Multi-function table

• US 10,485,341 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storebound LLC (SEB SA)
• Original Assignee: Storebound LLC (SEB SA)
• Inventors: Dash, Evan, Zhang, Yiyang, Chen, Defang, Zhong, Xiqing, Wang, Yijun
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayres, Timothy M
• Application Number:
  US15/951,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20180295986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 312237, 312 71
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/08 Table tops; Rims therefor not restricted to table tops A47B95/04
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/003 Table combination having a central power access component
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/175 Refrigerators or freezers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0091 Electronic or electric devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 31/02 with heating, cooling or ventilating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/04 Tables combined with other pieces of furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/919 Accessories or additional elements for drawers, e.g. drawer lighting drawers having organising or sorting means A47B88/969
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A furniture unit in the form of a multi-function table having a base, a top surface attached to an upper part of the base, a refrigeration assembly located within the base and defining a refrigerated storage area accessible by a drawer, and a non-refrigerated storage assembly located within the base and accessible by one or more drawers. The top surface may be the upper most surface of the table and can cover substantially the entire table. The table may include other features including lighting, audio speakers, power outlets, USB ports, and a wireless charging pad. Operation of the refrigeration assembly and various features of the table may be controlled by a control section and programmable controller provided with the table. The controller may communicate wirelessly with a personal electronic device operable to program the controller and control operation of the features of the table.

Claims

1. A multifunction table, comprising:

a base comprising a primary cavity;

a refrigeration assembly comprising a refrigeration housing located within the primary cavity of the base and a first slideable drawer coupled to the refrigeration housing, the refrigeration housing defining a refrigerated storage area having an open front end that is closed by the first slideable drawer, wherein the first slideable drawer is configured to slide relative to the refrigeration housing into and out of the refrigerated storage area;

a non-refrigerated storage assembly comprising a non-refrigerated housing located within the primary cavity of the base and a second slideable drawer coupled to the non-refrigerated housing, the non-refrigerated housing defining a non-refrigerated storage area having an open front end that is closed by the second slideable drawer, wherein the second slideable drawer is configured to slide relative to the non refrigerated housing into and out of the non-refrigerated storage area;

wherein the refrigeration housing and the non-refrigerated housing are separate components from one another and from the base; and

wherein the primary cavity comprises an air space located between a rear of the refrigeration and non-refrigerated housings and a removable rear panel of the base, and further comprising a first speaker comprising a first speaker housing containing a first driver and a second speaker comprising a second speaker housing containing a second driver, the first and second speakers located in the air space.

2. The table of claim 1, wherein the table has a rectangular parallelepiped configuration having a length, a height, and a width, and wherein the table is a coffee table in which the height is smaller than the length and the width.

3. The table of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration housing and the non-refrigerated housing are positioned side-by-side within the primary cavity of the base, each of the refrigeration housing and the non-refrigerated housing extending from a bottom of the primary cavity to a top of the primary cavity.

4. The table of claim 1, wherein the non-refrigerated storage assembly comprises a third slideable drawer that is configured to slide relative to the non-refrigerated housing into and out of the non-refrigerated storage area.

5. The table of claim 1, wherein the refrigeration assembly includes a compressor located in the air space between the first and second speaker housings.

6. The table of claim 5, wherein the first speaker housing comprises a first air port that fluidly couples the first driver to the air space and the second speaker housing comprises a second air port that fluidly couples the second driver to the air space.

7. The table of claim 6, wherein when the first and second drivers are operating, the first and, second drivers move air in and out of the first and second air ports, respectively, such that air is passed around the compressor for cooling.

8. The table of claim 5, wherein a gap is provided between the removable rear panel and a remainder of the base, the gap allowing air to pass from the air space to an environment outside the table for removing heat from the compressor.

9. The table of claim 8, further comprising ventilation openings in a bottom panel of the base, the ventilation openings being fluidly connected to the air space allowing air to pass from the air space to the environment outside the table for removing heat from the compressor.

10. The table of claim 1, further comprising a control panel in a top surface of the table, wherein the control panel comprises refrigerator controls for controlling functions of the refrigeration assembly, sound controls for controlling functions of the first and second speakers, and a display for displaying information related to the first and second speakers and/or the refrigeration assembly.

11. The table of claim 10, further comprising an electrical receptacle and at least one USB port for providing electrical power to an external device and/or for connecting an external music source to the first and second speakers.

12. The table of claim 1, further comprising a front light bar disposed on a front side of the table, wherein operation of the front light bar is activated by a motion sensor configured to detect movement.

13. The table of claim 1, further comprising a rear light bar disposed on a rear panel of the base, the rear light bar controlled by a control knob on the table and operable to change color via rotating the control knob.

14. The table of claim 1, further comprising a wireless charging pad disposed in a top surface of the table for charging a personal electronic device.

15. A multifunction table, comprising:

a base comprising a primary cavity having an open front end and a removable rear panel that closes a rear end of the primary cavity;

a refrigeration unit located within the primary cavity of the base and comprising a refrigerated storage area;

a non-refrigerated storage assembly located within the primary cavity of the base and comprising a non-refrigerated storage area;

a ventilated air space located between the removable rear panel and the refrigeration unit;

a pair of speakers located within the ventilated air space, each of the speakers comprising a speaker housing that contains a speaker driver; and

a compressor located within the ventilated air space between the pair of speakers, wherein the compressor is operably coupled to the refrigeration unit to cool the refrigerated storage area.

16. The table of claim 15, wherein the refrigeration unit and the non-refrigerated storage assembly are positioned side-by-side within the primary cavity of the base, each of the refrigeration unit and the non-refrigerated storage assembly extending from a bottom of the primary cavity to a top of the primary cavity.

17. The table of claim 15, wherein each of the speaker housings comprises an air port that provides a passageway between the ventilated air space and the speaker driver.

18. The table of claim 15, further comprising a motion activated lighting including an LED strip and a motion sensor, and a rear light bar disposed on a rear panel of the table, the rear light bar controlled by a control knob on the table and operable to change color via rotating the control knob.

19. The table of claim 18, further comprising a programmable controller disposed in the table and operably coupled to the rear light bar, the programmable controller wirelessly connected to a personal electronic device running software operable to change color of the rear light bar without use of the control knob.

20. The table of claim 19, wherein the programmable controller is configured to automatically turn on the rear light bar at a preset wake-up time programmed into the controller, and wherein an intensity of light emitted from the rear light bar gradually increases over a preprogrammed period of time.