Canopy for covering a table top
The canopy has a generally dome-shaped cover which, in use opens downwardly. The canopy is used in conjunction with a clamp for attaching the canopy to a table such that access to any objects on the table top cannot be gained without detaching the canopy from the table top. The canopy prevents unwanted handling of dishes and cutlery during pre-meal set up as well as unwanted handling of food and any other items on the table before a meal is ready to be served.
This invention relates to canopies and more particularly to a canopy for covering a table such as a dining-room table to prevent unwanted handling of dishes and cutlery during pre-meal set up as well as unwanted handling of food and any other items on the table before a meal is ready to be served.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA problem that is often encountered in an institution where meals are served to residents in a common dining room is that the residents interfere with the staff as they are setting the tables. In a nursing home or a boarding school, for example, residents may enter a dining room before a meal is ready to be served and touch the dishes and cutlery and on occasions, help them-selves to any food on the tables.
Such unwanted entry is not only distracting to the staff but may slow down the setting of the tables. The staff may have to spend extra time removing dishes and cutlery that have been touched and removing half-eaten food from the tables and replacing it with untouched food.
I have invented a canopy that can be placed over a table after it is set. The canopy can be easily attached to the table in a way that intruders, particularly residents in a nursing home whose manual dexterity may be impaired, find difficult to detach. More dextrous intruders such as students may be deterred from detaching the canopy by the possibility that they will be spotted by the staff as they are doing so.
While the canopy is attached, dishes, cutlery and food on the table cannot be handled and when a meal is ready to be served, the canopy can be easily removed by the staff.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, the canopy of my invention comprises a generally dome-shaped cover which, in use opens downwardly. The canopy is used in conjunction with a clamp or securing means for removably attaching the canopy to a table such that access to any objects on the table top over which the cover lies cannot be gained without detaching the canopy from the table.
The canopy of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSWith reference to
The canopy has a dome or cover 30, four outer edges 32, a pair of front and back walls 34 and an outer rectangular frame 36. The dimension of the frame correspond with that of the table so that frame contacts the four margins of the table when the canopy is placed on the table. The dome commences at its outer edges 32a,b on opposite sides of the dome, curves upward from the edges and terminates at a central area, generally 40.
Front and back walls 34 are disposed vertically. Their lower edges 34a are straight and are connected to frame 36 while their upper edges 34b follow the curvature of the dome and support the margins of the dome adjacent to its outer edges. The canopy accordingly completely covers the upper surface of the table while the central area of the dome is sufficiently high that it will be above the level of food, glasses, pitchers and utensils normally found on a dining-room table.
With reference to
With reference to
The segments of the canopy of
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With reference to
The coil springs bias the bar or lower jaw toward the upper jaw. A handle 92 is provided for pulling the lower jaw downward in order to increase the space between the two jaws. Strips 94 of sealing material such as rubber are glued to each jaw to protect the table from scratches when the clamp is attached and removed from the table.
The clamp can be used to attach a side edge of a canopy to a table. To do so, the frame of the canopy is first placed on a table so that one of its edges is adjacent to a side wall of the table. The upper jaw of the clamp is then placed upon the area of the frame adjacent to the side edge. The handle is then pulled downward in order to lower the lower jaw sufficiently to accommodate the frame and the adjacent margin of the table. When the handle is allowed to return to its normal position, the lower jaw will move upward and into contact with the table.
With reference to
With reference to
It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made to the structure of the canopy described herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. In combination, a canopy for a table provided with a table top having oppositely facing upper and lower surfaces between which a side wall extends, said canopy comprising: a generally dome-shaped cover which, in use opens downwardly; and securing means for removably attaching said canopy to said table such that access to any objects on said upper surface over which said cover lies cannot be gained without detaching said canopy from said table top.
2. The combination of claim 1 further including a frame adapted to be seated on said upper surface, said cover being attached to said frame and extending upwardly therefrom.
3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said securing means, when functioning to attached said canopy to said table, is arranged and constructed to prevent said frame from being pivoted upward about said securing means to gain access to said objects.
4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said securing means includes a pair of parallel spaced apart jaws which function to clamp said frame and said table top together with resulting attachment of said canopy and said table, one of said jaws, when so functioning, contacting an area of said frame of sufficient size as to prevent said canopy from being pivoted upward about said securing means.
5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said securing means includes: a pair of parallel spaced apart jaws; resilient means for urging said jaws together; and a handle for applying a force manually to at least one of said jaws, opposed to the bias of the said resilient means, in order to separate said jaws such that said canopy can be removed from said table top.
6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said securing means includes: a pair of parallel spaced apart jaws; resilient means for urging said jaws together; and a handle for applying a force manually to at least one of said jaws, opposed to the bias of the said resilient means, in order to separate said jaws, said frame and said table top being clamped together between said jaws.
7. The combination of claim 5 further including sealing means disposed on each said jaw for sealingly engaging said canopy and said table top.
8. The canopy of claim 1 wherein said canopy is composed of washable plastic.
9. In combination, a canopy for a table provided with a table top having oppositely facing upper and lower surfaces between which a side wall extends, said canopy comprising: a generally dome-shaped cover which, in use, opens downwardly, and a frame adapted to be seated on said upper surface, said cover being attached to said frame and extending upwardly therefrom; and securing means for removably attaching said canopy to said table, said securing means having a pair of parallel spaced apart jaws which function to clamp said frame and said table top together with resulting attachment of said canopy to said table, one of said jaws, when so functioning, contacting an area of said frame of sufficient size as to prevent said canopy from being pivoted upward about said securing means such that access to any objects on said upper surface over which said cover lies is prevented without detaching said canopy from said table top.
10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said securing means includes resilient means for urging said jaws together; and a handle for applying a force manually to at least one of said jaws, opposed to the bias of the said resilient means, in order to separate said jaws such that said canopy can be removed from said table top.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 7, 2008
Publication Date: Sep 11, 2008
Inventor: Patrick Gillespie (Courtice)
Application Number: 12/073,665