Abstract:
A school desk is provided. The school desk has a frame and a desktop engaging the frame. The seat member engages the frame also to space the seat away from the desktop. Between the frame and the desktop, on the underside of the desktop, there are a plurality of brackets to allow for the adjustment of the desktop. That is to say, the desktop, when the adjusters are loosened, can be moved closer to the seated pupil or further away from the seated pupil, and the adjusters locked down to hold the desktop in a preselected position with respect to the seated pupil.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from and the benefit of Provisional Patent application 61/313,475 filed Mar. 12, 2010, which application is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Desks, namely, school desks, with adjustable desktops. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    School desks need to accommodate various size pupils. Sometimes this involves students of different heights, in which case, vertical adjustment of the desk top with respect to the seat may be provided. 
         [0004]    However, it has not been typical for school desks to have adjustability with respect to a horizontal or generally horizontal desktop and an attached seat. 
         [0005]    Seat to desktop fore and aft positioning is typically a function of the girth of an individual, not simply their height. However, the girth of an individual may be accommodated in separate seat and desk sets by simply moving the chair back or forth with respect to the desk. However, with integral seat and desktops, the seat is usually at a fixed horizontal spaced-apart distance from the desktop. 
         [0006]    Such a fixed distance will generally accommodate most students. However, for those students of exceptional girth, then there may be a need for moving the desktop writing surface spaced away from the seat. Moreover, an unusually tall student may require more room between the seat and the horizontal desktop writing surface to maintain a comfortable position as compared to a shorter student. 
         [0007]    Heretofore this has not been provided in integral seat and desk combinations. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide for an integral desk and seat unit wherein the generally horizontal desktop may be adjustably set in a horizontal spaced apart position with respect to a fixed seat. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an integral desk/seat unit, that is, a desk wherein the seat and desktop writing surface are part of the same physical unit that is the same unitary structure. This is as opposed to a chair and seat separate and distinct and not connected one to the other. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the left side of the desk. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective partial view of the seat base assembly with the seat removed. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  are various views of the channel bracket of the adjustable attachment assembly;  FIG. 4  being a top elevational view;  FIG. 5  a cross-sectional view of the channel bracket;  FIG. 6  an isometric view. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  illustrate an alternate preferred embodiment of a desktop  14  for use with Applicant&#39;s desk. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a view of a channel bracket designed to engage round stock tubing, wherein the representations set forth in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  illustrate a channel bracket designed to engage rectangular or square (rectangular) stock tubing. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an elevational view of the underside of Applicant&#39;s desktop illustrating the desktop support sub-frame and its engagement with the underside of the desktop and the use of an adjustable attachment assembly in conjunction with the desktop support sub-frame and the underside of the desktop. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate desk  10 , it being understood that desk  10  is a desk that provides an integral frame  12  for supporting and physically locating a desktop  14  laterally and vertically with respect to a seat member  16 . Moreover, the seat member  16  typically comprises a seat back  16   a  generally tabular and set at a steep angle with respect to a horizontal generally tabular seat bottom  16   b.  A seat back is typically provided for supporting the back of a seated subject and a seat bottom for supporting the vertical weight of the seated subject. Moreover, as is readily apparent in the drawings, not only is desk  10  an integral frame desktop and seat member unit, but the seat is open to and facing forward toward the writing surface, such that a seated subject will be writing on desktop  14  seated on the same frame that holds the subject and the desktop. 
         [0017]    Frame  12  is seen to include a multiplicity of elongated members, typically square or round stock plated steel as is known in the art, which frame functions to support a desktop  14  and a seat member  16  in the manner set forth herein. Preferably, 1-inch square plated mild steel is used for most frame members. Moreover, it is seen that frame  12  provides vertical spacing of seat member  16  and desktop  12  above a horizontal support surface, such as a classroom floor, and further provides longitudinal spacing of the desktop in front of seat member  16 . It is seen that seat member  16  may include a hook  19  engageable with the back surface of the back support member, generally near the top thereof. Seat back  16   a  may be supported by seat back sub-frame  23 . A hook  19  may be provided on the back of seat  16 , for hanging a backpack (not shown). 
         [0018]    Turning now to the frame  12 , it is seen to comprise a number of generally vertically or horizontally disposed members, including front vertical legs  18 / 20 . From the position of a subject seated in the seat, front vertical leg  18  is seen to be on the right front side and front vertical leg  20  on the left front side. Likewise, a pair of rear vertical legs are provided, which rear vertical legs help space apart the seat member  16  from the floor and may include a right vertical leg  22  and left vertical leg  24 . A basket  25  for books and the like may engage the underside of seat  16  or the frame  12  as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . 
         [0019]    The four vertical legs may be angled, but are generally predominantly in the vertical plane (with respect to the floor) as seen in the Figures. Moreover, front vertical legs and/or rear vertical legs may be provided with cross braces. Here, front vertical legs  18 / 20  are seen to provide vertical support to and spacing from the desktop  14  above a floor surface and to have a cross brace  26  therebetween to provide some lateral stability. 
         [0020]    Support of seat member  16  may be provided by a seat base assembly  28  illustrated here in  FIG. 3 . Seat base assembly  28  is seen to provide a portion of the frame on which seat member  16  is attached to provide a strong stable location. It is here seen to be comprised of a number of members. Seat base assembly  28  may include a first longitudinal seat base member  30  and a second longitudinal seat base member  34 , which are spaced apart and run along a longitudinal (fore and aft) axis of the desk. They may be attached by or engaged with a cross brace  32  to provide rigid lateral spacing and additional support to the weight of the seat and seated occupant. 
         [0021]    Additional elements of the frame may include a rear vertical desktop support/right side  36  and longitudinal right side desktop support member  38 , the two seen to locate vertically and laterally the desktop  14  with respect to the seat member  16 . A second longitudinal front-to-rear side member may be provided to provide further support as seen with respect to element  40  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , for example. 
         [0022]    Turning now to further elements of frame  12 , it is seen that a desktop support sub-frame  42  may be provided for substantially engaging an underside  14   a  of desktop  14 . 
         [0023]    Desktop  14  may be rectangular or any other shape as known in the art. Here, a generally rectangular desktop  14  is provided having an underside  14   a,  a top side  14   b,  a front edge  14   c,  a rear edge  14   d,  and opposite right and left side edges  14   e/   14   f.    
         [0024]    Desktop support sub-frame  42  typically includes a pair of longitudinal members best seen with reference to  FIG. 9 . Longitudinal members include right side longitudinal member  44  and left side longitudinal member  48 . Here, a sub-frame cross brace  46  engages the two longitudinal members  44 / 48  as illustrated. Moreover, it is seen that while a part of the frame (typically desktop support sub-frame  42 ) may contact the underside of the desk, here, for example, it is seen that longitudinal right side desktop support member  38  may lay flush with the underside  14   a,  it is seen that the elements of the frame that engage desktop support sub-frame  42  typically do not fixedly locate the desktop with respect to the frame. In Applicant&#39;s device, usually the only elements that fixedly and rigidly locate in a selective manner the desktop with respect to the frame are an adjustable attachment assembly  50  as seen in the Figures and as set forth herein. 
         [0025]    Adjustable attachment assembly  50  as best seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  9  is seen to, in a preferred embodiment, include a pair of brackets  52 / 54 , here channel brackets designed to snugly engage the channel stock which may comprise the desktop support sub-frame  42 . Moreover, brackets  52 / 54  are seen to include a pair of legs  52   a/   52   b,  having a multiplicity of fastener mounting holes  52   c  therein. Mounting fastener holes  52   c  are designed to receive fasteners and to rigidly locate brackets  52 / 54  to the underside  14   a  of desktop  14 . The brackets also typically have side walls  52   d/   52   e  and the top wall  52   f  and threaded inserts  52   g/   52   h,  which are typically molded into the bracket, which may be molded or machined polypropylene or other suitable material. The brackets are positioned as illustrated so that desktop  14  with brackets attached thereto may slide horizontally forward and backward with respect to longitudinal sub-frame members  44 / 48  as illustrated when the set screws  56 / 58  are loose. For example, as seen in the illustrations, bracket  52  is engaged to sub-frame longitudinal member  44  and bracket  54  is engaged to longitudinal sub-frame member  48 , so that with the brackets attached to the underside and with no other frame to desktop fastening or affixation devices present, the desktop may be positioned generally horizontal with respect to the frame and, more specifically, with respect to desktop support sub-frame  42  as illustrated. 
         [0026]    It is readily apparent by viewing the Figures that the end view profile of bracket  52 / 54  is defined by side walls  52   d/   52   e  and top wall  52   f.  Brackets  52 / 54  will snugly and slidably engage the square section stock of the longitudinal sub-frame members  44 / 48  when the brackets are affixed to the underside of the desktop as illustrated. With respect to  FIG. 8 , the profile of the walls of the brackets are designed to receive round stock tubing. 
         [0027]    A thumb screw or knob with threaded stud may be used as illustrated. Such knob set screws  56  are dimensioned to be easily rotated with the hand and may include threaded shaft or studs  56   a.  Handle  56   b  may take on a number of shapes, but would be a shape large enough and dimensioned sufficiently to be rotated by hand. Knob  56  may preferably project outwards from bracket  52 / 54  on a diagonal as seen in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0028]    It is seen with respect to  FIG. 9  that knob set screw with threaded stud  56  may be set on a diagonal with respect to a side wall  52   d  or  52   e,  and the top wall  52   f.  Mounting the threaded insert  52   g  for receiving the knob set screw with threaded studs  56  on the diagonal as illustrated will provide a sufficient force between the desktop and the channel bracket  52 / 54 , such that the channel with the desktop attached “wedges” the sub-frame longitudinal member  44  or  48  tightly against both the opposite side wall and the desktop underside  14   a  to better stabilize the desktop with respect to support sub-frame  42 . 
         [0029]    A hex end (or other tool engaging) set screw  58  may be provided with a hex head and thread to match threaded insert  52   h.  A T-handled hex wrench (not shown) may be used by the teacher or other school personnel to set the screw tightly against longitudinal sub-frame member  44  or  48  as an override to the manual adjustment, which is provided with knob  56 . That is to say, knob  56  requires only simple manipulation by the hand, which can be done by the student. However, if the teacher wants to make it more difficult to adjust the desktop, he/she may use the hex end set screw  58  or any other tool manipulated set screw  58  in conjunction with threaded insert  52   h,  so that even if a student was to manually manipulate knob  56 , he/she could not reset the horizontal adjustment of the desktop  14  with respect to frame  12  unless he/she had a tool that could engage set screw  58 . 
         [0030]    Set screws  56 / 58  or any of them may be diagonally set (See  56  in  FIGS. 5 and 8 ), or set to vertically (not shown) or set horizontally (see  58  in  FIGS. 5 and 8 ) or any combination thereof. At least one set screw will be used with at least one of the two channels that engage the sub-frame and the underside of the desktop As seen in  FIG. 9 , a multiplicity of stop pins  60  may be provided to engage underside  14   a  of the desktop, here to limit fore and aft movement of desktop  14  with respect to frame  12 . The stop pins illustrated are intended to provide a range of movement of about 3-6 inches of the desktop on the longitudinal members  44 / 48  and extend downward from the underside of the desktop. 
         [0031]    In  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b,  an alternate preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s desktop  14  is illustrated having a handle  62  and a pair of spaced apart parallel trending stop members  64  in place of stop pin  62  of the embodiment of the desktop illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Moreover, the embodiment of desktop illustrated in  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  may be made of molded plastic, wood, or other suitable material. 
         [0032]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. On the contrary, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications, alternatives, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.