Table with molded plastic table top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE48976-E
Application number	US-201916542256-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Aug 15, 2019
Priority date	Apr 25, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

A table may be sized and configured to nest with an adjacent table to reduce a height of a plurality of stacked tables in a nested configuration. The tabletop may include an upper surface, a sidewall and a receiving portion at least partially disposed in the upper surface and the sidewall. The receiving portion may be sized and configured to receive an engaging portion of an adjacent table when the tables are disposed in a nested configuration. The tabletop may also include a plurality of strengthen members disposed in the lower portion of the tabletop that are sized and configured to support the receiving portion. For example, the strengthening members may include an inner surface sized and configured to support an inner surface of the receiving portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tabletop comprising:
an upper portion;
a lower portion;
a sidewall;
a receiving portion at least partially formed in the upper portion of the tabletop and the sidewall of the table top, the receiving portion extending about an entire outer perimeter of the upper portion of the tabletop, at least a portion of the receiving portion extending downwardly from the upper portion of the table top tabletop and inwardly from the sidewall of the table top, the receiving portion including an inner surface, the receiving portion comprising:
a first wall disposed at an angle relative to the upper portion of the table top; and
a second wall disposed at an angle relative to the lower portion of the table top;

a hollow interior portion at least partially defined by the upper portion, and the lower portion, and the sidewall of the table top tabletop; and
at least one receiving portion strengthening member contacting the inner surface of the receiving portion to support the first wall and the second wall of the receiving portion, the at least one receiving portion strengthening member at least partially formed by a portion of the lower portion of the tabletop, the at least one receiving portion strengthening member contacting an inner surface of the receiving portion to provide additional strength and providing additional support for the receiving portion, the receiving portion strengthening member at least partially disposed in the hollow interior portion;
wherein the receiving portion extends about an entire outer perimeter of the tipper portion of the table top.

2. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the upper portion, the lower portion, the sidewall, the receiving portion, and the receiving portion strengthening member are constructed from molded plastic and are integrally formed during a molding process as part of a unitary, one-piece construction.

3. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the tabletop is sized and configured to nest with an adjacent table in a nested configuration in order to reduce a height of a plurality of tables in a nested configuration, each of the tables in the nested configuration having substantially the same size and shape; and
wherein the receiving portion is sized and configured to receive an engaging portion of an adjacent table when the tables are disposed in a nested configuration to reduce the height of the tables in a nested configuration.

4. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the sidewall forms a portion of a lip that extends downwardly relative to the upper portion of the tabletop; and
wherein the receiving portion strengthening member is at least partially disposed in the an inner surface of the lip and extending at least partially extends towards the an outer surface of the lip; and
wherein the receiving portion strengthening member is spaced apart from the outer surface of the lip by a gap.

5. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion strengthening member contacts the inner surface of the receiving portion to support the first wall and the second wall of the receiving portion.

6. The tabletop as in claim 1 , further comprising an engaging portion extending downwardly from the upper portion of the tabletop.

7. The tabletop as in claim 6 , wherein the upper portion, the lower portion, the sidewall, the engaging portion, the receiving portion, and the receiving portion strengthening member are constructed from molded plastic and are integrally formed during a molding process as part of a unitary, one-piece construction.

8. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein at least one receiving portion strengthening member contacts the receiving portion at least proximate an intersection of the first wall and the second wall of the receiving portion.

9. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion is disposed between a plane generally aligned with the upper portion of the tabletop and a plane generally aligned with a lower portion of the tabletop; and
wherein the receiving portion strengthening member is disposed between the plane generally aligned with the upper portion of the tabletop and the plane generally aligned with the lower portion of the tabletop.

10. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the at least one receiving portion strengthening member extends inwardly from the lower portion of the tabletop and an inner surface of the receiving portion contacts an inner surface of the second wall of the receiving portion.

11. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein an inner portion of the one or more of the at least one receiving portion strengthening member contacts an inner surface of the second wall of the receiving portion; and
wherein the receiving portion strengthening member allows the receiving portion to be a load bearing surface for an engaging portion of an adjacent table when the table top tabletop is disposed in a nested configuration with one or more table tops.

12. The tabletop as in claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the at least one receiving portion strengthening member extends upwardly from the lower portion of the tabletop and contacts an inner surface of the second wall of the receiving portion.

13. A tabletop sized and configured to nest with an adjacent table in a nested configuration in order to reduce a height of a plurality of tables in a nested configuration, the tabletop comprising:
an upper portion;
a sidewall extending downwardly relative to the upper portion;
a receiving portion at least partially disposed in the upper surface and the sidewall, the receiving portion sized and configured to receive an engaging portion of an adjacent table when the tables are disposed in a nested configuration to reduce a height of the tables in a nested configuration, the receiving portion disposed about an entire outer perimeter of the upper portion of the tabletop, the receiving portion including an inner surface, the receiving portion comprising:
a first wall with an outer surface sized and configured to be disposed at least proximate the engaging portion of an adjacent table when the tables are disposed in the nested configuration; and
a second wall with an outer surface sized and configured to be disposed at least proximate the engaging portion of an adjacent table when the tables are disposed in the nested configuration;

a lip extending downwardly relative to the upper portion of the tabletop; and
a plurality of receiving portion strengthening members contacting and supporting the inner surface of the receiving portion, the receiving portion strengthening members at least partially formed by a lower portion of the tabletop, at least a portion of the receiving portion strengthening members spaced apart from an outer portion of the lip by a distance, the receiving portion strengthening members comprising:
a first plurality of strengthening members contacting an inner surface at least a portion of the first wall of the receiving portion, each strengthening member of the first plurality of strengthening members sized and configured to support the first wall of the receiving portion; and
a second plurality of strengthening members contacting an inner surface at least a portion of the second wall of the receiving portion, each strengthening member of the second plurality of strengthening members sized and configured to support the second wall of the receiving portion.

14. The tabletop as in claim 13 , wherein the receiving portion strengthening members are at least partially disposed in the lip.

15. The tabletop as in claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of strengthening members extend inwardl

Assignees

• Lifetime Prod Inc

Inventors

• Peery Wendell

Classifications

• A47B3/0912 Primary

  the strut being of two parts foldable relative to one another · CPC title

• A47B87/02 Primary

  stackable {; stackable and linkable (by means of separate corner elements being in common with both the vertical and horizontal parts, e.g. corner bars for panels, nodes for rods A47B47/0016, A47B47/0025)} · CPC title

• A47B7/02

  Stackable tables; Nesting tables · CPC title

• A47B13/083

  Rims for table tops · CPC title

• A47B3/091

  with struts supporting the legs (in combination with foldable top leaves A47B3/087) · CPC title