PINBALL TABLE/DINING TABLE COMBINATION

Abstract

A piece of specialized furniture is presented which permits the use of a pinball machine while holding beverage glasses and dining utensils and plates. The furniture is constructed from wood or plastic and possesses a transparent observation panel in its upper surface that allows unobstructed viewing of the pinball machine playing area, and allows access to the paddle buttons and ball starting controls.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to furniture for recreational use in a commercial environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the need for table that will hold drinks and food while allowing a pinball machine player to see the display surface of the game he is playing. There is a need for specialized furniture that will allow pinball players to eat and drink while using the equipment, instead of placing their plates and glasses on the machine itself.

There are several entertainment devices that combine a game with another feature, such as U.S. Pat. No. D251,515 to Richter, but there are no prior art devices that comprise a separate covering table that can be attached to a standard-sized pinball machine. The advantages of the present invention over prior art devices are apparent, and the device itself is easy to manufacture and keep clean, requiring no retrofitting of the gaming apparatus to be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is comprised of a table made out of a rigid material that possesses four table legs and associated bracing members. The table possesses a transparent panel in its upper surface large enough to allow an unobstructed view of an underlying pinball machine's display surface, as well as a surrounding ledge that is wide enough to hold beverage glasses and small food plates.

The purpose of the invention is to allow pinball players to play while enjoying food and drink, without requiring them to place their glasses and plates on the glass surface of the pinball machine. This invention reduces dish and glass breakage and damage to the glass pinball machine cover, and reduces the need to clean the pinball machine glass of stains and beverage glass rings.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has several objectives.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a table with a transparent upper surface that overlays a standard-sized pinball machine.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a table in a low-cost configuration.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a table in a configuration that requires no retrofitting of standard-sized pinball machines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Perspective view of the invention

FIG. 2. Side view of the invention

FIG. 3. Front view of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention 100 is comprised of a table-like structure constructed from rigid materials, as in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. The invention 100 possesses a plurality of legs 101, a plurality of cross members 102, decorative corbels 103, a plurality of shelves 104 and a removable clear observation surface 105. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, The rigid material comprising the invention 100 is wood, there are four legs 101 as shown in FIG. 1, and there are two shelves 104.

An alternate embodiment consists of shelves 104 that fold down and corbels 103 that fold out of the way to permit this. An alternate rigid material that comprises the invention 100 is plastic.

The invention 100 is sized to fit around the body of a pinball machine (in outline), as shown in FIG. 1. The control buttons on the side of the pinball machine and pull-back ball starter and start button on the front of the machine are easily available with the invention 100 in place, and the pinball back display and playing surface are clearly visible.

Players can rest their eating implements, plates, and drinks on the shelves 104 or on the clear observation surface 105, without marking or damaging the pinball machine itself. The observation surface 105 can be removed for easy cleaning, and to permit inspection of the pinball machine. The legs 101 and cross members 102 can be removed and reattached to permit easy fitting of the invention 100 around the pinball machine.

While the foregoing describes a preferred mode and an alternate embodiment, variation on this design and equivalent methods may be resorted to in the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. A pinball machine dining table, the dining table comprised of a flat upper surface, a plurality of sides, and a plurality of supporting legs, The upper surface possessing a transparent observation surface in its center with a plurality of surrounding shelves,The transparent observation surface sized to permit a clear view of an underlying industry-standard pinball machine,The pinball machine dining table sized to cover and surround the pinball machine.

2. A pinball machine as in claim 1 where the upper surface is rectangular in shape and there are two surrounding shelves.

3. A pinball machine as in claim 1 where the surrounding shelves are held up by decorative corbels attached to the sides of the dining table.

4. A method of using a pinball machine dining table, as in claim 1, comprised of the steps of installing the pinball machine dining table around an industry-standard pinball machine,positioning the upper surface of the pinball machine dining table such that the transparent observation surface is directly over the industry-standard pinball machine,placing beverage glasses and dining plates on the surrounding shelves,operating the pinball machine while observing the pinball machine through the transparent observation surface.