Outdoor furniture stabilizer

Abstract

A stabilizer for use with outdoor furniture includes first and second sides and first and second ends, the sides together with the ends defining an outer periphery of the stabilizer. The stabilizer further has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface being adapted to be positioned in contacting relationship with a subjacent supporting surface. The stabilizer further has a receiving portion adapted to receive and support an associated first furniture part having a first cross-sectional shape and separately an associated second furniture part having a second differing cross-sectional shape. The receiving portion is defined by an aperture elongated in a length dimension of the stabilizer and extending through the stabilizer. The stabilizer further has first and second mounting holes extending through the stabilizer and adapted to receive fasteners for releasably mounting the stabilizer to the subjacent supporting surface.

1 . A stabilizer for use with outdoor furniture comprising:
 first and second sides and first and second ends, the sides together with the ends defining an outer periphery of the stabilizer, the stabilizer further having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface being adapted to be positioned in contacting relationship with an associated subjacent supporting surface, and further having a receiving portion adapted to receive and support an associated first furniture part having a first cross-sectional shape and separately an associated second furniture part having a second differing cross-sectional shape, the receiving portion being defined by an aperture elongated in a length dimension of the stabilizer and extending through the stabilizer, and further having first and second mounting holes extending through the stabilizer and adapted to receive associated fasteners for releasably mounting the stabilizer to the associated subjacent supporting surface.   
     
     
         2 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second mounting holes are located at opposite corners of the stabilizer. 
     
     
         3 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting hole is located at a corner of the stabilizer define by intersection of the first side and first end, and the second mounting hole is located at another corner of the stabilizer defined by intersection of the second side and second end. 
     
     
         4 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is obround-shaped and is formed centrally on the stabilizer. 
     
     
         5 . The stabilizer of  claim 4 , wherein a first line orthogonal to a longitudinal centerline of the aperture and tangent to a first semi-circular end of the aperture is approximately aligned with a center of the first mounting hole. 
     
     
         6 . The stabilizer of  claim 4 , wherein a second line orthogonal to the longitudinal centerline of the aperture and tangent to a second semi-circular end of the aperture is approximately aligned with a center of the second mounting hole. 
     
     
         7 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein a first line orthogonal to a longitudinal centerline of the aperture and tangent to a first end of the aperture is approximately aligned with a center of the first mounting hole, and a second line orthogonal to the longitudinal centerline of the aperture and tangent to a second end of the aperture is approximately aligned with a center of the second mounting hole. 
     
     
         8 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second mounting holes are positioned between a tangent line, wherein the tangent line is a vertical line tangent to each end of the receiving aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second sides includes a threaded hole extending into the aperture, the threaded hole adapted to receive an associated second fastener for engaging the associated first or second furniture part. 
     
     
         10 . The stabilizer of  claim 9 , wherein the threaded hole is centrally located in a lengthwise direction on the one side. 
     
     
         11 . The stabilizer of  claim 9 , wherein a center axis of the threaded hole is oriented orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the aperture. 
     
     
         12 . A stabilizer for use with outdoor furniture comprising:
 a generally rectangular shaped body having first and second sides and first and second ends, the body further having an upper planar surface and a lower planar surface opposite the upper surface, an entirety of the lower surface being adapted to be positioned in contacting relationship with an associated subjacent supporting surface, the body further having a receiving aperture elongated in a lengthwise direction of the body and adapted to receive and support an associated furniture part, and the body further having first and second mounting holes adapted to receive associated fasteners for releasably mounting the stabilizer to the associated subjacent supporting surface, the first and second mounting holes are positioned between a tangent line, wherein the tangent line is vertically tangent to each end of the receiving aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , where the receiving aperture is adapted to receive and support an associated first furniture part having a substantially circular cross-section and separately an associated second furniture part having a substantially rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         14 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein one of the first and second sides of the body includes a threaded hole extending into the receiving aperture, the threaded hole adapted to receive an associated second fastener for engaging the associated furniture part. 
     
     
         15 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the aperture is obround-shaped and is formed centrally on the stabilizer. 
     
     
         16 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second mounting holes are located at opposite corners of the stabilizer. 
     
     
         17 . A stabilizer for use with outdoor furniture comprising:
 an elongated body having first and second sides and first and second ends, the body further having an upper planar surface and a lower planar surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface being adapted to be positioned in contacting relationship with an associated subjacent supporting surface, the body further having a receiving aperture elongated in a lengthwise direction of the body and adapted to receive and support an associated furniture part, and the body further having first and second mounting holes adapted to receive associated first fasteners for releasably mounting the stabilizer to the associated subjacent supporting surface, the first and second mounting holes are located adjacent the first and second ends and at opposite corners of the stabilizer, the mounting holes being positioned between a tangent line, wherein the tangent line is a vertical line tangent to each end of the receiving aperture, and one of the first and second sides of the body including a threaded hole extending into the receiving aperture, the threaded hole adapted to receive an associated second fastener for engaging the associated furniture part.   
     
     
         18 . The stabilizer of  claim 17 , where the receiving aperture is obround-shaped and adapted to receive and support an associated first furniture part having a substantially circular cross-section and separately an associated second furniture part having a substantially rectangular cross-section.