LIGHTWEIGHT TABLE STRUCTURE

Abstract

A lightweight table structure includes a frame having a quadrilateral shape, a top panel mounted on a top of the frame, a bottom panel mounted on a bottom of the frame, and a decorative laminate sheet mounted on the top panel by a laminating process. The frame has a hollow interior. The frame includes a front panel, a rear panel, a left panel, and a right panel which are combined together. The frame further includes multiple reinforcing ribs and multiple reinforcing plates mounted between the front panel, the rear panel, the left panel, and the right panel. The reinforcing ribs are spaced and arranged in parallel. The reinforcing plates are spaced and arranged in parallel.

Claims

1. A lightweight table structure comprising: a frame; a top panel mounted on a top of the frame; and a bottom panel mounted on a bottom of the frame; wherein: the frame has a hollow interior; the frame includes a front panel, a rear panel, a left panel, and a right panel which are combined together; the frame further includes multiple reinforcing ribs mounted between the front panel, the rear panel, the left panel, and the right panel; the reinforcing ribs are spaced and arranged in parallel; and the reinforcing ribs extend transversely.

2. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: multiple reinforcing plates mounted between the front panel, the rear panel, the left panel, and the right panel; wherein: the reinforcing plates are spaced and arranged in parallel; and the reinforcing plates extend longitudinally.

3. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the front panel, the rear panel, the left panel, the right panel, the reinforcing ribs, the reinforcing plates, the top panel, and the bottom panel are made of a medium density fiberboard (MDF).

4. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the left panel, the right panel, the top panel, and the bottom panel are made of a medium density fiberboard (MDF); and the reinforcing ribs and the reinforcing plates are made of a recycled sheet plate.

5. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of the left panel and the right panel is provided with multiple fitting grooves allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs; and the fitting grooves are arranged symmetrically between the left panel and the right panel.

6. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of the front panel and the rear panel is provided with multiple fitting grooves allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs; and the fitting grooves are arranged symmetrically between the front panel and the rear panel.

7. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the reinforcing plates is provided with multiple fitting grooves allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs.

8. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the front panel, the rear panel, the left panel, the right panel, and the reinforcing plates has a bottom provided with multiple holes for mounting multiple insert nuts.

9. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front panel is provided with a guide bevel and arc angle.

10. The lightweight table structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a decorative laminate sheet mounted on the top panel by a laminating process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lightweight table structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the lightweight table structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a frame of the lightweight table structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lightweight table structure and a locally enlarged view of a insert nut in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a planar view of the lightweight table structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lightweight table structure taken along line B-B as shown in FIG. 5.

[0012] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the lightweight table structure taken along line C-C as shown in FIG. 5.

[0013] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lightweight table structure taken along line E-E as shown in FIG. 5.

[0014] FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing usage of the lightweight table structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the frame of a lightweight table structure in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 11 is a planar view of the lightweight table structure in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the lightweight table structure taken along line R-R as shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-9, a lightweight table structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a frame 10 having a quadrilateral shape, a top panel 20 mounted on a top of the frame 10, a bottom panel 30 mounted on a bottom of the frame 10, and a decorative laminate sheet 40 mounted on the top panel 20 by a laminating process.

[0019] The frame 10 has a hollow interior to reduce the whole weight of the table structure. The frame 10 includes a front panel 11, a rear panel 12, a left panel 13, and a right panel 14 which are combined together. The frame 10 further includes multiple reinforcing ribs 16 and multiple reinforcing plates 17 mounted between the front panel 11, the rear panel 12, the left panel 13, and the right panel 14. The reinforcing ribs 16 are spaced and arranged in parallel. The reinforcing plates 17 are spaced and arranged in parallel.

[0020] The decorative laminate sheet 40 is a thin synthetic surface covering. The decorative laminate sheet 40 is pressed under a heating condition. Preferably, the top panel 20 is pressed with the decorative laminate sheet 40 under a heating condition to form a sheet plate with a density in the range of 0.50-0.88 g/cm.sup.3.

[0021] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front panel 11, the rear panel 12, the left panel 13, the right panel 14, the reinforcing ribs 16, the reinforcing plates 17, the top panel 20, and the bottom panel 30 are made of a medium density fiberboard (MDF).

[0022] Alternatively, the front panel 11, the rear panel 12, the left panel 13, the right panel 14, the top panel 20, and the bottom panel 30 are made of a medium density fiberboard (MDF), and the reinforcing ribs 16 and the reinforcing plates 17 are made of a recycled sheet plate.

[0023] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the left panel 13 and the right panel 14 is provided with multiple fitting (or embedding) grooves 15 allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs 16. The fitting grooves 15 are arranged symmetrically between the left panel 13 and the right panel 14.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the reinforcing plates 17 is provided with multiple fitting (or embedding) grooves 18 allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs 16.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the front panel 11, the rear panel 12, the left panel 13, the right panel 14, and the reinforcing plates 17 has a bottom provided with multiple holes 19 for mounting multiple insert nuts R. The insert nuts R are used to lock a rack or stand 50 (see FIG. 9).

[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front panel 11 is provided with a guide bevel and arc angle 111.

[0027] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing ribs 16 extend transversely, and the reinforcing plates 17 extend longitudinally.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the frame 10 includes four reinforcing plates 17 arranged symmetrically between the front panel 11 and the rear panel 12.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 10-12, each of the front panel 11 and the rear panel 12 is provided with multiple fitting grooves 15 allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs 16. The fitting grooves 15 are arranged symmetrically between the front panel 11 and the rear panel 12. In addition, the four reinforcing plates 17 are arranged symmetrically between the front panel 11 and the rear panel 12. Further, each of the reinforcing plates 17 is provided with multiple fitting grooves 18 allowing insertion of the reinforcing ribs 16.

[0030] Accordingly, the table structure is primarily made of a medium density fiberboard (MDF). The MDF includes raw material, such as wood fiber or other plant fiber, applied with urea-formaldehyde resin or other synthetic resin. Thus, the MDF is pressed under a heating condition to form a sheet plate with a density in the range of 0.50-0.88 g/cm.sup.3.

[0031] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the invention.