Portable folding craft table with storage
The portable folding craft table with storage has first and second folding table sections provided with a storage compartment having a front wall, a rear wall, a first end wall, a second end wall, a bottom wall and a hinged tabletop. The table sections are hinged together so that the bottom wall of the first compartment lies adjacent the bottom wall of the second compartment when the table is folded. A plurality of variously sized storage containers is releasably secured within each compartment. The bottom wall of the second compartment includes a cavity for receiving a pullout work surface. At least two releasably securable table legs are connectable to the bottom wall of each section to support the opened table for use. Hand straps and wheels are included to facilitate moving the folded table.
This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application U.S. Ser. No. 60/674,313, entitled “Portable Folding Craft Table with Storage” and filed on Apr. 25, 2005, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to portable folding tables. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable folding craft table having storage compartments and an additional pullout work shelf.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCrafting, including scrapbooking and paperwork, needle arts, woodworking, modeling, beading, stenciling, wreath-making and more, is an increasingly popular pastime in the United States. In addition to being a fun hobby, crafting has been found to reduce stress, and for students, to even improve test scores. Surveys have found that students who participated in hands-on craft projects scored higher on writing and knowledge application tasks. Teachers have said that hands-on projects help students understand basic ideas as well as broader concepts, help their students apply information in new or different situations, and increased student motivation and enthusiasm. Crafting is also a good way for families to spend quality creative time together at home.
Many craft projects require numerous different craft supplies, such as beads, thread, glue, different kinds of paper, stickers, etc. Organizing and storing these supplies can be a challenge, as most people do not have separate “crafting rooms” with cubbyholes for different types of supplies. Further, people who travel and would like to take their crafts on the road with them may be discouraged from doing so by the logistics of transporting craft supplies and in work projects.
It would therefore be desirable to have a craft table with multiple storage places for storing numerous craft supplies. It would also be desirable for this craft table to be readily portable and storable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is a primary objective of this invention to provide a tolding portable craft table with multiple storage options. The portable folding craft table with storage is provided with first and second folding table sections. Each section includes a storage compartment formed with a front wall, a rear wall, an inner end wall, an outer end wall, a bottom wall and a tabletop hinged to the rear wall that also serves as a cover for closing the storage compartment. The inner end wall of the first section is pivotally secured to the inner end wall of the second section so that when the table sections are folded, the bottom wall of the first storage compartment lies adjacent the bottom wall of the second storage compartment.
The bottom wall of the second storage compartment includes an elongated cavity with a mouth formed by an elongated slot in the front wall of the second storage compartment. A flat pullout work shelf is received within the cavity to provide an additional work surface. Means to facilitate pulling the work shelf out of the cavity is attached to a front end of the work shelf. Stop means are provided in the cavity and on the work surface to prevent the work shelf from being pulled completely out of the cavity when the table is in the erected open position.
First releasable locking means are provided on the tabletops and the front walls of the storage compartments to releasably secure the tabletops in a closed position over the storage compartments. Second releasable locking means are provided on the outer end wall of the first storage compartment and the outer end wall of the second storage compartment for securing the table sections together when the table is in a closed folded position. Third releasable locking means are provided on the front wall of the second storage compartment for releasably preventing the work shelf from exiting the cavity when the table is folded for storage or transport.
The table includes at least four table legs and means for removably attaching at least two table legs to the bottom of each storage compartment to support the table in an unfolded upright position for use. Elastic securing means are provided on the outer end wall of the first storage compartment and the outer end wall of the second storage compartment for removably securing the table legs to the storage compartments for convenient storage and transport with the table.
Each storage compartment is provided with a plurality of variously sized storage containers. Container securing means are provided on the bottom of each storage container and the top surface of the bottom wall of each storage compartment for releasably securing the containers within the compartments
The table additionally includes means for moving the folded table in the manner of rolling luggage for conveniently storing and transporting the portable foldable craft table with storage of the present invention.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
These and other embodiments of the present invention will also become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment(s) disclosed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is a portable folding craft table with storage 100.
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Storage compartment 120 is formed with a front sidewall 121, a rear sidewall 122, an inner end wall 123, an outer end wall 124, and a bottom wall 125. Tabletop hinging means 130 also may be provided in the form of at least one flexible plastic web 131 connecting a rear edge 129 of tabletop 127 to the rear sidewall 122 of compartment 120. Tabletop 127 serves as a cover for closing storage compartment 120.
The inner end wall 106 of storage compartment 102 is hinged to the inner end wall 123 of the second section by section hinging means 137 so that when the table sections 101 and 119 are folded, the bottom wall 107 of the first storage compartment 102 lies adjacent the bottom wall 125 the second storage compartment 120. Section hinging means 137 may be provided in the form of at least one flexible plastic web as seen in
The tabletop hinging means 112 and 130 and the section hinging means 137 are flexible plastic webs in one embodiment of the invention; however, any thin flexible strip of material such as rubber or leather may be used. In addition, any form of plastic hinge that can integrally molded with the tabletops and storage compartments is suitable for the present invention. Further, standard metal hinges could also be employed.
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Preferably, table 100 is formed of any commercially available moldable plastic material that is rigid, strong and durable enough for maintaining the shape of the table, though the table could be made from other suitable materials. The table 100 could be dimensioned in any way that achieves the objections of this invention. For example, in one embodiment, the erected table 100 has an erected tabletop surface area of about 20″×50″ and is about 33″ in height, and table sections 101 and 119 have the dimensions of about 20″×25″×4″ in one embodiment.
Work shelf 157 may be formed of plastic or other suitable material and in one embodiment has the approximate size of about 19″×25″×½. A handle or knob means 162, illustrated in the form of a flexible plastic hand strap 163 that is attached to a front end of the work shelf 157, may be provided to facilitate pulling work shelf 157 out from within the cavity 156 for use.
In some embodiments of the invention, stop means 158 is provided at the mouth 159 of cavity 156 and stop means 161 is provided on one end of the work shelf 157 for preventing the work shelf 157 from being removed completely out of the cavity 156. Stop means 158 is provided in the form of the opposite corners of a narrow mouth 159 at the opening of cavity 156. Stop means 161 is provided in the form of integrally formed protrusions at the rear corners of work shelf 157 that engage a part of front wall 121 adjacent the ends of the narrow open mouth 159 to prevent removal of the work shelf 157. Stop means 161 may also be provided in the form a latch spring or other detent mechanism preventing removal of work shelf 157.
Referring to
Releasable fastener element 116 cooperates with a corresponding releasable fastener element 117 on front wall 103 of storage compartment 102 to secure tabletop 109 onto storage compartment 102. Releasable fastener element 134 cooperates with corresponding releasable fastener element 135 on the front wall 121 of storage compartment 120 to secure tabletop 127 onto storage compartment 120. Releasable fastener element 141 cooperates with corresponding releasable fastener element 142 on end wall 105 of storage compartment 102 to secure table sections 101 and 119 together in a folded position. Releasable fastener 164 cooperates with corresponding fastener element 166 on front wall 121 of compartment 120 to prevent the work shelf 157 from falling out cavity 156 during storage and transport.
The releasable fastener elements illustrated for securing the tabletops closed, for securing the table sections together and for preventing the work surface from exiting the cavity are in the form of a snap lock buckle arrangement as shown, however other releasable fastening means in the form of hook and loop type fasteners, snap buttons, belt buckle type fasteners, trunk latches and the like may also be used as suitable releasable fastener elements for the present invention.
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Alternatively, the table legs 143 could be pivotally attached to the storage compartments 102 and 120 so that they fold down when not in use (in a manner similar to that of card table legs) and out when in use. Additional length can be provided to the table legs 143 by a telescoping leg member.
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The present invention, as set forth above, not only readily lends itself for use as a craft table for known pastime activities such as scrap booking, scrap booking shows, scrap booking/cropping parties, but also readily lends itself for use as a portable table for a myriad of occasions where a convenient transportable compactly storable portable table with storage would be of use.
This invention may be provided in other specific forms and embodiments without departing from the essential characteristics as described herein. The embodiment described is to be considered in all aspects as illustrative only and not restrictive in any manner.
As described above and shown in the associated drawings and exhibits, the present invention comprises a portable folding craft table having storage compartments and an additional pullout work shelf. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications that incorporate those features or those improvements that embody the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A portable folding craft table with storage, comprising:
- first and second folding table sections each having a storage compartment, front and rear walls, end walls, and a bottom;
- a first table top hingedly connected to the rear wall of the first folding table section;
- a second table top hingedly connected to the rear wall of the second folding table section; and
- a hinge for hingedly connecting the first and second table sections together to permit folding of the first and the second table sections together such that the bottom sides of the first and second table sections are adjacent to one another.
2. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 1, further comprising:
- securement means for releaseably securing the first table top onto the first folding table section's storage compartment; and
- securement means for releaseably securing the second table top onto the second folding table section's storage compartment;
3. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 1, further comprising a cavity formed in the second storage compartment.
4. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 3, further comprising a flat pull-out work surface received in the cavity and having stop means to prevent removal of the work surface from the cavity.
5. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 4, wherein the flat pull-out work surface is rectangular.
6. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 1, further comprising securement means for releasably securing the first and second table sections together when they are folded together.
7. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 1, further comprising at least four table legs.
8. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 7, further comprising attachment means for releasably attaching the at least four table legs to the first and second table sections so that the table stands open and erected.
9. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 7, further comprising holding means for releasably holding the at least four table legs in a storage position for storage and transport with the table.
10. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 1, further comprising a handle for pulling and stabilizing the table during transport.
11. The portable folding craft table with storage of claim 1, further comprising wheels for rolling the table when folded for storage and transport.
12. The portable folding craft table with storage according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of variously sized removable interchangeable storage containers received in the first and second storage compartments.
13. The portable folding craft table with storage according to claim 12, further comprising releaseable fastener elements mounted on the upper surface of the bottom walls of the storage compartments.
14. The portable folding craft table with storage according to claim 13, wherein the bottom surfaces of the variously sized removable interchangeable storage containers contain releaseable fastener elements for mating with the releaseable fastener elements mounted on the upper surface of the bottom walls of the storage compartments.
15. The portable folding craft table with storage according to claim 14, wherein the releaseable fastener elements on the upper surface of the bottom walls of the storage compartments and on the bottom surfaces of the variously sized removable interchangeable storage containers comprise hook and loop type fasteners.
16. A portable folding craft table with storage, comprising:
- first and second folding table sections each having a storage compartment, front and rear walls, end walls, and a bottom;
- a first table top hingedly connected to the rear wall of the first folding table section;
- securement means for releaseably securing the first table top onto the first folding table section's storage compartment;
- a second table top hingedly connected to the rear wall of the second folding table section;
- securement means means for releaseably securing the second table top onto the second folding table section's second storage compartment;
- a cavity formed in second storage compartment;
- a flat rectangular work surface received in the cavity and having means to prevent removal from the cavity;
- means for hingedly connecting the first and second table sections together to permit folding of the first and the second table sections together such that the bottom sides of the first and second table sections are adjacent to one another;
- securement means for releasably securing the first and second table sections together when they are folded together;
- at least four table legs;
- attachment means for releasably attaching the at least four table legs to the first and second table sections so that the table stands open and erected;
- holding means for releasably holding the at least four table legs in a storage position for storage and transport with the table;
- a handle for pulling and stabilizing the table during transport; and
- wheels for rolling the table when folded for storage and transport.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 20, 2006
Publication Date: Oct 26, 2006
Inventor: Jennifer Jordan (Arlington, VA)
Application Number: 11/408,095
International Classification: A47B 97/00 (20060101);