Modular conference table

• US 8,875,639 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regency Seating, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Regency Seating, Inc.
• Inventors: Summerville, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hanh V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gallego, Andres F
• Application Number:
  US13/346,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20120103235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 108/64, 108/83, 108/84, 108/85, 108/86, 108/87, 108/88, 108/89, 108/153.1, 108/155, 108/65
• US Class Current: 108/65
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 1/03 the leaves being foldable or revolvable
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 1/04 with supplementary leaves or drop leaves arranged at the periphery A47B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/08 Table tops; Rims therefor not restricted to table tops A47B95/04
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/088 Sectional table tops
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0079 Conference or video conference table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/12 Vanity or modesty panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/06 with separable parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A modular conference table allows meeting participants and office staff to quickly and effectively change the length of the conference table as the needs of the meeting participants change. The table includes a tabletop assembly including a first end-top, a second end-top, and a modular insert top. Additionally, modular conference table includes a leg assembly. upholding the tabletop assembly. The legs assembly includes two terminal supports and center supports. The modular conference table can be expanded in order to accommodate the needs of the user by adding an additional number of modular insert tops, modesty panels, and center supports. Thus, the table allows attendees of meetings and office staff to adjust the size of a conference table according to the size of the space or the needs of the user.

Claims

1. A table consisting of:

a tabletop assembly including a first end-top, a second end-top, and two modular insert tops which include at least one elongated central opening in which a grommet is placed where the two modular insert tops are interposed between the first and second end-tops to form a singular elongated work surface;

a leg assembly upholding the tabletop assembly wherein the leg assembly includes a first terminal support perpendicularly attached to the first end-top, a second terminal support perpendicularly attached to the second end-top, and a first and second center support located between the terminal supports and perpendicularly attached to the two modular insert tops, wherein the center supports are substantially in the center of the two modular insert tops, wherein the terminal supports and the center supports each have a substantially centrally located notch on a connecting side, wherein the connecting side is connected to the tabletop assembly; and

,

three modesty panels, wherein a first modesty panel is interposed between the first terminal support and the first center support, wherein a second modesty panel is interposed between the second terminal support and the second center support, wherein a third modesty panel is interposed between the first and second center supports, and wherein each modesty panel is perpendicularly attached to the elongated work surface, wherein the first modesty panel is perpendicularly attached to the first terminal support and the first center support, the second modesty panel is perpendicularly attached to the second terminal support and the center support, and wherein the third modesty panel is perpendicularly attached to the first and second center supports, wherein each modesty panel has a left-side and a right side notch, wherein left-side and the right-side the modesty panel notches coincide with the substantially centrally located notches in the terminal supports and center supports, when connected to the substantially planar top surface.

2. A table comprising:

a substantially planar top surface, wherein the top surface includes two non-contiguous end portions;

two terminal supports respectively extending perpendicular from the two non-contiguous end portions;

a first insertable top portion assembly consisting of;

an insertable top portion, a first center support, and two modesty panels, wherein the modesty panels extend downwardly from an underside of the top portion, the first center support extends perpendicularly from the top portion, and is substantially in the center of the insertable top portion, positioned between the two modesty panels;

at least one second insertable top portion assembly consisting of;

an insertable top portion, a modesty panel, and a second center support, wherein the second center support extends perpendicularly from the insertable top portion of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly and is substantially in the center of the insertable top portion of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly wherein the modesty panel of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly extends downwardly from an underside of the insertable top portion of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly;

wherein the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies are between the two non-contiguous end portions, wherein the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies and the two non-contiguous end portions form a substantially flat surface, wherein the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies are removably attached to the two non-contiguous end portions;

wherein the terminal supports of the two non-contiguous end portions and the first and second center supports of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies each have a substantially centrally located notch on a connecting side, wherein the connecting side is respectively connected to the substantially planar top surface; and

wherein the modesty panels of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies each have a left-side and a right-side notch, wherein the modesty panel notches coincide and interact with the substantially centrally located notches in the terminal supports of the two non-contiguous end portions and the substantially centrally located notches in the first and second center supports of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies, when connected to the substantially planar top surface.

3. The table of claim 2, wherein the modesty panels of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies are removably attached to the respective first and second center supports of each of the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies.

4. The table of claim 3, wherein at least two of the modesty panels of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies are removably and respectively attached to the terminal supports of the end portions, wherein the modesty panels are substantially attached to the center of the terminal supports and the first and second center supports, wherein only one modesty panel of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies is between the first and second center supports of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies.

5. The table of claim 2, wherein the at least one second insertable top portion assembly comprises:

n second insertable top portion assemblies, wherein n>

1.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the top portions, end portions, modesty panels, and terminal supports are connected to each other with cam pins and cam locks.

7. The table of claim 2, wherein the at least one second insertable top portion assembly comprises:

n second insertable top portion assemblies, wherein n>

2.

8. The table of claim 2, wherein the at least one second insertable top portion assembly comprises:

n second insertable top portion assemblies, wherein n>

3.

9. The table of claim 2, wherein the at least one second insertable top portion assembly comprises:

n second insertable top portion assemblies, wherein n>

4.

10. A method for increasing the size of a table, the method comprising:

inserting a first insertable top portion assembly and at least one second insertable top portion assembly between two non-contiguous end portions;

connecting the the first insertable top portion assembly and the at least one second top portion assembly to the two non-contiguous end portions;

attaching a terminal support to the two non-contiguous end portions, wherein the two terminal supports extend perpendicularly from the two non-contiguous end portion;

the first insertable top portion assembly consisting of;

an insertable top portion, a first center support, and two modesty panels extend downwardly from an underside of the insertable top portion, attaching and positioning the first center support substantially to the center of the insertable top portion and between the two modesty panels, wherein the first center support extends perpendicularly from the insertable top portion;

the at least one second insertable top portion assembly consisting of;

an insertable top portion, a modesty panel, and a second center support, attaching and positioning the second center support substantially to the center of the insertable top portion of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly, wherein the second center support extends perpendicularly from the insertable top portion of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly wherein the modesty panel of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly extends downwardly from anunderside of the insertable top portion of the at least one second insertable top portion assembly;

inserting the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portions assemblies between the two non-contiguous end portions, wherein the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies and the two non-contiguous end portions form a substantially planar top surface, removeably attaching the insertable top postions of the first and second insertable top portions assemblies to the two non-contiguous end portions;

wherein the terminal supports of the two non-contiguous end portions and the first and second center supports of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies each have a substantially centrally located notch on a connecting side, wherein the connecting side is respectively connected to the substantially planar top surface; and

wherein the modesty panels of the first and second insertable top portions assemblies each have a left-side and a right-side notch, positioning the modesty panel notches to coincide and interact with the substantially centrally located notches in the terminal supports of the two non-contiguous end portions and the substantially centrally located notches in the first and second center supports of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies, when connected to the substantially planar top surface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

removably attaching the modesty panels of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies to the respective first and second center supports of each of the insertable top portions of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

removably attaching at least two of the modesty panels of the first and second insertable top portion assemblies respectively to the terminal supports of the end portions.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one second insertable top portion assembly comprises:

n second insertable top portion assemblies, wherein n>

1.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the top portions, end portions, modesty panels, and terminal supports are connected to each other with cam pins and cam locks.