Portable, wooden computer desk

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6283564
  • Patent Number
    6,283,564
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, January 5, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 4, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Original Assignees
    • (Madison, ME, US)
  • Examiners
    • Cuomo; Peter M.
    • White; Rodney B.
Abstract
A portable, wooden computer desk is disclosed, comprising an all wood computer desk that can be quickly and easily assembled without the use of tools or separate fastening devices. A continuous feed paper slot is provided to facilitate use of continuous feed paper. Holes are provided on the work surface for use of lamps and similar electric appliances. Electric cord indentations provide a way to place the present invention against a wall without damaging the electric cords of computer components.
Description




RELATED APPLICATIONS AND DISCLOSURES




The present invention was first disclosed in the Disclosure Document filed on Jul. 9, 1998. There have been no previously filed, nor any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates generally to computer desks, and, more particularly, to a portable, wooden computer desk.




2. Description of the Related Art




Personal computers have become a mainstay both at the home and in the business world. In fact, in the not too distant future a household that does not own a personal computer will be the exception rather than the norm.




As the personal computer has developed, a variety of peripheral business activities have been born as offspring of the information age. Among these areas, there is a substantial market for office furniture that is specially designed to accommodate computer equipment.




While these pieces do make special accommodations for storing the computer, monitor and keyboard as well as the special cabling that is required of such systems, they often suffer from the fact that they are large, bulky, difficult to transport and even more difficult to assemble, often requiring several hours and a variety of tools to complete the task. While this is not so great an inconvenience to the homeowner or office person where the unit need be assembled only once and most likely will remain in place for several years, to college students and others that move often, it is a nightmare. Accordingly, there is a need for a desk on which a personal computer can be stored and used that is small, portable and easy to assemble.




In the related art, several patents disclose computer desks with multiple shelves. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,215, issued in the name of Volkmar et. al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,413, issued in the name of Wallace




Several patents disclose an adjustable computer work station and assembly. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,525, issued in the name of Hilton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,086, issued in the name of Ramey III et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,328, issued in the name of Takach, Jr. et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,112, issued in the name of Pinkle, U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,893, issued in the name of Nelson and U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,112, issued in the name of Foster.




A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that anticipate directly many features of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved portable, wooden computer desk that is easy to assembly without the use of tools.




Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a portable, wooden computer desk is disclosed, designed to provide the user with a convenient means by which to place and use a personal computer. The present invention comprises a desk constructed entirely of wood. The desk consists of a work surface, of a generally flat, L-shaped, curved configuration. The work surface has a sufficient cross sectional area to provide space for numerous computer components, such as a printer, CPU, monitor and keyboard.




A plurality of holes is located on the work surface, to facilitate insertion and passage of an electric cord of a lamp or other electric appliance therethrough.




A plurality of electric cord indentations, of a generally semicircular configuration, formed from the work surface, are located along the posterior edges of the work surface, extending inward from the posterior edges.




It is envisioned that there is at least one continuous feed paper slot, of a generally rectangular conjuration, formed from the work surface, extending inward from the posterior edge of the work surface.




The work surface has a plurality of milled assembly slots, of a generally linearly elongated, rectangular configuration, extending inward from the edges of work surface of the desk, from which each assembly slot is formed. Each milled assembly slot forms a plane perpendicular to the edge of the desk from which it is extends inward.




A plurality of legs, of a generally flat, rectangular configuration, extend downward from the work surface. The number of legs corresponds to the number of milled assembly slots on the work surface. Each leg has a milled assembly slot located at one end of the leg, running perpendicular to the elongated centerline of the leg.




The two exterior sets of the legs also function as side walls for a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally positioned shelves. Each shelf has milled assembly slots which permit releasable attachment to the set of legs.




As such, fastening of all of the various components of the present invention is accomplished via the milled assembly slots in each component. Components that are connected together possess corresponding milled assembly slot. The user simply inserts each assembly slotted component into its corresponding assembly slot on the adjacent component, and the desk is fully assembled in a matter of minutes.




It is envisioned that the present invention would be available in kit form. The kit would include the work surface with milled assembly slots, three sets of legs (for a total of six legs), with milled assembly slots, with two sets of the legs also designed to support two shelves, which possess milled assembly slots.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer desk that lays flat during disassembled transport.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer desk that utilizes no separate fastening means.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer desk that has a large work surface area.




Other objects of the present invention include providing a device that is lightweight, durable and strong in construction, easy to manufacture and cost effective to manufacture.




DESCRIPTIVE KEY




















10




portable, wooden computer




85




paper







desk




90




milled assembly slot






20




desk




100




leg






30




work surface




105




upper shelf






35




computer component




107




upper shelf milled assembly






40




hole





slot






50




electric cord




110




lower shelf






60




electric appliance




120




lower shelf milled assembly






70




electric cord indentation





slot






80




continuous feed paper slot





















BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:





FIG. 1

is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of portable, wooden computer desk


10


;





FIG. 2

is a top view of the work surface;





FIG. 3

is a perspective view shown with computer components;





FIG. 4

is a rear view of the work surface;





FIG. 5



a


is a side view of a leg used to support a shelf;





FIG. 5



b


is a front view thereof;





FIG. 6

is a top view of a shelf;





FIG. 7



a


is a side view of a leg positioned in the central portion of the present invention;





FIG. 7



b


is a front view thereof; and





FIG. 8

is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the

FIGS. 1 through 8

.




1. Detailed Description of the Figures




Referring now to

FIG. 1

, a portable, wooden computer desk


10


is shown, according to the present invention, designed to provide the user with a convenient means by which to place and use a personal computer. The present invention comprises a desk


20


constructed entirely of wood.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the desk


20


consists of a work surface


30


, of a generally flat, L-shaped, curved configuration.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


3


, the work surface


30


has a sufficient cross sectional area to provide space for numerous computer components


35


, such as a printer, CPU, monitor and keyboard.




Referring now to

FIG. 2

, a plurality of holes


40


are located on the work surface


30


, to facilitate insertion and passage of an electric cord


50


of a lamp


60


or similar electric appliance


60


therethrough, so that the electric cord


50


is out of sight of the casual observer.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1

,


2


,


3


and


4


, a plurality of electric cord indentations


70


, of a generally semi-circular configuration, formed from the work surface


30


, are located along the posterior edges of the work surface


30


, extending inward from the posterior edges. The electric cord indentations


70


are designed to and are of a sufficient cross sectional area to permit the electric cords


50


of various computer components


35


, such as a printer, CPU, monitor, keyboard and the like, to fit through the electric cord indentations


70


, thus allowing the work surface


30


to be placed directly against a wall, without damaging the various electric cords


50


with the work surface


30


.




It is envisioned that there is at least one continuous feed paper slot


80


, of a generally rectangular configuration, formed from the work surface


30


, extending inward from the posterior edge of the work surface


30


. The continuous feed paper slot


80


has an elongated centerline parallel to the posterior edge of the work surface


30


from which it extends inward from. The continuous feed paper slot


80


is of sufficient size to allow paper


85


to feed from a supply of paper


85


located beneath the work surface


30


into a printer


35


located on the work surface


30


, anterior to the continuous feed paper slot


80


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


4


, the work surface


30


has a plurality of milled assembly slots


90


, of a generally linearly elongated, rectangular configuration, extending inward from the edges of work surface


30


of the desk


20


, from which each milled assembly slot


90


is formed. Each milled assembly slot


90


forms a plane perpendicular to the edge of the desk


20


from which it is extends inward.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1 and 3

, a plurality of legs


100


, of a generally flat, rectangular configuration, extend downward from the work surface


30


. The number of legs


100


corresponds to the number of milled assembly slots


90


on the work surface


30


. Each leg


100


has a milled assembly slot


90


located at one end of the leg


100


, running perpendicular to the elongated centerline of the leg


100


. For purposes of disclosure, three sets of legs


100


are depicted connecting to the posterior of the work surface


30


.




Each leg


100


extends upward vertically above the work surface


30


, and forms the lateral supports for a plurality of upper shelves


105


, each upper shelf


105


being of a flat, rectangular configuration with milled assembly slots


90


. Each leg


100


possesses at least one upper shelf milled assembly slot


107


into which an upper shelf


105


is releasably connected.




Referring now to

FIGS. 5



a


and


5




b


, the two exterior sets of legs


100


also function as side walls for a plurality of vertically spaced lower shelves


110


. These legs


100


also possess lower shelf milled assembly slots


120


to permit releasably attachment of the lower shelves


110


to the legs


100


.




Referring now to

FIG. 6

, each lower shelf


110


has milled assembly slots


90


which permit releasable attachment to the set of legs


100


. Each lower shelf


110


is of sufficient cross sectional diameter so as to be capable of holding a box of computer paper


80


.





FIGS. 7



a


and


7




b


depict the centrally located legs


100


which do not act as supports for lower shelves


110


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 3 and 8

, as such, fastening of all of the various components of the present invention is accomplished via the milled assembly slots


90


in each component. Components that are connected together possess corresponding milled assembly slot


90


. The user simply inserts each assembly slotted component into its corresponding milled assembly slot


90


on the adjacent component, and the desk


20


is fully assembled in a matter of minutes. The width and depth of each milled assembly slot


90


permits the various components to slide together into proper position relative to each other to form an aesthetically pleasing desk


20


. Disassembly is just as simple and is accomplished by removing the components from the milled assembly slots


90


.




It is envisioned that the present invention would be available in kit form. The kit would include the work surface with milled assembly slots


90


. Three sets of legs


100


(for a total of six legs


100


), with milled assembly slots


90


are also included in the kit. Two sets of these legs


100


are also designed to support two lower shelves


110


, which possess milled assembly slots


90


. All legs


100


have upper shelf milled assembly slots


107


to support upper shelves


105


. Three upper shelves


105


with milled assembly slots


90


are also included.




It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope.




2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment




To use the present invention, simply unpack the components of the present invention, attach the legs


100


with the shelf


110


milled assembly slots


90


to the shelf


110


milled assembly slots


90


on the outer portions of the work surface


30


. Attach the remaining two legs


100


to the centrally located milled assembly slots


90


on the work surface


30


by using the corresponding milled assembly slots


90


. The lower shelves


110


are then attached to the exterior located legs


100


by sliding the lower shelf milled assembly slots


120


on the legs


100


and lower shelves


110


together. The upper shelves


105


are then attached to all legs


100


by sliding the milled assembly slots


90


on the upper shelves


105


into the upper shelf milled assembly slots


107


on the legs


100


. Computer components


35


are then placed on the work surface


30


, with their electric cords placed in the electric cord indentations


70


. A lamp electric cord


50


or other electric cords


50


from electric appliances


60


may be placed through the hole


40


on the work surface


30


. Paper


85


may be placed under the work surface


30


and fed upward, through the continuous feed paper slot


80


, to a printer


35


, located anterior to the continuous feed paper slot


80


.




The foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A portable, wooden computer desk is disclosed comprising:a work surface, of a generally L-Shaped configuration and having a posterior edge, said work surface having milled assembly slots, formed from said work surface; a plurality of lower shelves, said lower shelves each containing two milled assembly slots; a plurality of upper shelves, each said upper shelf containing two milled assembly slots; a plurality of sets of legs, each said leg having at least one upper shelf milled assembly slot to hold at least one upper shelf, a milled assembly slot to connect to said work surface, and at least one lower shelf milled assembly slots, designed to support at least one lower shelf; at least one set of legs, each leg having a milled assembly slot to connect to said work surface, and at least one lower shelf milled assembly slot, designed to support at least one lower shelf; at least two holes, said holes formed from and located on said work surface, and designed to facilitate insertion and passage of an electric cord of a lamp or other electric appliance there through, so that said electric cord is out of sight of the casual observer; at least one electric cord indentation, of a generally semicircular configuration, formed from said work surface, said electric cord indentations located along the posterior edge of said work surface, extending inward from said posterior edge; and at least one continuous feed paper slot, of a generally rectangular configuration, formed from said work surface, extending inward from said posterior edge of said work surface.
  • 2. The portable, wooden computer desk described in claim 1, wherein fastening of said upper shelves, said work surface, and said lower shelves to said legs respectively is accomplished via said milled assembly slots in each component, with components that are connected together possessing corresponding milled assembly slots.
  • 3. A portable, wooden computer desk kit comprising:a work surface with milled assembly slots, two electric cord indentations, one continuous feed paper slot, and two holes; four lower shelves, said lower shelves each containing two milled assembly slots; three upper shelves, each said upper shelf containing two milled assembly slots; two sets of legs having a total of four legs, each said leg having two upper shelf milled assembly slots to hold two upper shelves, a milled assembly slot to connect to said work surface, and two lower shelf milled assembly slots, designed to support two lower shelves; and one set of legs, each leg having a milled assembly slot to connect to said work surface, and two lower shelf milled assembly slots, designed to support two lower shelves.
  • 4. The portable, wooden computer desk kit of claim 3, wherein all said work surface, legs and upper shelves and lower shelves are constructed of wood.
  • 5. A kit for forming a portable, wooden computer desk of the type described in claim 1, wherein said kit comprises:a work surface with milled assembly slots, said work surface having at least one electric cord indentation, at least one continuous feed paper slot, and at least one hole; a plurality of lower shelves, said lower shelves each containing two milled assembly slots; a plurality of upper shelves, each said upper shelf containing two milled assembly slots; a plurality of sets of legs, each said leg having at least one upper shelf milled assembly slots to hold at least one upper shelf, a milled assembly slot to connect to said work surface, and at least one lower shelf milled assembly slots, designed to support at least one lower shelf; and at least one set of legs, each leg having a milled assembly slot to connect to said work surface, and at least one lower shelf milled assembly slot, designed to support at least one lower shelf.
  • 6. The portable, wooden computer desk kit of claim 5, wherein all said work surface, legs and upper shelves and lower shelves are constructed of wood.
  • 7. A portable, wooden computer desk comprising:a work surface of a generally flat, L-shaped, curved configuration, said work surface forming at least one hole penetrating therethrough to facilitate insertion and passage of a electrical cabling; at least one indentation of a generally semi-circular configuration, formed from the work surface and located along a posterior edge of the work surface and extending inward from said posterior edge; at least one slot of a generally rectangular configuration formed from and penetrating through said work surface and extending inward from said posterior edge of said work surface, said slot having an elongated centerline parallel to the posterior edge of the work surface; a plurality of milled assembly slots, each of a generally linearly elongated, rectangular configuration, formed in said work surface and extending inward from the perimeter of said work surface in a plane perpendicular to any perimeter edge of said work surface from which it extends; and a plurality of sets of legs, each of a generally flat, rectangular configuration, for frictionally fitting within a said milled assembly slot and extending downward from said work surface.
  • 8. The portable, wooden computer desk of claim 7, wherein each said leg extends upward vertically above the work surface, each leg forming at least one upper shelf milled assembly slot, said desk further comprising:at least one upper shelf, each said upper shelf being of a flat, rectangular configuration with milled assembly slots into which said leg is releasably affixed thereby forming a lateral support thereof.
  • 9. The portable, wooden computer desk of claim 7, wherein each said leg extends downward vertically below the work surface, each leg forming at least one lower shelf milled assembly slot, said desk further comprising:at least one lower shelf, each said lower shelf being of a flat, rectangular configuration with milled assembly slots into which said leg is releasably affixed thereby forming a lateral support thereof.
US Referenced Citations (24)
Number Name Date Kind
3533362 Thompson et al. Oct 1970
4153311 Takahashi May 1979
4313112 Foster Jan 1982
4345803 Heck Aug 1982
4469382 Slaats et al. Sep 1984
4565413 Wallace Jan 1986
4626048 Goodlander Dec 1986
4635893 Nelson Jan 1987
4681378 Hellman, III Jul 1987
4717112 Pirkle Jan 1988
4830328 Takach, Jr. et al. May 1989
4936228 Capo-Bianco Jun 1990
5020449 Forte Jun 1991
5024167 Hayward Jun 1991
5104086 Ramey, III et al. Apr 1992
5121974 Monson Jun 1992
5130494 Somonton et al. Jul 1992
5255966 Newhouse et al. Oct 1993
5419525 Hilton May 1995
5437235 Randolph Aug 1995
5447215 Volkmar et al. Sep 1995
5628255 Neuner May 1997
5697686 Miller et al. Dec 1997
5715761 Frattini Feb 1998