Poertable service point

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable service point, for instance a bar or a check-in counter, where the portable service point comprises at least one front wall where each front wall has a top front plate pivotally attached to its upper edge, at least two side walls, where each side wall has a side top plate pivotally attached to the upper edge of the side wall, each of the side walls further being pivotally connected to edges adjacent to the upper edge of the front wall.

The present invention also regards a method for unfolding and folding a portable service point.

Claims

1. A portable and foldable service point comprising at least one front wall with a front upper edge and two front side edges, wherein each front wall has a top front plate pivotally connected to the front upper edge, at least two side walls, each pivotally connected to a corresponding front side edge, said side walls having a side upper edge, wherein each side wall has a top side plate pivotally and slidably attached to the side upper edge by a pivotal and slidable hinge arrangement, wherein the top front plate is arranged with top front plate edges and the top side plate is arranged with corresponding top side plate edges, where the top front plate edges is arranged to accommodate an adjacent top side plate edge when the top side plate is slid in a forward direction and fastened thereto, wherein the top side plates are slideable along the side wall at least by the length of the said top front plate edge.

2. A portable service point according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivotal and slidable hinge arrangement comprises a rod arranged along side upper edge and a first cylindrical hinge section connected to the top side plates, the cylindrical section arranged about the rod such that the top side plate rotate in relation to, and slide along, the rod.

3. A portable service point according to claim 1, characterized in that the side walls and the front wall are pivotally movable into a folded position wherein the side walls and the front wall are essentially parallel with each other.

4. A portable service point according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the side walls and the front wall are arranged to be placed in an open position ready for use wherein each side wall is arranged essentially perpendicular to the front wall.

5. A portable service point according to claim 1, characterized in that when the service point is in an operable position ready to use, the top front plate and the top side plate are in horizontal positions and the adjacent part of the top side plate engages with the adjacent part of the front top plate.

6. A portable service point according to claim 4, characterized in that one of the adjacent parts, has the shape of a recess and the another of the adjacent parts, has the shape of a rail.

7. A portable service point according to claim 1, characterized in that in an operable position ready to use, and wherein the at least one front wall comprises two front walls, the two front walls are included in the portable service point and the two top front plates are arranged in a position wherein the edges of the two top front plates facing each other are abutting.

8. A portable service point according to claim 1, characterized in that a working plate is pivotally connected to an inner side surface of each of the front walls and provided to be placed in a horizontal position and in an operable position ready for use of the portable service point.

9. A portable service point according to either of claim 1 or 7, characterized in that the top front plate, the top side plate and the working plate have folded positions wherein the top front plate, the top side plate and the working plate are placed in vertical positions essentially in parallel with the front wall and the side wall respectively.

10. A method for unfolding a portable service point in accordance with claim 1, bringing the at least one front wall and the at least two side walls into a position wherein each side wall is arranged essentially perpendicular to the front wall, bringing the top front plate and the top side plate into a horizontal position, moving each top side plate along the upper edge of each side wall into a position wherein the adjacent part of the edge of the top side plate facing the top front plate engages with the adjacent part of the edge of the top front plate.

11. A method for unfolding a portable service point, in accordance with claim 10, wherein bringing a working plate which is pivotally connected to an inner side surface of each of the front walls, into a horizontal position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred nonlimiting embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where:

[0029] FIGS. 1A-C illustrates the folding of a portable service point, where FIG. 1A shows the portable service point in an open position, FIG. 1B shows the portable service point in a partly folded position and FIG. 1C shows the portable service point in a completely folded position, ready for shipment and/or storage,

[0030] FIGS. 2-13 illustrate the assembling of the portable service point, where the service point in this preferred embodiment is shown as a bar,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] FIG. 1A shows a portable service point 1 in an open position, where the service point 1 comprises two front wall plates 2 that are pivotally connected along one of their sides (side edges). This pivot connection can for instance be made of a hinge joint (not shown) that extends over the entire length of the front wall plates 2 side edges. The hinge joint is arranged in such a way that the front sides of the front wall plates 2 will be situated towards each other when the service point 1 is in a completely folded position, as shown in FIG. 1C. On their opposite sides/edges of the pivot connection between the front wall plates 2, each of the two front wall plates 2 are pivotally connected to an edge of a side wall plate 4, where this pivot connection for instance can also be constituted of a hinge joint, piano hinge or a hinge-pin (not shown).

[0032] The portable service point 1 can be locked in its open position, where this locking is done by a plurality of top front plates 5 and top side plates 6. These plates 5, 6 will form the counter of the portable service point 1. Each of the top front plates 5 is pivotally attached to an upper edge of the front wall plates 2, where the top front plates 5 in a folded position are arranged substantially parallel with the front wall plates 2. When the portable service point 1 is in its open position, as shown in FIG. 1A, the top front plates 5 are rotated approximately 90 degrees about their longitudinal axis (pivotal connection), whereby the top front plates 5 can be locked with the side top plates 6.

[0033] The top side plates 6 are, similarly to the top front plates 5, pivotally attached to the side wall plates 4 as illustrated in FIGS. 10-13. The top side plates 6 can therefore also be pivoted to a position substantially parallel to the side wall plates 4 (folded position in FIG. 1C), and rotated approximately 90 degrees to a locking position. In addition, the top side plates 6 are, through a hinge arrangement 30 illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, connected to the side wall plates 4 such that top side plates 6 can both pivot (rotate) and slide in the longitudinal direction with respect to the upper edge of side walls plates 4. The hinge arrangement 30 in one embodiment comprises a rail member 32 attached along an upper edge of side wall plates 4. Top side plates 6 have first hinge sections 35 attached along an edge as shown in FIGS. 10-13. First hinge section 35 comprises a cylindrical section that is slidably mounted on rail 32. This permits top side plate 6 to both rotate about, and slide along, rail 32.

[0034] The top side plates 6 will then be moved (horizontally) into abutment with the edges of the top front plates 5, whereby the top side plates 6 and the top front plates 5 can be fixed or locked to each other. This can be obtained, for instance, by the edges of the top front plates 5 are designed with an outwardly extending protrusion 20, where the edges of the top side plates 6 have a shape of a corresponding recess 21.

[0035] The edges of the top front plates 5 and top side plates 6 will then form adjacent parts/abutting portions 20, 21 between the top front plates 5 and top side plates 6.

[0036] The pivot connection between the different walls 2, 4 and top plates 5, 6 of the portable and foldable service point 1 may, for instance, be constituted of a hinge joint, piano hinge, a hinge-pin or the like. Preferably, the top side plate 6 is pivotally arranged to the side upper edge of side wall 4, and the top front plate 5 is arranged with top front plate edges and the top side plate 6 is arranged with adjacent top side plate edges 20, 21, where one of the top front plate edge 20, 21 is arranged to accommodate the adjacent top side plate edge 21, 20 and fastened by sliding means. Wherein the sliding means is being arranged on the top side plate edge 21, 20 and at least along the length of the said one top front plate edge. The top side plates 6 is further slideably connected to the side wall 4, the said plate being slideable on the side wall at least by the length of the said one top front plate edge.

[0037] According to the invention the top side plate 6 is both pivotally and slideably connected to the side wall 4 by a slideable hinge 30. The slideably hinge 30 is arranged such that is allows a pivotational and a relative movement between the top side plate 6 and the side wall 4.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 10-13, according to an aspect of the invention, the slideably hinge 30 comprises at least one first hinge section 35 mounted to one of; the top side plate 6 or the side wall 4, and at least one second hinge section 36 connected to a rail 32 and arranged on the opposite part; top side plate 6 or the side wall 4.

[0039] The rail 32 is further connected to the at least one first hinge section 35 through a channel or eye arranged on the at least one first hinge section 35, the channel is arranged for holding the rail 32 in the channel but allows the rail 32 to slide through the channel.

[0040] According to the invention, the rail 32 is connected to the at least one second hinge section 36 and can be arranged on either one of the top side plate 6 or the side wall 4. The rail 32 is held in a position with a distance away and substantially in parallel to the top side plate 6 or the side wall 4. The rail 32 is fixed to the at least one second hinge section 36, but are moveable or slideable trough the at least one first hinge section 35.

[0041] In operation, the slideable hinge 30 allows the top side plate 6 to slide substantially parallel in relation to the side wall 4. Preferably, the at least one first hinge section 35 comprises two first hinge sections 35 arranged in a distance between each other, thus allowing the top side plate 6 to slide between said two hinge sections 35.

[0042] When the portable service point 1 is in a completely folded position, as shown in FIG. 1C, the pivot connections between the front wall plates 2 and the side wall plates 4 will allow the two front wall plates 2 to be arranged in a position inside and between the two side wall plates 4, whereby the portable service point 1 can be folded to a compact unit.

[0043] In FIG. 1B the portable service point 1 is shown in a partly folded position, as the top side plates 6 are released from the locking connection with the top front plates 5. The top side plates 6 are pulled out to their posterior position and rotated against their respective side wall plates 4. Similarly, the top front plates 5 are rotated to a folded position, where the top front plate 5 lies parallel with the respective front wall plate 2. Furthermore, the two front wall plates 2 are rotated about pivotal axis and retracted in between the side wall plates 4.

[0044] FIG. 1B shows how the inner sides of the front wall and side wall plates 2, 4 comprise shelves, brackets, holding devices etc., where these are to adapted to fit each and one of the specific applications of the portable service point 1.

[0045] In order to ease the handling of the portable service point 1, a plurality of lockable wheels 7 are arranged on the lower edges of each of the front wall and side wall plates 2, 4. Furthermore, the side walls 4 and/or front walls 2 are equipped with handles, bars etc. (not shown).

[0046] Reference is now made to a preferred application of the portable service point 1, where the portable service point 1 constitutes a bar. This is shown in FIGS. 2 to 9.

[0047] In FIG. 2 the portable service point 1 (in the form of a bar) is to be assembled for use. Two additional wall plates 8 are on each of their sides pivotally connected to the front wall and side wall plates 2, 4 respectively. Each of the additional wall plates 8 is equipped with a holding and/or handling device 9, for instance in the form of a handle, where this will ease the assembling and disassembling of the portable service point 1. The handles 9 are used to open the folded front wall plates 2, where this will result in that the two front wall plates 2 are rotated about their pivotal connection 3. The lockable wheels 7, which are in an unlocked state, will ease the assembling of the portable service point 1.

[0048] When the two front wall plates 2 are aligned with each other in order to form a straight front wall of the bar 1, as shown in FIG. 3, then the side wall plates 4 can be drawn out to a position substantially perpendicular to the front wall plates 2. When both the front wall plates 2 and the side wall plates 4 are brought to their outermost positions, the front and side wall plates 2, 4 will make the form of the bar 1. The bar 1 will in this embodiment then have a U-shaped form.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows how the two top front plates 5 are lifted up from their folded position, in order to form a part of the counter of the bar 1. The top front plates 5 are locked to each other by a locking rail 10 (see FIG. 5). The locking rail 10 may for instance have an H-shaped profile. In order to lock the two top front plates 5 relative to each other, the locking rail 10 is pushed in between the adjacent edges of the top front plates 5. Flanges of the H-profile will cover a part of the top front plates 5, and the top front plates 5 will be locked to each other.

[0050] However, as the top front plates 5 are only locked with respect to each other, they must be prevented from rotating around their attachment point with the front wall plates 2. This is shown in FIG. 5, as the side front plates 6 are lifted to a position where the front side plates 6 are levelled or aligned with the top front plates 5, whereafter each of the front side plates 6 is pushed towards the edges of the top front plates 5. The edges of the front side plates 6 comprise a recess 21, where this recess 21 will cooperate with a corresponding outwardly extending protrusion 20 on the edges of the top front plates 5.

[0051] The front wall plates 2, side wall plates 4, top front plates 5 and top side plates 6 are now locked in relation to each other, whereby the bar 1 is fixed in this open position.

[0052] On the inside of each of the front wall plates 2, table plates 11 are pivotally attached, where the working plates 11, when erected, will form the working bench of the bar. The working plates 11 can for instance comprise one or more through apertures 12, into which through apertures 12 for instance an ice bucket (not shown) or similar equipment can be arranged. The working plates 11 also comprise locking means, such that they can be locked to the side wall plates 4. Each working plate 11 also comprises a pair of legs 14 (see FIG. 7), where the legs 14 can be locked in a retracted position underneath the working plates 11 when not in use. When the bar 1 is in use, see FIG. 7, the legs 14 are folded out in order to support the working plates 11.

[0053] The inside of the side wall plates 4 comprise different equipment, for instance shelves 13 for bottles etc.

[0054] FIG. 8 shows how additional equipment can be attached to the table plates 11, as a speed racket 15 is connected to one or both of the table plates 11. In this case the working plate(s) 11 comprise(s) a profile slot or groove, where this profile slot or groove will cooperate with a corresponding slot or groove arranged on the speed racket 15. The slot or groove of the speed racket 15 is then placed in the corresponding slot or groove in the working plate 11, whereafter the speed racket 15 is turned 90 degrees in order to lock the speed racket to the working plate 11.

[0055] FIG. 9 shows the bar 1 in an open and fully assembled position.

[0056] The present invention has now been described according to one specific embodiment in the form of a portable and foldable bar. However, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For instance, the portable service point may also be manufactured as a check-in counter, switchboard counter, presentation stand etc., where the portable service point then is to be adapted for this specific use. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is, therefore, intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.