US20070283853A1

US20070283853A1 - Table strcuture

Info

Publication number: US20070283853A1
Application number: US11/448,919
Authority: US
Inventors: De-Hong Sun
Original assignee: Jie Yi Co Ltd
Current assignee: JIE-YI Co Ltd; Jie Yi Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-06-08
Filing date: 2006-06-08
Publication date: 2007-12-13

Abstract

A table structure comprises: a table body having a table plate and a table post; a transmission mounted inside the table post; a platform mounted on the table plate, the platform being connected with the transmission and divided into a plurality of divisions; a plurality of control boxes located on the table plate, the control boxes being connected to a control circuit, the control circuit being connected to the transmission; and a plurality of control buttons mounted inside the control boxes such that the rotation of the platform can be controlled to facilitate the eating of dishes by pressing the control buttons inside the control boxes after the dishes are placed on the platform.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a conveniently usable table structure that is applicable for various dinning tables of various restaurants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Chinese are a hospitable people. Due to the habitual behavior, the Chinese people always select the large-sized round table, which stands for perfection and reunion. However, the large area of the large-sized round table makes the process for eating dishes difficult. In order to facilitate the eating of dishes, a turntable is placed on this large-sized round table so as to change the locations of the dishes by rotating the turntable.
As shown in FIG. 5, a turntable 10 is mounted on the conventional table structure, and composed of a stand 11 and a rotatory plate 12, wherein rolling balls 13 are located between the stand 11 and the rotatory plate 12 to allow the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the rotatory plate 12. However, the users must rotate the turntable 10 by themselves so as to pick up the dishes according to their likes. But, some of the users are natively uneasy about and shy of spontaneously rotating the turntable 10. As a result, they are usually sat on the seats stiffly until the dishes are coincidentally rotated to be in front of them. Besides, some users may be unable to pick up their favorite dishes when they are talking to the neighbors. Consequently, it is apparent that this manually rotatory turntable is not practical.
Whereas the foregoing description, the present inventor makes diligent studies in providing the consumers with a table structure that is rotatable according to the choice of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a table structure that is rotatable according to the choice of the user.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a table structure that is automatically rotatable to facilitate the eating of dishes.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, a table structure comprises: a table body having a table plate and a table post; a transmission mounted inside the table post; a platform mounted on the table plate, the platform being connected with the transmission and divided into a plurality of divisions; a plurality of control boxes located on the table plate, the control boxes being connected to a control circuit, the control circuit being connected to the transmission; and a plurality of control buttons mounted inside the control boxes such that the rotation of the platform can be controlled to facilitate the eating of dishes by pressing the control buttons inside the control boxes after the dishes are placed on the platform.
The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily clarified in the description of the preferred embodiments and the enclosed drawings of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the components of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are schematic views showing the usage of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional table structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3 simultaneously, a table body 3 of the table structure of the present invention comprises a table plate 31 and a table post 32. In addition, a platform 34 with a smaller area than that of the table plate 3 1 is movably, pivotally coupled with the center of the table plate 3 1. A pivotal connection part 341 on which a corresponding transmission is mounted is located on and protrudent from the center bottom of the platform 34. A plurality of divisions may be defined by forming respective colors, numerals or English letters on the platform 34 according to requirements. In this preferred embodiment, the platform 34 is divided into six divisions with respective English letters A to F designated thereon. In addition, a positioning trench 342 is formed on each of these six divisions. Several small-depressed cavities 343 are formed on the platform 34 for holding relish trays, which are filled with pungent sauce, soybean sauce, or mustard sauce, wherein each of the small-depressed cavities 343 is formed between two divisions. A transmission, which is composed of a stepper motor 321 and a gear 322, is mounted inside the table post 32 of the table body 3. The gear 322 is coupled to a motor shaft of the stepper motor 321 and engaged correspondingly with the pivotal connection part 341 of the platform 34. Besides, the stepper motor 321 of the transmission is connected to a control circuit 33.
In addition, the control circuit 33 is connected to a plurality of control boxes 35 in parallel, wherein the amount of the control boxes 35 is depended upon the size of the table plate 31 and the number of people. Several buttons, for example, nine buttons in this preferred embodiment, are located in each of control boxes 35, wherein six of these nine buttons are assigned to six divisions A-F, respectively, and the remaining three buttons are adopted as function buttons including a start button 351, a pause button 352 and a stop button 353.
The dishes can be firmly placed in the respective positioning trenches 342 on the divisions of the platform 34 after the guests have taken their respective seats. If a guest Z wants to taste a dish on the farthest-distance division A, he or she merely needs to press the corresponding button A for rotating the pivotal connection part 341 by the motor 321 such that the division A of the platform 34 can be rotated to be in front of the guest Z for facilitating the eating of dishes, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. If the guests press several buttons at the same time, the platform 34 will be rotated by the control circuit 33 to present the corresponding dishes to the front locations of these guests in sequence. As a result, it can efficiently prevent the guests from being shy of rotating the platform 34.
In addition, the rotation of the platform 34 can be controlled by using the function buttons 351, 352 and 353 of the control boxes 35. For example, the stepper motor 321 is driven to rotate the platform 34 slowly, continuously by pressing the start button 351. If it is uneasy to pick up the dishes or the guest is a golden ager or an elderly or young tardy person, the platform 34 can be paused for about 10 to 15 seconds by pressing the pause button 352 to facilitate the guest to pick up the dishes. In addition, if a waiter or a waitress wants to place the dishes on the platform 34, the platform 34 can be stopped immovably by pressing the stop button 353.
Furthermore, after the start button 351 of one of the control boxes 35 on the table plate 31 is persistently pressed for about 3 to 5 seconds, this corresponding seat is defined to be the important seat. After the stopping of the platform 34 for placing the dish, the platform 34 can be rotated by the control circuit 33 such that this newly placed dish is rotated to be in front of the important seat. Accordingly, an elderly person, an important person, or a worthy person has priority in enjoying this newly placed dish, thereby complying with the traditional morality of honoring the aged and the wise and educating the younger persons. In addition, if the stop button 353 is persistently pressed for about 3 to 5 seconds, this button is transformed into a service bell so as to notify the waiter or waitress that the corresponding services are demanded.
In accordance with the foregoing description, it is apparent that the present invention provides the advantages as follows:
1. The platform can be rotated according to the demands of the users by pressing the buttons located inside the control boxes.
2. The shy guests are free of rotating the platform manually such that the guests and the hosts can enjoy themselves to the utmost.
In summary, the present invention indeed achieves the expected objects by providing the table structure that facilitates the picking up of the dishes. Accordingly, the present invention satisfies the requirement for patentability and is therefore submitted for a patent.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A table structure comprising:

a table body having a table plate and a table post;

a transmission mounted inside said table post;

a platform mounted on said table plate, said platform being connected with said transmission and divided into a plurality of divisions;

a plurality of control boxes located on said table plate, said control boxes being connected to a control circuit, said control circuit being connected to said transmission; and

a plurality of control buttons mounted inside said control boxes such that the rotation of said platform can be controlled to facilitate the eating of dishes by pressing said control buttons inside said control boxes after dishes are placed on said platform.

2. The table structure of claim 1, wherein an easily distinguishable code is formed on each of said divisions formed on said platform.

3. The table structure of claim 2, wherein three of said control buttons are a start button, a pause button and a stop button, respectively, and the rest are assigned to said divisions, respectively.

4. The table structure of claim 2, wherein a depressed cavity for holding a relish tray is formed between two of said divisions formed on said platform.

5. The table structure of claim 2, wherein a positioning trench is formed on each of said divisions formed on said platform for holding a dish plate.

6. The table structure of claim 1, wherein said control boxes are connected to said control circuit in parallel.

7. The table structure of claim 1, wherein said transmission further comprises a stepper motor and a gear located on a motor shaft of said stepper motor.

8. The table structure of claim 7, wherein said platform has a pivotal connection part for engaging with said gear located on said motor shaft.