PORTABLE FOLDING DESK
A portable folding desk includes a support member, which has an upper end, and a connector, which is attached to the support member and sized and shaped so as to be removably coupled to a rail mounted to a substantially vertical wall for supporting the desk therefrom. A cover panel extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the support member in a first direction, while a desk panel is movably attached to the support member. The desk panel is movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the support member in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction. The cover panel and the desk panel cooperate to form a substantially continuous horizontal work surface when the desk panel is in its second position.
The present invention relates to desks and, more particularly, to a portable folding desk.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCollapsible desks or tables have been developed in the past. Such desks or tables includes panels that are foldable or collapsible when not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA portable folding desk includes a support member, which has an upper end, and a connector, which is attached to the support member and sized and shaped so as to be removably coupled to a rail mounted to a substantially vertical wall for supporting the desk therefrom. A cover panel extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the support member in a first direction, while a desk panel is movably attached to the support member. The desk panel is movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it extends substantially horizontally from the upper end of the support member in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction. The cover panel and the desk panel cooperate to form a substantially continuous horizontal work surface when the desk panel is in its second position.
In accordance with the present invention, a desk system includes a rail attached to a substantially vertical wall. The desk system also includes a desk removably mounted to the rail. More particularly, the desk has a support member and a connector, which is removably coupled to the rail for supporting the support member in a substantially vertical orientation, and a desk panel, which is movably attached to the support member. The desk panel is movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it extends substantially horizontally from the support member so as to provide a substantially horizontal work surface.
In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for forming a substantially horizontal work surface by mounting a desk to a rail attached to a substantially vertical wall. The desk includes a support member, a connector, which is sized and shaped so as to be removably coupled to the rail, and a desk panel, which is movably attached to the support member. The desk panel is movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it is oriented substantially horizontally. The method includes the steps of removably connecting the connector of the desk to the rail such that the support member is oriented substantially vertically and positioning the desk panel in the second position so as to form the work surface.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
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The support panel 16, the cover panel 30, the foldable panel 46 and the support strip 80 can be fabricated from wood or other suitable material such as metal, plastic, or fiberglass. When wood is utilized in the fabrication of the desk 10, screws/glue (not shown) or other suitable fasteners may be employed in joining the cover panel 30 and the support strip 80 to the support panel 16. For example, the cover panel 30 and the support panel 16 can be joined to one another in any conventional joining way utilized in the furniture field (e.g., mitered, mortise-and-tenon, dadoed, or doweled joint).
In use, the desk 10 may be carried in its folded or retracted position to a desired destination. In order to mount the desk to the rail 12, the handle 36 is held and then lifted by a user so as to elevate the bracket 38 above the rail 12. Then, the desk 10 is lowered in order to mount or clip the bracket 38 onto the rail 12. More particularly, an upper portion 86 (see
Once the desk 10 is securely mounted to the rail 12, the foldable panel 46 is pivoted substantially 90° from its retracted position to its extended position. The latch 72 of each of the foldable brackets 60 is then positioned into the slot 68 of its corresponding leg 66, thereby locking the foldable panel 46 in its extended position. The continuous desk surface 62 (see
In order to position the foldable panel 46 to its retracted position from its extended position, the foldable panel 46 is pivoted slightly upwardly so as to release the latches 72 from the corresponding slots 68 of the foldable brackets 60. With the release buttons 78 depressed to prevent the latches 72 from engaging the slots 68, the foldable panel 46 is pivoted downwardly to its retracted position. The desk 10 in its retracted or folded position can remain on the rail 12 or be removed from same for storage at a different location.
Because the desk 10 in its folded position has a low profile (see
It should be noted that the present invention can have numerous modifications and variations. For instance, the support panel 16 can be replaced with different types of support member (e.g., a support member having a tubular or frame construction) Moreover, metal, plastic or another suitable material may be used in the fabrication of an integral (i.e., one-piece) structure corresponding to the support panel 16, the cover panel 30 and the support strip 80, thereby eliminating fasteners and/or joints and potentially reducing the overall weight of the desk 10. Similarly, the bracket 38 can be formed integrally with the support panel 16 and/or the cover panel 30. Further, the foldable brackets 60 can be any type of conventional foldable or retractable brackets.
It will be understood that the embodiment described herein is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A portable desk, comprising a support member having an upper end; a connector attached to said support member and sized and shaped so as to be removably coupled to a rail mounted to a wall for supporting said desk therefrom; a cover panel extending substantially horizontally from said upper end of said support member in a first direction; and a desk panel movably attached to said support member such that it is movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it extends substantially horizontally from said upper end of said support member in a second direction substantially opposite to said first direction, said cover panel and said desk panel cooperating to form a substantially continuous horizontal work surface when said desk panel is in its said second position.
2. The desk of claim 1, wherein said cover panel includes a substantially planar upper surface; and wherein said desk panel includes a substantially planar surface, said surface of said desk panel being in a substantially abutting relationship relative to said surface of said cover panel when said desk panel is in its said second position such that said surface of said desk panel and said surface of said cover panel form said continuous horizontal work surface.
3. The desk of claim 2, wherein said support member includes a support panel which does not extend beyond said cover panel.
4. The desk of claim 3, wherein said support panel has first and second substantially planar surfaces, said connector being attached to said first surface, said cover panel extending in said first direction above said connector such that said connector is hidden below said cover panel and behind said support panel.
5. The desk of claim 4, wherein said cover panel includes a substantially planar lower surface, said connector attached to said lower surface of said cover panel and being made from a substantially rigid material so as to fixedly attach said cover panel to said support panel.
6. The desk of claim 5, wherein said desk panel is pivotally attached to said support panel adjacent said upper end, said desk panel being oriented substantially parallel to said support panel when said desk panel is positioned in its said first position, said desk panel being oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to said support panel when said desk panel is positioned in its said second position.
7. The desk of claim 6, wherein said support panel has a lower end; and wherein said desk panel has a free end, said end of said desk panel being substantially coplanar with said lower end of said support panel when said desk panel is in its said first position.
8. The desk of claim 7, further comprising at least one bracket for supporting said desk panel in its said second position.
9. The desk of claim 8, wherein said at least one bracket includes a pair of foldable brackets, each of which includes a first leg, which is attached to said desk panel, and a second panel, which is attached to said support panel, and a latch for releasably maintaining said first leg substantially perpendicularly relative to said second leg for supporting so as to support said desk panel in its said second position.
10. The desk of claim 3, further comprising a support strip attached to said first surface of said support panel and projecting from said support panel in said first direction.
11. The desk of claim 10, wherein said support strip is engageable with the wall so as to maintain said support panel substantially vertical.
12. The desk of claim 3, wherein said connector extends from a first location adjacent one side of said support panel to a second location adjacent an opposite side of said support panel, said connector including a channel for removably receiving the rail.
13. The desk of claim 2, further comprising a handle attached to said cover panel.
14. A desk system, comprising a rail attached to a substantially vertical wall; and a desk removably mounted to said rail, said desk including a support member, a connector, which is removably coupled to said rail for supporting said support member in a substantially vertical orientation, and a desk panel, which is movably attached to said support member, said desk panel being movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it extends substantially horizontally from said support member so as to provide a substantially horizontal work surface.
15. The desk system of claim 14, wherein said desk includes a cover panel extending substantially horizontally from an upper end of said support member in a first direction, said desk panel extending substantially horizontally from said upper end of said support member in a second direction opposite to said first direction when said desk panel is positioned in its said second position.
16. The desk system of claim 15, wherein said cover panel includes a substantially planar upper surface; and wherein said desk panel includes a substantially planar surface, said surface of said desk panel being in a substantially abutting relationship relative to said surface of said cover panel when said desk panel is in its said second position such that said surface of said desk panel and said surface of said cover panel form said continuous horizontal work surface.
17. The desk of claim 16, wherein said support member includes a support panel which does not extend beyond said cover panel such that said surface of said desk panel can abut said surface of said cover panel when said desk panel is positioned in its said second position.
18. The desk system of claim 17, wherein said support panel includes first and second substantially planar surfaces, said connector being attached to said first surface, said cover panel extending in said first direction above said connector such that said connector is hidden below said cover panel and behind said support panel.
19. The desk of claim 18, wherein said support panel has a lower end; and wherein said desk panel has a free end, said end of said desk panel being substantially coplanar with said lower end of said support panel when said desk panel is in its said first position.
20. A method for forming a substantially horizontal work surface by mounting a desk to a rail attached to a substantially vertical wall, the desk including a support member, a connector, which is sized and shaped so as to be removably coupled to the rail, and a desk panel, which is movably attached to the support member, the desk panel being movable between a first position, in which it is oriented substantially vertically, and a second position, in which it is oriented substantially horizontally, said method comprising the steps of removably connecting the connector of the desk to the rail such that the support member is oriented substantially vertically; and positioning the desk panel in the second position so as to form the work surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 26, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 29, 2009
Inventors: Ronnie Z. Bochner (East Brunswick, NJ), Daniel P. Bugasch (Whitehouse, NJ)
Application Number: 11/828,683
International Classification: A47B 13/00 (20060101);