Games tables and corner assemblies for same

{
  "publication_number": "US9844721B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Games tables and corner assemblies for same",
  "abstract": "A games table features a unique corner assembly in which upper and lower corner members respectively embrace about upper and lower edges of an elongated perimeter frame member of the table and are clamped together to secure the frame member in place. Matable male and female features on the corner assemblies also enable stacking of two table top units to enable convenient switching of a games table between two modes of game play.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A games table apparatus comprising: a set of elongated frame members for placement end-to-end with one another to form a frame for supporting a game play surface; a set of corner assemblies each configured for coupling together a respective adjacent pair of said elongated frame members at a respective corner of the frame; and a set of table legs each connectable to a respective one of the corner assemblies in a position depending downward therefrom to support the frame and the playing surface in an elevated position; each corner assembly comprising: an upper corner member having a first hub and a pair of open-bottom channels diverging outwardly from the first hub and arranged to embrace over upper edges of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members at respective ends thereof; and a lower corner member having a second hub and a pair of open-top channels diverging outwardly from the second hub and arranged to embrace around lower edges of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members at respective ends thereof in alignment with the open-bottom channels that embrace over the upper edges of said adjacent pair of said elongated frame members; and a tightening mechanism operable to force the upper corner member and the lower corner member toward one another against the upper and lower edges of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members to clamp said adjacent pair of said elongated frame members together at the respective corner of the frame.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tightening mechanism of each corner assembly is also operable to securely couple the table legs thereto.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each corner assembly comprises a first set of threads carried by the upper corner member and a matingly threaded feature defined, positioned or positionable on a respective one of the table legs, the threaded feature being matable with the first set of threads to define the tightening mechanism and force the upper and lower corner members together under advancement of the matingly threaded feature on the first set of threads.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first and second hubs of each corner assembly have hollow axial passages that extend therethrough to align with one another and define a collective through-bore passing through both of the first and second hubs in an upright direction when the upper corner member is aligned over the lower corner member, each corner assembly further comprises an insert lowerable into the internal through-bore into a position cooperatively seated with the upper corner member to hang therefrom into the hollow axial passage of the lower corner member, and the first set of threads are defined at a lower portion of the insert.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the insert is dimensioned to place the lower portion of the insert at least partially below the second hub of the lower corner member in the seated position of the insert.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each corner assembly comprises a cap closable over the hollow axial passage of the first hub to conceal the insert inside the collective through-bore.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the game play surface is defined on a first side of a double-sided game play panel that is supported by the frame, and the insert is also insertable into the internal through-bore via the hollow axial passage of the lower member into a position cooperatively seated with the lower corner member, reaching therefrom into the hollow axial passage of the upper corner member and threadingly mated with the threaded feature at the respective one of the table legs, whereby the frame is invertible between a first-side-up orientation mounted atop the table legs with a first side of the double-sided game play panel facing upward for a first mode of game play on said first side of the double-sided game play panel, and a second-side-up orientation mounted atop the table legs with a second side of the double-sided game play panel facing upward for a second mode of game play on said second side of the double-sided game play panel.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the threaded feature is sized to abut against an underside of the lower corner member under advancement of the threaded feature on the first set of threads so as to force the lower corner member toward the upper corner member.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the threaded feature comprises a threaded collar slidable along the respective one of the table legs.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a bottom end the threaded collar is smaller than an open top end of each upper corner member, whereby installation of the threaded collar without the respective one of the table legs in a legless assembly of the games table enables stacking of the frame of the legless assembly atop the frame of another games table by insertion of the threaded collars of the legless assembly into the open top ends of the corner assemblies of the other games table.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first set of threads are defined on a split collet body having a hollow interior sized for sliding receipt of the table leg therein such that advancement of the threaded feature on the first set of threads tightens said split collet body around said table leg to clamp said table leg in place.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the game play surface is defined on a first side of a double-sided game play panel supported by the frame, and each hollow axial passage is sized to accommodate receipt of an upper end of one of the table legs therein, whereby the frame is invertible between a first-side-up orientation mounted atop the table legs with a first side of the double-sided game play panel facing upward for a first mode of game play on said first side of the double-sided game play panel, and a second-side-up orientation mounted atop the table legs with a second side of the double-sided game play panel facing upward for a second mode of game play on said second side of the double-sided game play panel.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the channels of the upper and lower corner members comprise gripping ribs or fins on interior sides of opposing side walls of each channel.",
    "14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the open-bottom channels of the upper corner member each comprises at least one downward protrusion extending into an interior space of the channel from a closed upper side thereof for mating with at least one corresponding hole in the upper edge of a respective one of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members to block sliding of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members along said open-bottom channels.",
    "15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the open-top channels of the lower corner member each comprises at least one upward protrusion extending into an internal space of the channel from a closed lower side thereof for mating with at least one corresponding opening in the lower edge of a respective one of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members to block sliding of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members along said open-top channels.",
    "16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated frame members each comprise a longitudinal slot therein on an interior side of the frame member for receiving a respective perimeter edge of the game play surface such that the elongated frame members which thereby delimit a game play area atop said game play surface.",
    "17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein an inner side wall of each open-top channel of each lower corner member resides adjacent the gameplay area and has a first height that does not exceed a first distance from the longitudinal slots of the elongated frame members to the lower edges thereof, and an inner side wall of each open-bottom channel of each upper corner member resides adjacent the gameplay area and has a second height that does not exceed a second distance from the longitudinal slots of the elongated frame members to the upper edges thereof, whereby a gap is maintained between the upper and lower corner members at the inner side walls of the channels to accommodate receipt of the perimeter edges of the game play surface within the longitudinal slots of the elongated frame members.",
    "18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the longitudinal slots in the elongated frame members are situated nearer to the lower edges thereof than to the upper edges thereof, and an outer side wall of each open-top channel of each lower corner member resides opposite to the gameplay area and is taller than the inner side walls of the open-top channels.",
    "19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated frame members are free of any direct fastening to said upper and lower corner members.",
    "20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated frame members are held in place solely by clamping thereof between the upper and lower corner members.",
    "21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated frame members are held in place solely by tightening together of said upper and lower corner members together independently of the elongated frame members received therebetween.",
    "22. A games table apparatus comprising: a set of elongated frame members for placement end-to-end with one another to form a frame for supporting a game play surface; a set of table legs; a set of corner units each configured for coupling together a respective adjacent pair of said elongated frame members at a respective corner of the frame, each corner unit comprising a split collet body having external threads and a downwardly-opening hollow interior sized for sliding receipt of a respective one of the table legs therein; and a respective threaded collar for each table leg, the collar being slidable along the table leg and having internal threads matable with the external threads of the respective collet body, whereby rotation of the respective collar around the table leg in an advancing direction while in threaded engagement with the collet body tightens said split collet body around said table leg to clamp said table leg in place.",
    "23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein each corner unit comprises upper and lower corner members respectively matable with upper and lower edges of the respective adjacent pair of said elongated frame members, and the collet body and the respective threaded collar also define a tightening mechanism to force the upper corner member and the lower corner member toward one another against the upper and lower edges of the adjacent pair of said elongated frame members to clamp said adjacent pair of said elongated frame members together at the respective corner of the frame.",
    "24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the threaded collar comprises an internally tapered portion located beneath the internal threads of the collar and narrowing toward a bottom end thereof to a diameter less than a default outer diameter of the split collet body, whereby advancement of the tapered portion of the threaded collar onto the split collet body tightens the split collet body against an outer circumference of the respective table leg."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to games tables, and more particularly to a games table with a unique corner assembly in which upper and lower corner members respectively embrace about upper and lower edges of an elongated perimeter frame member of the table and are clamped together to secure the frame member in place. Matable male and female features on the corner assemblies also enable stacking of two table top units to enable convenient switching of a games table between two modes of game play.\n\nGames tables have long been known and widely used. This includes foosball (otherwise known as table football, table soccer, and several other names), billiards or pool, air hockey, and many others. Traditionally, these tables are made from either a wood or plastic frame, where 4 walls are attached together using nails or screws, and 4 legs are then attached to each corner also using nails or screws to elevate the height. These tables are traditionally sold non-assembled (i.e. flat-packed), so the end user needs to assemble the table themselves after purchasing it. This historical design requires significant time to assemble. It requires the use or hammers and/or screwdrivers and/or Allen wrenches. Lower cost and mass market versions of these tables are also plagued by quality and workmanship issues whereby pre-drilled holes may not align perfectly and cause great hardship to the end-user to assemble the table. Once assembled, these tables take up a great amount of space as typically the legs cannot be easily removed without significant effort to unscrew the parts.",
  "cpc": [
    "A63F 7/06",
    "A47B 2200/0002",
    "A47B 25/00",
    "A47B 25/003",
    "A47B 3/06",
    "A47B 7/02",
    "A63B 63/007",
    "A63B 63/08",
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    "A63F 11/00",
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    "F16B 5/0004",
    "F16B 7/044",
    "F16B 7/0486",
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    "F16B 7/185"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A47B 25/00",
    "A47B 3/06",
    "A47B 7/02",
    "A63B 63/00",
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    "A63F 11/00",
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    "A63F 7/00",
    "A63F 7/06",
    "A63F 9/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "MERCHANT AMBASSADOR (HOLDINGS) LTD"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "PAVEY MARK",
    "SHING LEUNG CHEONG",
    "FISCELLA ANTHONY",
    "FUNG MAK SIU"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-11-29",
  "publication_date": "2017-12-19",
  "grant_date": "2017-12-19",
  "priority_date": "2016-01-22",
  "application_number": "US-201615363962-A",
  "family_id": "56511970",
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}