Saturday, August 16, 2025

Oh, patents! Noguchi's Cyclone™ table

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Isamu Noguchi’s Cyclone table was directly inspired by his Rocking stool. Designed for Knoll, the table was produced in varying sizes with veneer core plywood and high-pressure laminate top, mounted on a base of steel wires, and set into a cast iron foot.  

The design of the Cyclone table was patented. The US design patent, USD182037S, titled Table or the like, was awarded on February 4th, 1958, to Isamu Noguchi. The patent Figure 1, depicting a perspective view of the table, is included below. An image of a marketed embodiment of the Cyclone™ table with a white laminate top, is also shown beneath. 

As a reminder, a US design patent covers the ornamental aspects of an invention, or how the invention looks. In contrast, a US utility patent covers how an invention works, or is produced.





Reference
The Noguchi Museum (The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum, in Long Island City, NY.)
www.noguchi.org
Knoll Cyclone dining table

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