TABLE CLOTH AND SKIRT SECURING SYSTEM

Abstract

An attachment or clip system is provided for easy, rapid attachment (and detachment) of skirts to covered tables, usually for seating multiple guests at banquets, presentations, luncheon meetings and the like. The system generally includes a low-profile host or carrier frame and one or more embedded magnets. The frame and magnets may be wrapped or covered in “hook”-type hook & loop material, which is complementary to “soft”-type hook & loop material found on the skirt. Methods of making and using the clip system are also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/174,239, filed Apr. 30, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Hotels, resorts and similar guest facilities in the service industry typically provide relatively large tables about which multiple guests are seated for presentations, meetings, luncheons, formal banquets and the like. Appearances and presentation are important in the industry to attract desired clientele. To this end, guest facilities often cover their guest tables with attractive table cloths, and skirts may be attached along the edges of the tables to complement the table cloths and provide a more finished appearance to the covered tables. Specifically, the skirts may hide less appealing table legs, under-table wiring, and the like as well as protect the modesty of seated guests.

Conventional plastic clips are used widely in the industry to attach the skirt to the table cloth. At least one drawback with this age-old arrangement is that the plastic clips are visible, being attached on the exterior of the table cloth and skirt to hold the skirt fast. As such, these plastic clips ironically defeat an industry goal of providing a more finished appearance to the table arrangements.

Moreover, the clips have to be clipped over the edges of the tables to grip the skirt to the table cloth, which, when dozens of tables are being set-up and serviced, is a time consuming process

Further, because the clips are on the exterior of the tables, they are dislodged relatively easily by guests and waiters brushing by the table, which leads to skirts falling from the table cloths and to an unprofessional appearance.

What is needed in the guest service industry is a relatively inexpensive, reusable, quick-attachment system to secure table cloth skirts to table cloths. The needed attachment system should also possess great holding power and be relatively unnoticeable to guests of the facility.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is directed in general to an attachment system for relatively easy and rapid attachment (and detachment) of skirts to covered tables, usually for seating multiple guests at banquets, presentations, luncheon meetings and the like. The attachment system broadly includes a low-profile host or carrier frame or carrier plate and one or more embedded magnets. The frame and magnets may be attached to or wrapped or covered in “hook”-type hook & loop material, which is complementary to “soft” hook & loop material found on the skirt. Alternatively, the carrier and magnets may be contained within a skirt as a stand-alone system. Methods of making and using the attachment systems are disclosed herein.

Additional objects and advantages of the present subject matter are set forth in, or will be apparent to, those of ordinary skill in the art from the detailed description herein. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated, referred and discussed features and elements hereof may be practiced in various embodiments and uses of the disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter. Variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent means, features, or steps for those illustrated, referenced, or discussed, and the functional, operational, or positional reversal of various parts, features, steps, or the like.

Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of the present subject matter may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features, steps, or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features, parts, or steps or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description of such figures). Additional embodiments of the present subject matter, not necessarily expressed in the summarized section, may include and incorporate various combinations of aspects of features, components, or steps referenced in the summarized objects above, and/or other features, components, or steps as otherwise discussed in this application. Those of ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such embodiments, and others, upon review of the remainder of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present subject matter, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an attachment assembly according to one aspect of the disclosure, particularly showing a carrier frame and a plurality of magnets therein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of multiple attachment assemblies as in FIG. 1 shown in use in an intended environment;

FIG. 2A is an exploded, perspective view of the attachment assembly as in FIG. 1, particularly showing a hook and loop covering used to encapsulate the carrier frame and magnets;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the magnetic clip assemblies as in FIG. 2 being employed to attach a skirt to a table cloth;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of an attachment assembly according to another aspect of the disclosure, particularly showing a plurality of carrier frames and magnets embedded in a portion of a skirt;

FIG. 4A is a cut-away perspective view of the attachment assembly as in FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an attachment assembly according to another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 shows an operation of the attachment assembly as in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 shows a further operation of the attachment assembly as in FIGS. 5 and 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Detailed reference will now be made to the drawings in which examples embodying the present subject matter are shown. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features of the drawings. Like or similar designations of the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of various exemplary embodiments.

The drawings and detailed description provide a full and written description of the present subject matter, and of the manner and process of making and using various exemplary embodiments, so as to enable one skilled in the pertinent art to make and use them, as well as the best mode of carrying out the exemplary embodiments. However, the examples set forth in the drawings and detailed description are provided by way of explanation only and are not meant as limitations of the disclosure. The present subject matter thus includes any modifications and variations of the following examples as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary magnetic clip or attachment assembly is designated in general by the number 10. As shown, a host, carrier or plate 12, made for instance of steel or zinc coated sheet metal, includes holes, openings or receptacles 18 to receive and hold one or more magnets 14. The magnets 14 are selected to be sufficiently strong while being cost effective. In this example, circular-shaped neodymium magnets are used, which are about the size of a U.S. dime but may be as large a half-dollar (with complementary sized holes 18). By way of a specific non-limiting example, the magnets 14 and their complementary holes 18 are each about 1 millimeter (mm) by about 6 mm.

FIG. 1 particularly shows that the plate 12 is sized to provide sufficient surface area for a cover or covering 16—made for instance of hook and loop material—to hold a skirt 31 (see FIG. 3) firmly to a tablecloth 29 to cover and beautify a table 25, as explained in greater detail below. In this example, the plate 12 is at least about three quarters of an inch (¾″)×two inches (2″), although other sizes and shapes are contemplated by the disclosure to meet particular industry needs and requirements. Further, the holes 18 are spaced sufficiently apart from each other to avoid creating areas of weaknesses therebetween, which, upon repeated use and bending and flexing of the plate 12, might cause the plate 12 to crack in those areas, possibly resulting in displacement and loss of the magnets 14.

FIG. 2 shows multiple attachment assemblies 10 attached about an area or edge 27 of the table 25 on the outside of the tablecloth 29. In this example, each plate 12 and its respective magnets 14 are covered in the hook and loop covering 16 briefly introduced above, and the attachment assemblies 10 are spaced about six to about twelve inches apart from each other. Additional or fewer assemblies 10 may be used depending on the size and shape of the table, the weight of the skirt and the like. Also, the spacing between the attachment assemblies 10 may vary depending on the size of the attachment assemblies 10 and the underlying table 25. Also shown in FIG. 2, the attachment assemblies 10 secure the tablecloth 29 in place to cover the table 25 and hide, for instance, fold-out legs 33, thereby presenting a manicured appearance.

As further shown in the examples of FIGS. 2 and 2A, the covering 16 includes a first side 16A and a second side 16B, which can be wrapped about the plate 12 and glued to the plate 12 and/or the sides 16A and 16B can be glued to each other or sewn together, with the plate 12 nested in between the sides 16A, 16B. Alternatively, the covering 16 may be in a sleeve form into which the plate 12 is inserted. Also in this example, the material forming the covering 16 is a “hook” or male variation of hook and loop material, such as VELCRO brand material, which is used to adhere to a “loop” or female variation of hook and loop material forming the tablecloth 29. Alternatively, a strip of “loop” material 29A can be attached to the tablecloth 29 to hold the covering 16.

As most clearly shown FIG. 2A, the holes 18 in the plate 12 are sized to provide a press-fit of respective magnets 14. One method of making the plate 12 with holes 18 is to provide a 12″×18″ piece of zinc coated 26 gauge sheet metal. The sheet metal may be cut into 1″ wide×12″ strips. Holes of about 15/64″ are drilled in line on a drill press with cobalt drill bit (made for drilling metal). The resulting metal strips are cleaned with alcohol or other suitable cleaner. A strip of hook material 16 is placed on a bottom side of the strip (relative to a top side that the drill enters). A neodymium magnet is press fit into a drilled hole 18, which is sufficiently large to press the magnet 14 into the hole 18 but not too large so as to ensure a tight fit. Specifically, the magnet 14 may be pressed into the hole 18 with, for instance, nonmetallic pliers or vice grips. Additionally, the hook material holds the magnet 14 in place. The strips are then cut into pieces; i.e., plates 12, which are about 1″×2″, and the plates 12 are finished with additional hook material covering 16. The completed attachment assemblies 10 are then ready for use in banquet and business gatherings as described herein.

In another method of producing magnetic clip assemblies 10 according to another aspect of the disclosure, a punch may be employed, manually or by machine, to make holes efficiently and precisely. For instance, a No. 5 Jr Hand Punch from Roper Whitney Company is suitable to make holes sufficiently large to accommodate magnetic material of a desired size. By fitting the magnetic material into the holes, the magnetic material sits flush with the surrounding plate or carrier to ensure that the magnetic clip assemblies 10 are relatively flat and streamlined and not protruding.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the attachment assemblies 10 are shown interposed between the skirt 31 and the table cloth 29 around the area of the table edge 27. In this example, the neodymium magnets 14, as introduced above, have sufficient magnetic force to attract to the metal edge 27 through a portion of the table cloth 20 while also adhering securely to the skirt 31 via hook and loop material 31A made of a “soft” or female variation of hook and loop material, such as VELCRO brand material. Thus, the skirt 31 is held to the table cloth 29 providing a relatively flat and seamless appearance, which is not possible with conventional external and bulky clips. Moreover, the magnetic attachment assemblies 10, being positioned between the table cloth 29 and the skirt 31, are less susceptible to being brushed or bumped by passers-by, which with conventional attachment devices often results in dislodging skirts.

FIGS. 4 and 4A show another embodiment of a low profile magnetic clip assembly, broadly indicated by the numeral 110. In this aspect of the disclosure, a host, carrier or plate 112 includes receptacles 118 to receive and hold one or more magnets 114 and the assembled plate 112 and magnets 114 are carried in a sleeve or pocket 120 of a skirt 131. More particularly, one or more plates 112 may be inserted into the pocket 120 on site by a worker, or the plates 112 may be sewn into the pocket 120 as indicated by stitching 122.

Similar to other embodiments described herein, the magnets 114 shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A are selected to be sufficiently strong to magnetically attract and attach to a metal edge 127 of a table 125 through a table cloth 129. In this example, circular-shaped neodymium magnets are used, which are about the size of a U.S. dime but may be as large as a U.S. half-dollar. Although the circular-shaped magnets 114 are cost effective and relatively easy to install in receptacles 118 in a plate 112, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the magnets 114 can be manufactured to other sizes and shapes and may be made of other magnetic materials. Likewise, the corresponding receptacles 118 can be sized and shaped to complement the magnets 114, all in accordance with the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 most clearly shows the ease with which the low profile magnetic clip assembly 110 may be employed. As noted above, the table 125 itself may be relatively unappealing, having fold-out legs 133 for rapid set-up and take-down in order to “turn over” a banquet or meeting room quickly. Accordingly, the table cloth 129 is used first to cover the table 125 to hide the legs 133 and possible scratches and stains on the table 125. Next, the low profile magnetic clip assembly 110, which in this example includes the skirt 131 with embedded plates 112 and magnets 114, may be rapidly wrapped around or draped onto the metal edge 127 of the table 125 through the table cloth 129. The skirt 131 may be made of relatively heavy material to provide a substantial look and feel to an audience; therefore, the magnets 114 must be sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the assembly 110.

As shown in FIG. 4, due to the unitary construction of the assembly 110, set-up and take-down of, for instance, a large hotel banquet room can be done rapidly and easily without requiring tedious placement of standard tablecloths followed by clipping skirts onto each table.

Turning to FIG. 5, another embodiment of a low profile magnetic assembly is designated in general by the number 210. As shown, the magnetic assembly 210 includes a host, carrier or plate 212 in which one or more magnets 214 are embedded in holes or receptacles 218 in the assembled plate 212. In this example, the plate 212 is about 12″×about ¾″, and includes eleven holes 218 evenly spaced aligned with another eleven evenly spaced holes 218 with a 1″ space between the two sets of eleven holes 218. Those skilled in the art will understand that the number, size and shape of the holes 218 are not limited to the example and that fewer or additional holes 218 of differing sizes and shapes may be provided to meet particular industry needs.

FIG. 5 shows that a hook & loop-type covering 216 may be attached to the plate 212 or wrapped about the plate 212. For example, the covering 216 may be glued to a face of the plate 212 or sewn about the plate 212. Also shown in this example, a metallic strip 226 of the assembly 210 includes a first side 226A and an opposing side 226B. The opposing side 226B is coated with an adhesive which in turn is protectively covered with a plastic or wax strip of material 226C until the opposing side 226B is ready for use.

More particularly, as shown in FIG. 5, a table 225 is made of plastic, wood or other non-metallic material. Accordingly, the metallic strip 226 is provided to adapt the non-metallic table 225 for use with magnetic assembly 210. For instance, a non-metallic edge 227 of the table 225 is made ready to receive the metallic strip 226, such as by clearing obstructions or wiping away dirt and grime, if necessary. Next, the protective strip 226C is peeled away to expose the sticky opposing side 226B, which is then pressed against the non-metallic edge 227 to provide a metallic target or receptor in the form of the first side 226A for the magnets 214 embedded in the plate 212. In some embodiments, the metallic strip 226 can be magnetized or include magnetic material.

FIG. 6 shows the metallic strip 226 in phantom adhering to the non-metallic edge 227 of the table 225. As shown, the metallic strip 226 is covered by a tablecloth 229. Accordingly, the magnets 214 of the assembly 210 are attracted to the metallic strip 226 through the tablecloth 229 to hold the tablecloth 229 in place as well as to provide a receptacle for a skirt as described below.

With respect to FIG. 7, a skirt 231 includes material 231A that is complementary to the hook & loop-type covering 216 of the assembly 210. As shown, the material 231A is pressed around the table 225 to provide a finished appearance to cover unsightly table legs 233. By way of example, a table 225 may be a standard 6′×30″ rectangular banquet table. Accordingly, two metallic strips 226 of about 12″×about ¾″ could be attached to each 30″ end of the table 225 and three metallic strips 226 of the same dimensions could be attached to each 6′ side. Those skilled in the art will understand that the size and shape of the table 225 are not limited to this example and that fewer or additional metallic strips 226 of differing sizes and shapes may be provided to meet particular industry needs. Also, if the metallic strip 226 is magnetized or includes magnetic materials, the magnetized strip 226 will attract the magnets 214 with greater force. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosure contemplates providing sufficient forces of magnetic attraction to hold the tablecloth 229 and the skirt 231 in place but not so strong as to unduly hinder the removal or adjustment of the magnetized strips 226 and the magnets 214.

While the present subject matter has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing may readily produce alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to such embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosure does not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations and/or additions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. A table covering attachment system, comprising:

a plate defining a hole therethrough;

a magnet press fitted in the hole of the plate; and

a covering disposed about the plate and the magnet, the covering being configured to adhere to a table and support a skirt about the table.

2. The table covering attachment system as in claim 1, wherein the plate is metal.

3. The table covering attachment system as in claim 1, wherein the magnet is a neodymium magnet.

4. The table covering attachment system as in claim 1, wherein the covering is a hook and loop material.

5. The table covering attachment system as in claim 1, wherein the covering is attached to a table cloth disposed on the table and the covering, the plate and the magnet is interposed between the table cloth and the skirt.

6. A table covering attachment system, comprising:

a carrier defining a hole therethrough;

a magnet disposed in the hole of the carrier; and

a skirt having a sleeve, the carrier being disposed in the sleeve,

wherein the skirt is magnetically attached to a table.

7. The table covering attachment system as in claim 6, wherein the magnet is a neodymium magnet.

8. The table covering attachment system as in claim 6, wherein the skirt includes a hook and loop material.

9. A table covering attachment system, comprising:

a skirt including hook and loop material; and

means for magnetically attaching the skirt to a tablecloth, the tablecloth being disposed between a table and the skirt.

10. The table covering attachment system as in claim 9, wherein the means for magnetically attaching the skirt to the tablecloth includes a carrier defining a hole therethrough; a magnet disposed in the hole of the carrier; and a skirt having a sleeve, the carrier being disposed in the sleeve.

11. The table covering attachment system as in claim 9, wherein the means for magnetically attaching the skirt to the tablecloth includes a plate defining a hole therethrough; a magnet disposed in the hole; and a covering disposed about the plate and the magnet, the covering being configured to adhere to the table and support the skirt about the table.

12. A table covering attachment system for a non-metallic table, comprising:

a metallic strip having a first side and a second side, one of the first and second sides carrying an adhesive for adhering the magnetic strip to a non-metallic portion of a table;

a plate carrying a magnet; and

a covering disposed about the plate and the magnet, the magnet being configured for attraction to the metallic strip and the covering being configured to support a skirt about the table.

13. The table covering attachment system as in claim 12, wherein the metallic strip includes magnetic material.

14. The table covering attachment system as in claim 12, further comprising a piece of material covering the adhesive.

15. A method of covering a non-metallic table, comprising:

providing a metallic strip to adapt a non-metallic table;

attaching the metallic strip to a non-metallic portion of the non-metallic table;

providing a plate including a covering;

attaching the plate to the metallic strip; and

attaching a table skirt to the covering.

16. The method of covering a non-metallic table as in claim 15, wherein the plate includes a magnet.

17. The method of covering a non-metallic table as in claim 16, wherein the magnet is embedded in the plate.

18. The method of covering a non-metallic table as in claim 15, wherein the plate is magnetized.

19. The method of covering a non-metallic table as in claim 15, further comprising removing a protective cover from the metallic strip to expose a sticky side configured to adhere to the non-metallic table.