ARTICLE OF FURNITURE WITH CHANNEL ADAPTED TO HOLD A DEVICE AND INTERLOCKING CONSTRUCTION

• US 20150173505A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Artifox LLC
• Original Assignee: Artifox LLC
• Inventors: MIRTH, Daniel Joseph, CARPENTER, Sarah Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 9,095,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/003 Connecting table tops to underframes connecting furniture tubing to non-tubular parts F16B12/42
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/086 Table tops provided with a protecting coating made of veneer, linoleum, paper or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/16 Holders for glasses, ashtrays, lamps, candles or the like forming part of tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/00 Writing-tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/04 characterised by means for holding or fastening typewriters or computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/0088 for table frames or frames with cut-out leg sections which retain the slotted joints
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements A47B43/00, A47B45/00 take precedence; features for adjusting shelves or partitions A47B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0075 Flat or flat-like panels connected without frames for panels mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/042
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

An article of furniture, comprising a top panel having a bottom surface and a top surface, and at least one channel disposed in the top panel. The channel comprises top and bottom openings which are connected such that the channel forms a passageway from the top surface to the bottom surface of the top panel wherein the bottom opening is behind the top opening. Additionally, an article of furniture may comprise a first support member, a second support member, and one or more cross member assemblies. The one or more cross member assemblies comprise a shelf member, a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first rail and the second rail are rotatably connected to the shelf member such that the first and second rails are adapted to be in a first position for shipping and are adapted to be rotated to a second position for assembly.

Claims

1. An article of furniture, comprising:

i) a top panel having a bottom surface and a top surface; and

ii) at least one channel disposed in the top panel, the channel comprising a top opening, a bottom opening, an upper front wall, a lower front wall, and an upper rear wall, wherein the top and bottom openings are connected such that the channel forms a passageway from the top surface to the bottom surface of the top panel, wherein the lower front wall is a first horizontal distance along a first direction from the upper front wall and the upper rear wall is a second horizontal distance along the first direction from the upper front wall, wherein the second horizontal distance is less than or equal to the first horizontal distance, and wherein the channel is adapted to receive a device in the top opening.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein the top panel further comprises a major axis and wherein the channel extends a length parallel to the top surface of the top panel and wherein the length of the channel is at an angle θ

with respect to the major axis of the top panel, wherein the angle θ

is from about 0° and

about 90°

.

3. The article of furniture of claim 1 further comprising one or more holes disposed in the channel.

4. The article of furniture of claim 1 further comprising one or more recesses disposed around the channel.

5. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein a portion or all of the top surface of the top panel comprises a dry erase surface and/or a chalkboard surface.

6. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein the top panel further comprises a front portion and one or more magnetic members are disposed in the front portion of top panel.

7. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein the article of furniture is at least one of a desk, a table, a media console, and a night stand.

8. An article of furniture comprising:

i) a first support member comprising a population of notches;

ii) a second support member comprising a population of notches; and

iii) one or more cross member assemblies comprising a shelf member, a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first rail and the second rail are hingedly connected to the shelf member such that the first and second rails are adapted to be in a first position wherein the first and second rails are substantially parallel to the shelf member and are adapted to be rotated by the hinged connection to a second position wherein the first and second rails are substantially perpendicular to the shelf member, and wherein the first rail comprises a population of notches adapted to be interlocked with one or more of the population of notches in the first and second support members when the first rail is in the second position and the second rail comprises a population of notches adapted to be interlocked with one or more of the population of notches in the first and second support members when the second rail is in the second position.

9. An article of furniture comprising:

i) a top panel comprising a left-hand portion, a right-hand portion, a bottom surface, a top surface, and a population of slots disposed on the bottom surface;

ii) a left leg member comprising a top portion, one or more legs extending a direction from the top portion, a population of tabs extending from the top portion opposite the direction of the one or more legs, and a population of notches disposed in the top portion, wherein the population of tabs are adapted to be inserted into one or more of the population of slots of the top panel;

iii) a right leg member comprising a top portion, one or more legs extending a direction from the top portion, a population of tabs extending from the top portion opposite the direction of the one or more legs, and a population of notches disposed in the top portion, wherein the population of tabs are adapted to be inserted into one or more of the population slots of the top panel; and

iv) a cross member assembly comprising;

a) a first rail having a population of tabs adapted to be inserted into one or more of the population of slots of the top panel and a population of notches adapted to interlock with one or more of the population of notches of one or more of the left leg member and the right leg member;

b) a second rail having a population of tabs adapted to be inserted into one or more of the population of slots of the top panel and a population of notches adapted to interlock with one or more of the population of notches of one or more of the left leg member and the right leg member; and

c) a shelf member hingedly affixed to the first rail and wherein the second rail is hingedly affixed to the shelf member.

10. The article of furniture of claim 9, wherein the one or more legs of the left leg member further comprises a population of slots, the one or more legs of the right leg member further comprises a population of slots, the cross member assembly further comprises a third rail connected to the first rail by one or more braces, and the third rail comprises a population of notches adapted to interlock with one or more of the population of slots of one or more of the left leg member and the right leg member.

11. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein:

i) the population of slots in the top panel comprises;

a) a first left-hand slot, a second left-hand slot, a third left-hand slot, and a fourth left-hand slot, wherein the first, second, third and fourth left-hand slots are disposed proximate the left-hand portion of the top panel and wherein the third and fourth left-hand slots are disposed at an angle with respect to the first and second left-hand slots; and

b) a first right-hand slot, a second right-hand slot, a third right-hand slot, and a fourth right-hand slot, wherein the first, second, third and fourth right-hand slots are disposed proximate the right-hand portion of the top panel and wherein the third and fourth right-hand slots are disposed at an angle with respect to the first and second right-hand slots;

ii) the population of tabs extending from the top portion of the left leg member comprises a first left-hand tab and a second left-hand tab adapted to be inserted into the first left-hand slot and the second left-hand slot, respectively, of the top panel, and wherein the population of notches disposed in the top portion of the left leg member comprises a first left-hand notch and a second left-hand notch;

iii) the population of tabs extending from the top portion of the right leg member comprises a first right-hand tab and a second right-hand tab adapted to be inserted into the first right-hand slot and the second right-hand slot, respectively, of the top panel, and wherein the population of notches disposed in the top portion of the right leg member comprises a first right-hand notch and a second right-hand notch;

iv) the population of tabs of the first rail comprises a first left-hand tab and a second right-hand tab, wherein the first left-hand tap is adapted to be inserted into the fourth left-hand slot of the top panel and the second right-hand tab is adapted to be inserted into the fourth right-hand slot of the top panel, and the population of notches of the first rail comprises a first left-hand notch and a second right-hand notch, wherein the first-left hand notch is adapted to interlock with the second left-hand notch of the left leg member and the second right-hand notch is adapted to interlock with the second right-hand notch of the right leg member; and

v) the population of tabs of the second rail comprises a first left-hand tab and a second right-hand tab, wherein the first left-hand tab is adapted to be inserted into the third left-hand slot of the top panel and the second right-hand tab is adapted to be inserted into the third right-hand slot of the top panel, and the population of notches of the second rail comprises a first left-hand notch and a second right-hand notch, wherein the first left-hand notch is adapted to interlock with the first left-hand notch of the left leg member and the second right-hand notch is adapted to interlock with the first right-hand notch of the right leg member.

12. The article of furniture of claim 10, wherein the population of notches of the third rail comprises a left-hand notch and a right-hand notch, wherein the left-hand notch is adapted to interlock with one or more of the population of slots of the left leg member and the right-hand notch is adapted to interlock with one or more of the population of slots of the right leg member.

13. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein the population of legs of the left leg member comprises a front left-hand leg and a rear left-hand leg and wherein the population of legs of the right leg member comprises a front right-hand leg and a rear right hand-leg.

14. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein:

i) the shelf member is adapted to be in a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the shelf member is substantially co-planar with first rail and wherein in the second position, the shelf member is substantially perpendicular to first rail; and

ii) the second rail is adapted to be in a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the second rail is substantially co-planar with first rail and wherein in the second position, the second rail is substantially perpendicular to the shelf member and substantially parallel to the first rail.

15. The article of furniture of claim 14 wherein a shelf is formed when the shelf member and the second rail are both in the second position.

16. The article of furniture of claim 9 further comprising at least one channel disposed in the top panel, the channel comprising a top opening wherein the channel is adapted to receive a device in the top opening.

17. The article of furniture of claim 16 wherein the at least one channel further comprises a bottom opening, an upper front wall, a lower front wall, and an upper rear wall, wherein the top and bottom openings are connected such that the channel forms a passageway from the top surface to the bottom surface of the top panel and wherein the lower front wall is a first horizontal distance along a first direction from the upper front wall and the upper rear wall is a second horizontal distance along the first direction from the upper front wall, wherein the second horizontal distance is less than or equal to the first horizontal distance.

18. The article of furniture of claim 16 further comprising one or more holes disposed in the channel.

19. The article of furniture of claim 16 further comprising one or more recesses disposed around the channel.

20. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein a portion or all of the top surface of the top panel comprises a dry erase surface and/or a chalkboard surface.

21. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein the top panel further comprises a front portion and one or more magnetic members are disposed in the front portion of top panel.

22. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein the article of furniture is at least one of a desk, a table, a media console, and a night stand.