This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to desk-type furniture that is adapted for use in supporting a computer or the like over the lap of a user when the user is in a seated position.
Due to the proliferation and advances in computers and computer-related peripheral devices, the use of computers in the home and in other casual settings is becoming increasingly prevalent. Advances in computers and related devices has resulted in equipment that is increasingly small in size, and wireless technology has eliminated the need for computers and related devices to be maintained in a single location, such as on a stationary computer desk or other article of furniture. Users are thus able to use computers and related devices ices in many different areas of a home, office or other setting, and peripherals can be accessed by multiple computers anywhere in a building that has a wireless network.
The development of computer support furniture has lagged behind the noted advancements in technology relating to computers and related devices, which has resulted in a loss of synergy between the user and technology. Prior art computer support furniture has focused on indigent or institutional users, with products offering partial solutions and clumsy designs. Further, because prior art designs have been based on a rudimentary understanding of laptop PC users, the prior art offers few functional or aesthetic solutions and accommodate laptop computers and accessories as an afterthought.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a desk-type support that is well suited for use in supporting a computer or the like over the lap of a user when the user is in a seated position, to address the synergistic conflict between the user of a computer or related device and the furniture or other support structure that is used to support the computer or related device. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a desk-type support that can be easily moved by a user to a variety of locations within a room, to accommodate different locations that are available to the user. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a desk-type support in the form of contemporary, ergonomic, light, stable, simple, flexible and tasteful furniture for a residential user desiring to use a computer or related device from a sofa or casual chair. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a desk-type support that provide superior, adjustable ergonomic support for the computer or related device. A still further object of the invention is to provide such a desk-type support that may be permanent furniture or easily folded and stored in a closet or other storage area.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a desk for use in supporting a computer and/or computer-related devices includes a base adapted to rest on a support surface such as a floor, in combination with an upwardly extending support that defines a lower end interconnected with the base and an upper end spaced vertically above the lower end, and a desk top member secured to the upper end of the upwardly extending support. The base defines a front area and a rear area, and includes a pair of horizontally oriented laterally spaced apart base members that engage the support surface and extend in a front-rear direction. The base members are interconnected with each other toward the rear area of the base, and the lower end of the upwardly extending support is interconnected with the base at the rear area of the base. The upwardly extending support and the desk top member are configured and arranged such that the desk top member is located forwardly of the rear area of the base and the area below the desk top member between the desk top member and the base is open. With this arrangement, the base can be moved on the support surface to position the desk top member over a user's lap when the user is in a seat position. The desk may include a base pivot connection between the base and the upwardly extending support and a desk top pivot connection between the desk top and the upwardly extending support. The pivot connections enable the desk to be placed in a collapsed condition for storage.
A height adjustment arrangement is associated with the upwardly extending support for adjusting the height of the desk top member relative to the base. In one embodiment, the base, the upwardly extending support and the desk top member are separate components. The lower end of the upwardly extending support is interconnected with the base via a base connection and the desk top member is secured to the upper end of the upwardly extending support via a desk top connection. The height adjustment arrangement is incorporated in one of the base connection and the desk top connection. The height adjustment arrangement may be in the form of a telescoping connection at either the base connection or the desk top connection, and the telescoping connection may include a mounting member that extends from one of the base and the desk top, and a variable position engagement arrangement between the mounting member and the adjacent end of the upwardly extending support. A space is defined between either the base or the desk top and the adjacent end of the upwardly extending support when the vertical position of the desk top is adjusted upwardly relative to the base via the variable position engagement arrangement, and a spacer is configured for engagement within the space. The spacer may have a cross section that matches the cross section of the upwardly extending support, and may include a recess within which the mounting member is received.
In one embodiment, the base is configured such that the pair of base members are generally parallel to each other, and the rear area of the base includes a transversely extending rear member that extends between and interconnects the base members at the rear area of the base. The pair of base members and the rear member are oriented in a horizontal plane, and the upwardly extending support is in the form of a pair of vertical support members, each of which extends upwardly from a corner defined at a connection between the rear member and one of the base members. The desk top is secured to a desk top support that extends forwardly from an upper end defined by each of the pair of vertical support members.
In another embodiment, the pair of horizontally oriented laterally spaced apart base members are in the form of a pair of arcuate base members that are interconnected together at the rear area of the base. Each of the arcuate base members extends laterally outwardly and forwardly from the rear area of the base. The base further includes a T-shaped rear member having an axial member and a transverse member. The transverse member defines a pair of ends, each of which is secured to one of the arcuate base members, and the axial member of the T-shaped rear member is connected at a rear connection area defined between the pair of arcuate base members. The upwardly extending support may be in the form of a central cantilevered member defining a lower rear end secured to the rear area of the base and an upper forward end to which the desk top member is mounted. The height adjustment arrangement is associated with the central cantilevered member for adjusting the height of the desk top member relative to the base.
The invention also contemplates a method of positioning a worksurface above a supporting surface such as a floor, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.
In the drawings:
Generally, support 100 includes a base 102 that rests on a support surface such as a floor, a cantilevered, upwardly extending support member 104 that is connected at a lower end to base 102, and a desk top support member 106 that is secured to the upper end of support member 104. As shown in
The desk top member 106 may be formed of any satisfactory material, such as metal, wood, furniture grade plywood, etc.
Support member 104 defines a lower end 150 that is mounted to base 102 via a base mounting member 152, and an upper end 154 to which desk top member 106 is secured via desk top mounting member 138. Base mounting member 152 includes a base plate 156 that is adapted for securement to axial section 118 of rear bracket 116 in any satisfactory manner, such as via threaded fasteners 158. A mounting plate 160 extends upwardly from base plate 156, and includes a series of vertically spaced openings. Lower end 150 of support member 104 includes a downwardly and forwardly open vertical slot 162, within which mounting plate 160 is received. In this manner, the lower end 150 of support member 104 rests on the upwardly facing surface of base plate 156. Lower end 150 is secured to mounting plate 160 in any satisfactory manner, such as by fasteners 162 that extend through transverse passages in lower end 150 into engagement with the openings in mounting plate 160, or into engagement with threaded receivers on the opposite side of support member 104.
In a similar manner, desk top mounting member 138 includes a desk top plate 164 that is adapted for engagement with the underside of desk top member 106, and a downwardly and rearwardly extending mounting plate 166. The upper end of support member 104 includes an upwardly and forwardly open slot 168, which is configured to receive desk top mounting plate 166. Desk top mounting plate 166 and desk top plate 164 define an obtuse angle, and the curvature of support member 104 is such that slot 168 can extend in a linear orientation into the upper end area of support member 104. Desk top mounting plate 166 defines a series of aligned openings 170. Upper end 154 of support member 104 includes transverse passages that receive suitable connectors, such as fasteners 172, which are engaged with selected ones of openings 170 to fix desk top mounting member 138 to the upper end of support member 104. Desk top member 106 may be secured to desk top plate 164 in any satisfactory manner, such as via fasteners 174 that extend through openings in desk top member 106 or into engagement with aligned openings in desk top plate 164. Cord holder 140 is secured to the underside of desk top member 106 in any satisfactory manner, such as via fasteners 176 that extend through openings in the upper wall of cord holder 140 into aligned openings in the underside of desk top member 106.
The elevation of desk top member 106 above base 102 can be adjusted by moving desk top mounting plate 166 within slot 168 until desk top member 106 is at the desired elevation. The user then engages fasteners 172 through the transverse passages in upper end 154 of support member 104, into engagement with the aligned set of openings 170. In this manner, the elevation of desk top member 106 can be selectively adjusted to incremental heights that correspond to the spacing between openings 170.
When desk top member 106 is positioned above the horizontal surface defined by upper end 154 of support member 104, one of a series of spacers 178a, 178b or 178c is positioned within the space between the horizontal upper surface of upper end 154 and the facing lower surface of desk top plate 160. Spacers 178a, 178b and 178c have incrementally increasing height, so that spacer 178a is employed when desk top member 106 is at a first raised elevation, spacer 178b is used when desk top member 106 is at a second raised elevation greater than the first elevation, and spacer 178c is used when desk top member 106 is raised to a third elevation greater than both the first and second elevations. Each of spacers 178a-c includes a forwardly open slot, such as 180, that extends between a horizontal lower surface and a horizontal upper surface defined by the spacer. The horizontal lower surface of the spacer rests on and engages the horizontal upper surface of base member upper end 154, and the horizontal upper spacer surface underlies and engages the underside of desk top plate 164. Spacers 178a-c have a cross section that matches that of support member 104, and are adapted for engagement within the space by application of a forward push-on motion, which positions desk top mounting plate 166 within the spacer slot, such as 180. In this manner, the height of desk top member 106 can be adjusted as desired, and the selected spacer 178a-178c provides the dual function of stabilizing desk top member 106 against the upper end 1564 of support member 104, and providing a finished external appearance to the upper end of support member 104.
As shown in
Lower end 204 of support member 202 includes a pair of slots 226 within which mounting ears 214 are received, and a transverse passage 228 that is aligned with the openings in mounting ears 214 when mounting ears 214 are received within slots 226. A pivot pin 230 extends through passage 228 and the aligned openings in mounting ears 214, for pivotably mounting lower end 204 of support member 202 to base 102.
As shown in
In operation, desk-type support 200 is movable from an operative position as shown in
Lower end 250 of support member 248 is secured to base 102 via a base mounting member 264 having a base plate 266 and a mounting plate 268. Lower end 250 of support member 248 includes a forwardly and downwardly open slot 270, within which mounting plate 268 is received. Mounting plate 268 includes a series of vertically spaced openings 272, and lower end 250 of support member 248 includes a series of transverse passages 274 fasteners such as 276 that extend through passages 274 into aligned ones of openings 272, to fix lower end 250 of support member 248 to base mounting member 256. The elevation of desk top member 106 can be adjusted by raising lower end 250 of support member 248 above the upper surface of base plate 266 and positioning passages 274 in alignment with upper ones of openings 272 in mounting plate 268, as noted previously with respect to the height adjustment arrangement at the support member upper end. In this embodiment, one of a series of variable height spacers 278a-c is positioned between the downwardly facing surface of support member lower end 250 and the upwardly facing surface of base plate 266, to fill the space created by the adjustment in elevation of support member 248. Each of spacers 278a-c includes a slot within which the lower area of mounting plate 268 is received. Spacers 278a-c have a cross section that corresponds to that of support member 248, and functions to both fill the space between support member lower end 250 and base plate 266 and to provide structural support.
In this embodiment, the upwardly extending support is defined by a pair of support members 294, each of which is adapted for engagement with one of mounting members 290 via a downwardly open passage in the lower end of the support member 294. In this manner, support members 294 are engaged with mounting members 290 so as to enable telescoping movement of support members 294 relative to base 284. Each support member 294 includes a series of vertically spaced passages 296. One or more fasteners or pins 298 are engaged within selected aligned passages 292 and 296, for securing support members 294 in a desired position on mounting members 290.
An upper cross member 300 extends between and interconnects the upper ends of support members 294. A desk top support 302 extends forwardly from the corners defined by cross member 300 and the upper ends of support members 294. A rear cross member 304 connects the forward ends of desk top supports 302. A desk top member 306 is mounted to rear cross member 300, desk top supports 302 and front cross member 304 in any satisfactory manner, such as by fasteners 308. While desk top member 306 is illustrated as having a rectangular shape, it is understood that a desk top member having any other shape or configuration may be employed.
It can thus be appreciated that the various embodiments of the cantilevered desk-type support of the present invention provide a simple and aesthetically pleasing means for a user to comfortably operate a laptop of other computer-related device when in a seated position, such as on a sofa, casual chair or the like. The height adjustment capability enables a user to comfortably position the laptop or other device at a desired elevation, according to the height of the seating unit and the user's physical characteristics. The base can be slid under the seating furniture, and the upwardly extending support is configured so as to provide clearance for the user's legs.
While the invention has been shown and described with respect to a limited number of preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that certain details may vary from the specific construction as disclosed, while still falling within the scope of the present invention. For example, and without limitation, while the majority of the components of the desk are described and illustrated and being formed with a rectangular cross section, it is contemplated that circular or other geometric configurations may be utilized. Furthermore, it is further contemplated that the desk could include low profile concealed wheels to assist the user in moving the desk. Further, while screws have been disclosed as a preferred connection means, it is understood that any means of connection such as a nut and bolt, rivet, or any other means of attachment as known in the art could be utilized. In addition, it is also contemplated that the individual components could be formed separately or integrally connected. Finally, it is understood that numerous materials could be used to construct the preferred embodiments, including but not limited to wood, plastic, metal or glass.
Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/569,697 filed May 10, 2004.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2005/016225 | 5/10/2005 | WO | 00 | 11/10/2006 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2005/110152 | 11/24/2005 | WO | A |
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746455 | Mar 1956 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20070227408 A1 | Oct 2007 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60569697 | May 2004 | US |