Umbrella tables are a common type of outdoor furniture. Umbrella tables typically include a stationary tabletop having a central opening for receiving a shaft or pole of an umbrella. The umbrella pole extends through the central opening in the tabletop such that the hood portion of the umbrella substantially shields the underlying tabletop and some or all of its occupants from sun and weather. An umbrella base typically is positioned below the central opening in the tabletop to receive and support the lower end of the umbrella pole. The portions of the tabletop that surround the umbrella pole are available for supporting various articles such as dishes and flatware for dining. Because umbrella tables are used outdoors, umbrella tables are typically constructed of weather resistant materials such as metal and glass. In recent years, decorative cast aluminum umbrella tables increasingly have become popular.
Indoor “self-waiting” tables are also known. Such self-waiting tables are typically constructed of wood, and include integral turntables or “Lazy Susans” mounted at or near their centers. One such self-waiting table is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 958,672. The integrally-mounted turntable permits items of food or the like to be placed on the turntable and moved from one location on the table to another as desired for convenient and easy access to persons positioned around the table. While such tables can be useful, such tables are not suited for extensive outdoor use, and do not provide a means for supporting an umbrella for shielding an underlying table and its occupants from sun and weather.
Others have attempted to provide a turntable for use with an umbrella table by providing a separate turntable that sits atop a tabletop and includes a central bore for passing a shaft of an umbrella therethrough. Such turntables can be positioned directly over a central opening in an umbrella table such that an umbrella pole can be inserted through both the turntable and the aligned opening in the tabletop. One such turntable is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,946. Others have provided rotatable trays that mount on and around a portion of an umbrella pole that extends above a tabletop of an umbrella table. One such rotatable tray is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,712. Unfortunately, such turntables and rotating shelves or trays can interfere with the use of the stationary top surface of an umbrella table. In particular, such turntables and shelves decrease the amount of useful stationary surface area on an umbrella table. In addition, because such turntables and shelves protrude above the upper surfaces of their underlying tabletops, these items can actually interfere with passing items directly between persons seated on opposite sides of an umbrella table when such persons do not desire to use a turntable or rotating shelf to pass such items. Furthermore, such after-market turntables and rotating shelves can detract from the ornamental appearance of an umbrella table.
Therefore, there is a need for an umbrella table and turntable in which the turntable does not detract from the useful surface area of the table. In addition, there is a need for a turntable that is visually compatible with the ornamental appearance of an ornamented umbrella table. Further, there is a need for a turntable and umbrella table wherein the turntable does not protrude above the top surface of the table, and therefore does not provide an obstacle between opposite sides of the table.