WO2002074130A1

WO2002074130A1 - A convertible table assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2002074130A1
Application number: PCT/AU2002/000257
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Kenneth Philpott
Original assignee: John Kenneth Philpott
Priority date: 2001-03-15
Filing date: 2002-03-07
Publication date: 2002-09-26
Also published as: AUPR373501A0

Abstract

Provided is a convertible table assembly (10) for multiple applications. The assembly (10) has a top member (12) with a first surface (16) configured for use as a table top and a second surface (18) configured fro a table croquet game, and a set of paired elongate support members (14) for supporting the top member (12). The support members (14) are selectively configurable for support the top member (12) on its ends or any one of its sides, and are also stackable in pairs. The selective configurations of the support members (14) allow selection of one of a number of heights for the top member (12). The second surface (18) is configured for playing a table game such as croquet, when the first surface (16) is positioned on the support members (14). The assembly (10) can thus be selectively configured for use as a dinning table, a desk, a coffee table, a Japanese style table, a games table, etc. at different heights.

Description

A CONVERTIBLE TABLE ASSEMBLY

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a convertible table assembly that is selectively convertible for use at different occasions, and in particular but not limited the assembly is also selectively convertible for table usage or for playing table croquet game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tables for dining or other occasions are usually purposed built. They are usually positioned in rooms set for use during the appropriate occasion. Similarly, table games such as snooker, billiards and table croquet, also have purpose built tables that require rooms set for them.

Most homes do not have sufficient rooms or space to house the tables that people desire to use at different occasions. Accordingly, most people usually only have a dining table in the dining room and a coffee table in the sitting room. Some people may be fortunate enough to have a games room for a games table.

Apart from the need of space or rooms the purposed built tables are also costly to purchase as a whole.

OBIECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to alleviate or to reduce to a certain level one or more of the prior art disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect the present invention provides a convertible table assembly comprising a top member having a first surface configured for use as a table top and a second surface opposite to said first surface, and a set of paired elongate support members for supporting the top member. The support members are configured so that they can be selectively arranged to support the top member at one of at least two different heights and thereby allowing the assembly to be selectively convertible for use between at least two occasions.

In preference, said second surface is configured for use as a games table top so that when the first surface is positioned on the support members the assembly is converted for playing a table game, and when the second surface is positioned on the support members the assembly is converted for use as a table.

The table games may be snooker, billiards, a game of pool or table croquet. Preferably the support members are of a length that when the second surface or the first surface is positioned on their ends the assembly is converted for use as a dining table or a games table respectively.

More preferably the second surface or the first surface can also be supported along a side of each support member for converting the assembly to a Japanese style table or coffee table. The second surface or the first surface can also be supported along a side of each stacked pair of support members for converting the assembly to a dining table or games table for juniors or wheel-chaired persons.

Desirably, the top member has a shallow around the second surface and side walls joined end to end and bordering the shallow. The shallow and the side walls prevent balls for the table game from falling off the assembly.

Preferably the second surface is covered with a first layer of a fabric material. The fabric material may be a textured material such as a textured carpet material, or felt or felt like material. The fabric material serves to slow down ball movement. The textured material is also a hardier material for withstanding the weight of the top member when used as a table. In some cases the second surface may have another layer of fabric material beneath the first layer for slowing ball movement further.

The shallow and/or the side walls may also be covered with the first layer and/or the second layer of material. In one form the table game is for playing table croquet and the second surface is provided with spaced hoops sized for snooker balls to pass therethrough. The balls are moved with a snooker cue.

In another aspect the present invention provides a games table assembly comprising a top member having a surface configured for use as a games top and another surface opposite to said first surface, said another surface is adapted .to be positioned on one or more support members. Said surface has a game playing region, a shallow around the game playing region, and side walls joined end to end for bordering the shal low. The shallow and the side wal Is prevent balls for the table game from falling off the assembly. The assembly has a layer of a fabric material arranged to cover at lease said playing region. The fabric material may be a textured material such as a textured carpet material, or felt or felt like material. The fabric material serves to slow down ball movement. The textured material is also a hardier material for withstanding the weight of the top member when used as a table. In some cases the assembly may have another layer of fabric material beneath the first layer for slowing ball movement further.

The first layer and/or the second layer of fabric material can be^' arranged to cover said shallow and/or the side walls.

The games table may be for playing snooker, billiards, a game of pool or table croquet. In one form the table game is for playing table croquet and the playing region is provided with spaced hoops sized for snooker balls to pass therethrough. The balls are moved with a snooker cue.

Preferably said one or more support members for the games table include a set of paired elongate support members for supporting the top member. The support members are configured so that they can be selectively arranged to support the top member at one of at least two different heights and thereby allowing the assembly to be selectively convertible for use by people of different sizes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OR THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the present invention and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the convertible table assembly according to the present invention set up for a playing table croquet game;

Figure 2 shows a cut-away view of the assembly shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows the assembly shown in Figure 1 converted into a, height for juniors or wheel-chaired persons; Figure 4 is a side view of the convertible table assembly according to the present invention set up for a dining table;

Figure 5 shows the assembly shown in Figure 4 when set for use as a Japanese style table; Figure 6 shows the assembly shown in Figure 4 when set for use as a coffee table; and

Figure 7 shows the assembly shown in Figure 4 when set for use as a table for juniors.

. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the Figures and initially to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a convertible table assembly 10 set up for use as a croquet game table. The device 10 has a top member 12 supported on ends of four elongated supported members 14.

The top member 12 has a first surface 1 6 and second surface 18. The first surface 16 is flat and is intended for use as a table top. The second surface 18 is configured for the croquet game and is covered with a layer of textured material. A shallow 20 is arranged around the surface 18. Side walls 22 are positioned adjacent to the shallow 20 and joined end to end. The shallow 20 is for the purpose of collecting croquet balls 24 which in this case are made the same as snooker balls. The side walls 22 help to prevent the balls 24 from falling off the assembly 10. A number of hoops 26 are arranged on either side of a centre peg 28.

In use a player attempts to hit a ball 24 with a cue 30 through the hoops 26. Figure 3 shows that the support members 14 are stacked in pairs and the first surface 16 is positioned on sides of the members 14. In this arrangement the assembly 10 has a lowered playing surface 18 and is set up for juniors or wheel- chaired persons to play the game.

In Figure 4 the support members 14 are returned to their upright position and the top member 12 is turned over so that the second surface 18 is positioned on the ends of the support members 14. In this arrangement the assembly 10- is set up for use as a dining table. Figure 5 shows that the support members 14 are rested on one face and the top member 1 2 is positioned on the opposite face of the members 14. In this set up the assembly 10 is used as a Japanese style table.

The set up shown in Figure 6 is to convert the assembly 10 for use as a coffee table. This set up is similar to the Japanese style table set up, with the exception of resting the members 14 on their side.

When the assembly 10 is to be used as a table for juniors the supports members 14 can be arranged as shown in Figure 3 or as shown in Figure 7. Alternatively the support members 14 shown in Figure 7 can be reversed so that the broader sides thereof are to contact ground surface.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

Claims

1 . A convertible table assembly comprising a top member having a first surface configured for use as a table top and a second surface opposite to said first surface, and a set of paired elongate support members for supporting the top member, the support members being configured for selectively arrangement to'support the top member at one of at least two different heights, thereby allowing the assembly to be selectively convertible for use in at least two occasions in which the table top is at respective different heights.

2. The table assembly according to claim 1 wherein said second surface is configured for use as a games table top so that when the first surface is positioned on the support members the assembly is converted for playing a table game, and when the second surface is positioned on the support members the assembly is converted for use as a table.

3. The table assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the table game is any one or more of snooker, billiards, a game of pool and table croquet.

4. The table assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the support members are each configured with a first end and second end opposite to the first end, and sides between said first and second ends, and having a length that when the first ends are on a floor surface and the second surface or the first surface is positioned on the second ends the assembly is converted for use as a dining table or a games table respectively.

5. The table assembly according to claim 4 wherein each support member being configured to support the top member on at lease one side thereof and selective placement of the second surface or the first surface in contact with the sides al low selective conversion of the assembly to a Japanese style table or coffee table, or a game table at a height suitable for juniors or short persons.

6. The table assembly according to claim 4 wherein the support members being stackable in pairs and the selective placement of the second surface or the first surface on a side of the upper support member of each stacked pair of support members allows conversion of the assembly to a dining table or games table for juniors or wheel-chaired persons.

7. The table assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the top member has a shallow around the second surface and side walls joined end to end and bordering the shallow, whereby the shallow and the side walls preventing balls for the table game from falling off the assembly.

8. The table assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the second surface is covered with a first layer of a fabric material.

9. The table assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the fabric material is a textured material including a textured carpet material, or felt or felt I ike material.

10. The table assembly according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the second surface having a second layer of fabric material beneath the first layer.

11. The table assembly according to claim 10 wherein the first layer and/or the second layer of material extends to cover the shallow and/or the side walls.

12. The table assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1 wherein the table game is for playing table croquet and the second surface is provided with spaced hoops sized for snooker balls to pass therethrough, the balls being caused to move with a snooker cue.

13. A games table assembly comprising a top member having one surface configured for use as a games top and another surface opposite to said first surface, and one or more support members for supporting the top member, said another surface is adapted to be positioned on said one or more support members, and said one surface having a games playing region, a shallow around the game playing region, and side walls joined end to end for bordering the shallow, the shallow and the side walls thereby preventing balls for the table game from falling off the assembly, and a layer of a fabric material arranged to cover at lease said playing region.

14. The table assembly according to claim 13 wherein the fabric material is a textured material including a textured carpet material, or felt or felt like material, the textured material being selected for slowing ball movement and for withstanding the weight of the top member when used as a table.

15. The table assembly according to claim 14 wherein a second layer of fabric material is placed beneath the first layer for slowing ball movement further.

16. The table assembly according to claim 1 5 wherein the first layer and/or the second layer of fabric material extends to cover said shallow and/or the side walls.

1 7. The table assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the games table being configured for playing snooker, bil liards, a game of pool or table croquet.

18. The table assembly according to claim 1 7 where the games table is configured for playing table croquet and the playing region is provided with spaced hoops each being sized for snooker balls to pass therethrough, and the balls being caused to move with a snooker cue.

19. The table assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 18 wherein said one or more support members for the games table incl uding a set of paired elongate support members for supporting the top member, and the support members are configured so that they can be selectively arranged to support the top member at one of at least two different heights and thereby allowing the assembly to be selectively convertible for use by people of different sizes.