Patent Application
20250228361
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The disclosure relates to side tables and more particularly pertains to a new side table for holding and charging portable electronic devices while a user is sitting on a sofa.
The prior art relates to side tables. People use side tables when sitting on sofas or armchairs. Side tables provide a convenient surface for books, notepads, laptops, and tablets. However, electronic devices such as a tablet, computer, or cellular telephone need to be charged periodically. These electronic devices can run out of battery fairly quickly, particularly if the user is watching television or reading a book on the device with the screen turned on for extended periods of time. Thus, there is a need for a side table that can be conveniently positioned on the arm of a sofa or armchair and that can be used to charge an electronic device while the electronic device is being used.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tabletop having a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral side that is coupled to and extends between the top side and the bottom side. A pair of handles is coupled to and extends downwardly from the bottom side. The pair of handles is positioned proximate to opposing lateral edges of the peripheral side. The pair of handles are spaced from each other and are configured to receive an arm of a sofa between the pair of handles thereby positioning the tabletop over the arm of the sofa. A power cord is coupled to the tabletop. A plurality of charging ports is inset into the peripheral side and is exposed within the peripheral side. The plurality of charging ports is electrically coupled to the power cord. Each of the plurality of charging ports is configured to receive a respective charging cable for an external electronic device.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A pair of handles 26 is coupled to and extends downwardly from the bottom side 16. The pair of handles 26 is positioned proximate to the pair of opposing lateral edges 24 of the peripheral side 18. The pair of handles 26 are spaced from each other across the bottom side 16. The pair of handles 26 is configured to receive an arm 72 of a sofa 70 between the pair of handles 26 whereby the tabletop 12 is positionable over the arm 72 of the sofa 70.
For example, each of the pair of handles 26 may comprise a planar panel 28 having a top end 30 that is coupled to the bottom side 16 of the tabletop 12. A bottom end 32 of the planar panel 28 is distal to the top end 30. A pair of lateral ends 34 of the planar panel 28 is coupled to and extends between the top end 30 and the bottom end 32.
Each of the pair of lateral ends 34 may further comprise a top section 36 that is coupled to and extends downward from the top end 30. The top section 36 may be perpendicular to the top end 30 or may be vertically oriented with respect to the top end 30. A bottom section 38 may be coupled to and extend upwardly from the bottom end 32. The bottom section 38 may be perpendicular to the bottom end 32 or may be vertically oriented with respect to the bottom end 32. A medial angled section 40 may be coupled to and extend between the top section 36 and the bottom section 38. The medial angled section 40 may be concavely arcuate between the top section 36 and the bottom section 38. In some embodiments, the bottom end 32 of the planar panel 28 may have a length exceeding a length of the top end 30 of the planar panel 28.
A cutout 42 may extend through each of the pair of handles 26. The cutout 42 may be positioned distally to the tabletop 12, or proximate to the bottom end 32 of the planar panel 28. The cutout 42 is generally configured to facilitate a user in gripping each of the pair of handles 26.
The cutout 42 may further comprise a concave side 44 facing the bottom end 32 of the planar panel 28. A convex side 46 may face the top end 30 of the planar panel 28. The convex side 46 may be positioned between the tabletop 12 and the concave side 44. A pair of tips 48 may be coupled to and extend between the concave side 44 and the convex side 46. The pair of tips 44 may be convexly arcuate between the concave side 44 and the convex side 46. Each of the pair of tips 44 may be equidistant from a respective one of the pair of lateral ends 34 of the planar panel 28. A width between the concave side 44 and the convex side 46 may be consistent along a length of the cutout 42. The concave side 44 may be concavely arcuate between the pair of tips 48 and the convex side 46 may be convexly arcuate between the pair of tips 48.
A power cord 50 may be coupled to and extend outwardly from the peripheral side 18. The power cord 50 may be positioned on a first one of the pair of opposing lateral edges 24.
A plurality of charging ports 52 may be inset into the peripheral side 18 and exposed within the peripheral side 18. For example, the plurality of charging ports 52 may be aligned with one another along the front edge 20 of the peripheral side 18. The plurality of charging ports 52 is electrically coupled to the power cord 50. Each of the plurality of charging ports 52 is generally configured to receive a respective charging cable 74 for an external electronic device 76.
A depression 54 may extend into the top side 14 of the tabletop 12. The depression 54 generally has a surface area that is smaller than a surface area of the top side 14. The depression 54 is configured to retain the external electronic device 76 on the top side 14 when the tabletop 12 is positioned over the arm 72 of the sofa 70. The depression 54 may have a rectangular shape, for example with rounded corners.
A groove 56 may extend into the top side 14. The groove 56 may be aligned with the back edge 22 of the peripheral side. The groove 56 may be positioned between the back edge 22 and the depression 54. The groove 56 may have an elongated shape wherein the groove 56 is configured to retain an external writing instrument, such as a pen, pencil, marker, or stylus, when the tabletop 12 is positioned over the arm 72 of the sofa 70.
A cup holder 58 may extend into the depression 54. The cup holder 58 may be positioned proximate to a junction between the front edge 20 and the first one of the pair of opposing lateral edges 24 of the peripheral side 18.
A light 60 may be electrically coupled to the power cord 50. The light 60 may be positioned within the cup holder 58 wherein the light 60 is configured to illuminate the cup holder 58 when the light 60 is actuated. For example, the light 60 may comprise a light emitting diode.
A button 62 may be coupled to the tabletop 12. The button 62 is electrically coupled to the power cord 50. The button 62 is electrically coupled to the light 60. The button 62 is generally configured to actuate the light 60. The button 62 may be positioned on the front edge 20 of the peripheral side 18, for example proximate to the plurality of charging ports 52.
In use, the tabletop 12 can be positioned over the arm 72 of the sofa 70, or another piece of furniture such as an armchair or a loveseat. The bottom side 16 of the tabletop 12 will contact the upper surface of the arm 72 of the sofa 70 and the pair of handles 26 can be positioned on either side of the arm 72 of the sofa 70. The power cord 50 can be plugged into a wall outlet 78 to supply power to the plurality of charging ports 52, the light 60, and the button 62. A drink can be placed in the cup holder 58. The light 60 can facilitate the user in finding and positioning the drink within the cup holder 58. The external electronic device 76 can be conveniently viewed from the sofa 70 when positioned on the top side 14. The external electronic device 76 can be charged using the plurality of charging ports 52. Other items, such as snacks, writing instruments, books, or remotes can also be placed on the top side 14, for convenient storage or use while the user is sitting on the sofa 70 or other piece of furniture.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
