AU2013203634A1

AU2013203634A1 - A table assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2013203634A1
Application number: AU2013203634A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ryan Lawson; John Levey
Original assignee: King Furniture Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: King Furniture Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-07-30
Filing date: 2013-04-11
Publication date: 2014-02-13
Also published as: AU2013101754A4

Abstract

A table assembly 10 includes a body member 12 defining a top region 16, a bottom region 18 and a side portion 20 extending between the top region 12 and the bottom region 18 of the body member 12. A receiving formation 28 is defined in the body member 12 and opens out at least into the side portion 20. A mounting arm 14 removably mounts the body member 12 to a structure, the mounting arm 14 including a support member 22 and a mounting member 24 extending from the support member 22, the mounting member 24 being removably receivable within the receiving formation 28. Fig. 4 IVd IV Fig. 3 30 24 40 36 16 22 28 42 38 1g Fig. 4

Description

1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 KING FURNITURE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: A table assembly The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 Field [01] This disclosure relates, generally to a table and, more particularly but not necessarily exclusively, to a table assembly for use with modular furniture. Background [02] When a person is seated on lounge room furniture or outdoor furniture, there is often a need to place objects such as teacups, plates, etc on a side table. It may be that the person is seated where such a side table is not within easy or convenient reach. [03] The applicant has previously developed a range of modular furniture and other furniture where a table is removably mounted to the furniture to be in easy reach of a person seated on the furniture. The table can be removed for storage purposes and to facilitate shipping and transportation of the furniture. Such a table has an awkward shape for storage and/or shipment purposes. Summary [04] In an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a table assembly which includes a body member defining a top region, a bottom region and a side portion extending between the top region and the bottom region of the body member, a receiving formation being defined in the body member and opening out at least into the side portion of the body member; and a mounting arm for removably mounting the body member to a structure, the mounting arm including a support member and a mounting member extending from the support member, the mounting member being removably receivable within the receiving formation. [05] The mounting member and the receiving formation may be shaped so as to inhibit relative rotation between the body member and the mounting arm. [06] The side portion may taper inwardly from the top region to the bottom region, i.e. the side portion may be chamfered or bevelled, so that the bottom region defines a smaller area than the top region, the receiving formation comprising a slot defining an opening 3 which opens out into the side portion of the body member. The opening may be arranged so that, at least in the region of the side portion of the body member, the mounting arm is contained within a periphery of the top region so that it does not protrude beyond the periphery of the top region. In this way, the likelihood of someone snaring the mounting arm is reduced and it also improves the aesthetics of the body member. [07] The receiving formation may further include a receiver in communication with the slot, the receiver defining a passage. The receiver may carry a friction-increasing lining so as to assist in retaining the mounting member of the mounting arm in position within the receiving formation. [08] The body member may define a recess opening out into the bottom region, the receiver being received in the recess. The receiver may be carried on a mounting plate which is secured to the bottom region of the body member, the recess having a countersunk peripheral portion in which the plate is received so that the plate lies substantially flush with a surface of the bottom region. The plate may be secured to the body member by Allen-head type screws so as to minimise projections from the underside of the body member in use and, in so doing, reducing the risk of someone snaring themselves or their clothing on the underside of the body member. [09] As indicated above, the receiving formation of the body member and the mounting member of the mounting arm may be shaped to inhibit relative rotation. Thus, the mounting member and the receiving formation may be of complementary, substantially polygonal cross-section to inhibit rotation between the body member and the mounting member of the mounting arm. [10] The support member may comprise a post having a first end receivable in a socket of a socket defining member carried by the structure with the mounting member being a tongue-like element extending from an opposed end of the post. The post may be a straight post or, instead, the post may be cranked.

4 Brief Description of Drawings [11] An embodiment of the disclosure is now described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which: [12] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a table assembly; [13] Fig. 2 shows a perspective, exploded view of the table assembly; [14] Fig. 3 shows a bottom view of the table assembly; [15] Fig. 4 shows a sectional side view of the table assembly taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3; [16] Fig. 5 shows a bottom view of a body member of the table assembly; [17] Fig. 6 shows a sectional side view of the body member taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 5; and [18] Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the table assembly, in use. Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiment [19] In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates an embodiment of a table assembly. The table assembly 10 comprises a body member or table top 12 and a mounting arm 14. The body member 12 comprises a top region, or top, 16, a bottom region, or bottom, 18 and a side portion 20 extending between the top 16 and the bottom 18 of the table top 12. [20] The mounting arm 14 comprises a support member in the form of a post 22 and a mounting member in the form of a tongue 24 (shown more clearly, for example, in Fig. 2 of the drawings). The post 22 facilitates removable mounting of the table assembly 10 on a structure in the form of an article of furniture such as, for example, a sofa 26 (Fig. 7) as will be described in greater detail below.

5 [21] The table top 12 defines a receiving formation 28 (Fig. 4) within which the tongue 24 of the mounting arm 14 is removably receivable. [22] The receiving formation 28 is a multi-component receiving formation. A first part of the receiving formation 28 comprises a slot 30 (Fig. 6) defining an opening 32 opening out into the side portion 20 of the table top 12. In this regard, it is to be noted that the top 16 of the table top 12 defines a larger surface area than the bottom 18 of the table top 12 so that the side portion 20 tapers or is angled inwardly from the top 16 to the bottom 18. The opening 32 opens out approximately midway between the top 16 and the bottom 18 so that, in use, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the post 22 of the mounting arm 14 is contained inwardly of the periphery of the top 16 of the table top 12 to minimise the likelihood of a person snaring themselves on the mounting arm 14. This also improves the aesthetics of the table assembly 10. [23] While the first part of the receiving formation 28 has been described as being a slot 30 defining a passage, i.e. being entirely bounded by structure, the slot could, instead be a groove or channel defined in the bottom 18 of the table top 12. [24] A second part of the receiving formation of 28 is defined by a receiver 34 (Fig. 4). The receiver 34 comprises a socket defining portion 36 defining a passage 38. The passage 38 is lined with a liner or sleeve 40. The sleeve 40 is, for example, of a synthetic plastics material. This ensures that the tongue 24 is a snug fit within the passage 38 and the sleeve 40 frictionally bears against the tongue 24 of the mounting arm 14 to retain it in position. [25] The socket defining portion 36 is carried on a mounting plate 42. As shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the table top 12 defines a recess 44 opening out into the bottom 18 of the table top 12. The recess 44 is in communication with the slot 30 of the receiving formation 28. Further, the recess 44 is shaped to receive the receiver 34. A surround 46 of the recess 44 is countersunk. The countersunk surround 46 is shaped to receive the plate 42 of the receiver 34 snugly so that an outer surface of the plate 42 lies substantially flush with a surface of the bottom 18 as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. [26] The socket defining portion 36 and/or the sleeve 40 may define a retaining element (not shown), such as a tab or pin, which extends into the passage 38 and which engages a 6 complementary cut-out (also not shown) for retaining the tongue 24 of the mounting arm 14 in the receiving formation 28 of the table top 12. In this embodiment, the sleeve 40 may either be omitted or it may not be necessary for the tongue 24 to be such a snug fit in the sleeve 40. [27] The mounting plate 42 is secured to the table top 12 via a plurality of flathead screws 48 (Fig. 3). The screws 48 have Allen-type sockets therein to ensure that the screws 48 protrude minimally from the mounting plate 42. With this arrangement, the likelihood of a person snaring themselves or their clothing on the table assembly 10 when in use, is further reduced. [28] It will be appreciated that, to inhibit relative rotation between the tongue 24 and the table top 12 of the assembly 10, the tongue 24 and the receiving formation 28 are of suitable complementary, polygonal cross-section. In the illustrated embodiment, the tongue 24 and the receiving formation 28 are of complementary, rectangular cross-section but it will be appreciated that any other suitable polygonal or elliptical cross-section would be suitable for inhibiting the relative rotation between the tongue 24 and the table top 12. [29] The table top 12 is of any suitable material which provides an attractive aesthetic appearance to the table assembly 10. For example, the table top 12 could be a timber table top but it will be appreciated that the table top 12 could be of any other suitable material, such as stone, a suitable synthetic plastics material, or the like. [30] Similarly, the mounting arm 14 is of a suitable, structurally rigid material such as, for example, a steel material. The steel may be a stainless steel but, once again, it will be appreciated that any suitable material which provides the required structural rigidity could be used for the mounting arm 14. [31] In addition, while the post 22 of the mounting arm 14 has been shown as being a straight post 22, it will be appreciated that, in other embodiments, the post 22 could, for example, be cranked. Such a post may be used in situations where the post 22 protrudes from an arm 50 of the sofa 26 illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Further, while the mounting arm 14 has been described and illustrated as comprising two separate parts, it 7 will be appreciated that, instead, the mounting arm 14 could be a single, suitably shaped, one-piece element. [32] In use, for storage or transportation purposes, the mounting arm 14 is removed from the table top 12 by removing the tongue 24 from the receiving formation 28. This reduces the volume occupied by the table assembly 10 facilitating its transportation and/or storage. [33] For use, the tongue 24 is inserted into the receiving formation 28 via the opening 32 of the receiving formation 28, mortise-and-tenon fashion and is pushed fully home so that, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the post 22 protrudes operatively downwardly from the table top 12 with the post 22 being contained within the periphery of the top 16 of the table top 12. [34] It is to be noted that the tongue 24 is arranged at, or proximate, a first end of the post 22 and projects substantially at right angles from the post 22 in the described embodiment. An opposed, free end of the post 22 is removably received in a socket defining portion 52 carried by the sofa 26. The socket defining portion 52 illustrated in this embodiment is a specific mounting bracket which is used for holding two pieces of modular furniture together to form the sofa 26. It will, however, be appreciated that the free end of the post 22 could be received in any suitable socket defining portion of the sofa 26 to have the table top 12 arranged above or proximate a seat portion 54 of the sofa 26. [35] While the table assembly 10 has been described with reference to its use with a structure in the form of a sofa 26, it will be appreciated that the structure could be any other article of furniture with which it would be suitable to have a side table attached. Thus, the article of furniture could be an armchair, a chaise, an ottoman, or the like. [36] Hence, it is an advantage of the described embodiment, that a table assembly 10 is provided which is demountable for storage and/or transportation purposes. When the mounting arm 14 has been removed from the table top 12, the volume occupied by the assembly 10 is less than in its erected configuration which facilitates storage and/or transportation of the table assembly 10. In addition, the table assembly 10 can be assembled into its erected configuration or collapsed into its demounted configuration 8 without the need for any specialised tools or skills whilst still having the requisite structural rigidity and stability when in its assembled configuration. [37] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A table assembly which includes a body member defining a top region, a bottom region and a side portion extending between the top region and the bottom region of the body member, a receiving formation being defined in the body member and opening out at least into the side portion of the body member; and a mounting arm for removably mounting the body member to a structure, the mounting arm including a support member and a mounting member extending from the support member, the mounting member being removably receivable within the receiving formation.

2. The assembly of claim 1 in which the mounting member and the receiving formation are shaped so as to inhibit relative rotation between the body member and the mounting arm.

3. The assembly of claim 2 in which the mounting member and the receiving formation are of complementary, substantially polygonal cross-section.

4. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims in which the side portion tapers inwardly from the top region to the bottom region so that the bottom region defines a smaller area than the top region, the receiving formation comprising a slot defining an opening which opens out into the side portion of the body member.

5. The assembly of claim 4 in which the opening is arranged so that, at least in the region of the side portion of the body member, the mounting arm is contained within a periphery of the top region so that it does not protrude beyond the top region.

6. The assembly of claim 4 or claim 5 in which the receiving formation further includes a receiver in communication with the slot, the receiver defining a passage.

7. The assembly of claim 6 in which the receiver carries a friction-increasing lining so as to assist in retaining the mounting member of the mounting arm in position within the receiving formation. 10

8. The assembly of claim 6 or claim 7 in which the body member defines a recess opening out into the bottom region, the receiver being received in the recess.

9. The assembly of claim 8 in which the receiver is carried on a mounting plate which is secured to the bottom region of the body member, the recess having a countersunk peripheral portion in which the plate is received so that the plate lies substantially flush with a surface of the bottom region.

10. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims in which the support member comprises a post having a first end receivable in a socket of a socket defining member carried by the structure with the mounting member being a tongue-like element extending from an opposed end of the post.

11. A table assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.