Abstract:
A desk ( 10, 10   a,    10   b ) having a top section ( 14 ) including a central hole ( 12 ) wherein a user of the desk may sit and a gap ( 26 ) where they may enter. The top section has multiple sub-sections ( 20   a - c ) that assemble so the top section is substantially round and forms a top side whereupon objects may be placed on the desk. A central section ( 16 ) includes multiple uprights ( 30, 54 ) each having one or more wheels ( 46, 58 ) upon which the top section rotatably rests when the desk is assembled.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND PERMISSION 
     This document contains some material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction with proper attribution of authorship and ownership and without alteration by anyone of this material as it appears in the files or records of the Patent and Trademark Office, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to horizontally supported planar surfaces, and more particularly to desks that can rotates about a vertical axis. 
     Background Art 
     A desk, sometimes also termed a “bureau” is a piece of furniture with a substantially flat work surface. Desks are widely used in a schools, home, and the like for academic or domestic activities, such as reading and writing. Of particular present interest is the use of desks in business environments, such as reception areas and offices. Such desks are used for professional or domestic activities, again such as reading and writing, and especially for supporting equipment such as telephone, intercom units, and computers. The top side of a desk may also be used as a place to store frequently referenced documents or to keep a supply of frequently need forms. 
     From the preceding it can be gathered that the top of a desk has many potentially competing uses. On a conventional desk these uses may especially compete because of the inherent limitation of how much of the desk top a user may easily reach. Conventional desks are rectangular or L-shaped, and this limits the reachable desktop area. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary sit-inside desk. 
     Briefly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is a desk. A top section has a central hole wherein a user of the desk may sit and a gap where they may enter into the central hole. The top section includes multiple sub-sections that assemble such that the top section is substantially round with a flat top side whereupon objects may be placed on the desk. A central section ( 16 ) includes a plurality of uprights each having one or more wheels upon which the top section rotatably rests when the desk is assembled. 
     Briefly, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is an improved desk of the type having a top section that includes one or more sub-sections, a central section that includes multiple uprights that support the sub-sections by having the top section rest upon the central section, and a base section that includes multiple baseplates that support the uprights of the central section. The improvement comprises the top section having a central hole wherein a user of the desk may sit and a gap where they may enter into the central hole, and where the sub-sections provide the top section with a shape substantially round horizontally and with a flat top side whereupon objects may be placed on the desk. The improvement further comprises the uprights in the central section each having one or more wheels upon which the top section rotatably rests when the desk is assembled. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and the industrial applicability of the preferred embodiment as described herein and as illustrated in the figures of the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The purposes and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended figures of drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a desk in accord with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2 a - b    are top and bottom views of the top section of the desk in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the central section and the base section of the desk, that is of the desk with the top section removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of an upright, taken when the desk is disassembled; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an upright and a baseplate assembled together; 
         FIGS. 6 a - b    are, respectively, a top perspective view and a partial bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of a desk that is also in accord with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7 a - b    are a partial cross-sectional views showing an example of grooves in a desk; and 
         FIG. 8  is a partially exploded view of a sub-section of a desk. 
     
    
    
     In the various figures of the drawings, like references are used to denote like or similar elements or steps. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a folding rotary sit-inside desk. As illustrated in the various drawings herein, preferred embodiments of the invention are depicted by the general reference character  10 . 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a desk  10   a  in accord with the present invention (generically, a desk  10  for all embodiments discussed herein). Common to all embodiments of the desk  10  is a circular shape with a central hole  12  in the middle (an annulus) where a user sits. The embodiment of the desk  10   a  in  FIG. 1  can be viewed as having three major sections, a top section  14 , a central section  16 , and a base section  18 . 
       FIGS. 2 a - b    are top and bottom views of the top section  14  of the desk  10   a  in  FIG. 1 . The top section  14  here has three flat sub-sections  20   a - c  that are held together when the desk  10   a  is assembled, using easily connectable cleats  22  ( FIG. 2 b   ). 
     A flange  24  is provided at the outer periphery of the top section  14  and the three sub-sections  20   a - c . The flange  24  optionally extends above and, here, necessarily extends below the sub-sections  20   a - c  (see e.g.,  FIG. 1 ). The flange  24  is preferably, but not necessarily, one piece that is separable from the sub-sections  20   a - c  and which can rolled up when the desk  10   a  is disassembled (see also  FIG. 8 ). This runs somewhat counter to a goal of making a desk  10  that has a minimum number of generally flat pieces when disassembled, but is offset against a goal of stiffening an overall assembled desk  10 . 
     A gap  26  is provided in the top section  14 , for entry and egress of a user to the central hole  12 . If desired, an optional flip-up or other type of door can be supplied to fill this gap  26 . Such doors are common in the art of desks and counters and therefore not shown here. 
     Adjacent to the gap  26 , optional endpieces  28  can be provided on the top side of the top section  14 , as shown. These can generally resemble handles, and may be used to rotate the top section  14  (as described presently). 
     Collectively the above-ward extending flange  24  and the endpieces  28  can act as walls to keep things from falling off of the desk  10   a.    
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the central section  16  and the base section  18  of the desk  10   a , that is of the desk  10   a  with the top section  14  removed. Here it can be seen that the central section  16  includes six uprights  30 , and that the base section  18  includes six baseplates  32 . Similar to how the cleats  22  secure the top section  14  together when the desk  10   a  is assembled, easily connectable clamps  34  are used to secure the baseplates  32  together when the base section  18  of the desk  10   a  is assembled. To minimize tripping, the baseplates  32  can be ⅛″ beveled steel plates, painted black. Between each pair of uprights  30  is a user entrance point  36  (where the gap  26  in the top section  14  can be rotated to coincide with the respective entrance point  36 ). 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of an upright  30  (only), taken when the desk  10   a  is disassembled. As can be seen, the upright  30  includes two outer poles  38 , one inner pole  40 , two horizontal braces  42   a - b , and a cross brace  44 . The poles  38 ,  40  each have wheels  46 , and the two outer poles  38  each have hinges  48 . Many parts of the upright  30  can be welded steel, and yet still permit the upright  30  to be folded flat. For instance, the cross brace  44  can be permanently welded, and the end opposite the swivel tube or sleeve portion of the horizontal brace  42   b  can be permanently welded to the inner pole  40 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an upright  30  and a baseplate  32  assembled together. This figure schematically shows how the uprights  30  hingeably attach to the baseplates  32 . Together with  FIG. 3  it can now be appreciated how six of the assemblies in  FIG. 5  can be connected together to form the central section  16  and the base section  18  of the desk  10   a . With reference again to  FIG. 1 , it can now also be appreciated how the assembled top section  14  can be placed atop the wheels  46  of the uprights  30  in the assembled central section  16 , which in turn are connected to and resting on the baseplates  32  in the assembled base section  18 . Once assembled in this manner a user may easily rotate the desk  10 ,  10   a  around quickly, giving them access to papers, tools, open books, etc. 
     In  FIGS. 4-5  particular attention should be paid to the two horizontal braces  42   a - b  and how they attach to the poles  38 ,  40 . One end of the horizontal brace  42   a  (the right end in  FIG. 5 ) is rotatably attached to one of the outer poles  38  at a sleeve  41 . The other end of this horizontal brace  42   a  (the left end in  FIG. 5 ) is temporarily attachable to (assembled to) the inner pole  40  at a connection point  43 . Similarly, one end of the horizontal brace  42   b  (also the right end in  FIG. 5 ) is rotatably attached to the other of the outer poles  38  at another sleeve  41 . In contrast, however, the other end of the horizontal brace  42   b  (also the left end in  FIG. 5 ) is permanently attached to the inner pole  40  (see e.g.,  FIG. 4 ). 
     Generalizing, embodiments of the desk  10 , such as desk  10   a , may be set up and taken down in a few minutes by a single person. Thus it is suitable for travelling office work, e.g., for armies and motion picture location shooting. This sit-inside rotary desk approach provides an effective width for the desk  10  that is far wider than a conventional rectangular desk, extending the virtual size of the desk  10  to many feet (depending on the diameter of the particular model). Different models of the desk  10  can have different diameters. For example, a 4′ hole in the middle gives an effective width for the desk  10  of 12.5 feet (4×pi), a 6′ hole in the middle gives an effective width of nearly 19 feet (6×pi), etc. However, smaller models are also possible, and can be made small enough to fit into some office cubicles. Of course, to facilitate constructing such embodiments of the desk  10  with different diameters, or other goals, different quantities of sub-sections, uprights, and baseplates may be used. 
     The desk  10  has a number of advantages. It may be erected in minutes, or folded flat in minutes for storage or shipment. The user may sit in a fixed position. The user may even sit in a recliner, (although some rotation of the user&#39;s chair may be required to exit the desk  10 ). The user may exit in different directions, depending on where they turn the gap  26  in the desk  10 . A computer may be provided in a fixed position outside of the desk  10 , with its keyboard potentially remaining on the desk  10 . The desk  10  may then be moved to any position without affecting the fixed computer, provided that a cordless mouse and keyboard are used, which can be moved to any part of desk  10 . 
     The desk  10  has a few slight disadvantages. In some embodiments, an upright  30  may be exposed depending on the rotation of the desk  10 , which might be considered unsightly (for instance, picture  FIG. 1  with the top section  14  rotated 30 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise from what is shown there). There is also a fixed number of possible entrance/exit angles, and a user must step between fixed uprights  30  to get in or out (as shown by the entrance points  36  in  FIG. 3 ). 
       FIGS. 6 a - b    are, respectively, a top perspective view and a partial bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of a desk  10   b  that is also in accord with the present invention. The desk  10   b  is also circular with a central hole  12  in the middle where a user sits, and also has a gap  26  through which a user enters and exits the desk  10   b.    
     The desk  10   b  has a top section  14 , which may be and here is the same as the top section  14  of the desk  10   a . However, the desk  10   b  shown here, unlike the desk  10   a , has a different support section  52  and essentially no base section. 
       FIG. 6 b    particularly shows details of the support section  52 . It includes six pedestals  54 , which each have three legs  56  ending with an upper wheel  58 , as shown. Functionally, the pedestals  54  operate similarly to the uprights  30  of the desk  10   a , that is, the top section  14  rotatably sits on the upper wheels  58 . 
     As noted,  FIGS. 6 a - b    show no base section. This is to emphasize that other options exist. For instance, the pedestals  54  may be heavily weighted, say, at the bases, to make them hard to move and thus keep them in place. Alternately, the pedestals  54  may be attached to a floor on which they rest. Yet alternately, a base section like the base section  18  ( FIG. 1 ) may be used. The latter is the inventor&#39;s preferred approach, but  FIGS. 6 a - b    show that other approaches are encompassed within the spirit of the present invention. 
     Continuing with features that are the inventor&#39;s preferences, which are not limitations, the flange  24  is the preferred method of retaining the top section  14  above the uprights  30  or the pedestals  54 , but other approaches are possible.  FIGS. 7 a - b    are a partial cross-sectional views showing examples. Here the sub-sections  20   a - c  may each have one or more grooves  60  provided on their under side, for the wheels  46  or the upper wheels  58  to ride in. The flange  24  is then optional. This approach has the disadvantage, however, in that the top section  14  needs to be thick enough that the groove  60  or grooves  60  are deep enough that the wheels  46  or the upper wheels  58  engage securely to retain the sub-sections  20   a - c  above the uprights  30  or the pedestals  54 . Making the sub-sections  20   a - c  this thick tends to increase the weight and cost of the desk  10 . 
       FIG. 8  is a partially exploded view of sub-section  20   a  of the desk  10 ,  10   a ,  10   b . This particularly shows the inventor&#39;s preferred approach to attaching the flange  24  to the top section  14 . Multiple hooks  70  (or pegs, etc.) are provided on the flange  24  to engage with corresponding support holes  72  in the sub-section  20   a  (and similarly with the other sub-sections  20   b - c ). At the end of the sub-section  20   a , proximate to the gap  26  a hook hole  74  is provided to receive a catcher hook  76  at the end of the flange  24  (and similarly in the end of the sub-section  20   c  proximate to the gap  26 ). 
     Just as with many prior art desktops, the desks  10  here can also have color and texture options and be built with plastic snap-on covers to enclose photographs, frequently-used information, or for such overall across the entire desktop. One or more optional transparent parts can be provided in the sub-sections  20   a - c  to show computer monitor(s) that are placed below the top section  14 , instead of or in addition to monitor(s) above the desk  10 . 
     If desired, possibly on large embodiments of the desk  10 , motors can be provided on the uprights or pedestals. Also possible, say, on larger embodiments of the desk  10 , a removable center plug section can be provided in the central hole  12 . This can be used for a computer monitor that is installed inside the desk  10 . 
     The height of the uprights may also be variable, say, with snapable height choices. The height of the pedestals may also be similarly variable, albeit probably with a more complex mechanism needed due to the tripod-like shape of the pedestals. 
     While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and that the breadth and scope of the invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should instead be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.