Abstract:
A portable surface extender for temporarily extending the surface of a desktop or such similar surface. The extender is a slender panel having gripping members on at least on side. The gripping members attach to a desktop. Alternatively, a panel is attached to a desk by way of a conjoining adaptor, which has two opposing groups of gripping members. One group of members grips a desk or tabletop, whereas, an opposing group of members grips a panel or the like.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The current invention relates to the field of furniture accessories, more specifically to a novel method and apparatus for temporarily extending the surface of a desk or such similar surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Students, among others, often need additional temporary desk space. Far too often one sees people taking an examination with test paper occupying an arm rest/desk, with a calculator balanced on a knee and coffee cup on the floor. Room size considerations usually prevent the purchase and permanent use of larger desks. There is, therefore, a need for a portable device that can be temporarily appended to the surface of desk in order to extend the surface thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention set forth herein is directed to a novel portable extension surface, which is readily mounted to a desk surface and dismounted after use. The extension surface is selectively connected to an existing surface by any of a variety of mechanical gripping or tensioning means. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a surface extender having spring action clamp according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side, cross-sectional view of the surface extender of  FIG. 1  mounted to a desktop according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of a school desktop and a surface extender attached thereto according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a conjoining adaptor according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a top, perspective exploded view of a conjoining adapter aligned with a desktop and surface extender according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the surface adaptor of  FIG. 4  connecting a surface extender to a desktop according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a side, cross-sectional view of a surface extender having a screw tightening mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the above-identified Drawings. However, the Drawings and the description herein of the invention are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It will be understood that various modifications of the present description of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, features described herein may be omitted, additional features may be included, and/or features described herein may be combined in a manner different from the specific combinations recited herein, all without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a top perspective view of a school desktop according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, desktop  10  comprises a top face  12  an underside surface  14  and sidewalls  16  which comprise the thickness of the desktop. 
     In one embodiment, a surface extender  17  is provided with a spring biased clamping device for gripping the side of a desk. As shown, a clamp arm  9  is movably connected to a mounting base  11  positioned on the top surface  13  of extender  17  by way of a plurality of bent arms  15 . At least one of bent arms  15  (e.g. the center arm  15   a  shown in  FIG. 1 ) terminates at mounting base  11  in a spring  19 . A handle  21  is attached to the distal end of the spring  19 . Handle  21  serves as the interface for lowering and raising clamp arm  9 . When handle  21  is rotated in a first direction, arm  15   a  (and the other bent arms  15 ) pivots such that it moves downwardly—thereby lowering clamp arm  9 . When handle  21  is rotated in a second direction, arms  15  pivot in a second direction to raise clamp arm  9 . 
     When clamp arm  9  is lowered as described above it stops when it comes into contact with a surface to be gripped. However, because handle  21  extends from a spring  19 , handle  21  may keep moving downward thus applying tension to the spring  19 . Such tension translates to force being applied to clamp arm  9 —and thus to the surface to be gripped (e.g. a desktop). As a result, the clamping device shown in  FIG. 1  may be used to clamp and grip surfaces of varying thicknesses. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the extender is provided with a lower lip  23 , which protrudes from its sidewall  25 . Clamp arm  9  is positioned above and substantially parallel to lower lip  23 . The space defined between lower lip  23  and clamp arm  9  is somewhat wider than the thickness of an average sized desktop. 
     In use, a user positions the extender  17  such that its lower lip  23  contacts the under surface of a desktop or similar surface. Handle  21  is then moved to lower clamp arm  9 . The surface is thereby gripped between lower lip  23  and clamp arm  9 . Alternatively, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , lower lip  23  could be placed on the top surface of the desktop—with the clamp being positioned on the underside thereof. 
       FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view through an extender  17  as shown in  FIG. 1  that is appended to a desktop  10 —where lip  23  is oriented to contact the top face  12  of the desk, rather than the underside thereof. 
     In one preferred embodiment the surface extender comprises a slender piece of material, which has clamping or tensioning mechanisms affixed to its side surface and positioned to grip a side surface of a desk or table. For example, and as shown in  FIG. 3 , surface extender  18  is shown as being an essentially rectangular panel having a top surface  20 , a bottom surface  22  and side walls  26 , which comprise the thickness of the panel  18 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, one or more clasping or gripping members are affixed to inner sidewall  26   a  of extender  18  (note that “inner side wall” refers to the extender side wall which aligns with and faces the desktop sidewall when oriented as shown in  FIG. 3 ). In one embodiment, and as shown in  FIG. 3 , the gripping members are binder clips  28 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the binder clips are of the variety conventionally used for binding stacks of paper. Binder clips  28  are best shown in  FIG. 4 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , binder clips  28  are shown having two gripping arms  30   a ,  30   b . The gripping arms  30   a ,  30   b  are joined by a backing  32  which bridges the gripping arms  30   a ,  30   b  together. As is well known in the art, the gripping arms angle downwardly as they extend from the backing and in the default position the distal tips of the gripping arms  30   a ,  30   b  contact one another. As such, when the distal tips are pulled apart they are biased toward the default (closed) position and accordingly they provide a strong grip on an object placed therebetween. 
     It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that as an alternative to binder clips, any of various gripping members may be utilized in embodiments of the invention. For example, any of various tensioning clamps or other such similar devices used to join, grip or compress structural parts may be employed to grip a desk or similar surface in embodiments of the invention. Such devices are broadly referred to as “gripping members” herein. In some embodiments of the invention, a lip or such similar extension contacts a first side of a platform and a movable arm or contact member disposed substantially parallel to the lip contacts a second side of the platform—gripping the platform therebetween. Such movable arm or contact member also is referred to as a “gripping member” herein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of binder clips  28  is affixed to the inner sidewall  26   a  of extender  18 . In use, a user separates the gripping arms  30   a ,  30   b  and places the open clip  28  on the edge of a surface. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a first gripping arm  30   a  contacts top face  12  of desk  10  and a second gripping arm  30   b  contacts the underside surface  14  thereof—thus, tightly gripping the desk edge. 
     The gripping members (either binder clips or other clamping devices) are affixed to the inner sidewall  26   a  of extender  18  by any of various attachment means. For example, gripping members may be affixed to extender via nails, screws, staples, glue or the like. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, when the extender  18  is mounted to a surface, its inner wall  26   a  is aligned with and in contact with the outer wall  16   a  of the surface to be extended (“outer wall” refers to the side wall of the edge to be extended—such as  16   a  in  FIG. 1 ). This provides additional support and stability to the extender. 
     It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the inventive extender may be used to extend any various surfaces—including, for example, the outer edge of a table, desk, shelf or any of such similar platforms. 
     In one embodiment of the invention an extender  18  is affixed to a surface through the means of a conjoining adaptor, which is a temporary connector for rigidly joining surface edges. The conjoining adaptor serves as a bridge between a desk surface and an extender. 
       FIG. 4  shows a conjoining adaptor  36  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, conjoining adaptor  36  is a slender strip of material having a top face  38 , an underside surface  40  and sidewalls  42 , which are the thickness of the adaptor  36 . One or more gripping members are provided on each of the sidewalls. For example, right sidewall  42   a  (i.e. the right side when oriented as shown in  FIG. 4 ) is shown with three binder clips  28  affixed thereto. The binder clips are oriented such that their mouths point outwardly. Binder clips  28  are similarly affixed to opposite wall  42   b.    
       FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of a conjoining adapter  36  positioned to attach to and thereby join a desktop  10  and a surface extender  18 . 
     In use and as shown in  FIG. 6 , binder clips provided on sidewall  42   b  attach the adaptor  36  to a desk edge, whereas, binder clips  28  provided on sidewall  42   a  attach an extender surface  18 . The methods and manner in which the adaptor is attached to the desk and to the extender surface is the same as described above with respect to the surface extender shown in  FIG. 3 . It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that any of various gripping members may be appended to conjoining adapter  36  as an alternative to binder clips. 
     It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that surface extender  18  may be of any variety of sizes, shapes and materials. In fact, when a conjoining adaptor  36  is utilized, users have the liberty to use any suitable panel or surface to attach to a desk. More specifically, when using a conjoining adaptor  36  as described herein, a user uses a first set of gripping members to attach the adaptor to a surface edge. A second set of gripping members projects outwardly to receive a surface extender. Users may choose to insert a hard plastic, cardboard or even a wooden surface. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the portions of gripping members which contact the surface to be extended are provided with rubber, felt or such similar material to protect the surface and/or to enhance a frictional grip. 
       FIG. 7  shows a side view of a surface extender, which utilizes a tightening screw to grip a surface. As shown in  FIG. 7 , a surface extender  50  is a panel or plank having one side that is adapted to capture and grip a surface. The gripping side comprises an upper extension  52  and a lower extension  54 —defining a space  56  situated therebetween. Space  56  is preferably slightly wider than the width of an average desktop—but various widths are contemplated in embodiments of the invention in order to capture any of various surface thicknesses. 
     Upper extension  52  (which is disposed substantially parallel to lower extension  54 ) is provided with a screw  58  which runs through a hole provided through the top thereof. A first end of the screw  58  extends from the outside surface of upper extension  58  and a second end of screw  58  terminates in a contact member  62 . A wing  60  or such similar rotatable threaded member is provided around the shaft of screw  58  on the outside surface of upper extension  52 . Rotation and counter rotation of wing  60 , respectively, lowers and raises contacting member  62 . 
     In use, a user inserts extender  50  on the side of a desktop  10  such that the desk thickness is in the space  56  defined by contact member  62  and lower extension  54 . Wing  60  is then rotated to lower contact member  62  until it contacts a desk surface in a sufficiently tight grip. In an embodiment of the invention, contacting member  62  and lower extension  54  are provided with ridges  64  or such similar friction promoting elements to enhance the grip that is achieved. 
     Having described this invention with regard to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitation since further modifications and variations may be apparent or may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the present application cover all such modifications and variation as fall within the scope of the appended claims.