US3719407A

US3719407A - Desk configuration having stationery organizer

Info

Publication number: US3719407A
Application number: US00143871A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Woods
Original assignee: FURNITURE J CO Inc
Current assignee: FURNITURE J CO Inc
Priority date: 1971-05-17
Filing date: 1971-05-17
Publication date: 1973-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-06
Also published as: CA954176A

Abstract

A desk configuration has a stationery organizer which is pivotally mounted beneath a work surface portion of the desk configuration in a storage position, the organizer being substantially recessed from the vertical plane of the front edge of the work surface in this position. The stationery organizer is pivotal about a vertical axis between this storage position and a usage position in which the organizer extends beyond the front edge vertical plane.

Description

United States Patent Woods 1 March 6, 1973 [541 DESK CONFIGURATION HAVING 3,031,246 4/1962 Hird 312 197 STATIONERY ORGANIZER 3,063,775 11/1962 Snowman ..3l2/329 3,389,944 6 1968 H h ..312 107 X [75] inventor: David Woods, Quakertown, Pa. rey

[73] Assignee: J. G. Furniture Company, Inc., New Primary ExaminerPaul R, Gilliam York, N.Y. Attorney-Hubbell, Cohen & Stiefel [22] Filed: May 17, 1971 ABSTRACT 21 A l. N 143,871 i 1 pp 0 A desk configuration has a stationery organizer which is pivotally mounted beneath a work surface portion U-S- of the desk configuration in a torage position the or- 1 A4719 19/00 A4713 88/00 ganizer being substantially recessed from the vertical [58] Field of Search ..3l2/195, 197, 133, 328, 329 plane f the from edge f h k Surface in this position. The stationery organizer is pivotal about a [56] References cued vertical axis between this storage position and a usage UNITED STATES PATENTS position in which the organizer extends beyond the front edge vertical plane. 496,057 4/1893 Hubbell ..3l2/197 X 2,710,242 6/1955 Chase ..312/197 X 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR ems 3,719,407

INVENTOR DAVID WOODS M M M ATTORNEYS.

DESK CONFIGURATION HAVING STATIONERY ORGANIZER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to desk configurations having a stationery organizer operatively connected therein.

2. Description of the Prior Art The use of stationery organizers in prior art desk configurations is well known. Such stationery organizers provide a compartmentalized area in which a secretary or other user of the desk can organize a variety of types of stationery to be utilized in performing normal secretarial functions in an office, such as stationery to be used for original copies of letters, stationery to be used for tissue copies of letters, stationery to be used for carbon copies of letters, and envelopes for the letters. These stationery organizers are normally mounted in such prior art desk configurations beneath the work surface portion of the desk, such as the return portion thereof, so as to be substantially flush with the vertical plane of the front edge of the desk. In this manner the secretary can have ready access to the stationery organizer. However, such a stationery organizer compartment occupies valuable knee space so that the knee space beneath the work surface portion under which the stationery organizer is mounted is considerably reduced, thus making inefficient use of the desk. Since the stationery organizer is not continually utilized by the secretary or user of the desk, the sacrifree of additional leg room is not justified and is disadvantageous as well as inefficient. In an attempt to overcome this disadvantage of the prior art, in offices where the desk space is limited and the amount of leg room, therefore, critical, offices have utilized desks without stationery organizers mounted therein and have instead utilized separate independent organizers which may be placed on the desk work surface. However, this sacrifices desk work space for additional leg room and is also disadvantageous and inefficient.

These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A desk configuration includes a stationery organizer pivotally mounted beneath a work surface portion of the desk configuration. The stationery organizer is pivotal about a vertical axis with respect to the horizontal plane of the work surface portion between a storage position and a usage position. In the storage position, the stationery organizer is substantially recessed from the vertical plane of the front edge of the substantially horizontal planar work surface portion, whereas, in the usage position, the stationery organizer has at least a portion thereof which extends substantially beyond the front edge vertical plane. The stationery organizer includes a substantially horizontal shelf configuration. The stationery organizer is recessed in the storage position a sufficient amount so as to provide additional leg room beneath the desk work surface portion. Furthermore, the stationery organizer is preferably wider than it is deep in the storage position so as to provide additional reach when it is pivoted to the usage position while maximizing the additional leg room beneath the desk work surface portion in the storage position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a desk configuration having a pivotally mounted stationery organizer therein in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the FIGS. in detail, especially to FIG. 1 thereof, a perspective view of a desk configuration 10 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. For purposes of illustration, the desk configuration 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a main desk 12 and a return 14 The desk 12 and return 14 may be any desk-return combination such as is commercially available from J. G. Furniture Company Inc. under the trademark REVEAL DESK. Return 14 and desk 12 are operatively connected together in a conventional manner so as to form the L- shaped" desk configuration 10.

Both the main desk portion 12 and the return portion 14 preferably include

planar work surfaces

16 and 18, respectively, which are in the same plane so as to form a substantially continuous L-shaped work surface,

although if desired

surfaces

16 and 18 may be a different height or level in parallel planes. Preferably,

work surfaces

16 and 18 are supported in a horizontal position with respect to the floor or surface upon which the desk configuration 10 normally stands when in use by means of

upstanding end portions

20 and 22, respectively, which are preferably located at the extremity of the L-shaped desk configuration l0, and upstanding

front portions

24 and 26, respectively.

End portions

20 and 22 and

front portions

24 and 26 are connected together in a conventional fashion so as to be substantially perpendicular thereto in order to form the conventional L-shaped desk configuration 10. Of course, conventional legs could be substituted for

end portions

20 and 22 without departing from the invention. A

As shown and preferred in'FIG. l, a stationery organizer, generally referred to by the reference numeral 28 is pivotally mounted beneath the work surface portion 18 of the return 14, such pivotal mounting being more clearly shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, the stationery organizer 28 comprises an upstanding side wall portion 30 and a shelf configuration 32 preferably formed of a free standing metal arranged in an open grid-like configuration. As shown and preferred, the shelf configuration 32 includes a plurality of substantially parallel shelves 34 which are arranged in a step-like fashion between a pair of

upstanding side portions

36 and 38, respectively, to form the free standing shelf configuration 32. As also shown and preferred, the smallest shelf is at the top of the shelf configuration 32 and the largest shelf is at the bottom of the shelf configuration 32. Preferably, upstanding side portion 36 of the shelf configuration 32 is fixedly mounted to the side wall portion 30 so that the shelves 34 are substantially horizontal with respect to the floor or surface upon which the desk configuration l0 normally stands when in use.

Preferably, side wall portion 30 is pivotally mounted to the inside wall of upstanding end portion 22 in a conventional manner, such as by a hinge or arod 40. The rod or hinge 40 has a vertical axis 42 about which the stationery organizer 28 pivots, vertical axis 42 preferably being normal to the horizontal plane of the work surface 18.

As shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2, the stationery organizer 28 is pivotally mounted in a storage position which is preferably substantially recessed from the vertical plane of the front edge 42 of the work surface 18 so as to provide additional leg room between the side wall portion 30 of the organizer 28 and the vertical plane of the front edge 42 in this storage position. In addition, as shown and preferred in FIG. 2, the stationery organizer 28 is pivotal through an angle of ap proximately 90, to a usage position so as to have a portion which extends beyond the vertical plane of the front edge 42 of the work surface 18. Preferably, as also shown and preferred in FIG. 2, the stationery organizer 28 is wider rather than deep in the storage position, which position is shown completely in dotted lines. Although not shown for purposes of clarity, spring detent locks preferably retain the stationery organizer 28 in both the storage position and the usage position until a sufficient unlocking force is exerted on the organizer 28 by the user.

For purposes of explanation it is assumed that the stationery organizer 28 is initially in the storage position wherein the organizer 28 is preferably substantially flush with the rear wall 26 of the return 14 so as to provide additional leg room for the secretary between the upstanding side wall portion 30 of the organizer 28 and the vertical plane of the front edge 42 of the work surface portion 18 of the return 14. When it is desired to use the stationery organizer 28, the secretary pivots it about vertical axis 42 with sufficient force so as to release the spring detent lock mechanism associated with the storage position and pivots the organizer 28 through an angle of 90 out into the usage position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. When the secretary is through using the organizer 28 she then pivots it in the opposite direction about vertical axis 42 with a sufficient force so as to release the spring detent lock mechanism associated with the usage position and return it back into the storage position.

It will become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that a multiplicity of desk configurations other than the one described herein by way of example, may be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention, such as one having no return, so long as such a configuration includes a stationery organizer pivotally mounted beneath a work surface portion of the desk configuration so as to be substantially recessed from the vertical plane of the front edge of the work surface portion in a storage position.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative of the principles thereof and that numerous modifications and 5 embodiments of the invention may be derived within the spirit and scope thereof such as by utilizing a different type of stationery organizer other than a free standing shelf configuration.

What is claimed is:

1 A desk configuration com rising a substantially orizontal p anar work surface portion having a front edge located in a vertical plane substantially normal to the horizontal plane of said work surface portion;

a stationery organizer means comprising a vertically tiered plurality of substantially horizontally extending shelves, said organizer having a supporting portion and an access portion disposed substantially normal to said supporting portion, said shelves being accessible through said access portion for retrievably storing stationery on said shelves, said shelves comprising a free standing configuration secured to said supporting portion at only one side of said configuration, said stationery organizer being movable between a storage position and a usage position; and

means adjacent one end of said supporting portion for pivotally mounting said stationery organizer supporting portion end beneath said work surface portion substantially at a useable end thereof so that said stationery organizer is freely pivotable beneath said work surface portion about a vertical axis between said storage position and said usage position, said supporting portion and said shelf configuration pivoting as a unit, said stationery organizer being pivotally mounted in said storage position beneath said work surface portion with said supporting portion substantially parallel to room between said supporting portion and said front edge vertical plane in said storage position.

2. A desk configuration in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stationery organizer has at least a portion thereof extending substantially beyond said front edge vertical plane in said usage position.

3. A desk configuration in accordance with claim 1 wherein in said storage position said organizer is wider than it is deep in a plane parallel to said horizontal 5o plane with respect to said front edge vertical plane.

4. A desk configuration in accordance with claim 1 wherein said supporting portion comprises a side wall portion, said side wall portion being the organizer portion closest to said front edge in said storage position.

Claims

1. A desk configuration comprising a substantially horizontal planar work surface portion having a front edge located in a vertical plane substantially normal to the horizontal plane of said work surface portion; a stationery organizer means comprising a vertically tiered plurality of substantially horizontally extending shelves, said organizer having a supporting portion and an access portion disposed substantially normal to said supporting portion, said shelves being accessible through said access portion for retrievably storing stationery on said shelves, said shelves comprising a free standing configuration secured to said supporting portion at only one side of said configuration, said stationery organizer being movable between a storage position and a usage position; and means adjacent one end of said supporting portion for pivotally mounting said stationery organizer supporting portion end beneath said work surface portion substantially at a useable end thereof so that said stationery organizer is freely pivotable beneath said work surface portion about a vertical axis between said storage position and said usage pOsition, said supporting portion and said shelf configuration pivoting as a unit, said stationery organizer being pivotally mounted in said storage position beneath said work surface portion with said supporting portion substantially parallel to said front edge vertical plane and substantially recessed therefrom so as to provide useable leg room between said supporting portion and said front edge vertical plane in said storage position.

3. A desk configuration in accordance with claim 1 wherein in said storage position said organizer is wider than it is deep in a plane parallel to said horizontal plane with respect to said front edge vertical plane.