US20060207483A1

US20060207483A1 - Table having a front access

Info

Publication number: US20060207483A1
Application number: US11/082,315
Authority: US
Inventors: Chuen-Jong Tseng
Original assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co Ltd
Current assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-03-17
Filing date: 2005-03-17
Publication date: 2006-09-21

Abstract

A table includes top and bottom panels each having front and rear sides, and left and right sides, a plurality of support legs supporting the top and bottom panels, a front access defined between two adjacent ones of the support legs and between the front sides of the top and bottom panels, a left side frame disposed between the left sides of the top and bottom panels, a right side frame disposed between the right sides of the top and bottom panels, a rear frame disposed between the rear sides of the top and bottom panels and bridging two adjacent ones of the support legs, and a wheel unit connected to the bottom panel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a table, more particularly to a table having a front access.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a table has a top panel for placing food or things thereon. However, various different structures of tables have been designed to meet the demand for an assortment of uses. For example, a foldable table, which is designed with a folding function so as to facilitate storage, a computer table on and inside of which a computer and related products may be placed, a height adjustable table, an office table having a plurality of drawers for storage of documents, etc.
The advantages of the foldable table include easy storage and minimal occupation of space. However, the foldable table is not provided with a receiving space, and is not suitable for some applications. For example, when a car is parked far from a picnic area, the user has to carry the foldable table and related picnic items all the way to the picnic area. The foldable table is thus inconvenient to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a table that has a substantially large receiving space and that is easy to move.
According to this invention, a table comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a plurality of support legs, a front access, a left side frame, a right side frame, a rear frame, and a wheel unit. The top panel has front and rear sides, and left and right sides. The bottom panel is spaced apart from and is vertically aligned with the top panel, and has front and rear sides, and left and right sides. The support legs support the top and bottom panels. The front access is defined between two adjacent ones of the support legs and between the front sides of the top and bottom panels. The left side frame is disposed between the left sides of the top and bottom panels. The right side frame is disposed between the right sides of the top and bottom panels. Each of the left and right side frames bridges two adjacent ones of the support legs. The rear frame is disposed between the rear sides of the top and bottom panels and bridges two adjacent ones of the support legs. The wheel unit is connected to the bottom panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a table according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the preferred embodiment of a table according to the present invention is shown to comprise a top panel 2, a bottom panel 3, a plurality of support legs 4, a front access 6, a left side frame 41, a right side frame 42, a rear frame 43, and a wheel unit 5.
The top panel 2 has front and rear sides, and left and right sides, and includes a plurality of elongated spaced-apart parallel plates 21.
The bottom panel 3 is spaced apart from and is vertically aligned with the top panel 2, and has front and rear sides, and left and right sides. The bottom panel 3 includes a plurality of elongated spaced-apart parallel plates 31.
The support legs 4 support the top and bottom panels 2, 3, and include two front leg members 401, and two rear leg members 402.
The front access 6 is defined between the two front leg members 401 and between the front sides of the top and bottom panels 2, 3.
The left side frame 41 is disposed between the left sides of the top and bottom panels 2, 3, and bridges one of the front leg members 401 and the corresponding one of the rear leg members 402.
The right side frame 42 is disposed between the right sides of the top and bottom panels 2, 3, and bridges the other one of the front leg members 401 and the corresponding one of the rear leg members 402.
The rear frame 43 is disposed between the rear sides of the top and bottom panels 2, 3, and bridges the two rear leg members 402.
The top panel 2, the bottom panel 3, the left and right side frames 41, 42, and the rear frame 43 cooperate with each other to define a receiving space 7 having the front access 6.
A reinforcing plate 51 extends across and is fixed to a bottom portion of the bottom panel 3 proximate to the front side of the bottom panel 3.
A shaft 52 extends across and is attached to the bottom panel 3 proximate to the rear side of the bottom panel 3.
The wheel unit 5 is connected to the bottom panel 3, and includes a pair of front caster wheels 53 attached respectively to two opposite ends of the reinforcing plate 51 and pivotable about a vertical axis and rotatable about a horizontal axis, and a pair of rear wheels 54 attached respectively to two opposite ends of the shaft 52 and rotatable about the shaft 52.
The table of the present invention is supported by the front caster wheels 53 and the rear wheels 54 on the ground so that the table can be moved in different directions.
From the aforesaid description, it is apparent that the table of the present invention is provided with the receiving space 7 that has a volume substantially equal to that of the table. Large objects, such as a plurality of foldable chairs, picnic-related items, etc., can be placed in the receiving space 7 through the front access 6. Furthermore, since the table of the present invention is mounted with the rear wheels 54, and the front caster wheels 53, which can be rotated by 360° about their vertical axes, the table of the present invention can be moved freely with ease. The wheels 53, 54 may be provided with brakes. Since wheels with brakes are widely used, a detailed description of the same is dispensed herewith for the sake of brevity.
When the table of the present invention is used, for example, at a picnic site, after the table is loaded with folded chairs (not shown) and picnic-related items (not shown), it is pushed to the desired place. The folded chairs and the picnic-related items are then removed from the receiving space 7 through the front access 6, the chairs are unfolded to provide seating, and the picnic-related items are placed on the top panel 2 of the table.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A table comprising:

a top panel having front and rear sides, and left and right sides;

a bottom panel spaced apart from and vertically aligned with said top panel, and having front and rear sides, and left and right sides;

a plurality of support legs supporting said top and bottom panels;

a front access defined between two adjacent ones of said support legs and between said front sides of said top and bottom panels;

a left side frame disposed between said left sides of said top and bottom panels;

a right side frame disposed between said right sides of said top and bottom panels;

each of said left and right side frames bridging two adjacent ones of said support legs;

a rear frame disposed between said rear sides of said top and bottom panels and bridging two adjacent ones of said support legs; and

a wheel unit connected to said bottom panel.

2. The table assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wheel unit includes a pair of front caster wheels each connected pivotally to said bottom panel and rotatable about a vertical axis, and a pair of rear wheels each connected to said bottom panel and rotatable about a horizontal axis.

3. The table assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said top and bottom panels includes plurality of elongated spaced-apart parallel plates.