Portable Work Surface

• US 20160235225A1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker Mea Fze (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Middle East FZE (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vallette, Thomas, Lehovetzki, Axel, Feraud, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1046 of strings or cords
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/15 Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 9/00 Purses, Luggage or bags convertible into objects for other use sacks or packs carried on the body and convertible into other articles A45F4/02; trunk-wardrobes A47B61/06; trunk-beds A47C17/82
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/062 for covering the ground, e.g. picnic or beach blankets

Abstract

A portable work surface is convertible between mat and bag configurations, and includes a body with a central portion and a surrounding peripheral portion, with a cord threaded at least part way around the peripheral portion. The central and peripheral portions are configurable to define a substantially planar mat configuration. The cord is operable to fold the peripheral portion about the central portion to define a bag configuration where the central portion defines a bag base and the peripheral portion defines a bag wall. The peripheral portion comprises rigid members spanning the distance of the bag wall substantially between the central portion and the cord. In an embodiment, a cover may be hingedly connected to the body, foldable to straddle the peripheral portion in the bag configuration, and configurable to protrude proud of the planar mat configuration of the central portion and the peripheral portion.

Claims

1. A portable work surface comprising a work mat convertible between a mat configuration and a bag configuration, the mat comprising:

a body with a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion; and

a cord threaded at least part way around the peripheral portion;

wherein the central portion and the peripheral portion are configurable to define a substantially planar mat configuration;

wherein the peripheral portion is foldable about the central portion;

wherein the cord is operable to fold the peripheral portion about the central portion to define a bag configuration;

wherein in the bag configuration the central portion defines a bag base and the peripheral portion defines a bag wall; and

wherein the peripheral portion comprises rigid members spanning the distance of the bag wall substantially between the central portion and the cord.

2. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid members are arranged to promote concertina folding of the peripheral portion about the central portion in the bag configuration.

3. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rigid member comprises a substantially straight edge adjacent the central portion preferably wherein each rigid member comprises a triangular planar member.

4. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mat comprises:

a cover hingedly connected to the body;

wherein the cover is foldable to straddle the peripheral portion in the bag configuration; and

wherein the cover is configurable to protrude proud of the planar mat configuration of the central portion and the peripheral portion.

5. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cover comprises an inner panel and an outer panel hingedly connected to the inner panel and wherein the outer panel is pivotable to adopt a divergent orientation with respect to the inner panel whereat the outer panel is arranged to support the cover proud of the planar mat configuration of the central portion and the peripheral portion.

6. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a coupling member operable to couple the outer panel in the divergent orientation with respect to the inner panel.

7. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is a substantially regular polygonal body or circular body.

8. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body has an increased cross-sectional thickness around the circumference of the peripheral portion.

9. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central portion comprises a rigid insert.

10. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a resilient or cushioning material.

11. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises weakened regions arranged to facilitate folding the peripheral portion about the central portion during a transition between the mat configuration and the bag configuration.

12. A portable work surface comprising a work mat convertible between a mat configuration and a bag configuration, the mat comprising:

a body with a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion;

a cord threaded at least part way around the peripheral portion; and

a cover hingedly connected to the body;

wherein the central portion and the peripheral portion are configurable to define a substantially planar mat configuration;

wherein the peripheral portion is foldable about the central portion;

wherein the cord is operable to fold the peripheral portion about the central portion to define a bag configuration; and

wherein the cover is foldable to straddle the peripheral portion in the bag configuration; and

wherein the cover is configurable to protrude proud of the planar mat configuration of the central portion and the peripheral portion.

13. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cover comprises an inner panel and an outer panel hingedly connected to the inner panel and wherein the outer panel is pivotable to adopt a divergent orientation with respect to the inner panel whereat the outer panel is arranged to support the cover proud of the planar mat configuration of the central portion and the peripheral portion.

14. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cover comprises a coupling member operable to couple the outer panel in the divergent orientation with respect to the inner panel.

15. The portable work surface as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body comprises a peripheral edge around the peripheral portion and wherein the cover hingedly connected to the body substantially at the peripheral edge.

16. A portable work surface as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body is a substantially regular polygonal body or circular body.

17. A portable work surface as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body has an increased cross-sectional thickness around the circumference of the peripheral portion.

18. A portable work surface as claimed in claim 12, wherein the central portion comprises a rigid insert.

19. A portable work surface as claimed in claim 18, wherein the peripheral portion comprises rigid inserts arranged to promote concertina folding of the peripheral portion about the central portion in the bag configuration.

20. A portable work surface as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body comprises weakened regions arranged to facilitate folding the peripheral portion about the central portion during a transition between the mat configuration and the bag configuration.