Patent US4727816A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4727816A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Table
Assignee: Virco Manufacturing Corp
•
Filing: 1986-10-14
•
Granted: 1988-03-01
•
Expires: 2006-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A folding table construction embodying a planar top, foldable legs and a novel apron assembly connected to the underside of the top. The apron unit comprises elongated discrete, relatively short straight lengths of formed metal side and end strips, or stringers, which are securely interconnected together by spaced apart, one-piece, blow molded corner moldings adapted to be affixed to the underside of the table top. Due to the novel design of the corner moldings and the stringers, the construction of the supporting apron requires no metal bending or welding. Further, the corner moldings can be colored during the molding step and the stringers can be painted to match in small painting units prior to apron assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Julian A. Virtue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:56
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B3/00; A47B3/08; A47B3/091; A47B3/0911; A47B3/0912; A47B13/00; A47B13/02; A47B13/021; F; F16; F16B; F16B12/00; F16B12/44; F16B2012/443
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A table construction, comprising: (a) a generally planar top; (b) an apron assembly connected to said top, comprising: (i) at least three elongated angle members each having a base and a generally perpendicularly extending wall connected to said base, said wall having end portions terminating in a curved lower edge portion; and (ii) at least three one-piece, injection molded corner members attached to said planar top, each having a top wall, a spaced apart bottom wall, external side walls interconnecting said top and bottom walls, said external walls being provided with at least two vertically extending slots adapted to closely receive said end portions of said walls of said elongated angle members, internal side walls spaced from said external walls, and reinforcing means connected to said internal walls for structurally reinforcing said internal walls; and (c) leg assemblies interconnected with said apron assembly for supporting said top in an elevated, generally horizontal plane, said lower edge portion of said wall of said angle members being generally circular in cross-section and the vertically extending slots formed in said external walls being formed to closely receive said angle members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
A table construction, comprising: (a) a generally planar top; (b) an apron assembly connected to said top, comprising: (i) at least three elongated angle members each having a base and a generally perpendicularly extending wall connected to said base, said wall having end portions terminating in a curved lower edge portion; and (ii) at least three one-piece, injection molded corner members attached to said planar top, each having a top wall, a spaced apart bottom wall, external side walls interconnecting said top and bottom walls, said external walls being provided with at least two vertically extending slots adapted to closely receive said end portions of said walls of said elongated angle members, internal side walls spaced from said external walls, and reinforcing means connected to said internal walls for structurally reinforcing said internal walls; and (c) leg assemblies interconnected with said apron assembly for supporting said top in an elevated, generally horizontal plane, said lower edge portion of said wall of said angle members being generally circular in cross-section and the vertically extending slots formed in said external walls being formed to closely receive said angle members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A table construction as defined in claim 1 in which said reinforcing means comprises internal side walls spaced apart from said external side walls and a pair of angularly extending walls integrally formed with said internal side walls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A table construction as defined in claim 1 in which said reinforcing means comprises a plurality of wall members disposed intermediate said internal and external walls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A table construction as defined in claim 3 including bumper means carried by said corner members for non-marring, non-sliding engagement with a planar surface upon which said apron may be placed when said legs are in folded position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A table construction as defined in claim 4 in which said top wall of each of said corner members is apertured and in which said bumper means comprises a one-piece member formed of a resilient material, said member having a first cylindrical portion receivable in said apertured top wall and a second enlarged diameter cylindrical portion extending above said top wall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
161 words
A table construction, comprising: (a) a generally planar top; and (b) an apron assembly connected to said top, comprising: (i) four elongated angle members each having a base and a generally perpendicularly extending wall connected to said base, said wall having end portions terminating in a curved lower edge portion; said edge portion being generally circular in cross-section; and (ii) four one-piece, injection molded corner members attached to said planar top, each having a top wall, a spaced apart bottom wall, external side walls interconnecting said top and bottom walls, said external walls being provided with at least two vertically extending key-hole shaped slots adapted to closely receive said end portions of said walls of said elongated angle members, internal side walls spaced from said external walls, and reinforcing means connected to said internal walls for structurally reinforcing said internal walls said reinforcing means comprising a plurality of wall members disposed intermediate said external side walls and said internal side walls.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
161 words
A table construction, comprising: (a) a generally planar top; and (b) an apron assembly connected to said top, comprising: (i) four elongated angle members each having a base and a generally perpendicularly extending wall connected to said base, said wall having end portions terminating in a curved lower edge portion; said edge portion being generally circular in cross-section; and (ii) four one-piece, injection molded corner members attached to said planar top, each having a top wall, a spaced apart bottom wall, external side walls interconnecting said top and bottom walls, said external walls being provided with at least two vertically extending key-hole shaped slots adapted to closely receive said end portions of said walls of said elongated angle members, internal side walls spaced from said external walls, and reinforcing means connected to said internal walls for structurally reinforcing said internal walls said reinforcing means comprising a plurality of wall members disposed intermediate said external side walls and said internal side walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
A table construction as defined in claim 6 further including two pairs of longitudinally spaced leg assemblies hingably interconnected with said apron assembly for supporting said top in an elevated, generally horizontal plane, said leg assemblies being movable between a first downwardly extending position to a second folded position wherein said leg assemblies are in close proximity with said top and extend generally parallel to the plane thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US383167A
Cited
US2889185A
Cited
US3386590A
Cited
US3446345A
Cited
US3604372A
Cited
US3590753A
Cited
US4538526A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-01 | 1991-08-31 | 1992-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-01 | 1995-08-31 | 1996-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-01 | 1999-08-31 | 2000-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |