US20090000529A1

US20090000529A1 - Glass Table with Retainer Adapted for Fixing Glass Table Plate to Table Leg

Info

Publication number: US20090000529A1
Application number: US12/023,136
Authority: US
Inventors: Liang-Yu Cheng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: CHENG TUNG-TANG
Priority date: 2007-06-27
Filing date: 2008-01-31
Publication date: 2009-01-01
Also published as: GB2450572B; TW200900026A; JP3140608U; FR2917952A1; DE102008010304A1; GB0803061D0; TWI334341B; GB2450572A

Abstract

A glass table comprises a glass table plate, a retainer including a first side to cohere to the glass table plate and a second side, with a compartment defined in the interior of the second side and a fixed block disposed in the compartment, a table leg including a first end coupled to the second side of the retainer and a second end placed on the ground, with a receiving hole defined in the first end thereof and receiving the fixed block, and a fixed element inserted through the first end of the table leg and engaging with the fixed block of the retainer as to fix the table leg to the glass table.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass table. In particular, the glass table has a retainer adapted for fixing a glass table plate to leg of said glass table.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication NO. 452024, a glass table includes a glass table plate and a plurality of table leg, with the table legs coupled to the glass table plate via a plurality of retainers. Each retainer has a metal cover to cohere to the glass table plate and a base engaged with the top of each table leg via a bolt. Each retainer consists of the cover and the base, with the cover open toward the base, with the base having an engaging portion in the center of the base and a coupled portion defined on the edge of the base for coupling to the cover by pressing.
The conventional glass table plate is adapted to cohere to the cover of each retainer and each table leg engages to the base of each retainer. It would increase the cost of material and produce, and the structure of the retainer is not secure enough to sustain the force behind the limits.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a glass table includes a glass table plate, a retainer cohered to the glass table plate and a cannular table leg coupled to the retainer via a fixed element. The retainer includes a first side to cohere to the glass table plate and a second side mounted on the table leg. The retainer further includes a compartment defined in the second side thereof, a fixed block formed in the compartment and a threaded hole defined in the fixed block. The table leg defines a first end to be disposed in the compartment of the retainer and a second end to be placed on the ground and includes a receiving hole and a threaded hole defined on the bottom of the receiving hole and corresponding to the threaded hole of the retainer. The fixed element is inserted through the threaded hole of the table leg to engage with the threaded hole of the retainer and limited by the bottom of the receiving hole. So that the table glass plate which is provided with the retainer is fixed to the table leg stably.
An advantage of the glass table is to provide a large contact area among the glass table plate, the retainer and the table leg so that the shear force that is generated by the fixed element engaged with the fixed block can be distributed over the contact parts among the glass table plate, the retainer and the table leg. Consequently, it can prevent the engagement of the fixed element and the fixed block from being broken while the glass table sustains force beyond the limits.
Another advantage of the glass table is to provide the compartment in the retainer as to reduce the produce material for saving the cost.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description referring to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description and technical characteristics of the present invention and described together with the drawings as follows.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glass table in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the glass table in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the glass table in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a glass table in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a glass table in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the glass table in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a glass table in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the glass table in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a glass table in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the glass table in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 through 3, a glass table in accordance with a first embodiment in the present invention includes a glass table plate 10, a retainer 20 cohered to the glass table plate 10, and a table leg 30 coupled to the retainer 20 by means of a fixed element 40 and being opposite to the glass table plate 10. The glass table plate 10 is preferably made in various shapes and has a first surface and a second surface, with the first surface adapted to be laid things and the second surface adapted to cohere to the retainer 20.
The retainer 20 includes a first side 21 and a second side 22, with the first side 21 preferably being flat and adapted to cohere to the second surface of the glass table plate 10, with the second side 22 preferably being open. The retainer 20 further includes a compartment 23 defined in the second side 22, a fixed block 24 disposed in the center of the compartment 23 and integrated with the retainer 20, and a threaded hole 25 formed in the fixed block 24.
The table leg 30 includes a first end and a second end, with the external diameter of the first end of the table leg 30 corresponding to that of the compartment 23 of the retainer 20 as to receive the first end of the table leg 30 in the compartment 23 right, with the second end of the table leg 30 adapted to be secured to the ground. The table leg 30 is preferably cannular and includes a receiving hole 31 formed in the first end thereof and an aperture 32 defined in the bottom of the receiving hole 31 toward the second end of the table leg 30, with the receiving hole 31 and the aperture 32 intercommunicating, with the aperture 32 communicating with the interior of the table leg 30. The fixed block 24 is received in the receiving hole 31 and abutted by the aperture 32, with the aperture 32 corresponding to the threaded hole 25.
The fixed element 40 is preferably in the form of a bolt and has a first end and a second end, with the second end inserted through the aperture 32 of the table leg 30 and engaged with the threaded hole 25 of the retainer 20, and with the first end limited by the bottom of the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30 as to couple the table leg 30 and the retainer 20 to each other and fix the table glass plate 10 to the table leg 30. The first side 21 of the retainer 20 is cohered to the second surface of the glass table plate 10, and the second side 22 of the retainer 20 is mounted on the first end of table leg 30; simultaneously, the fixed block 24 of the retainer 20 is disposed in the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30, and then, the fixed element 40 is inserted through the aperture 32 of the table leg 30 and engaged with the threaded hole 25 of the retainer 20 and limited by the bottom of the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30. So that the table glass plate 10 which is provided with the retainer 20 is fixed to the table leg 30 stably.
The connective portion between the fixed block 24 and the compartment 23 is preferably right-angular so that the first end of the table leg 30 is completely received in the compartment 23 of the retainer 20.
The glass table plate 10 is coupled to the retainer 20 in surface-surface contact, and the interior surface of the compartment 23 is contacted with the exterior surface of the first end of the table leg 30 completely; simultaneously, the exterior surface of fixed block 24 is contacted with the interior surface of the receiving hole 31 completely. Therefore, with respect to large contact areas which are respectively provided among the glass table plate 10, the retainer 20 and the table leg 30, a shear force that is generated by the fixed element 40 engaged with the fixed block 24 can be distributed over the contact parts among the glass table plate 10, the retainer 20 and the table leg 30. Consequently, it can prevent the engagement of the fixed element 40 and the fixed block 24 from being broken while the glass table sustains force beyond the limits.
The retainer 20 is preferably made of stainless steel so that the material cost is great; however, the compartment 23 provided to be formed in the retainer 20 can help for stably structure of the glass table as well as reduction of material. Further, the retainer 20 which is provided with the compartment 23 is preferably made by pressing and high-volume production as to reduce the cost.
Referring to FIG. 4, it shows a glass table in accordance with a second embodiment in the present invention which is similar to the first embodiment except that the connective portion between the fixed block 24 and the compartment 23 is preferably arcuate and the first end of the table leg 30 is partially received in the compartment 23 of the retainer 20 so that the fixed block 24 would not be broken from the connective portion between the fixed block 24 and the compartment 23 easily.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, it shows a glass table in accordance with a third embodiment in the present invention which is similar to the first embodiment except that a fixed block 50 replaces the fixed block 24, and a threaded hole 51 which is formed in the fixed block 50 replaces the threaded hole 25. The fixed block 50 is fixed to the interior of the compartment 23 by fusing or welding. The fixed block 50 is received in the receiving hole 31 and abutted by the aperture 32, with the aperture 32 corresponding to the threaded hole 51 of the fixed block 50. The fixed block 50 is disposed in the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30, and then, the fixed element 40 is inserted through the aperture 32 of the table leg 30 and engaged with the threaded hole 51 of fixed block 50 and limited by the 1 I bottom of the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, it shows a glass table in accordance with a fourth embodiment in the present invention which is similar to the first embodiment except that several features. Firstly, the compartment 23 is preferably in form of annularity. Secondly, an annular groove 33 is formed in the first end of the table leg 30 and surrounding the exterior of the receiving hole 31. The rim of the retainer 20 is right receiving in the annular groove 33.
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, it shows a glass table in accordance with a fifth embodiment in the present invention which is similar to the fourth embodiment except that a fixed block 50 replaces the fixed block 24, and a threaded hole 51 which is formed in the fixed block 50 replaces the threaded hole 25. The fixed block 50 is received in the receiving hole 31 and abutted by the aperture 32, with the aperture 32 corresponding to the threaded hole 51 of the fixed block 50. The fixed block 50 is disposed in the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30, and then, the fixed element 40 is inserted through the aperture 32 of the table leg 30 and engaged with the threaded hole 51 of fixed block 50 and limited by the bottom of the receiving hole 31 of the table leg 30.
The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A glass table comprising:

a glass table plate;

a retainer including a first side to cohere to the glass table plate and a second side, with a compartment defined in the interior of the second side and a fixed block disposed in the compartment;

a table leg including a first end coupled to the second side of the retainer and a second end placed on the ground, with a receiving hole defined in the first end thereof and receiving the fixed block; and

a fixed element inserted through the first end of the table leg and engaging with the fixed block of the retainer as to fix the table leg to the glass table.

2. The glass table claimed as in claim 1 wherein the fixed block is integrated with the retainer and defines a threaded hole therein; wherein the table leg defines a threaded hole in the receiving hole, with the threaded hole of the table leg corresponding to the threaded hole so that the fixed element is inserted through the threaded hole of the table leg to engaging with the threaded hole of the retainer.

3. The glass table claimed as in claim 1 wherein the fixed block is fixed to the interior of the compartment by fusing or welding and defines a threaded hole therein; wherein the table leg defines a threaded hole in the receiving hole, with the threaded hole of the table leg corresponding to the threaded hole so that the fixed element is inserted through the threaded hole of the table leg to engaging with the threaded hole of the fixed block.

4. The glass table claimed as in claim 2 wherein the connective portion between the fixed block and the compartment is right-angular.

5. The glass table claimed as in claim 2 wherein the connective portion between the fixed block and the compartment is in form of annularity

6. The glass table claimed as in claim 1 wherein the table leg is in form of cannulation.

7. A table with a glass table plate, the table comprising:

a table leg including a receiving hole formed on an end thereof and an annular groove surrounding the receiving hole, with another end of the table leg placed on the ground; and

a retainer that is adapted to cohere to the glass table plate including a compartment defined in the interior thereof opposite to the glass table plate and a fixed block disposed in the compartment and received in the receiving hole, with the rim of retainer received in the annular groove;

wherein the table leg is coupled to the table via a fixed element inserted through the table leg to engage with the fixed block of the retainer.

8. The table claimed as in claim 7 wherein the fixed block is integrated with the retainer and defines a threaded hole therein; wherein the table leg defines a threaded hole in the receiving hole, with the threaded hole of the table leg corresponding to the threaded hole so that the fixed element is inserted through the threaded hole of the table leg to engaging with the threaded hole of the retainer.

9. The table claimed as in claim 7 wherein the fixed block is fixed to the interior of the compartment by fusing or welding and defines a threaded hole therein; wherein the table leg defines a threaded hole in the receiving hole, with the threaded hole of the table leg corresponding to the threaded hole so that the fixed element is inserted through the threaded hole of the table leg to engaging with the threaded hole of the fixed block.

10. The table claimed as in claim 7 wherein the table leg is in form of cannulation.