CA2349716A1 - Machete-shaped table - Google Patents

Abstract

An elongate V-shaped table with a first side of the table longer than a second side so as to provide an area generally forward of the wider end of the table and towards the side of the shorter side which is advantageous for a person making a presentation to stand and move.

Description

Title MACHETE-SHAPED TABLE
Scope of the Invention This invention relates to tables and, snore particularly, to V-shaped tables as particularly adapted for conferencing and video-conferencing.
Background of the Invention Conferencing tables are known which have a generally frustoconical or V-shape which permits a person, screen or video camera at a wider end of the table to be seen by or to be in the line of sight of persons sitting along the sides and at a narrower end of the table. For example, such V-shaped tables are preferred for video conferencing as contrasted with a rectangular table where typically all of the faces of the persons at the sides of the table cannot be seen by a~ camera positioned away from the table at one end.
Known V-shaped conferencing tables suffer the disadvantage that they are not particularly adapted for use when a person is giving a personal presentation.
This is particularly the case when the conferencing table is used in conjunction with a display screen on which images are to be displayed simultaneously while the person is giving a personal presentation.
Summary of the Invention To at least partially overcome these disadvantages of previously known devices, the present invention provides an elongate V-shaped table with a first side of the table longer than a second side so as to provide an area generally forward of the wider end of the table and towards the side of the shorter side which is advantageous for a person making a presentation to stand and move.
An object of the present invention is to provide a conferencing table which provides for more seating at one side than the other side.

Another object is to provide a V-shaped conferencing table in combination with a video camera and/or display screen for use in personal presentations.
Another object is to provide a combination of a conferencing table and a plurality of modular chairs adapted so that more chairs may be received along one side of the table than on another side.
Another object is to provide a preferred arrangement for a conference area including a conference table, chairs and an area for a person making a presentation to stand and move around.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a table having an elongate worksurface tabletop, the top having a narrow end, a wide end, a long side and a short side, a longitudinal axis extending from the narrow end to the wide end, the narrow end being generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis, the short and long sides extending from the narrow end diverging away from each other generally symmetrically about the longitudinal axis, the long side being sufficiently longer than the short side by an amount such that the long side provides for seating of at: least one additional person therealong than the short side, the wide end in extending from the long; side to the short side angling towards the narrow end.
Another aspect, the present invention provides a conference table having a work surface tabletop comprising two surface area portions, appearing in top view as a first generally symmetrical frustoconical portion, a second generally triangular portion, the frustoconical portion symmetrical about a longitudinal axis between a narrower end and a wider end, the frustoconical portion having a first side segment and a second side segment of equal length diverging away from each other towards the wider end, the triangular portion having three sides, a joining side disposed along and merging with the wide end of the frustoconical portion from the first side segment to the second side segment, an extension side comprising a continuous extension of the first side segment, and a bridging side extending from the junci;ure of the second side segment with the joining side to the extension side.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a conference table arrangement in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the table shown in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the tables shown in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4 is a plan view of a table in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure S is a plan view of a conference room as shown in Figure 1 but in accordance with the prior art table.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment Reference is made first to Figure 1 which shows a plan view of a conference room generally indicated 10 having perimeter walls indicated as front end wall 11, right side wall 12, rear end wall 13 and left side wall 14 surrounding a floor area 15. A door 16 provides access to the room 10.
Inside the room 10, there is a conference table 20 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention as well as a video camera 30 and a presentation or display screen 28. A plurality of chairs indicated as primary chairs 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39 are shown in dotted lines and secondary chairs 41, 42 and 43 are shown in dashed lines.

The table 20 is shown in perspective view in Figure 2 as having a continuous work surface tabletop 22 mounted on support members 24 and 26.
As used in this disclosure and the claims, the terms right and left-hand side refer to the right and left-hand side as viewed by a person sitting in the chair 35 at the head of the table and, thus, as shown in Figure l, the short side 54 is on the left-hand side and the longer side 56 is on the right-hand side.
The preferred embodiment of the table 20 has a narrow end 50, a wide end 52, a short side 54 and a long side 56. A longitudinal axis 58 extends between the ends 50 and 52. The sides 54 and 56 are shown to be straight. They extend from the narrower end 50 symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis with each side 54 and 56 forming, as best seen in Figure 3, an acute angle with the longitudinal axis 58 of about 7.5°. The narrow end 50 at the head or front end ofthe table 10 is a convex curve symmetrical about the longitudinal axis 58 and extending marginally outwardly from the table.
The wide end 52 at the rear end of the table 10 is a convex curve which joins the sides 54 and 56. As seen in Figure :3, wide end 52 is symmetrical about an imaginary straight line 60 which is normal to and bisects an imaginary line 62 joining the juncture of the wide end 52 with the short side 54 and the juncture of the wide end 52 with the long side 56.
Figure 1 shows the chairs 31 to 39 as being of the same modular size and width. The short side 54 is shown as being of a length to accommodate the cumulative width of three chairs 36, 37 and 38 with reasonable spacing between the chairs. Long side 56 is shown as being of a length to accommodate the cumulative width of five chairs 31 to 34 and 39 with the chairs. being spaced with the same approximate spacing as on the short side 54. The narrow end 50 is shown as being of a length to accommodate one chair 35. Wide end 52 is shown as capable of accommodating three optional chairs 41, 42 and 43.
The video camera 30 is spaced rearwardl!y from the wide end 52 of the table and located on the longitudinal axis 58. Frorn its spaced position on the longitudinal axis 58, the camera 30 has a direct line of'sight with the head and face of each person sitting in the nine chairs 31 to 39 as is advantageous. The camera 30 can be chosen to be of a lens angle capable of viewing the; face of the person in chair 39.
Of course, the distance of the camera from the table, the angles at which each of the sides 54 and 56 are to the longitudinal axis and the; length of the table are some factors which affect the nature of the camera to be advantageously chosen.
The display screen 28 is shown as extending normal to the longitudinal axis 58 from a left-hand edge 64 to a right-hand edge 66. The screen 28 is also preferably centered on the longitudinal axis so that each person sitting in the chairs 31 to 39 will have a direct line of sight to the screen. Preferably, the angle at which each of the sides 54 and 56 extend relative the longitudinal axis 58 is selected such that each of the persons in chairs 31 to 39 will have a direct line of sight to the entire width of the display screen and, therefore, to each of its left-hand edge 64 and right-hand edge 66.
Figure 1 shows a display presentation area as an area delineated in dashed Iines between points 72, 74 and 76. The presenter's area is bounded in part by line segment 78 between points 74 and 76. Line segment 78 is a line which is to the left outside a clear line of sight of a person sitting in chair 38 on the shorter side 54 closest to the display to the left-hand edge 64 of the display screen 28. A
presenter can walk within the display presentation area and not interfere with any persons in chairs 31 to 39 view of the entire display screen.
Figure 1 shows a camera presentation area as an area delineated by dashed lines between points 72, 74 and 80. Line segment 82 from point 80 to 74 is a line which is just to the left outside a clear line of sight between a person sitting in chair 38 and the camera 30. The area within points 72, 74 and 80 is an area within which a presenter can walk and not interfere with a video camera seeing each person sitting in chairs 31 to 39.

When making personal presentations without the video or display screen, a presenter can preferably move into a centered configuration into which he is more in alignment with the longitudinal axis rearward of the long end 50.
Reference is made to Figure 5 which illustrates a nine-person V-shaped table 120 in accordance with the prior aa-t located, however, within a conference room 10 which is otherwise substantially identical to that shown in Figure 1. In Figure 5, the table I20 has narrow end 150 and wide end 152 and two equal sides 154 and 156. The table is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis 58.
Four chairs 31 to 34 are on side 156 and four chairs 36 to 39 are on the other side 54 with a chair 55 at the narrow end 150. Figure 2 is identical to Figure lin respect of the room size, the location of the camera 30 and the display screen 28 and the location of the narrow end 150 of the table and of all of the chairs other than chair 39. In Figure 2, a noticeable difference is that the table 10 has both sides 154 and 156 of identical length and the wider end 152 is shown as normal to the longitudinal axis 58.
The chair 55 is on the left-hand side as the chair closest i;o the display screen 28 rather than on the right-hand side as the closest to the display screen 28 as seen in Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows the presentation area comprising the area within points 172, 174 and 176 as being considerably mailer than a comparable presentation area in Figure 1. Similarly, the display area in Figure 2 comprises an area within points 172, 174 and 180 which is considerably smaller than that shown in Figure 1.
By use of a table as shown in Figure 1, a presenter is given improved and increased floor area to move when using either the display screen 28 or video camera 30 as contrasted with the table of Figure 5. Thus, the table of Figure provides an improved arrangement to optimize use of an available conference room area.
It is known to be advantageous when making a presentation in which the English language is presented on a display screen to have the presenter stand to the left-hand side of the display screen. This is adv;~ntageous so that the persons sitting at the table may see the presenter on the left with the eyes of the persons sitting __ at the table to move towards the right from the presenter to the beginning of text on the display screen and then to read such text continuing to move towards the right from left to right. This is, of course, applicable to languages which are read left to right. For languages which are read from the right to the left, the presenter should be on the right, as should the short side of the table and a mirror image table to that shown in Figure 1 is to be used. The table in accordance with the present invention which is a symmetrical machete shape as shown biases a person making a presentation to stand at the correct side of the display screen.
Where the short side and/or long side are linear, preferably, each is provided at an angle of at least 6° to the longitudinal axis, preferably 6° to 45°, more preferably 10° to 20°.
Tables in accordance with the :present invention preferably accommodate a minimum of one chair on the short sidle and at least two chairs on the long side. More preferably, the long side accommoalates two more chairs along its length than can be accommodated along the short side. Preferably, the short side accommodates at least two chairs and, more preferably, three chairs or more than three chairs.
While the machete-shaped table in accordance with the present invention is preferred for use with a display screen and/or video camera, this is not necessary and the table is a functional useful table which can be used separately without a display screen or video camera and without being located within a conference room. The table is advantageous in any event to provide a useful table conducive to a visual presentation being made.
The table illustrated in Figure 2 shows five connector outlets 23 which preferably are hinged or removable plates which provide for convenient access to electrical outlets and communication ports located thereunder as useful, for example, to connect personal computers, telephones, microphones and the like. While not shown, additional outlets may be provided, for example, at each end, one of which may be adapted to be used by a presenter.

The table shown in Figure 2 has two support members, one of which is a cylindrical member 26 and the other of which is an elongate arch-shaped member 24. Each of these members can be useful as providing a place for centralized distribution of electric and communication wirings as from building wiring sources in the floor to the outlets 23 in the tabletop 22.
Reference is made to Figure 3. In Figure 3, it can be seen that an extension of the sides 54 and 56 intersects with the longitudinal axis 58 at a point 90.
Each of the sides form an angle 92 with the longitudinal axis 58. Preferably, both angles 92 are equal.
The table of Figure 3 is shown as being schematically divided into two portions by a dashed line 94. The dashed line is an imaginary line and conceptually divides the tabletop into two portions, namely, a fiustoconical portion generally indicated 96 and a generally indicated triangular portion 98. The frustoconical portion 96 shown can be described as having two equal length sides, one as a left side segment 54 and the other as a right side segment 97. The right side segment 97 extends from the juncture of the short end 50 to the point 100 where it meets with the line 94. The frustoconical portion 96 has both it;> ends symmetrical about the longitudinal axis 58.
The triangular portion 98 conceptually has three sides. A first joining side extends along the line 94 and effectively merges with the wide end of the frustoconical portion 96. A second extension side 99 comprises a linear extension of a first side segment 97 of the frustoconical portion 96. A third bridging side extends from the outer end of the extension side 99 t:o the juncture of the left side segment 54 of the frustoconical portion 96 and the joining side. Therefore, conceptually, the machete-shaped tabletop as shown. in Figures l and 2 can be described as a combination of a symmetrical frustoconical or V-shaped table with a triangular extension to provide a continuous worksurfac,e tabletop.
While the preferred embodiment of Figure 1 shows the sides 54 and 56 as being straight and linear, it is to be appreciated that the sides need not be linear but could be concave or convex or a combination of multiple curves and/or straight surfaces provided, however, that a relatively V-shaped table is formed in which each person sitting at the table preferably can be seen as by a video camera and, preferably, there are more persons sitting on the right-hand side of the table than on the left-hand side.
Reference is made to Figure 4 which shows a second embodiment of a table in accordance with the present invention which does not have straight sides.
The short side 54, narrow end 50 and long side 56 roughly describe a parabolic curve or parabola which is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis 58. The table is shown as arranged with seven chairs 18 with two chairs along the short side 54, four chairs along the long side 56 and with one chair at the head. An advantage of the generally curved parabolic arrangement is that an increased number of chairs can be provided along the parabolic curve merely by adjusting the spacing between the chairs.
In this manner, the number of chairs can be increased or decrE;ased along the table edge over short side 54, narrow end 50 and long side 56 to custom accommodate the use of the table for a desired number as in the manner as applicable to round tables.
While preferably all of the long side, short side and narrow end are continuous segments of the parabola, it is within the scope that only two of them or portions of two of them may be segments of a parabola.
A display screen 28 and video camera 30 are shown in Figure 4 spaced from the table 20 with a plurality of lines indicating the line of sight from the video camera 30 to the center of each of the chairs. A first point 120 is shown as approximating the head of a person giving a presentation from one location near the left-hand-most chair 18 with a plurality of clear sight lines drawn to each of the chairs. A second point 122 is shown indicating another location at which a presenter may stand close to the left-hand side of the screen and from which a plurality of clear straight sight lines are drawn to each of the chairs. Preferred areas for a presenter to stand when using the display screen 28 is an area to the left of a line joining points 120 and 122.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, many modifications and variations will now occur to persons skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference is made to the claims.

Claims (19)

1. A table having an elongate worksurface tabletop, the top having a narrow first end, a wide end, a long side and a short side, a longitudinal axis extending from the narrow end to the wide end, the narrow end being generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis, the short and long sides extending from the narrow end diverging away from each other generally symmetrically about the longitudinal axis, the long side being sufficiently longer than the short side by an amount such that the long side provides for seating of at least one additional person therealong than the short side, the wide end in extending from the long side to the short side angling towards the narrow end.

2. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the short side and long side is substantially linear.

3. A table as claimed in claim 2 wherein the long side and short side are each disposed at an angle of between about 7° and 45° to the longitudinal axis.

4. A table as claimed in claim 3 wherein the narrow end is convex curving outwardly from the tabletop.

5. A table as claimed in claim 4 wherein the wide end is convex curving outwardly from the tabletop.

6. A table as claimed in claim 5 wherein the wide end is a convex curve symmetrical about an axis normal to a straight line joining a juncture of the curve with the long side and a juncture of the curve with the short side.

7. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the long side being sufficiently longer than the short side by an amount such that the long side provides for seating of two additional persons therealong than the short side.

8. A table as claimed in claim 7 wherein the short side is of a length to permit at least two persons sitting in chairs to be positioned adjacent the short side.

9. A table as claimed in claim 7 in combination with a plurality of chairs adapted to be positioned along the long and short sides of the tabletop, each chair having substantially the same width, the short side being of a length to accommodate the cumulative widths of at least two said chairs therealong, the long side being of a length to accommodate the cumulative widths of at least four said chairs therealong.

10. A combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the narrow end is of a length to accommodate the width of at least one of said chair therealong.

11. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said short side is on the left-hand side of the tabletop when viewed by a person from the narrow end looking towards the wide end.

12. A table as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a plurality of chairs disposed in a row along the short side and the long side; and an element selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a video camera located on the longitudinal axis spaced from the wide end of the tabletop; and (b) a video display screen centered on the longitudinal axis spaced from the wide end of the tabletop, the video display screen having a display surface normal the longitudinal axis with two side edges and a width between side edges.

13. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the long side and short side comprise segments of a parabola symmetrical about the longitudinal axis.

14. A table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the long side, narrow end and short side comprise segments of a parabola symmetrical about the longitudinal axis.

15. A conference table having a work surface tabletop comprising two surface area portions, appearing in top view as a first generally symmetrical frustoconical portion, a second generally triangular portion, the frustoconical portion symmetrical about a longitudinal axis between a narrower end and a wider end, the frustoconical portion having a first side segment and a second side segment of equal length diverging away from each other towards the wider end, the triangular portion having three sides, namely:
a joining side disposed along and merging with the wider end of the frustoconical portion from the first side segment to the second side segment, an extension side comprising a continuous extension of the first side segment, and a bridging side extending from the extension side to the juncture of the second side segment with the joining side.

16. A table as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first side segment and the second side segment are disposed at an angle of between about 6° and 45° to each other, the second side segment having a length to permit at least one person to sit therealong, the extension side having a length to permit at least one person to sit therealong.

17. A table as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second side segment having a length to permit at least two persons to sit therealong, the extension side having a length to permit two persons to sit therealong.

18. A conference area having a floor supporting a table and a plurality of chairs, wherein the table has an elongate worksurface tabletop, the top having a narrow first end, a wide end, a long side and a short side, a longitudinal axis extending from the narrow end to the wide end, the narrow end being generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis, the short and long sides extending from the narrow end diverging away from each other generally symmetrically about the longitudinal axis, the long side being sufficiently longer than the short side by an amount such that the long side provides for seating of at least one additional person therealong than the short side, the wide end in extending from the long side to the short side angling towards the narrow end.

19. A conference area as claimed in claim 1 including a video display screen centered on the longitudinal axis spaced from the wide end of the tabletop, the video display screen having a display surface normal the longitudinal axis with two side edges and a width between side edges including a lecturer's area for movement of a person giving a lecture provided on the floor on the side of the short side of the table between the display screen and the wide end of the table and outward from the longitudinal axis relative a line of sight of a person sitting in a chair on the short side closest the wider end with the screen side edge closest the second side of the table.