GB2319469A

GB2319469A - Desk for a computer

Info

Publication number: GB2319469A
Application number: GB9724512A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald William Marnefeldt; Casper Petrus Visser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-11-19
Filing date: 1997-11-19
Publication date: 1998-05-27
Also published as: DE19751323A1; AU4525997A; ZA969663B; GB9724512D0

Abstract

A computer monitor (5) is supported on a support structure 13 which comprises a frame 15 and feet which have wheels 14 to facilitate moving the structure with the monitor over a floor surface. A computer keyboard (7) and CPU (9) can also be carried on the support structure. This allows the necessary cables to be plugged and other work done on the computer components in a convenient position. The support structure can then be rolled into an operative position underneath the work surface of a desk 12 which work surface has a transparent portion 11 to enable viewing the computer monitor through the transparent portion underneath the working surface. The work surface may optionally carry a cowl 20 for preventing reflection on the transparent portion.

Description

2319469 TITLE Enhanced Article of Furniture

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention lies in the field of furniture and furniture accessories in particular office furniture of the kind that provides a transparent working surface in a desk-like, structure with a computer monitor suspended underneath that surface. A slidable tray can be provided underneath the rear edge of the working surface to support a computer keyboard.

lo Description of the Prior Art

An office desk of this genera[ kind is described in U.S. Patent 5 410 972. The surface of the desk can be kept clear for ordinary paper work but when required and the computer monitor is switched on it can be viewed through the transparent portion of the working surface of the desk. The tray which supports the keyboard can be slid entirely underneath the working surface when not required but when required can be slid outwards to an ergonomically convenient position. The tray can also support a mouse pad.

A prob)em that has been noticed with these desks having monitor supporting assemblies is that it is difficult to get to the back of the monitor to adjust plugs and cable connections as and when this may be required or to work on the monitor. It also means that the office desk must be manufactured as an article of furniture different from a conventional office desk, To modify an existing office desk would be a cumbersome and economically inefficient procedure.

1 Another problem which has been observed with the use of the prior art article3 of furniture of this kind is reflection of glare on the transparent portion of the working surface. This reflection can prevent the user having a clear view through the transparent portion of the working surface of the computer monitor located below the working surface.

Sum of the Invention It is an object of this invention to provide a support structure for an article of furniture of this general kind which will support a monitor of a computer beneath the working surface but which allows the monitor to be freely moved both into an operative position located beneath the working surface and, when required, out of that operative position for convenient plugging or unplugging of cables or other work on the monitor.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an article of furniture which can be supplied in combination with this 5ort of supporting structure and which article of furniture can provide for the receiving and locating of the support structure in an operative position underneath the working surface of the article of furniture.

Finally it is an object of this invention to provide such an article of furniture with means which can be used to obviate the glare problem.

Thus in accordance with the invention there is provided for an article of furniture, the working surface of the article of furniture having a portion which is transparent to allow viewing through the transparent portion a monitor of a computer located underneath the working surface, the article of furniture resting on a floor surface, 2 a support structure for 3upporting the monitor of the computer beneath the working surface, which support structure comprises a frame for supporting the monitor of the computer and feet which rest movably on the floor surface.

Preferably the feet have wheels or castors which facilitate moving the structure over the floor surface.

As an option the wheels or castors can be raised so that the structure then rests on feet or other solid parts.

The frame of the support structure can carry a platform for the computer monitor which platform is inclined at an angle to the floor surface on which the is structure rests In use.

The support structure can also have a tray for supporting a keyboard for use with the computer monitor. The frame can also provide a shelf for supporting a central processing unit (CPU) for use with the computer monitor.

A characteristic of the present invention is that the support structure is a stand alone unit, even although it can support a monitor of a computer beneath a working surface of which a part is transparent. The present invention thus furthermore provides, as a corollary to this characteristic, an article of furniture which includes a working surface at least a portion of which is transparent and having a space underneath the working surface dimensioned and proportioned to receive an independent support structure for supporting at least a monitor of a computer beneath the working surface, thereby permitting operation of the monitor while it is viewed through the transparent portion of the working surface.

3 is Thus the support structure may be loaded with a computer monitor screen and then moved underneath the working surface, thereby permitting operation of the computer while it is viewed through the transparent portion of the working surface. The advantage of this arrangement arises if the computer monitor or other part of the computer has to be serviced, repaired or replaced. Then the support structure can easily be moved out of the space underneath the working surface and attended to as required Preferably the support structure is provided in combination with an article of furniture which is adapted by means of connecting elements to receive and locate the supporting structure in an operative position underneath the working surface of the article of furniture.

The article of furniture which has these connecting elements adapted to receive and locate the supporting structure in an operative position underneath the working surface of the article of furniture can be supplied independently to customers. for example, who already have the support structure.

Preferably the article of furniture is provided with a cowl which is adapted to be located on the working surface in a position in which the cowl will shield the transparent portion of the working surface from glare which would reflect from the working surface in a manner inhibiting viewing the monitor of the computer 2-5 through the transparent portion.

An ingenious and preferred approach of the invention is to devise the cowl in such a way that it is adapted to serve also as a desk blotter when flat. The blotter has fold lines formed in it, the fold lines allow the blotter to be folded up 30 into the shape of the cowl when required.

4 Thus once again the coM could be supplied independently for those customers who already have the article of furniture and the supporting structure.

s Brief Descirlption of the Drawings The invention is more fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an article of furniture, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the view of figure 1 also showing a support structure for supporting a computer monitor keyboard and CPU in is accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention. Arrows in the view show how the support structure can be moved into the operative position in the space under the working surface of the article of furniture, Figure 2 is a side elevation of the article of furniture shown in figure 2 with the 20 support stnicture in the operative position and a computer monitor, keyboard and CPU, Figure 3 is a view from the user side of a cowl in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 4 is a view obliquely from the rear of the cowl, Figure 5 is an isometric view of a blotter which is foldable into a cowl, 30. Figure 6 is an oblique view of a support structure in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, and Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the clip for receiving and locating the supporting structure in its operative position beneath the working surface of the desk.

The article of furniture as shown in figure 1 in accordance with the present invention is a desk 9 having a working surface 10 with a transparent portion 11 and a space 12 underneath the working surface with connecting elements 25 and 26 to receive and locate independent and separate support structure 13 for supporting a computer monitor, keyboard and CPU, beneath the working surface. The view of figure 2 shows the support structure 13 moved into the operative position for supporting the computer monitor 5, keyboard 7 and CPU 9 beneath the working surface 10. Apart from being located by the connecting elements 25 and 26, the support structure is separate and independent from i s the article of furniture. In this embodiment the feet of the support structure comprises four caster wheels 14 arranged on a supporting frame 15 which also carries a tray 16 for holding a keyboard of a computer. The framework 15 carries a plank 17 which is inclined to the horizontal floor surface for supporting the computer monitor screen 5 on the support structure. There are of course four castor wheels 14, the two rear wheels not being visible in this view. The arrows 18 in figure 1 show how the support structure, once the computer monitor screen has been placed on it, is rolled into the space 12 underneath the working surface 10 and the transparent portion 11. The support structure also comprises a unit of U or channel shape 19 adapted to 2 S carry the CPU box of a computer.

Thus the three components of the computer are conveniently carried on the support structure and can conveniently be loaded on to it while the support structure is in position shown in figure 1 readily accessible. All necessary cables can be plugged in. Then the support structure with the three computer components can be rolled into the space underneath the desk in a suitable 6 position for working. As mentioned above, space 12 of the desk can have guiding structures, clips or locks to assist in locating the support structure appropriately and retaining it in an appropriate location. Merely as an example of a simple guide and clip structure, a U-shaped clip or clamp 25 is seen fixed s against the side wall 30 of the space 12. A similar clip 26 (broken lines) can be provided on the opposite wall 31, suitably spaced to allow for the CPU.

these clips engage the parts 27 and 28 of the frame 15 when the support structure is rolled into position.

jo The support structure could also have a convenient footrest, for example. The working surface 10 is also shown with a cowl 20 placed in position over the transparent surface 11 so as to prevent any reflections or glare which would interfere wC a clear vision through the transparent surface 11. Suitable conduits could also be provided in the structure of the desk for the cabling of t5 the computer components.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show three views of the cowl and as can be seen the cowl comprises a rectangular portion 21 and two triangular portions 22 and 23. These portions can be folded flat and then the portion 21 can conveniently 20 serve as a desk top blotter as shown in figure 5. When the triangular portions are folded in the manner shown in figures 3 and 4 and in figure 1 then the cowl can serve its purpose as described. An optional flap 29 may be provided (figure 4).

The view of figure 2 shows that the back panel 24 of the desk conceals from the front side of the desk all of support structure and computer components.

The support structure could, however, carry only the monitor 5, the keyboard being supported on a plank suspended from the work surface 10, and the CPU 30 in the side cupboard 8.

7 Figure 6 shows another form of support structure which comprises a flat panel 32, having four wheels 33 (two are visible), A column 34 has a screw thread shaft 35 screwable in the column, carrying a plank 36 for supporting a monitor.

By screwing the shaft 35 the height of the plank 36 can be adjusted to an ideal level, e.g. to support the monitor just under the transparent portion 11 of the working surface 10. Guides 37 locate a CPU 9 on the panel 32.

Figure 7 shows in better detail a clip 25 (26). The clip has a U-5hape, holes 38 jo to screw onto the sides 30131 of the desk and a dent 39 to tend to retain by spring action the frames 27128 of the support structure 13 and so locate the support structure in operative position.

8

Claims

1 For an article of furniture, the working surface of the article of furniture having a portion which is transparent to allow viewing through the transparent portion a monitor of a computer located underneath the working surface, the article of furniture resting on a floor surface, a support structure for supporting the monitor of the computer beneath the working surface, which support structure comprises a frame for supporting the monitor of the computer and feet which rest movably on the floor surface.

2. A support structure as claimed in claim 1, in which the feet have wheels to facilitate moving the structure over the floor surface.

3. A support structure as claimed in claim 1, provided in combination with an article of furniture which is adapted by means of connecting elements to receive and locate the support structure in an operative position underneath the working surface of the article of furniture.

4. An article of fumiture for a support structure as claimed in claim 3, which article of furniture has connecting elements adapted to receive and locate the supporting structure in an operative position underneath the working surface of the article of furniture,

5. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 4, which is provided with a cowl which is adapted to be located on the working surface in a position in which the cowl will shield the transparent portion of the working surface from glare which would reflect from the working surface in a manner inhibiting viewing the monitor of the computer through the transparent portion.

9 An article of furniture as claimed in claim 5, in which the cowl is formed as a blotter which can rest flat an the working surface, which blotter has fold fines formed in it and which blotter can be folded up into a shape of the cowl.

7.

A cowl for an article of furniture which has a working surface having a portion which is transparent for viewing through the transparent portion a monitor of a computer which is located underneath the working surface, which cowl is adapted to shield the transparent portion of the working surface from glare which would reflect from the surface in a manner inhibiting viewing through the transparent surface the monitor of the wmputer.

A cowl as claimed in claim 7, which is formed as a blotter which can lie flat on the working surface, which blotter has fold lined formed in it and which blotter can be folded up into a shape of the cowl.

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