PORTABLE SERVICE TABLE

Abstract

A portable service table is moveable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The portable service table includes a tabletop, a first leg assembly attached to the first portion, and a second leg assembly attached to the second portion. The tabletop has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a first portion top, a first portion bottom, and defines a steering wheel recess that extends from the first portion bottom toward the first portion top. The second portion is hingedly attached to the first portion. The second portion has a second portion first end, a second portion second end, and defines a second portion handle and a second portion passageway. The second portion handle is defined on the second portion second end. The second portion passageway is adjacent the steering wheel recess when said portable service table is in the closed configuration.

Description

FIELD

The disclosure relates to the field of service tables. More specifically, the disclosure relates to portable services tables.

BACKGROUND

Many boaters and campers do not have enough table or preparation surfaces to prepare meals and/or snacks. As a result, preparing meals and/or snacks can be burdensome and undesirable.

A need exists, therefore, for new and useful portable services tables.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF SELECTED EXAMPLES

Various example portable services tables are described.

An example portable service table is moveable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The portable service table includes a tabletop, a first leg assembly, and a second leg assembly. The tabletop has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a first portion top, a first portion bottom, and defines a steering wheel recess that extends from the first portion bottom toward the first portion top. The steering wheel recess has a first depth, a second depth, and a third depth. The second depth is greater than the first depth and the third depth. The second portion is hingedly attached to the first portion. The second portion has a second portion first end, a second portion second end, and defines a second portion handle and a second portion passageway. The second portion handle is defined on the second portion second end. The second portion passageway is adjacent the steering wheel recess when said portable service table is in the closed configuration. The first leg assembly is attached to the first portion. The second leg assembly is attached to the second portion.

Additional understanding of the portable service tables can be obtained by reviewing the detailed description of selected examples, below, and the referenced drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example portable service table. The portable service table is in the closed configuration.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the portable service table shown in FIG. 1. The portable service table is in the open configuration. Each of the first leg assembly and the second leg assembly is in the stored configuration and in the collapsed configuration.

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 1. The portable service table is in the open configuration. Each of the first leg assembly and the second leg assembly is in the expanded configuration and in the extended configuration.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partial view of the tabletop of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is another partial view of the tabletop of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a leg assembly. The leg assembly is in the expanded configuration and in the collapsed configuration.

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a leg assembly. The leg assembly is in the expanded configuration and an in the extended configuration.

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is another partial perspective view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a partial elevation view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 15 is a top view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 17 is a partial sectional view of the leg assembly shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 1 in use. The portable service table is in the open configuration. The first leg assembly is in the stored configuration and in the collapsed configuration. The second leg assembly is in the expanded configuration and in the extended configuration.

FIG. 19 is a partial perspective view of the portable service table illustrated in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED EXAMPLES

The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate various example portable service tables. The description and illustration of these examples enable one skilled in the art to make and use a portable service table. They are not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any manner. The invention is capable of being practiced or carried out in various ways and the examples described and illustrated herein are merely selected examples of the various ways of practicing or carrying out the invention and are not considered exhaustive.

FIGS. 1 through 18 illustrate an example portable service table 10. The portable service table 10 is moveable between a closed configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, and an open configuration, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 6 and FIGS. 17 and 18. The portable service table has a tabletop 12, a first leg assembly 14, and a second leg assembly 16.

The tabletop 12 has a first portion 20 and a second portion 22. The first portion 20 has a first portion first end 24, a first portion second end 26, a first portion top 28, a first portion bottom 30, and defines a steering wheel recess 32, a handle recess 34, a first projection 36, a second projection 38, a first portion first passageway 40, a first portion second passageway 42, and a first leg recess 44. The steering wheel recess 32 extends from the first portion bottom 30 toward the first portion top 28 and has geometry sized and configured to receive a steering wheel, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. In the embodiment shown, the steering wheel recess 32 has a first depth 25, a second depth 27, and a third depth 29. The second depth 27 is greater than the first depth 25 and the third depth 29. The steering wheel recess 32 is sized to receive a steering wheel, such as the steering wheel of a vehicle (e.g., watercraft). In the embodiment shown, the steering wheel recess 32 is defined on the first projection 36 and the second projection 38. The handle recess 34 extends from the first portion first end 24 toward the first portion second end 26 and into the steering wheel recess 32. Each of the first projection 36 and the second projection 38 disposed adjacent to the handle recess 34. Each of the first portion first passageway 40 and the first portion second passageway 42 extends from the first portion top 28 to the first portion bottom 30. The first leg recess 44 extends from the first portion bottom 30 toward the first portion top 28 and is sized to receive a portion, or the entirety, of the first leg assembly 14.

Optionally, a portable service table can include a first fastener and a second fastener. The first fastener can be disposed within the first portion first passageway and the second fastener can be disposed within the first portion second passageway. During use, each of the first and second fasteners can be wrapped around a steering wheel and fastened resulting in releasable attachment of a portable service table to the steering wheel. A fastener can include any suitable fastener capable of releasably attaching a portable service table to a steering wheel, such as hook and loop fasteners, mechanical fasteners, such as adjustable clamps, screws, bolts and nuts, and any other fastener considered suitable for a particular embodiment.

A portable service table can be releasably attached to a steering wheel using any suitable structure or method, some of which are described and illustrated herein. A portable service table can be attached to a steering wheel at any suitable tilt (e.g., 0-50 degrees of wheel tilt) and having any suitable size (e.g., 1″-2.5″ section of wheel and 12″-20″ full diameter of wheel).

The second portion 22 is hingedly attached to the first portion 20. The second portion 22 is releasably attached to the first portion 20 (e.g., using snap fit structures) when the portable service table 10 is in the closed configuration. The second portion 22 has a second portion first end 50, a second portion second end 52, a second portion top 54, a second portion bottom 56, and defines a second portion handle 58, a second portion passageway 60, and a second leg recess 62. The second portion handle 58 is defined on the second portion first end 50. The second portion passageway 60 is disposed adjacent to the steering wheel recess 32 when the portable service table 10 is in the closed configuration. The second leg recess 62 extends from the second portion bottom 56 toward the second portion top 54 and is sized to receive a portion, or the entirety, of the second leg assembly 16.

A second portion can be hingedly attached to a first portion using any suitable type of hinge and selection of a suitable hinge can be based on various considerations, such as the material forming a first portion and/or second portion of a tabletop of which the hinge is a component. Examples of hinges considered suitable to hingedly attach a second portion to a first portion include living hinges, and any other hinge considered suitable for a particular embodiment.

The first leg assembly 14 is attached to the first portion 20. In the embodiment shown, the first leg assembly 14 is hingedly attached to the first portion 20 and moveable between a stored configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, and an expanded configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 9 through 17, and between a collapsed configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and 9 through 10, and an extended configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 11 through 17. The first leg assembly 14 is disposed within the first leg recess 44 in the stored configuration. In the embodiment shown, the first leg assembly 14 is telescopic.

The second leg assembly 16 is attached to the second portion 22. In the embodiment shown, the second leg assembly 16 is hingedly attached to the second portion 22 and moveable between a stored configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, and an expanded configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 9 through 18, and between a collapsed configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and 9 through 10, and an extended configuration, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 11 through 18. The second leg assembly 16 is disposed within the second leg recess 62 in the stored configuration. In the embodiment shown, the second leg assembly 16 is telescopic.

In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first leg assembly 14 and the second leg assembly 16 includes a first top leg 70, a second top leg 72, a first hinge 74 (e.g., metal (e.g., stainless steel), plastic), a second hinge 76 (e.g., metal (e.g., stainless steel), plastic), a first middle leg 78, a second middle leg 80, a bottom leg 82, and a support bar 84 slidably disposed on the first top leg 70 and the second top leg 72. The support bar 84 extends from the first top leg 70 to the second top leg 72. In the embodiment shown, the support bar 84 extends around the first top leg 70 and the second top leg 72.

The first top leg 70 is a tubular member, has a first top leg wall 88, a first top leg first end 90, and defines a first top leg passageway 94 that extends through the first top leg wall 88. The first top leg wall 88 has a first wall thickness 89. The second top leg 72 is a tubular member, has a second top leg wall 96, a second top leg first end 98, and defines a second top leg passageway 100 that extends through the second top leg wall 96. The second top leg wall 96 has a second wall thickness 97.

The first middle leg 78 is telescopically disposed within the first top leg 70. The first middle leg 78 has a first middle leg first end 104. The second middle leg 80 is telescopically disposed within the second top leg 72. The second middle leg 80 has a second middle leg first end 106. The bottom leg 82 is telescopically disposed within the first middle leg 78 and the second middle leg 80. The bottom leg 82 has a bottom leg first end 112 and a bottom leg second end 114.

In the collapsed configuration, the first middle leg first end 104 is disposed between the first top leg first end 90 and the first top leg passageway 94, the second middle leg first end 106 is disposed between the second top leg first end 98 and the second top leg passageway 100, the bottom leg first end 112 is disposed between the first top leg first end 90 and the first top leg passageway 94, and the bottom leg second end 114 is disposed between the second top leg first end 98 and the second top leg passageway 100.

The support bar 84 defines a support bar first projection 93 and a support bar second projection 107. The support bar first projection 93 has a first height 95 less than the first wall thickness 89. The support bar first projection 93 is disposed within the first top leg passageway 94 in the extended configuration. The support bar second projection 107 has a second height 109 less than the second wall thickness 97. The support bar second projection 107 is disposed within the second top leg passageway 100 when in the extended configuration.

The portable service tables described and illustrated herein provide additional table surface(s) for use as, for example, food preparation surface(s). The portable service tables described and illustrated herein can be used at any suitable location, such as on a boat, or on a beach, and can be used to store any suitable object, such as drinks, snacks, and/or garbage bags.

The portable service tables described herein can be used at any suitable time, such as when a boat is moving or stationary. Generally, when a boat is stationary, anchored, and/or docked, the captain's chair, which has a steering wheel adjacent thereto, is vacant. A portable service table, such as one described and illustrated herein, can be assembled and a first portion of a tabletop securely fastened to the steering wheel and a second leg assembly on a second portion of the tabletop can be used to stabilize, or level, the portable service table.

When a portable service table 10 is attached to the steering wheel and leg assembly 16 is positioned in the expanded and extended configurations, the portable service table 10 can be leveled by adjusting the leg assemblies 14, 16 such that the service table provides a safe, stable table used for food prep, cutting, and/or a flat surface to store many different items such as bottles, liquor, wine, soda, plates, towels, and/or utensils. Furthermore, the portable service table can be leveled without rotation around the steering wheel.

A portable service table, such as those described and illustrated herein, does not always require a steering wheel to be used (e.g., camping, off-roading, at the beach, in use with marine watercraft). For example, a portable service table, such as those described and illustrated herein, can use both leg assemblies 14, 16 to raise the tabletop to a level, secure height. Thus, a portable service table can include a first portion attached to a steering wheel and include an expanded and extended leg assembly on a second portion, or can have two leg assemblies expanded and extended that allow for use of the table without a steering wheel.

A portable service table, such as those described and illustrated herein, can be lightweight, foldable, any suitable color (e.g., light gray), have any suitable dimensions, be formed using any suitable method or technique, be formed of any suitable material, and/or hold any suitable amount of weight during use (e.g., forty pounds). Examples of suitable dimensions for a portable service table include those in which an unfolded configuration the portable service table has a first portion hingedly attached to a second portion, and vice versa, and the dimensions are 19″ wide×25″ long×1.5″ thick and in the folded configuration the dimensions are 19″ wide×12.5″ long×3″ thick. Example table heights when the leg assemblies are in the expanded and extended configurations include those greater than, less than, or about 30 inches, between about 9″ and about 30″, and any other height considered suitable for a particular embodiment.

Examples of suitable techniques or methods to form a portable service table, or a portion thereof (e.g., first portion, second portion), include rotational molding, blow molding, and any other technique or method considered suitable for a particular embodiment. Examples of materials considered suitable to form a portable service table include HDPE, HDPE with structural metal powder, HDPE with UV protectant, HDPE with structural metal powder and UV protectant, and any other material considered suitable for a particular embodiment.

A portable service table can include any suitable feature, such as those described and illustrated herein. Examples of features considered suitable to include in a portable service table include, bottle holders, cup holders (e.g., 1.75 liters, 1.0 liters), flat prep areas, phone holder, silverware holes, towel holder, wood chop block holder, wood chop block, cutting block (e.g., 9.9″×6.65″ wood or plastic), bottle opener (e.g., metal, plastic), storage and/or holders for silverware (e.g., serving forks, knives, spoons), condiments, and/or napkins, garbage bag holder, and any other feature considered suitable for a particular embodiment.

Those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives for the described and illustrated examples can be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure, and that the various elements and features of one example described and illustrated herein can be combined with various elements and features of another example without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the particular arrangement of elements disclosed herein have been selected by the inventor(s) simply to describe and illustrate examples of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or its protection, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A portable service table moveable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the portable service table comprising: a tabletop having a first portion and a second portion; the first portion having a first portion top, a first portion bottom, and defining a steering wheel recess extending from the first portion bottom toward the first portion top, the steering wheel recess having a first depth, a second depth, and a third depth, the second depth greater than the first depth and the third depth;the second portion hingedly attached to the first portion, the second portion having a second portion first end, a second portion second end, and defining a second portion handle and a second portion passageway, the second portion handle defined on the second portion second end, the second portion passageway adjacent the steering wheel recess when said portable service table is in the closed configuration;a first leg assembly attached to the first portion; anda second leg assembly attached to the second portion.

2. The portable service table of claim 1, wherein the steering wheel recess is sized to receive a steering wheel.

3. The portable service table of claim 1, wherein the first portion has a first portion first end and a first portion second end; and wherein the first portion defines a handle recess extending from the first portion first end toward the first portion second end and into the steering wheel recess.

4. The portable service table of claim 3, wherein the first portion defines a first projection and a second projection, each of the first projection and the second projection adjacent to the handle recess.

5. The portable service table of claim 4, wherein the steering wheel recess is defined on the first projection and the second projection.

6. The portable service table of claim 1, wherein the first portion defines a first portion first passageway and a first portion second passageway, each of the first portion first passageway and the first portion second passageway extending from the first portion top to the first portion bottom.

7. The portable service table of claim 6, further comprising a first hook and loop fastener disposed within the first portion first passageway; and further comprising a second hook and loop fastener disposed within the first portion second passageway.

8. The portable service table of claim 1, wherein the second portion is releasably attached to the first portion when said portable service table is in the closed configuration; and wherein the second portion is hingedly attached to the first portion using a living hinge.

9. The portable service table of claim 1, wherein the first leg assembly is hingedly attached to the first portion and moveable between a stored configuration and an expanded configuration and between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration; and wherein the second leg assembly is hingedly attached to the second portion and moveable between a stored configuration and an expanded configuration and between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration.

10. The portable service table of claim 9, wherein the first portion defines a first leg recess extending from the first portion bottom toward the first portion top; wherein the first leg assembly is disposed within the first leg recess in the stored configuration;wherein the second portion has a second portion top and a second portion bottom;wherein the second portion defines a second leg recess extending from the second portion bottom toward the second portion top; andwherein the second leg assembly is disposed within the second leg recess in the stored configuration.

11. The portable service table of claim 9, wherein the first leg assembly and the second leg assembly are telescopic.

12. The portable service table of claim 11, wherein the first leg assembly includes a first top leg, a first hinge, and a support bar slidably disposed on the first top leg and extending around the first top leg.

13. The portable service table of claim 12, wherein the first top leg is a tubular member, has a first top leg wall, and defines a first top leg passageway extending through the first top leg wall, the first top leg wall having a wall thickness; and wherein the support bar defines a support bar first projection having a first height less than the wall thickness; andwherein the support bar first projection is disposed within the first top leg passageway when the first leg assembly is in the extended configuration.

14. The portable service table of claim 13, further comprising a first middle leg and a bottom leg, the first middle leg telescopically disposed within the first top leg, the bottom leg telescopically disposed within the first middle leg; wherein the first top leg has a first top leg first end;wherein the first middle leg has a first middle leg first end;wherein the bottom leg has a bottom leg first end and a bottom leg second end; andwherein in the collapsed configuration the first middle leg first end is disposed between the first top leg first end and the first top leg passageway, and the bottom leg first end is disposed between the first top leg first end and the first top leg passageway.

15. The portable service table of claim 11, wherein each of the first leg assembly and the second leg assembly includes a first top leg, a second top leg, a first hinge, a second hinge, and a support bar slidably disposed on the first top leg and the second top leg and extending from the first top leg to the second top leg.

16. The portable service table of claim 15, wherein the first top leg is a tubular member, has a first top leg wall, and defines a first top leg passageway extending through the first top leg wall, the first top leg wall having a first wall thickness; wherein the support bar defines a support bar first projection having a first height less than the first wall thickness;wherein the support bar first projection is disposed within the first top leg passageway when in the extended configuration;wherein the second top leg is a tubular member, has a second top leg wall, and defines a second top leg passageway extending through the second top leg wall, the second top leg wall having a second wall thickness;wherein the support bar defines a support bar second projection having a second height less than the second wall thickness; andwherein the support bar second projection is disposed within the second top leg passageway when in the extended configuration.

17. The portable service table of claim 16, further comprising a first middle leg and a bottom leg, the first middle leg telescopically disposed within the first top leg, the bottom leg telescopically disposed within the first middle leg; further comprising a second middle leg, the second middle leg telescopically disposed within the second top leg, the bottom leg telescopically disposed within the second middle leg;wherein the first top leg has a first top leg first end;wherein the second top leg has a second top leg first end;wherein the first middle leg has a first middle leg first end;wherein the second middle leg has a second middle leg first end and a second middle leg second end;wherein the bottom leg has a bottom leg first end and a bottom leg second end; andwherein in the collapsed configuration the first middle leg first end is disposed between the first top leg first end and the first top leg passageway, the second middle leg first end is disposed between the second top leg first end and the second top leg passageway, the bottom leg first end is disposed between the first top leg first end and the first top leg passageway, and the bottom leg second end is disposed between the second top leg first end and the second top leg passageway.

18. The portable service table of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are formed using rotational molding or blow molding; and wherein the first portion and the second portion are formed of HDPE, HDPE with structural metal powder, HDPE with UV protectant, or HDPE with structural metal powder and UV protectant.

19. A portable service table moveable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the portable service table comprising: a tabletop having a first portion and a second portion; the first portion having a first portion first end, a first portion second end, a first portion top, a first portion bottom, and defining a steering wheel recess and a handle recess, the steering wheel recess extending from the first portion bottom toward the first portion top, the steering wheel recess having a first depth, a second depth, and a third depth, the second depth greater than the first depth and the third depth, the handle recess extending from the first portion first end toward the first portion second end and into the steering wheel recess;the second portion hingedly attached to the first portion, the second portion releasably attached to the first portion when said portable service table is in the closed configuration, the second portion having a second portion first end, a second portion second end, and defining a second portion handle and a second portion passageway, the second portion handle defined on the second portion second end, the second portion passageway adjacent the steering wheel recess when said portable service table is in the closed configuration;a first leg assembly attached to the first portion; anda second leg assembly attached to the second portion.

20. A portable service table moveable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the portable service table comprising: a tabletop having a first portion and a second portion; the first portion having a first portion first end, a first portion second end, a first portion top, a first portion bottom, and defining a steering wheel recess and a handle recess, the steering wheel recess extending from the first portion bottom toward the first portion top, the steering wheel recess having a first depth, a second depth, and a third depth, the second depth greater than the first depth and the third depth, the handle recess extending from the first portion first end toward the first portion second end and into the steering wheel recess;the second portion hingedly attached to the first portion, the second portion releasably attached to the first portion when said portable service table is in the closed configuration, the second portion having a second portion first end, a second portion second end, and defining a second portion handle and a second portion passageway, the second portion handle defined on the second portion second end, the second portion passageway adjacent the steering wheel recess when said portable service table is in the closed configuration;a first leg assembly hingedly attached to the first portion and moveable between a stored configuration and an expanded configuration and between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration; anda second leg assembly hingedly attached to the second portion and moveable between a stored configuration and an expanded configuration and between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration.