Abstract:
A workshop is formed of a back portion, a foldable desk, and collapsible legs. When folded, the desk latches closed, thus forming a thin profile against a mounting wall. The workshop may be easily mounted in any room in a home.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional application serial No. 60/433,607 filed Dec. 16, 2002. The entirety of the provisional application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The invention is directed to a work space for household use. In particular, this invention is directed to a self-contained workshop that may be installed at any location in a home.  
           [0004]    2. Discussion of Related Art  
           [0005]    Many people engage in “do-it yourself” activities and/or craft activities in their homes. Such activities generally require a comfortable work space and space for storing the supplies and tools used in these activities.  
           [0006]    Unfortunately, many homes do not have appropriate or adequate work spaces. As a result, people tend to find any available table or desk to do the activities. Often, this involves occupying the kitchen table, dining room table, or living room coffee table.  
           [0007]    Using inappropriate work spaces can damage the temporary work surface, with scratches, chemical abrasion or adhesives, for example. Craft and home repair supplies are also left out creating an unsightly mess and posing danger to children and pets. Moreover, it is difficult to use tools, such as screwdrivers, hammers, measuring tapes, knives, or vices, in such temporary work spaces.  
           [0008]    Thus, there is a need for a separate work space that can be easily installed at a convenient location and that can be put away to prevent household disruption.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    One aspect of embodiments of the invention is to provide a convenient, yet unobtrusive work space.  
           [0010]    Another aspect of embodiments of the invention is to provide a work space that can be stowed when not in use.  
           [0011]    An additional aspect of embodiments of the invention is to provide a work space that supports and stores tools and accessories associated with do-it-yourself and craft activities.  
           [0012]    A further aspect of embodiments of the invention is to provide a work space that is easily installed by a homeowner.  
           [0013]    The invention is directed to a workshop comprising a back portion having a mounting formation, a desk pivotally mounted to the back portion and having a top work surface, wherein at least one of the back portion and the desk includes a tool support, and at least one support leg secured to the desk. By this arrangement, the desk is foldable against the back portion and the leg is collapsible. Preferably, the workshop is formed substantially of plastic.  
           [0014]    The workshop may also include a foldable top that opens over the desk and closes adjacent the desk against the back portion.  
           [0015]    The invention is also directed to a desk assembly comprising a back having a fastener for fastening the desk assembly to a vertical support surface and a surface for supporting a first accessory, a desk coupled to the back with a pivoting joint, wherein the desk has a work surface and a formation for supporting a second accessory, and a pair of legs. Each leg has a first end coupled to the desk and a second end releasably securable to the vertical support surface. The legs are collapsible and the desk is foldable against the back to form a generally flat box on the vertical support surface.  
           [0016]    The invention further includes a method for installing a workshop having a back, a folded desk, and collapsible legs. The method comprises the steps of fastening a mounting hook on a vertical support surface, hanging the workshop on the mounting hook, locating and fastening leg support brackets on the vertical support surface, and unfolding the desk from the back and securing the legs to the leg support brackets.  
           [0017]    These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent in view of the following drawings and detailed disclosure of preferred embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    The drawings, which form part of the original disclosure, illustrate various views of the invention in which:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the workshop in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in the unfolded condition;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a side view of the workshop of FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a front view of the workshop of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a back view of the workshop of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a front view of the workshop in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1 in the folded condition;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a side view of the workshop of FIG. 5 shown spaced from the vertical support surface;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is a bottom partial view of the top of the workshop in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 8 shows a step in the method of installation in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]    An embodiment of the workshop  10  in accordance with this invention is shown in FIG. 1 mounted on a vertical support surface, such as a wall  12 , and in an open condition. The workshop  10  includes a back portion  14  that is mounted to the wall  12 , a desk  16 , support legs  18  and a top  20 .  
         [0028]    The back portion  14  is formed as an open, shallow box. As seen in FIGS.  1 - 4 , the back portion  14  has a generally planar base  22  with a front surface  24  (seen in FIG. 3) and a back surface  26  (seen in FIG. 4.) Preferably, the base  22  has a plurality of perforations  28 , thus creating a peg board. Alternatively, the base  22  can have a peg board insert. The back portion can be molded of plastic with reinforcing ribs  30 , as seen in FIG. 4, on the back surface  26  of base  22 . Of course, any rigid material could be used, including wood or metal. The back surface  26  has a plurality of channels  32  that slidably receive a mounting bar  34 , preferably made of metal and having a series of apertures  36  therein. Spacers  33  may also be formed on the back surface  26  to create a gap between the back surface  26  and the vertical support surface to accommodate the mounting structure and ensure that the workshop  10  is stably mounted. Preferably, the spacers  33  are integrally molded tabs.  
         [0029]    Back portion  14  also includes a pair of opposed side walls  36 , a bottom side wall  38 , and a top side wall  40  extending outwardly from the base  22 . Side walls  36  preferably include interior grooves  42  for mounting shelves. The outer surface of side walls  36  have a plurality of fastener formations  44  shaped as an ear with an aperture therethrough. Of course, any known fastener formation can be used. Preferably, at least two of the fastener formations  44  align with the apertures  36  in bar  34 , as is explained in more detail below.  
         [0030]    Latches  46  are mounted on the outer surface of side walls  36  and can be formed as a releasable handle. The outer surface also has notches  48  formed therein that function as electrical cord passages. Of course, such notches  48  can be formed at any location on the back portion  14 , including the bottom side wall  38 , if desired, and top side wall  40  as shown in FIG. 1. It is preferred, although not necessary, that each side wall  36  be mirror images of each other for economical manufacturing and to provide versatility during installation.  
         [0031]    The bottom side wall  38  forms a horizontal surface when the workshop  10  is mounted on wall  12 . Preferably, cubbies or compartments  50  are formed in the bottom side wall  38  to store items, such as hooks for the pegboard or any other type of accessory. The compartments  50  may be of any shape or number and may have covers if desired.  
         [0032]    The corner of each side wall  36  and the bottom side wall  38  define pivotal hinges  52  that connect to desk  16 . A center hinge  54  may also be provided for stability.  
         [0033]    Desk  16  is also preferably made from molded plastic with a bottom surface  56  having reinforcing ribs  58 , as seen in FIG. 5. The top surface  60 , best seen in FIG. 1, preferably has a sturdy, flat working surface  62 . In a preferred embodiment, the working surface  62  is made as a replaceable wooden insert. The insert is preferably secured by adhesive, but it may also be fastened by screws  64  or other fastening methods. The top surface  60  can also have a contoured niche  66  for holding a can or cup, an open compartment  68 , and a compartment  70  with a cover. Of course, any configuration is possible, including any number and combination of niches and compartments or an entirely flat surface. A series of key holes  72  are also provided along each side of the desk  16 . Each key hole  72  is shaped as a notched circle so that different accessories can be inserted into the hole and then turned to lock them in place.  
         [0034]    One such accessory shown in FIG. 1 is a vice or clamp  74  having a first piece  76  that may be inserted in any one of the key holes  72  to create a fixed position and an adjustable second piece  78  that may be inserted at the first key hole  72 . The second piece  78  has a crank that causes the end to move linearly to and from the first piece  76  in order to clamp an object in place. The vice  74  may be removed and stored in compartment  70 , if desired. In that case, compartment  70  may also have key holes  72  to prevent the vice  74  from moving within the compartment  70 .  
         [0035]    Desk  16  also preferably has a series of slots  80  on each side that receive hooks  82 . Hooks  82  may be added as needed and stowed in any of the various compartments  50 ,  68  or  70 . As seen in FIG. 6, hooks  82  can be left in place when the desk  16  is in the folded condition to allow tools or the like to be hung when the workshop  10  is in the stowed position.  
         [0036]    Each side of the desk  16  also has a cut out portion  84  that aligns with the latches  46  when the desk  16  is folded against the back portion  14 . The latches  46  hook the cut out portions  84  to securely hold the desk  16  in the folded position. The cut out portions  84  also provide a hand hold for a user when maneuvering the desk  16  into and out of the folded position.  
         [0037]    At the top of the back portion  14 , the top  20  is pivotally secured. Similar to the desk  16 , each corner of the side walls  36  and the top wall  40  has a pivotal hinge  86  that allows the cover  20  to open out and fold flat. The hinge  86  may be self locking so that the cover  20  stays in an open position when pivoted beyond a certain point until slight pressure is exerted on the cover  20  to fold it down. Alternatively, locking hinge levers  87  can be provided as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Again, the cover  20  is preferably formed of molded plastic.  
         [0038]    As seen in FIG. 7, the interior of the cover  20  is hollow and may have a mounting formation  89  for attachment of a light, for example a fluorescent light fixture. The mounting formation  89  may be an integrally molded channel configured to receive a fastener to mount a conventional fluorescent fixture or may be pre-molded aperture or reinforced area for receiving a fastener. Preferably, the cover  20  includes a locking portion  88  that interacts with the desk  16  when in the folded condition to lock the desk  16  in place. The locking portion  88  is preferably a cut out with a slot designed to receive a separate lock, but it may be another known type of securing mechanism. When folded, the cover  20  can abut the desk  16  or a portion can be overlapped by a lip on the desk. However, It is not necessary to include a top  20  and, if omitted, the desk  16  can be enlarged to match the size of the back portion  14 .  
         [0039]    The legs  18  are pivotally secured to the bottom surface  56  of the desk  16  to mounting flanges  90 , best seen in FIG. 5. The legs  18  can also be formed of plastic, but may be wooden or metal if desired. The legs  18  are preferably sized to fit within the back portion  14  flat on the base  22  for shipping. By this configuration, the workshop  10  can be shipped and stored in an efficient rectangular configuration. It is preferred that the legs  18  be mounted to the vertical surface  12 , as a shorter leg may be used, using leg support brackets  92 . Brackets  92  are formed of a plate having plural apertures  94  and a hinge  96 . The end of each leg  18  is releasably secured to the hinge  96 . It is also possible to configure the legs  18  to extend perpendicular to the desk  16  and be supported by the floor. In that case, the legs  18  could be extendable in a telescoping manner or formed of plural interconnected shorter parts. Of course, bracket  92  would then not be necessary.  
         [0040]    Referring to FIG. 6, the workshop  10  is shown slightly spaced from the wall  12  to illustrate the method of installation. First, mounting hooks  98  are fastened to the wall. It is recommended that hooks  98  be fastened to a solid or masonry wall or directly to wall studs to provide adequate strength to support the workshop  10 . Preferably, two hooks  98  are used, however any number of hooks  98  necessary to support the workshop  10  may be used. The hooks  98  should be mounted at the same vertical position using a level.  
         [0041]    After the hooks  98  are securely mounted to the wall  12 , the workshop  10  may be installed. The workshop  10  in its stowed, folded condition is lifted to hang the bar  34  (seen in FIG. 4) on the hooks  98 . Once the bar  34  is securely mounted on the hooks  98 , the latches  46  should be released to unfold the desk  16  allowing it to hang down. The legs  18 , which are preferably stored in the back portion  14 , are removed and put aside. Then, the workshop  10  is adjusted horizontally from side to side by sliding to ensure that the openings in the base  22  are aligned with the openings  36  in the bar  34 . Fasteners are then inserted through the aligned openings and attached through the base  22  and the bar  34  to the wall  12 . Additional fasteners are used to fasten the workshop  10  securely to the wall  12  at the formations  44  and if desired through other apertures in the base  22 .  
         [0042]    Other methods of securing the workshop  10  to a support surface are also contemplated. For example, the base  22  can be directly adhered to the wall  12  or directly fastened to the wall  12 , by screws for instance. Alternatively, the mounting hooks  98  can be adhesively secured to the wall  12  or other types of mounting elements could be used. It would also be possible to hang the workshop  10  against the wall  12  from an upper support structure.  
         [0043]    The desk  16  is next folded and secured into a stowed position. The legs  18  are attached to hinges  90  by securing the pivot pins in the hinge to the end of each leg  18 . The legs  18  can also be secured by a snap fit connection, if desired, with a ball and detent arrangement. As seen FIG. 8, to position the brackets  92 , a template  100  cut from the package for the workshop  10  or supplied as an instruction sheet is used. The template  100  is positioned beneath the mounted workshop  10  and the bracket outlines are positioned. The apertures  94  are positioned at an appropriate location on the wall  12 , such as at a wall stud. The brackets  92  have multiple apertures  94  so that the optimal position may be established to provide a stable support. After the brackets  92  are properly positioned, each bracket is fastened to the wall  12 . The workshop  10  may now be opened for use. The locking formation  88  is released and the latches  46  are opened to open the desk  16  into a horizontal, open work position. The legs  18  are pivoted into position and the ends are secured, preferably snapped or hooked, into the hinges  96 .  
         [0044]    Once the desk  16  is opened, accessories may be added. Hooks can be hung on the pegboard base  22 . Shelves may be installed between side walls  36 . Hooks  82  can be slid into slots  80  and the vice  74  can be installed. Of course, other accessories may be used if desired or no accessories at all. As noted above, a light fixture may be mounted in the top  20 . Any electrical accessories, including the light fixture, may be threaded through the back portion  14  and top  20  to hide the electrical cords, which may be then passed through notches  48 .  
         [0045]    It can be understood that the workshop  10  may be quickly and easily folded out of the way by stowing any loose accessories or items, folding down the top  20 , releasing the legs  18 , folding the desk  16  up toward the back portion  14  and engaging the latches  46 , and then locking the assembly if desired. Then, the workshop  10  lies in a relatively flat manner against a wall  12 , as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.  
         [0046]    The workshop  10  may be used in any location supported by a vertical surface. For example, the workshop  10  may be installed in a room, a basement, or a garage. The workshop  10  could also be installed outdoors against an exterior wall, if desired.  
         [0047]    The workshop  10  described herein can be modified in various ways and remain within the scope of this invention. For example, the particular detachable elements and their corresponding support structures can take various configurations depending on the desired use for the workshop. Additionally, it is contemplated that the workshop can be formed in various sizes, including a small child size workshop or a large heavy duty workshop that would support power tools and their use.