Patent Grant
8485111
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-270740 filed Dec. 3, 2010 in the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a table which can be used alone as well as in combination with another table, and a table system.
Due to widespread use of information equipment, such as a personal computer, in an office, an information exchange using the information equipment is becoming popular, thereby lowering the frequency of an information exchange using printed material. Also, in a conference where a plurality of members gets together to share and review information concerning their work, information sharing or reviewing by displaying information on a display device have come into practice (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Meanwhile, a method for smoothly sharing and reviewing information in such a conference has been considered. The method includes changing the arrangement of a display device or the shape of a table depending on a form in which the information sharing or reviewing is performed (for example, see Patent Documents 2 and 3).
For example, Patent Document 2 discloses that when all participants in a conference share and review information, a plurality of tables are put together to constitute one large table, and when the participants are divided into a plurality of groups to share and review information, the one large table is divided into a plurality of tables each including a display device, and then sharing and reviewing of information is performed at each of the divided tables.
Patent Document 3 discloses a table system which can be used in a conference where a plurality of members participates as well as can be used for personal work by combining a circular core table, an oval-shaped side table, and a wagon on which a display device or the like can be placed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-154605
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-522660
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-024155
When information is shared or reviewed by using a display device in a conference as described above, as long as the number of participants is adequate for a table on which a display device is placed, all participants are capable of viewing the information displayed on the display device without stress.
However, when the number of participants is large for the size of a table, the participants have to form a double or triple circle around the table. In this case, there has been a problem in that a participant near the table obstructs a view of a participant away from the table, thereby making it difficult for the participant away from the table to view the information displayed on the display device.
The present invention preferably may provide a table and a table system which facilitates responding to increase and decrease in the number of persons.
A table according to the present invention is used in combination with another table having a circular top plate in a top view, and includes a top plate and a support portion. On a top surface of the top plate, an article (for example, a monitor, such as a display device, used with an electronic computer such as a personal computer, and an input portion such as a keyboard and a mouse) can be placed. The support portion supports the top plate from a lower side. A contact portion that contacts a peripheral edge of the circular top plate is formed along a peripheral edge of the plate-like shaped top plate. The contact portion is formed into a shape so as to contact the circular top plate along the circumferential direction thereof.
The top plate according to the present invention can be combined with the circular top plate in a stable manner, by contacting the contact portion of the top plate according to the present invention with the circular top plate of another table. Furthermore, even in a meeting involving the number of participants that is large enough to form a double or triple circle around another table, outside-located participants of the meeting can easily view the article placed on the top plate according to the present invention, by combining the table of the present invention with the another table and arranging the top plate according to the present invention so as to project from the circular top plate.
The contact portion is desirably formed into a shape so as to curve concavely toward a center of the top plate. Furthermore, the concave shape of the contact portion is desirably an arc shape having the substantially same radius of curvature as that of the circular top plate. Thus, the area in which the contact portion and the circular top plate contact each other can easily increase, thereby allowing the table according to the present invention to be combined with another table in a stable manner.
Preferably, the top plate is formed into a generally rectangular shape in a top view; a fixing portion for fixing an article that is a monitor such as a display device is provided near the first edge of the rectangular shape of the top surface of the top plate; and the contact portion is formed along at least one of the first edge and side edges adjacent to the first edge.
For example, when the contact portion formed along the first edge contacts the circular top plate, the fixing portion is arranged at the circular top plate side. Then, a region where the fixing portion is not provided on the top plate, i.e., a region where work can be conducted, is positioned at an opposite side (outside) to the circular top plate. Therefore, participants in a meeting can conduct their work facing the top plate according to the present invention from outside. Furthermore, when an article fixed to the fixing portion is a monitor such as a display device and the monitor is fixed so that a screen of the monitor faces outside, even the participants away from another table, among the participants in the meeting who surround the another table and the table according to the present invention, can easily view the contents displayed on the monitor.
On the other hand, when the contact portion formed along a side edge contacts the circular top plate, a substantially L-shaped work space is formed by another table and the table according to the present invention. In other words, the top plate according to the present invention is arranged to extend radially outward from another table. Therefore, the operator located between another table and the table according to the present invention can be offered wider work space compared to when only another table is used.
Preferably, the top plate is formed into a generally rectangular shape in a top view; a fixing portion for fixing an article that is a monitor such as a display device is provided near the first edge on the top surface of the top plate; a contact portion is formed at least side edges that are a pair of side edges adjacent to the first edge: and a distance between the pair of side edges decreases toward the first edge side.
When the contact portion formed at the side edges contacts the circular top plate, an angle at an intersection point of another table and the table according to the present invention is wider than 90 degree, and a substantially L-shaped work space narrower than 180 degree is formed. In other words, the top plate according to the present invention extends radially outward from another table, and is arranged such that the first edge at which the fixing portion is disposed is rotated in an approaching direction toward another table. Therefore, a distance, at which an operator moves his/her vision between a work space at another table and a work space at the table according to the present invention, can be shortened, compared to when an angle at the intersection point of another table and the table according to the present invention is 90 degree or 180 degree.
For example, when an article placed on the table is a monitor such as a display device, the table according to the present invention can be arranged so that an interior angle formed between a front face of the monitor placed on the table according to the present invention and a front face of the monitor placed on another table becomes an obtuse angle that is larger than 90 degree and smaller than 180 degree.
Preferably, an article placed on the top surface of the top plate is a monitor, and the support portion includes a housing portion which houses an electronic computer which outputs image signals to the monitor. Thus, an operator can perform work by using an electronic computer housed in the housing portion and the monitor. In other words, the table according to the present invention can be separated from another table and used alone to conduct work.
According to a table and a table system of the present invention, a contact portion that contacts a peripheral edge of a circular top plate is formed on a peripheral edge of the top plate formed into a plate-like shape. Since the contact portion is formed into a shape so as to contact the circular top plate along the circumferential direction thereof, even if the number of participants in the meeting is large enough to form a double or triple circle around the circular top plate, the outside participants can easily view the article placed on the top plate according to the present invention, by combining the top plate according to the present invention with the circular top plate and arranging the top plate according to the present invention so as to project from the circular top plate. Therefore, by using the table and the table system of the present invention, effect is obtained in that responding to increase and decrease in the number of operators is facilitated.
As shown in
The auxiliary table 1 primarily includes, as shown in
The top plate 10 is a member formed into a plate-like shape. The top surface of the top plate 10 is used as a work space. As shown in
The front edge 10a of the top plate 10 is an arc-shaped portion curved toward the direction (downward in
Each of the rear edge 10b, the right edge 10c and the left edge 10d is a portion along which the contact portion 11 is formed, and is also an arc-shaped portion curved toward the center of the top plate 10. That is to say, the contact portion 11 formed along the rear edge 10b is formed into an arc shape curved toward the downward direction of
As shown in
Furthermore, the top plate 10 is configured so that the line RT and the line LT described above, a line RR connecting the right edge-side end and the left edge-side end of the contact portion 11 along the rear edge 10b, and a line FT connecting the right-side end and the left-side end along the front edge 10a forms a substantial trapezoid.
In the present embodiment, it has been described that each of the rear edge 10b, the right edge 10c and the left edge 10d is formed into an arc shape, and continuously contacts the circular top plate 110. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration according to the present embodiment, and may be configured so as to, for example, be formed into a polygonal shape to contact the circular top plate 110 discretely (for example, at two locations), rather than to contact it continuously.
The fixing portion 12 is, as shown in
A top surface of the fixing portion 12 is, as shown in
A plurality of connecting terminals 14 is provided on a left side of the fixing portion 12, as shown in
The bottom end of the rear side of the fixing portion 12 is, as shown in
The top surface of the fixing portion 12 is, as shown in
The column portion 20 is, as shown in
More specifically, the column portion 20 primarily includes a column body 21 formed into a substantial U-shape in a cross-sectional view and a lid 22 which closes an opening of the column body 21. The opening of the column body 21 is arranged so as to open toward the front edge 10a of the top plate 10. Also, the generally rectangular tube-like column portion 20 is constituted by closing the opening of the column body 21 with the lid 22. The lid 22 is removably attached to the column body 21 using a fastening member such as a screw.
The column body 21 is, as shown in
Therefore, even when the lid 22 is removed from the column body 21 and the end of each of the lead-out portions 23 opens, the cable inserted through the lead-out portion 23 does not drop out of the end of the lead-out portion 23 against gravity. Furthermore, by forming each of the lead-out portions 23 into a substantial L-shape, the downwardly bending portion of the lead-out portion 23 is formed so as to extend substantially in parallel to the opening of the column body 21. Therefore, in a connecting portion between the lead-out portion 23 and the opening of the column body 21, the width between the downwardly bending portion of the lead-out portion 23 and the opening of the column body 21 can be secured, thereby facilitating securing the strength of a plate-like member constituting the column body 21.
Furthermore, the column portion 20 is, as shown in
Each of the upper housing portion 24 and the lower housing portion 25 is a rack-like structure formed into a U-shape in a cross-sectional view, and is disposed on the surface at the rear edge side of the column portion 20 (left side in
Also, as shown in
The upper housing portion 24 is disposed above the lower housing portion 25 and in the vicinity of the lead-out portions 23. A wall portion of the upper housing portion 24 at the column portion 20 side is provided with lower cable holding portions 27 around which cables are wrapped.
Each of the lower cable holding portions 27 is, as shown in
The lower housing portion 25 is, as shown in
Each of the electrical outlets 26 is an outlet disposed in the lower portion of the column portion 20, and primarily supplies power to an electronic computer housed in the upper housing portion 24. In the present embodiment, an example, in which two electrical outlets are located in the lower portion of each of the side surfaces of the column portion 20 so that four electrical outlets in total are disposed, is applied and will be described below.
The base portion 30 is, as shown in
The top surface of the base portion 30 is a removable lid, and a space is formed inside the base portion 30. In the space, a power supply unit, such as an AC-DC adaptor, a weight for stabilizing a posture of the auxiliary table 1, and the like are housed.
The base portion 30 is provided with casters 31 used for moving the auxiliary table 1 and an attachment plug 32 which is plugged into an external electrical outlet (not shown). The casters 31 are disposed on four corners of the bottom surface of the base portion 30, and a wheel of each of the casters 31 is pivotal about the mounting portion with the base portion 30. The attachment plug 32 extends from the center of the rear end (the left end in
The main table 100 is, as shown in
In the present embodiment, an example, in which the top plate 110 is provided with a folding line 111 and a portion 110P of the top plate 110 is capable of bending downward, is applied and will be described below. The holding portion 112 is located in a substantial center of the top surface of the top plate 110, and holds the monitors 40 each apart at every 120 degree with a display screen of each of the monitors 140 faced to an outward direction of the top plate 110. Furthermore, the holding portion 112 is provided with a plurality of output terminals (not shown) which output image information of the images to be displayed on the monitor 40 attached to the auxiliary table 1.
Also, the main table 100 is provided with a housing portion (not shown) that houses information processing equipment. Image signals outputted from the information processing equipment are capable of displaying images on the monitors 140 of the main table 100 as well as on the monitor 40 of the auxiliary table 1 connected to the information processing equipment via a cable.
Next, the method for using the auxiliary table 1 configured as described above and the method for using the table system TS will be described.
When the auxiliary table 1 according to the present embodiment is used alone, as shown in
An operator conducts work by operating an electronic computer with a keyboard KB placed on the top plate 10 and a mouse (not shown) placed on the mouse pad MP. Furthermore, an operator can conduct work on a space on the top plate 10 which is formed by pushing the keyboard KB into a gap between the fixing portion 12 and the top plate 10.
Next, the method for using the table system TS will be described with reference to
When the number of participants is too large for the main table 100, for example, the participants are forced to make a double or triple circle around the main table 100. This causes the visions of the outside participants toward the monitor 140 of the main table 100 to be blocked by the inside participants, thereby making it difficult for the outside participants to see the images displayed on the monitor 140.
On the other hand, the monitor 40 of the auxiliary table 1 combined with the main table 100 is located in a projecting position toward the radially outward direction, compared to the monitor 140 of the main table 100. In other words, the distance between the outside participants and the monitor 40 of the auxiliary table 1 is shorter than that between the outside participants and the monitor 140 of the main table 100. As a result, the visions of the outside participants toward the monitor 40 of the auxiliary table 1 are less blocked by the inside participants, thereby facilitating the outside participants seeing an image displayed on the monitor 40.
Next, as shown in
In this case, one operator can conduct work by using the monitor 40 of the auxiliary table 1 and the monitor 140 of the main table 100 at the same time. While conducting work, if the front face of the monitor 40 and the front face of the monitor 140 are arranged so as to form approximately 90 degree therebetween, the operator has a difficulty of seeing the monitor 40 and the monitor 140 at the same time, and the operator cannot change his/her view from the monitor 40 to the monitor 140 and vice versa by turning his/her neck around. When the front face of the monitor 40 and the front face of the monitor 140 are arranged so as to form approximately 180 degree therebetween, that is to say, aligned in a straight line, the distances between the operator and the monitor 40 and between the operator and the monitor 140 become too long, thereby making it difficult for the operator to visually recognize the contents displayed on each of the monitor 40 and the monitor 140.
In contrast, by arranging the monitor 40 and the monitor 140 so as to form the predetermined obtuse angle α as in the present embodiment, an operator can easily view the monitor 40 and the monitor 140, and the distances from an operator to the monitor 40 and to the monitor 140 can be shortened. Therefore, the operator can visually recognize the contents displayed on each of the monitor 40 and the monitor 140 without difficulty.
In addition, compared to when working only with the main table 100 or only with the auxiliary table 1, an space on the top plate 110 of the main table 100 or on the top plate 10 of the auxiliary table 1 can be used for conducting work, thereby widening the work space to facilitate conducting work.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-270740 | Dec 2010 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3724798 | Lucasey | Apr 1973 | A |
| 4365561 | Tellier et al. | Dec 1982 | A |
| 4852500 | Ryburg et al. | Aug 1989 | A |
| 5485795 | Williams | Jan 1996 | A |
| 5673631 | Guns et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
| 5842425 | van der Aa | Dec 1998 | A |
| 5868079 | Charny | Feb 1999 | A |
| 5943966 | Machado et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
| 6161487 | Chang | Dec 2000 | A |
| 6298794 | Brown et al. | Oct 2001 | B1 |
| 6390432 | VanderHeide et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
| 6722673 | Hamlin | Apr 2004 | B1 |
| 7357086 | Petrick et al. | Apr 2008 | B2 |
| 7506592 | Rossini | Mar 2009 | B2 |
| 7859836 | Bae | Dec 2010 | B2 |
| 20020073900 | Birsel et al. | Jun 2002 | A1 |
| 20030213415 | Ross et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
| 20040094072 | Fabian | May 2004 | A1 |
| 20040216647 | Cvek | Nov 2004 | A1 |
| 20040237852 | Tsai | Dec 2004 | A1 |
| 20060117669 | Baloga et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
| 20070266913 | Hardt | Nov 2007 | A1 |
| 20110197794 | Nunes | Aug 2011 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 62-142930 | Sep 1987 | JP |
| 846114 | Aug 1992 | JP |
| 06-026559 | Apr 1994 | JP |
| 2001-154605 | Jun 2001 | JP |
| 2003-024155 | Jan 2003 | JP |
| 2008-522660 | Jul 2008 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Notice of Reasons for Rejection issued in corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-270740 mailed Jun. 26, 2012, with translation. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20120137936 A1 | Jun 2012 | US |
