Outdoor tabletop system

Abstract

The outdoor tabletop system includes a horizontal tabletop structure, a rim disposed around a perimeter of the tabletop structure and a deformable material positioned in a gap between the vertical perimeter surface of the tabletop structure and the inner vertical surface of the rim disposed around it. The horizontal tabletop structure and the rim may have different heat expansion characteristics, such as heat expansion coefficients. The deformable material may be flexible and may consistently fill the gap between the rim and the tabletop structure during changes in temperature, humidity, etc., due to the tabletop structure and rim reacting to such environmental factors in different manners. Additionally, the gap and the deformable material are dimensioned to conceal to the naked eye differences in the dimensional geometries of the rim and tabletop structure.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outdoor tabletop system comprising:
 A tabletop structure having a first heat expansion characteristic;   a rim disposed around a perimeter of the tabletop structure, the rim having a second heat expansion characteristic different than the first heat expansion characteristic of the tabletop structure;   a gap between the perimeter of the tabletop structure and the rim; and,   a deformable material having sufficient elasticity, or heat expansion characteristic that are different from the heat expansion characteristics of the tabletop structure and rim, positioned in the gap between the tabletop structure and the rim, which expands and contracts to fill the gap during changes in environmental conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 1  wherein the tabletop structure is supported by a frame. 
     
     
         3 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 2  wherein the rim is attached to the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 1  wherein the rim is made of a manufactured wood product. 
     
     
         5 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 1 , wherein the tabletop structure comprises a top-facing decorative portion. 
     
     
         6 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 1  wherein the tabletop structure is made from one of stone, wood or polymer composite with or without stone or wood. 
     
     
         7 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable material has a high elasticity over a wide range of environmental conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 7 , wherein the deformable material is selected from the group consisting of silicon, natural and synthetic rubbers, neoprene, polyolefins, (e.g., polyethylene and polyvinyl), TPE and synthetic leather. 
     
     
         9 . An outdoor tabletop system comprising:
 a tabletop structure having a first geometry;   a rim disposed around a perimeter of the tabletop structure, the rim having a second geometry different from the first geometry of the tabletop structure;   a gap between the perimeter of the tabletop structure and the rim; and   a deformable material positioned in the gap between the tabletop structure and the rim which visually conceals differences between the first geometry of the tabletop structure and the second geometry of the rim.   
     
     
         10 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 9  wherein the tabletop structure is supported by a frame. 
     
     
         11 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 9  wherein the rim is attached to the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 9  wherein the rim is made of a manufactured wood product. 
     
     
         13 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 9  wherein the tabletop structure comprises a top-facing decorative portion. 
     
     
         14 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 9  wherein the tabletop structure is made from one of stone, wood or polymer composite with or without stone or wood. 
     
     
         15 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 9  wherein the deformable material has a high elasticity over a wide range of environmental conditions. 
     
     
         16 . The outdoor tabletop system of  claim 15  wherein the deformable material is selected from the group consisting of silicon, natural and synthetic rubbers, neoprene, polyolefins, TPE and synthetic leather.