Facility comprising food and drink infrastructure, and method of attracting customers to said facility

0001This Invention relates to facility comprising food and drink infrastructure and method of attracting customers to said facility.

0002Currently, the facilities such as food courts (meaning an indoor space for providing a variety of adjacent restaurant booth and a shared space for self-service meals, the same shall apply hereinafter) are spreading rapidly in a shopping mall and an airport. Because seats can be commonly used by dividing the shop by each menu regarding the cuisine, every shop doesn't need the seats. Furthermore, it is used by many families because the seat portion (hereinafter called a sharing space) can be set widely.

0003For example, the food court is disclosed with reference to the technology of the call system in the patent document of the related art Japanese Registered Utility Model No. <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="JP3158842B"><text>3158842</text></patcit>.

0004Because the conventional food court offers the cuisine of various genres, the sharing space must make an average design. Therefore, there was highly tendency that customers will soon tire of it. On the other hand, many customers coming to the food court have family, so if a facility for keeping the interest of the child is installed in the sharing space, for a child, it will become frequent to come to the food court. An object of the present invention is to make available a facility capable of making the further more interest of customers, and method of attracting customers to said facility, in the facilities where a plurality of store has a shared seat (sharing space).

0005This invention to achieve the object is a method of attracting customers to a facility comprising a plurality of stores that offer food and drink, and that treats customer seating for the plurality of stores as a shared space. A method of attracting customers to a facility of this invention is provided with a step of placing a travelling wheeled vehicle capable of carrying customers on a tour of the shared space and provided with a step of placing a rotating table. The rotating tables are configured such that tables are positioned upon rotating devices. The rotating devices comprise upper rotating bodies, further comprising central gears which are positioned in the centres of bases.

0006The rotating devices further comprise a drive motor capable of rotationally driving the central gears, and casters that support the upper rotating body. The rotating table is configured by placing a table and a chair to the rotating device, the travelling wheeled vehicle and the rotating tables are positioned in the shared space.

0007By above configuration, the upper rotation body rotates by the centre gear rotated by centre gear drive motor. Furthermore, by a caster's supporting the load coming from the upper part, the small rotation device strong about weight coming from the upper part can be easily configured thus without complicated mechanism. Furthermore, by placing the travelling wheeled vehicle in the sharing space, customers become able to board travelling wheeled vehicle. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the drive motor may be fixed to the sharing space. Alternatively, a lower rotating body for fixing the above drive motor is provided to the rotating device, an upper rotating body is stacked in the lower rotating body while aligning their central axes. And, placing a caster for supporting the upper rotating body to the lower rotation body, in the state a wheel of the caster upturned.

0008In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, customers become able to eat in the vehicle by employing the table to the travelling wheeled vehicle. Furthermore, a crank placed in the centre of top surface of the base substance in lieu of the central gear, and rotating shaft for pivotally supporting the crank can be rotationally driven by a drive motor, thus the upper rotating body makes eccentric rotating.

0009Another invention to achieve the object is a facility comprising a plurality of stores that offer food and drink, and that treats customer seating for the plurality of stores as a shared space. And, this facility comprises a travelling wheeled vehicle which is capable of carrying customers on a tour of the shared space and comprises a rotating table. The rotating devices comprise a base substance and comprise an upper rotating bodies comprising central gears which are positioned in the centres of base substance.

0010And, the rotating devices further comprise a drive motor capable of rotationally driving the central gears, and casters that support the upper rotating body. The rotating table is configured by placing a table to the rotating device, and the travelling wheeled vehicle and the rotating tables are positioned in the shared space.

0011In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the drive motor may be fixed to the sharing space. Alternatively, a lower rotating body for fixing the above drive motor is provided to the rotating device, and the upper rotating body is stacked in the lower rotating body while aligning their central axes. And, placing a caster for supporting the upper rotating body to the lower rotation body, in the state a wheel of the caster upturned. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a table may be comprised in the travelling wheeled vehicle. Furthermore, a crank placed in the centre of top surface of the base substance in lieu of the central gear, and rotating shaft for pivotally supporting the crank can be rotationally driven by a drive motor, thus the upper rotating body makes eccentric rotating.

0012In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a slip ring for supplying electric power to the playground equipment may be provided. Even if rotating device for playground equipments rotates, electric power is supplied to a playground equipment placed in the rotation device upper part. Furthermore, a torque limiter may be mounted in the rotation axis of the drive motor, for controlling a driving torque of the rotation axis within predetermined value.

0013A playground equipment may be placed in the sharing space. For example, the playground equipment such as climbing equipment, rotary playground equipment, iron rods, slide, swing, jungle gyms, aerial ladders, and seesaws and combination of playground equipment may be placed in the facility which placed in the sharing space of the present invention or method of attracting customers to a facility.

0014This invention is a facility comprising a plurality of stores that offer food and drink, and that treats customer seating for the plurality of stores as a shared space, or a method of attracting customers to the facility. And, this facility comprises a travelling wheeled vehicle, which is capable of carrying customers on a tour of the shared space and further comprises a rotating table. The rotating devices comprise a base substance and comprise an upper rotating body comprising central gears which are positioned in the centres of base substance. The rotating devices further comprise a drive motor capable of rotationally driving the central gears, and casters that support the upper rotating body. The rotating table is configured by placing a table and a chair to the rotating device, and the travelling wheeled vehicle and the rotating tables are positioned in the shared space.

0015By above configuration, the upper rotation body rotates by the centre gear rotated by centre gear drive motor. Furthermore, by a caster's supporting the load coming from the upper part, the small rotation device strong about weight coming from the upper part can be easily configured thus without complicated mechanism. Furthermore, by placing the travelling wheeled vehicle in the sharing space, customers become able to board travelling wheeled vehicle, so the customers of families can be attracted in facility of this Invention coming with the aim of above rotating table and travelling wheeled vehicle. <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li><figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective view illustrating outlined configuration of facility in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> is a top, side and front elevation view illustrating outlined configuration of a travelling wheeled vehicle provided to the facility in accordance with an embodiment of this Invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> is a top view illustrating outlined configuration of a rotating device provided to the facility in accordance with an embodiment of this Invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> is a top view and front elevation view illustrating outlined configuration of a rotating table provided to the facility in accordance with an embodiment of this Invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> is a top view and front elevation view illustrating an outlined configuration of a rotating table provided to the facility in accordance with an embodiment of this Invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> is a front elevation view illustrating outlined configuration of a rotating device provided to the facility in accordance with an embodiment of this Invention.</li><li><figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref> is a front elevation view illustrating an outlined configuration of a rotating table provided to the facility in accordance with an embodiment of this Invention.</li></ul>

Embodiment 1

0016A specified embodiment of facility 100 is explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. <figref idref="f0001">FIG.1</figref> is an outline schematic view showing whole configuration of facility 100 of the present invention, <figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> is a drawing of a travelling wheeled vehicle 200 provided to the facility 100 of this invention, <figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref>, <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>, and <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> show a drawing explaining a rotating table 300 provided in the facility 100 of this invention. However, the details of the all parts which do not directly-relate to the present invention will be omitted.

Travelling wheeled vehicle

0017In the facility 100 of this Invention, we assume the facility comprising a plurality of store seen in so-called food court using the shared seats. And, the facility 100 of this invention comprises a travelling wheeled vehicle 200 capable of travelling between seats in facility 100, and comprises a table provided on a rotating device 310. At first, a travelling wheeled vehicle 200 is explained.

0018A travelling wheeled vehicle 200 of this invention comprises one leading vehicle 210 and one or more subsequent vehicle 220. A drive motor for coupling the subsequent vehicle 220 and travelling in the facility 100 is provided to the leading vehicle 210 provided to the travelling wheeled vehicle 200. And, the drive motor drives the driving wheel provided to the leading vehicle 210. A driver seat for seating of driver driving the leading vehicle 210 is comprised to the leading vehicle 210, and furthermore a handle capable of controlling the driving wheel is provided to the position capable of operating in the driver seat.

0019Plurality of subsequent vehicle 220 is connected next to the leading vehicle 210. For example, a configuration (joint member) capable of coupling the leading vehicle 210 or other subsequent vehicle 220 is provided at the outside both ends of the subsequent vehicle 220. Furthermore, a subsequent seat 225 capable of sitting and a table 222 having the predetermined height is provided to the subsequent vehicle 220. Among subsequent vehicles 220, any one of the subsequent vehicles 220 connects to the leading vehicle 210 by the joint member, and the subsequent vehicle 220 of the latter part connects to said one subsequent vehicle 220. Travelling wheeled vehicle 200 of this Invention is configured by connecting the subsequent vehicles 220 required. In accordance with the present invention, a table 222 is provided in the subsequent vehicle 220, so the customers can eat in the subsequent vehicle 220. Furthermore, regarding a door of the subsequent vehicle 220, with the door closed, a door has a clearance gap capable of placing the cuisines on the table of vehicle 220. For example, a door on its left and right is formed of a double door, and with the double door closed, the table 222 in the vehicle 220 have a clearance gap of the degree capable of placing the cuisine plates.

0020Furthermore, a chair (subsequent seat) 225 is formed, by attaching a seat board in such a way as to project from the side wall portion of the subsequent vehicle 220. A seat board is mounted on the side wall portion (the height the customers can sit).

Rotating table

0021As shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIG.1</figref>, a rotating table 300 to eat in the state of rotating is provided in the facility 100 of this invention. For example, the rotating table 300 is configured by placing a table 222 and a chair 225 to the rotating device 310. That is, the table and chair rotates by rotating the rotating device 310. Above rotating device 310 comprise an upper rotating body and a bottom rotating body. The upper rotating body comprises top substrate 311 (<figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> shows circle -shaped substrate 311, but if trouble-free against rotation, it may be a rectangle and a polyline shape). A rail (not shown) for rotating the after-mentioned casters 324 may be placed to the upper rotation body 311.

0022A bottom substrate 320 comprises a central gear 327, a drive motor 326 for driving the central gear 327, and a caster 324. At first, a central gear 327 is placed on centre location where the bottom substrate 320 (a circular shape is employed in this invention, but any shapes may be applied) for the bottom rotating body is seen from a top. Of course, an axis of revolution of the gear 327 is placed corresponding to the central axe of the bottom substrate 320. And, a drive motor 326 is placed to the vicinities of the central gear 327. So that the centre gear 327 is rotatable by the drive motor 326, a roller chain is wound on the centre gear 327 and the rotation axis of the drive motor 326, and it is configured so that the centre gear 327 rotates via the roller chain if the rotating shaft of the motor 326 rotates.

0023Furthermore, plurality of caster 324 is placed to the bottom rotating body, in plane with the centre gear 327 and the drive motor 326. Regarding plurality of casters 324, opposing casters 324 are placed symmetrically to the centre of bottom rotation body( bottom substrate), and adjacent casters are placed at equal intervals. The upper substrate 311 rotates depending on rotation of the casters 324. Therefore, the casters 324 of the bottom substrate 320 support the upper substrate 311, in the present invention.

0024Then, top substrate 311 and bottom substrate 320 are combined. At first, in the state upturning the surface where the casters 324, the centre gear 327, and the drive motor 326 are placed, the bottom substrate 320 is placed on the floor. And, putting the centre of the bottom substrate 320 on the top substrate 311, the upper substrate 311 is piled on the bottom substrate 320. At this time, the rotating device 310 of the present invention is formed by engaging the centre gear 327 to the upper substrate 311 so that the upper substrate 311 rotates when centre gear 327 of the bottom substrate 320 rotates. For maintenance, it is desirable that the centre gear 327 is engaged removable to the upper substrate 311.

0025The rotating table 300 is configured by placing a table 222 and a chair 225 to the rotating device 310 above. As shown in <figref idref="f0005">FIG.5</figref>, a roof 335 supported to a strut 332 may be placed to the rotating device 310. A switch (not shown) for operating the drive motor 326 is provided to the rotating device 310, and a rotating speed of the drive motor 326 may be configured to be controllable by the switch. Furthermore, in the present invention, the number of revolutions of drive motor 326 placed to bottom substrate 320 is controllable by inverter (not shown). A control unit stores the most suitable number of revolutions beforehand, and the drive motor 326 is rotationally driven based on the number of revolutions.

0026Furthermore, a torque limiter (not shown) and a slip ring are placed in the lower part of the central gear 327, and the rotation device 310 rotates via the torque limiter and slip ring. That is to say, a torque limiter for protecting the drive motor 326 from a surplus torque and a torque sensor for detecting running torque are provided between output shaft (mean rotating shaft) of the drive motor 326 and the centre gear 327. As the torque sensor, a contact-type torque sensor may be used, alternatively a noncontact torque sensor may be used too. If a torque detected by the torque sensor is beyond an expected limit, a rotary power from the drive motor 326 is not transmitted to the central gear 327 by the torque limiter

0027Instead of placing the drive motor 326 on the bottom substrate 320, the drive motor 326 may be fixed to the floor For example, a drive motor 326 is fixed on floor by an anchor, and the caster 324 is fixed downward (the direction that a wheel of the caster 324 contacts with in floor) to the undersurfaces of the top substrate 311. The configuration that employed bottom substrate 320 is shown in <figref idref="f0007">FIG. 7</figref>, and configuration to fix the drive motor 326 to the floor in substitution for the bottom substrate 320 is shown in <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>, <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref>.

Embodiment 2

0028The rotating table 300 that makes eccentric rotation can be configured by configuring the rotating device 310 used for preferred embodiment 1 as follows. Regarding the configuration other than after-mentioned eccentric shaft, it is same as the rotating table 300 described with detailed description of the preferred embodiment 1. Therefore, regarding the configuration except the eccentric shaft, drawing and illustration is omitted.

0029As shown in <figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref>, after-mentioned eccentric shaft is used for the rotation axis of the drive motor 326. That is, as shown in FIG. 8 (B), by providing an eccentric shaft (e.g., crank 328) comprising a handle for extending the shaft apart from the rotation axis of drive motor 326, the rotating shaft of the drive motor is displaced within a specified range. That is, one end of the crank 328 rotates on a same axis as the rotation axis of the drive motor 226, and the other end of the crank 328 makes eccentric rotation around the rotation axis (mean that it rotates around the position apart from the rotation axis). Of course, a switch (not shown) for operating a drive motor 326 is provided to the rotating device 310. A rotating speed of the drive motor 326 may be configured to be controllable by the switch. Of course, the rotating device 310 shown in <figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> comprises an upper rotating body (top substrate 311) and a bottom rotating body (bottom substrate 320). And, the upper rotating body is a circle-shaped substrate, and the bottom rotating body comprises a centre gear 327, a drive motor 326 for driving the centre gear 327 and a caster 324, each caster 324 supports the upper rotating body.

0030A regulation means for regulating the auto-rotation of the upper rotating body can be provided. An elastic body (a rubber or a spring are preferably used) connecting between the bottom substrate 320 for placing the drive motor 326 and the upper rotating body 311 is used as the regulation means. If the regulation means can be configured to regulate auto-rotation of upper rotating body, any alignment method thereof is preferable. Instead of placing the drive motor 326 on the bottom substrate 320, the drive motor 326 may be fixed to the floor. For example, a drive motor 326 is fixed on floor by an anchor, a caster 324 is fixed downward (the direction that a wheel of the caster 324 contacts with in floor) to the undersurfaces of the top substrate 311.

Other preferred embodiments

0031In the facility 100 of this invention, other than the travelling wheeled vehicle 200 and rotating table 300 explained with detailed description of the preferred embodiment 1 or 2, by placing the playground equipment such as iron rods, jungle gyms, overhead ladders, and seesaws and combination of the playground equipment, it can be configured as a facility 100 of the indoor amusement grounds type or method of attracting customers to an indoor amusement grounds-shaped facility.

0032This invention is either a facility comprising a plurality of stores that offer food and drink, and that treats customer seating for the plurality of stores as a shared space, or a method of attracting customers to said facility. And, a facility of this invention comprises a travelling wheeled vehicle and rotating table. Customers boards the travelling wheeled vehicle, and the vehicle can make a round trip in sharing space. The rotating table is configured to placing a table in the rotating device, and the rotating device comprises a lower rotating body and upper rotating body. The lower rotating body comprises a base substance, a central gear placed in the top centre of base substance, and a drive motor which can rotationally drive the central gear. The upper rotating body is stacked to the lower rotating body while aligning their central axes, and the upper rotating body is supported by the caster provided in the lower rotating body in the state a wheel of the caster upturned. And, the travelling wheeled vehicle and the rotating tables are positioned in the shared space.

0033By above configuration, the upper rotation body rotates by the centre gear rotated by centre gear drive motor. Furthermore, by a caster's supporting the load coming from the upper part, the small rotation device strong about weight coming from the upper part can be easily configured thus without complicated mechanism. Furthermore, by placing the travelling wheeled vehicle in the sharing space, customers become able to board travelling wheeled vehicle, so the customers of families can be attracted in facility of this Invention coming with the aim of above rotating table and travelling wheeled vehicle, which makes them industrially useful.

LEGEND

0034<tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><table frame="none"><tgroup cols="2" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="14mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="41mm" /><tbody><row><entry>100</entry><entry>facility</entry></row><row><entry>110</entry><entry>store</entry></row><row><entry>200</entry><entry>travelling wheeled vehicle</entry></row><row><entry>210</entry><entry>leading vehicle</entry></row><row><entry>220</entry><entry>subsequent vehicle</entry></row><row><entry>300</entry><entry>rotating table</entry></row><row><entry>310</entry><entry>rotating device</entry></row><row><entry>311</entry><entry>upper rotating body</entry></row><row><entry>320</entry><entry>bottom rotation body</entry></row><row><entry>327</entry><entry>central gear</entry></row><row><entry>326</entry><entry>central gear drive motor</entry></row><row><entry>324</entry><entry>caster</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>