Laptop computer desk

• US 6,012,788 A
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Fookes, Tim, Marschand, Bret, Chesser, Linda E., Schacht, William F., Roels, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US09/302,386
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.3, 312/223.6, 312/194, 312/195, 312/196, 312/208.1, 312/208.3, 312/208.5, 312/290, 312/215, 312/327, 108/25, 108/50.01, 108/50.02
• US Class Current: 312/223.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0073 Desk with integrated computer

Abstract

A laptop computer desk includes an interior storage compartment which is defined below worksurface level and has a triangular shape to accommodate a laptop computer therein. The storage compartment is enclosed by a front door and top doors wherein the front door folds down to define a wrist rest while the top doors fold over onto the work surface to define blotters or writing areas adjacent to the storage compartment. The interior of the storage compartment includes a receptacle unit for power and/or communication outlets, and flexible fabric divider walls which define interior compartments for storing cables.

Claims

1. A computer desk comprising:

a horizontally enlarged worksurface which includes a base structure supported on a floor, said worksurface having a generally triangular opening which is disposed proximate a front worksurface edge thereof and opens upwardly, said front worksurface edge extending laterally; and

a computer compartment housing which is disposed below said worksurface adjacent to said triangular opening, said compartment housing including vertical side walls which extend downwardly from said worksurface, a horizontal bottom wall extending laterally between said side walls, and a front wall which extends laterally between said side walls proximate said front worksurface edge to define a hollow storage compartment, said compartment housing being enclosed by a pair of triangular doors which are adapted to overlie left and right sections of said triangular opening of said worksurface, each of said doors including a hinged edge which is hingedly connected to said worksurface, a front edge and an inner edge, said front edge extending laterally and being disposed proximate said front worksurface edge when said door is in a closed position overlying said storage compartment, said hinged edge extending rearwardly from said front edge along a corresponding edge of said triangular opening and defining a horizontal pivot axis about which said door pivots between said closed position and an open position overlying said worksurface, said inner edges of said doors being disposed proximate each other over a central area of said triangular opening when in said closed position, and said doors when in said open position extending leftwardly and rightwardly away from said triangular opening.

2. A computer desk according to claim 1, wherein said front wall is hinged to said bottom wall so as to pivot vertically between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position, an interior surface of said front wall facing upwardly when in said open position to define a wrist rest for an occupant.

3. A computer desk according to claim 2, wherein said front wall includes lock means for engaging said doors to lock said doors and said front wall together in said respective closed positions.

4. A computer desk according to claim 3, wherein each of said doors generally defines a right triangle wherein said inner edge and said front edge are substantially perpendicular to each other.

5. A computer desk according to claim 1, wherein said doors when in said closed position are substantially coplanar with said worksurface.

6. A computer desk according to claim 1, wherein said compartment housing includes a receptacle unit fixedly secured therein which defines power and/or communication receptacles which are accessible within the hollow compartment.

7. A computer desk according to claim 6, wherein said receptacle unit is secured to said compartment housing by removable fasteners such that said receptacle unit is removable, said side walls of said housing compartment defining an opening therethrough in which said receptacle unit is received.

8. A computer desk according to claim 7, wherein said storage compartment includes at least one divider wall therein which defines a cable compartment within said storage compartment.

9. A computer desk according to claim 8, wherein said compartment housing includes at least one access opening extending therethrough in communication with said storage compartment and an exterior of said computer therethrough for the passage of cabling.

10. A computer desk according to claim 1, wherein each of said doors is defined by a base panel and a cover panel which are joined together in facing relation, said base panel comprising a rigid triangular core and a first facing material which overlies an outer side of said core and wraps about peripheral edges of said core and partially onto an inner side of said core which is disposed opposite said outer side thereof, said core having beveled edges along at least two sides thereof, said cover panel comprising a sheet-like plate which is beveled along at least two edges thereof so as to correspond to the shape of said core, said cover panel including a second facing material which overlies an outer side of said plate and wraps about peripheral edges of said plate and partially onto an inner side of said plate which is disposed opposite said outer side thereof, said base panel and said cover panel being joined together such that said first facing material defines one exposed face of said door and said second facing material defines an opposite exposed face of said door.

11. A computer desk comprising:

a horizontally enlarged worksurface which includes a base structure supported on a floor, said worksurface having an opening which is disposed proximate a front worksurface edge thereof and opens upwardly, said front worksurface edge extending laterally; and

a computer compartment housing which is disposed below said worksurface adjacent to said opening, said compartment housing including vertical side walls which extend downwardly from said worksurface, a horizontal bottom wall extending laterally between said side walls, and a front wall which extends laterally between said side walls proximate said front edge of said worksurface to define a hollow storage compartment below said worksurface, said side walls defining a receptacle opening in a rear region of said storage compartment and said storage compartment including a receptacle unit which is removably received in said receptacle opening, said receptacle unit including outlets which are accessible from said storage compartment and power and/or communication cabling which extends to an exterior thereof, said front wall being hingedly connected to said bottom wall so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position wherein said front wall encloses said storage compartment when in said closed position and extends horizontally outwardly from a front edge of said bottom wall when in said open position, said front wall including a support pad on an inner face thereof which faces upwardly when in said open position to define a wrist rest for a user, said compartment housing further including doors which are hingedly connected to said worksurface so as to be movable between a closed position overlying said storage compartment and an open position extending outwardly away from said opening in said worksurface.

12. A computer desk according to claim 11, which includes at least one divider wall within said storage compartment proximate said side walls which defines a cable compartment for storage of excess cabling therein.

13. A computer desk according to claim 12, wherein said divider wall comprises upstanding support members which project upwardly from said bottom wall and a flexible fabric divider screen which extends horizontally between said support members, said divider screen being generally parallel to said side wall to define said cable compartment therebetween.

14. A computer desk according to claim 12, wherein said bottom wall includes an access opening which opens into said storage compartment to permit cabling to be inserted into said storage compartment when said doors and said front door are in said closed positions.

15. A computer desk according to claim 14, wherein said receptacle unit includes connectors for removably connecting said receptacle unit to said compartment housing wherein said receptacle unit is accessible from said storage compartment through said receptacle opening.

16. A computer desk according to claim 11, wherein said storage compartment is triangular when viewed from above and said doors have a triangular shape so as to overlie left and right sections of said opening of said worksurface.

17. A computer desk according to claim 11, wherein said front wall includes lock means for engaging said doors to lock said doors and said front wall together in said respective closed positions.

18. A computer desk according to claim 17, wherein said lock means comprise first and second lock mechanisms which each engage a respective one of said doors, said first and second lock mechanisms being separately actuatable to permit said doors to be unlocked and opened independently of the other.