NESTING TASK TABLE
A task table (100) nests inconspicuously with a furniture case good (200). The table (100) has a base (110), a pedestal (120), and a table top (130). The pedestal (120) supports the table top (130) above the base (110). The case good (200) has a front (250), an opposite back, a left side (252), an opposite right side, and a top (214). The sides (252) extend generally upward from a supporting surface (254) and support the top (214) above the surface (254). A table nest (230) is defined between the surface (254) and the top (214), extends between the sides (252), and removably receives the table top (130) in sliding engagement. A base nest (210) is defined between the sides (252), extends generally upward from the surface (254), and removably receives the base (110) in sliding engagement. A pedestal nest (220) extends from the base nest (210) to the table nest (230) and removably receives the pedestal (120). The table (230), base (210), and pedestal nests (220) define a task table nest that corresponds to the task table (100).
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This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/908,063 filed Mar. 26, 2007.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFISHE APPENDIXNot applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to small office and home office market furniture and more specifically, an accessory task table.
Laptop computers currently outsell tower and other such desktop computers by more than a two to one ratio. Home and office lifestyles are much more mobile now than even just a few years ago. This may be attributed to current office technologies, including their affordability as well as their functionality, such as miniaturization and disconnection as evidenced by laptop and palmtop computers, various wireless peripheral and network connections, and multifunction machines. Users of technology have been taught that technology is adaptable and may be unobtrusive. Thus, their furnishings may also be reconsidered as something other than mere office furniture and more desirably should not look and feel like mere office furniture. Rather, one's environment, furnishings, should integrate into their lifestyle and meet all the functional requirements provided by present and new technologies.
Thus, a need for satellite work centers for laptops, for example, not conventional desk solutions, has developed to avail technology to more user friendly and productive home and office environments.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, a nesting task table of the invention provides a flexible and dynamic task support with a nesting task table in combination with a furniture case good. When not required, the nesting task table nests with the case good and is camouflaged to appear as a conventional portion of the case good. Yet, the nesting task table is readily at hand and easily acquired for use.
Generally, a nesting task table of the invention has a base, a pedestal extending generally upward from the base, and a table top supported above the base by the pedestal. A cooperating furniture case good has a front and an opposite back, has a left side and an opposite right side, and has a top. The left and right sides extend generally upward from a supporting surface to the top. The top is supported above the supporting surface by the left and right sides. For the nesting task table, the case good further has a table nest, a base nest, and a pedestal nest. The table nest is defined between the top and the supporting surface, extends between the left and right sides, and is adapted to removably receive the table top in free sliding engagement. The base nest extends generally upward from the supporting surface toward the top, is defined between the left and right sides, and is adapted to removably receive the base in free sliding engagement. The pedestal nest extends from the base nest to the table nest and is adapted to removably receive the pedestal in free sliding engagement. Considered as a whole, the table nest, the base nest, and the pedestal nest define a task table nest that corresponds to the task table so that the task table nests with the case good and is camouflaged to appear as a conventional portion of the case good.
These and other features, objects, and benefits of the invention will be recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art and by those who practice the invention, from this disclosure, including the specification, the claims, and the drawing figures.
A preferred embodiment of a nesting task table 100 according to the invention is generally shown in the drawing figures and discussed below. Generally, the nesting task table 100 has a base 110, a pedestal 120, and a table top 130. As shown, the nesting task table 100 has a generally C-shaped configuration with the table top 130 and the base 110 being two legs extending in the same general direction from opposite ends of a bight portion that is provided by the pedestal 120.
A cooperating case good 200 may be of any desired configuration or design as is generally shown in the drawing figures and is generally distinguished from other case goods by having a table nest 230, a base nest 210, and a pedestal nest 220. Taken together, the table nest 230, base nest 210, and pedestal nest 220 define a task table nest that corresponds to the nesting task table 100. Thus, the nesting task table 100 most desirably nests in the task table nest of the furniture case good 200 and is camouflaged to appear as a conventional portion of the case good 200.
Because the overall configuration of the furniture case good 200 is not particularly material to the present invention, various case good configurations are shown in the drawing figures to demonstrate this aspect of the invention. Also, common reference numbers are used for the same parts of different configurations. Each of the case goods 200 and the nesting task table 100 may be fabricated of any suitable material, including woods, plastics, metals, and combinations thereof. Further, any method or process of fabrication may be used as is appropriate to the materials selected.
Referring again to the nesting task table 100, the base 110 defines a foundation of the nesting task table 100 and is preferably provided with furniture casters 112 or the like for ease of mobility. Skids and the like may be used in the alternative as desired. The pedestal 120 extends upward from one end of the base 110. Further, the pedestal 120 is readily visible when the nesting task table is nested with the case good 200. Therefore, the pedestal 120 is most preferably provided with an outer facing surface that matches the corresponding case good, so that the nested task table 100 is not conspicuous and appears as a panel of the case good. As shown in various figures of the drawing, the pedestal 120, and the nesting task table 100 as a whole, may appear as a panel of a pedestal desk (
The pedestal 120 supports the task table top 130, which may be cantilevered from the pedestal 120, completing a C-shaped configuration as discussed above. The table top 130 may be a fixed member as is generally shown in the drawing figures, or may be provided with a fold leaf 134 (
As earlier stated, each of the various case goods described herein and disclosed in the drawings will be identified as a case good 200. With respect to the variations among the case goods 200, the principal material distinctions relate to the provisions of the case good itself and its structure and configuration for receiving the corresponding nesting task table 100. In this regard, it should also be noted that in view of the relative similarities of the example embodiments of nesting task tables in accordance with the invention, each of the task tables is referred to by reference number as a nesting task table 100. However, it should be emphasized that various types of nesting task tables, differing with respect to size, structure and configuration, may be utilized without departing from the principal concepts of the invention.
Turning first to the cooperating case good 200 illustrated in
More particularly, the table nest 230 is positioned above the floor 254 so as to match the elevation of the nesting task table top 130 above the floor 254. Further, the table nest 230 is configured so as to correspond to and is dimensioned at least as large as the nesting task table top 130. Thus, the table nest 230 is adapted to removably receive the table top 130 in what is preferably a free sliding engagement.
With further reference to
The pedestal nest 220 may be somewhat different from the table nest 230 and the base nest 210, if only because of its generally vertical orientation. The pedestal nest 210 also connects between the table nest 230 and the base nest 210. Beyond that, the pedestal 120 may have an outer surface 258 which remains revealed when the nesting task table 100 is nested with the pedestal desk 248. Correspondingly, when nested, almost the entirety of the remainder of the nesting task table 100 is concealed by the corresponding pedestal desk 248. Accordingly, the pedestal nest 220 does not encase the pedestal 120 in the same manner that the table nest 230 may encase the table top 130, or the base nest 210 may encase the base 110 between the case good 248 and the floor 254. Instead, the pedestal nest 220 may be considered to “wrap around” or “cradle” the pedestal 120, so as to removably receive the pedestal 120 and present the outer surface 258. The nested configuration of the nesting task table 100 and the pedestal desk 248 is illustrated in
A further pedestal desk 292 adapted to be used with a nesting task table 100 in accordance with the invention is illustrated in
With further reference primarily to
The pedestal nest 220 has a generally vertical orientation, and connects between the table nest 230 and the base nest 210. The pedestal 120 of the nesting task table may have an outer surface 300 which remains revealed when the task table 100 is nested with the pedestal desk 292. Correspondingly, almost the entirety of the remainder of the nesting task table 100 is concealed by the corresponding pedestal desk 292 when the table 100 is nested with the desk 248. The pedestal nest 220 may be characterized as “wrapping around” or “cradling” the pedestal 120, so as to removably receive the pedestal 120 and present the outer surface 300.
A second version of a chest of drawers 302 adapted for use with a nesting task table 100 is illustrated in
Attention is now directed to
One having ordinary skill in the art and those who practice the invention will understand from this disclosure that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosed inventive concept. One will also understand that various relational terms, including left, right, front, back, top, and bottom, for example, may be used in this detailed description of the invention and in the claims only to convey relative positioning of various elements of the claimed invention without limitation to the invention.
Claims
1. A combination of a furniture case good with a nesting task table, comprising: a task table having a base, a pedestal extending generally upward from the base, and a table top, the pedestal extending from the base to the top, the top being supported above the base by the pedestal; and
- a cooperating furniture case good having a front and an opposite back, having a left side and an opposite right side, and having a top, the left and right sides extending generally upward from a supporting surface to the top, the top being supported above the supporting surface by the left and right sides, the case good further having a table nest defined between the top and the supporting surface and extending between the left and right sides, having a base nest extending generally upward from the supporting surface toward the top and defined between the left and right sides, and having a pedestal nest extending from the base nest to the table nest, the table nest being adapted to removably receive the table top in free sliding engagement, the base nest being adapted to removably receive the base in free sliding engagement, the pedestal nest being adapted to removably receive the pedestal in free sliding engagement, whereby the table nest, the base nest, and the pedestal nest define a task table nest that corresponds to the task table so that the task table nests with the case good and is camouflaged to appear as a conventional portion of the case good.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 26, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 23, 2008
Applicant: Sauder Woodworking Company (Archbold, OH)
Inventors: Douglas B. Gerig (Archbold, OH), Mark A. Strayer (Lamar, MO), Douglas P. Krieger (Archbold, OH)
Application Number: 12/055,792