Patent Application
20180325256
This invention relates generally to tables with interchangeable tabletops. More particularly, we are interested in tabletops wherein both sides can be attached via removable adhesives.
The table has been in use for the duration of recorded history in various forms. Tables are attached in many ways, such as bolts, clamps, and compression. However, tables are almost universally a one-sided device. One side is used for the tabletop, with the other side acting as the attachment point. This limits the table to having one surface. The ability to interchangeably utilize both sides of a tabletop without the need for attachment methods that leave holes, damage surfaces, or require extensive effort is needed.
United States patent publication number 2675288, to Usher teaches an interchangeable utility table. The table is convertible into a drawing desk. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure uses hinges to modify the table surface, does not use removable adhesives, and doesn't allow for both sides of the tabletop to be attached to the base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 20070039101, to Luginbuhl, et al., teaches specialized tabletops for medical imaging. Interchangeable specialized tabletops are provided, each constructed for specific uses, such as tomographic imaging. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 5131105, to Harrawood, et al., teaches a patient support table. The table consists of interchangeable table supports and tabletops that are x-ray translucent. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 1361420, to Van Dolsen teaches an operating table with interchangeable tabletops. The tabletops are held on with pins and only have one usable surface. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 3241885, to Deaton, teaches modular furniture and components thereof. This is sectional furniture with multiple components that are usable together, including tabletops and table bases that can be mixed and matched. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure attaches the tabletops by permanent adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 5865129, to Samples, teaches a knock-down table consisting of a top frame and attachable legs. The top frame has a lip that can hold a tabletop. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 1649388, to Frank, teaches a changeable-top table. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops to the table bases by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 8480091, to Florence, teaches a gaming table with interchangeable layouts. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops to the table bases by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,804, to Arnell, teaches an interchangeable tabletop. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops to the table bases by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
United States patent publication number 2922505, to De Buigne, teaches an indexing table with an interchangeable rotatable table top with gear mechanisms that cause the table to rotate. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not attach the tabletops to the table bases by removable adhesives and the two sides of each tabletop are not both able to be attached to the table base. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,972,141, to Bries, et al., teaches a removable adhesive tape laminate and separable fastener. The present disclosure differs from this prior art disclosure in that the prior art disclosure does not teach the use of detachable adhesives to alternately attach sides of tabletops to table bases. This prior art disclosure is pertinent and may benefit from the devices disclosed herein and is hereby incorporated for reference in its entirety for all that it teaches.
A table comprising a table base and a tabletop is disclosed. The table base comprises a top surface comprising one or more removable adhesives. The one or more removable adhesives adhere strongly when a force is applied in a horizontal direction and weakly when a force is supplied in a vertical direction. This prevents horizontal movement but allows vertical movement when a vertical force above an adhesion threshold is applied. The tabletop comprises a usable first side and a usable second side alternately mounted to the table base by means of the removable adhesives.
The one or more removable adhesives may comprise adhesive agents that are removable from the first side, the second side, and the top surface without damage to the first side, the second side, or the top surface. The adhesion threshold may be below a weight of the table base such that the weight of the table base causes the tabletop to be removed when the tabletop is lifted. The adhesion threshold may be above a weight of the table base such that the table base must be held down while the tabletop is lifted and removed. The one or more removable adhesives may be reusable after removal. The adhesive agents may comprise polymer microfibers, polydimethysiloxane fibrils, collagen fibrils, or combinations thereof. The removable adhesives may prevent sliding in one direction and four portions of the removable adhesives may be oriented such that sliding is prevented in four directions, the directions forming an XY axis.
The table base may comprise one or more legs extending downward from the top surface with at least one of the one or more removable adhesives attached to the top surface above each of the one or more legs.
The tabletop may comprise an elevated pattern or patterns, a recessed pattern or patterns, or a combination thereof on the first side, the second side, or the first and the second side.
The first side may comprise a flush-mount touch screen computing device.
The first side may comprise a first smooth, uninterrupted surface and the second side may comprise a second smooth, uninterrupted surface.
The first side and the second side may comprise different materials. The first side and the second side may further comprise bamboo, hard wood, plywood, laminated plywood, laminates, rubber, vinyl, plastics, stainless steel, galvanized steel, carbon steel, black iron, pewter, copper, zinc, aluminum, glass, quartz, granite, marble, stone, ceramics, fiberboards, varnish, sealant, paint, or combinations thereof.
The table base may further comprise metal, wood, plastic, stone, glass, or combinations thereof.
The table may further comprise an electrical inlet or inlets, an electrical outlet or outlets, and an edge computer connection or connections in an edge or edges of the tabletop. The table may further comprise wiring passing through an interior portion of the tabletop between the edge computer connection or connections and a side computer connection or connections on the first side or the second side of the tabletop.
The first side may comprise a heating element or heating elements and the second side may comprise a cooling element or elements.
The first side and the second side may comprise different uses, the uses selected from the group consisting of computer usage, office work, drafting, art, cutting, metal working, working with tools, cooking, dining, gaming, conferencing, displaying, medical, massage, or combinations thereof.
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, as represented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of certain examples of presently contemplated embodiments in accordance with the invention.
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In some embodiments, the one or more removable adhesives comprise adhesive agents that are removable from the first side, the second side, and the top surface without damage to the first side, the second side, or the top surface.
In some embodiments, the adhesion threshold is below a weight of the table base such that the weight of the table base causes the tabletop to be removed when the tabletop is lifted. In other embodiments, the adhesion threshold is above a weight of the table base such that the table base must be held down while the tabletop is lifted and removed
In some embodiments, the one or more removable adhesives are reusable after removal. In some embodiments, the adhesive agents comprise polymer microfibers, polydimethysiloxane fibrils, collagen fibrils, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the removable adhesives prevent sliding in one direction and four portions of the removable adhesives are oriented such that sliding is prevented in four directions, the directions forming an XY axis.
In some embodiments, the one or more removable adhesives comprise adhesive agents that are removable from the first side, the second side, and the top surface without damage to the first side, the second side, or the top surface.
In some embodiments, the table base comprises one or more legs extending downward from the top surface with at least one of the one or more removable adhesives attached to the top surface above each of the one or more legs.
In some embodiments, the tabletop comprises an elevated pattern or patterns, a recessed pattern or patterns, or a combination thereof on the first side, the second side, or the first and the second side.
In some embodiments, the first side comprises a flush-mount touch screen computing device.
In some embodiments, the first side comprises a first smooth, uninterrupted surface and the second side comprises a second smooth, uninterrupted surface.
In some embodiments, the first side and the second side comprise different materials. In some embodiments, the first side and the second side further comprise bamboo, hard wood, plywood, laminated plywood, laminates, rubber, vinyl, plastics, stainless steel, galvanized steel, carbon steel, black iron, pewter, copper, zinc, aluminum, glass, quartz, granite, marble, stone, ceramics, fiberboards, varnish, sealant, paint, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the table base further comprises metal, wood, plastic, stone, glass, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the table further comprises an electrical inlet or inlets, an electrical outlet or outlets, and an edge computer connection or connections in an edge or edges of the tabletop. In some embodiments, the table further comprises wiring passing through an interior portion of the tabletop between the edge computer connection or connections and a side computer connection or connections on the first side or the second side of the tabletop.
In some embodiments, the first side comprises a heating element or heating elements and the second side comprises a cooling element or elements.
