AU725387B3 - A table - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: A TABLE Name of Applicant: ERIC P. SELLARS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 A TABLE The present invention relates to a table which has a movable table top. The table of the present invention is particularly suited for use in combination with fixed seating.

Caravans, yachts and other similar vehicles or craft are usually equipped with fixed seating. The need for such fixed seating is brought about by the fact that both caravans and yachts move and therefore there is a need to prevent the seating moving during movement of the caravan or the yacht. Such fixed seating is often provided in combination with a table. Such a table should also not move when the caravan or yacht moves, therefore the table may be permanently fixed in position i.e. by a support member or support members connected to the floor or may use a heavy base which, while not connected to the floor of the caravan or the yacht, prevents the table from being displaced relative to the floor by normal motion of the caravan or yacht. Thus, it will be appreciated that the heavy base means that the table position is effectively fixed relative to the floor because it is difficult to move. It will be appreciated then that as the position of the table is fixed it must be located sufficiently far from the fixed seating so as to allow persons to move past the table and into the seating. This means that once a person or persons are seated on the seating, the table may be an undesirable distance from the seated persons. While this may not be too inconvenient for a short term, it certainly posses a great inconvenience if the table is needed to be used by a person or persons for a long period of time and by leaning forward to reach the table a person may place undue strain on parts of their bodies such as their back.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a table which has a moveable table top.

\\melblfiles\home$\HCooper\Keep\Speci\G27811 prov..doc 14/04/00 3 Accordingly, the invention provides a table combined with a fixed seating arrangement, the table having: a table top; and a support supporting said table top, said support having: upper and lower vertical support portions; and an offset portion, said offset portion connecting said vertical support portions so that said vertical support portions define two horizontally spaced apart offset vertical axes, said table top being connected to one of the vertical support portions, both of said vertical support portions being rotatably mounted so as to permit rotation of the table top around, both of said vertical axes of the vertical support portions, whereby rotation of the table top around the vertical axes allows the position of the table top to be altered relative to the fixed seating arrangement without displacement of the lower support portion.

Preferably, the vertical support portions are rotatably mounted by being rotatably connected to the offset portion.

Preferably, the table top is rectangular.

Preferably, the fixed seating is in a boat or a caravan or a motor home or a campervan.

\\.elbfi lea\homeS\mCooper\eep\Speci\aM27811 prov..doc 7/08/00 -4- An example of a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a table of the example of the preferred embodiment; and Figures 2 to 5 show various alternative orientations of the table top.

Figure 1 shows a table of the preferred embodiment. In the preferred embodiment the table 1 which has a moveable table top 3 is used in combination with fixed seating 40 to allow movement of the table top 3 relative to the fixed seating 40 without displacement of the base The proportions of various of the elements of the table 1 as illustrated in Figure 1 have been exaggerated in order to facilitate understanding of the construction of the table of the preferred embodiment and it will be appreciated that this Figure is purely used to illustrate that the example of the preferred embodiment and is not definitive of the invention. For example, gaps are shown between the offset member 11 and the poles 7, 21 for illustrative purposes where in practice it would be desirable for these parts to be close fitting.

In a standard table for use with a fixed seating arrangement a table top is supported by a support pole extendingbetween a base and the table top. At both the table top and the base, means are provided in order to removably attach the support pole to the base and table top. The means for fastening is usually provided by way of collar bracket which can be tightened in order to reduce the diameter of a socket or sleeve defined by the collar bracket to thereby fix the pole in place relative to the top and the base.

\\melb-fies\homeS\Cooper\Keep\Speci\Ga7811 prov. .doc 14/04/00 5 In the example of the preferred embodiment a standard table is modified by replacing the support pole with a support member which allows rotation of the table top around a pair of horizontally displaced vertical axes.

The table top 3 has a bracket including pole receiving socket 5 fixed to it. It will be apparent that the pole receiving socket could be formed integrally with the table if this was so desired. The table 1 has a support member which includes a pair of vertical support portions, namely an upper vertical support portion 7 and a lower vertical support portion 21. Both the upper 7 and lower 21 vertical support portions are cylindrical poles. In the example of the preferred embodiment, the upper pole 7 is fixed to upper pole receiving socket 5 so that it cannot move relative to the socket 5. In the preferred embodiment, the socket 5 is defined by an adjustable collar bracket which allows the width of the socket 5 to be adjusted and tightened in order to hold the pole 7 in a fixed position relative to the table top 3. Similarly, the base socket 23 of the base 25 also has an adjustable socket to allow the lower pole 21 to be received within base socket 23 and then fixed and held in place by tightening the socket 23. While collar brackets are used to provide adjustable sockets in the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that alternative fixing means could be used, for example, a pin combined with holes in the poles and sockets.

The poles 7, 21 are connected to and joined by an offset member 11 which provides an offset portion of the support member. The offset member has an upper offset pipe 13 and a lower offset pipe 15 which are horizontally displaced from one another. The offset member 11 also has a stay to add to the rigidity of the offset member 11. The offset member also has a first bush 9 and a second bush 19 which surround the upper offset pipe 13 and the lower offset pipe 15 respectively. The upper offset pipe and the first bush 9 are received within upper pipe 7 to rotatably \\melbfiles\home$\Mcooper\Keep\peci\c27811 prov..doc 14/04/00 6 connect the upper pipe 7 to the offset member. Similarly, the lower offset pipe 15 and the second bush 19 are received within lower pipe 21 to thereby rotatably connect the offset member to the lower pipe. When the various elements are connected in this manner this allows the table top 3 to be rotated around both first vertical axis 27 and second vertical axis 29, thus permitting re-orientation of the table top 3 relative to the base 25 and the lower pipe 21.

The pipes 7, 21, the bushes 9, 19 and the offset member 11 are machined so that they fit together tightly so that while rotation is possible, the table does not move too freely so that the table doesn't move undesirably.

This also allows the table to be dismantled by releasing the fixing means holding the support within sockets 5 and 23. The tight machining of the support in these circumstances means that when the table is thus dismantled, the support member will not come apart too readily and thus the table can be quickly reassembled. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the various elements of the support could be connected in a permanent manner if desirable.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be noted that the table top 3 is actually symmetrically either side of vertical axis 27.

The table top 3 is preferably rectangular in view of the fact that the seating 40 will normally partially enclose a rectangle. Some alternative positions of a table relative to a fixed seating arrangement are shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 with the position of vertical axis 27 indicated by the letter A and the position of vertical axis 29 indicated by the letter B.

It will be apparent point A can be moved through \\melb files\homeS\MCooper\Keep\Speci\G27811 prov..doc 14/04/00 7 a circle around B having a radius equivalent to the distance between the offset pipes 13, 15. Thus, by rotating the table top 3 about point B the position of the table can be varied, while rotating around point A allows the table to be orientated appropriately relative to the seating i.e. in parallel relationship.

It should be noted that caravans etc also have very limited space, thus the movement of the table allows better use to be made of the space. The utilisation of space within caravans, boats etc is of the utmost importance. Thus, the table of the preferred embodiment not only allows easier access to seating and more comfortable eating and working positions but also when the table is pushed bach to its furthermost points, there is more useable space for working, access to storage areas and for general movement.

It will be apparent that a number of modifications can be made to the design of the table top.

For example, the upper and lower poles 7, 21 could be permanently fixed to the table top 3 and base respectively. Further, while the rotatable connection in the preferred embodiment is between the poles 7, 21 and the offset member 11, the poles 7, 21 could be rotatably connected to the base 25 and the table top 3 respectively.

These and other modifications will be apparent to a person skilled in the art of the invention and are considered to be within the scope of the claims.

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Claims (3)

1. A table combined with a fixed seating arrangement, the table having: a table top; and a support supporting said table top, said support having: upper and lower vertical support portions; and an offset portion, said offset portion connecting said vertical support portions so that said vertical support portions define two horizontally spaced apart offset vertical axes, said table top being connected to one of the vertical support portions, both of said vertical support portions being rotatably mounted so as to permit rotation of the table top around both of said vertical axes of the vertical support portions, whereby rotation of the table top around the vertical axes allows the position of the table top to be altered relative to the fixed seating arrangement without displacement of the lower support portion.

2. A table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table top is rectangular.

3. A table as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vertical support portions are rotatably mounted by being rotatably mounted to the offset portion. Dated this 8th day of August 2000 ERIC P. SELLARS By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\GM27B 1 prov..doc 8/08/00