ROTATING MULTI-SURFACE TABLE

Abstract

A table on which to perform a task, the table having two or more differentiated but connected or adjacent surfaces on which to perform the task, at least one surface being rotatable by the user.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/233,917 filed Aug. 14, 2009 by the present inventors and the application is hereto incorporated by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX

Not Applicable

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed method and apparatus relates generally to the field of multi-use task tables, such as hobby or work tables, and more specifically to a table incorporating at least one rotating surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many hobbies, games, and types of intricate work require sitting or standing before a table or work station and spreading one's tools, pieces or parts out prior to engaging in creation, construction, use or modification of a project. Examples might include arts and crafts, model building, jigsaw puzzle assembling, playing games, electronics repair, mechanized parts repair, woodworking, or fabrication. A common frustration is the need to reach across the table for the needed piece or tool. Another frustration is to have to reach for various parts of the object being worked on. The frustration compounds in the event multiple hands are engaged in the work product or hobby. As each participant leans across the table for a desired piece or part, they interfere with the ability of the other participants to continue their project.

Another difficulty is in trying to create room to actually work on the project, while still keeping all the parts, pieces or tools near enough to avoid undue reaching or stretching.

A method and apparatus is needed to allow a user to easily see and access all angles of the project, as well as to easily see and access all the parts, pieces or tools needed to perform work on the project, without strain to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus is disclosed for enabling a user working on a task to easily see and access all angles of the project, as well as to easily see and access all the parts, pieces or tools needed for the project.

There remains a critical need in the art for a method and apparatus to allow access to not only the project at hand, but also to the tools, parts or pieces associated with it.

An object of the disclosed method and apparatus is to enable one or more users to easily access all angles of a project, as well as to independently access the associated parts, pieces or tools for the project without the need for leaning, stretching or reaching.

An object of the disclosed method and apparatus is to provide a functional table having multi-level surfaces conducive to participating in a variety of tasks.

An object of the disclosed method and apparatus is to provide a table conducive to assembling puzzles, wherein the puzzle pieces can be on one surface and the puzzle itself can be on a different surface, yet both surfaces are readily reachable by the user.

An object of the disclosed method and apparatus is a table having differentiated surfaces for tasks, yet in a compact space.

An object of the disclosed method and apparatus is a multi-use functional table that is portable.

An object of the disclosed method and apparatus is a multi-use functional table that reduces user strain when working on tasks.

Yet a further object of the invention is to ensure that pieces, parts or tools do not fall off the table during a task.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying figures, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. To enable more thorough understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures in which:

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

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the FIG. 1 embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the FIG. 1 embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the FIG. 1 embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the disclosed apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the FIG. 8 embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

“Table” may indicate a freestanding table with legs and may also include a table top without legs that may sit on any base, table, bench, coffeetable or the floor.

One concept known in the prior art to assist a user to more easily reach items is the “Lazy Susan.” Thought to be invented in the 1700's, the Lazy Susan involved a table top that rotated on top of an axis. The user placed desired items on the Lazy Susan and then spun or rotated the table such that the items could easily be accessed by the user, eliminating bending, reaching or stretching to retrieve them.

The Lazy Susan concept was quite useful in a number of applications, including the serving of food and was used for shelving in the interior of cabinets and for certain types of serving dishes. Modern technology subsequently created mechanized Lazy Susans. An example is the slowly revolving displays found in retail stores or museums, often glass enclosed and used to display expensive jewelry items.

Gaming manufacturers soon capitalized on the Lazy Susan. Scrabble™ created a “turntable” base for its popular word search game. The base allows one or more users to spin the game base so the word they are currently working on is right in front of them.

Although the Lazy Susan concept is, to some extent, utilized in the disclosed method and apparatus, the novelty of the disclosed is way it is utilized with other features to enable a task table with differentiated surfaces in a compact and portable space.

The disadvantages described in the foregoing paragraphs are solved by the method and apparatus disclosed herein.

Turning to the illustrations, in FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosed invention illustrating a table 10 without legs having an inner round center surface 14. Encircling the center surface 14 is an outer ring surface 12 that may be several inches wide or of variable widths depending on the intended use of the table 10. The outer ring surface 12 may rotate as well, preferably in the opposite direction of the inner round center surface 14. The inner round center surface 14 rotates about an axis 18. FIG. 1 illustrates casters 16 or ball bearings 16 or other suitable revolving means that may be used to enable the rotating feature of the outer ring 12.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated an outer lip 22 traveling along the exterior of the inner and outer raised edge on the outer ring surface 12 in order to prevent small items from falling off. This is more easily viewed in FIG. 4.

FIG. 3 reflects a side view of an embodiment, further depicting the side view of the casters 16 or ball bearings 16 on the outer ring surface and the optional inner and outer raised edge 22 of the outer ring 12.

FIG. 4 depicts an exploded view of the FIG. 1 embodiment of the disclosed invention, illustrating the base 30, the axis 18, the outer ring surface 12 with the casters or ball bearings 16 and the inner round center surface 14. Mounted to the base 30 is the center axis 18. Resting upon the base is the outer ring surface 12 which is rotatable upon casters 16 or ball bearings 16. Nesting within the outer ring surface 12, is the inner round center surface 14 which also can rotate about the center axis.

In FIG. 5, a top perspective view of an additional embodiment is shown. In this embodiment is featured an elevated stationary work surface 32. The work surface 32 is shown mounted to a central raised support pillar 36. The lower outer ring surface 34 rotates about the support pillar 36. The outer ring surface 34 once again uses casters 16 or ball bearings 16 to enable it to rotate. In practice, the user can spread all the parts, pieces or tools of their project on the outer ring surface 34, while placing the actual project on the stationary work surface 32 (which may be any appropriate shape, including round, oval, square, rectangular, or other shape). The stationary work surface 32 may also incorporate a lip 22 along the bottom edge and/or side edges to prevent items from falling off.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of this embodiment, depicting the optional embodiment of angling the elevated stationary work surface 32 for ease of use. In such an embodiment, the elevated stationary work surface 32 may be tilted to allow even easier access to the project, such that the user has no need to reach across the work surface 32.

The rotating outer ring surface 34 as shown incorporates a raised lip 22 encircling the inner and the outer edge.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment of FIGS. 5-6, illustrating the base 30 upon which the rotating outer ring 34 sits atop the casters 16 or ball bearings 16 as it rotates about the center support pillar 36. The elevated, angled, stationary work surface 32 is shown mounted to the center support pillar 36.

FIG. 8 reveals the preferred embodiment of the disclosed method and apparatus. In this embodiment is pictured a base 40 on which are casters or bearings as shown in the prior figures. Atop the casters or bearings rests the rotating surface 42 which is round and rotates about a center axis 44 that protrudes up from the base and through the center of the rotating surface 42. The center axis 44 continues to travel up and into a horizontal support arm 46. The horizontal support arm 46 is mounted to a stationary elevated work surface 50. The stationary elevated work surface 50 is mounted at its near side 52 to the horizontal support arm 46 and, at its far side 54 exhibits an opposing leg 56 at each of the two far corners to support the stationary elevated work surface 50 on a table, bench or floor.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 8 which better illustrates the base 40 as well as the continuing to show the numbered parts described in FIG. 8.

The components of the disclosed apparatus may be affixed to one another in a removable fashion to allow the table to be easily disassembled and reassembled for traveling and storage.

Applications for the described embodiments include painting, scrapbooking, arts and crafts, model building, games, or rebuilding or building any type of object. The disclosed invention may be built from any suitable material that may include, but is not limited to, wood, plastic, metal, corkboard or other desirable material that enables the rotating feature but provides stability.

Example 1

Jigsaw Puzzle

Jigsaw puzzles are an excellent application for the disclosed invention as they remain an extremely popular pastime. The concept of the jigsaw puzzle requires one to dump out the pieces (often thousands of small pieces) on a surface and then, one by one, begin assembling the pieces together in an effort to recreate the picture shown on the front of the jigsaw puzzle box. Often jigsaw puzzles are assembled by more than one person.

Jigsaw puzzle players commonly complain of neck, shoulder and back pain. They may place the puzzle on a kitchen or a coffee table and, sitting in front of the puzzle, begin the tedious process of assembly. As the numerous puzzle pieces are scattered around the perimeter of the puzzle, the assembler must frequently lean across the table and peer around for the matching puzzle piece, stretching or even getting up in order to reach it. The problem is compounded when more than one assembler is present. The persons must constantly change positions and lean over the table to obtain the proper piece and add it to the puzzle.

A partial solution could be to place the puzzle on a lazy susan type of rotating base, allowing the user to rotate the puzzle around to work on the various portions of it. Although this option might be helpful, it is accompanied by several disadvantages. One is that the user finds themselves constantly spinning the puzzle to find and place the desired piece. This is distracting and dizzying for the user and especially frustrating for a companion working on the puzzle at the same time. The users must then take turns to spin the puzzle, slowing down the whole process. Additionally, a lazy susan table top designed for a puzzle would lack enough room to accommodate both the puzzle and all the unplaced pieces. This means the user[s] must still move around to access all the pieces.

A solution is reached with a table that comprises both at least one work station surface on which to place the puzzle and at least one rotating surface on which to place puzzle pieces.

The disclosure enables even multiple users to easily access all the pieces from one comfortable stationary position, rotating the rotatable surface to bring the pieces straight to them. If desired, the work station surface can be stationary or, in additional embodiments, may also be rotatable. The user[s] are able to work on the puzzle much longer, as they avoid the fatigue and strain of peering, straining, reaching and moving.

Example 2

Electronics or Mechanics Repair

In the preferred embodiment the table can be used to work on various work or hobby projects. For example, in performing electronics repair or assembly, the user could line the necessary tools, screws, wires, pieces or parts up around the rotatable surface, place the electronics or mechanics item on the stationary or rotatable work station surface, and access all angles of the project with very little strain and without getting up and down to retrieve tools, parts or pieces. In such an application, the work station surface may be stationary and optionally angled, as shown in FIG. 7, with an optional lip along the bottom edge to keep the project from sliding off.

The table may be used for any number of intricate projects including but not limited to building an object, repairing an object, engaging in arts and crafts activities, working with electronics, painting, woodworking, jewelry making or decorating an object.

It is to be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are shown for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be construed as limitations of the disclosed method and system. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain in the course of routine experimentation, that variations and equivalents of the embodiments may be undertaken without departing from the scope of the invention.

Certain terms are used throughout the description to refer to particular method components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, design and manufacturing companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function.

The terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection or through an indirect connection via other intermediate devices and connections. Moreover, the term “method” means “one or more components” combined together. Thus, a method can comprise an “entire method” or “sub methods” within the method.

The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the word “comprising” may mean “one”, or may also mean “one or more.” The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the disclosures supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and “and/or.”

The methods and systems disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation based on the level of disclosure presented. While the methods and systems have been described in terms of their preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that they are not limited to the exact steps described and may vary from such description without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The substitutes and modifications employed by one skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A table on which to perform a task, wherein the table has two or more differentiated but connected surfaces on which to perform the task, at least one surface being rotatable by the user.

2. The table described in claim 1 wherein at least one surface is stationary.

3. The table described in claim 1 wherein at least one surface is mounted superiorly to another surface.

4. The table described in claim 1 wherein the table is portable.

5. The table described in claim 1 wherein at least one or more surfaces further comprises a lip along one or more edges.

6. The table described in claim 1 wherein the at least one surface being rotatable by the user is rotated by ball bearings or casters in a track surrounding the point where the surfaces are connected.

7. The table described in claim 1 wherein the at least one surface being rotatable by the user rotates around a center axis.

8. The table described in claim 1 wherein the task is assembling a puzzle.

9. The table as described in claim 1 wherein the task is selected from the group consisting of: building an object, repairing an object, engaging in arts and crafts activities, working with electronics, painting, woodworking, jewelry making or decorating an object.

10. A table on which to perform a task, wherein the table has two or more differentiated adjoining surfaces on which to perform the task, at least one surface being rotatable around at least one adjoining surface.

11. The table described in claim 9 wherein at least one surface is stationary.

12. The table described in claim 9 wherein at least two surfaces are rotatable.

13. The table described in claim 9 wherein at least one surface is mounted superiorly to another surface.

14. The table described in claim 9 wherein the table is portable.

15. The table described in claim 9 wherein at least one or more surfaces further comprises a lip along one or more edges.

16. The table described in claim 9 wherein the at least one surface being rotatable by the user is rotated by ball bearings or casters in a track.

17. The table described in claim 9 wherein the at least one surface being rotatable by the user rotates around a center axis.

18. The table described in claim 9 wherein the task is assembling a puzzle.

19. The table as described in claim 9 wherein the task is selected from the group consisting of: building an object, repairing an object, engaging in arts and crafts activities, working with electronics, painting, woodworking, jewelry making or decorating an object.