Metal desk panel and assembly

A lightweight and rigid panel construction for a desk top having a unitary rectangular thin sheet metal top with integral channels along its longitudinal edges. Sheet metal reinforcing channels disposed along the longitudinal edges and the underside of the sheet metal wherein the channels are engaged by protrusions or plugs of a rigid end cap to provide structural support. A U-shaped tubular leg structure engages in the ends of the channels and is retained by the end cap for an end support.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the construction of inexpensive furniture, 
and specifically to a desk top. More particularly, the present invention 
relates to a lightweight, sturdy furniture panel made from thin sheet 
metal as well to combinations for using such panels in desk assemblies. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It has long been desirable to produce inexpensive, lightweight metal 
furniture for domestic and commercial use. Until recently, heavy gauge 
metal was required for office furniture such as desks and file cabinets to 
provide adequate support for office appliances such as typewriters and 
computers. Because many of the component parts of such furniture were 
secured by rivets, screws or bolts, or by welding which produced burn 
marks on the metal, additional manufacturing steps for decoration were 
required after the furniture was assembled. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to produce a lightweight but sturdy 
furniture panel using very thin sheet metal. It is a more specific object 
of the invention to provide an inexpensive desk top. It is another object 
of this invention to create a lightweight furniture panel that can be 
assembled from pre-decorated sheet metal and avoid post-assembly 
finishing, which substantially reduces manufacturing time and cost. 
It is yet another object of this invention to produce a lightweight and 
sturdy furniture panel that can incorporate existing furniture as support 
means or may itself act as a support means to provide an inexpensive but 
sturdy desk assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a lightweight and rigid furniture panel 
utilizing very thin sheet metal that reduces manufacturing time and cost. 
A panel structure is provided using a thin decorated sheet metal panel 
formed with integral support channels along its longitudinal edges to 
provide a planar sturdy surface. The sheet metal may be less than .02 
inches thick. Channels of similar metal are laminated to the underside and 
rigid supports engage each end to provide a furniture panel structure of 
sufficient rigidity to support normally expect loads, including any of the 
commonly used business and home apparatus normally situated on a desk top 
without sagging 
In a presently preferred desk top panel structure the top surface portion 
and two opposed finished side edge portions are formed from a single piece 
of thin sheet metal wherein the opposed side edge portions are formed by 
folding the sheet metal into a "C" channel along its longitudinal edges. A 
double channel edge reinforcement rib member also formed of the thin sheet 
metal extends the full length along the underside of each longitudinal 
edge. A portion of each reinforcement member nests within the respective 
"c"-channel formed by the folded finished side edge portions of the top 
surface portion and is laminated thereto. The other portion of each double 
channel reinforcement has an outwardly extending flange laminated to the 
underside of the top. Spaced hat shaped reinforcing ribs formed of the 
thin sheet metal also extend longitudinally the full length of the 
underside of the top to provide additional support. These hat shaped 
reinforcing ribs include outwardly extending flanges which are laminated 
by adhesive to the underside of the table top. A rigid end cap at each end 
of the panel has several spaced protrusions or plugs received in the 
non-folded or open ends of the furniture panel and engaging the 
corresponding channels formed by the hat shaped supports and the double 
channel edge supports. The end cap piece snuggly fits into the respective 
open end of the table top to provide lateral support and maintain the 
spacing of the sheet metal edges. Planeness of the top surface thereby is 
maintained. 
The ends of the furniture panel may rest on two like or unlike support 
means such as file cabinets, legs, or the like to support each end of the 
panel leaving knee space beneath the middle of the panel for a person to 
be seated. 
In one embodiment tubular legs for supporting one end of the panel are 
inserted into channels formed by the double channel edge supports along 
each longitudinal side edge. The legs are held in this position by the end 
piece which has a pair of wedge shaped protrusions such that when the end 
piece is inserted into the open end of the furniture panel each wedge 
shaped protrusion abuts against the respective inserted leg to firmly 
maintain the seated leg in the channel. 
As another alternative, tubular legs could be so inserted at both ends of 
the desk to provide a very aesthetically pleasing and appropriately sturdy 
desk or table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, the desk 5 includes top structural panel 6 
generally comprising a unitary sheet metal panel 10, longitudinal edge 
support channels 40, longitudinal rib supports 60 and end support caps 80. 
A cabinet C provides a pedestal support for the panel 6 at one end and leg 
supports 100 engage and support the panel at the opposite distal end. 
The sheet metal used to form top panel 10 is generally less than 0.02 
inches thick. For example, in a commercial embodiment, 0.0195 inch thick 
sheet metal is used and is cut and formed from finish-coated stock. The 
thin sheet metal panel 10 includes a planar top portion 11 having a top 
support surface 12 and corresponding underside 13. The panel 10 is 
generally rectangular in shape having depending flanges in the form of 37 
c"-channels 14 and 16 along the two longitudinal edges of the top portion 
11. A fold 17 defines the junction between the top portion 11 and the 
respective channel 14, 16. The "c"-channels 14 and 16 each have a 
downwardly extending vertical flange 18 and an interiorly extending 
horizontal flange 20 having a terminal edge 21. 
A pair of double channel longitudinal sheet metal edge support ribs 40 
extend along the underside 13 of the entire length of the top 10 and nest 
into the "c"-channels 14 and 16 as shown to provide both lateral edge 
reinforcement and longitudinal beam reinforcement for the panel 6. Each 
double channel support 40 has a first channel formed with a horizontally 
extending flange 46 and a vertically extending flange 44 that nests within 
the respective c-channel 14, 16. Flange 46 overlies the respective flange 
20 and is laminated thereto by a suitable adhesive substantially 
throughout the area of each flange 20, while flange 44 is coextensive with 
and adjacent to flange 18 and similarly laminated thereto throughout their 
adjacent areas. Upwardly extending web 48, horizontally extending web 50 
and downwardly extending web 52 connect the first channel to a second 
channel. 
Horizontally and inwardly extending web 54, upwardly extending web 56 and 
horizontally and outwardly extending flange 58 form a second channel of 
double channel edge support 40. Flange 58 is laminated to the underside 13 
of the top 11, substantially throughout the area of flange 58, by 
adhesive. A portion of lower web 54 forming the second channel of double 
channel support 40 is cut back from the edge 22 to provide a bottom 
opening to allow the insertion of tubular leg support 100 as described 
below. 
An identical double channel support 40 is arranged along the opposite 
longitudinal edge and is attached in the same manner. Thus, a box beam is 
provided along each edge, plus reinforcement of the side edges for 
ruggedness to resist deformation. 
A pair of longitudinal hat shaped sheet metal rib supports 60 also are 
disposed along the underside 13 of the top portion 11 and extend the full 
length of the top. The pair of hat shaped rib supports 60 are equally 
spaced relative to the pair of double channel longitudinal edge supports 
40. Each hat shaped rib support 60 has a pair of outwardly extending 
flanges 62 parallel with the underside 13 of the table top 10 and 
adhesively laminated thereto in the manner noted above. The ribs 60 also 
provide support in the longitudinal direction of the table top 10 to 
prevent sagging. The outward disposition of the flanges 62 renders them 
accessible to facilitate applying pressure in the laminating process. 
The edge supports 40 and ribs 60 preferably are formed of the same thin 
sheet metal stock as the top panel 10, including the pre-applied finish 
coating(s). Adhesive lamination securement is preferred so as not to 
damage the pre-finished surfaces of the sheet metal. 
A pair of end caps 80 span the ends and eliminate sagging across the width 
of the top 11. Each end cap 80 is a rigid component being formed of a 
molded structural plastic or the like, having a series of stub protrusions 
or "plugs" 82 which extend into the open ends of the sheet metal top 
structure 10 and engage in the ends of the longitudinal rib supports 40 
and 60 to provide transverse rigidifying support for the top portion 11. 
In this embodiment the outer plugs 82 engage in the outer sections of the 
double channel edge supports 40, in abutting relation to the outer flanges 
44 to maintain their predetermined spacing when the top panel portion 11 
bears a load. The inner plugs 82 engage in the hat shaped rib supports 60 
respectively. However, in alternative designs similar protrusions could 
straddle some or all of these components 40, 60 respectively and engage 
their outer walls for similar support purposes. 
The protrusions 82 are large enough in proportion to the openings in the 
channels to snugly fit within the open ends of the channels. Thus, the 
caps 80 provide a spacing or tensioning effect of the sheet metal top 
portion 11 across its width, that is from front to back. This tensioning 
effect as well as the vertical support of the intermediate rib channels 60 
increases the rigidity of the sheet metal top portion 11 in the vertical 
direction thus preventing sagging under normal desk top loadings. 
In addition to the protrusions 82, the end piece 80 includes a pair of 
narrow wedge shaped extensions 84. When the end piece 80 is inserted into 
the open end of panel top 10, the wedge shaped protrusions 84 extend into 
the inner second channel of each double channel support 40. It is this 
second channel that receives the leg supports 100 for supporting the 
table. Thus the wedge shaped extensions 84 abut inserted respective legs 
100, as well as the underside 13, and fixedly seat the leg supports in the 
second channels. 
The leg support 100 is comprised of two L-shaped portions 102 and 104 and a 
telescoping joinable U-shaped bight portion 106. The L-shaped portions 102 
and 104 each have a vertically extending section 108 and a horizontally 
extending section 110 formed by bending a straight piece of tube stock. 
The U-shaped bight portion 106 is made from a single piece of tube stock 
and telescopes into the distal ends of the vertically extending sections 
108 of the L-shaped portions 102 and 104. The horizontally extending 
section 110 of each L-shaped portion 102 and 104 is inserted into the 
second channel of the double channel edge support 40, as seen in FIGS. 1, 
6, and 7. The horizontally extending section 110 thus rests against 
outwardly extending flange 58 which is affixed to the underside 13 of the 
top 11 providing support for the panel. Section 110 contacts the panel top 
10 for providing vertical support where there is a double layer of sheet 
metal thus avoiding any bowing of the surface 12. Additionally the 
horizontally extending sections 110 provide added strength in the 
longitudinal direction of the top. As noted above, the lower flanges 54 
are relieved at their ends, as at 112 in FIG. 6, to accommodate the 
intervening bend portions of the leg portions 102, 104. The manner of 
securement of the upper ends of the U-shaped leg assembly, and its shape, 
assure a firm leg assembly and stable leg function, in a very simple 
structure which can be marketed unassembled yet be easily and reliably 
assembled by a purchaser. 
As indicated above, after the legs are inserted, the end pieces 80 having 
protrusions 82 and wedge shaped extensions 84 are inserted into the open 
ends of the respective channels. The wedge shaped extensions 84 firmly 
seat the horizontally extending sections 110 of legs 100 in the double 
channel edge support 40. 
Securement means are provided to retain the end caps, and therefore the 
legs, in assembled positions, such as screws 120 through the flanges 46 
and rib channels 60 into the protrusions 82. 
In the preferred embodiment a leg support 100 provides support for one end 
of the top 10, while the other end is supported by a filing cabinet 
pedestal C. The desk top 6 is held in contact with the filing cabinet by 
double sided foam tape 86 (FIG. 6) on the underside the desk top 6, on 
channels 60, for adhesive interfacing with the top surface of the filing 
cabinet. 
In an alternative embodiment the leg supports 100 need not be utilized as 
the table top 6, with end pieces 80 in place, may rest upon independent 
support means such as a pair of spaced file cabinets as shown in FIG. 2. 
Additionally a conventional desk drawer 110 may be included. As shown in 
FIG. 6, a pair of c-channel slide supports 118 are attached to the 
underside 11 of the table top 10 perpendicular to the hat shaped rib 
supports 60. A drawer 110, preferably plastic or other lightweight 
material having outwardly extending flanges 114 along a pair of opposed 
edges is inserted between the c-channels 118. The outwardly extending 
flanges 114 slidably fit within the spaced c-channels 118 which provides a 
guidance track and support for the drawer 110. 
In another alternate embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, furniture panel 126 
of similar construction to panel 6 may be utilized as an end support 
structure, with its reinforcing ribs disposed vertically, to support a 
horizontal top panel 6. An end cap 180 having a first group of protrusions 
82 extending horizontally to engage panel 6 as described above and a 
second group of similar protrusions (not shown) extending downward at 90) 
thereto, at the lower side of member 180, correspondingly engage panel 126 
apart can be utilized to join top panel and the vertically extending 
support panel. 
From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a 
lightweight and rigid construction for a furniture panel. While a 
preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of a desk top has been 
shown, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto 
since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly 
in light of the foregoing teachings.