Patent Application
20050211138
This invention relates to a portable lap-supported work station, or lap desk, which can be used for craft and hobby activities including bead stringing or bead weaving.
Although the arts of bead stringing and bead weaving are believed to have been known for hundreds of years, they each require a defined work area where both the raw materials and the necessary tools can be used, maintained and stored. In the past, such a work area would have been typically situated at a fixed location that was relatively isolated from other activities; and the individual would probably be positioned at a table or work bench to work on a bead stringing or weaving project.
In contemporary times, for various reasons, it is often inconvenient for an individual to be positioned at such a fixed location for what can be a considerable amount of time to complete a project. It is desirable to provide a portable work surface which enables the individual to transport and store the necessary supplies and work on a project from a remote location.
Thus, there is a need for a portable platform suitable for positioning on the lap of an individual for use as a work station wherever the opportunity is presented for working on a craft or beading project. However, more than a small, flattened surface or board is needed. The portable platform needs to be able to hold or be associated with all the necessary materials and tools in an accessible and usable manner. The portable platform must also be compact, durable, practical and suitable for storage, transport and practical use yet adapted for quick start-up or shut-down in a wide variety of environments. For example, the individual can be seated as a passenger in a vehicle, outside in a yard or in a family room. In addition, the portable platform should preferably have a significant storage capacity, be lightweight even when loaded with raw materials, tools and work in progress, be easily used and have a generally acceptable appearance.
The present invention provides a new and very useful portable work station for craft and hobby activities including bead stringing or weaving with a combination of desirable properties as indicated above.
More particularly, this invention is directed to a new and very useful portable platform or work station suitable for use on the lap of an individual involved in either bead stringing or bead weaving. In one embodiment, the work station includes a board having a lower surface and an upper surface, the upper surface being configured as a design board for bead stringing. The upper surface can be covered with flocking and can include one or more grooves and associated indicia marks suitable for aligning beads along with one or more cup-like areas suitable for holding beads or other supplies. A pillow or cushion can be associated with the lower surface of the board for resting the work station on the lap of a user.
In another embodiment, the work station includes a preferably rectangular base having a generally flattened bottom wall and a continuously extending upturned peripheral side edge region. The work station further includes one or two rectangular boards which can include flocking and which, if two boards are used, are adapted to be nestably situated in upper surface regions of the base in a stacked, adjacent relationship relative to each other. One board is adapted for bead stringing; and, if two boards are included, the second is adapted for bead weaving. Each board has its own upper surface configuration. The first board is preferably the outermost or uppermost board and features surface portions that are configured as a design board for bead stringing. The second board, if included, is preferably beneath and generally interior relative to the first board, and features surface portions that are convenient for bead weaving.
The perimeter edge region of the first board is adapted to be nestably received within an upturned peripheral edge region of the second board preferably in a detachable, snap-fit relationship. The perimeter edge region of the second board is upturned and adapted to be nestably received within the upper peripheral edge portion of a relatively shallow tray-like container preferably also in a detachable, snap-fit relationship. The second board preferably has a central region that is flattened and adapted for use in bead weaving. Between the second board and the bottom interior of the tray-like container, a storage compartment is located. The first board and the second board each preferably have upper surface portions that are covered with flocking, although those surface portions need not be flocked.
A pad or pillow-like structure can be mounted over the entire bottom exterior face of the tray-like container. The pillow-like structure preferably has a generally flattened exterior bottom surface configuration when not distorted, and the pillow-like structure preferably has a somewhat particulate, low-density fill, thereby to optimize the ability of the pillow to rest comfortably on the lap of an individual using the work station.
In a medial exterior position along a longitudinal side portion of the tray-like container is mounted a handle member that enables the combined assembly of pillow, tray-like container, and second and first boards, together with any items stored by the user in the portable work station, to be transported or stored in a convenient, compact manner.
So far as is known, the subject matter of the present invention is not suggested in the prior art. The invention provides a new and very useful structure for beading.
Other and further arrangements, embodiments, features, applications, objects, purposes, advantages and the like will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present specification taken with the associated drawings and the appended claims.
In the drawings:
Referring to the Figures, there is seen an embodiment 100 of the inventive portable lap-supported work station, or lap desk, for bead stringing and bead weaving. In this embodiment, the work station 100 includes a base or tray-like container 116, a first board (or tray) 28 adapted for use in bead stringing, and a second board (or tray) 300 adapted for use in bead weaving.
The base 116, the board 28 and the board 300 are each generally rectangular and are conveniently and preferably comprised of vacuum-formed, relatively stiff and shape-retaining plastic sheet material. If desired, alternative construction materials could be utilized, such as sheet metal, polymer impregnated and rigidified paper or the like. In addition, the base and the boards can be other than rectangular, for example, square, round or oval-shaped. The boards 28 and 300 are situated in upper surface regions of the base 116 in a stacked, adjacent relationship relative to each other.
Board 28 is adapted for bead stringing, and board 300 is configured for bead weaving. Each board 28 and 300 has its own upper surface configuration. Board 28 is preferably the outermost or uppermost board in the assembled work surface 100 and board 28 has upper surface portions that are configured for use as a design board for convenient bead stringing.
Board 300 is preferably beneath and generally interior relative to the first board and the base 116; and board 300 has upper surface portions that are configured for use in bead weaving. In an alternative embodiment, the second board 300 can be omitted to form a base/design board combination.
In the portable work station 100, the perimeter edge region 40 of the first board 28 is adapted to be nestably received within an upturned, continuously extending peripheral edge region of the second board 300. Preferably, the first board 28 detachably engages the second board in a snap-fit type of relationship. In an alternative embodiment where the second board 300 is omitted, the first board 28 can detachably engage a raised peripheral edge portion of the base 116, preferably in a snap-fit type of relationship. In a further embodiment, the first board can be secured to the base by hook and loop fasteners or double-sided tape, for example.
The perimeter edge region 386 of the second board 300 is upturned or raised and continuously extends. The perimeter edge region 386 is adapted to be nestably received within the upper portion of the upturned peripheral edge portion 162 of the relatively shallow tray-like container or base 116. Preferably, the second board 300 detachably engages the base 116 in a snap-fit type relationship. Between the second board 300 and the bottom interior of the tray-like container 116, a storage compartment 124 is located.
The first board 28 and the second board 300 each preferably have upper surface portions which are covered with flocking. The flocking reduces the tendency of beads to roll compared to a hard, smooth surface and also aids in positioning tools and the work in progress. Thus, all or portions of the first board 28 and the second board 300 can be flocked. In the alternative, one or neither board can include flocking.
If desired, and preferably, a pad or pillow structure 44 is mounted over the entire exterior surface of the bottom surface 164 of the base or tray-like container 116. The upper surface of the pillow structure 44 can be bonded to the exterior lower surface of the bottom 164 by means of an adhesive (suggested by lines 48 on surface 164 in
The pillow structure 44 preferably has a generally flattened exterior bottom surface configuration when not distorted, yet such bottom surface configuration preferably conforms to the lap of an individual during use with the associated components of the work station 100 thereover. Thus, the work station 100 can rest upon the lap of an individual and the bottom surface of the pillow structure 44 may conform and stabilize the portable work station 100. Preferably, the pillow structure 44 has a conventional, somewhat particulate, low-density fill 46 (see
In another embodiment, the pad or pillow structure 44 can be mounted over the lower surface of the board 28, for example, by means of an adhesive, hook and loop fasteners or double-sided tape (as described above with regard to work station 100). This embodiment would not include a board 300 or a base 116.
With regard to the work station 100, in a medial exterior position along a longitudinal side portion of the base or tray-like container 116 is mounted a handle member 60 that enables the work station 100, including the combination of pillow structure 44, base or tray-like container 116, and second and first boards 300 and 28, together with any items stored by the user in the portable work station 100, to be transported or stored in a convenient, compact manner. For example, in a
The base 116 incorporates internally along the perimeter 162 thereof a plurality of perimetrically spaced-apart shoulders 132 which serve to maintain the tray or board 300 at a predetermined level above the bottom 164 of the base 116 and thereby provide a storage compartment 124 between the bottom 164 of the base 116 and the bottom 382 of the board 300. The board 300 is sized and configured to rest upon the shoulders 132 when the board 300 is removably received within the base 116, yet the board 300 is removable to allow for user access to the storage compartment 124.
The upper surface portions of the board 28 (see, for example,
The upper surface of the board 28 optionally but preferably also includes associated indicia marks 174, such as illustrated in
The upper surface of the board 28 is also provided with a plurality of indented, cup-like areas 180 that are suitable for holding beads being used for a beadwork project. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various surface configurations for the board 28 can be provided, and that the illustrated arrangement of the surface of the board 28 is not construed as limiting.
The board 300 illustratively and preferably has a planar upper surface 382 which is covered with flocking 384 (see
The peripheral wall 386 of the board 300 further incorporates, in a preferred embodiment, a small magnet 388 that is provided and adapted to hold a needle or the like (not shown) within easy reach of a user. The peripheral wall 386 further incorporates in the interior of the board 300 a plurality of perimetrically spaced-apart shoulders 332 as well as latch members 342 for accepting and detachably associating with a board 28.
Thus, the configuration of the board 300 cooperates with the configuration of the board 28 so that both boards 28 and 300 can be incorporated into base 116 of the inventive portable lap-supported work station 100 for bead stringing and bead weaving. The base 116 can be employed to associate separately with either board 28 or board 300, if desired. It will also be understood that either board 28 or board 300 may be used, if desired, independently of the base 116. Thus, the inventive portable lap-supported work station 100 is suitable for bead stringing and bead weaving and is extremely versatile.
As illustrated in
Other and further configurations, modifications and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present teachings and disclosures. The present invention is not limited to the present illustrative embodiments. Changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/781,255 filed Feb. 17, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10781255 | Feb 2004 | US |
| Child | 11058959 | Feb 2005 | US |
