Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
=
Title
TABLE LEG ASSEMBLY
Scope of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to table leg assemblies and, more
particularly, to table leg
assemblies with a horizontal beam extending between two vertical legs.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Various table leg assemblies are known for supporting a
worksurface of a table.
[0003] The present inventor has appreciated that previously known table
leg assemblies
fail to provide a simpler convenient manner for coupling of various functional
elements to
the table.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] To at least partially overcome disadvantages of previously known
table leg
assemblies, the present invention provides a table leg assembly with an
intermediate beam to
removably support elements on the table leg assembly.
[0005] In one aspect, the present invention provides a table having a
tabletop
worksurface,
[0006] the worksurface having a downwardly directed lower surface,
[0007] a leg structure supporting the tabletop under an end of the table,
[0008] the leg structure having two spaced vertical legs,
[0009] each leg having a top and a bottom,
[0010] each leg top disposed below the lower surface,
[0011] each leg having an outer end surface,
[0012] the outer surfaces of both legs lying in a common flat outer end
plane,
[0013] an elongate horizontal intermediate beam extending between the
legs intermediate
the top and bottom of the legs,
[0014] the intermediate beam having two ends each end joined to one of
the legs,
[0015] the intermediate beam spaced below the lower surface of the
worksurface forming
a vertical space therebetween,
1
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
, .
[0016] the intermediate beam having an outer side surface,
[0017] the outer side surface of the intermediate beam disposed
inwardly of the outer end
plane.
[0018] In another aspect, the present invention provides a table
having a tabletop
worksurface the table having an outer end,
[0019] a leg structure supporting the tabletop under the end of the
table,
[0020] the leg structure having two spaced vertical legs comprising
a right leg and a left
leg,
[0021] each leg having a top and a bottom,
[0022] each leg having an outer end surface and an inner end
surface,
[0023] the outer surfaces of both legs lying in a common flat outer
end plane,
[0024] the inner surfaces of both legs lying in a common flat inner
end plane parallel to
the outer plane,
[0025] each leg having an interior surface directed toward the other
leg,
[0026] an elongate horizontal upper beam extending between the legs
proximate the top
of the legs, the upper beam having two ends with each end joined to one of the
legs,
[0027] the upper beam having a bottom surface directed downwardly,
[0028] an elongate horizontal intermediate beam extending between
the legs intermediate
the top and bottom of the legs,
[0029] the intermediate beam having two ends with each end joined to
one of the legs,
10030] the intermediate beam spaced below the upper beam forming a
vertical space
therebetween,
[0031] the intermediate beam having an outer side surface and an
inner side surface,
[0032] the intermediate beam having a top surface,
[0033] the outer side surface of the intermediate beam disposed
inwardly of the outer end
plane,
[0034] a rectangular flat planar privacy panel having an outer face
and an inner face
joined by a top edge, a bottom edge, a right side edge, and a left side edge,
2
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
, .
[0035] the privacy panel disposed between the outer end plane and
the inner end plane
outwardly of the intermediate beam with the outer face of the panel directed
away from the
intermediate beam, the top edge below the upper beam, the right side edge
adjacent the
interior surfaces of a first of the legs and the left side edge adjacent the
interior surfaces of a
second of the legs,
[0036] the panel mounted to the intermediate beam outwardly of the
beam by a hook
member removably mounted to the intermediate beam and extending rearwardly
over the top
surface of the intermediate beam and downwardly into engagement with the inner
side
surface of the intermediate beam.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0037] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent
from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings
in which:
[0038] Figure 1 is a pictorial view illustrating tables with leg
assemblies in according
with a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] Figure 2 is an end view of the leg structure shown on one
table in Figure 1;
[0040] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional front view of the leg assembly
of Figure 2 along
section line A-A' in Figure 2;
[0041] Figure 4 is a pictorial view of the tables of Figure 1 with
two privacy panels
attached to the end of two legs;
[0042] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional front view along section line B-
B' in Figure 4;
[0043] Figure 6 is a pictorial view of a hook member and fastener
shown in Figure 5;
[0044] Figure 7 is a pictorial view of a bracket member and fastener
of Figure 5;
[0045] Figure 8 is a bottom pictorial view of a bottom end of the
leg shown in Figure 5;
[0046] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along section line C-C' in
Figure 5;
[0047] Figure 10 is a pictorial view of the tables as in Figure 1
with two hanging hook
members secured to the end leg structures and having briefcases mounted
thereto;
[0048] Figure 11 is a pictorial view of the double hook member of
Figure 10;
[0049] Figure 12 is a pictorial view of the tables in Figure 1 with
upstanding privacy
screens mounted thereon;
3
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
[0050] Figure 13 is a pictorial view of a mounting hook utilized in Figure
12;
[0051] Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional front view similar to Figure
5 of the leg
structure and a privacy screen shown in Figure 12;
[0052] Figure 15 is a pictorial view of the tables of Figure 1 with a
storage cabinet
mounted across the ends of two tables;
[0053] Figure 16 is a rear view of the storage cabinet of Figure 15 showing
a hook
secured thereto;
[0054] Figure 17 is a perspective view of the tables in Figure 1 with
planters mounted
across the ends of two tables;
[0055] Figure 18 is a pictorial view of the table in Figure 17 additionally
showing a shelf
mounted to the ends of the tables underneath one planter;
[0056] Figure 19 is a schematic front cross-sectional view similar to
Figure 5 but through
the planter and shelf of Figure 17;
[0057] Figure 20 is a pictorial view of the tables of Figure 4 with an
extension
worksurface mounted at the ends of the tables;
[0058] Figure 21 is a schematic front cross-sectional view similar to
Figure 5 but through
the tables and extension worksurface of Figure 20;
[0059] Figure 22 is a pictorial view of the tables as in Figure 1 with a
storage bin
mounted at the ends of the tables; and
[0060] Figure 23 is a cross-sectional front view similar to Figure 5 but of
another
embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0061] Figure 1 shows two tables 10. Each table 10 has a worksurface 12
which is
supported at each end 11 of the table by leg structures 8. The worksurface 12
has an upper
surface 14, a lower surface 15, a front 16, a rear 17, a right end 18 and a
left end 19.
[0062] The leg structure 8 is best seen in Figures 2 and 3 and includes a
right leg 20 and
a left leg 21, each having a top 22 and a bottom 24. Each of an upper beam 34
and an
intermediate beam 50 extend between the right leg 20 and the left leg 21.
4
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
1 .
[0063] The right leg 20 and the left leg 21 are identical and mirror
images of each other.
Each of the legs has an outer end surface 26, an inner end surface 28 and an
interior surface
30. A foot 32 is secured to the bottom 24 of each leg to support the leg on a
floor surface.
[0064] As can be seen in the bottom view of Figure 8, each leg has a
rectangular profile.
[0065] The upper beam 34 similarly has a rectangular profile with an
outer surface 46, an
inner surface 47, a bottom surface 49 and a top surface 99. The outer end
surface 26 of the
right leg 20 and of the left leg 21 lies in a flat common outer end plane. The
outer surface 46
of the upper beam 34 also lies in this same common flat outer end plane. The
inner end
surface 28 of each of the right leg 20 and left leg 21, lie in a common flat
inner end plane
which is parallel to the outer end plane. The inner surface 47 of the upper
beam 34 also lies
in the inner end plane.
[0066] The intermediate beam 50 has a first end rigidly coupled to
the right leg 20 and a
second end rigidly coupled to the left leg 21. The intermediate beam 50 is
also rectangular in
cross-section as best seen in Figure 3 with an outer surface 52, an inner
surface 53, a top
surface 54 and a bottom surface 55. Each of the upper beam 34 and the
intermediate beam
50 extend horizontally between the legs 20 and 21. The intermediate beam 50 is
proximate
to the upper beam 34, however, is spaced vertically below the upper beam 34 so
as to provide
a vertical space 44 between the top surface 54 of the intermediate beam and
the bottom
surface 49 of the upper beam 34. The outer surface 53 of the intermediate beam
50 is
disposed inwardly from the flat outer end plane within which the outer end
surfaces 26 of the
legs 20 and 21 lie. Similarly, the inner surface 52 of the intermediate beam
50 is outwardly
of the inner end plane in which the inner end surfaces 28 of the legs 20 and
21 lie.
[0067] In the leg structure 8, as seen in Figure 2, the inclusion of
the upper beam 34 and
the intermediate beam 50 provides increased strength to the leg assembly 20 as
contrasted
with the leg assembly in which merely one of the beams is provided. The
location of the
intermediate beam 50 proximate to the upper beam 34 provides a pleasing
aesthetic.
[0068] Reference is made to Figure 4 which illustrates the identical
tables 10 and leg
structures 8 in Figure 1, however, with a privacy panel 56 attached to each
leg structure 8.
As can best be seen in Figure 5, the privacy panel 56 has an outer face 58 and
an inner face
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
57 which are joined by a top edge 60 and a bottom edge 61, a right edge 62 and
a left edge
64. A hook member 64 is removably engaged on the intermediate beam 50. The
hook
member 64, as best seen in Figure 6, includes an outer arm 66 and an inner arm
67 joined by
a bight member 70. The outer arm 66 extends from the bight member 70 to a
distal end 69.
The inner arm 67 extends from the bight member 70 to a distal end 69. A
slotway 71 is
formed between the outer arm 66 and the inner arm 67. The outer arm 66 has an
outer
surface 72. A threaded bore 74 extends into the outer arm 66. A threaded
fastener 76 is
provided having an enlarged head 77 and a threaded shank 78 which is adapted
to be
threadably engaged within the bore 74. As seen in Figure 5, the panel 56 has
an upper
opening 79 therethrough through which the fastener 76 extends so as to secure
the panel 56
to the outer arm 66 of the hook member 64 with the inner face 57 of the panel
56 in
engagement with the outer surface 72 of the outer arm 66 of the hook member
64.
[00691 Figures 5 and 7 show a bracket member 80 to engage the right leg 20
at the
bottom 24 of the leg 20 to couple the panel 56 to the leg 20. An identical
bracket member 80
is used to secure the panel member to the left leg 21 in a mirror image
fashion. Bracket
member 80 is formed as a plate member of constant thickness between an outer
surface 85
and an inner surface 86. A vertically extending slotway 81 is cut into the
bracket member 80
so as to define an upwardly extending arm 82. A threaded bore 87 extends
through the
bracket member spaced from the slotway 81 away from the arm 82. A fastener 88
is provided
with an enlarged head 89 and a threaded shank 84 to be received within the
bore 87.
Referring to Figure 8, at the bottom of the right leg 20, a notch 90 is cut
out from the interior
surface 30 of the leg. The notch 90 has a width corresponding to the width
between the outer
surface 85 and the inner surface 86 of the bracket member 80.
100701 Referring to Figure 9, the bracket member 80 is engaged on the leg
20 with the
interior surface 30 being received within the slotway 71 and a portion 91 of
the bracket
member 80 below the slotway 81 extending horizontally through the slot 90. In
this manner,
the bracket member 80 can be secured to the leg 20 so as to not extend below
the bottom of
the leg 20 yet with the bracket member 80 engaging the leg 20 to fixedly
extend
perpendicular to the interior surface 30. As schematically shown in Figure 9,
the bracket
6
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
member 80 does not interfere with the engagement of a threaded shank 93
carried on the foot
32 being threadably received within a plate 92 fixed inside the leg 20 having
a threaded bore
and providing a mechanism for height adjusting the leg 20.
[0071] Referring to Figure 5, with the bracket member 80 engaged on the
right leg 20, as
seen in Figure 9, the fastener 88 extends through a lower right opening 94 in
the panel 56 to
urge the inner face 57 of the panel 56 into engagement with the outer surface
85 of the
bracket member 80. As can be seen in Figure 5, the outer face 58 of the panel
is disposed to
be parallel to the outer end plane containing the outer end surfaces 26 of the
legs 20 and 21.
The outer face 58 of the panel is shown as being recessed inwardly from the
outer end
surfaces 26. This is preferred but not necessary. Preferably, the outer face
58 does not
extend outwardly beyond the outer end plane formed by the outer end surfaces
26 as is
advantageous such that the edges of the panel 56, namely, the top edge 60, the
right edge 62
and the left edge 63 are not readily visible and need not be finished.
Preferably, the top edge
60, right edge 62 and left edge 63 are located close to the respective
intermediate beam 50,
right leg 20 and left leg 21 such that they cannot easily be seen.
[0072] As can be seen in Figure 4, each of the upper fasteners 76 and lower
fasteners 88
is symmetrically located vertically and horizontally to provide a pleasing
aesthetic
appearance. Preferably, the heads of the fasteners 76 and 88 do not extend
outwardly beyond
the outer end plane formed by the outer end surfaces 26 of the legs. In the
embodiment
illustrated in Figure 5, the hook member 64 by reason of its bight member 70
engaging the
top surface 54 of the intermediate beam 50 substantially bears the vertical
component of the
weight of the panel 56. The bracket member 80 principally provides for
relative location of
bottom portions of the panel 56 in a correct vertical plane. With the panel 56
held against
vertical movement by the hook member 64, the panel member 56 via the lower
fastener 88
engages the bracket member 80 in a manner to prevent the bracket member 80
from sliding
downwardly out of engagement with the leg 20.
[00731 Figure 10 illustrates the tables 10 of Figure 1 with a double hook
member 100 as
shown in Figure 11 engaged on the intermediate beam 50 and with a handled
briefcase 101
releasably hung upon the double hook member 100. The double hook member 100 is
7
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
illustrated in Figure 11 and is similar to the hook member 64 of Figure 6 in
having an inner
arm 67 joined by a bight member 70 to an outer arm 66 to form a slotway 71
between the
inner arm 67 and the outer arm 66 within which the intermediate beam member 50
is to be
received to support the double hook member 100. The double hook member 100 has
the
outer arm 66 merge into an outer bight member 102 which merges into an
upwardly
extending hook prong arm 103. As seen in Figure 10, a handle 104 of the case
100 is
received on the outer bight member 102 in a slotway 105 between the outer arm
66 and the
hook prong arm 103. Various other handled bags or cases or articles of
clothing, cords,
leashes and the like may be hooked upon the double hook member 100 and thus
supported by
the leg structure 8. The double hook member 100 is slidable longitudinally
along the
intermediate beam member 50 and thus may be located at desired locations.
[0074] Reference is made to Figure 12 which illustrates the tables 10 as in
Figure 1 on
which a privacy screen 110 is removably mounted using a widened form of the
hook member
164 as illustrated in Figure 13. The hook member 164 in Figure 13 is identical
to the hook
member 64 shown in Figure 6 with the exception that the bight member 70 is of
increased
length so as to provide the slotway 71 between the inner arm 67 and the outer
arm 66 to be of
increased width. As seen in the partial front cross-section of Figure 14, a
fastener 176
extends through an opening 179 in the privacy screen and into the bore 74 in
the hook
member 164. The privacy screen 110 has an inner face 57 and an outer face 58.
The inner
face 57 engages the outer end surface 26 of the legs 20 and 21 so as to
dispose the inner face
57 in the outer end plane. The fastener 76 draws the privacy screen 110 into
engagement
with the outer end surfaces 26 of the leg and the outer surface 46 of the
upper beam 34. The
hook member 164 engages the intermediate beam 50 with the bight member 70
engaging the
top of the intermediate beam to prevent movement of the privacy panel 110
vertically
downwardly. As seen, the hook member 164 provides its outer surface 72 to be
engaged
with the inner face 57 of the privacy screen 110. As an alternate arrangement,
in the
embodiment of Figure 13, the outer arm 66 could have a width such that an
inner surface 112
of the outer arm 66 is located further inwardly closely adjacent to the outer
surface 52 of the
8
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
,
intermediate beam 50, that is, to have the slotways 71 of a width
substantially corresponding
to the width of the intermediate beam 50.
[0075] In Figure 12, the privacy screen 110 is shown to extend
between two leg
structures 8, that is, across the end of two desks 10. This is not necessary
and the privacy
screen 110 could merely be provided at the end of one desk 10 as attached to
the leg structure
8 for that desk.
[0076] Reference is made to Figure 15 showing the tables 10 of
Figure 1 to which two
storage cabinets 120 have been attached. Each storage cabinet 120 is formed by
a top
extension panel 121, a bottom panel 122 and a plurality of vertical panels
123. The cabinet
120 has a rear panel 125 as seen in Figure 16 to which a hook member 164
identical to the
hook member 164 in Figure 13 has been secured by the use of four fasteners 126
which
extend through four small openings 124 in the outer arm 66 and into the rear
panel 125 as
seen in the partial pictorial view of Figure 16. As is the case with the
manner in which the
hook member 164 of Figure 13 mounts the privacy panel 110 to the leg
structures 8 in Figure
12, in Figure 15, the rear panel 125 of the cabinet 120 engages the outer
surfaces 26 of the
legs 20 and 21. With the hook 164 engaged over the intermediate beam 50, the
leg structure
8 carries the vertical loading of the cabinet 120. Preferably two such hook
members 164 as
shown in Figure 16 are provided to engage the intermediate beam 50 of each leg
structure 20.
The relative location of the hook members 64 vertically on the rear panel 125
will establish
the relative height of a top surface 127 of the top extension panel 121
relative to the upper
surface 14 of the worksurface 12 of the table 10. In Figure 15, the upper
surface 127 is
horizontal and flush with the upper surface 14 of the worksurface 12 such that
the top
extension panel 121 forms an end extension of the worksurface 12.
[0077] The inner arm 67 of the hook members 164 shown in Figure 16
has a vertical
dimension which is less than the vertical dimension of the space 44 between
the upper beam
34 and the intermediate beam 50 such that for ease of attachment and removal
of the cabinet
120 in Figure 15 with the hook member 64 secured to the rear of the cabinet
120, the inner
arm 67 of the hook member can be moved horizontally through the space 44 until
the inner
9
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
arm 67 is inwardly of the intermediate beam 50 at which time the cabinet is
lowered until the
bight member 70 engages the top surface 52 of the intermediate beam 50.
[0078] Figure 17 illustrates tables 10 as in Figure 1 to which a planter
130 is mounted to
the leg structures 8 at the end of the tables 10 and with the planter 130
having mounted on its
rear hook members the same as that shown in Figure 16 for engagement with the
intermediate beam 50.
[0079] Reference is made to Figure 18 which illustrates tables 10 to which
a planter 130
is mounted in an identical manner to that described in Figure 17, however, in
which a shelf
member 140 is also mounted underneath the planter 130. The shelf member 140
includes a
vertical back panel 141 and a horizontal shelf panel 142 fixedly secured
together. Figure 19
is a partial front cross-sectional view through Figure 18 similar to Figure 5
and showing a
hook member 256 which removably couples the shelf element 140 to the leg
structure 8. As
seen in Figure 19, the hook member 256 is substantially the same as the hook
member 164
shown in Figure 13, however, the outer arm 66 is extended downwardly along the
back panel
141 to horizontal support arm 144 which extends forwardly underneath the shelf
panel 142.
The outer arm 66 is secured to the rear panel 140 as by fasteners in a similar
manner in that
the hook member 164 is secured to the rear panel 125 of the cabinet 120 as
seen in Figure 16.
The hook members 256 to support the bookshelf are to engage the intermediate
beam 50 at
locations spaced axially along the intermediate beam 50 from locations where
brackets 156
which support the planter 130 are located on the intermediate beam 50. The
shelf member
140 is first to be coupled to the leg assemblies 8 and thereafter the planter
130 may be
coupled to the leg assemblies 8.
[0080] Reference is made to Figure 20 which illustrates the tables 10 of
Figure 1 to
which a worksurface extension 150 is mounted with the worksurface extension
150 having
an upper surface 151 which is flush with the upper surface 14 of the
worksurface 12.
[0081] Figure 21 is a schematic partial front cross-sectional view of the
embodiment of
Figure 20 similar to Figure 5 and showing one manner in which the worksurface
extension
150 may be mounted. As seen in Figures 1, 5 and 21, underneath the worksurface
12 and
above the leg structure 8, there are provided a pair of longitudinally
extending rails 160
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
which provide a rail space 161 between a top surface 99 of the upper beam 34
and the lower
surface 15 of the worksurface. The rails 160 serve to rigidly connect the leg
structures 20
and provide a rigid support for the worksurface 12 to which the worksurface 12
is preferably
fixedly secured. The right end 19 of the worksurface 12 and an end 163 of the
rails 160 are
in the same common end plane as the outer surfaces 26 of the legs 20 and 21.
[0082] As seen in Figure 21, an elongate support beam 152 is secured to the
lower
surface 16 of the worksurface 12 and extends beyond the end 18 of the table
10. The
extension 150 sits on the support beam 152 and is secured thereto as by screws
and the like.
[0083] Referring to Figure 21, the support beam 152 extends through the
rail space 161
above the upper beam 34. The space 44 between the upper beam 34 and the
intermediate
beam 50 remains open laterally outwardly such that independently of the
extension
worksurface 150 various elements may be supported on the leg structures 8
underneath the
support beams 152. For example, in Figure 20, privacy panels 56 as illustrated
in Figure 4
are shown as secured to the leg structures 8 by engagement with the
intermediate beam 50 in
the same manner as described with reference to Figure 4. In a similar manner,
for example,
other elements such as the double hook member 100, the shelf member 140 and
the storage
cabinet 120 can be coupled to the leg assemblies 8 underneath the extension
worksurface
150. In a similar manner, various elements may also be coupled to the leg
structures 8
underneath the cabinet 170 as mounted and shown in Figure 22.
[0084] Reference is made to Figure 22 which illustrates the tables 10 of
Figure 1 to
which a cabinet 170 has been mounted. The cabinet 170 is similar to cabinet
120 but without
a rear wall. The cabinet 170 is disposed such that the bottom panel 172 is in
the same plane
as the lower surface 15 of the worksurface 12 mounted on support beams 152
such as shown
in Figure 21.
[0085] Reference is made to Figure 23 which shows as another embodiment of
the
present invention a modified structure for coupling the privacy panel 56 to
the intermediate
beam 50. In Figure 23, the hook member 364 is provided which is generally C-
shaped
having in addition to the inner arm 67 bridge member 70 and the outer arm 66 a
lower arm
365 which extends inwardly from the outer arm 66. The C-shaped bracket member
364 is
11
CA 02809469 2013-03-14
adapted to be engaged onto the intermediate beam 50 in a snap-fit relation
with the bridge
member engaged on the top surface 54 of the intermediate beam 50 and the lower
arm 365
engaged on the lower surface 55 of the beam member 50. The outer arm 66
carries a
horizontally disposed outwardly extending tubular member 366 whose outer
surface is
threaded. The panel 56 has an opening 79 therethrough. An inner ferrule 367
and an outer
ferrule 368 each extend into the opening 79 through the panel 56 from either
side and a
threaded nut 57 with an internally threaded inwardly directed bore engages
onto the threaded
stud tube 366 to draw and secure the panel 56 on the tube 366 sandwiched
between the nut
70 and the outer portion 66 of the bracket.
[0086] In accordance with the present invention, Figure 5 illustrates one
arrangement of
securing the lower end of the panel 56 to the bracket 80 by the use of
threaded fastener 88. A
threaded fastener in the lower opening 94 through the panel 56 may be
eliminated and, for
example, a simple connection being provided between the outer surface of the
bracket and
the inner face 57 of the panel as, for example, by the use of magnets or by
the use of Velcro
brand hook and eye fasteners.
[0087] While the invention has been described with reference to preferred
embodiments,
many modifications and variations will now occur to persons skilled in the
art. For a
definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.
12
