Apparatus and method for providing a workspace

• US 7,421,958 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tom Ciulla
• Inventors: Ciulla, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/042,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20060162623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 190/11, 190/12.A, 190900-902, 108 42- 44, 108/48, 108/35, 108/36, 108/134, 108/135, 108/152, 312/245, 312/248
• US Class Current: 108/44
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/06 with legs for supporting the table on the floor tables combined with cabinets A47B83/045

Abstract

A portable and wall mountable apparatus comprising a flexible case having one or more internal compartments for removably receiving stiffeners to thereby form a pair of panels. The panels are pivotally joined and fold shut against each other to form a portable carrier for articles such as architectural plans and the like. Handles are attached to the flexible case to facilitate transport. A plurality of tabs with grommets are attached to the flexible case to allow the panels to be removably mounted to a wall such that one of the panels may be used as a desktop or workspace. One or more restraining devices suspend the panel being used as a desktop or workplace in a horizontal position when the case is mounted to a wall. The flexible case may also be conveniently stored by removing the stiffeners when not in use and rolling up the shell into a compact shape.

Claims

1. A method for providing a wall mountable workspace on a construction site, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible case having at least two internal compartments and at least one pair of fastening devices for removably mounting the flexible case to a structure, said at least one pair of fastening devices mounted to and above an upper edge of the flexible case;

inserting a first stiffener into one of the at least two internal compartments in the flexible case, wherein the stiffener is made of a rigid load-bearing material;

inserting a second stiffener into another of the internal compartments; and

mounting the flexible case to an upwardly-extending wall or wall structure residing inside a building structure at the construction site, by attaching or coupling the at least one pair of fastening devices to said wall or wall structure, such that a portion of the flexible case is disposed in an elevated, lateral orientation to thereby function as the workspace.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the flexible case is formed of a waterproof material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the flexible case further comprises one or more storage pockets.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the flexible case further comprises a handle.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of removing the first stiffener from the internal compartment and rolling the flexible case into a compact storage position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first stiffener is a piece of plywood.

7. An apparatus for providing a wall mountable workspace, the apparatus comprising:

a flexible case including a first panel and a second panel, the first and second panels being pivotally interconnected such that the first and second panels are operable to move between an open position and a closed position;

a pair of spaced apart hangers for hanging the flexible case from a vertical structure, said hangers connected to an upper edge of the first panel, said hangers extending vertically upward from the upper edge of the first panel such that when said hangers are hung from the vertical structure, the flexible case resides below the hangers;

a flap extending from the first panel, said flap securable to the second panel; and

said second panel having an attachment location to which the flap is attachable;

wherein said flap operates to pass sequentially from said first panel and between the spaced apart hangers as they are hanging from the vertical structure and to the attachment location on the second panel, such that the first and second panels can be maintained in the closed position while the flexible case is attached to and hanging from the vertical structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the first and second panels comprises a stiffener.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising at least one opening in the flexible case for inserting and removing the stiffeners from each of the first and second panels.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the pair of spaced apart hangers comprises a tabbed portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a handle connected to the flexible case.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of storage pockets disposed on the flexible case.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the flexible case is collapsible into a rolled up position.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising at least one restraining member, said at least one restraining member operable to maintain one of the first and second panels in a substantially horizontal orientation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one restraining member is formed from a flexible material.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one restraining member is formed from a rigid material.