Table with folding seats

Abstract

A picnic table may include a center table section and one or more seating members that are attached to the table section by a frame. The seat members may include a seat portion and a back portion. Advantageously, the back portion may be moved between a generally upright position in which the back portion may provide a backrest to a person sitting in the seating member and a collapsed position in which the back portion is disposed proximate to the seat portion. When in the backrest is in the collapsed position, the back portion may create a booster seat for child.

1 . A picnic table comprising: 
 a table top constructed from blow molded plastic and including a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process;    a frame connected to the table top, the frame being sized and configured to support the table top above a surface;    a first seating member connected to the frame, the first seating member being constructed from blow molded plastic and including a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process, the first seating member comprising: 
 a lower portion; and  
 a back portion that is movable relative to the lower portion between a first position in which the back portion is in a generally vertical position and a second position in which the back portion is in a generally horizontal position; and  
   a second seating member connected to frame, the second seating member being constructed from blow molded plastic and including a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process, the second seating member comprising: 
 a lower portion; and  
 a back portion that is movable relative to the lower portion between a first position in which the back portion is in a generally vertical position and a second position in which the back portion is in a generally horizontal position.  
   
   
   
       2 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , further comprising a contoured first surface on the back portion of the first seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a backrest when the back portion is in the generally vertical position and a contoured second surface on the back portion of the first seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a children's booster seating member when the back portion is in the generally horizontal position; and 
 further comprising a contoured first surface on the back portion of the second seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a backrest when the back portion is in the generally vertical position and a contoured second surface on the back portion of the second seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a children's booster seat when the back portion is in the generally horizontal position.    
   
   
       3 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a third seating member connected to the frame, the third seating member being constructed from blow molded plastic and including a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process, the third seating member comprising: 
 a lower portion; and  
 a back portion that is movable relative to the lower portion between a first position in which the back portion is in a generally vertical position and a second position in which the back portion is in a generally horizontal position; and  
   a fourth seating member connected to frame, the fourth seating member being constructed from blow molded plastic and including a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process, the fourth seating member comprising: 
 a lower portion; and  
 a back portion that is movable relative to the lower portion between a first position in which the back portion is in a generally vertical position and a second position in which the back portion is in a generally horizontal position.  
   
   
   
       4 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , wherein the first seating member allows two persons to sit at the picnic table.  
   
   
       5 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the back portion of the first seating member extends beyond a front edge of the lower portion of the first seating member when the back portion is in the second position; and 
 wherein at least a portion of the back portion of the second seating member extends beyond a front edge of the lower portion of the second seating member when the back portion is in the second position.    
   
   
       6 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , wherein the back portion of the first seating member creates a higher seating position that is closer to the table top in the second position than in the first position.  
   
   
       7 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a first generally L-shaped member that is connected to the table top and a first generally C-shaped member that is connected to the first seating member; and 
 wherein the frame includes a second generally L-shaped member that is connected to the table top and a second generally C-shaped member that is connected to the second seating member.    
   
   
       8 . The picnic table as in  claim 7 , wherein the first generally L-shaped member is connected to the first generally C-shaped member beneath the first seating member; and 
 wherein the second generally L-shaped member is connected to the second generally C-shaped member beneath the second seating member.    
   
   
       9 . The picnic table as in  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a first generally L-shaped member that is generally disposed between a first sitting position and a second sitting position on the first seating member; and 
 wherein the frame includes a second generally L-shaped member that is generally disposed between a first sitting position and a second sitting position on the second seating member.    
   
   
       10 . A picnic table comprising: 
 a table top;    a frame connected to the table top; and    a seating member connected to the frame, the seating member including a bottom portion and a back portion that is movable relative to the bottom portion between a first position and a second position, the back portion including a first surface that is sized and configured to form a backrest when the back portion is in the first position and a second surface that is sized and configured to create a booster seat when the back portion is in the second position.    
   
   
       11 . The picnic table as in  claim 10 , wherein the first surface of the back portion includes a generally concave backrest depression and the second surface of the back portion includes a generally concave seating portion.  
   
   
       12 . The picnic table as in  claim 10 , wherein the first surface of the back portion includes a plurality of generally concave backrest depressions and the second surface of the back portion includes a plurality of generally concave seating portions.  
   
   
       13 . The picnic table as in  claim 9 , wherein the table top is constructed from blow molded plastic having a unitary, one-piece construction and a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process; and wherein the seating member is constructed from blow molded plastic having a unitary, one-piece construction and a hollow interior portion formed during the blow molding process.  
   
   
       14 . A picnic table comprising: 
 a table top;    a first seating member that is sized and configured to allow at least two people to sit at the picnic table, the first seating member including a lower portion and a back portion that is movable relative to the lower portion between a first position in which the back portion is in a generally vertical position and a second position in which the back portion is in a generally horizontal position;    a second seating member that is sized and configured to allow at least two people to sit at the picnic table, the second seating member including a lower portion and a back portion that is movable relative to the lower portion between a first position in which the back portion is in a generally vertical position and a second position in which the back portion is in a generally horizontal position; and    a frame comprising: 
 a first generally L-shaped support member including a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the table top;  
 a first generally C-shaped support member connected to the first seating member and being disposed at least substantially beneath the first seating member, the first generally L-shaped support member being connected proximate a center portion of the first generally C-shaped support member;  
 a second generally L-shaped support member including a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the table top; and  
 a second generally C-shaped support member connected to the second seating member and being disposed at least substantially beneath the second seating member, the second generally L-shaped support member being connected proximate a center portion of the second generally C-shaped support member.  
   
   
   
       15 . The picnic table as in  claim 14 , further comprising a contoured first surface on the back portion of the first seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a backrest when the back portion is in the generally vertical position and a contoured second surface on the back portion of the first seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a children's booster seating member when the back portion is in the generally horizontal position; and 
 further comprising a contoured first surface on the back portion of the second seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a backrest when the back portion is in the generally vertical position and a contoured second surface on the back portion of the second seating member that is sized and configured to be used as a children's booster seat when the back portion is in the generally horizontal position.    
   
   
       16 . The picnic table as in  claim 14 , wherein the first seating member is sized and configured to allow two persons to sit at the picnic table and the second seating member is sized and configured to allow two persons to sit at the picnic table.  
   
   
       17 . The picnic table as in  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the back portion of the first seating member extends beyond a front edge of the lower portion of the first seating member when the back portion is in the second position; and 
 wherein at least a portion of the back portion of the second seating member extends beyond a front edge of the lower portion of the second seating member when the back portion is in the second position.    
   
   
       18 . The picnic table as in  claim 14 , wherein the back portion of the first seating member creates a higher seating position that is closer to the table top in the second position than in the first position; and 
 wherein the back portion of the second seating member creates a higher seating position that is closer to the table top in the second position than in the first position.    
   
   
       19 . The picnic table as in  claim 14 , wherein the first generally L-shaped member is connected to the first generally C-shaped member beneath the first seating member; and 
 wherein the second generally L-shaped member is connected to the second generally C-shaped member beneath the second seating member.    
   
   
       20 . The picnic table as in  claim 14 , wherein the first generally L-shaped member that is generally disposed between a first sitting position and a second sitting position on the first seating member; and 
 wherein the second generally L-shaped member that is generally disposed between a first sitting position and a second sitting position on the second seating member.