Ready to use foldable computer desk

• US 5,769,514 A
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roseburg Forest Products South Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Decolam, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Charles R., Fogle, Marion O., Salley, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US08/754,887
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 312/258, 312/194, 312/195, 312/239, 312/223.3, 312/223.6, 248/439, 248/166, 108/36, 108/132, 108/131, 108/129, 108/50.01, 108/50.02
• US Class Current: 312/195
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/15 Keyboard drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0072 Hinges for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/08 with legs pivoted to top or underframe
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0803 the legs rotating around a vertical axis A47B3/083, A47B3/087 and A47B3/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0912 the strut being of two parts foldable relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/06 Furniture aspects of radio, television, gramophone, or record cabinets for similar equipment supports attached to the wall or ceiling or floor stands F16M
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/062 horizontally

Abstract

A foldable ready to use computer desk is disclosed having a desk top for supporting computer equipment and the like and a pair of spaced foldable side members which include solid panels that form sides of the desk and support the desk above the floor. The solid side panels are carried by hinges having displaced pivot points which allow the side members to fold over one another in an overlapping manner to create a utility space between the side members and the desk top in which utility devices such as a keyboard drawer assembly, power surge strip, and cable tray are nested when the desk is folded. Brace assemblies urge the side members outwardly in an extended position to support the desk top above the floor and urge upper portions of the side members against the hinge brackets to provide a sturdy construction.

Claims

1. A foldable ready to use computer table comprising:

a desk top having a support surface for supporting computer equipment;

a keyboard drawer assembly for containing a computer keyboard carried underneath said desk top;

the keyboard drawer assembly having a pair of spaced support elements for supporting a slidable keyboard drawer, and said spaced support elements extending away from said desk top and terminating at terminal edges a predetermined distance away from said desk top;

first and second spaced desk side members pivotally carried by an underneath surface of said desk top, said first and second side members terminating in floor engaging supports for supporting said desk top above a floor;

displaced pivot hinges attaching said first and second side members to said underneath surface of said desk top, each of said displaced pivot hinges having a first part attached to said desk top, a second part attached to said side members, and a displaced pivot displaced from said first part and desk top about which said first and second side members pivot;

at least a first of said displaced pivot hinges attaching said first side member to said underneath surface of said desk top so that said first side member pivots about a first pivot axis displaced from said underneath surface between a folded position and an extended position;

said first side member being generally parallel to and overlying said desk top in said folded position and being extended away from said desk top to engage the floor to support said desk top and the computer equipment thereon in said extended position;

at least a second of said displaced pivot hinges attaching said second side member to said underneath surface of said desk top so that said second side member pivots about a second pivot axis displaced from said second side member between a folded position and an extended position;

said second side member being generally parallel to and overlying said first side member in said folded position and being extended away from said desk top to engage the floor to support said desk top and the computer equipment thereon in said extended position; and

said first and second pivot axis being displaced from said underneath surface of said desk top so that said first and second side members fold over said terminal edges of said support elements of said keyboard drawer assembly in said folded position of said first and second side members in a compact, folded configuration for convenient storage and/or transportation.

2. The table of claim 1 wherein said first and second pivots of said hinges are displaced a distance past said terminal edges of said keyboard assembly.

3. The table of claim 1 including at least one brace member for maintaining said first and second side members in said extended position.

4. The table of claim 1 including a cable tray carried underneath said desk top, and an electrical connector carried in said cable tray for being electrically connected to said computer equipment so that electrical cords connecting said computer equipment may be stored in said cable tray generally out of sight.

5. The table of claim 1 wherein said second pivot axis of said second displacement hinge is displaced a greater distance from said desk top than said first pivot axis of said first displaced hinge.

6. The table of claim 1 wherein said first and second side members include a bracing portion which abuts a vertical leg of a respective displacement hinge in said extended position, and including at least one brace assembly for urging the bracing portions of said first and second side elements against said vertical legs in said extended position.

7. The table of claim 1 including a support shelf carried by said desk top which includes a horizontal section for supporting a computer unit, a vertical section for supporting said horizontal section, and at least one of said horizontal and vertical sections being foldable realative to the other so that said support shelf may be folded inside said first and second side members when in said folded position.

8. The table of claim 7 including a releasable attachment for attaching at least one of said horizontal and vertical sections to one of said side members and said desk top respectively, and a support shelf hingle for attaching the other of said sections to said desk in said unfolded position.

19. The table of claim 1 wherein said first and second sides are solid providing an elongated floor engaging supports.

9. A foldable, ready to use computer desk comprising:

a desk top;

a first foldable desk side member carried by a first side of said desk top, and a second foldable desk side member carried by a second side of said desk top;

at least a first hinge pivotally affixing said first side member to said desk top, said first hinge having a pivot axis displaced a distance from said desk top;

at least a second hinge pivotally affixing said second side member to said desk top, said second hinge having a pivot axis displaced a distance from said desk top;

said first side member having a folded position in which said first side member assumes a generally parallel overlying relation to said desk top, and said second side member having a folded position in which said second side member assumes a generally parallel overlying configuration with respect to said first side member;

a utility space defined between said first and second side members in said folded positions and an underneath surface of said desk top; and

at least one utility device carried within said utility space for use with computer equipment which includes at least a keyboard drawer assembly secured underneath said desk top which is nested between said underneath surface of said desk top and said side members and said folded positions.

10. The desk of claim 9 wherein said pivot axis of said second side member is displaced a first distance which is greater than a second distance which is the distance of displacement of said pivot axis of said first side member.

11. The desk of claim 9 including at least one brace member for maintaining said first and second side members in said extended positions.

12. The desk of claim 9 including a cable tray carried underneath said desk top for housing cables of said equipment supported on said desk.

13. The desk of claim 12 including an electrical connector carried underneath said desk top near said cable tray for being electrically connected to said computer equipment so that electrical cords connecting said computer equipment may be stored in said cable tray generally out of sight.

14. The desk of claim 9 wherein said first and second side members comprise solid side panels.

15. The desk of claim 14 wherein said side members include top ends which lie flush with the ends of said desk top in said folded configuration so that said folded desk my be stood on said ends for storage.

16. The desk of claim 9 including a foldable support shelf having a horizontal support section releasably carried by one of said side members and a vertical side section carried by said desk top.

17. The desk of claim 16 wherein said horizontal section is pivotally attached to said vertical section by a corner hinge, and including a support hinge pivotally affixing said vertical section to said desk top, said support shelf having a folded position in which said horizontal and vertical sections assume a generally parallel overlying relation between said first side member and said desk top.

18. The desk of claim 17 wherein said shelf hinge has a pivot axis for displacing said horizontal and vertical sections a third distances from said desk top, said third distance being less than said first distance.

20. A foldable, ready to use computer desk comprising:

a desk top;

a first foldable desk side member carried by a first side of said desk top, and a second foldable desk side member carried by a second side of said desk top;

at least a first hinge pivotally affixing said first side member to said desk top;

at least a second hinge pivotally affixing said second side member to said desk top;

said first side member having a folded position in which said first side member assumes a generally overlying configuration with respect to said desk top, and said second side member having a folded position in which said second side member assumes a generally overlying configuration with respect to said first side member;

a utility space defined between said first and second side members in said folded positions and an underneath surface of said desk top; and

at least one utility device carried within said utility space for use with computer equipment and the like including a support shelf carried by said desk top which includes a horizontal section for supporting a computer unit, a vertical section for supporting said horizontal section, and said horizontal and vertical sections being foldable realative to each other so that said support shelf may be folded with said first and second side members when in said folded position.

21. The desk of claim 20 including a releasable attachment for attaching at least one of said horizontal and vertical sections to one of said side members and said desk top respectively, and a support shelf hinge for attaching the other of said sections to said desk in said unfolded position.

22. The desk of claim 21 including a keyboard drawer assembly secured underneath said desk top which is nested between said underneath surface of said desk top and said side members in said folded positions.