PORTABLE BEVERAGE TABLE
A portable beverage table including a central aperture for holding a wine bucket and outer apertures for holding wine glasses. The central aperture and outer apertures of the table top form a pair of table top handles for folding the portable beverage table in a single, easy motion. A central divide in the table top allows the table top to be separated at the center, and the table top handles allow a user to grip on both sides of a table top and extend the two halves of the table top for folding. The central aperture and the outer apertures, therefore, serve the dual purpose of holding a bucket in the center of the table and wine glasses at a perimeter of the table, while also serving as a handle. When the table is folded, a carrying handle is exposed, allowing a user to easily transport the table.
The present disclosure relates to portable, collapsible tables that can hold beverage containers.
BACKGROUNDOutdoor activities that include eating and drinking beverages are popular when weather is warm. Whether attending concerts, going to the beach, attending a picnic with family and friends or stopping at a scenic area, people generally consume food and beverages during these activities. Portable chairs and tables are known to include beverage holders for this purpose. Portable tables are also well known for use during picnics and the like. Portable tables and chairs that also fold are typically chosen for this purpose due to their ease of portability and light weight.
Tables that fold flat are ideal for transporting to outdoor events. Tables that fold flat and also include beverage holders are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,337 to Wenzel discloses a table that folds flat and includes apertures for holding wine glasses on each side of the table. In the '337 patent, the surface of the table folds to one side over a central post that can be staked in the ground. Once the table surface is folded, a handle on the side of the table surface can be gripped for transporting the table. A significant disadvantage of the folding table of the '337 patent is that the legs, or supports, do not also fold, making it difficult for a user to transport the table.
In contrast to the '337 patent, U.S. Pat. No. 7,641,156 to Medders discloses a portable beverage table with folding legs, however, the table top does not fold flat, thereby limiting ease of transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,392,868 to Nardi discloses a portable folding outdoor table includes a foldable table top including a flat top and includes foldable portions joined together at joints that extend through the table top and bottom, cup holders extending through the table top, and a beach umbrella shaft substantially positioned in the center, extending through the table top and sized to accept a shaft of a beach umbrella. However, the mechanism of folding the legs of the '868 patent under the table requires first repositioning the legs along a track, thereby creating additional steps and inconvenience for a user.
U.S. Patent App. No. 2009241811 to Markegard discloses a collapsible table comprising a table top that is both removable and foldable and a leg assembly that is fully collapsible and that comprises six sliding points. The table top attaches to the leg assembly by inserting hooks on horizontal arms of the leg assembly into apertures on the side surfaces of the folding table top and then pressing the table top flat onto the leg assembly. However, the table does not disclose beverage holders in the table top or a handle to assist in folding the table.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,392,868 discloses a portable folding outdoor table that includes a foldable table top including a flat top and includes foldable portions joined together at joint(s) that extend through the table top and bottom, cup holders extending through the table top, where a beach umbrella shaft may be positioned in a central hole. The '868 patent, however, does not allow a user to grip handles on opposite sides of the table created by the holes in the table top surface.
Therefore, there is a need for a collapsible table that includes a handle in the table surface for ease of gripping, and also includes apertures for holding glasses in addition to having the capability to hold a common beverage container for sharing the beverage between users.
SUMMARYEmbodiments described herein overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. These and other advantages are achieved by, for example, a portable folding outdoor table, that includes a foldable table top including a substantially flat top surface, said table top including two foldable sections joined to collapsible legs. The present disclosure also includes two or more wine glass holders extending through said top surface and said bottom surface, and a bucket hole extending through the table top, substantially positioned at said table top center, and extending through said top surface and said bottom surface, wherein the bucket hole is sized to accept a bucket for a bottle of wine, and a plurality of foldable legs attached to said bottom surface of said table top, said plurality of foldable legs are designed to position said top surface of said table top at a height in the range of 10″ to 20″ above a ground surface on which said portable outdoor table sits. The handles are formed by the central aperture and the outer apertures, such that the central and outer apertures serve a dual function as both beverage and container holders and handles. The bucket holder, coupled with the wine glass holders forms two table top handles, such that the table top handles allows a user to separate to two sections of the table top horizontally, and, in a single motion, causing the table to collapse flat for transport.
The present invention and the manner in which it may be practiced is further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the specific systems and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
The present disclosure describes a portable beverage table including a central aperture for, preferably, holding a wine bucket and at least two outer apertures designed, preferably, to securely hold wine glasses. The central aperture and outer apertures of the table top form a pair of table top handles for folding the portable beverage table. The legs fold flat and the two halves of the table top fold flat on top of the legs when the portable beverage table is in a collapsed, closed position. A carrying handle may be exposed when the portable beverage table is in a closed position, allowing a user to easily transport the table. The portable nature of the beverage table is enhanced by the use of a plurality of legs that fold to provide support for the portable beverage table on almost any surface including sand, ground and pavement. Legs may be sized to position the table top ten to twenty inches (10″ to 20″) off the ground. Embodiments provide a flat surface useful for food, beverages or other items related to outdoor and indoor entertainment activities. Embodiments provide drink holders designed to securely hold drinks. Embodiments are adapted to work with buckets or coolers in a central aperture. The bucket may contain ice and a wine bottle. The portable beverage table is collapsible and separates at the center of the table top.
As shown in
Outer table top supports 36 are fastened to a first table top section 50 while inner table top supports 56 are fastened to a second table top section 51. Fasteners 38 connect lower cross beam 40 to outer legs 20 and inner legs 18. Outer table top supports 36 are pivotally fastened to outer legs 20.
Portable beverage table 100 can have multiple fastening device(s) for each leg and table top support. Fastening means may include, but are not limited to, friction, screws, nails and other means of holding the components of portable beverage table which together may be used alone or in combination as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Fastening device 10 can be made of metal, plastic, or any material with sufficient structural strength to hold components of portable beverage table.
With regard to
Having described the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention may otherwise be embodied within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A portable beverage table comprising:
- a table top;
- wherein the table top includes a substantially flat top surface having a top side and a bottom side;
- wherein the table top has two table top sections that are separable along a central divide;
- wherein a central aperture is substantially positioned at a table top center and passes through the top side and the bottom side of the table top;
- wherein the central aperture is sized to accept a wine bucket;
- wherein the central aperture spans the central divide such that the central aperture is comprised of two semicircular halves;
- a first outer aperture and a second outer aperture extending through the top side and the bottom side of the table top;
- wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture are smaller in diameter than the central aperture and have a passage to a periphery of the table through which a stem of a wine glass can pass;
- wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture are sized to accept the wine glass;
- wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture and the central aperture are positioned linearly along a longitudinal axis of the table top;
- first table top handle and second table top handle integral with the table top;
- wherein a first side of the first table top handle and the second table top handle is formed from an edge of the central aperture, and a second side of the first table top handle and the second table top handle is formed from an edge of each of the outer apertures, such that each of two hands of a user can grip the first table top handle and second table top handle in order to separate the two table top sections;
- two inner legs and two outer legs;
- wherein each of the two inner legs are pivotally attached to an adjacent outer leg at a central point on the two inner legs and the two outer legs;
- wherein the two outer legs are pivotally attached to two outer table top supports and wherein the each of the two inner legs are pivotally attached to a carrying handle;
- wherein the carrying handle is a rod;
- wherein each of the two inner legs are fastened to the carrying handle at each end of the carrying handle;
- wherein the carrying handle is exposed at a top of the portable beverage table when the portable beverage table in a closed position.
2. The portable beverage table of claim 1 wherein the two outer legs and the two inner legs are designed to position the table top at approximately 15″ above a ground surface.
3. The portable beverage table of claim 1, wherein said portable beverage table has a pair of curved perimeter edges and a pair of flat perimeter edges.
4. The portable beverage table of claim 1, wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture are located adjacent to a pair of curved perimeter edges on opposite sides of the portable beverage table.
5. (canceled)
6. The portable beverage table of claim 1, wherein said table top is generally rectangular.
7. The portable beverage table of claim 1, wherein a diameter of an outer aperture glass holder is 2.5″ and a diameter of the central aperture is 5.5″.
8. The portable beverage table of claim 1, wherein said table top is made from recycled material.
9. A method comprising:
- removing a wine bucket from a central aperture of a portable beverage table, gripping with a first hand and a second hand a first table top handle and a second table top handle formed between the central aperture and two outer apertures, wherein a first side of each table top handle is formed from an edge of the central aperture, and a second side of each table top handle is formed from an edge of each of the two outer apertures, such that each of two hands of a user can grip the first table top handle and second table top handle in order to separate two table top sections;
- separating, along a central divide, a first table top section and a second table top section by moving the first hand and the second hand in an opposite direction along a horizontal plane while gripping the table top;
- exposing a carrying handle at a central, top portion of the portable beverage table;
- rotating the first table top section and the second table top section in a downward direction the first table top section and the second table top section until the portable beverage table is collapsed into a flat, closed position;
- releasing, with a first hand, a grip on the first table top handle;
- gripping, with the first hand, the carrying handle;
- releasing, with a second hand, a grip on a second table top handle;
- carrying the portable beverage table with the carrying handle.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, prior to removing the wine bucket from the central aperture, removing a wine glass from the outer aperture through a passage;
- wherein the two outer apertures are sized to accept the wine glass;
- wherein the two outer apertures and the central aperture are positioned linearly along a longitudinal axis of the table top.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein a pair of inner legs and a pair of outer legs fold along pivots.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the table top has two curved perimeter edges and two flat perimeter edges.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the two outer apertures are located adjacent two curved edges on opposite sides of the portable beverage table.
14. (canceled)
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the table top is generally rectangular.
16. (canceled)
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the table top is made from recycled material.
18. A portable beverage table comprising:
- a table top;
- wherein the table top includes a substantially flat top surface having a top side and a bottom side;
- wherein the table top includes two table top sections that are separable along a central divide;
- wherein a central aperture is substantially positioned at a table top center and passes through the top side and the bottom side of the table top;
- wherein the central aperture is sized to accept a wine bucket;
- wherein the central aperture spans the central divide such that the central aperture is comprised of two semicircular halves;
- a first outer aperture and a second outer aperture extending through the top side and the bottom side of the table top;
- wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture are smaller in diameter than the central aperture and have a passage to a periphery of the table through which a stem of a wine glass can pass;
- wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture are sized to accept the wine glass;
- wherein the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture and the central aperture are positioned linearly along a longitudinal axis of the table top;
- a first table top handle and a second table top handle integral with the table top;
- wherein a first side of the first table top handle and the second table top handle is formed from an edge of the central aperture and a second side of each table top handle is formed from an edge of each of the first outer aperture and the second outer aperture, such that each of two hands of a user can grip the first table top handle and second table top handle in order to separate the two table top sections;
- two inner legs and two outer legs;
- wherein each of the two inner legs are pivotally attached to an adjacent outer leg at a central point on the two inner legs and the two outer legs;
- wherein the two outer legs are pivotally attached to two outer table top supports and wherein each of the two inner legs are pivotally attached to a carrying handle.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 17, 2019
Publication Date: Dec 17, 2020
Inventor: Michael P. Shields (North Tonawanda, NY)
Application Number: 16/443,128