Detachable tabletop system and bracket assembly for engaging a supportive railing

• US 9,814,305 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terraza LLC
• Original Assignee: Terraza LLC
• Inventors: Brus, David, Bird, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US15/173,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 108 42, 1081571-158
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/02 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 7/04 Flower tables; Stands or hangers, e.g. baskets, for flowers stands for use during growing of flowers A01G; flower holders worn on garments A45F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 7/044 Hanging flower-pot holders, e.g. mounted on walls, balcony fences or the like on windows or doors A47H27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 7/045 the flower-pots being suspended therefrom by wires or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/62 Pegs, stakes or the like

Abstract

A tabletop system for detachably engaging a railing provides a tabletop with a substantially planar upper surface and at least one bracket assembly. The bracket assembly includes an elongated member that is removably engaged with the tabletop and is configured to span over a handrail of the railing. The bracket assembly also includes a bracing member that is coupled with an end portion of the elongated member and extends downward proximate spindles of the railing. An engagement device is coupled with a lower portion of the bracing member and is configured to detachably engage an adjacent pair of the spindles for rigidly securing the bracket assembly to support the tabletop.

Claims

1. A tabletop system configured to detachably engage a railing, said tabletop system comprising:

a railing bracket having (i) an upper portion that includes an elongated bracket member with a bottom surface that is configured to rest on a handrail of a railing and (ii) a lower portion that includes a bracing member that integrally extends downward from a first end section of the elongated bracket member;

wherein the elongated bracket member includes a first attachment feature disposed at the first end section of the elongated bracket member and a second attachment feature disposed at an opposing second end section of the elongated bracket member;

a tabletop having a substantially planar upper surface and being configured to removably engage the upper portion of the railing bracket via the first and second attachment features and span over opposing sides of the handrail;

wherein the lower portion of the railing bracket includes an engagement device that is configured to secure to at least one spindle of the railing for supporting the substantially planar upper surface of the tabletop in a generally horizontal orientation; and

wherein, when the railing bracket is secured to the railing, a central section of the elongated bracket member rests on the railing to position the first and second attachment features at the opposing sides of the handrail.

2. The tabletop system of claim 1, wherein the first and second attachment features detachably engage the tabletop to the railing bracket.

3. The tabletop system of claim 2, wherein the first and second attachment features are configured to selectively engage the tabletop at a plurality of locations along a length of the tabletop, allowing the tabletop to be positioned a multiple positions along a length of the handrail.

4. The tabletop system of claim 1, wherein the bracing member that extends downward from the upper portion of the railing bracket is configured to be arranged on an exterior side of the railing to prevent disruption of a knee area under the tabletop at an interior side of the railing.

5. The tabletop system of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the bracket assembly includes an elongated bracket member that has a top surface for supporting the tabletop.

6. The tabletop system of claim 1, wherein the engagement device is disposed at a bottom end of the bracing member and is configured to engage opposing sides of the at least one spindle for rigidly securing the railing bracket to the railing.

7. The tabletop system of claim 6, wherein the engagement device includes a pair of clamping members that engage the opposing sides of the at least one spindle and a fastener that extends between and draws the pair of clamping members toward each other for clamping the at least one spindle between the clamping members.

8. A tabletop system configured to detachably engage a railing, said tabletop system comprising:

a railing bracket having (i) an upper portion that includes an elongated bracket member with a bottom surface that is configured to rest on a handrail of a railing and support a tabletop that spans over the handrail and (ii) a lower portion that includes a bracing member that extends downward from a first end section of the elongated bracket member;

an engagement device disposed at the lower portion of the bracing member and configured to attach to at least one spindle of the railing, wherein the engagement device is configured to engage opposing sides of the at least one spindle for rigidly securing the railing bracket to the railing;

wherein the elongated bracket member includes a first attachment feature disposed at the first end section of the elongated bracket member and a second attachment feature disposed at an opposing second end section of the elongated bracket member;

wherein, when the railing bracket is secured to the railing, the first and second attachment features are positioned at opposing sides of the handrail; and

a base bracket that detachably engages the first and second attachment features of the railing bracket and that is configured to attach to a bottom portion of the tabletop for supporting the tabletop in at the railing bracket.

9. The tabletop system of claim 8, wherein the upper portion of the railing bracket includes an elongated bracket member that is configured to span over the handrail, and wherein the elongated bracket member has a top surface for supporting the tabletop and a bottom surface with a padded section configured to contact against the handrail of the railing.

10. The tabletop system of claim 9, wherein the bracing member integrally extends downward from the first end section of the elongated bracket member and is configured to angle toward spindles of the railing to be arranged on an exterior side of the railing.

11. The tabletop system of claim 8, wherein the engagement device includes a pair of clamping members that engage the opposing sides and are moved toward each other for clamping the at least one spindle between the clamping members.

12. The tabletop system of claim 11, wherein the engagement device includes a threaded fastener that extends between the pair of clamping members and, upon rotation of the threaded fastener, draws the pair of clamping members toward each other for engaging opposing sides of the at least one spindle.

13. The tabletop system of claim 8, further comprising a tabletop attached at the base bracket, wherein the tabletop has a substantially planar upper surface that is arranged generally horizontally when the base bracket is attached at the railing bracket.

14. The tabletop system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second attachment features of the upper portion of the railing bracket includes a slot for engaging the base bracket below the tabletop.

15. The tabletop system of claim 13, wherein the first and second attachment features are configured to selectively engage the attachment feature of the base bracket at a plurality of locations along a length of the tabletop, allowing the tabletop to be positioned at multiple horizontal positions along a length of the handrail.

16. A tabletop system configured to detachably engage a railing, said tabletop system comprising:

a railing having a plurality of spindles that support a handrail, wherein the railing borders a platform surface to define an interior side of railing adjacent to the platform surface;

a railing bracket having (i) an elongated upper bracket member that includes a bottom surface that is configured to rest on the handrail of the railing and (ii) a lower bracket member that extends downward from a first end section of the elongated upper bracket member for extending toward and bracing against the spindles of the railing;

an engagement device disposed at a lower end of the lower bracket member and configured to engage opposing sides of the spindles of the railing for securing the railing bracket to the railing;

wherein the elongated upper bracket member includes a first attachment feature disposed at the first end section of the elongated bracket member and a second attachment feature disposed at an opposing second end section of the elongated upper bracket member;

wherein, when the railing bracket is secured to the railing, the first attachment feature is positioned at an exterior side of the handrail and the second attachment feature is positioned at the interior side of the handrail; and

a tabletop detachably engaged with the first and second attachment features of the railing bracket and, when the railing bracket is secured to the railing, the tabletop spans over the handrail of the railing.

17. The tabletop system of claim 16, wherein the engagement device includes a pair of clamping members that engage the opposing sides of the spindles and are moved toward each other for clamping the spindles between the clamping members.

18. The tabletop system of claim 16, wherein the engagement device includes a threaded fastener that extends between the pair of clamping members and, upon rotation of the threaded fastener, draws the pair of clamping members toward each other for engaging opposing sides of the spindles.

19. The tabletop system of claim 16, further comprising a base bracket that detachably engaged with the first and second attachment features of the railing bracket, wherein the tabletop is attached at the base bracket, and wherein the base bracket is configured to engage a slot disposed at the upper bracket member of the support bracket.

20. The tabletop system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second attachment features includes a hand-adjustable fastener that extends through a portion of the support bracket to engage the tabletop and prevent the tabletop from moving relative to the support bracket.