US20040079261A1

US20040079261A1 - Four piece foldable table tennis table

Info

Publication number: US20040079261A1
Application number: US10/282,727
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Nally
Original assignee: Sportcraft Ltd
Current assignee: ABG Sportcraft LLC
Priority date: 2002-10-29
Filing date: 2002-10-29
Publication date: 2004-04-29

Abstract

The present invention comprises a foldable table tennis table which is capable of being fabricated without the necessity for welding or other expensive labor intensive operations, which can be boxed and shipped to the customer in a compact, minimal profile package and which can be assembled easily and quickly by the customer by hand without the need for tools. More specifically the table top is divided into four separate rectangular parts two of which are each joined along their middle edges to form first and second table top halves, each table half having a center edge, a front edge and opposing side edges. The respective table halves are pivotably supported adjacent their respective center edges by a central support unit so that they can be pivoted between an essentially horizontal playing position and an essentially vertical storage position. The central support unit comprises first and second support members respectively pivotably mounted to the first and second table halves, and first and second bottom members each respectively connected between opposing ends of the respective support members. First and second leg members are respectively pivotably mounted adjacent to the front edges of the first and second table halves, and pivotably mounted connecting members are connected between the central support unit and the leg members to cause the leg member to pivot against the table halves as the table halves are pivoted upwardly to the essentially vertical storage position. Wheels are attached to the bottom members so that the table can be moved when in its vertical storage position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a four piece foldable table tennis table which can be folded into a compact unit for easy movement and storage and which can be shipped from the factory in a compact form in packaging with a minimum profile. The present invention can also be easily assembled by the customer by hand without the need for any tools.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Foldable table tennis tables are well known in the art. It has long been recognized that it is desirable to have a table tennis table which is foldable into a more compact, easily moved and stored configuration. However, prior art foldable table tennis tables have a number of deficiencies which have detracted from their desirability. Many of the prior art foldable table tennis tables have complex structure which is expensive to fabricate and difficult to assemble, particularly by a retail customer who may not have the necessary tools for proper assembly. Such prior art tables typically must be shipped in large, bulky containers which take up substantial space in storage and in transit thereby increasing the shipping costs. For example, some of the prior art foldable table tennis tables such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,149—Kruissink, U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,269—Kinn and U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,304—Fihe disclose foldable table tennis tables having a relatively complex welded wheel support unit which is both expensive to fabricate and difficult to package and ship to a customer. Additionally, prior art foldable table tennis tables of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,957—Dadbeh have a relatively complex structure with a wide wheel base which makes it more expensive to manufacture and more difficult to store in confined spaces.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a foldable table tennis table which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate, easily packaged and shipped in a compact, minimally sized package, easily assembled by the customer by hand without the need of any tools and is foldable into a relatively compact arrangement which is easily stored in a minimal amount of space.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides a foldable table tennis table which is capable of being fabricated without the necessity for welding or other expensive labor intensive operations, which can be boxed and shipped to the customer in a compact, minimal profile package and which can be assembled easily and quickly by the customer by hand without the need for tools. Such a table in accordance with the present invention is shipped disassembled from the factory and final assembly is by the customer. However, due to the unique design, the parts are capable of being shipped in very compact, minimal profile packaging thereby reducing shipping costs, and the table is easily assembled by hand without the need for tools.

In particular, the table top is divided into four rectangular separate parts which are joined along their middle edges to form first and second table top halves, each table half having a center edge, a front edge and opposing side edges. The respective table halves are each pivotably supported adjacent their respective center edges by a central support unit so that they can be pivoted between an essentially horizontal playing position and an essentially vertical storage position. The central support unit comprises first and second support members respectively pivotably mounted to the first and second table halves, and first and second bottom members each respectively connected between opposite opposing ends of the support members. First and second leg members are respectively pivotably mounted adjacent to the front edges of the first and second table halves, and pivotably mounted connecting members are connected between the central support unit and the leg members to cause the leg member to pivot against the table halves as the table halves are pivoted upwardly to the essentially vertical storage position. Wheels are attached to the bottom members so that the table can be moved when in its vertical storage position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a four piece foldable table tennis table in accordance with the present invention. [0008]
FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the table of FIG. 1 in an upside down position during assembly. [0009]
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the left hand and right hand table portions of the first and second table halves of the table of FIG. 1. [0010]
FIG. 4 is an upper right perspective view of a half of a table tennis table top showing the assembly of various elements. [0011]
FIG. 5 is an upper perspective view showing the assembly of a leg member to the bottom of the table half. [0012]
FIG. 6 is a side view showing the assembly of wheels onto a bottom member. [0013]
FIG. 7 is a partially fragmentary perspective view showing assembly of various connecting members. [0014]
FIG. 8 is a partially fragmentary perspective view of the assembly of a bottom member to a support member. [0015]
FIG. 9 is a side plain view of a foldable table tennis table in accordance with the present invention showing one half of the table in a raised, essentially vertical position. [0016]
FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of a table in accordance with the present invention showing both halves of the table in the essentially vertical storage position. [0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a foldable four piece table tennis table [0018] 10 in accordance with the present invention comprises a first table half 12 and a second table half 14. Table halves 12 and 14 have an upper playing surface 13 and 15 respectively and a lower mounting surface 17 and 19 respectively. With reference to FIG. 3, first table half 12 comprises a first right table portion 16 and a first left table portion 18 which are joined along their respective middle edges 20 with metal plates 22 and wing screws 24 screwed into apertures in wing screw inserts (not shown) predrilled into mounting surface 17 to form first table half 12.
Similarly, [0019] second table half 14 comprises second right table portion 26 and second left table portion 28 which may also be joined along their respective middle edges 30 by metal plates 22 and wing screws 24 screwed into apertures in wing screw inserts 25 predrilled into surface 19. A male safety strap 32 is attached at the corner of mounting surface 19 of table half 14 and a female safety strap buckle 34 is attached to the corner of bottom mounting surface 17 of table half 12. The purpose of safety strap 32 and strap buckle 34 will be explained in more detail below.
With reference to FIG. 4, [0020] table half 12 has side edges 36, a table center edge 38 and a table front edge 40. Mounted adjacent the table front edge 40 is leg member 42 which comprises an essentially linear base portion 44 and outwardly extending legs 46 extending approximately perpendicular from each end of base portion 44. Leg member 42 is rotatably mounted using curved fastener members 48 and wing screws 24 screwed into predrilled wing screw inserts 25. With reference to FIG. 5, fastener members 48 have a slot 50 cut through half of the curved portion and a locking bolt 52 inserted into the slot 50 and into an aligned threaded opening (not shown) in base portion 44. This allows leg member 42 to be pivoted approximately 90° from horizontal to essentially vertical to surface 17. This also serves as a safety feature to prevent leg member 42 from collapsing when table 10 is in the horizontal playing position.
Similarly, [0021] first support member 54 comprises an essentially linear portion 56 and two outwardly extending portions 58 extend approximately perpendicularly from the ends of the base portion 56. Curved fastening members 48 are placed over liner portion 56 and wing screws 24 are screwed into predrilled wing screw inserts to rotatably attach support member 54 adjacent the table center edge 38 of table half 12. A locking bolt 52 is also inserted into a slot 24 in fastening member 48 in the same manner as described in connection with leg member 42.
With reference to FIGS. 2, 6 and [0022] 7, first and second bottom members 60 and 62 have wheels 64 mounted thereto. With reference to FIG. 6, the stems 65 of wheels 64 are inserted through openings 66 in essentially linear based portion 68 of first bottom member 60, and caster caps 70 are snapped over the end of stems 65 to retain wheels in position. Wheels 64 are attached to bottom member 62 in the same manner. With reference to FIG. 6, bottom member 60 also comprises first and second outwardly extending legs 71 and 72 which are respectively formed at the opposing ends of linear portion 68. With reference to FIG. 8, formed adjacent the ends of legs 71 and 72 (end 72 not shown in FIG. 8) of bottom member 60 are square shaped apertures 74. Apertures 74 are designed and configured to align with apertures 76 on outwardly extending portion 58 of support member 54. Bolts 78 have a square shank adjacent the head (not shown) that is dimensioned to fit into square shaped aperture 74 so that bolts 78 will not rotate in the aperture 74. Bolts 78 are inserted through the apertures 74 and 76 and butterfly nuts 80 and washers 82 are placed over the ends of bolts 78 to attach bottom member 60 to support member 54.
As is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, first and second [0023] bottom members 60 and 62 are respectively attached between first and second support members 54 and 55 using the same type of bolts 78, butterfly nuts 80 and washers 82. A first connecting member 84 is mounted between first upwardly extending portion 58 of first support member 54 and first upwardly extending portion 53 of second support member 55. Similarly, a second connecting member 86 is connected between second outwardly extending portion 88 of first support member 54 and second outwardly extending portion 89 of second support member 55 thereby forming a rigid central support unit comprising the combination of the first and second bottom members 60 and 62, the first and second support members 54 and 55 and the first and second connecting members 84 and 86.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, [0024] first pivot connectors 90 and 91 are pivotably connected between first leg member 42 and first support member 54. Similarly, second pivot connectors 92 and 93 are pivotably connected between second leg member 43 and second support member 55. With reference to FIG. 7, the structure for connecting pivot connector 92 and connecting member 84 to upwardly extending portion 53 is illustrated. This connection is typical of all four of the connections of the pivot members 90, 91, 92 and 93 and connectors 84 and 86. In particular, a bolt 94 is inserted through an aperture in the end of connecting member 84 and through an aperture in extending portion 53. A washer 95 and a bushing 96 are placed over the end of bolt 94 and then bolt 94 and bushing 96 are inserted through an aperture in the end of pivot connector 92 and another washer 95 is placed over the end of bolt 94. A butterfly nut 97 is then threaded onto the bolt 94 and tightened to attach the respective connecting members together to portion 53. Pivot connector 92 can freely pivot around bushing 96 but connecting member 84 is rigidly attached to portion 53.
[0025] Pivot connectors 90 and 91 are also pivotably connected to first leg member 42 in a similar fashion using bolts 94, washers 95, bushings 96 and butterfly nuts 97 in the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 7 so that pivot connectors 90 and 91 can freely pivot at leg member 42. Similarly, pivot connectors 92 and 93 are similarly connected to second leg member 43.
With reference to FIG. 9, the table tennis table in accordance with the present invention is illustrated showing one [0026] table half 14 in an essentially horizontal position and table half 12 in an essentially vertical storage position. It will be appreciated, that pivot connectors 90 and 91 operate to cause the first leg member 42 to pivot downwardly against the lower mounting surface 19 of table half 12 as it is pivoted upwardly until leg member 42 is flat against the surface 17 as illustrated in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 illustrates the table in accordance with the present invention in its fully vertical storage position with both leg members 42 and 43 pivoted against the bottom of the table halves 12 and 14. When in the vertical storage position, pivotably mounted locking members 98 can be pivoted to lock the table center edges of table halves 12 and 14 in the essentially vertical position and male safety strap 32 may be connected to female safety strap buckle 34 to further prevent the table halves 12 and 14 from accidentally pivoting downwardly while the table is being moved or stored.
It should be appreciated, that the present design provides substantial benefits in connection with the shipping and assembly of the table. Because the table top is divided into four sections with each table half divided into right and left sections, the disassembled table can be shipped in a much smaller, more compact package because the four table sections can be stacked one on top of the other and all of the other parts will fit within the profile of those table sections. [0027]
Additionally, all assembly by the retail customer can be accomplished by hand without any tools. The [0028] leg locking bolts 52 have a flat head so that they can be turned by hand. The wing screws 24 and the butterfly nuts 80 and 97 also can be turned by hand. Thus, no tools are required to assemble the table of the present invention.
It should be recognized that various alterations, modifications and changes may be made to the foregoing embodiment of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of that invention as defined in the appended claims. [0029]

Claims

1. a foldable table tennis table comprising:

a first right and a first left table portion, and a second right and a second left table portion, each table portion having an upper playing surface and a lower mounting surface, a table center edge, a table front edge, a table side edge and a middle edge, said first right and said first left table portions being joined together along their respective middle edges to form first table half of a table tennis table top, said second right and said second left table portions being joined together by fasteners along their respective middle edges to form a second table half of a table tennis table top, said table halves each having a playing surface and a mounting surface;

a first and a second support member, each support member comprising a base portion, each base portion having a first and a second opposing ends, and first and second outwardly extending portions respectively connected to said first and second opposing ends of said base portion and extending approximately perpendicularly to said base portions, said first support member being rotatably attached along its base portion to said mounting surface of said first table half adjacent said table center edges of said joined first left and right table portions, said second support member being rotatably attached along its base portion to said mounting surface of said second table half adjacent said table center edges of said second right and left table portions;

a first and second bottom members, each bottom member comprising a base portion having two opposing ends, and first and second outwardly extending legs respectively connected to opposite opposing ends of said first and second bottom members and extending approximately perpendicularly from said base portions of said bottom members, said first bottom member being connected between said first outwardly extending portions of said first and second support members, and said second bottom member being connected between said second outwardly extending portions of said first and second support members; said connected first and second support members and said first and second bottom members forming a central support unit can rest on a floor and said support units rotatably supporting said table center edges of said first and second table halves so that said table halves can be pivoted from an essentially horizontal playing position to an essentially vertical storage position;

at least one first exterior leg member pivotably attached to said mounting surface of said first table half adjacent the table front edge of said first table half, and at least one second exterior leg member pivotably attached to said mounting surface of said second table half adjacent said table front edge of said second table half, said first and second exterior leg members being pivotable between a position essentially perpendicular to said mounting surface of said table halves to support the first and second table halves in an essentially horizontal playing position, and a position essentially parallel to said mounting surface of said table halves.

2. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first exterior leg member and second exterior leg member are pivotably attached to the respective first and second table halves so that said first and second exterior leg members can be folded against said mounting surface of said first and second table halves respectively.

3. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1 and 2, wherein said first and second exterior leg members are respectively connected to said central support unit in a manner so that said first and second exterior leg members automatically fold against said lower mounting surfaces of said first and second table halves respectively as said table halves are raised from an essentially horizontal playing position to an essentially vertical storage position.

4. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1, wherein wheels are attached to said essentially linear base portions of said first and second curvilinear bottom members, to allow said central support unit and attached first and second table halves to be rolled from place to place when said table halves are in an essentially vertical storage position.

5. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second outwardly extending portions or said first and second support members have apertures formed there through and said first and second outwardly extending legs of said first and second bottom members have apertures formed there through that align with the apertures in said first and second outwardly extending portions, and removable fasteners are inserted through said apertures to attached said support members to said bottom members.

6. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second support members are pivotably attached using curved fastening members with apertures at opposite ends thereof, and wing bolts inserted into said apertures and screwed into inserts in the mounting surface of said first and second table halves.

7. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second exterior leg members are pivotably attached using curved fastening members with apertures at opposite ends thereof and wing screws inserted into said apertures and screwed into inserts in the mounting surface of said first and second table halves.

8. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fasteners joining said right and left table portions comprise metal straps with openings in each end of said straps, wing screws inserted into said openings and screwed into inserts in the mounting surface of said table halves.

9. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first exterior leg member and second exterior leg member are pivotably attached to the respective first and second table halves using fastening members having a semicircular curved portion that extends over said leg members, said fastening members having openings at each end thereof, and wing screws positioned through said openings and screwed into predrilled inserts in said mounting surface, and where in said curved fastening members have a slot formed there through traversing approximately 90 degrees of said curved portion, and a locking bolt is inserted through said slot and screwed into an aligned opening in said leg member so that said leg member can be pivoted from a position parallel to said mounting surface to a position approximately 90 degrees to said mounting surface, but said leg members cannot be pivoted beyond 90 degrees.

10. A foldable table tennis table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said table can be assembled by hand without the use of tools.