US 7,096,797 B2Granted

Portable collapsible table and game board

OwnerMelanie A. Sharpe, Anton J. Sharpeinventors

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Abstract

A portable collapsible table or tray having multiple wooden panels hinged to each other from underneath by a piece of fabric. The panels fold in a zigzag manner into a compact, folded form which is easily carried in a bag. The panels are secured to form a rigid table surface by inserting removable support rods laterally and crosswise through the wooden panels. The end panels each receive a locking rod at its respective outer side. Support panels having handle cutouts and legs are attached at each end of the table by hinges. These support panels have bores therethrough for inserting the support pins, and are thus locked in place, along with the wooden surface panels when the rods are inserted. The support panels fold with the surface panels when the support rods are removed forming a compact configuration. A game board version without support panels is provided.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A portable collapsible table or game board, comprising:

a plurality of slat-like panels, each panel having an upper surface and a lower surface defining a thickness, opposed inner and outer sides, and opposed ends;
a flexible web;
said plurality of slat-like panels being attached to said web along one of said upper surface and said lower surface and located mutually adjacent;
said panels being connected to said web at their respective upper surfaces, wherein said panels include two adjacent inner panels and two outer panels, the inner sides of which are adjacent respective outer sides of said inner panels;
said flexible web forming hinges for allowing the folding of said adjacent panels into a collapsed configuration and the unfolding of said adjacent panels into a set-up configuration;
a hinge web fastened to said inner panel lower surfaces forming a hinge for allowing the folding of said inner panels into said collapsed configuration and the unfolding thereof into said set-up configuration;
and
means for engaging adjacent panels to form a rigid table or game board having an upper surface in the set-up configuration and for disengaging said adjacent panels to form the collapsed configuration;
said means for engaging and disengaging adjacent panels comprising slot pin locks located proximate the ends of said adjacent panels, said slot pin locks having a lock handle, a sliding pin, a stem connecting said lock handle and said sliding pin, said stem being perpendicular to said sliding pin, said sliding pin having an insertion portion, one of said adjacent panels having a lock pin receiving slot extending inward from its respective adjacent side, proximate and spaced from its said end, the other of said adjacent panels having a lock pin retraction slot extending inward from its adjacent respective side and aligned with said lock pin receiving slot when in the open position, said retraction slot including an inner lock pin slot and an open stem groove for receiving said slot pin lock stem, said groove being formed by opposed open groove walls.

6 more elements

A portable collapsible table or game board, comprising:

a plurality of slat-like panels, each panel having an upper surface and a lower surface defining a thickness, opposed inner and outer sides, and opposed ends;
a flexible web;
said plurality of slat-like panels being attached to said web along one of said upper surface and said lower surface and located mutually adjacent;
said panels being connected to said web at their respective lower surfaces;
said panels including two adjacent inner panels and two outer panels, the inner sides of which are adjacent respective outer sides of said inner panels;
said flexible web forming hinges for allowing the folding of said adjacent panels into a collapsed configuration and the unfolding of said adjacent panels into a set-up configuration;
said flexible web forms hinges between said respective inner panels and said outer panels by extending upward and then downward between and are connected to the respective outer sides of said inner panels and the inner sides of said outer panels, so as to form hinges at said upper surface of said rigid table or game board;
said outer sides of said outer panels forming opposed ends of said table or game board when in said rigid configuration and the collective said ends of said inner and said outer panels forming opposed sides of said table or game board;
at least one support rod receiver defined by said panels and extending through an end of said table or game board formed by one of said outer sides of said outer panels and extending laterally and crosswise through at least said outer panel and both said inner panels;
an insertable and removable support rod corresponding to each said support rod receiver for extending through said support rod receiver;
whereby, upon insertion of said support rod into its corresponding support rod receiver, a rigid table or game board is formed having an upper surface and a lower surface when in the set-up configuration for use;
and
whereby, upon removal of said support rods, the collapsed configuration is formed when folded for storage.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/845,612Filed 14 May 2004
Published: US 2005/0252422 A117 Nov 2005
Granted: 29 Aug 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A63F 3/0023
Characteristics of game boards, alone or in relation to supporting structures or playing piece: foldable, rollable, collapsible or segmented boards
A47B 3/00
Folding or stowable tables
A47B 23/001
Bed-tables; Trays; Reading-racks; Book-rests, i.e. items used in combination with something else: trays, e.g. with foldable legs
A47B 25/00
Card tables