Table structure

• US 6,024,024 A
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paolo Favaretto
• Original Assignee: Paolo Favaretto
• Inventors: Favaretto, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/164,545
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 108/64, 108/65, 108/69, 108/155, 108/153.1, 108/157.1, 108/157.17, 108/158.11, 108/180, 108/185, 108/186, 108/187, 108/190, 312/194, 312/195, 312/223.6, 403/391, 403/389, 403/399, 403/398, 403/170, 403/217, 403/219, 403/97
• US Class Current: 108/64
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/00 Writing-tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0013 Desks with central bearing beams
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0027 Desks with I-shaped leg
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/002 Combination of tables; Linking or assembling means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7141 Plural channels in connector

Abstract

An enlarged table top is secured to a supporting structure disposed under the top for supportive engagement with a floor. The supporting structure includes a beam which extends longitudinally of the top directly adjacent the underside for fixed securement thereto. The beam is defined by a pair of elongate but sidewardly spaced tubular beam members which are rigidly joined together. An upright leg structure is provided adjacent at least one end of the table and includes a pair of upright but sidewardly spaced leg members having upper ends which are disposed adjacent the ends of the beam elements. A removable bracket includes opposed bracket parts which clamp the leg members therebetween, and one of the bracket parts has cantilevered support rods which telescope into the adjacent ends of the beam members for fixed securement thereto.

Claims

1. A table having a horizontally enlarged top disposed over and mounted on a supporting structure, the supporting structure comprising a horizontally elongate support beam disposed closely adjacent a bottom surface of the top and extending generally in a lengthwise direction of the top, the support beam including a pair of horizontally elongated tubular beam members disposed in parallel but sidewardly spaced relation and rigidly joined together by first and second support members which extend transversely between the tubular beam members adjacent opposite ends thereof, at least one upright support leg having a lower end engaged with the floor and projecting upwardly for securement to one end of the support beam, members said support leg including a pair of vertically elongate leg members disposed in parallel but sidewardly spaced relation and terminating in upper ends which are disposed adjacent but spaced outwardly from ends of the beam members, and a removable bracket structure for fixedly attaching said leg members to the adjacent ends of the beam members, said bracket structure including first and second bracket members which transversely extend between said leg members and are respectively disposed adjacent outer and inner sides of the support leg, said first and second bracket members having opposed clamping parts adjacent opposite ends thereof for clamping the leg members therebetween in the vicinity of the upper ends thereof, and said second bracket member having a pair of sidewardly-spaced rodlike projections extending in parallel and cantilevered relation therefrom, said projections being telescoped into the ends of the beam members and fixedly secured thereto.

2. A table according to claim 1, wherein the leg members are hollow tubular members of circular cross section substantially the same as the circular cross section of the beam members, the opposed clamping parts being substantially semi-cylindrical so that the leg members are snugly embraced therebetween, the clamping parts having projections which project inwardly for engagement within openings in the leg members, and a removable fastener extending between the bracket members to fixedly secure the bracket members together in embracing relation to the leg members.

3. A table according to claim 2, including a horizontally elongated cable trough of generally upwardly-opening channel-like shape, said cable trough having upwardly projecting resilient flanges which resiliently engage the beam members so that the cable trough is positioned directly under and extends lengthwise of the support beam.

4. A table according to claim 1, wherein the top includes first and second horizontally enlarged top parts which extend in angled relationship relative to one another, first and second said support beams fixedly secured under the respective first and second top parts and extending in lengthwise directions thereof so that said first and second support beams extend at a horizontal angle with respect to one another, first and second said support legs respectively joined to outer ends of said first and second support beams by a said bracket structure, a beam connector positioned directly under said top and fixedly connected between inner ends of said first and second support beams, said beam connecting being defined by three tubular elements defining a Y- or T-shaped configuration with each leg of the Y- or T-shaped configuration being defined by two of said tubular elements being disposed in parallel but horizontally sidewardly spaced relation and terminating in a free end, the tubular elements defining one leg of the beam connector being disposed closely adjacent and aligned with and fixedly connected to the tubular beam elements at the inner end of said first support beam, the tubular elements defining a second leg of the beam connector being disposed closely adjacent and aligned with and fixedly connected to the tubular beam members defined at the inner end of the second support beam, and a third leg structure being connected to the tubular elements defining a third leg of the beam connector, said third leg structure including a pair of generally parallel and elongate vertical leg elements disposed in sidewardly spaced relation, and a connecting structure for securing the upper ends of the leg elements to the free ends of the tubular elements defining the third leg, said connecting structure including a pair of parallel and sidewardly spaced and horizontally cantilevered projections which extend transversely from the respective leg elements and are snugly telescoped into and fixedly secured to the tubular elements defining the third leg of the beam connector.

5. A table according to claim 4, wherein said connecting structure is defined by said bracket structure.

6. A table according to claim 4, wherein said connecting structure is defined by two identical connector members each having a said horizontally cantilevered projection which at one end terminates in a vertically oriented hub, the hubs of the two connector members being vertically stacked and joined together by a fastener extending vertically therethrough so that the respective horizontally cantilevered projections can be telescoped into and fixedly engaged with the tubular beam members of two adjacent support beams or beam connectors, and the leg element of said third leg structure being fixed to and projecting vertically downwardly in alignment with said hubs.

7. A table according to claim 4, wherein the leg members are hollow tubular members of circular cross section substantially the same as the circular cross section of the beam members, the opposed clamping parts being substantially semi-cylindrical so that the leg members are snugly embraced therebetween, the clamping parts having projections which project inwardly for engagement within openings in the leg members, and a removable fastener extending between the bracket members to fixedly secure the bracket members together in embracing relation to the leg members.

8. A table according to claim 1, wherein the top includes at least first and second horizontally enlarged top parts, the support beam comprising first and second horizontally elongated support beam parts which are disposed closely adjacent and fixedly secured to a bottom surface of the first and second top parts respectively, each said support beam part being defined by said horizontally elongated tubular beam members, and a connector unit for releasably but rigidly connecting a first said tubular beam member of said first support beam part to a first said tubular beam member of said second support beam part, said connector unit including substantially identical first and second connecting parts each defined by a substantially vertically-oriented support hub fixedly and permanently joined to a horizontally cantilevered rodlike projection which is offset vertically from the respective support hub so that a longitudinally-extending centerline of said rodlike projection is approximately aligned with an end surface of said support hub, said first and second connecting parts being disposed so that the rodlike projections thereof are telescoped and fixedly secured into an adjacent end of the first beam members of the first and second support beam parts respectively, and the support hubs of the first and second connector parts are vertically stacked one on top of the other and joined by a connector extending vertically therebetween.

9. A table according to claim 8, wherein the top includes a third horizontally enlarged top part having a third support beam part fixedly secured thereunder and defined by said horizontally elongated tubular beam members, and a second connector unit for rigidly but releasably joining a second said tubular beam member of said second support beam part to a first said tubular beam member of said third support beam part, said second connector unit being identical to first said connector unit.

10. A table according to claim 9, wherein a vertically elongate leg member is coaxially fixed to and projects vertically downwardly from the vertically stacked hubs of said second connector unit for engagement with the floor.

11. A table according to claim 8, wherein a vertically elongate leg member is coaxially fixed to and projects vertically downwardly from the vertically stacked hubs of said connector unit for engagement with the floor.

12. A table according to claim 1, wherein the top includes first, second and third horizontally enlarged top parts, said first and second top parts extend in angled relationship relative to one another;

first, second and third said support beams fixedly secured under the respective first, second and third top parts and extending in lengthwise directions thereof so that said first and second support beams extend at a horizontal angle with respect to one another, said third support beam extends generally aligned with said second support beam;

first and second said support legs respectively joined to outer ends of said first and third support beams by a respective said bracket structure, said outer end of said second support beam being adjacent an inner end of said third support beam;

a beam connector positioned directly under said top and fixedly connected between inner ends of said first and second support beams, said beam connector being defined by three tubular elements defining a Y- or T-shaped configuration with each leg of the Y- or T-shaped configuration being defined by two of said tubular elements being disposed in partly parallel but horizontally sidewardly spaced relation and terminating in a free end, the tubular elements defining a first leg of the beam connector being disposed closely adjacent and aligned with and fixedly connected to the tubular elements at the inner end of said first support beam, the tubular elements defining a second leg of the beam connector being disposed closely adjacent and aligned with and fixedly connected to the tubular elements at the inner end of said second support beam, the tubular elements defining a third leg of the beam connector being fixedly connected together by a said bracket structure and a third said support leg joined thereto, a leg structure being connected to both said second and third support beams and including a pair of generally parallel and elongate vertical leg elements disposed in a sidewardly spaced relation, and a connecting structure for joining said beam members of said second and third support beams together, said connecting structure including a pair of parallel and sidewardly spaced and horizontally cantilevered projections which extend transversely from the respective leg elements and are snugly telescoped into and fixedly secured to the beam members of said second and third support beams.

13. A table according to claim 12, wherein said connecting structure is defined by said bracket structure.

14. A table according to claim 12, wherein said connecting structure is defined by two identical connector members each having a said horizontally cantilevered projection which at one end terminates in a vertically oriented hub, the hubs of the two connector members being vertically stacked and joined together by a fastener extending vertically therethrough so that the respective horizontally cantilevered projections can be telescoped into and fixedly engaged with the tubular beam members of two adjacent support beams, and the leg element of said fourth leg structure being fixed to and projecting vertically downwardly in alignment with said hubs.

15. A table according to claim 12, wherein the leg members are hollow tubular members of circular cross section substantially the same as the circular cross section of the beam members, the opposed clamping parts being substantially semi-cylindrical so that the leg members are snugly embraced therebetween, the clamping parts having projections which project inwardly for engagement within openings in the leg members, and a removable fastener extending between the bracket members to fixedly secure the bracket members together in embracing relation to the leg members.

16. A table according to claim 1, wherein the top includes first and second horizontally enlarged top parts which extend in angled relationship relative to one another, first and second said support beams fixedly secured under the respective first and second top parts and extending in lengthwise directions thereof so that said first and second support beams extend at a horizontal angle with respect to one another, first and second said support legs respectively joined to outer ends of said first and second support beams by a said bracket structure, a beam connector positioned directly under said top and fixedly connected between inner ends of said first and second support beams, said beam connector being defined by three tubular elements defining a Y- or T-shaped configuration with each leg of the Y- or T-shaped configuration being defined by two of said tubular elements being disposed in parallel but horizontally sidewardly spaced relation and terminating in a free end, the tubular elements defining one leg of the beam connector being disposed closely adjacent and aligned with and fixedly connected to the tubular elements at the inner end of said first support beam, the tubular elements defining a second leg of the beam connector being disposed closely adjacent and aligned with and fixedly connected to the tubular beam members defined at the inner end of the second support beam, and a third said support leg being connected to the tubular elements defining a third leg of the beam connector, said third leg structure including a pair of generally parallel and elongate vertical leg elements disposed in sidewardly spaced relation, said legs being fixed to said third leg of said beam connector by a said bracket structure.

17. A table having a horizontally enlarged top disposed over and mounted on a supporting structure, the supporting structure comprising a horizontally elongate support beam disposed closely adjacent a bottom surface of the top and extending generally in a lengthwise direction of the top, the support beam including a pair of horizontally elongated tubular beam members disposed in parallel but sidewardly spaced relation and rigidly joined together by support members which extend transversely between the tubular beam members, at least one upright support leg having a lower end engaged with the floor and projecting upwardly for securement to one end of the support beam, said support leg including a pair of vertically elongate leg members disposed in sidewardly spaced relation and terminating in upper ends which are disposed adjacent but spaced outwardly from ends of the beam members, and a removable bracket structure for fixedly attaching said leg members to the adjacent ends of the beam members, said bracket structure including first and second bracket members which transversely extend between said leg members and are respectively disposed adjacent outer and inner sides of the leg structure, said first and second bracket members having opposed clamping parts adjacent opposite ends thereof for clamping the leg members therebetween in the vicinity of the upper ends thereof, and said second bracket member having a rodlike projection extending in cantilevered relation therefrom, said projection being telescoped into one end of said support beam and fixedly secured thereto.