Floating amphibious game table

• US 6,976,434 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vassallo Research & Development Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vassallo Research & Development Corporation
• Inventors: Vassallo, Salvador, Roig, Antonio J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US10/616,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20040173123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 108/25, 108/26, 108/43, 108/44, 108/156, 108/157.1, 108/153.1, 273/236, 273/285, 441/32, 441/136
• US Class Current: 108/25
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 25/00 Card tables; Tables for other games
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 37/04 Tables specially adapted for use in the garden or otherwise in the open air, e.g. with means for holding umbrellas or umbrella-like sunshades
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material

Abstract

A floating amphibious game table is provided that may be used on both land and water. The game table has a base member that has an upper surface and a lower surface. A plurality of upper openings in the upper surface of the base member are adapted to receive beverage containers. A plurality of lower openings in the lower surface of the base member are adapted to receive a plurality of legs. The game table floats to allow for use on water. The game table receives the plurality of legs to allow for use on land.

Claims

1. A floating amphibious table, comprising:

a base member having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface and said lower surface being spaced apart and connected by a lateral wall, so as substantially surround and thereby define a substantially enclosed space therebetween, said enclosed space being substantially hollow over at least a majority of said base member;

a plurality of upper openings in the upper surface of the base member adapted to receive beverage containers;

said lower surface of the base member being provided with a plurality of lower openings; and

a plurality of legs adapted to be received by said plurality of lower openings, wherein said plurality of legs are adapted to be received in said plurality of lower openings for use of said floating amphibious table on land and said plurality of legs are adapted to be removable from said plurality of lower openings for use of said floating amphibious table in water.

2. The floating amphibious table of claim 1, wherein said table is a game table.

3. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of lower openings are substantially superposed with said plurality of upper openings.

4. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said lower surface of said base member has a plurality of resilient tabs adapted to receive said plurality of legs when not received by said lower openings.

5. A floating amphibious table according to claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of legs are substantially parallel to one another when received by said plurality of resilient tabs.

6. A floating amphibious table according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of legs have inner and outer surfaces and first and second ends.

7. A floating amphibious table according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of resilient tabs engage said inner surfaces at said first and second ends of said plurality of legs to retain said plurality of legs when received by said plurality of resilient tabs.

8. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of protrusions extend downwardly from said lower surface and have said plurality of lower openings therein.

9. A floating amphibious table according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of protrusions have an inwardly tapering inner wall extending upwardly from said plurality of lower openings for frictionally engaging said plurality of legs.

10. A floating amphibious table according to claim 8, wherein said lower surface has four protrusions.

11. A floating amphibious table according to claim 8, wherein said base member has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

12. A floating amphibious table according to claim 11, wherein one of said plurality of protrusions and one of said upper openings are positioned in each corner of said base member.

13. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said upper surface of said base member has an inner portion higher than an outer portion.

14. A floating amphibious table according to claim 13, wherein a continuous groove separates said inner portion from said outer portion of said upper surface of said base member.

15. A floating amphibious table according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of upwardly extending recesses are formed in said lower surface to support and provide structural integrity to said inner portion of said upper surface of said base member.

16. A floating amphibious table according to claim 13, wherein said inner portion is substantially planar.

17. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said amphibious table has four legs.

18. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of legs are substantially octagonal in cross-section.

19. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of upper openings are substantially circular.

20. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of lower openings are substantially octagonal.

21. A floating amphibious table according to claim 2, wherein said base member is made of a non-cellular material.

22. A floating amphibious table according to claim 21, wherein said non-cellular material is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass and plastic.

23. A floating amphibious table, comprising:

a base member having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface and said lower surface being spaced apart and connected by a lateral wall so as to substantially surround and thereby define a substantially enclosed space therebetween, said enclosed space being substantially hollow over at least a majority of said base member;

said lower surface of said base member being provided with a plurality of lower openings; and

a plurality of legs adapted to be received by said lower openings when said table is used on land.

24. A table according to claim 23, wherein said upper surface has an inner portion and an outer portion, said inner portion being higher than said outer portion.

25. A table according to claim 24, wherein a plurality of upper openings in said outer portion of said upper surface of said base member are adapted to receive beverage containers.

26. A table according to claim 25, wherein said base member, said plurality of protrusions and said plurality of resilient tabs are unitarily formed.

27. A table according to claim 25, wherein said base member is made of a non-cellular material.

28. A table according to claim 27, wherein said non-cellular material is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass and plastic.

29. A table according to claim 25, wherein said amphibious table has four protrusions.

30. A table according to claim 25, wherein said amphibious table has four legs.

31. A table according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of legs are substantially octagonal.

32. A table according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of upper openings are substantially circular.

33. A table according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of lower openings are substantially octagonal.

34. A table according to claim 24, wherein a plurality of upwardly extending recesses are formed in said lower surface to support and provide structural integrity to said inner portion of said upper surface of said base member.

35. A table according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of resilient tabs are connected to said lower surface, said plurality of resilient tabs being adapted to retain said plurality of legs when said table is used in water.

36. A table according to claim 35, wherein each of said plurality of legs are substantially parallel to one another when received by said plurality of resilient tabs.

37. A table according to claim 36, wherein a plurality of side mounts engage said outer surfaces of said plurality of legs to facilitate retention of said plurality of legs when received by said plurality of resilient tabs.

38. A table according to claim 23, wherein said base member is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

39. A table according to claim 38, wherein one of said plurality of protrusions and one of said plurality of openings is positioned in each corner of said base member.

40. A floating amphibious game table, comprising:

a substantially hollow base member having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface having an inner portion and an outer portion, said inner portion being higher than said outer portion;

a continuous groove in said upper surface separating said inner portion from said outer portion;

four upper openings in said outer portion of said base member adapted to receive beverage containers;

four lower protrusions integral with and extending downwardly from said lower surface of said base member and substantially superposed with said four upper openings;

four lower openings in each of said four lower protrusions;

four pairs of resilient tabs on said lower surface;

four legs adapted to be received by said four lower openings and adapted to be received by said four pairs of resilient tabs when not received by said four lower receptacles; and

a plurality of upwardly extending recesses in the lower surface of the base member to provide support and structural integrity to said inner portion of said upper surface of said base member.

41. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 40, wherein each of said plurality of legs are substantially parallel to one another when received by said plurality of resilient tabs.

42. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 41, comprising:

a plurality of side mounts for engaging said outer surfaces of said plurality of legs to facilitate retention of said plurality of legs when received by said plurality of resilient tabs.

43. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 40, wherein said inner portion of said upper surface of said base member is substantially planar.

44. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 40, wherein said base member is made of a non-cellular material.

45. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 44, wherein said non-cellular material is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass and plastic.

46. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 40, wherein said base member, four lower protrusions and four pair of resilient tabs are unitarily formed.

47. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 40, wherein said recesses are proximal to said inner portion of said upper surface of said base member.

48. A floating amphibious game table according to claim 40, wherein said table is made by rotomolding.

49. A method of using a floating amphibious game table, comprising:

removably attaching a plurality of legs to the game table to support the game table for use on land, the game table having upper and lower surfaces, said upper surface and said lower surface being spaced apart and connected by a lateral wall so as to substantially surround and thereby define a substantially enclosed space therebetween, the enclosed space being substantially hollow over at least a majority of the base member;

removing the plurality of legs from the table when using the table in water; and

floating the game table in water.

50. A method of using a floating amphibious game table according to claim 49, further comprising positioning beverage containers in a plurality of upper openings in the upper surface of the game table.

51. A method of using a floating amphibious game table according to claim 49, further comprising removably attaching the plurality of legs to a plurality of resilient tabs disposed on the lower surface of the table adapted to retain the plurality of legs.