Pole caddy

Abstract

A pole caddy (10) has a planar table portion (12), a shaft-engaging portion in the form of a tubular projection (32) and a lateral surround (14) orthogonal to the planar portion (12), the lateral surround (14) including an indicia display area (15).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to tables and more particularly to tables supportable upon generally elongated supports, such as umbrella poles. Still more particularly, it relates to such tables that are capable of displaying various indicia, for example, illustrations of mascots or logos of schools or professional sporting teams.

BACKGROUND ART

Various tables supported on shafts, such as the support pole of a beach umbrella, are known and are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,920,897 and 6,889,618 and published U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0129184. Such tables are often called pole caddies, by which term they will be referred to herein. While these tables provided a surface, which may or may not include pockets of various sizes or depths, they lacked sufficient strength for long-term use and further, did not provide a means for users to display their pride in, or allegiance, to a sports team, or other unique organization. Further, the tables of the prior art were singularly absent in any capability for handling vessels with laterally projecting handles.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to improve shaft-supportable tables.

Yet another object of the invention is the enhancement of such tables and the provision of an area on such tables for the display of indicia

These objects are accomplished, in one aspect of the invention, by a pole caddy comprising: a planar table portion; and a lateral surround orthogonal to the planar portion, and of a size sufficient to provide added strength as well as an indicia display area.

The objects are also accomplished in the provision of a table that adequately handles all sorts of vessels, including those with laterally projecting handles.

The objects are further accomplished in another aspect of the invention by the provision of a kit containing all of the necessary ingredients for providing a pole caddy with all of the accoutrements to display one's affiliation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support for a pole caddy;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a support;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a bushing that can be employed with the support;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pole caddy mounted upon an elongated shaft;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, with some parts omitted, of the mounting structure; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims taken in conjunction with the above-described drawings.

Referring now to the drawings with greater particularity, there is shown in FIG. 1 a pole caddy 10 comprising a planar table portion 12 and a lateral surround 14 orthogonal to the planar portion 12, the lateral surround 14 including an indicia display area 15. The pole caddy is preferably formed from a moldable material, such as, for example, reinforced polypropylene, and the indicia display area is large enough to display illustrations of mascots or other logos to indicate the aforementioned allegiance to a sport team, or, perhaps, loyalty to a company.

The planar table portion 12 has a given width X and the lateral surround 14 has a height Y equal to 0.18 to 0.215 times the given width. Such dimensions provide strength to the table portion and provide adequate space for the display of the desired indicia. In a specific embodiment the planar table portion X is between 13 and 14 inches and the height Y is between 2.5 and 3 inches.

The planar table portion 12 includes an upper surface 16 and a bottom surface 18. The upper surface is provided with a plurality of pockets 20 and a tubular projection 32 is formed with a bottom surface 18 of the planar portion 12. The tubular projection-32 receives the shaft of the supporting unit, as will be explained hereinafter.

The plurality of pockets 20 can comprise multiple configurations and, as illustrated, circular and square or rectangular configurations are suitable. In a preferred embodiment of the invention at least one of the pockets 20 has a depressed channel 21 leading from the interior of a pocket 20 to the lateral surround 14, the channel 21 providing a receptor for a laterally projecting handle 21a of a vessel 21b, as shown more clearly in FIG. 8.

A mount 30 is provided for affixing the table to a support, such as the elongated shaft 28 of an umbrella 24, as shown in FIG. 5.

The mount 30 comprises the tubular projection 32 formed on the bottom surface 18 of the planar portion 12 and a pole caddy support 34 having a central opening 36 with a diameter A to receive the shaft 28 (or a bushing 42) and an annular receptor 37 to receive the tubular projection 32. Feet 38 (preferably 3 in number, spaced 1200 apart) are formed on a bottom 40 of the annular receptor 36 to support the tubular projection 32. The feet 38 insure that the pole caddy 10 is firmly supported. An engager 50, which can take the form of a thumbscrew 41, is provided for fixing and releasing the pole caddy support 34 to the elongated shaft 28.

In an embodiment of the invention the pole caddy 10 and its support 34 can comprise a part of a kit that can include an umbrella 24 having an expandable canopy 26 and an elongated shaft 28. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the kit includes the pole caddy 10, the support 34 and one or more bushings 42, for example, a bushing 42 having an outside diameter A to match the internal diameter of the support 34 formed to fit inside the central opening 36 of the pole caddy support 34 to accommodate multiple shaft diameters in the event it becomes necessary to use a shaft from, for example, a rented umbrella.

Thus, there is provided a pole caddy and kit that is strong and easy to assemble and that has a specific provision for the inclusion of display indicia Further, in a kit version that pole caddy has the capability of accepting multiple diameter shafts.

While there have been shown and described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pole caddy comprising:

a planar table portion;

a shaft engaging portion; and

a lateral surround orthogonal to the planar portion, the lateral surround including an indicia display area, said indicia display area being large enough to display illustrations of mascots or other logos.

2. The pole caddy of claim 1 wherein the planar table portion has a given width and the lateral surround has a height equal to 0.18 to 0.215 times the given width.

3. The pole caddy of claim 1 wherein the planar table portion includes an upper surface and a bottom surface and the upper surface is provided with a plurality of pockets.

4. The pole caddy of claim 3 wherein the plurality of pockets comprise at least two configurations.

5. A kit comprising:

a pole caddy comprising a planar table portion provided with a lateral surround orthogonal to the planar portion, the lateral surround including an indicia display area, said indicia display area being large enough to display illustrations of mascots or other logos; and

a mount for mounting the pole caddy upon an elongated shaft.

6. The kit of claim 5 wherein the mount comprises;

a tubular projection formed with a bottom surface of the planar portion;

a pole caddy support having a central opening to receive the shaft and an annular receptor to receive the tubular projection;

a plurality of feet formed on a bottom of the annular receptor to support the tubular projection; and

an engager for fixing and releasing the pole caddy support to the elongated shaft.

7. The kit of claim 5 wherein said kit includes an umbrella having an expandable canopy and an elongated shaft;

8. The kit of claim 6 wherein at least one secondary bushing is provided, the bushing being formed to fit inside the central opening of the pole caddy support.

9. The pole caddy of claim 3 wherein at least one of said pockets has a depressed channel leading from the interior of a pocket to the lateral surround.