Table and lectern furniture system

• US 9,723,921 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Battey, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US14/918,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 108 5001, 108 5002, 108 27, 108 60, 108 61, 108 94, 2484411, 248451, 248460, 3122233
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/065 Pivotally mounted auxiliary tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 19/02 Church pulpits ; Stands for lecturers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0071 Booth like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0085 Supplementary support fixed on the edge of a desk or table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0088 Appliance support having rotary joint or articulated connection
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/12 Vanity or modesty panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 41/00 School desks or tables attaching to floor A47B91/08
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 41/02 Adjustable, inclinable, sliding or foldable desks tops
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 41/06 Holders or supports for guiding copy-books, slates, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/00 Combinations comprising two or more pieces of furniture of different kinds
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/04 Tables combined with other pieces of furniture
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

A table assembly comprising a top member forming a substantially flat top surface circumscribed by an outer edge and at least a first leg support member supporting the top member in a substantially horizontal position, a table dock secured to the top member and forming an elongated channel having a dock length dimension and at least a first display panel circumscribed by a panel edge and having at least one straight edge having a panel length dimension, the dock length dimension less than panel length dimension, wherein at least a portion of the straight edge of the panel is receivable within the dock channel with the panel extending out the open first and second ends of the channel to support the panel in a substantially upright orientation with at least a portion of the display panel extending to a height above the flat top surface.

Claims

1. A lectern assembly comprising:

a table assembly including a top member and at least a first leg support member, the top member forming a substantially flat top surface at a first height and circumscribed by an outer edge that defines the boundaries of a space column disposed above the top surface, the top member including oppositely facing front and rear edge portions, the leg support member supporting the top member in a substantially horizontal position;

a lectern support subassembly mounted to the table assembly at a point midway between the oppositely facing front and rear edge portions and extending upward to an upper end at a second height above the first height, the lectern support subassembly including a rigid arm assembly having upper and lower ends, the lower end mounted to the top member for pivotal rotation about a first vertical axis, the upper end of the arm assembly at a second height above the first height;

a substantially flat lectern member having oppositely facing top and bottom surfaces and circumscribed by a lectern member edge, the bottom surface of the lectern member supported at the upper end of the lectern support assembly for movement between a plurality of different juxtapositions including at least a first juxtaposition where at least a portion of the lectern member resides outside and to a front edge side of the space column, a second juxtaposition where at least a portion of the lectern member resides outside and to a rear edge side of the space column, and a third juxtaposition where at least a portion of the lectern member resides outside and to a lateral edge of the space column, wherein the arm assembly pivots with respect to the first vertical axis to move the lectern member between the first, second, and third juxtapositions, wherein rotation of the arm is restricted to rotation about the first vertical axis.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface of the lectern member is mounted to the distal end of the arm assembly for pivotal rotation about a second vertical axis that is spaced apart from the first vertical axis by the arm assembly.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the edge of the lectern member includes oppositely facing front edge and rear edge portions and wherein the rear edge portion of the lectern member resides to a rear edge side of the space column when the lectern member is in the second juxtaposition and wherein the front edge portion of the lectern member resides to a front edge side of the space column when the lectern member is in the first juxtaposition.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the top member is substantially rectangular shaped and wherein the lectern member is substantially rectangular shaped.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the top member edge further includes oppositely facing first and second lateral edge portions that extend between the front and rear edge portions and wherein the proximal end of the arm assembly is mounted to the top member adjacent the first lateral edge portion.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a notch is formed in the rear edge portion of the top member, the lectern assembly further including a shelf member supported by at least one of the leg support member and the top member within a space below the notch at a third height that is lower than the first height and wherein at least a portion of the lectern member resides above the shelf member when the lectern member is in the first juxtaposition.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second height is at least eight inches above the first height.

8. A lectern assembly comprising:

a table assembly including a table top member and at least a first leg support member, the table top member forming a substantially flat table top surface at a first height, the table top member having oppositely facing front and rear edges, the leg support member supporting the table top member in a substantially horizontal position;

a rigid arm assembly coupled to the table top member, the arm assembly including a lower portion and an upper portion each having a length dimension extending substantially perpendicular to the table top member, the upper portion being offset a distance horizontally from the lower portion, and an intermediate portion extending between and connecting the upper portion to the lower portion, the lower portion of the arm assembly being rotatably mounted to the table top member only at a midpoint between the oppositely facing front and rear edges, and

a lectern member rotatably coupled to the upper portion of the arm assembly, the lectern member being supported at a second height above the first height.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the arm assembly comprises a lower pivot subassembly for rotatably coupling the arm to the table top member, and an upper pivot subassembly for rotatably coupling the lectern member to the arm assembly, the upper pivot subassembly defining an upper pivot axis and the lower pivot subassembly defining a lower pivot axis, wherein the lower pivot axis is parallel to and spaced from the upper pivot axis.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the lower pivot subassembly includes a pin extending downward from the lower end the arm member, and the arm member is rotatable through 360 degrees about an axis defined by the pin.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the upper pivot subassembly includes an upper turret coupled to the upper distal end of the arm member.

12. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the intermediate portion angles between the lower and upper portions.

13. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the upper portion of the arm is coupled to a lectern mounting subassembly that mounts to the underside of the lectern member, the mounting subassembly including a mounting plate that is angled with respect to the table top member, wherein the lectern member is angled with respect to the table top member.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the lectern mounting subassembly further comprises a pivot pin coupled to a top end of an upper turret, and wherein the lectern member is rotatable through 360 degrees about an upper pivot axis defined by the pin.

15. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the arm member assembly comprises an arm mounting subassembly including a mounting plate that mounts to the undersurface of the table top member adjacent an opening formed in the table top member.

16. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising a lower turret integrally formed with the mounting plate and extending upward through the opening.

17. A lectern assembly comprising:

a table assembly including a table top member and at least a first leg support member, the table top member forming a substantially flat table top surface at a first height, the leg support member supporting the table top member in a substantially horizontal position;

a lectern member supported at a second height above the first height; and

a rigid arm assembly coupled between the table top member and the lectern member, the arm assembly including;

a lower arm portion rotatably mounted to the table top member only through a lower pivot subassembly comprising a lower turret extending upward through an opening in the table top member and defining a lower pivot axis at a midpoint between oppositely facing front and rear edge portions of the table top member,

an upper arm portion including an upper pivot subassembly rotatably coupling the lectern member to the arm assembly, the upper pivot subassembly comprising an upper turret defining an upper pivot axis, and

an intermediate arm portion extending between and connecting the upper arm portion to the lower arm portion,

wherein the lower pivot axis is substantially parallel to and offset a horizontal distance from the upper pivot axis, and rotation of the arm is constrained to rotation about the lower pivot axis.

18. The lectern assembly of claim 17, wherein the arm member is rotatable through 360 degrees around the lower pivot axis, and the lectern member is rotatable through 360 degrees around the upper pivot axis.