Table tennis table, conversion kit and associated method

A kit for modifying a table tennis table including a main panel defining a playing surface and having a pair of opposing edges, said table further including a frame connected to said playing surface for supporting said playing surface in a horizontal orientation, said kit comprising:

• a pair of substantially rigid auxiliary panels;
• adjustable mounting elements for attaching said auxiliary panels to said frame along respective ones of said edges so that said auxiliary panels have a first orientation extending substantially perpendicular to and downwardly from said playing surface and an alternate second orientation substantially coplanar with said playing surface to extend said playing surface;
• and
• a net connectable perpendicular to said playing surface and extending transversely along a midline thereof.

A method for modifying a table tennis table to provide alternative games, said table tennis table including a main panel defining a playing surface and having a pair of opposing edges, said table further including a frame connected to said playing surface for supporting said playing surface in a horizontal orientation, said method comprising:

• providing a pair of auxiliary panels;
• mounting said auxiliary panels to said frame along respective ones of said opposing edges;
• after mounting said auxiliary panels to said frame along said opposing edges, moving said auxiliary panels relative to said main panel so that said auxiliary panels are connected to said main panel and have a first orientation extending substantially perpendicularly relative to said playing surface;
• and
• subsequently moving said auxiliary panels relative to said main panel so that said auxiliary panels are connected to said main panel and have a second orientation substantially coplanar with said playing surface to extend said playing surface.

A method for modifying a table tennis table to provide alternative games, said table tennis table including a main panel defining a playing surface having a pair of opposing edges, said table further including a frame connected to said main panel for supporting said main panel in a horizontal orientation, said method comprising:

• providing a pair of auxiliary panels;
• mounting said auxiliary panels to said frame along respective ones of said opposing edges so that said auxiliary panels extend in a substantially coplanar configuration with said playing surface to form an extended playing surface;
• providing the extended playing surface with a net extending perpendicular upward from and transversely across a midline of said extended playing surface;
• subsequently moving said auxiliary panels out of said coplanar configuration so that said main panel forms a conventional playing surface;
• and
• providing the table having the conventional playing surface with a shorter net extending perpendicular upwards and transversely along the mid-line across the conventional playing surface.

A method for using a table tennis table, comprising:

• attaching a plate or board to a table tennis table approximately along a midline thereof so that at least a portion of said board extends above a table tennis net extending along said midline;
• after attaching of said plate or board to said table, hitting a ball against said plate or board so that the ball rebounds from said plate or board;
• and
• hitting the rebounding ball again against said plate or board.