US20050049057A1

US20050049057A1 - Game table having a foldable base

Info

Publication number: US20050049057A1
Application number: US10/653,408
Authority: US
Inventors: Tung Shih
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-09-02
Filing date: 2003-09-02
Publication date: 2005-03-03

Abstract

A foldable table includes a table top, two pairs of boards pivotally secured to a bottom surface of the table top and foldable toward or away from the bottom surface of the table top, and arranged in a parallelogramic structure having four corner areas to receive four brackets. The brackets are secured to the boards, to secure and retain the boards at an open position, and a support device is secured to the brackets. The boards may be folded to a compact folding or storing structure, for allowing the game table to be easily transported by the users, and to be easily assembled together by the users themselves.

Description

The present invention relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/045,454, filed 15 Jan. 2002, allowed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game table, and more particularly to a game table having a foldable base.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical tables may comprise a foldable structure for allowing the tables to be folded to a compact folding or storing structure.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 272,909 to Shattuck, U.S. Pat. No. 317,097 to Danner, and U.S. Pat. No. 329,734 to Gosner disclose three of the typical foldable tables. Normally, the typical foldable tables comprise two or more legs or flaps foldably or pivotally secured to the bottom of the table and foldable relative to the table between a working position and a folding or storing position.
The typical game tables, such as the typical soccer game tables, the typical billiard game tables, and the typical hockey game tables comprise a foot support or two or more legs solidly attached to the bottom of the table, and may not be disengaged or disassembled from the table, such that the typical game tables may not be easily moved or transported by the users, and may not be assembled together by the users themselves.
In addition, the typical game tables comprise a huge volume that is adverse for storing and transportation purposes.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional game tables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a game table including a foldable base that may be folded to a compact folding or storing structure, for allowing the game table to be easily transported by the users, and to be easily assembled together by the users themselves.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a foldable table comprising a table top including a bottom surface, two first boards pivotally secured to the bottom surface of the table top, to allow the first boards to be folded toward and to engage with the bottom surface of the table top, and to be folded away from the bottom surface of the table top to an open position, two second boards pivotally secured to the bottom surface of the table top, to allow the second boards to be folded toward and to engage with the bottom surface of the table top, and to be folded away from the bottom surface of the table top to an open position, the first boards and the second boards being arranged in a parallelogramic structure having four corner areas formed therebetween, four brackets disposed in the four corner areas formed between the first boards and the second boards, and secured to the first boards and the second boards, to secure and retain the first boards and the second boards at the open position, and a support device secured to the brackets. The boards may be folded to a compact folding or storing structure, for allowing the game table to be easily transported by the users, and to be easily assembled together by the users themselves.
The table top includes at least two first hinges secured between the first boards and the bottom surface of the table top respectively, and at least two second hinges secured between the second boards and the bottom surface of the table top respectively.
The table top includes at least two depressions formed therein for partially receiving the at least two first hinges respectively, and to allow the first boards to be folded to engage and contact with the bottom surface of the table top.
The table top includes at least two pads secured thereon to support the at least two second hinges respectively, and to allow the second boards to be spaced away from the bottom surface of the table top when the second boards are folded toward the bottom surface of the table top.
The support device includes four foot supports secured to the brackets respectively. Each of the brackets includes at least one oblong hole formed therein, and at least one fastener adjustably received in the oblong hole of the bracket and secured to the foot supports respectively, to adjustably secure the foot supports to the brackets respectively.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a game table in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is another partial exploded view of the game table;
FIGS. 3, 4 are perspective views showing a bracket for the game table;
FIG. 5 is a partial exploded view illustrating the other arrangement of the game table; and
FIG. 6 is another partial exploded view of the game table as shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a game table in accordance with the present invention comprises a table top 10 provided for such as table soccer games, table billiard game tables or table hockey games. The table top 10 includes a bottom portion or surface 11 for attaching a foldable leg support device thereto, which will be described hereinafter.
Four boards 20, 30 each may include an upper portion 21, 31 rotatably or pivotally secured to the bottom surface 11 of the table top 10 with pivot pins or hinges 22, 32 respectively, and preferably arranged in a square or parallelogramic structure. Two of the boards 20 are preferably parallel to each other, and the other two boards 30 are also preferably parallel to each other.
The table top 10 includes one or more depressions 13 formed therein for partially receiving the hinges 32, for allowing the boards 30 to be snugly engaged onto or contacted with the bottom surface 11 of the table top 10 when the boards 30 are folded or rotated toward or to engage onto the bottom surface 11 of the table top 10.
The table top 10 further includes one or more pads 14 secured thereon to support the other hinges 22, and to slightly spacing the boards 20 from the table top 10, and to allow the boards 20 to be folded and engaged onto the boards 30 after the boards 30 have been folded or rotated engage with the bottom surface 11 of the table top 10.
The above-described structure has been disclosed in the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/045,454, filed 15 Jan. 2002, which is taken as a reference for the present invention. The above-described structure thus will not be described in further details.
The present invention further includes four brackets 40 to be secured between the boards 20, 30 and/or the table top 10, such as to be secured in the four corner areas formed between the parallelogramic boards 20, 30, for securing the boards 20, 30 at the open or working position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, after the boards 20, 30 have been rotated away from the table top 10 or rotated to a position substantially perpendicular to the table top 10. However, it is preferable that the boards 20, 30 are preferably slightly inclined relative to the table top 10.
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the brackets 40 includes a plate 41 arranged substantially parallel to the bottom surface 11 of the table top 10, and to be engaged between the boards 20, 30 and/or the table top 10, and includes two flaps 42 extended downwardly from two end portions 43 thereof for engaging onto the boards 20, 30 respectively.
Each of the flaps 42 includes one or more orifices 44 formed therein for receiving fasteners 45 which may secure the flaps 42 and the boards 20, 30 together, and thus may secure or retain the boards 20, 30 at the open or working position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Each of the plates 41 includes one or more oblong holes 47 formed therein for receiving fasteners 48 or the like (FIGS. 2, 6).
A support device 50 includes two or more foot supports 51 secured to the brackets 40 with the fasteners 48 respectively. The fasteners 48 are movable or adjustable along the oblong holes 47 of the plates 41, to adjustably secure the foot supports 51 of the support device 50 to the brackets 40, and thus to the boards 20, 30 and the table top 10.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support device 50 includes four foot supports 51 secured to the brackets 40 with the fasteners 48 respectively. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support device 50 may include two foot supports 52 secured to the brackets 40 with the fasteners 48 respectively; and each of the foot supports 52 includes two or more legs 53 extended therefrom.
It is to be noted that the brackets 40 may be used for securing the boards 20, 30 and the foot supports 52 together, and the brackets 40 and the foot supports 52 may be disengaged from the boards 20, 30 and the table top 10, for allowing the brackets 40 and the foot supports 52 and the boards 20, 30 to be folded to a compact folding or storing structure relative to the table top 10, and thus for allowing the game table to be easily transported by the users, and to be easily assembled together by the users themselves.
Accordingly, the game table in accordance with the present invention includes a foldable base that may be folded to a compact folding or storing structure, for allowing the game table to be easily transported by the users, and to be easily assembled together by the users themselves.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A foldable table comprising:

a table top including a bottom surface,

two first boards pivotally secured to said bottom surface of said table top, to allow said first boards to be folded toward and to engage with said bottom surface of said table top, and to be folded away from said bottom surface of said table top to an open position,

two second boards pivotally secured to said bottom surface of said table top, to allow said second boards to be folded toward and to engage with said bottom surface of said table top, and to be folded away from said bottom surface of said table top to an open position,

said first boards and said second boards being arranged in a parallelogramic structure having four corner areas formed therebetween,

four brackets disposed in said four corner areas formed between said first boards and said second boards, and secured to said first boards and said second boards, to secure and retain said first boards and said second boards at said open position, and

a support device secured to said brackets.

2. The foldable table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said table top includes at least two first hinges secured between said first boards and said bottom surface of said table top respectively, and at least two second hinges secured between said second boards and said bottom surface of said table top respectively.

3. The foldable table as claimed in claim 2, wherein said table top includes at least two depressions formed therein for partially receiving said at least two first hinges respectively, and to allow said first boards to be folded to engage and contact with said bottom surface of said table top.

4. The foldable table as claimed in claim 2, wherein said table top includes at least two pads secured thereon to support said at least two second hinges respectively, and to allow said second boards to be spaced away from said bottom surface of said table top when said second boards are folded toward said bottom surface of said table top.

5. The foldable table as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support device includes four foot supports secured to said brackets respectively.

6. The foldable table as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said brackets includes at least one oblong hole formed therein, and at least one fastener adjustably received in said at least one oblong hole of said bracket and secured to said foot supports respectively, to adjustably secure said foot supports to said brackets respectively.