GB2577507A - Field desk - Google Patents

Abstract

The field desk includes a cabinet 51 having a top 84 rotatably connected with an extensible worktop. The worktop has two leaves 110, 112 hingedly connected to sides of a central section 92. A swivel or twist of the rotatable coupling allows the worktop to be turned between a first position, where the hinges are supported by the top 84 of the cabinet 51, and a second position, where the leaves 110, 112 can be rotated downwardly to seal the front and back of the cabinet 51, which may form a transport cube. The leaves 110, 112 may be held in the second position by connectors or magnets. The cabinet 51 may include removable closure boards 76, which can include sound-proofing, a white or pin board, an electronic display or ballistic panel, and can be erected onto the worktop. The cabinet 51 may be a cupboard or set of drawers. The closure boards 76 may be stored in a drawer and may partially seal an upper opening in the drawer.

Description

HELD DESK

Field' of the Invention This in ention relates, exchisiv0) applicable to transport.

esks and is particularly, but not,siiablet and dismantled for Sum of the Prior.

In the content of military logistics, particularly during field operatiohis, large a o equipment are moved ',Atli each re-locatirm of a command post or, mdeed, a general barracks. Such equipment includes tents and equipment, such as desks on which to the need far ri vement"and/or rapid deployment field desks are rugged construction but tight-weighted where possible. Typically, field desk will be constri from durable plastics materials with some metal components, such as closure latches and hinges. Once deployed, it is not uncommon for someone to sit on a field desk, so field desks also need to he sturdy, especially when the desk is extended using an attachable leaf that clips to the edge of a central drawer stack to extend laterally the working space desk's worktop, An upper surface of the drawer stack is an, integral part of the desk's ins of existing existint dcsgs for held desks, tltc exte;:ditrg leaf is detachable,, s indicated re. The leaf includes a hinged cantilevered leg that can he stored in an underside recess of the leaf or extended downwards (and locked in place) to j support leg genet' beneath and parallel to an end of the leaf When attached to the central drawer set using a hook and eye or clasp assembly, a sizeable gap exists between the s.he top of the-central drawer set and each leaf, with this gap providing discontinulfy in thersvorking surface and, indeed, a place where objects can be temporarnylest (should they f7ali into the gap). To address the Issue o f ilhe gap, a hinged rxetal flat, tray bridge this space, but this in itself presents a discontinuity in what should, ideally, be an entirely flat and continuous working surface. Aligned surfaces in the top of each leaf and the central drawer set are also generally curs>ed with these sal faces producing a nip ther accentnati the gap (which is typically the region of about twenty, to thirty mill e ts) For cart age, the leg of each teat is stowed beneath the surface of the leaf, and one of the -ght leaf then coupled, thou r ladles, each of the front and rear surfaces of the drawer set stack. This means that the drawers ---usually two to four in number ---are hidden from view and locked in place by one of the leaves, whereas a second leaf is then attached to the back of the central drawer set stack through a similar latching ism, thereby forming a c es. Sides (as opposed to front and rear surface) of Ter stack h carry handles that facilitate lifting of the entire field desk assembly.

usually recessed into po stack, can catch on clothing ai pockets also present d scoartinuit e central drawer stack and thus part of Latches suitable non ierm c-release mechanical fasteners)which are in the mrfaces edges of the leaf and central drawer th harsh treatment, he bent or broken. The recessed hen these are present in the tipper surface, of the working surface, In term of the number of latches, there are usually about twelve of these recessed clips along the sides and top edges (and generally at the corners) of the central drawer stack, Such latches are typica latches 2C or in-line toggle latches that comprise a levered toggle having, a loop that ngages ( curved keeper. These latches or their equivalents are welltnown for securing ttivo independent components together.

1-om worktoplwork surface of the desk. The privacy say..

made from attachable upright pillars with a plastic or canvas sheet stretched, attached or hung between these pillars. The privacy screen may therefore he rolled up for carriage. These privacy screen also need to be stored and, in fact, can become damaged because they are generally relative flim y.

privacys roots sepa MOr at the rear

field lesks ma

-

is upward: For movement, the central drawer e include one or re lnr wheels in 1 base.

Summary of the Invention

According to first aspect of t ention Betel desk spit comprising: c.entra cabinet having twa sides, an open io it, a back and a top surface connected between the 01. a leetively ides, the top surface conts ng engageable rotating couplin a multi-leaf desk comprising a central section and a left leaf and a tight leaf both independently hinged to opposing sides of the central section and wherein each of the central section and the left lee and right leaf include at upper and an under surface, the upper surfaces configured to form; -n the left leaf and right leaf are hinged outwardly relative to the, central section, a working surface and wherein the under surface of section Includes a second part of the rotating coupling that co-operat first part to couple the central section to the central cabinet and which rotating coup arranged to permit the working surf-lice to be rotated between: a first position where central section is configured to sit over ever the tap surfac and the hinged left leaf and hinged right leaf can be hinged downwardly to open front and seal the back of the central cabinet; and a second position different to the first position, the second position:wing where the working surface is flat and where hinge points for the left leaf and *ght leaf are supported underneath by the top surface of the central cabinet.

Pre..e rivet urtes at least one r losure board, wi: removable closure hoard arranged be erectable on the working least a partial screen, The cenntral cabinet includes at least one dra er and the drawer retains at least one removal place. The re board may to upper opining;

A,typical field desk

BCB Internationalinvited: hhp rijiductiretobilud One or more of the closure hoards can include one or more of: sound-proofin is ii) a magnetic area in at least one p iii) one or more pockets formed in at least one principal suriface thereof; formed in at least one principal surface t lereot v) an integrated electronic display or touch-screen (wit appropriate interface and electronics) ast one prait thereof; vi) a pin board area in at leas; one principal surface thereof; ballistic panels to provide shrapnel or munitions protect: hooks from which can be hung or drapcii a soft cionom screen, The eaf and the. right leaf can be in the first position.electively attached to t lc central cal fr et bymating* female and male connectors, wherein the sealing of the opein front and the back of the central cabinet is achieved with only four pairs of mating female and male IS connectors. This reduces cuts detrimental cut-outs that might afect surface continuity of me working surface. Alternatively, otherf selective attachment are possible, theluding magnetic coupling, a field desl, system includes a central ahincto hose top surface o nod rotating ti piing mderside of a central section of a working surface desk system a second co-operating part of the rotating coupling is fainted or secured. A leaf is hingedly coupled to either side ?of the central section, The rotating et+txpl allows the entirety of the working a irfrce to he valued rebid'se to tlae c.e itrai cabinet such hinges are supported by the upper surface thereof Akernati s l in a transport mod is hinged downwards relative to the central section nt track wired to es of the central cabinet to produce a transport e. The central cabinet, such as a drawerplurality of removable closure boards. These closure boards.. 'A'l oh can include soil armour and a privacy screen in the thrill of integrated touchscreens or pin-boards, can be erected onto edge surfaces of so the extended working surface.

Advantageously, the various embodiments of the invention provide a generally flat, recess-free Find gap-free multi-element, integrated working surface 94 that is an integral part of a portable field desk. The integrated system provides for better privacy andlor protective screening, with this selectively erectable screening serving multiple purposes to enhance functionality of the working space defined by the field desk. With integrated components and, indeed, a reduction in the number of connectors relative to the prior art, he embodiments prialuce t more mechanically robust system in which there is a reduced likelihood that parts (such a in-Ime toggle latches) can be broken off or otherwise CRUISC a snag risk (for clothes and skin) The resulting systems of the described embodiments provides increased strength at the leaf connection points since these are supported by the larger surface area of the top surface of the central cabinet. The described systems also provide fhr effective stowage of the component parts of the field desk.

Brief Description of the Drawitm

is Exemplary embodiments °Erb -present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: FIG. I is a perspective view of a conventional field desk showing work surface extended by left and right leaves, wherein the field desk further includes a conventional privacy screen; FIG. 2 is a. side view of a central drawer stack of the field desk of FIG. I, the side view showing left and right leaves clasped against front and rear surfaces of the central drawer stack; FIG, 3 shows connection of a leaf to the central drawer stack of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is an exploded component view of a field desk system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Ida 5 shows a preferred embodiment of an underside of an attachable working surface of the field desk system of Fla 4; FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the field desk system of FIG, 4 without its privacy screen; se FIG. 7 shows the field desk system of FIG. 4 with its privacy screen; and FIG. 8 shows the field desk system of FIG. 4 in a collapsed fonn where its left leaf and right leaf are stowed to enclose a central drawer stack of the field desk system.

Bled tltsera trs asf Preferred Enabodin ena' FIG. 1 is a perspe conventional Yield desk 10 showing a generally ork surface 12 extended by left 14 and right 16 leaves, wherein the field desk 10 further includes a conventional privacy screen 18. The centrally supported by a central cabinet, such as a central drawer stack 20. Collapsible legs 22 are hinged from each end of each leaf 12, 14, with each leaf farther clipped/latched into adjoining cooperation with the drawer stack 20, thereby' producing the aforedeserihed gap 26 at the abutting upper surfaces between each leaf and the central drawer stack. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the gap 20 can be bridged by a hinged flap 28 (shown in the open position in FIG. 3) typically located along the inner abutting edge of each leaf In terms of connection, a tongue-and-loop connector of FIG. 3 may he used where a metal tongue on one discrete part, e.g. an inner end edge of the leaf is dropped into a metal loop fixed into hie edge of aver stack. This type of connection or quivalent --is well-known to the skilled is addressee., As can be se are shown in FIG. I the drawer Ok includes removable drawers 0. Five 1 -e Looking at FIGS, 2 and it is noted that buckle) 29 and corresponding catch plates ches (sometimes referred to as a'buttertly hat engage the toggle lack to affect Secure closure), are recessed generally into the corners of discrete components, e.g. the upper working surface 12 of the drawer stack 20 and a leaf 16 (shown partially attached to the face of the drawer stack 20). NC. 2 shows four toggle latches 29 engaged into corresponding catch plates 31 to close front-and rear-sides of the drawer stack 20 with leaves 14, 16. Opposing skies of the drawer stack 20 are provided with. handles 34.

FIG, 4 is an exploded component of a field desk system 50 according to a pro embodiment of the present inv A. central draw,.er stack 5l is esscn.ta lly a cubed shaped box 11 54 (each 'tram y containing a lift point, such as a handle 5 lr silos 52, en front 17 (which may, include some facialsurroune e dying 58 along its peripheral edges) and on rear/ back board/surface 60 (although again this may be similar, to the open front in that it eat a complete surface but includes slime peripheral a/surround edging) The r/back surface 60 may include some limn of ballistic protection (fo military tions of the field desk). Preferably, its width, w, is dimensionally generally vitiates d (although this need not be the case). The width, w, and the height, h, of central.er stack 52 are generally about equal.

The resulting bo. let therefor has a least one of an open front and possible also an open or semi-open back to reduce weight) includes, preferably, at least one pair of complementary drawer runners 61 internally fitted to inside surfaces 58 of opposing sides 52, 54, The inside of the central drawer stack 51 is arranged to, receive at least one drawer and typically irmultiple drawers 64, e,g. hree as exemplified in FIG. 4. Each drawer, ally, txrill include runner pairs 66 that engages into the corresponding runner (in is a male to female mating arrangement) on the inside of each side 52, 54. As will he understood, these complementary mamer pairings 61, 66 ensure smooth smdooth,operation of each Yer into the central drawer sta.& 51 and, t arch:. norc, providers api ropriate alignment and separation of the drawers 64 when each isdrawer stack 51, It is preferable that the back of the drawer stack centaurs a stop me hanism that prevents the drawers 64 from each being pushed entirely through the drat, nee the reason a solid back panel or at least a partial surround.

Each drawer 64 lodes'som form of handle of the drawer 64. Whilst of generally convention construction, each drawer preferably also includes a lateral top brace point 72 spanning at least a part of a mar upper surface 74 of the drawers, For each of manufacture this brace point may be a simple, slat. The drawer further includes a closure hoard 76 that sits on top of the drawer and which, when located in place, closes the drawer 64 to form a box. The closure board preferably includes one, and preferably a plurality of dowels 78 along its rear edge SO, These dowels may fit into or under the lateral top brace point 72. Alternatively, the dowels may be removable pegs that can e s otively inserted the closure board 76 and lateral top brace point 2. When the closure board moved, thy, drawer 64.:es: with a drawer front.

sure hoard 76 into and is retairnedl iahysicakly by each drawer f ahem ady, be retained by brace points or a frame set within an upper region:the,u ather than ttsr the dowels to be engage:dile into the lateral top brace, the ly as'well be retained within an inside surface of the drawer front. These e design options, dowels could eq The dowels 78 other suitah disengagealgly secured into drawer stack 1, Having it reduces the possibility of los whether such dowels tor the li fa.sten ensure that the closure board can he ectively to of the drawer 64 and then secured into the central omponents limns the part-count for the:system and as required liar connectivity. However, the choice of equivalent tainctional connector or connector assembly) is one of marinfacturin Each closure board 76 (which may be a drawer closure hoard, as explained below may also be in some instances a shelf) is preferably solid in construction and may include one of more of: l azatct-prooting illatet.' 11) a magnetic area in at leas dual surface thereof°; iii) one or more pockets formed east one principal surface thereof'.

iv) a white board formed in at least one principal surface thereof, integrated electronic display ore touch-screen (with an appro interface and electronics) ;Allied in at least one principal surface thereof rte ores in at least one principal surface thereof; vii)ballistic panels to provide shrapnel or munitions protection; and/or viii) ]locales from which can be hung or draped a soft armour screen.

sa Reiman' to the ecitistrtaation of the central er stack 51, i,ts bottom nay be, closed or may he open (to reduce weight), I open, Men a base 82 of drawer the lowest position may provide a base for the central drawer stack 51. An n bottom to';he central lra x er suck 51 hrprovides improved securitsr during mid desk systen 50 The central drawer stack 51 farther includes an upper/top surface 84 that connects the sides 52, 54 and front peripheral facials 58 and any back facias or back hoard 60 (as appropriate), The lop surface 84 has formed therein or otherwise secured thereto a first par 88 (femaleimale) part of a rotating coupling: A second complementary (male/female) part 96 of the rotating coupling is coupled to or formed in an, underside 90 of a central section leaf working surface 94, as especially shown in FIG. 5, The second complementary part of the rotating coupling may include a pin 98 that has laterally extending lags 99 it iLs heath with these bags 99 arranged to engage 99 into a slotted cavity.

) of the first part 88 of Lie rotating coupling, the lugs can be inserted into the skit to enzage together the multiple parts of the rotating coupling, with the lugs 99 preventing (upon relative rotation of the central section 9 the lugs retative to the slotted opening in the cavity 104) surface 94 from disengaging with the central drawer stack ore relative offset of preferably realizes a stationary -moving folio aver s arated leaf rking The rotating con coed complementary part may the, etbre include a circular island 100 from which the pin extends downwards (when the working stadium 94 is atop of -and engaged into -the rotating member 88 in/on the top surface of the central drawer stack 511, The rotating coupling may include a hearing chase to facilitate ease of relative rotation. The circular island increases the contact surface ea to provide a good connection between the working surface 94 and the central drawer The rotating coupling may, of course, be realized other ly appmeiable solutions (rather than that described above) and, whilst it is preferably island, could also he realized by, in part, a ring around a central point on the top surface the central section 94. Other arrangements, M View (rfthe thaddlig of the di sclo sear concepts, will be therefore be apparent to achieve the same functional effect It 11 be appreciated that r taleifetr ate connection be veen the underside of the section 92 of an integrated leaf working surface 94 atnd ttae uppentop surface 84 o reversed in that extends upwards. However, a downward 1g pm 98 is pmferred, Also, the pin arrangement is optional and other eycii hanical locking solutions (ion be substinited therefor, as will be understood. The i rrt point is that the integrated leaf working surface 94 is rotation relative to the upi ritop surface 84 of the (generally centrally located) drawer stack-51.

Concerning the working s comprised 'fteint at least the central sectio and a plurality of leaves 1, 112 that are hingedly secured on either side of the al section 92, FI£r. 5 shows an underside of the working surface 94, with the central a sandwiched between a light leaf 110 and a left leaf 112. Each hinge assembly includes pin extending through complementary knuckles 8 formed in respective abutting end edges of the central, setMon and each leaf 110 The aforementioned gap (s reference number 26 of Ha 3) between the multiple semg surface is therefore radically reduced in the arrangement of FIG& 94 of is the field desk 50 is therefore significantly more usable and contains no meaningful cutout recesses since connecting toggle latches are no longer required to connect each leaf to the central section 92.

As further shown in Ceti 00 92 is provided by integrated telescopically-extending hinged leg 120 that can he l wtired to en.age.. against the floor.

although the orientation is different, both of the leaves have ated telescopically-extending hinged legs 1:22, 124 that can be lowered to engage against the floor.

Turning to carriage and rimoyment of the field desk of the preferred embodiments, the rotating coupling allows, the working surface to be rotated with any angle, but, typically this is substantially a right angle (i.e. 90°).

In a transit mode., the le i (see FIG. 8) ate -id flatten a front facial 58 and rear or rear patrol till of the te. -stack 51. in arrangement, the drawers 64 d secured in place with].n the abinet that is the central drawer stack Sl. het fixingmechanisms may be employed, it is preferable that a bottom edge of dm cabinet is lockable into each leaf. In this respect,G. S shows here are prefbrably tau recessed toggle latches 130 (as opposed r lye that are retlatired in the prior art, as shown in FIG'. 2). However' these toggle latches and corresponding catch plates are generally more unobtrusive and less interfering, so they are less likely to snap or catch item, For transport reasons, at least the base or one of the sides of the central drawer stank may include a pair of castors that allow die filed desk system to be rolled, In an operative trode, each hinged leaf is opened cut to form, in combination' with the to central section 92, the extended working surface 94. The various legs may he dropped (at least partially) at this point to ensure clearance. T entirety of the working surface is then rotated using the rotating coupling. Rased on relative diluensions (a e. central cabinet width W to depth d), this rotation should ideally ensure that the hinge between the central section and each leaf is supported/reinforced by the top surface 84 of the drawer stack 51; this is is shown in FIG. 6. It is also contemplated that the hinged sections can include other supportive locking, schemes, such as rods, that can he inserted beneath the working 94 and across the hinged joint between each leaf 110, 112 and the central section 92. licwiever, appropriate dimensioning of the central cabinet te.g. drawer stack 51) avoids an increased part count and produces a rally integrated leaf (field) desk.

Referring to the combination of FIGs. 4 and 7, a preferred embodiment sees a peripheral (long) edge of the resulting working surface 94 provided with hales 140 into which engage dowel plugs, such as integrated dowel plugs '78 or removal dowel plugs. Each closure boari* 76 (if present) of each drawer 64 can therefore be used to erect a solid partition, 2.5 swirling surface, protection and/or privacy screen for the assembled fled desk 50, since each closure board 76 can he attached securely (but removably) to the upper working surface 94 of the field desk. It is noted that the closure boards may also include a notch 103 or hook generally towards or on aa uppermost edge of the closta;e board, This notch permits the handing of a curtain from the top of the closure board to the floor to, provide additional privacy or, indeed, improved protection if this curtain is made from ballistic: soft-aimour, si clt as a Heider icy c the like.

erspec ic view of the field desk of FIG, 4 without its privacy scree t the one or more of the closures hoards 76 being erected on the edge of th generally flat, recess-free and gap-free multi-element attarated working surface, 94. FIG. 6 further shows extensionsof the hinged support legs 122. 124, These include a ng element between each leg. and preferably include some fordo of non-slip footing, contrast, FIG. 7 shows the field desk of a preferred embodiment which, one of osure boards includes a pouch, anomer both a pin-board area 162 and a magnetic area 176 and a third an integrated LCD or touch Screen display 178 (which received, power and signals through an umbilical connected to one or more appropriate wired or wireless interlaces). One or both sides of eath closure hoard 76 can accommodate such mounting and display functions.

FIG. S &Twits the field desk collapseded firm i5 here its left leaf and right leaf are stowed to enclose a central cabinet (such as a drawer stack 51) of the field desk system 50. Besides connection using in-line toggle latches, an alternative would he to see magneticcotinling of the leaf to the sides of the drawer stackleabmet Si Unless specific arrangements mutually exclusive with one another, the various embodiments described herein can be combined to enhance system functionality and/or tO produce complementary functions in the pool tables configuration. Such combinations will be readily appreciated by the skilled addressee giver, the totality of the foregoing description, Likewise, aspects of the preferred embodiments may be implemented in ne arrangements where more limited and thus specific component functionality is provided within each of the nected and therefore interactin tents albeit that, in sum, they together support, realize and produe rld effect(s), Indeed, it will be understood that unless feature -d embodiments are expressly identified as incompatible with one another or the surrounding context implies that they are mutually exclusive and not readily combinable in a complementary ant upportive sense, the totality of this disclosure contemplates and envisions that specific features of those, complementary embodiments oars be, selectively combined to provide one or ITIOre comprehensive, but slightly differci tedhnical. solutions. IIe combinationof elements in the appended claimsrslris=uld not therdore be eonstdued as limited by the depen ci es.

Overall light-weighting of the field desk is achieved by removing a al from the underside of each leg, whilst stre gth retained using appropriate structural sttructural bracing, therefore, be appreciated abon description has way C example only and that modification in detail may be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, whilst the preferred embodiment has been described in relations to a military application for the portable field desk, the present invention may of course be applied to general camping iMmiture or even household desks.

st the preferred embodiment refers to a set of dray cctrld be a cupboard or a combination of a cupboard and one or score drawings. Collet tip c v, unless the specific context requires a more limited interpretation, the term "central cabinet" is used to refer to all these enema. In the instance where a cupboard realizes the central cabinet, the sari, when not in use double up as shelces supported on runners or ledges on the ins'de side-surfaces of the cupboard.

Although the erected screen, shown rn FIG. 4, is described as being ing a ion-extended working surface, the screen could equally be ejected with appropriate or the piovision o boles 140) siloig an end edge (in at other points) (311, felt example, the left leaf 2). It is in fact contemplated that central cabinet may store more closure boards than there are drawers, i.e. each drawer may contain stacked closure boards that are temporarily secured to a part of the drawer, e.g" the lateral brace element 72,