Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63D—BOWLING GAMES, e.g. SKITTLES, BOCCE OR BOWLS; INSTALLATIONS THEREFOR; BAGATELLE OR SIMILAR GAMES; BILLIARDS
  • A63D15/00—Billiards, e.g. carom billiards or pocket billiards; Billiard tables
  • A63D15/04—Billiard tables convertible into other tables, or the like
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63D—BOWLING GAMES, e.g. SKITTLES, BOCCE OR BOWLS; INSTALLATIONS THEREFOR; BAGATELLE OR SIMILAR GAMES; BILLIARDS
  • A63D15/00—Billiards, e.g. carom billiards or pocket billiards; Billiard tables
  • A63D15/003—Pockets for pocket billiard tables

Definitions

• Billiard tables including tables for playing pool, carom, 10 snooker and other related games can be used as dining tables, by resting a cover or leave or top or panel over the . table, but this solution gives different disadvantages.
• the dining table formed by doing this is generally not - ⁇ • at a convenient or comfortable height for dining, as the 15 .. surface of such a dining table is normally too high due to . the regular height of a billiard surface.
• the height difference is normally around 75 mm (3 inches) .
• the space available for the legs, between the ground and the • ' below surface of the table surface is limited due to the20 . large table apron necessary to hold the heavy slate plate .used in regular billiard table as the playing surface (recovered by a cloth) .
• a slate used in a billiard table has a thickness of H" (19 mm) or more, giving a weight over 90 kg for the playing surface on a 1' length playing 25 • surface, due to the density of the slate material used.
• the thick apron of a regular pool table allows to contain a ramp or rail system wherein the balls • return to a storage rack or a specific area when they are pocketed. Instead of a rail or ramp system in the table30 .
• many tables have 6 pockets usually in leather or ⁇ . plastic to hold the balls once pocketed during the game. . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
• ⁇ ⁇ -Mechanisms are known for adjusting the height of the surface 5 of the table, thus allowing the table to used both as a pool table (or a billiard or snooker table) and as a dining table.
• a pool table or a billiard or snooker table
• a dining table When it is desired to convert the dining table to a pool table, the cover top across the cushions is released, . and the height of the bed of the table is raised. 10
• This prior art mechanism includes a first part 112, which is • . connected to the frame of the table, and a second part 130 . ..which is connected to the bed. The parts are shown separated for clarity.
• the first part 112 comprises a 5 generally flat member 114, which is normally formed from a iitietal such as brass. A number of grooves 116 are formed on a face of the flat member. The member is also formed with . holes 118 for screws or the like, allowing it to be attached
• pocket designs usually consist in a pocket liner as •" ⁇ , -shown, beneath which there is either a ball holder or a ramp or rail system to return the balls to a storage rack or a . specific area.
• the design patent D521,586 proposes a rail system that can 15 be movable in a horizontal position behind the table apron, but it remains partly visible and the mobile parts and mechanism lead to a high price and to vibration noise during • ...the game.
• the object of the invention is to provide a dining table, even possibly with a very slim cosmetic design, with a ⁇ convenient and regular dining height and comfortable room space for the legs, convertible into a billiard table, even ; ⁇ . ⁇ with an optimal height to play, without any visible billiard 30 . feature when set as a dining table.
• the present invention ⁇ • allows even to keep within the dining table all the billiard accessories, namely the cues, the ball rack, the chalk, the ' balls among other possible accessories, without the said .. ⁇ ⁇ . accessories being visible or noticeable.
• a position •adjustment mechanism placed in each leg of the table, the • mechanism comprising: two profiles (sections), a first one
• 25 profile is interdependent of the legs and the table, while the fixed profile is inside the moving profile and stands on ⁇ the floor.
• the cavities (slots or grooves) of 30 • the profiles are designed such that, when the moving profile
• the preferred material used for the three parts is steel or aluminium, although other metals or hard synthetic material might be used.
• the said cylindrical bar is connected to the said fixed profile with one or more springs in tension, so that said cylindrical bar is forced to move longitudinally towards its possible positions.
• the said springs allow to use the mechanism in all positions for all kinds of possible distance adjustments such as horizontally or upside down.
• the two said profiles are linked by a resilient means such as a spring or a pneumatic or hydraulic jack that tend to keep the said profiles away.
• a resilient means such as a spring or a pneumatic or hydraulic jack that tend to keep the said profiles away. This is to compensate the weight of the piece of which the height must be positioned, such as a billiard or pool or snooker table.
• the strength of the resilient means is always lower than the weight to move, the difference between the resilient strength and the weight being the necessary force to apply to put apart the profiles and make the mechanism work.
• one of the profiles is in contact with a first body and the other of the profiles is in contact with a second body, with motion of the profiles between the first • . position and the second position serving to adjust the distance between the bodies.
• a pocket ball holder that shows a low vertical TO dimension when it does not hold any ball, such as it can easily be placed in a slim table structure without seeing . .. it, even from a perfectly horizontal perspective, and that can stretch to be able to hold several balls when they are pocketed.
• any ..dinning table design even with an apron as low as 3 inches, • ; • : may contain in this thickness the billiard cushions, the billiard slate and the pockets without being seen from the .25 side of the table.
• the said ball holder may be of various horizontal dimensions ; ⁇ ⁇ " •• • and various tensions and elasticity of the membrane to allow
• a further object is to provide a combined mechanism that may be used to ' keep the balls in the pockets, without letting them- stretching the pocket holder, so that the balls remain ⁇ -entirely invisible when laying in the pockets, once the ⁇ table top is put on the table to convert the latter into a dining table.
• This invention allows also to provide a billiard table 5 pocket ball holder which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and durable. .
• a pool table pocket ball holder that 15 -shows a very thin vertical dimension includes an elastic membrane stretched below the game pocket holes in such a way ' .. ⁇ .. •' that several balls may drop and lie in the pocket. Once the .-•. . balls are removed, the pocket ball holder recovers its
• the membrane may be stretched between the edges of 20 a rectangular or differently shaped wire frame.
• FIG.l is a schematic perspective view of a traditional pool table
• FIG.2 is a schematic perspective view of a slim design dining table that may hide a regular pool table according to • ' 15 ⁇ '• this invention
• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the moving profile . of the height adjustment mechanism.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the fixed profile and the cylindrical bar of the height adjustment mechanism.
• FIG.4 is a side cut view of the cylindrical bar of the height adjustment mechanism.
• FIG.5 is a side cut view of the fixed profile of the height 30 adjustment mechanism.
• FIG.6 is a side cut view of the height adjustment mechanism . ' ⁇ at its lower position ⁇ ; ' ,FIG, 7 is a side cut view of the height adjustment mechanism at its upper position
• FIG.8 is a side cut view of the height adjustment mechanism .5 .while the moving part is moved upwards to unlock the said moving profile from its upper position
• FIG.9 is a side cut view of the height adjustment mechanism either during the downwards move of the moving profile 10 • towards its lower position or during the upwards move of the moving profile from its lower position.
• FIG.10 is a side cut view of the height adjustment mechanism showing the distribution of the forces transmitted by the .15 . moving profile to the fixed profile
• FIG.11 is a side cut view of the preferred embodiment of the ... height adjustment mechanism included in one billiard or pool or snooker table leg. 20
• FIG.12 is a schematic view of the mechanism with the use of an excentric pulley
• FIG.13 is a front cut view of the mechanism, showing the 25 possibility of maintaining the cylindrical bar with springs.
• FIG.14 is a view of a prior art mechanism.
• FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an existing pocket.
• FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another existing pocket
• FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an existing pocket liner.
• FIG. 18 is a view of a metal frame that can be used for the present invention
• FIG. 19 is partial view of the preferred pocket ball holder
• FIG. 20 is a side view of the pocket ball holder
• FIG. 21 is a side view of the pocket ball holder with balls 10.
• FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the bottom of the corner of -a pocket billiard table mounted with the pocket ball holder
• FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the sliding mechanism 15
• FIG. 24 is a side view of the corner of a sleek pocket . • ; -..billiard table mounted with the pocket ball holder
• the preferred embodiment of this invention is a combination of a dining table, even with a sleek design, that can be25 converted into a pocket billiard table such as a pool or a
• 30 may be as thin as 3 H" or 8.25 cm and contain as seen in
• FIG.26 the cushion 235 of a typical height of I H" or 44 mm ⁇ ;. '• ' y the H" or 19 mm slate 234, the- support 233 of the slate . . that may be a 5 mm thick steel corner fixed to the apron ; ' 231, the 5 mm synthetic foam fixed on the below surface. of " ⁇ • the slate, near the pockets, the pocket ball holder 220 of .typically 1/8 ' n or 3 mm , the sliding plate mechanism 240 and 241 with a thickness of about 4 mm fixed on the support . . 233, the small metal pieces 232 fixing the pocket ball .5 .holder 220 on the support 233 and adding a thickness of 2 . ; mm.
• the total thickness of all the elements is 77 mm which ⁇ is well smaller than the thickness of frame or apron.
• .diameter typically between 2 and 7 mm, although other type •15 of wires or profiles may be used.
• the profile of the wire . frame is flat to be as thin as possible as seen in FIG. 22, although different shapes might be used to better fit with .• the geometry of the table or to have fixings integrated to • . .... the said frame. 20
• . " . . PIG. 21 shows the elastic membrane 221 slightly stretched . around the wire frame.
• the elastic membrane may be a •. stretchable nylon cloth for example.
• the said membrane is fixed on the wire frame by sewing or gluing the membrane . 25 edge around the wire, or with small pins on the wire frame ⁇ • '...that catch the membrane, or with another frame of the same shape fixed on the complementary wire frame, or by any other - . means .
• the membrane When . the membrane is at rest, without holding any ball, the : ' - pocket billiard holder 220 is flat, as seen in FIG.22.
• the membrane 221 When .. ; balls are pocketed, the membrane 221 is stretched and allows . ' •- ' to hold . a number of balls, between 1 and 6, just like a .. : . regular leather or plastic pocket.
• the membrane recovers its original flat shape, as shown in FIG.22.
• the pocket ball holder is combined with a damping piece such as a synthetic foam of 2 to 10 mm typically, said damping piece being fixed by glue or by a double sided tape on the rear / below side of the slate near or around the hole, such that if balls are bouncing when they are pocketed due to the elastic membrane, the said balls don't hit the rear part of the slate but are damped instead.
• a damping piece such as a synthetic foam of 2 to 10 mm typically, said damping piece being fixed by glue or by a double sided tape on the rear / below side of the slate near or around the hole, such that if balls are bouncing when they are pocketed due to the elastic membrane, the said balls don't hit the rear part of the slate but are damped instead.
• a sliding mechanism as shown in FIG.25 is combined with the pocket ball holder, to allow to place balls in the holes without stretching the pocket ball holder. This is useful to have the balls available in the table when it is in the dining configuration. There is indeed not enough room between the slate and the table top to keep the balls.
• the sliding plate 241 By sliding the sliding plate 241 in its profile 240 that is fixed on the steel corner 233, the balls can be placed in the holes without stretching the pocket ball holder, so that they remain in the thickness of the table.apron, like the ball 236 shown in the FIG.26.
• the sliding plate 241 may be a thin metallic or plastic plate, and the holding profile 240 in which the sliding plate 241 moves may be in plastic or in metal for instance. In another embodiment, the balls may be stored in the legs of the table.
• the height adjustment mechanism of the present invention comprises three main parts, a fixed profile 14, slidably disposed into a moving profile 10, and a cylindrical bar 13 going through specifically shaped cavities 11 of the moving profile 10 and also through the specifically shaped cavities 12 of the fixed profile 14.
• the moving profile 10 with its specifically shaped cavities 11 may perfectly be smaller and slidably disposed into the fixed profile 14 with its specifically shaped cavities 12.
• the said cylindrical bar has a length at least of the external width of the external profile, the said width being from wall with the cavity to the opposite wall with the cavity, and the longitudinal position of said cylindrical bar may be maintained by 2 small pins or o-rings just inside the inner profile.
• the moving profile 10 is in contact with a first body such as the bed of a pool or billiard or snooker table, while the fixed profile 14 is in contact with a second body such as the floor, and in case of a pool or billiard or snooker table to which the height must be adjusted to transform the said table to a dinning table and vice versa, the mechanism of the present invention may be located in each leg of the table.
• the moving profile 10 In its lower position as in FIG. 8, the moving profile 10 is maintained at the end 50 of its cavity 11 by the cylindrical bar 13, the said cylindrical bar 13 being maintained by the edge 60 of the cavity 12 pertaining to the fixed profile 14.
• the cylindrical bar 13 stays roughly in the same area of the cavity 12, because the said cylindrical bar is maintained by the edge 51 of the cavity 11, until the area 52 of the cavity 11 allows the said cylindrical bar 13 to go by gravity or pulled by its springs 100 to the detent 61 of the cavity 12.
• the moving profile 10 is moved upwards, and the cylindrical bar 13 is then rolling or sliding along the edge 54 of the cavity 11, up to the corner 55 of the cavity 11, at which position the moving profile 10 can not be move upwards further, as shown in FIG.8.
• the cylindrical bar 13 is first staying in the detent 63 of the cavity 12, until the edge 56 of the cavity 11 forces the said cylindrical bar 13 to quit its position and roll or slide on the edge 60 of the cavity 12 and be stopped by the edge 51 of the cavity 11, as shown in FIG.11.
• the profile of the edge 56 of the cavity 11 is important to assure that the cylindrical bar 13 moves off its position from the detent 63 of the cavity 12 easily, and that the said cylindrical bar 13 goes on the edge 60 of the cavity 12 only once the edge 53 of the cavity 11 is below the said cylindrical bar 13.
• the profile of both cavities 11 and 12 is such that at its upper and lower position, the mechanism of the present invention is locked, and stable without any slack horizontally.
• a free motion or slack 80 is necessary to let the inside profile sliding easily.
• the force Fl corresponding to the weight of the body such as a pool table applied on the mechanism minus the strength of the resilient meansif any, is transferred through the cylindrical bar 13 to the fixed profile 14, the contact point between the said cylindrical bar 13 and the fixed profile 14 being on the edge 62 of the cavity 12 pertaining to the fixed profile 14.
• the resulting force F2 may be decomposed in one horizontal force F3 and in one vertical force F4.
• the said force F4 being of the same intensity as the applied force Fl, the horizontal force F3 depends on the angle of the said edge 62. More the angle is high, tending the edge to the vertical, more the horizontal force is high.
• the preferred value for the angle of the edge 62 is anywhere between 40° and 70°.
• the reacting force of the force F3 applied on the fixed profile 14 is the force F5, applied on the moving profile 10 through the cylindrical bar 13.
• the preferred embodiment of the height adjustment mechanism comprises a fixed profile 14 standing on the floor through the piece 75, and a moving profile 10 connected to the bed of a pool or billiard or snooker table through a leg 70.
• four mechanism are disposed each in one such leg 70, and the height adjustment mechanism allows to position such a table either in the upper pool position or in the lower dinning position, the distance between both position being typically three inches or 7.6 cm. In its dining position, the table is covered by tops resting on the cushions.
• a resilient means such as the spring 71 is pushing or pulling as shown in the FIG.13 the moving profile upwards. This is to compensate the weight of the pool table and help the user to adjust the height with few effort.
• the tension delivered by the spring or the resilient means is always lower than the weight that the mechanism must adjust, the difference between the weight to adjust and the strength of the resilient meansbeing the necessary force to move the mechanism and make it work.
• the spring is in tension and fixed on its upper end to the fixed profile 14 through an bar 72 and on its lower end to the moving profile 10 through an bar 73.
• the moving profile being in this example outside the fixed profile, a cavity 74 in the fixed profile 14 is performed, to allow the bar 73 pertaining to the moving profile 10 to move.
• the spring 71 or the resilient means is attached to the moving profile 10 with a cable 79 through an excentric pulley 77, the geometric center of the said pulley 77 being Cl and the bar 76 around which the pulley 77 can turn is attached to the fixed of the profiles.
• the cable is fixed on the pulley such that it doesn't slide on the said pulley 77.
• the excentricity between the geometric center Cl of the pulley 77 and the rotation bar 76 of the pulley 77 is noted d, and the radius of the pulley 77 is noted R.
• the position of the pulley 77 when the moving part 10 is at its lower position is with the geometric center Cl of the pulley vertically over the pulley bar 76.
• the position of the pulley 77 at the upper position of the moving profile 10 is when the center of geometry C2 of the pulley is horizontally to the right of the pulley bar 76.
• the pulley 78 is actually the position of the pulley 77 once the moving profile 10 is at its upper position. With the right choice of the said excentricity d and the radius R of the said pulley 77, it is possible to keep almost constant the force necessary to move upwards the moving profile 10, and have the same force at the end of the move than initially.
• the force of the spring 71 is decreased by the value k.x as the moving profile 10 moves upwards. This diminution is however compensated by the excentricity of the pulley 77 due to the creation of an increasing lever arm in the right side of the pulley in the FIG. 14 while the moving profile 10 goes upwards.
• the excentricity correction is given by the factor (R+d.sin (x/R) ) / (R-d. sin(x/R) ) , always greater than 1 for x/R varying from zero to PI/2 or 90°.
• the cylindrical bar may be maintained and pulled downwards by two springs 99 through a facultative piece 98, the said springs being fixed on an bar 97 pertaining to the fixed profile 14.
• these springs 99 ensure that the cylindrical bar 13 will never be positioned other than perpendicularly to the cavities 10 and 12. It also guarantee that the said cylindrical bar 13 will remain in place during the transportation of the mechanism.

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• Combinations Of Kitchen Furniture (AREA)
• Tables And Desks Characterized By Structural Shape (AREA)

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• 2008
  • 2008-06-20 US US12/665,487 patent/US20100173718A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-06-20 EP EP08757053A patent/EP2170473A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-06-20 WO PCT/BE2008/000045 patent/WO2008154709A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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