Adjustable desk with bookcase

Abstract

A desk and bookcase combination includes a desk with a horizontal planar desktop member supported by spaced apart, tubular, telescoping support legs which may be selectively adjusted to adjust the height of the desk by insertion of locking pins with locking hook parts into respective sets of pin receiving openings in the leg members. The bookcase includes opposed end support members having lateral channel shaped supports for slidably receiving opposite desktop side edges and one or more vertically spaced pairs of brace members for receiving cooperating shelf members having downwardly facing channel-shaped support members which may be hooked over respective pairs of brace members, for selectively positioning the shelf members with respect to the desktop.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many applications for furniture which require features of ruggedness, uncomplicated, adjustable height and portability which are not met by conventional furniture construction. For example, furniture for institutional facilities, such as academic institution residence facilities, requires to be rugged, utilitarian, somewhat portable and also, with respect to furniture such as desks and work surfaces, height adjustable. Accordingly, although myriad furniture structures have been developed, there has been a continuing need for a somewhat portable adjustable height desk in combination with a bookcase, for example, which has heretofore not been available with prior art furniture articles. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved article of furniture comprising a desk and, in particular, a desk in combination with a utilitarian bookcase or shelving arrangement.

The present invention also provides an improved, rugged, utilitarian desk which includes a generally horizontal work surface which is adjustable in height and the desk is somewhat portable so as to be easily moved from one facility to another or easily moved within a room wherein occasional repositioning of furniture is necessary or desirable.

In accordance with, one aspect of the present invention, an improved horizontal work surface is provided in an article of furniture which is rugged, constructed of utilitarian materials and structural components, is adjustable in height and may be mounted on casters or wheels for ease of movement. The desk is advantageously combined with a bookcase which is also constructed of conventional materials and shapes and which is both rugged and utilitarian. The desk and bookcase combination is particularly useful for furniture for institutional applications.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a portable desk is provided with telescoping legs which are easily adjustable for adjusting the height of the desk work surface. The telescoping legs are each advantageously provided with a leg position locating pin and clip combination which, for each leg, locks the leg in a selected telescoped or extended position which minimizes the risk of the leg collapsing, is unobtrusive, and provides for a desk construction which may be easily fabricated.

The present invention still further provides a unique desk and bookcase combination including a bookcase characterized by spaced-apart sets of vertically extending column members for supporting one or more moveable bookshelves and wherein the column members are provided with opposed channel-shaped support members which slidably engage opposite lateral edges of a desktop or work surface member whereby the bookcase is suitably retained in assembly with the desk to prevent inadvertent toppling or detachment from the desk while also being easily separated from the desk for transport, for example.

Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved adjustable height desk and bookcase combination in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bookcase shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the desk;

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of certain components of one of the telescoping legs of the desk of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating how the height adjustment of the legs is selected and locked by a unique locking pin and clip or hook member;

FIG. 6 is a detail perspective view showing how the combination pin and hook may be moved to a locking position; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a desktop or work surface member for the desk of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawing with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures may not necessarily be to scale and certain features may be shown in generalized or schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a unique desk and bookcase combination in accordance with the invention and generally designated by the numeral 10. The desk and bookcase 10 is characterized by a rugged, utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing desk 12 which may be used with or without an upstanding bookcase 14 removably mountable on the desk 12 in the position shown in FIG. 1. Bookcase 14 is characterized by opposed ladder-like end support members 16 and 18, see FIG. 2 also, which comprise spaced apart upstanding metal tubes 20 interconnected by transverse tubular brace members 22 disposed at spaced apart intervals, as illustrated. The end support members 16 and 18 are also interconnected by one or more horizontally extending transverse elongated rod or tube members 24, two shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. One or more shelves 26, two shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are removably mountable on the bookcase 14 and comprise generally planar shelf members 27 of generally rectangular shape and opposed downwardly facing channel-shaped end support members 28 which are suitably secured to the shelf members 27 and are adapted to be hooked over selected opposed ones of the transverse brace members 22, as illustrated. Accordingly, the shelves 26 may be placed in selected working positions on any one set of opposed brace members 22. There are four spaced apart brace members 22 for each end support member 16 and 18 in the embodiment illustrated. The end support members 16 and 18 are also provided with opposed, laterally facing channel shaped bottom support members 29 connected to the column or tube members 20 by suitable means, such as welding and spaced apart sufficiently to slidably receive opposed edges of and rest on a generally rectangular, planar desktop member or work surface 30 of desk 12, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the bookcase 14 may be easily mounted on or demounted from the desk 12 but is suitably retained thereon and is disposed in a stable working position thanks to the opposed laterally facing channel shaped support members 29.

Referring primarily to FIG. 3, the desk 12 is characterized by four spaced apart adjustable length legs 32, opposed pairs of which are interconnected by transverse horizontal extending brace members 34 which are similar in some respects to the bookcase brace members 22 and are spaced apart sufficiently to support one or more lower shelves 36, one shown in FIG. 3. Shelf 36 is characterized by a generally planar shelf member 37 and opposed downwardly facing channel shaped support members 38 which may be hooked over a selected pair of opposed brace members 34, as shown in FIG. 1 also. Respective pairs of legs 32 and cooperating tubular brace members 34 are interconnected by one or more elongated tubular brace members 41, preferably aligned with a pair of lateral brace members 34 for interconnecting a so-called rear pair of legs 32 for the desk 12, as shown.

The upper ends of the respective leg members 32 are each provided with a generally triangular shaped support plate 42 extending generally horizontally, as shown in FIG. 3. Support plates 42 may be provided with suitable fastener receiving openings, not shown, or provided for securement to the desktop member 30 by a suitable adhesive. An elongated rectangular cross section metal tube brace member 43, FIG. 3, is adapted to be secured to the underside of desktop member 30 by spaced apart plate components 43a, using suitable fasteners, not shown, or a suitable adhesive.

Referring now also to FIGS. 4 through 6, a particularly advantageous feature of the desk 10 is provided by the respective telescoping leg members 32 which are each characterized by an upper leg member 32a and a lower leg member 32b adapted to be telescopically received within the upper leg member 32a. The lower ends of each of the leg members 32b are adapted to be supported on and connected to suitable casters 46, respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, a cylindrical guide bushing or bearing member 48 is adapted to be removably received in the lower end 32d of upper leg member 32a to provide a bearing and guide for the lower leg member 32b which is telescopically received in the tubular upper leg member 32a for each of the leg members 32. Bushing or bearing member 48 is a generally ring-like member having an annular locating flange 48a formed thereon. Bearing member 48 may be made of a suitable self-lubricating plastic material, such as Nylon, for example. Bearing or bushing member 48 is configured to be a substantially snug fit within the tubular leg member 32a and is also dimensioned to snugly but slidably receive the lower leg member 32b therewithin.

Referring further to FIGS. 5 and 6, in particular, each of lower leg members 32b is provided with plural spaced apart pairs of lockpin receiving openings 32e, FIG. 6, operable to be aligned with a corresponding pair of pin receiving opening 32f, see FIG. 4 also, formed in upper leg member 32a. Openings 32e and 32f are formed in the walls of the tubular leg members 32b and 32a opposite each other so that a height adjustment locking pin 50, FIGS. 5 and 6, may be inserted in a selected set of openings 32e and 32f for locking the lower member 32b in selected telescoped positions within and connected to an upper leg member 32a, respectively. In this way, the desk 12 may be adjusted with respect to the height of the desktop member or work surface 30 for a selected working position of the desk while it rests on the leg members 32 and respective casters 46.

Referring again briefly to FIGS. 5 and 6, the combination lockpin and hook 50 includes a lateral projecting pin part 52 integral with a depending leg 54 and a normally laterally extending hook-shaped distal part 56. Distal part 56 is formed to have an arcuate hook-like shape to be disposed in a plane which may extend normal to a plane which would include the entirety of the depending leg part 54.

In this way, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lockpin 50 may be inserted in the openings 32f in an upper leg member 32a and through a selected set of openings 32e in a cooperating lower leg member 32b while the hook part 56 is displaced angularly as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 6, out of the way, as shown, and once the pin part 52 is in its working position the hook part 56 may be rotated into the position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 6 to secure the lockpin 50 in its working position.

Referring briefly to FIG. 7, an alternate embodiment of a desktop or work surface member for the desk 10 is illustrated and generally designated by the numeral 60. Desktop member 60 is a multipart member including a generally planar, rectangular member 62, preferably formed of a plastic laminate, such as polyvinylchloride, and providing a work surface 62a adapted to fit within a perimeter frame 64. Perimeter frame 64 is characterized by suitably formed or welded together longitudinal flat plate or bar parts 66 and transverse bar parts 68 to form a rectangular perimeter which is adapted to snugly receive the member 62 therewithin. Work surface member 62 may be secured to frame 64 at triangular gusset members 70 and desktop member 60 may be secured to the respective legs 32 by securing the support plate members 42 of each of the legs to a corresponding gusset member 70 disposed at each corner of the perimeter frame 64. Perimeter frame 64 may also include transverse brace members 67 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The desk and bookcase combination 10 may be fabricated of conventional engineering materials used for furniture. In particular, the desktop members 30 and 62 may be formed of a suitable rugged plastic material such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), as mentioned, while the shelf members 27 and 37 may be formed of a Formica brand laminate, for example. Conventional steel or aluminum metal shapes may be used for substantially all of the other components described herein.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that various substitutions and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A desk comprising:

a generally horizontally extending desktop member forming a planar work surface;

plural upstanding support legs spaced apart and secured to said desktop member, each of said legs comprising an upper leg member and a lower leg member, said lower leg member being telescopically received within said upper leg member;

a locking member engaged with said upper and lower leg members of each of said legs for locking said lower leg member in a selected telescoped position with respect to said upper leg member for adjusting the height of said work surface with respect to a support surface for said desk; and

a bookcase removably mounted on said desktop member.

2. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said upper and lower leg members comprise generally cylindrical tubular members and said lock member includes a lockpin insertable in pin receiving openings formed in each of said upper and lower leg members, respectively.

3. The desk set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said lockpin includes a lockpin part and a hook part for securing said lockpin part in a locked position with respect to said leg members, said hook part including a generally arcuate portion engageable with at least one of said upper and lower leg members in a selected locking position of said lockpin for securing said lockpin in said locked position.

4. The desk set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said lockpin includes a stem portion integrally joined to said lockpin part and said hook part of said lockpin.

5. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said leg members are interconnected by plural, spaced apart, generally horizontally extending brace members forming opposed pairs of said leg members, respectively.

6. The desk set forth in claim 5 wherein:

opposed ones of said leg members are interconnected by plural elongated brace members, respectively.

7. The desk set forth in claim 5 including:

a shelf adapted for support on said desk below said desktop member, said shelf including a generally planar shelf member and opposed end support members, said end support members including channel-shaped parts adapted to be hooked over selected ones of said brace members of said opposed pairs of said leg members, respectively.

8. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bookcase includes spaced apart opposed end support members comprising, respectively, spaced apart upstanding column members and plural spaced apart brace members interconnecting said column members, respectively, and at least one shelf member supported by and between said end support members.

9. The desk set forth in claim 8 wherein:

said shelf member includes a generally planar shelf member part and opposed downwardly facing channel-shaped support members connected to said shelf member part and engageable with said brace members of said end support members, respectively, for positioning said shelf member in a selected working position on said bookcase.

10. The desk set forth in claim 8 wherein:

said bookcase includes opposed end support members including opposed channel shaped members, respectively, spaced apart and engageable with said desktop member by receiving opposite lateral side edges thereof, respectively, in said channel shaped members for supporting said bookcase on said desk.

11. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said desktop member comprises a unitary plastic laminate member.

12. The desk set forth in claim 11 including:

an elongated desktop member brace member secured to an underside of said desktop member.

13. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said desktop member includes a perimeter metal frame and a planar insert member secured to and enclosed by said perimeter frame at side edges thereof.