FIELD OF THE INVENTION The current invention relates to the furniture field, more specifically to a table that is adapted to be a room partition
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many instances in which it may be desirable to partition off certain sections of a room For example, in settings such as in a social hall or the like, often a room will be larger than necessary for a given group. To section off a portion of the room, movable, temporary partitions are commonly used.
There are many instances in which it may be desirable to partition off certain sections of a room. For example, in settings such as in a social hall or the like, often a room will be larger than necessary for a given group. To section off a portion of the room, movable, temporary partitions are commonly used.
Movable partitions—which typically consist of vertically supported panels or wall sections—are widely used; however, they suffer numerous disadvantages. The partitions are often quite large and unwieldy. As a result, they require a significant amount of storage space, which oftentimes is at a premium. Partitions must also be carried from storage to use, which can be time-consuming, disruptive and requires a great deal of effort.
There is, therefore, a need for partitions that are require minimal storage space and that are quickly and conveniently deployable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other advantages are realized with the combination table and partition of the current invention—wherein a partition is designed to be an integral part of a table. The partition conveniently rests on the tabletop or hangs down therefrom like a skirt when not in use. When a partition is desired, the partition section is raised and locked into place along the length of the table.
Embodiments of the invention thus allow for room partitions to be easily stored without requiring extra storage place. In addition, when a partition is desired—it is available at or near the exact location that it is needed. When the partition is no longer needed, it is quickly and easily returned to its storage position—as an integral part of the table. This presents a vast improvement over the prior art whereby multiple, bulky partitions must be stored, carried and returned to storage after use
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a table shown with its partition hanging down according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a side, perspective view of the table of FIG. 1 with its partition deployed according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is front, perspective view of the table and partition of FIG. 2, shown locked in place according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the table of FIGS. 1-3 with its partition deployed and locked in place.
FIG. 4a is an enlarged view of a joint between a partition and table according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a table with a partition resting on the tabletop according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the table of FIG. 5 with the partition deployed to an upstanding position.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the joint between the table and partition of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a real, perspective view of the table and partition of FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a front, perspective view of a table and a partition having a fabric surface according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9a is a front, perspective view of the table of FIG. 9, with its partition hanging down according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 is a front view of a table having rotatable blocking members for securing a partition in place according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 11 is a front view of a table and partition having telescoping members according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 12 is a side view of a table and partition positioned on the underside and substantially parallel to the tabletop according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 is a side, perspective view of a table and partition having a main partition and an additional segment according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 is a front, perspective view of a table having two partition segments—one extending from the table top and upwardly and one descending from the table top downwardly—according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the drawings in which the same reference numerals identify the same elements of structure in each of the several figures.
FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of the invention. As shown, a standard table—having a tabletop 22 defining a plane substantially parallel to the ground and supported by legs 24 also is provided with a downward hanging panel 26, which is deployable for use as a partition. Note that in this document, the view shown in FIG. 1 is the “side” of the table, the side to which the panel 26 is attached is the “rear” and the side opposite thereof is the “front.”
Referring to FIG. 2, tabletop 22 has a thickness along its rear length 28 to which the partition 26 is hingedly connected. Partition 26 has a length 32, a width 34 and a thickness 36. A hinge having one leaf 37 fixed to rear length 28 of tabletop 22 and a second leaf 38 fixed to the outside face 40 of partition 26 joins the partition 26 to the table top 22. The hinge knuckle 42 faces outward (i.e. in the direction facing away from the table). This configuration allows for the partition 26 to be rotated by roughly 180° about the axis of hinge knuckle 42 from a downward hanging vertical orientation below and substantially orthogonal to the tabletop 22 (as shown in FIG. 1)—to an upstanding vertical position above and substantially orthogonal to tabletop 22 (as shown in FIG. 2). When the partition 26 is so raised to an upstanding position, its bottom thickness 36a rests on tabletop 22.
Once placed in an upstanding vertical position (as shown in FIG. 2) the tabletop 22 presents a physical barrier to further rotation of the hinge in the direction toward the front of the table. With the partition so positioned, no specific structures or mechanisms are required to prevent frontward rotation thereof. However, to ensure that partition 26, does not rotate rearward (i.e. toward hanging position), a securing mechanism is provided for preventing the partition from dropping toward its hanging position.
In one embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 3 a hook and eye 44 is provided—with the hook, for example, inserted on the movable partition 26 and the eye inserted on the stationary table portion. The hook and eye are positioned, such that when the partition 26 is raised and is resting on the surface of tabletop 22—the hook and eye are spaced apart such that the hook could be rotated and inserted into the eye.
FIG. 4 shows a side view of a table with its partition deployed and resting on the top surface of tabletop 22 and secured in place by way of a hook and eye. FIG. 4a shows an enlarged view of the hinged joint between partition 26 and tabletop 22 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.
In another embodiment of the invention, a partition folds directly onto to the surface of the tabletop. In this embodiment, the rear face 40 of partition 26 serves as the tabletop surface when it is in storage position.
Referring to FIG. 5, a partition 26 is shown having a width 34 that is slightly longer than that of tabletop 22. As such, when partition 26 is laid directly on top of tabletop 22 with top thickness 36b substantially aligned with the front of tabletop 22, the bottom portion of partition 26 slightly overhangs from the rear side of the table. The overhanging area 41 is wide enough to receive a leaf of a hinge 38. The second hinge leaf 37 is attached to the rear thickness 28 of tabletop 22. In this manner, partition 22 could be lifted upward and rearward until partition 22 is brought to upstanding orientation.
When partition is so deployed and vertically oriented, rear thickness 28 (alternatively referred to as “rear length” herein) prevents any further movement of the partition in the direction toward the rear of the table. However, to ensure that the partition does not fall forward (i.e. returning to its resting position on the surface of tabletop) a locking mechanism is provided for locking the partition 22 to the side of the table.
As shown in FIG. 5, a hook (or eye) is attached to bottom thickness 36a of partition 22, which mates with an eye (or hook) located on the underside of tabletop 22. When partition is raised to a vertical orientation (as shown in FIG. 6) hook and eye 44 members are brought into close enough proximity to each other to be engaged. Locking the partition in this fashion temporarily joins the bottom portion of the partition to the table and prevents forward movement of the same. FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of the hinged joint between partition 26 and tabletop 22.
FIG. 8 shows a rear, perspective view of the table and partition of FIG. 6. It should be noted that rear surface 40 acts as a tabletop when the partition is in its resting position (as shown in FIG. 5) and, as such, surface 40 is preferably smoothly finished to achieve tabletop quality.
It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that partitions need not be comprised of solid material. In some embodiments of the invention, partition 26a comprises a solid frame that supports a fabric or such similar soft material.
FIG. 9 shows a partition 26a, which comprises a substantially rectangular solid frame 48 having two substantially parallel horizontal support members 49a, 49b and two substantially parallel vertical members 51a, 51b A segment of fabric 50 having outside dimensions that are roughly the same as the inside dimensions of the frame is attached to and held within the frame 48 In one embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 9a, frame 48 is hingedly attached to tabletop 22 in a manner similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1-4. In this embodiment, when frame 48 is lowered to its resting position (i.e. hanging down from the rear of the table), fabric 50 serves as a decorative table skirt (as shown in FIG. 9a).
It will be understood that partitions of the invention, when deployed, may be secured in place using any of various securing mechanisms known in the art. For example, in the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 1-8, a hook and eye was described as a temporary locking device for securing the partition in place. However, any of various securing mechanisms or male/female engagements may be utilized. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill that a “securing mechanism” refers to any device, hardware or mechanical design that presents a physical obstacle to substantial lateral movement of the partition when it is in a deployed position.
For example, FIG. 9 shows a bolt 52 (handle portion showing) that is guided by a track 54 and which inserts into a cavity or receiving chamber 56 disposed on the table portion. In FIG. 9, the bolt 52 is shown positioned on the side thickness 36 of the partition 48 and the receiving chamber 56 is provided on the table portion, however, the bolt may alternatively be positioned on the table portion—with the chamber 56 on the partition.
As another example, FIG. 10 shows blocking members 58 that are pivotably connected to rear thickness 28 of a table. Blocking members 58 comprise a slender piece of material such as wood, metal, hard plastic or the like that is attached to rear thickness 28 by way of a pivot, such as a screw 60 or rivet in its general center. When not in use, members 58 are pivoted to rest horizontally along thickness 28. However, when partition 26a is deployed, members 58 may be swiveled upward, thereby presenting a physical barrier to lateral (rearward) movement of partition 26a. Preferably, a catch or trap 59 is positioned to maintain member 58 in place when rotated vertically (and/or when resting horizontally—although not shown).
In one embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 11, a partition 26b comprises a frame with a fabric insert similar to the one described with reference to FIGS. 9-11. However, parallel vertical members 51a, 51b—rather than being a solid, fixed flame member—are instead telescoping members that are capable of expanding and retreating. A fabric segment 50b is attached at its top to horizontal member 49b and at its bottom to horizontal member 49a. The height of the fabric (i.e. top to bottom) is roughly equal to the height defined by the distance between horizontal member 49a and horizontal member 49b when telescoping members 51a, 51b are extended to their maximum extension. When telescoping members 51a, 51b are not extended to the maximum, there is some degree of slack in the fabric.
In another embodiment of the invention, and as shown in FIG. 12 a partition may be stored on the underside of the tabletop—and substantially out of view. The partition is hingedly connected to the tabletop in a manner allowing for approximate 270° of rotation from a substantially horizontal orientation on the underside of the table to a vertical orientation substantially above and orthogonal thereto.
As shown in FIG. 12 a partition 64 (shown in dotted lines) is hingedly connected to the underside of tabletop 22. The length of partition 64 is preferably somewhat shorter than the distance between a first set of legs on one side of the table and a second set of legs on the other side of the table. In this manner, partition 64 fits between the sets of table legs and is free to swing from a resting position on the underside of the table (and substantially parallel thereto) to be deployed (and returned thereafter). A securing mechanism is provided for securing the partition 64 in place on the underside of tabletop 22.
In a preferred embodiment, a partition is approximately 3′ in width. For a table whose tabletop stands at about 3′ off the ground, the partition will reach about 6′ in height. If a higher partition is desired, embodiments of the invention allow for some extension thereof.
In one embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 13, a solid partition similar to those described in reference to FIGS. 1-8 is provided with an additional segment 66 that folds back onto the main partition 26 and that may be deployed when extra height is desired. As shown in FIG. 13, segment 66 is hingedly connected to main partition 26. When additional height is desired, segment 66 is rotated upwardly (in the direction of arrow 67a). When not being deployed, segment 66 rests on the rear side of partition main partition 26. Segment 66 is lowered from a deployed position to a resting position by being rotated in the direction shown be arrow 67b.
FIG. 14 shows yet another embodiment of the invention, whereby a partition comprises two segments—one segment 68 extending from the tabletop and upward and another segment 70 extending from the tabletop to the floor. For example, a table may comprise a first partition that rests on the surface of a tabletop as shown in FIG. 5 and a second partition that rests in the underside of the tabletop as shown in FIG. 12. The first partition rises to a vertical position, above and substantially orthogonal to the tabletop 22, and the second partition lowers to a vertical position, below and substantially orthogonal to tabletop 22. In another embodiment, the vertical parallel members described with reference to the partition of FIG. 11 extend downwardly in addition to extending upwardly. An attached fabric segment selves as a bottom segment of a partition.
In another embodiment of the invention, a partition is provided with clamps at or near its bottom length. The clamps are correspondingly sized to grip a tabletop thickness. In this manner, the partition may be selectively clamped onto the tabletop and easily removed.
Having described this invention with regard to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitation since further modifications and variations may be apparent or may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the present application cover all such modifications and variation as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
