Molded plastic structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11324311-B2
Application number	US-201816192581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 20, 2017
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A plastic molded lip structure may extend along a perimeter of a planar element and may include an outer wall, an inner wall, structural portions, and protruded features. The outer wall may extend in a normal direction from the planar element. The inner wall may be disposed in an inward direction relative to the outer wall. The structural portions may be disposed along structural sections of the perimeter and may include first portions of the inner wall and of the outer wall. The first portions may be disposed parallel to the inner wall and separated from the first portions by a first distance along the structural sections. The protruded features may be interposed between two structural portions and an inner wall may be separated from second portions of the outer wall by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blow-molded plastic structure constructed using a blow-molding process, the blow-molded plastic structure comprising:
a tabletop including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a hollow interior portion disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface of the tabletop;
a lip extending downwardly relative to the lower surface of the tabletop, the lip including an outer surface and an inner surface;
a first pair of adjacent curved risers extending inwardly from the inner surface of the lip towards a center portion of the tabletop, each riser of the pair of risers including a first portion connected to the lower surface of the tabletop and a second portion connected to the inner surface of the lip, each riser including a hollow interior portion in fluid communication with the hollow interior portion of the tabletop;
an elongated tack-off extending between the first pair of adjacent risers, the elongated tack-off including a first end disposed at least proximate a first riser of the first pair of adjacent risers and a second end disposed at least proximate a second riser of the first pair of adjacent risers, the elongated tack-off having a length at least three times greater than a height of a riser of the first pair of adjacent risers;
a first gas flow pathway at least partially formed by the hollow interior portion of the tabletop and the hollow interior portion of the first riser; and
a second gas flow pathway at least partially formed by the hollow interior portion of the tabletop and the hollow interior portion of the second riser.

2. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tack-off is generally disposed between the tabletop and the lip; and
wherein the elongated tack-off at least substantially prevents fluid flow between the tabletop and the lip.

3. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tack-off has a length at least three times greater than a width of a riser of the first pair of adjacent risers.

4. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , wherein the hollow interior portion of each riser is in fluid communication with a hollow interior portion of the lip;
wherein the first gas flow pathway is at least partially formed by the hollow interior portion of the tabletop, the hollow interior portion of the first riser, and a first hollow interior portion of the lip;
wherein the second gas flow pathway is at least partially formed by the hollow interior portion of the tabletop, the hollow interior portion of the second riser, and a second hollow interior portion of the lip; and
wherein the first hollow interior portion of the lip and the second hollow interior portion of the lip are in fluid communication.

5. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , wherein the tabletop, the lip, the first pair of adjacent risers, the elongated tack-off, the first gas flow pathway, and the second gas flow pathway are integrally formed as part of a unitary, one-piece structure during the blow-molding process.

6. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , further comprising a structural feature disposed between the first pair of adjacent risers, the structural feature formed by an inner wall and an outer wall of the lip disposed in an at least immediately adjacent or contacting configuration.

7. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , further comprising a second pair of adjacent risers, the first pair of adjacent risers disposed on a first side of the tabletop, the second pair of adjacent risers disposed on a second side of the tabletop.

8. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of adjacent risers are part of a plurality of pairs of adjacent risers, the plurality of pairs of adjacent risers comprising at least two pairs of adjacent risers disposed along a first side of the tabletop, the plurality of pairs of adjacent risers comprising at least two pairs of adjacent risers disposed along a second side of the tabletop, the plurality of pairs of adjacent risers comprising at least two pairs of adjacent risers disposed along a third side of the tabletop, and the plurality of pairs of adjacent risers comprising at least two pairs of adjacent risers disposed along a fourth side of the tabletop.

9. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , further comprising a corner of the tabletop, the first riser of the first pair of adjacent risers disposed on a first side of the corner and the second riser of the first pair of adjacent risers disposed on a second side of the corner, the elongated tack-off extending along a radius of the corner between the first pair of adjacent risers.

10. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 1 , wherein the tabletop includes a perimeter;
wherein the first pair of adjacent risers are part of a plurality of pairs of adjacent risers;
wherein the elongated tack-off has a length measured from a first end to a second end;
wherein the elongated tack-off is part of a plurality of elongated tack-offs;
wherein an elongated tack-off is disposed between each pair of adjacent risers; and
wherein a combined length of the plurality of elongated tack-offs comprises a length that is:
greater than fifty percent (50%) of the perimeter,
greater than sixty percent (60%) of the perimeter,
greater than seventy percent (70%) of the perimeter,
greater than eighty percent (80%) of the perimeter, or
greater than ninety percent (90%) of the perimeter.

11. A blow-molded plastic structure constructed using a blow-molded process, the blow-molded plastic structure comprising:
a tabletop comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and a hollow interior portion disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface of the tabletop;
a lip extending downwardly relative to the lower surface of the tabletop, the lip including an inner surface and an outer surface;
a plurality of curved risers extending inwardly from the inner surface of the lip, each riser of the plurality of risers connected to the lower surface of the tabletop and the inner surface of the lip, each riser including a hollow interior portion in fluid communication with the hollow interior portion of the tabletop; and
a plurality of elongated tack-offs, an elongated tack-off of the plurality of elongated tack-offs disposed between adjacent risers of the plurality of risers, the elongated tack-off having a length at least three times greater than a height of an adjacent riser of the plurality of risers.

12. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 11 , further comprising a structural feature disposed between a pair of adjacent risers, the structural feature formed by an inner wall and an outer wall of the lip disposed in an at least immediately adjacent or contacting configuration.

13. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 11 , further comprising a first end and a second end of the elongated tack-off disposed between adjacent risers, the first end of the elongated tack-off disposed at least proximate a first riser of the adjacent risers and the second end of the elongated tack-off disposed at least proximate a second riser of the adjacent risers.

14. The blow-molded plastic structure of claim 11 , wherein the elongated tack-off disposed between the adjacent risers has a length generally equal to a distance separating the adjacent risers.

15. The blow-molded structure of claim 11 , further comprising a structural feature disposed between adjacent risers of the plurality of risers, the structural feature formed by an inner wall and an outer wall of the lip disposed in a substantially parallel and at least immed

Assignees

• Lifetime Prod Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Mitch
• Peery Wendell

Classifications

• B29C49/0031 Primary

  Making articles having hollow walls · CPC title

• B29L2031/448

  Tables · CPC title

• A47B13/08 Primary

  Table tops; Rims therefor (not restricted to table tops A47B95/04) · CPC title

• A47B2200/001

  Manufacture of table tops · CPC title

• B29K2995/0082

  Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness · CPC title