Modular service bar

• US 6,684,576 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grandin Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Grandin Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Grandin, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SLACK, NAOKO N
• Application Number:
  US09/945,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20030041529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 52/361, 524/812, 527/164, 527/168, 527/180.1, 108/27, 108/157.16, 108/50.02, 312/140.1, 312/140.2, 312/195, 312/265.1, 312/265.4, 312/265.5, 312/351.4, 248/903
• US Class Current: 52/36.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/00 Shop, bar, bank or like counters show cases or show cabinets A47F3/00; safety transaction partitions, e.g. movable pay plates, E05G7/00

Abstract

A modular and versatile food and beverage service bar requiring minimum storing space and enabling service of large number of people in social and theme events and readily changeable to meet variety of décor needs, includes a plurality of full sections, each section includes three spaced U-shaped box support members having an upper horizontal member, an upright vertical member and a lower horizontal member, a rigid top plate secured to the upper members, a pair of trim bands secured to the upright vertical members and sandwiching a front panel against and generally covering the upright vertical members, and fasteners in the form of bolts and nuts to couple these components together. Another embodiment of the present invention is a half section including a pair of spaced support members as well as a rigid top plate, a pair of bands and a front bendable panel.

Claims

1. A modular service bar comprising a plurality of coupleable interchangeable sections, each said section including a plurality of spaced U-shaped hollow box support members, each said support member having an outer wall, an inner wall and a pair of side walls juxtaposed to form a lower horizontal box member, an elongated upright vertical box member and an upper horizontal box member, said upright member at its lower end being rigidly connected to said lower member, said upper member being rigidly connected to said lower member, said upper member being rigidly connected to an upper end of said upright member, a rectangular front panel for each section having a top horizontal edge, a bottom horizontal edge, a proximal vertical edge and a distal vertical edge, said panel generally overlying and covering said upright members, said front panel having a front surface and a back surface juxtaposed to said outer wall of said upright members, means for detachably and rigidly affixing said front panel to said upright members, said means for detachably and rigidly affixing said front panel includes a pair of trim bands, one said trim band being disposed adjacent said bottom edge of said front panel and being fastened to said upright members without passing through said front panel, and another said trim band being disposed adjacent said top horizontal edge and being fastened to said upright members without passing through said front panel, a top plate having a top surface and a bottom surface juxtaposed to said outer wall of said upper member, said top plate being detachably and rigidly affixed to each said upper member.

2. The modular bar of claim 1 wherein each said support member includes a gusset positioned and affixed to and between said lower member and said upright member, and another gusset positioned and affixed to and between said upper member and said upright member.

3. The modular bar of claim 1 wherein each said upper member includes a pair of knobs disposed and extending upwardly from said outer wall of said support member, said knobs supporting said top plate spacedly above said support member and said top plate being detachably and rigidly secured to said knobs.

4. The modular bar of claim 1 wherein each said section includes one said front panel rigidly fastened to three spaced said support members, one said support member at said proximal vertical edge, another said support member at said distal vertical edge, a third said support member positioned midway of said front panel.

5. The modular bar of claim 4 wherein one said section being adjacent to another said section, one said support member at said proximal vertical edge of one said section being detachably coupled to one said support member at said distal vertical edge of another said section, and another said support member at said distal vertical edge of one said section being adapted to be detachably coupled to a further said support member at said proximal vertical edge of a further identical section.

6. The modular bar of claim 1 wherein said plurality of sections form a substantially circular bar, each said top plate having inner and outer curved edges.

7. A portable reassembleable section of a service bar comprising a plurality of U-shaped spaced hollow box support members each having an outer wall, an inner wall and a pair of side walls juxtaposed to form a lower horizontal box member, an elongated upright vertical box member and an upper horizontal box member, said upright member at its lower end being rigidly connected to said lower member, said upper member being rigidly connected to an upper end of said upright member, said outer wall of said lower member being disposable on a horizontal surface, a front panel having a top horizontal edge, a bottom horizontal edge, a proximal vertical edge and a distal vertical edge and generally overlying and covering said upright members, said front panel having a front surface and back surface, said back surface being juxtaposed to said outer wall of said upright members, a pair of spaced trim bands on the front surface of said panel, detachable means for connecting said trim bands to each of said upright members with said panel sandwiched therebetween without passing through said front panel, a top plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front side edge and a rear side edge, said bottom surface of said plate being supported on and rigidly coupled to said outer wall of said upper members.

8. The section of claim 7 wherein each said support member includes a gusset positioned and affixed to and between said lower member and said upright member, and another gusset positioned and affixed to and between said upper member and said upright member.

9. The section of claim 7 wherein said upper member includes a pair of knobs disposed and extending upwardly from said outer wall of said member, said knobs supporting said top plate and being detachably and rigidly secured thereto.

10. The section of claim 7 wherein said front panel being fastened to three spaced said support members, one said support member positioned at said proximal vertical edge, another said support member positioned at said distal vertical edge, a third said support member positioned midway of said panel.

11. The section of claim 7 wherein said section being arcuate, said front and back surface of said front panel being curved, and said front and rear side edges of said top plate being curved.

12. A modular service bar section kit comprising a plurality of spaced interchangeable U-shaped hollow box support members each having an inner wall and an outer wall and a pair of side walls juxtaposed to form said members, a rectangular front panel having a top horizontal edge, a bottom horizontal edge, a proximal vertical edge and a distal vertical edge, a plurality of spaced fasteners located laterally outwardly of said front panel for removably and rigidly affixing said front panel to said support members, said front panel having a front surface and a back surface, said back surface of said front panel being removably juxtaposed to said outer wall of said members, a rigid top plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front side edge and a rear side edge, connection means for detachably and rigidly affixing said plate to said support members, said connection means includes a pair of trim bands releasably attached to said outer wall of said members by fasteners and said fasteners supporting said front panel thereon, said panel being sandwiched between said outer side wall of said member and said bands, said bottom surface of said plate being removably attached to said outer wall of said members.

13. The bar section kit of claim 12 wherein each side member includes a lower horizontal box member, an elongated upright vertical box member and an upper horizontal box member, said upright member at its lower end being rigidly connected to said lower member, said upper member being rigidly connected to an upper end of said upright member, said outer wall of said lower member being disposable on a horizontal surface.

14. The bar section kit of claim 13 wherein each said support member includes a gusset positioned and affixed to and between said lower member and said upright member, and another gusset positioned and affixed to and between said upper member and said upright member.

15. The bar section kit of claim 13 wherein said upper member includes a pair of spaced knobs disposed and extending upwardly from said outer wall of said upper member, said top plate being detachably secured to said knobs.

16. The bar section kit of claim 12 wherein said section is arcuate, said front and back surface of said front panel being curved, and said front and rear side edges of said top plate being curved.

17. The bar section kit of claim 12 wherein said section includes one said front panel fastened to three spaced said support members, one said support member being located at said proximal vertical edge, another said support member being located at said distal vertical edge, a third said support member being positioned midway of said front panel and midway of said one and adjacent another of said support members.

18. The bar section of claim 17 wherein one said section being adjacent to another said section, one said support member at said proximal vertical edge of one said section being detachably coupled to one said support member at said distal vertical edge of another said section, and another said support member at said distal vertical edge of one said section being adapted to be detachably coupled to a further said support member at said proximal vertical edge of a further identical section.

19. A modular service bar comprising a plurality of coupleable interchangeable sections, each said section including a plurality of spaced U-shaped hollow box support members, each said support member having an outer wall, an inner wall and a pair of side walls juxtaposed to form a lower horizontal box member, and elongated upright vertical box member and an upper horizontal box member, said upright member at its lower end being rigidly connecting to said lower member, said upper member being rigidly connected to said lower member, said upper member being rigidly connected to an upper end of said upright member, a rectangular front panel for each section having a top horizontal edge, a bottom horizontal edge, a proximal vertical edge and a distal vertical edge, said panel generally overlying and covering said upright members, said front panel having a front surface and a back surface juxtaposed to said outer wall of said upright members, means for detachably and rigidly affixing said front panel to said upright members, a top plate having a top surface and a bottom surface juxtaposed to said outer wall of said upper member, said top plate being detachably and rigidly affixed to each said upper member.

20. The modular bar of claim 19 wherein one said section being adjacent to another said section, one said support member at said proximal vertical edge of one said section being detachably coupled to one said support member at said distal vertical edge of another said section, and another said support member at said distal vertical edge of one said section being adapted to be detachably coupled to a further said support member at said proximal vertical edge of a further identical section.

21. The modular bar of claim 19 wherein said plurality of sections form a substantially circular bar, each said top plate having inner and outer curved edges.

22. The modular bar of claim 19 wherein said means for detachably and rigidly affixing said front panel includes a pair of trim bands, one said trim band being disposed adjacent said bottom edge of said front panel and being fastened to said upright members without passing through said front panel, and another said trim band being disposed adjacent said top horizontal edge and being fastened to said upright members without passing through said front panel.

23. The modular bar of claim 19 wherein each said support member includes a gusset positioned and affixed to and between said lower member and said upright member, and another gusset positioned and affixed to and between said upper member and said upright member.

24. The modular bar of claim 19 wherein each said upper member includes a pair of knobs disposed and extending upwardly from said outer wall of said support member, said knobs supporting said top plate spacedly above said support member and said top plate being detachably and rigidly secured to said knobs.