
Lid 22 may also be coated with a chalk board writing surface thus allowing chalk markings on lid 22. As well, lid 22 may be coated or provided with a solar covering or decal thus being capable of providing electrical current for re-charging an electronic device such as a cell phone or the like. Additionally, lid 22 may be pre-formed with any suitable game board such as tic-tac-toe or checkers/chess to allow lid 22 to be used as a game board surface. Such pre-formation, may include a recess 100 for accepting one permanently affixed game board, such that it is smooth with the upper surface of lid 22. Alternatively, such recess may be configured to accept multiple (Le. interchangeable) game boards 102 and may be further configured to have openings or “peg openings” 104 to accept game piece tabs so that such pieces may be stably retained on the playing surfaces, as shown for example in FIGS. 13A and 13B.
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A portable table kit for use with a receiving medium comprising:

a disk shaped bowl having an interior receiving area for securing articles, said disk shaped bowl being defined by a circumferential edge and a base region, an exterior side of said base region having an insertion area;

a releasable lid mountable on said disk shaped bowl, receivable within an interior side of said circumferential edge for securing storage of said articles within said disk shaped bowl and forming a secured storage area within said interior receiving area; and

a pole element having an upper portion insertable into said insertion area of said base region and a lower portion insertable into a receiving medium,

wherein said disk shaped bowl being openable from a first closed position where said pole is secured within said interior receiving area of said disk shaped bowl, said releasable lid securing the storage of said upstanding pole, to a second open position where said pole may be removed from said interior region of said disk shaped bowl,

and wherein said pole is insertable into said insertion area in said base region and with said lower portion being insertable into said receiving medium,

and wherein said interior receiving area of said disk shaped bowl is oriented upward and away from said receiving medium so that when said lid is re-secured to said disk shaped bowl while said pole is in said receiving medium, an upper surface of said releasable lid forms both a substantially horizontal plane for the placement of articles on top of said lid as well as within said interior receiving area within said disk shaped bowl.

2. The portable table kit according to claim 1 wherein said insertion area is a cross shaped opening.

3. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said pole has a cross shaped cross section.

4. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said pole further comprises two pieces capable of interlocking in order to form one unitary pole.

5. The portable table according to claim 4 wherein when said table is not in use said pole is stored as two pieces within said interior receiving area of said disk shaped bowl.

6. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein the interior side of said circumferential edge has a ridge for supporting a corresponding circumferential edge of said releaseable lid below an upper limit of said circumferential edge of said disk shaped bowl.

7. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said receiving medium is selected from the group consisting of sand, dirt, snow, cork and Styrofoam.

8. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said pole element is inserted into said receiving medium to a depth of over 2 inches.

9. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said pole is secured within said interior receiving area by clips on the upper surface of said base of said disk shaped bowl.

10. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said table is made of plastic.

11. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said lid further comprises a tab and said circumferential edge of said disk shaped bowl further comprises a recess wherein in a closed position said tab releasably snaps into said recess.

12. The portable table according to claim 1 further comprising a detachable base so that when said pole is inserted into said detachable base said portable table can be used on hard surfaces.

13. The portable table according to claim 1 wherein said Hd is designed for the printing of logos.

14. The portable table according to claim 1, wherein said lower portion of said pole element insertable into said receiving medium is selected from the group of shapes consisting of angled and corkscrew.

15. A portable table kit for use with a receiving medium comprising:

a releasable lid mountable on said disk shaped bowl, receivable within an interior side of said circumferential edge for securing storage of said articles within said disk shaped bowl and forming a secured storage area within said interior receiving area;

a pole element having upper and lower portions, said upper portion having an upper insertion end insertable into said insertion area of said base region and a lower mating end, said lower portion of said pole element having a lower angled portion insertable into a receiving medium and an upper mating end, matable with said lower mating end of said upper portion of said pole element;

wherein said disk shaped bowl being openable from a first closed position wherein said pole element is secured within said interior receiving area of said disk shaped bowl, said releasable lid securing the storage of said pole element to a second open position wherein each of said upper and lower portions of said pole element may be removed from said interior receiving area of said disk shaped bowl.

16. The portable table kit according to claim 15 wherein said insertion area is a cross shaped opening.

17. The portable table according to claim 15 wherein said pole has a cross shaped cross section.

18. The portable table according to claim 15 wherein the interior side of said circumferential edge has a ridge for supporting a corresponding circumferential edge of said releaseable lid below an upper limit of said circumferential edge of said disk shaped bowl.

19. The portable table according to claim 15 wherein said pole is secured within said interior receiving area by clips on the upper surface of said base of said disk shaped bowl.

20. The portable table according to claim 15 wherein said table is made of plastic.

21. A portable table kit for use with a receiving medium comprising:

wherein said disk shaped bowl being openable from a first closed position, to a second open position and where said pole is secured within recesses on a bottom side of said disk shaped bowl,