US20060225624A1

US20060225624A1 - Knockdown table assembly having trash bag holder

Info

Publication number: US20060225624A1
Application number: US11/102,933
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel Grace
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-07
Filing date: 2005-04-07
Publication date: 2006-10-12

Abstract

A portable knockdown table assembly has a separable collapsible slatted tabletop supported on a collapsible base in a setup condition. A pair of bag retaining straps carried by a tabletop slat releasably retain a disposable trash bag in a depending and open condition at one end of the table when the table assembly is setup and may also be employed to releasably secure the slatted tabletop in its collapsed or bundled condition when the table assembly is in its knockdown condition.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates in general to portable collapsible outdoor furniture and deals more particularly with tables of knockdown type.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current popularity of sport utility vehicles has spurred interest in automotive camping and has created an increased demand for collapsible or knockdown outdoor furniture of minimal size which may be conveniently carried in the trunk of a conventional passenger motor vehicle or stowed in one or more of the many small storage compartments usually provided in a sport utility vehicle. Such knockdown and collapsible tables as have been heretofore available are usually quite small and provide limited surface area. Consequently, it is essential to promptly dispose of all trash and other litter produced in preparing and serving a meal so that the luxury afforded by the table may be enjoyed to its fullest. The present invention is primarily concerned with this problem.
Accordingly, it is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved table which facilitates prompt disposal of sandwich bags, food wrappers and other litter produced during the service of a meal. It is a further aim of the invention to provide an improved means for securing a tabletop in a collapsed condition for storage in the vehicle after use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A typical portable knockdown table assembly includes a base and a slatted tabletop each having a setup and a collapsed condition. The slatted tabletop is formed by a series of interconnected slats which define a substantially horizontal planar tabletop surface in a setup condition and which extend in a common direction to form a compact bundle in a collapsed condition. The slatted top and the base are separated from each other when the table assembly is in its knocked-down or not assembled condition. The table also includes means for releasable securing the slatted top in its setup condition in assembly with the base in its setup condition.
In accordance with the invention, the improvement to the table comprises a pair of elongated flexible longitudinally spaced apart bag retaining members. Each bag retaining member has a looped portion transversally encircling an associated tabletop slat and a retaining end portion integrally connected to and extending from the looped portion. Each flexible retaining member preferably carries at least two mating fastening elements which include a first fastening element and a second fastening element for mating fastening engagement with the first element. Each second fastening element is mounted on the retaining end portion of an associated bag retaining member in spaced relation to the first fastening element mounted on that retaining member. A flexible upwardly open trash bag having spaced apart handle openings at its upper end is supported in depending relation to the tabletop by the retaining members, each of which is threaded through an associated handle opening and connected to itself by mating engagement of the first and second mating fastening elements thereon. The retaining members are adjustable to support differing trash bags in depending position at an associated end of the tabletop and to maintain the supported trash bag in open condition, as will be hereinafter further discussed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical portable knockdown table assembly embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the table shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of a table leg and its upper connecting member.
FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the slatted tabletop shown with portions of the slat top walls broken away to reveal structure thereunder.
FIG. 5 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the under side of the tabletop.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6 but shows a trash bag attached to the tabletop.
FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the tabletop shown in collapsed condition and secured in the latter condition by a retaining strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawings and in the description which follows, the present invention is illustrated and described with reference to a portable knockdown table assembly embodying the present invention and indicated generally by the reference 10. The illustrated table assembly 10 includes a portable knockdown table of a known type shown in FIGS. 1-3, designated generally by the reference 12, and typical of the type of table used in practicing the invention. More specifically, the table 12 essentially comprises separable collapsible components which include a slatted tabletop, indicated generally at 14, and a base, indicated generally at 16, and upon which the tabletop 14 is releasably secured in a setup condition as shown in FIG. 1. When the table 12 is in its knocked-down condition the tabletop 14 and base 16 are separated from each other and independently collapsed or folded to more compact positions.
In accordance with the invention, a pair of bag retaining members associated with the tabletop and designated generally by the reference numerals 18,18 support a trash bag B in open position at one end of the table 12 when the table is in its setup position as it appears in FIG. 1. In knockdown or storage position the tabletop 14 is separated from the base 12 and the trash bag B is removed therefrom. Thereafter, one or both of the retaining members 18,18 may be used to secure the tabletop in its collapsed storage condition, all of which will be hereinafter further discussed.
The base 16, which supports the tabletop 14, may take various forms. The presently preferred base, shown in the drawings in FIGS. 1 and 2, has four axially elongated tubular legs 20,20 disposed in axially vertical position and which define a generally rectangular footprint when the base is in its setup position. Each leg 20 is connected to an adjacent leg 20 by a pair of diagonal cross-links 22,22 pivotally connected to each other at a central crossing point 24. The upper end of each cross-link 22 is connected to the upper end of an associated leg 20 for pivotal movement about an axis, fixed relative to the leg, by an upper connecting member 26 mounted in fixed position on the upper end of the leg, and best shown in FIG. 3. The lower end of each cross-link 22 is connected to an associated leg 20 by a sliding pivot provided by a lower connecting member 28 supported for axial sliding movement along and relative to the lower portion of its associated leg. A stop 30 mounted in fixed position on an associated leg above and in the path of the sliding lower connecting member 28 on that leg arrests the upward movement of the aforesaid lower connecting member when the base 12 attains its fully open or setup condition in which it appears in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the legs are conjointly actuated so that movement of one of the legs toward or away from another of the legs causes corresponding simultaneous movement of the remaining legs to facilitate rapid collapse and set up of the base 12. When the base 12 is collapsed the legs 20-20 are closely adjacent each other and have a common direction of axial extent forming a compact bundle.
The base 12 further includes a pair of axially elongated tubular tabletop support members 32,32 each releasably secured to the upper end of an associated pair of legs 20,20 when the base is in its setup condition of FIG. 2. Each upper connecting member 26 has a resilient upwardly open C-shaped clip 34 which receives an associated portion of a tabletop support member 32 therein, as shown in FIG. 2. Each connecting member 26 also includes an upwardly extending dowel 36, which projects upwardly within the clip 34 in coaxial alignment with the axis of the leg 20 on which the upper support member 26 is mounted. Each dowel 36 is received within a complimentary aperture in the lower side of an associated support member 32 and serves as a locator for properly positioning the support member 32 on the base when the base is in its set up position. The support members 32,32 cooperative with the upper connecting members 26,26 to releasably retain the base 12 in its setup position.
The illustrated collapsible tabletop 14 is square and has length and width dimensions substantially equal to the length of a leg 20. The tabletop 14 is formed by a series of substantially identical axially elongated tubular slats 40,40 of rectangular cross section maintained in side-by-side relation to each other in setup condition to define a substantially planar upwardly facing table surface 42. Elastomeric cords 44,44 act between the endmost slats, designated 40′,40′, pass transversally through openings 46,46 formed in the sidewalls of the slats and bias the slats 40,40 toward and into side-by-side relation to each other. Each opening 46 is fitted with a grommet 48 to protect the elastomeric cords 44,44 from abrasion. End caps 50,50 form closures for the opposite ends of the tubular slats 40,40.
When the table assembly 10 is in its setup condition the tabletop 14 is releasably secured to the base 12 by two pair of resilient downwardly open generally C- shaped clips 52,52, one shown in FIG. 5. Each pair of clips 52,52 is mounted on the underside of one of the endmost slats 40′,40′ for snap-on connection with associated portions of the top tabletop support members 32,32. Each clip 52 has a dowel 54 projecting into it and which is received in complementary engagement within an associated aperture 56 formed in the upper side of an associated support member 32. The dowels 54,54 cooperated with the apertures 56,56 to properly locate the tabletop in its assembled position on the base 12.
After the tabletop 14 has been removed from snap-together assembly with the table 12, it is folded to collapsed condition by alternately folding the slats 40′,40 in one and in an opposite direction into face-to-face relation to each other, in zigzag fashion, to form a compact bundle, shown in FIG. 8.
The invention may be practiced with a wide variety of bags. However, the presently preferred bag B is a unitary bag formed from a single sheet of flexible plastic material folded on to itself along a bottom fold line and joined along parallel side seams formed by heat sealing or another appropriate seaming process. The bag B, best shown in FIG. 1, has an upwardly open mouth M and a pair of integral handles H,H, formed by openings stamped in the bag material. Bags of the type shown are commonly used in supermarkets to bag groceries.
In accordance with the present invention, and as previously noted, a trash bag B is releasably retained at an associated end of the tabletop 12 by the flexible trash bag retaining members 18,18, as shown on the table assembly 10 illustrate d in FIG. 1. The retaining members 18,18 are carried by an associated one of the slats 40,40 and preferably an endmost slat 40′ in the series of slats which comprise the tabletop 14. The retaining members preferably comprise a pair of substantially identical elongated unitary straps 58,58, which may, for example, be formed from elongated strips of woven web material. Each retaining strap 58 has a loop or mounting portion 60, which transversally encircles and frictionally embraces the associated endmost slat 40′ to which it is attached. Each loop portion 60 is formed by sewing or otherwise attaching an end portion of a strap 58 to itself as shown at 61 in FIGS. 5-7. An elongated retaining portion 62 extends from each loop portion 60. A first fastening element 64 and at least one second fastening element 66 spaced from the first element 64 are carried by each retaining strap 58. The second fastening element 66 is adapted for releasable connection to the first fastening element 64. Releasably connectable fastening elements of various types may be used in practicing the invention. Thus, for example, the fastening elements may comprise a snap fastener having a male and female elements. However, the presently preferred fastening elements comprise VELCRO, one of the elements which include the first and second connecting element being fastening loops, as is well known in the fastener art, whereas the other of the elements comprise J-hooks. In the drawings the fastening elements are shown as patches of VELCRO material, however, it should be understood that elongated strips of VELCRO material may be employed to facilitate a wider range of retaining strap adjustability and such arrangement is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
The first fastening element 64 is preferably carried by the loop portion 60 of a retaining member 58 and may be located on either the upper or lower side of the loop portion 60, that is above or below the table surface 42. Each second fastening element 66 is carried by the retaining portion 62 of each retaining strap 58. This arrangement allows each retaining strap 58 to be threaded through an associated handle on a trash bag B and thereafter be secured by engaging the mating first and second fastening elements carried by the retaining strap. The loop portions 60,60 are slidably supported on an endmost slat 40′ for movement generally toward and away from each other, whereby the bag retaining straps 58,58 may be adjusted to accommodate bags of various size. Since the loop portions frictionally embrace the carrying slat, the retaining straps will remain at respective positions of adjustment relative to each other and may be relied upon to hold the mouth M of the trash bag in a generally open position for convenience in trash disposal.
The retaining device of the present invention may also be employed to releasably secure the tabletop in its collapsed or bundled condition for storage. This aim is attained by making the extending retaining portions of the retaining straps 58,58 of sufficient length to encircle the bundle while allowing for some strap overlap so that another second fastening element carried by a terminal end portion of each strap may engage and mate with a first fastening element 64 carried by its associated loop portion. When this arrangement is provided, each first fastening element will be located on a loop portion at the underside of the tabletop. The unused extending retaining portion of the retaining straps will then be located beneath the table.
The used trash bag will have been removed from the table before the table is collapsed, therefore, it is only necessary to provide a single first fastening element 64 on each retaining strap 58 since this element is used selectively with only one of the two second elements 66,66 to either secure the trash bag B to the table or to releasably retain the tabletop in its collapse condition.

Claims

1. In a portable knockdown table assembly having a collapsible base and a collapsible slatted tabletop including a series of parallel slats interconnected in longitudinally extending side-by-side relation to each other, the table assembly having a setup condition wherein the tabletop is releasably connected to and supported on the base and the slats define a substantially planar tabletop surface and a collapsed condition wherein the tabletop is separated from the base and the tabletop slats are disposed in parallel longitudinally extending relation to each other forming a compact bundle, the improvement comprising; a pair of flexible trash bag retaining members carried by an associated one of said slats, each of said retaining members having a loop portion transversely encircling said associated one of said slats and an elongated retaining portion extending from said loop portion, each of said retaining members having a first fastening element thereon and at least one second fastening element thereon adapted for releasable mating connection to said first fastening element.

2. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said at least one second fastening element is mounted on said retaining portion.

3. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 2 the further improvement wherein said first fastening element is carried by said loop portion.

4. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said retaining portion has a terminal end spaced from said loop portion and said at least one second fastening element is mounted proximate said terminal end.

5. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 4 the further improvement wherein said retaining member has another second fastening member mounted on said retaining portion intermediate said first fastening element and said at least one second fastening element.

6. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said loop portion embraces and frictionally engages said associated one of said slats.

7. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said trash bag retaining members are frictionally slidably movable along said associated one of said slats and generally toward and away from each other.

8. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement including a disposable trash bag having a mouth opening and a pair of handles at opposite sides of said mouth opening and each of said trash bag retaining members is threaded through an associated one of said handles and releasably connected to itself by selective connection of one of said at least one second fastening elements to said first fastening element when said table assembly is in its setup condition.

9. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 8 the further improvement wherein said trash bag is separated from said table assembly and at least one of said trash bag retaining members transversely encircles said bundle and is connected to itself by selective connection of one of said at least one second fastening elements to said first fastening element thereof to releasably secure said tabletop in its collapsed condition when said table assembly is in its knockdown condition.

10. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said associated one of said slats comprises an endmost one of said slats in said series.

11. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein one of the elements which include said first fastening element and said second element comprises J-hooks and the other of said elements comprises fastening loops.

12. In a portable knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said elements comprise VELCRO.

13. In a knockdown table assembly having a tabletop including opposite ends, and a base supporting said tabletop, the improvement comprising;

a pair of elongated flexible trash bag retaining members mounted on said tabletop at one of said ends and in spaced apart relation to each other, each of said retaining members having an associated mounting portion engaging said tabletop and a retaining portion freely extending from said mounting portion and beyond said one of said ends;

a first fastening element mounted on each of said retaining members; and

at least one second fastening element mounted on said retaining portion of each of said retaining members, said at least one second fastener element being selectively releasably connectable to said associated first fastening element.

14. In a knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 13 the further improvement wherein each said first fastening element is mounted on an associated mounting portion.

15. In a knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 14 the further improvement wherein two said second fastening elements are mounted on said retaining portion of each of said retaining members.

16. In a knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 13 the further improvement including a disposable trash bag having a mouth opening and a pair of handles at opposite sides of said mouth opening and each of said trash bag retaining members is threaded through an associated one of said handles and releasably connected to itself by selective connection of one of said at least one second fastening elements to said first fastening element when said table assembly is in its setup condition, whereby said trash bag is releasably retained in depending position relative to said tabletop and said mouth is maintained in open position.

17. In a knockdown table assembly as set forth in claim 16 the further improvement wherein said trash bag is separated from said table assembly, said tabletop is collapsed to a bundled condition, and at least one of said trash bag retaining members encircles said tabletop in its bundled condition and is connected to itself by selective connection of one of said at least one second fastening elements to said first fastening element thereof to releasably secure said tabletop in its bundled condition when said table assembly is in its knockdown condition.