Collapsible Table Integrated with Umbrella Support Post for Beach Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

Beachgoers often forego bringing a portable table due to bulkiness and added expense, leading to items being placed precariously on towels or other unsuitable surfaces, which hinders access to coolers and creates an unstable environment for belongings.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible table system with a support post featuring a central post, hub stops, slidably coupled hubs, and adjustable stops, allowing the table to expand and adjust to various heights, providing a stable and elevated surface without the bulk of a standalone table.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a standalone beach table is brought to the beach, then items can be placed on a stable elevated surface, but the bulk and added expense increase the burden on beach goers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of item placement surfaceVSAvoidbulk of standalone table

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the table functionality with the umbrella support post by integrating table arms, hubs, and support structures into the existing post framework. The table arms are hingedly coupled to hubs that slide along the central post, creating a combined structure that eliminates the need for a separate standalone table while providing stable elevated surface for items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The table structure is divided into modular components including table arms, hubs, and support arms that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The hubs can slide to different positions on the central post, and table arms can be adjusted independently, allowing the structure to be segmented for compact storage while maintaining stability when deployed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If items are placed on a cooler surface, then items are elevated from the sand, but access to the cooler is inhibited as everything must be removed from atop the cooler

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelevation of items from sandVSAvoidaccess to cooler

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from vertical stacking (items on top of cooler) to horizontal extension (table arms extending from cooler sides). The table arms are supported by the cooler's vertical surfaces, creating a horizontal workspace that doesn't block access to the cooler interior, thus solving the accessibility problem while maintaining elevation from sand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11559135B1Umbrella support post with rotatable table

Publication Date: 2023.01.24 TAYLOR MARK L

AI summary

A method of deploying a collapsible table by sliding both a top hub and a bottom hub in a first direction along the central post toward the hub stop, expanding the collapsible table into the expanded position by forcing one of the top hub and the bottom hub against a hub stop while continuing to slide the other of the top hub and the bottom hub in the first direction along the central post, sliding the adjustable stop along the central post to a first height of the plurality of selectable heights, and affixing the adjustable stop at the first height.