Patent Publication Number: US-7717044-B2

Title: Split-level bar counter

Description:
The present invention relates to a bar counter by which people can stand and drink/chat. 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   People like to gather around a bar counter to drink and chat, socializing themselves with the others. There has been little attention paid to the design of bar counters to cater for the general difference in height of people, especially between men and women. 
   The invention seeks to provide a new or otherwise improved bar counter which allows people to stand and drink/chat more comfortably. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention, there is provided a bar counter for use standing across a relatively upper floor and a relatively lower floor interconnected by at least one step, comprising a body having a first side on said upper floor and an opposite second side on said lower floor. The body has a bottom adapted to engage at least one of said upper and lower floors and includes a top having a relatively higher horizontal surface on the first side and a relatively lower horizontal surface on the second side, for use by people on opposite sides of the counter. 
   Preferably, the bottom of the body is adapted to engage both of said upper and lower floors. 
   More preferably, the bottom of the body has a first portion on the first side for engaging said upper floor and a second portion on the second side for engaging said lower floor. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the body has a lowermost profile matching with the surface profile of said upper and lower floors and at least one step. 
   It is preferred that at least one of the higher and lower horizontal surfaces of the top of the body extends along the corresponding side of the body, over generally the entire length of that side. 
   It is further preferred that at least one of the higher and lower horizontal surfaces of the top of the body occupies generally the entire width of the corresponding side of the body, in a direction transversely of that side. 
   Advantageously, at least one of the higher and lower horizontal surfaces of the top of the body includes a retaining member along at least part of its periphery. 
   More advantageously, the retaining member extends along left and right edges and an inner edges of the horizontal surface. 
   Conveniently, the first and second sides of the body have generally the same height. 
   In a specific construction, the body includes two separate upright members at left and right ends of the counter, which have respective said bottoms adapted to engage said upper and lower floors and across which the top extends. 
   More specifically, the top has two separate elongate parts extending individually across the two members of the body, one part being at a relatively higher level providing the higher horizontal surface and the other at a relatively lower level providing the lower horizontal surface. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a bar counter in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a left side view of the bar counter of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a right side view of the bar counter of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the bar counter of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the bar counter of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a rear view of the bar counter of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the bar counter of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings, there is shown a bar counter (or bar)  100  embodying the invention for use standing across a relatively upper floor  10  and a relatively lower floor  13  interconnected by one or two steps  11  and  12 . The bar counter  100  comprises a body  110  having a rear side  110 R on the upper floor  10  and an opposite, front side  110 F on the lower floor  13 . The body  110  has a bottom  120  adapted to engage or stand on at least one or, preferably, both of the upper and lower floors  10  and  13 . 
   The counter body  110  includes a top  130  which has a relatively higher horizontal surface  130 H on the rear side  110 R and a relatively lower horizontal surface  130 L on the front side  110 F, for use by people (of different height) on opposite sides of the bar  100 . The rear side  110 R is taller than the front side  110 F generally stated, but they have about the same height when measured from their corresponding footings. 
   The counter body  110  includes two separate upright pillars  110 A and  110 B at left and right ends of the counter  100 , which have respective bottoms  120  adapted to stand on the upper and lower floors  10  and  13  and across which the top  130  extends. The top  130  is provided by two separate elongate shelves  130 A and  130 B extending individually across the two pillars  110 A and  110 B, with one shelf  130 A being located at a relatively higher level providing the higher surface  130 H and the other  130 B at a relatively lower level providing the lower surface  130 L. This renders the bar top  130  having a pair of spilt-level tops  130 A and  130 B. 
   The bottom  120  of each pillar  110 A/ 110 B of the body  110  has a rear portion  120 R on the rear side  110 R for engaging the upper floor  10  and a front portion  120 F on the front side  110 F for engaging the lower floor  13 . To achieve a neat appearance, the bottom  120  has a stepped lowermost profile to match with and fit the stepped surface profile of the upper and lower floors  10  and  13  and the steps  11  and  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
   Each of the higher and lower horizontal surfaces  130 H and  130 L of the top shelves  130 A and  130 B extends along the corresponding side  110 R/ 110 F of the body  110 , over generally the entire length of that side  110 R/ 110 F. Also, each surface  130 H/ 130 L occupies generally the entire width of the corresponding side  110 R/ 10 F, in a direction transversely of that side  110 R/ 110 F. 
   A retaining member in the form of a railing  140  is provided on each of the higher and lower horizontal surfaces  130 H and  130 L, extending along at least part of its periphery i.e. the left and right edges and an inner edge of the surface  130 H/ 130 L. The railing  140  serves to retain objects, such as drinks and glasses, on the surface  130 H/ 130 L. 
   The bar counter  100  is not just conveniently built on the steps  11  and  12 —it is purposefully built on the steps  11  and  12  to provide the split-level tops  130 A and  130 B such that people of different height can stand on and use opposite sides  110 F and  110 R of the counter  100 . 
   Whilst there is normally a difference in height between men and women, when they chat they usually like to not only keep a distance but also face at the same or similar eye level. The wisdom behind the split-level bar  100  is that it allows the women (or relatively shorter people) to stand on the upper floor  10  or the taller side  110 R of the bar  100  to chat to the men (or relatively taller people) who usually stand on the lower floor  13  or the shorter side  110 F. In doing so, they can chat at more or less the same height or eye level and yet still keep within their boundaries and comfort zone. 
   It is envisaged that the bar body  110  may be solid across its left and right ends or, in a different aspect, it may be built to stand on only the upper or the lower floor  10 / 13  preferably right at the edge of either one step  11 / 12  as appropriate. 
   The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.