Swing wing

Abstract

A universal, adjustable horizontal table for use primarily with a porch or lawn swing or glider. The horizontal table is adjusted to fit existing commercially available porch or lawn swings or gliders through the use of adjustable mounting brackets, adjustable mounting bracket guide slots, and adjustable mounting bracket holding pins or screws. Optional pre-drilled holes for a cross member hold down strap can be placed on the converse or bottom side of the horizontal table shelf. The horizontal table shelf will be made from any durable, rigid, and weather resistant material such as hardwood, composite wood, composite plastics or metal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a flat surface structure that can be added to any typical porch swing, lawn swing or glider for use as a table to hold books, drinks, sunglasses, etc. The Swing Wing is designed to be easily adapted to a variety of manufactured porch swings and thus is universal to all brands of porch swings. The inventor, one summer day, was idly swinging in her porch swing sipping a cool glass of lemonade and reading a book. She had to keep reaching down to the floor of her deck to place her drink or her book, when it occurred to her that a flat surfaced, horizontal table like structure could be easily adapted to the cross member on her porch swing. Thus was born the idea of the Swing Wing. Any person who has ever wanted to idle some time away in a relaxing porch swing, but still have items handy, such as a drink, a portable phone, eyeglasses, etc. will quickly see the value of this invention. While there are many porch swings and gliders available today, very few have a table like structure that can be used to place everyday items a person may use while sitting in the swing. Thus, it would be highly desirable to have a solution that addresses the need to adapt a universal and adjustable table to many of the commercially available porch swings and gliders.

PRIOR ART

Various porch swing tables exist in prior art. These tables are primarily attached to and formed with the entire swing or glider apparatus. None provide for a removable, installable and universal table that attaches directly to a swing's A frame cross member bar. Examples of prior art are discussed as follows.

U.S. Pat. No. D287, 910 issued to inventor discloses a design for a swing apparatus with a table attached to the support. This is a design patent with an ornamental swing design that incorporates two plural shelf units as shown and described in its accompanying drawings.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,273 issued to inventor discloses a glider with side tables. These stationary side tables' assemblies extend upwards from each lateral frame component. The side tables are configured to extend laterally outward from the sides of the glider and are stationary allowing the seat portion or bench portion of the glider to movably swing, while not interfering with such motion. The key word here is stationary. The table portion of this design is affixedly attached to this particular swing/glider and is not universal or removable.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,319 issued to inventor Tseng teaches a swing chair assembly that includes a support unit, and a seat unit. The seat unit includes a chair member with a horizontal seat portion and an upright backrest portion, and a table unit disposed adjacent to the seat portion of the chair member. The table unit has a horizontal table shelf disposed in a raised position with respect to the seat portion of the chair member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This unique and novel invention, inspired by personal experience while using a porch swing, addresses the issue discussed above. It is intended for use on a variety of porch swings and gliders and can be easily adapted to fit a range of said porch swings and gliders.

The basic design of this device is very simple and its very simplicity makes it highly unique and useful. The device, in general, is comprised of a main horizontal, rectangular table shelf made of some strong material such as injected molded plastic; or wood such as teak or oak; composite wood; composite plastic or metal. Built into the underside of the table shelf are adjustable mounting brackets, an adjustable bracket mounting holes, adjustable mounting bracket guides and adjustable mounting bracket holding screws. The horizontal table shelf is disposed in a raised position with respect to the swing's supporting A-frame cross member.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a universal, adjustable, table shelf that can be fitted to a variety of extant porch swings or gliders.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a universal, adjustable, table attachment for lawn swing, porch swings, and the ilk that comprises relatively simple materials, is relatively lightweight and durable, and is relatively simple to manufacture and install.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description of the invention and its preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and the Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the outside, observable surface of a typical porch swing and the “swing wing” as it is affixed to a typical porch swing, in a three dimensional, isometric view.

FIG. 2 depicts the obverse or top or useable side of the “swing wing” along with the adjustable mounting brackets.

FIG. 3 depicts a close up view of the adjustable mounting bracket as it relates to the obverse side. This view explicitly shows the adjustable mounting bracket guide slot and the adjustable mounting bracket's mounting hole.

FIG. 4 depicts the converse side of FIG. 2. It shows the bottom surface of the device in its entirety. This view explicitly shows the adjustable mounting bracket hold down screws and the holes for the optional hold down strap.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The terminology used herein should be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description of a certain specific preferred embodiment of the present invention. This is further emphasized below with respect to some particular terms used herein. Any terminology that the reader should interpret in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this specification. The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a universal, adjustable and adaptable horizontal table shelf for use with porch or lawn gliders and swings. The inventor has given it the unique name of “swing wing”. The basic components of this design are the horizontal table shelf 1 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the adjustable mounting bracket 2, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the adjustable mounting bracket's mounting hole 3 as shown in FIG. 3, the adjustable mounting bracket's guide slot 4 as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom horizontal surface of the horizontal table shelf 5 as shown in FIG. 4, the pre-drilled holes for optional hold down straps 6 as shown in FIG. 4, and the adjustable mounting bracket holding screws 7 as shown in FIG. 4.

The horizontal, table shelf 1, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, is the backbone of the entire device. It is a rectangular piece made of any rigid, durable, and weather resistant material such as hardwoods, composite woods, molded composite plastics or metal. It is wide enough to easily accommodate the placement of items such as books, eyeglasses, or drinking glasses without impinging the free movement of the porch or lawn swing or glider. It is long enough so that it can fit between the A-frames of a typical commercially available porch or lawn swing or glider with enough leeway to accommodate a variety of said commercially available porch or lawn swings or gliders. The table shelf 1 has a radius fillet edge 8, as shown in FIG. 4, to smooth and round the edges and comers of the table shelf 1 to prevent splintering and injury. It can be designed and manufactured in a variety of colors and with a variety of stains or finishes.

The adjustable mounting brackets 2, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, are situated and affixedly attached along the long end of the of the converse side of the horizontal table shelf and extrude laterally past each short end of said table shelf 1. In effect, there is a left end adjustable mounting bracket and a right end adjustable mounting bracket 2. The adjustable mounting brackets 2 are comprised of a 90° (ninety degree) piece of extruded angle material with the adjustable mounting bracket guide slots 4 machined into the side affixed to the horizontal table shelf 1. In addition, there is a adjustable mounting bracket cut-away 9, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4, that allows the protruding end of the adjustable mounting bracket to fit flush against the A-frame on the porch or lawn swing or glider. It is anticipated that the adjustable mounting brackets 2 will be made from a non-corrosive metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel. It is further anticipated that said metal may be coated with paint or some other like substance to better match and integrate with the color schemes of the commercially available porch or lawn swings or gliders.

The adjustable mounting bracket guide slots 4, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, are machined into the adjustable mounting brackets. Said guide slots are machined into each of the adjustable mounting brackets 2. There are two guide slots 4, rather than one longer guide slot, machined into each of the adjustable mounting bracket so as not to reduce structural integrity of the adjustable mounting brackets 2.

The adjustable mounting bracket holding screws 7, as shown in FIG. 4, are commercially available screws made from non-corrosive material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The purpose of the adjustable mounting bracket holding screws 7 is to secure the adjustable mounting brackets 2 to the underside of the horizontal table shelf 1, to lend strength to the adjustable mounting brackets 2 and also to provide a fulcrum on which the adjustable mounting brackets 2 can slide via the adjustable mounting bracket guide slots 4. There are four adjustable mounting bracket holding screws 7, two for each adjustable mounting bracket 2. The adjustable mounting bracket holding screws 7 are placed in each of the adjustable mounting bracket guide slots 4 as described above.

The adjustable bracket mounting holes 3, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, are simply holes machined into the furthermost, laterally extending end of the adjustable mounting brackets 2. There are holes in each of the left and right adjustable mounting bracket 2. The purpose of the mounting holes 3 is to allow a user of this device to secure the adjustable mounting brackets 2, and hence the entire “swing wing” to the already existing bolts in the A-frame of a commercially available porch or lawn swing or glider.

The pre-drilled holes 6, as shown in FIG. 4, are for an optional hold down strap to be used with the porch swing A-frame cross member. These pre-drilled holes 6 can be used to attach an optional hold down strap that a user of this device would secure, via a commercially available U-bracket, to the underside of the horizontal surface. Said pre-drilled holes 6 are designed to be placed on either side of a porch or lawn swing or glider's A-frame cross member bar so that the optional U-bracket would be placed around the A-frame cross member bar and screwed into said pre-drilled holes 6 to further affix the horizontal table shelf 1 to the porch or lawn swing or glider.

It is intended that a user of this device would install it in the following manner. First, the user would place the horizontal table shelf 1 topside up between the A-frame on his/her porch or lawn swing or glider. The user would then extend the adjustable mounting brackets 2, by sliding them through their corresponding adjustable mounting bracket guide slots 4 until the adjustable mounting bracket mounting hole 3 was adjacent to the nut and bolt combination that the manufacture of the porch or lawn swing or glider uses to hold the A-frame cross member in place. The user would then remove the bolt and nut from the A-frame cross member, place the adjustable mounting brackets 2 on the inside of the A-frame bar, and thread the extant bolt through the adjustable mounting brackets 2, through the A-frame, and then through the extant A-frame cross member bar securing it all with the extant nut and washer. The user could then mount an optional U-bracket or other similar hardware, via the pre-drilled holes 6 for the optional hold down strap around the A-frame cross member bar by screwing the hardware into the pre-drilled holes 6 located on the underside portion of the horizontal table shelf 1.

The foregoing description details certain preferred embodiments of the present invention and describes the best mode contemplated. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing description appears, the invention can be practiced in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the description contained in this specification is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is only limited by the following claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device that can be affixedly attached to an extant porch swing or glider comprising:

a. a horizontal surface;

b. adjustable mounting brackets;

c. adjustable mounting bracket guide slots;

d. adjustable mounting bracket holding screws;

e. whereby said inside adjustable mounting brackets are affixedly attached to the bottom of said horizontal surface by means of said adjustable mounting bracket hold down screws;

f. whereby said adjustable mounting brackets can expand or contract along the lateral length of said horizontal surface by sliding the length of said adjustable mounting bracket guide slots.

2. The universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device as claimed in claim 1 whereby holes for a cross member hold down strap are pre-drilled into said horizontal surface.

3. The universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the horizontal surface is rectangular and comprised of any suitable weather resistant and durable material.

4. The universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the adjustable mounting brackets are made from any non-corrosive metal.

5. A universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device that can be affixedly attached to an extant porch swing or glider comprising:

a. a horizontal surface;

b. adjustable mounting brackets;

c. adjustable mounting bracket guide channel slots;

d. adjustable mounting bracket holding pins;

e. whereby said inside adjustable mounting brackets are affixedly attached to the bottom of said horizontal surface by being placed into said adjustable mounting bracket guide channel slots, by means of said adjustable mounting bracket holding pins pressed into the lengthwise edge, widthwise through said horizontal surface;

f. whereby said adjustable mounting brackets can expand or contract along the lateral length of said horizontal surface by sliding the length of said adjustable mounting bracket guide slot channels.

6. The universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device as claimed in claim 5 whereby holes for a cross member hold down strap are pre-drilled into said horizontal surface.

7. The universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the horizontal surface is rectangular and comprised of any suitable weather resistant and durable material.

8. The universal, adjustable, horizontal table shelf device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the adjustable mounting brackets are made from any non-corrosive metal.