Connection of a support to a molded plastic structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11266230-B2
Application number	US-202016778717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 1, 2019
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A blow-molded plastic structure, such as a tabletop, may include an undercut. For example, the tabletop may include a frame receiving portion and a frame connecting structure with an undercut may be disposed in the frame receiving portion. A portion of the frame may contact or engage the frame connecting structure, such as the undercut, when the frame is connected to the tabletop. In an exemplary embodiment, a first side of the frame receiving portion may include a first frame connecting portion with an undercut and a second side of the frame receiving portion may include a second frame connecting portion with an undercut. The first frame connecting portion with an undercut may be disposed on an opposing surface from the second frame connecting portion with an undercut.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A table comprising:
a blow-molded plastic tabletop constructed using a blow-molding process, the tabletop comprising;
an upper surface;
a lower surface;
a frame receiving portion disposed in the lower surface of the tabletop;
a first frame connecting structure with an undercut disposed in a first portion of the frame receiving portion; and
a second frame connecting structure with an undercut disposed in a second portion of the frame receiving portion; and

a frame connected to the tabletop, a first portion of the frame contacting the first frame connecting structure, a second portion of the frame contacting the second frame connecting structure;
wherein the second frame connecting structure comprises an inwardly extending structure.

2. The table of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the frame engages a lower surface of the undercut of the first frame connecting structure; and
wherein the second portion of the frame engages a lower surface of the undercut of the second frame connecting structure.

3. The table of claim 1 , wherein the first frame connecting structure is disposed on a first side of the frame receiving portion and the second frame connecting structure is disposed on a second side of the frame receiving portion.

4. The table of claim 1 , wherein the first frame connecting structure comprises an outwardly extending structure with an undercut.

5. The table of claim 1 , wherein the frame is connected to the tabletop without the use of any fasteners.

6. The table of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface, the lower surface, the frame receiving portion, the first frame connecting structure with an undercut, and the second frame connecting structure with an undercut are integrally formed as part of a unitary, one-piece structure during the blow-molding process.

7. The table to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the frame is inserted into the frame receiving portion and then the frame is moved within the frame receiving portion to engage the first portion of the frame with the undercut of the first frame connecting structure and to engage the second portion of the frame with the undercut of the second frame connecting structure.

8. The table of claim 1 , further comprising a cutout in the frame, the cutout allowing the frame to be inserted into the frame receiving portion.

9. The table of claim 1 , further comprising one or more outwardly extending tabs of the frame and one or more receiving portions in the tabletop, the tabs being disposed in the receiving portions when the frame is connected to the tabletop.

10. A method of connecting a frame to a blow-molded plastic tabletop, the method comprising:
providing a tabletop with a frame receiving portion, the frame receiving portion including a first frame connecting structure with an undercut disposed in a first portion of the frame receiving portion and a second frame connecting structure with an undercut disposed in a second portion of the frame receiving portion, the tabletop, the frame receiving portion, the first frame connecting structure with the undercut, and the second frame connecting structure with the undercut being integrally formed as part of a unitary, one-piece structure during a blow-molding process;
inserting a portion of the frame into the frame receiving portion, the frame including a cutout that allows the frame to be inserted into the frame receiving portion, the frame including one or more outwardly extending tabs;
moving the frame relative to the tabletop so that a first portion of the frame contacts the first frame connecting structure and a second portion of the frame contacts the second frame connecting structure; and
disposing the one or more outwardly extending tabs of the frame in one or more receiving portions in the tabletop when the frame is connected to the tabletop.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the frame engages a lower surface of the undercut of the first frame connecting structure; and
wherein the second portion of the frame engages a lower surface of the undercut of the second frame connecting structure.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first frame connecting structure is disposed on a first side of the frame receiving portion and the second frame connecting structure is disposed on a second side of the frame receiving portion.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the frame engages the undercut of the first frame connecting structure; and
wherein the second portion of the frame engages the undercut of the second frame connecting structure.

14. An apparatus comprising:
a blow-molded plastic tabletop including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a hollow interior portion that is created during the blow-molding process, the blow-molded plastic tabletop comprising:
a frame receiving portion disposed in the lower portion of the blow-molded plastic tabletop;
a first frame connecting structure with an undercut formed in a first portion of the frame receiving portion; and
a second frame connecting structure with an undercut formed in a second portion of the frame receiving portion; and

a frame disposed in the frame receiving portion of the tabletop, the frame comprising:
a first portion of the frame disposed at least proximate the undercut of the first frame connecting structure; and
a second portion of the frame disposed at least proximate the undercut of the second frame connecting structure;

wherein the second frame connecting structure comprises an inwardly extending structure.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first frame connecting structure with the undercut is formed in an outer wall of the blow-molded plastic tabletop during the blow-molding process; and
wherein the second frame connecting structure with the undercut is formed in an outer wall of the blow-molded plastic tabletop during the blow-molding process.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first frame connecting structure with the undercut is formed in the frame receiving portion of the blow-molded plastic tabletop during the blow-molding process; and
wherein the second frame connecting structure with the undercut is formed in the frame receiving portion of the blow-molded plastic tabletop during the blow-molding process.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first frame connecting structure comprises an outwardly extending portion with a projection and an overhang; and
wherein the second frame connecting structure comprises an inwardly extending portion with a receiving portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the upper portion, the lower portion, the hollow interior portion, the frame receiving portion, the first frame connecting structure with the undercut, and the second frame connecting structure with the undercut are integrally formed during the blow-molding process as part of a unitary, one-piece structure; and
wherein the undercut of the first frame connecting structure and the undercut of the second frame connecting structure are formed during the blow-molding process without the removal of material after formation and without significant deformation when the blow-molded plastic tabletop is removed from a mold during the blow-molding process.

19. A method of connecting a frame to a molded plastic tabletop, the method comprising:
providing a molded plastic tabletop with a first frame connecting structure with an undercut and a second frame connecting structure with an undercut, the first frame connecting structure sized and configure

Assignees

• Lifetime Prod Inc

Inventors

• Jones Scott
• Monsen Charles
• Boydston Kevin
• Clegg Frank M

Classifications

• B29C49/541 Primary

  having a recessed undersurface · CPC title

• A47B2200/0011

  Underframes · CPC title

• A47B13/003

  Connecting table tops to underframes (connecting furniture tubing to non-tubular parts F16B12/42) · CPC title

• A47B2220/008

  characterised by materials · CPC title

• A47B7/00 Primary

  Tables of rigid construction · CPC title