Paperboard table

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to articles of furniture, and more particularly to tables that are made of inexpensive materials and are suitable for temporary rather than permanent use.

There arises very often the need for small, inexpensive tables at social gatherings, conventions, exhibitions, and the like, where the need is of short duration and consequently strength and durability of the article are of secondary importance. Under these conditions, it is desirable that the table be sufficiently inexpensive that it can be discarded after limited use, rather than stored. At the same time, the table needs to be sufficiently strong or rigid that it securely supports light articles.

For these uses, appearance may be of secondary importance since the table can be covered by a cloth drape or the like. Also, other means than the usual procedures of finishing wood may be employed to provide a pleasing appearance to the article.

Thus, it becomes a general object of the present invention to provide a table of novel construction which enables the use of thin bendable sheet material as the stock from which the table is made.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel construction for a table such that inexpensive materials may be used and the table may be discarded after a relatively limited period of use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction for a table that can be fabricated from parts stamped or die-cut from relatively thin, flexible sheets of material, yet has sufficient strength and rigidity in the completed structure to hold light objects without danger of collapsing the table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing a table comprising a hollow tubular pedestal upon top of which is supported a table top, said table top comprising upper and lower spaced sheets, each sheet having marginal tabs bent into overlapping relation with tabs of the other sheet and means fastening the tabs together to hold the sheets in spaced relation, the lower sheet having a cutout area providing an opening slidably receiving the upper end of the pedestal to mount the table top on the pedestal.

Portions of the lower sheet that are located at the margin of the cutout area are bent upwardly at the margin of the cutout area to place portions of the lower sheet in supporting engagement with the underside of the upper sheet, thus giving stability to the upper sheet. Preferably, some of such bent-up portions of the lower sheet are also provided to form a brace extending across the cutout area to divide the area into two parts. The pedestal has notches at its upper end at diametrically situated locations to receive this brace section of the lower sheet.

The pedestal is made from a blank cut from thin sheet 5 stock which is folded into polygonal cross-section to form a hollow tubular member. The sheet stock for the pedestal as well as the top may be any suitable semirigid, foldable sheet material. The table top is made from two blanks cut from thin sheet stock, each of which has 10 a plurality of tabs around the periphery of the central portion, the tabs of the two blanks being fastened together to form the hollow table top. In outline the table top is preferably a polygon, though the marginal tabs may be so numerous that the table is substantially circular.

¹⁵ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

How the above objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as others not specifically mentioned herein, are attained will be more readily understood by 20 reference to the following description and to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front and top perspective of a table embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2—2 25 of FIG. 1, a mid-portion of the pedestal being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section on line 3—3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a combined horizontal section and bottom 30 plan view of the table top looking upwardly along the line 4—4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the flat cut blank from which the top sheet of the table is made;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the flat cut blank from which 35 the lower sheet of the table top is made;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a marginal portion of the blank of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the flat cut blank from which the pedestal is formed, a central portion of the blank being ⁴⁰ broken away; and

FIG. 9 is a half-plan of a table top of octagonal outline.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a completed table comprising a pedestal indicated generally at 10, and a table top indicated generally at 12. These are the two principal portions of the table that are finally assembled, as will be further described, to 50 form the completed article.

The pedestal is formed from a flat blank 14 which is illustrated in FIG. 7. This blank is preferably a sheet of paperboard of suitable thickness which is scored along a plurality of parallel straight lines 15. These scores pro55 vide a series of bend lines at which the blank can be bent to form the flat blank into the hollow tubular pedestal. At one side of the blank is left a tab 16 which is brought into overlapping relation with the margin along the opposite edge of the blank (FIGS. 3 and 4) and is fastened ⁶⁰ thereto in any suitable manner, as by an adhesive, by staples, or otherwise. The blank illustrated in FIG. 7 is provided with six bend lines 15 with the result that the completed tubular article is hexagonal in cross-section, as shown in FIG. 4. The invention is not limited to this ⁶⁵ specific shape, but it is preferred, for reasons which will become evident, that the pedestal be in cross-section a regular polygon having an even number of sides.

Along one edge of blank 14, which will become the upper edge of the pedestal, the blank is provided with a ⁷⁰ pair of notches 17 which are so located that when the blank is finally erected in tubular form, the notches are diametrically opposite each other. Optionally, the blank

3,620.

includes a pair of slits 18 which are so located that they are midway between the positions occupied by notches 17 in the completed tubular pedestal. The reason for this is discussed below.

The opposite edge of the blank, which becomes the bot- tom edge of the pedestal, may, for ornamental reasons, have a plurality of spaced notches 20.

Table top 12 comprises two sheets, an upper sheet 21 and a lower sheet 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The upper sheet 21 is provided by the central portion of blank 24 illustrated in FIG. 5 in its initial or flat state.

Blank 24 has an imperforate central area 21 around the margin of which is a plurality of tabs 25. Each tab 25 is joined to the central portion 21 of blank 24 by a straight score or bend line 26 at the base of the tab.

Viewed in plan, blank 24 is circular or substantially so. Although each bend line 26 is a straight line, each is short enough in the design of FIG. 5 that collectively they define a substantially circular table top provided by the central portion 21 of the blank. Assuming this shape of ₂θ the blank, tabs 25 are separated by V-shaped notches 27 which are wide enough to permit the tabs to be bent into a position substantially ninety degrees to the plane of sheet 21 without causing the tabs to overlap.

These notches 27 are preferably as shown in FIG. 7, ₂₅making the tabs 25 narrower at their outer ends than they are at their bases 26. Thus interference is avoided between adjoining tabs when bent ninety degrees from the plane of sheet 21 to fabricate the table top. The shape of notches 27 is variable at will to provide clearance and any ₃₀desired finished appearance; but die-cutting the notches 27 is more satisfactory if the radial cut lines at opposite sides of a tab do not both completely extend to the base or score line 26 when the tabs are numerous. This simplifies design of the cutting die since a single blade can separate two ₃adjoining tabs near their bases.

The invention is not limited to a circular shape for blank 24, and it is within the scope of the present invention to provide other shapes as desired for the top of the table. Typical is an octagonal shape as illustrated at 12α ₄θ in FIG. 9. Here, then, are only eight tabs bent along lines 26α at their bases.

Lower sheet 22 of the table top is provided by blank 28 illustrated in FIG. 6 in its original flat state. Like blank 24, blank 28 has around its periphery a plurality of mar- ₄₅ginal tabs 30 each of which is joined at its base to the central panel 22 of the blank by a straight score or bend line 31. The tabs 30 are separated by notches 27 shaped as shown in and described in connection with FIG. 7. In erecting the table top, tabs 30 are bent at ninety degrees ₅₀along bend lines 31. A similar bending of tabs 25 permits the two blanks to be assembled in such relation that the marginal tabs on the two blanks are in overlapping relationship and central portions 21 and 22 of the blanks are parallel and spaced apart by a distance determined pri- 55 marily by the length of tabs 30. The diameter of blank 24 is preferably slightly greater than that of blank 28 so that the tabs of the upper sheet are outside those of the lower sheet, as may be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Considering that the portion of blank 28 bounded by tabs 30 and bend lines 31 is the lower sheet 22 of the table top, this lower sheet has a centrally located cutout area which is defined by a combination of cuts and bend lines, indicated respectively by solid and broken lines in FIG. 6.

The general outline of this cutout area conforms to the external outline of pedestal 10, since the purpose of the cutout is to provide an opening in the lower sheet for slidably receiving the upper end of the pedestal to support the table top on the pedestal. 70

However, rather than having the cutout area a single continuous opening, it is preferable that the cutout area is in two parts which are separated by section 33 of the lower sheet. The width of this section 33 is determined by the spacing between the two bend lines 34 which are 75

175 parallel to each other and are preferably equally spaced from a parallel diameter of blank 28.

Subpanels 35 are joined to central panel 22 along bend lines 34 and each is separated along the remainder of the perimeter from main panel by end cuts 36 at the margin of the cutout area and side cut 37 which is parallel to bend lines 34 and separates the subpanel 35 from other subpanels that will be described. Each subpanel 35 has a second bend line 38 parallel to bend line 34 so that by bending the two subpanels through ninety degrees, first along bend lines 34 and then in the same direction along bend lines 38, a substantially box-like brace or reinforcing structure is provided as indicated generally at 40 in FIG. 2. This brace 40 extends across the pedestal and is received in notches 17, which are sized to receive the reinforcing structure.

Subpanels 35, when bent upwardly, engage the underside of upper sheet 21 and support the sheet centrally thereof against sagging under the weight of anything resting on top of the sheet. This support is improved by providing subpanels 35 with the median bend lines 38 so that a portion of the subpanel engages the upper side of the table top in face-to-face relation; although it will be realized that substantial reinforcing support would be provided even though cut 37 were placed substantially at the position of fold line 38. Then only the cut edge of the subpanel would engage the top sheet.

Reinforcing support for the upper sheet of the top may likewise be provided by the four triangular subpanels 42, one side of which is provided by cuts 37, and the other side of which is formed by cuts 43. Each of these triangular panels 42 is joined to the main panel by a bend line 44 which is in prolongation of a cut 36. These triangular panels are likewise provided near their midpoint with bend lines parallel to the base bend lines 44 in order to engage the upper panel over a greater area than the cut edge of the sheet.

The remainder of the cutout area in the lower sheet of the top is provided by that area of panel 22 at each side of section 33 which is bounded on opposite sides by cuts 43, cut 37, and bend line 45, the latter being at the margin of the cutout area and being parallel to cut 37 and bend line 34. In one form of the invention, this entire area can be bent upwardly to provide reinforcing support for the top area in the same manner as already described in connection with subpanels 34 and 42.

However, it is preferred to cut out of this area the central locking tab 48 which is joined to the main panel along the score line 45. By bending the tab 48 downwardly through ninety degrees along score 45 and then in the opposite direction along a median parallel bend line, the free end of the tab can be inserted in one of slits 18, as shown in FIG. 2. The tab passing through the slit 18 provides locking means for releasably locking top 12 to pedestal 10, thereby insuring that when the table is picked up by grasping the table top 12, the top is not separated from the pedestal. This is merely an example of one type of locking means, and it is of course within the scope of the present invention to provide locking means of other construction.

When the tabs 48 are cut as described, there remains at each side of the tab 48 a subpanel 50 which is joined to the main panel along bend line 45. These irregularly shaped subpanels 50 may likewise be bent upwardly into contact with the underside of the table top to provide additional points of reinforcing support for the upper sheet of the table top.

In assembling the table, first the two blanks 24 and 28 are assembled and fastened together by bending the marginal tabs of each into overlapping relation and fastening the tabs together. Next, the reinforcing subpanels of the lower sheet are bent upwardly along the bend lines 34, 44 and 45 at which these tabs are connected to the lower sheet, thus forming a recess in the table top or cutout area in the lower sheet into which

3,620,175 the upper end of pedestal 10 is slidably received. By proper dimensioning of the pedestal in the cutout area, a firm frictional engagement between the table top and the pedestal is obtained; but, as explained above, it may be preferred to provide additional means for coupling the table top to the pedestal by the locking tabs 48.

It will be appreciated that the subpanels of the lower sheet are all maintained in an upwardly bent position by engagement with portions of the pedestal. For example, subpanels 35 are maintained upwardly bent by engagement with the sides of notches 17. Other subpanels, such as 42 and 50, are bent around the margin of the cutout area and engage the outer face of the pedestal 10 which maintains them in the upwardly bent position.

In order to enhance the appearance of the completed but undraped table made from paperboard, it may be desired to cover the top with a decorative paper coated on one side with pressure-sensitive adhesive and bearing a facsimile of wood grain on the other side. A tape of this character can be placed around the edge of the table top, as indicated at 54 in FIG. 1, to cover the edge of the table and the notches between outside tabs 25. Also, the top of the table can be covered with a sheet 55 conforming to the shape of the table top and thus provide a pleasing appearance to the finished article. The same may be done with the pedestal if desired. On the other hand, when the entire article is substantially concealed by a cloth or the like draped over the table, such embellishment as the wood grain finish may be omitted.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that various changes in the exact shape, design, and construction of the table embodying the present invention may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the table is not limited to corrugated paperboard as the stock material. Other suitably strong, semirigid, yet bendable, sheet stock may be employed, especially when cost is of less importance or greater durability is desired. Accordingly, it is contemplated that the foregoing description is to be considered as illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the invention as defined by the appended claims.