Patent ID: 8616354

Claim:
A configurable briefcase desktop, comprising: a body, said body including two spaced apart generally opposed sides, each of said opposed sides having a pivot axis associated therewith, said pivot axes extending generally parallel to one another and being spaced apart from one another by a distance, a storage cavity, said storage cavity being readily accessible; and two support columns, each said support column being generally planar, each said support column being pivotally mounted for rotation generally around one of said pivot axes, each of said support columns extending generally parallel to the said pivot axis to which it is pivotally mounted, said support columns adapted to being rotated between a folded configuration and a support configuration, each of said support columns including a fixed length section and an extendable section, each of said extendable sections being comprised of a scissors linkage adapted to extend between retracted and extended configurations, each of said scissors linkages being adapted to extend generally parallel to its respective said support column and generally perpendicular to the said pivot axis about which its respective said support column rotates, wherein when a said scissors linkage is in a fully retracted configuration its respective support column has an overall length that is no more than approximately one-half of said distance, when both of said support columns are in fully folded and fully retracted configurations said respective support columns are generally located in approximately a common plane, and when said support columns are both in said support configuration they extend generally parallel to one another and are spaced apart by at least approximately said distance, each of said extendable sections further comprising an elongated foot element and each of said scissors linkages including a first end and a second end, said elongated foot element being adapted to rest on a generally flat surface, said first end being operably joined to said fixed length section of its respective said support column and said second end being connectedly associated with said elongated foot element of its respective said extendable section, each said support column further including a fold lock mechanism and support stiffening mechanism, said fold lock mechanism being adapted to releasably lock its respective said support column in said folded configuration, said support stiffening mechanism being adapted to yieldably resist movement of its respective said support column from said support configuration, said support column being further adapted such that its respective said fold lock mechanism and its respective said support stiffening mechanism are mechanically ganged to one another.