Patent Publication Number: US-11647839-B2

Title: Rotating work surface system for a chair

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates in general to seating and more particularly to a rotating work surface for a chair. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional seating arrangements for education environments and non-traditional corporate work and meeting places are typically addressed with a separate table and chair. Student desks for example, are typically arranged in a row and column configuration within a classroom. In order to provide collaborative learning and meeting, desks can be arranged in clusters in which the work surfaces of several desks are positioned together and the desk seats are positioned so that the students and participants can face each other. In another example, business meeting are often held around large conference tables with independently movable chairs spaced around the periphery of the tables. More recently conference furniture has taken a more informal approach in which the large conference table has been disposed of and replaced by individual chairs and small tables spaced about a conference space. 
     Altering the arrangement of the desk within a classroom or meeting room is often noisy and disruptive. Combining a chair a table arrangement is one solution, however, many of these combination possess the same disadvantages of a conventional table and chair. For example, it is difficult to transport the arrangement, the user is restricted to facing in one direction, the table can become unbalanced, and the seat is rotated about a central post so it also rotates about the table. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved rotating work surface system for a chair. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a rotating work surface system for a chair including a seat base having a top engaging surface, a seat support having top side and a bottom side and a rotating surface positioned in between the seat base and the seat support. The rotating surface includes a top side and a bottom side wherein the rotating surface is adapted to pivotally engage about an axis and a fixed position of the seat base and the seat support. 
     Conveniently, the seat base further includes a series of bosses extending outward from the top engaging surface of the seat base allowing for securement of the seat base to the bottom side of the seat support through the rotating surface. The rotating surface further includes a series of channels through which the series of bosses extend to engage the seat support. 
     Preferably, the rotating work surface system further includes a pivoting system wherein the pivoting system is adapted to adhere to the top engaging surface of the seat base in the fixed position and is adapted to adhere to the bottom side of the rotating surface so as to pivotally engage, allowing the rotating surface to rotate about the seat base. 
     Conveniently, the rotating surface further includes a tablet surface system. The tablet surface system further includes a vertical support member having a proximal end and a distal end, and an tablet member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) is(are) provided herein below by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    in a perspective view, illustrates a rotating work surface system for a chair in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    in a bottom perspective view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    in front view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    in a back view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    in a side view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6    in a partial perspective view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  7    in an exploded view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  8    in a partial exploded view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  9    in a partial exploded view, illustrates the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  10    in a top view, illustrates the rotation of the rotating work surface system for a chair of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  to  10   , there is illustrated a rotating work surface system for a chair  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The rotating work surface system  10  for a chair including a seat base  12  having a top engaging surface  14 , a seat support  16  having top side  18  and a bottom side  20  and a rotating surface  22  positioned in between the seat base  12  and the seat support  16 . The rotating surface  22  includes a top side  24  and a bottom side  26  wherein the rotating surface  22  is adapted to pivotally engage about an axis  28  and a fixed position  30  of the seat base  12  and the seat support  16 . 
     The seat base  12  further includes a series of bosses  32  extending outward from the top engaging surface  14  of the seat base  12  allowing for securement of the seat base  12  to the bottom side  20  of the seat support  16  through the rotating surface  22 . The seat base  12  may further include a bottom engaging surface  34  and a hollow portion  36  positioned between the top engaging surface  14  and the bottom engaging surface  34 . The hollow portion  36  may be used for storage when the chair is in use. This configuration of the rotating work surface system  10  for a chair is particularly useful in an education environment or meeting room, by way of example, where there is often insufficient space for a user&#39;s belongings, such as computer bags and the like. 
     The seat base  12  may include a base having a base pan  35  and seat mounting pan  37  adapted include the series of bosses  32 . The seat mounting pan may be injection molded to include at least three (3) bosses  32 . The seat base  12  to may be made from plastic, by way of example, and may have a modular shape, such as a bucket. The seat base  12  may further include a series of casters  54  that are mounted to the bottom engaging surface  34  of the seat base  12 . The casters  54  allow for the easy mobility of the rotating work surface system  10  for a chair. 
     Referring specifically to  FIGS.  6  to  10    in perspective and exploded views respectively, the rotating surface  22  further includes a series of channels  38  through which the series of bosses  32  extend to engage the seat support  16 . The series of channels  38  may be co-radial and concentric to the axis  28 . 
     The rotating work surface system  10  further includes a pivoting system  40  wherein the pivoting system  40  is adapted to adhere to the top engaging surface  14  of the seat base  16  in the fixed position  30  and is adapted to adhere to the bottom side  26  of the rotating surface  22  so as to pivotally engage about the axis  28 . This configuration allows for the rotating surface  22  to rotate about the seat base  12  and the seat support  16 . 
     The pivoting system  40  may include a swivel bearing that is adhered to the bottom side  26  of the rotating surface  22  and adhered to the top engaging surface  14  of the seat base  12 . Typically the positioning of the pivoting system  40  is at a centre point  42  of the rotating surface  22  and allows for a smooth and silent operation. It may also provide for increased stability of the rotating work surface system  10  when in use, and ensures that the rotating surface  22  is not impeded during rotation and allows for large cantilever loads. 
     The bottom side  20  of the seat support  16  further includes a series of inserts  44  adapted to accept the series of bosses  32  once the bosses pass  32  through the series of channels  38 . The connection between the seat base  12  and the seat support  16  is completed with a series of attachment mechanisms  46 . The attachment mechanisms  46  pass through the series of bosses  32  and inserts  44  to securely engage the bottom side  20  of the seat support  16 . The attachment mechanisms may be screws, by way of example. This connection creates the fixed position  30  of the seat base  12  and the seat support  16  relative to the rotating surface  22 . The seat support  16  may further include a back support  56  mounted to bottom side  20  of the seat support  16 . 
     When the rotating surface  22  rotates about the axis  28 , the series of the channels  38  move relative to the series of bosses  32  that sit within the channels  38 . As such the channels  38  accommodate the bosses  32  which remain stationary and provide for the fixed position  30  of the seat base  12  and the seat support  16 . 
     The rotating surface  22  may further include a shelf  48  that may have a diameter that extends beyond the seat base  12  forming an extension  50 . The rotating surface  22  further comprises a tablet surface system  58 . The tablet surface system  58  may include a vertical support member  62  having a proximal end  64  and a distal end  66 , and an tablet member  68 . 
     The proximal end  64  of the vertical support member  62  is adapted to engage the rotating surface  22 . The tablet member  68  may be adapted to engage the distal end  66  of the vertical support member  62 . The engagement between the tablet member  68  with the vertical support member  62  may be either static or pivoting. The positioning of the tablet member  68  relative to the seat base  12  creates a stable and strong seat base  12  while allowing the tablet member  68  to rotate out of the seating area unimpeded. The table member  68  may include a least one recess for placement of writing implements and the like. 
     The shelf  48  may have a variety of functions, including but not limited to ancillary space for small electronic devices. The shelf  48  or extension  50  further include a circular-shaped recess  52 . The circular-shaped recess  52  may act as a designated repository and safe placement of liquids thereby keeping the tablet surface system  58  free from possible spills. 
     Other variations and modifications of the invention are possible. All such modifications or variations are believed to be within the sphere and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.