PROCESS FOR FORMING A TABLE TOP
A method of forming a table top comprises providing a skin-support frame, forming a lower skin portion of the table top, forming an upper skin portion of the table top such that the upper skin portion has a visual characteristic different from a visual characteristic of the lower skin portion.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/743,423, filed Mar. 7, 2006, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDThe present disclosure relates to a table top, and particularly to a process for forming a table top.
SUMMARYAccording to the present disclosure, a method of forming a table top comprises the steps of providing a skin-support frame, forming a lower skin portion of the table top, forming an upper skin portion of the table top such that the upper skin portion has a visual characteristic different from a visual characteristic of the lower skin portion, and positioning the upper skin portion and lower skin portion relative to each other so as to provide an interior region containing the skin-support frame. Illustratively, the visual characteristic is a color so that the upper skin portion has a first color and the lower skin portion has a second color different from the first color. In other examples, the visual characteristic may be in the form of a different texture, wood grain pattern, or the like.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
A table top 10 includes a table top skin unit 12 enclosing a frame 14 of table top 10, as shown, for example, diagrammatically in
Upper skin 16 includes a top surface 17 and an edge surface 19. As suggested in
Lower skin 20 includes a bottom surface 15 and an edge surface 29. As suggested in
Table top 10 is formed by positioning upper and lower skins 16, 20 relative to each other such that a portion of each edge surface 19, 29 is exposed and positioning frame 14 to lie in interior region 21. After the positioning of upper and lower skins 16, 20, coupling of upper skin 16 to lower skin 20 completes the process.
A skin-formation system 24 in accordance with the present disclosure may be used to form each skin 16, 20, as shown, for example, in
Cooling rollers, strip movers, and any number of other strip-treatment devices may be included in system 24. For example, system 24 may be configured to coordinate the constant output of extruder 26 with the “batch” processing of a shape former 34 (e.g., a thermoformer or a vacuum former) downstream from extruder 26 relative to movement of strip 28. In other examples, system 24 may have a strip cutter (not shown) arranged to cut strip 28 into individual sheets to be subsequently fed to shape former 34.
Shape former 34 is configured to form strip 28 or individual sheets thereof into the desired shape for the respective skin 16, 20. Former 34 may be used to form a texture in skin 16, 20.
A single shape former 34 may be used for each skin 16, 20 by use of different molds in the case where skins 16, 20 have different shapes or the same mold may be used for each skin 16, 20 in cases where skins 16, 20 have the same shape. In other examples, multiple shape formers 34 may be used to form skins 16, 20.
As suggested above, shape former 34 may be, for example, a thermoformer or a vacuum former. In the case of a thermoformer, the thermoformer is configured to thermoform strip 28 or sheets thereof into the desired shape by use of heat and mechanical pressure. In the case of a vacuum former, the vacuum former is configured to form strip 28 or sheets thereof into the desired shape by use of heat and vacuum pressure.
Shape former 34 may be configured in any number of other ways to form skins 16, 20. For example, former 34 may form skins 16, 20 by blow-molding, or injection-molding, to name just a few.
A trimmer (not shown) may be included in system 24 downstream from shape former 34. In such a case, the trimmer is used to trim excess material from skins 16, 20.
Table top 10 is assembled after formation of skins 16, 20. To do so, frame 14 and, in some cases, a core associated with frame 14 are placed on lower skin 20. In cases where there is a core, frame 14 extends along a periphery of lower skin 20 adjacent to edge surface 29 and the core is placed within frame 14. Upper skin 16 is then coupled to lower skin 20 to retain frame 14 (and an associated core) in interior region 21 formed between skins 16, 20 to complete the assembly.
A table top 110 includes a skin unit 112 having an upper skin 116 and a lower skin 120, as shown, for example, in
Lower skin 120 is formed of a plastics material (e.g., ABS) surrounding a core 126 (e.g., honeycomb or corrugated). A tubular frame 114 may extend along a periphery 130 of lower skin 120 to peripherally surround core 126. Lower skin 120 may be formed by use of extruder 26 in combination with a die (not show) to produce the cross-section of lower skin 120. End caps (not shown) or other closures may be added to the ends of lower skin 120 to close the ends thereof. Other manufacturing methods may be used to form lower skin 120 to have the illustrated enclosure shape.
Upper skin 116 is formed of a plastics material (e.g., ABS) by use of the system 24. Shape former 34 forms skin 116 to have a peripheral wall or edge surface 128 including first characteristic 116.
During assembly of table top 110, upper skin 116 is fitted onto skin 120 such that edge surface 128′ overlaps and mates against a peripheral wall or edge surface 130 of lower skin 120, as shown, for example, in
In the embodiment shown in
A table top 210 includes a skin unit 212 having an upper skin 216 and a lower skin 220, as shown, for example, in
Upper and lower skins 216, 220 are coupled to one another along the periphery of table top 210. An edge surface 228 of upper skin 216 is coupled to an edge surface 230 of lower skin 220 by a suitable mechanism such, as for example, glue, adhesive, or ultrasonic welding. A partition 223 in the form of a parting line is defined between edge surface 228 and edge surface 230 to expose a lower portion or reveal 232 of edge surface 230 having second characteristic 22 contrasted against first characteristic 18 of edge surface 228.
Skins 216, 220 cooperate to define an interior region 221. Interior region 221 contains a core 227 (e.g., corrugated or honeycomb) surrounded by a frame 214 extending along the periphery of table top 210.
A table top 310 includes a skin unit 312 having an upper skin 316 and a lower skin 320, as shown, for example, in
Upper and lower skins 316, 320 include edge surfaces 328, 330. Edge surfaces 328, 330 cooperate to form a slot 329 therebetween. A partition 323 in the form of a T-shaped bumper 323 extends through slot 329 into a slot 331 formed in a peripherally-extending frame 314 mounted in an interior region 321 defined between skins 316, 320. A core 321 (e.g., corrugated or honeycomb) is located in interior region 321 and surrounded by frame 314. Edge surfaces 328, 330 exhibit first and second characteristics 18, 22 for viewing by an observer of table top 310.
In illustrative embodiments, frame 314 and core 321 are glued to lower skin 320 to align slot 331. Similarly, upper skin 316 is glued to an upper surface of frame 314 and core 321 to form slot 329. A portion of T-shaped bumper 323 is arranged to extend through slot 329 and into slot 331.
Claims
1. A method of forming a table top, the method comprising
- providing a skin-support frame,
- forming a lower skin portion of a table top having an edge surface peripherally surrounding a bottom surface of the lower skin portion to form an interior region,
- forming an upper skin portion of the table top having an edge surface peripherally surrounding a top surface of the upper skin portion to form an interior region and such that the upper skin portion has a visual characteristic different from a visual characteristic of the lower skin portion,
- positioning the upper and lower skin portions relative to each other such that a portion of each edge surface is exposed and the skin supporting frame lies in the interior region of the upper and lower skin portions, and
- coupling the upper skin portion to the lower skin portion.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper skin portion visual characteristic is a color and the lower skin visual characteristic is another color different than the color of the upper skin portion.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion are formed of a plastics material and the color is a colorant uniformly dispersed throughout the extent of the plastics material.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual characteristic of the upper and lower skin portions is a film coupled to an upper and lower skin portion surface, the film having a predetermined imprinted pattern.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined pattern imprinted on the film is a wood grain pattern.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper skin portion visual characteristic and lower skin visual characteristic is a texture formed on the upper and lower skin portions.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper skin portion is ultrasonically welded to the lower skin portion to provide the table top.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower skin portions are positioned relative to each other such that the edge surfaces partially overlap.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower skin portion surrounds the skin-support frame.
10. The method of claim 1, further including a T-shaped bumper, and wherein the upper and lower skin portion edge surfaces cooperate to form a slot arranged to receive a portion of the T-shaped bumper.
11. A method of forming a table top, the method comprising
- providing a skin-support frame including a tubular frame arranged to peripherally surround a core,
- forming a lower skin portion of a table top arranged to surround the skin-support frame including an edge surface peripherally surrounding a bottom surface of the lower skin portion,
- forming an upper skin portion of the table top having an edge surface peripherally surrounding a top surface of the upper skin portion to form an interior region and such that the upper skin portion has a color different from a color of the lower skin portion,
- positioning the upper and lower skin portions relative to each other such that a portion of each edge surface is exposed, and
- coupling the upper skin portion to the lower skin portion such that the edge surfaces partially overlap.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the upper skin portion color and lower skin color is a film coupled to the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion, the film having a predetermined pattern imprinted on the film.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined pattern imprinted on the film is a wood grain pattern.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the core includes a corrugated material.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the upper skin portion visual characteristic and lower skin visual characteristic is a texture formed on the upper and lower skin portions.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the upper skin portion and the lower skin portion are formed of a plastics material and the color is a colorant uniformly dispersed throughout the extent of the plastics material.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the upper skin portion is ultrasonically welded to the lower skin portion to provide the table top.
18. A method of forming a table top, the method comprising
- providing a skin-support frame including a tubular frame arranged to peripherally surround a core, the tubular frame formed to include a tab-receiving slot,
- forming a lower skin portion of a table top having an edge surface peripherally surrounding a bottom surface of the lower skin portion to form an interior region,
- forming an upper skin portion of the table top having an edge surface peripherally surrounding a top surface of the upper skin portion to form an interior region and such that the upper skin portion has a visual characteristic different from a visual characteristic of the lower skin portion,
- positioning the upper and lower skin portions relative to each other on the frame and coupling such that a portion of each edge surface is exposed and the skin supporting frame lies in the interior region of the upper and lower skin portions,
- coupling the upper skin portion to the lower skin portion such that the upper and lower skin portion edge surfaces cooperate to form a tab-receiving slot arranged in alignment relative to the tubular frame tab-receiving slot, and
- providing a T-shaped bumper extending into the tab-receiving slots.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the upper skin portion visual characteristic is a color and the lower skin visual characteristic is another color different than the color of the upper skin portion.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the visual characteristic of the upper and lower skin portions is a film coupled to an upper and lower skin portion surface, the film having a predetermined imprinted pattern.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 6, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2007
Applicant: COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventor: Larry Voris (Nashville, IN)
Application Number: 11/682,667
International Classification: A47B 57/00 (20060101);