Abstract:
A hexagonal table transformable to square or other shape by upwardly or downwardly rotating triangular or rounded shaped flap segments to optimize use of available square footage in a restaurant establishment for varieties of room layouts including ells, alcoves, walkways and doors.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS NONE  
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0001]     Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.  
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0002]     NOT APPLICABLE  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0004]     This invention relates to restaurant establishments, in general, and to an optimization of the available square foot area for dining tables employed therein, in particular.  
         [0005]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0006]     As will be appreciated, restaurant establishments are primarily set up with dining tables of substantially square shape. Able to accommodate up to 4 patrons simultaneously, two of these tables are usually pushed together to serve parties of 5 or 6. Analysis has revealed, however, that aligning such tables together takes up a greater square foot area than if a hexagonally shaped table were utilized instead. Besides also determining that it is more comfortable for the party of 5 or 6 to sit at a hexagonal table, and that it is easier for a wait-staff to serve them from behind (as contrasted with serving them from in front, as with the resulting formed longer table of two pushed together), this analysis also revealed that hexagonally shaped tables are not the best set-up for serving parties of 2, 3 or 4—and, because of the unutilized space taken up. As will be appreciated by those in the restaurant business, then, some intermediate way of arranging tables and in positioning them would be beneficial in optimizing the available space in a given dining location, while still sitting the customers comfortably, and providing easy access to the wait-staff to serve them, graciously from behind.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     As will become clear from the following description, a dining table constructed in accordance with the invention includes a top and a stand for supporting the top on a floor in conventional manner—but with the top being transformable from one of hexagonal shape of six straight edge surfaces to one of alternate shape and/or numbers of edge surfaces via the folding upwardly or downwardly of individual ones of preselected segments thereof. As will be understood, such construction serves to fit the table to a size and configuration accommodating the area where the dining table is to be located. With the individual preselected segments being foldable along locking hinge couplings joining the segments (as by magnetically locking hinges, for example), the hexagonal table can be transformed quite easily to one of square shape for serving parties of up to 4 patrons. Alternatively, and according to the invention, the dining table could similarly and easily be transformed to a dining table of circular shape, to seat 6 or more patrons. Depending upon the room configurations, other embodiments of the invention allow eight-sided tables with straight edges to be set up, or other configurations accommodating different numbers of patrons depending upon table size and positioning. With such choices available, according to the invention, dining tables embodying the invention can be located comfortably in an open area, or pushed-up against a wall, or fitted within corners of a room. With such choices available, maximum usage of a room&#39;s square foot area can be utilized, while continuing to seat the individual customers comfortably.  
         [0008]     As such, the dining table of the invention will be seen quite different from other forms of table top arrangements described in the prior art—none of which show a hexagonal shaped table with foldable flap, wing or similar sections which allow the formation of a square-shaped table when required, or others of different shape to fit the vagaries of room dimensions and configurations, ells, alcoves, walkways and doors. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings, in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of a conventional hexagonal shaped table as typically found in a restaurant dining establishment; and  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2-8  illustrate modifications of such hexagonal shaped table embodying the features of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustratively shows a hexagonal shaped table as used in the prior art—including a top  10  of six straight edge surfaces  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  and  16  supported on a floor  18  by a stand  20 . While comfortably sitting up to 6 patrons, and taking up less square footage than do two square-shaped pushed-together tables of comparable size, this prior art table is not generally desirable for sitting only 1, 2, or 3 patrons if other configured tables are available.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustratively shows one embodiment of the present invention where the table to serve upon is shown in solid lines, but with four triangular shape segments  22   a ,  22   b ,  22   c  and  22   d  coupled by lockable hinges  90  to the sides  16 ,  12 ,  13  and  15  to be folded upwardly and then locked to transform the table to one of square shape. Employing, for example, magnetically lockable hinges, the triangular segments  22   b  and  22   d , instead, could be folded downwardly in enabling the segments  22   a  and  22   c  to be pushed flat against a wall in fitting the table to utilize as much as possible of the given room&#39;s space. Alternatively, with the triangular segments  22   a  and  22   c  folded downwardly and with the segments  22   b  and  22   d  folded upwardly, the table could then be pushed into corner areas of a room, or otherwise, in conforming to its shape. As will be appreciated, the straight edge triangular segments  22   a - 22   d  can be individually folded upwardly or downwardly in like or different manners depending upon the room square footage or configuration available. As will be appreciated, the triangular segments are illustrated in dotted lines.  
         [0014]     In  FIG. 3 , the preselected segments of the table top are likewise shown in dotted lines, foldable about the straight edge surfaces of the hexagonal top  10  via the hinges  90 —but with segments of rounded shape such that if folded upwardly and locked in position, a rounded configuration is given to the table top. Such arrangement allows even more people to sit about the table than if the table were constructed with six straight edge surfaces, of course depending upon the diameter of the resultant table top. In  FIG. 3 , the individually preselected segments are shown by the reference numerals  24   a - 24   f —six segments as contrasted with the four segments of  FIG. 2 —with the hinges again being shown at  90 .  
         [0015]     In the configuration of  FIG. 4 , on the other hand, two individual preselected segments are shown of triangular shape  26   a ,  26   b  hingeably coupled to the top and bottom straight surfaces  11  and  14  of the hexagonal table top  10 —likewise shown in dotted lines. In  FIG. 5 , on the other hand, two added segments  28   a  and  28   b  hingeably couple to the straight edge surfaces  11  and  14  to provide rounded individually foldable segments in conforming to the room shape and size. Eight straight sides are shown in  FIG. 4  while four straight and two rounded sides are illustrated in  FIG. 5  for accommodating the dining patrons, in fitting as many tables as possible in a room to seat comfortably the greatest number of diners.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  represents yet a further embodiment of the invention, where four triangular segments and two rounded segments are added to the six straight edge surfaces of the top  10 —each of which is hingeably coupled upwardly or downwardly with the hexagonal surfaces in eventually forming the resulting dining table top arrangement. Again shown in dotted lines, individual one&#39;s of these segments could be locked in place upwardly, or folded downwardly to meet the needs of the restauranteur in comfortably seating the dining patrons around his/her table configurations.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  goes one step further, according to the invention, in providing two rounded segments  30   a  and  30   b  at the straight edge surfaces  11  and  14 , while also allowing the straight edge pairs  15 ,  16  or  12 ,  13  to be folded and locked in position about the hinges  91 . As will be appreciated, with the individual pairs folded downwardly and with the segments  30   a  and  30   b  folded downwardly as well, a square-shaped configuration for the table results; in the alternative, both pairs  16 ,  15  and  14 ,  13  could be folded upwardly to give the hexagonal shape, with either, both, or neither of the segments  30   a ,  30   b  folded upwardly to lock in similar fashion.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  shows the replacement of the rounded segments  30   a  and  30   b  of  FIG. 7  with triangular segments  32   a ,  32   b  in yet allowing a further configuration to be given to the resulting table in accommodating the greatest number of patrons in a given room&#39;s area and orientation.  
         [0019]     As will be seen, through the use of the lockable hinge couplings of the invention and their coupled segments with the six straight edge surfaces of a hexagonal table, the appearance and utilization of the table is transformed to that which allows for optimization in the use of the available square footage where the dining table is to be located. Recognizing that such transformation continues to provide enhanced customer comfort no matter the arrangement of the table design decided upon, a dining table constructed in accordance with the invention gives to the proprietor the greatest latitude in selecting those table configurations and sizes which best fit the available space, angles, curvatures and layouts to meet the safety capacities of the room being filled. In such manner, the invention is of particular attractiveness to the dining establishment.  
         [0020]     While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.