EP0256610A2

EP0256610A2 - A collapsible desk

Info

Publication number: EP0256610A2
Application number: EP87302509A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guillermo Capdevila Abatte
Original assignee: TABERVALL SA
Current assignee: TABERVALL SA
Priority date: 1986-08-04
Filing date: 1987-03-24
Publication date: 1988-02-24
Also published as: ES1000067Y; ES1000067U; EP0256610A3

Abstract

A collapsible desk of adjustable height comprises a board (1) and support feet (5) joined in an articulated way by first and second parallel, generally rectangular members (3, 4) in such a way that the board, the feet and the members provide a deformable parallelogram which allows one to regulate the height of the desk. One of the generally rectangular members (3) is provided with two supports (7) via which a double lever (6) is rotatably mounted, the lever being provided with a series of detents (8) which cooperate with a rod (9) held by two supports (10) fast with the upper side of the other generally rectangular member (4) to hold the lever and thereby the board in a determined one of a plurality of positions.

Description

The present invention relates to a collapsible desk, more particularly to such a desk of adjustable height.
Desks are used more and more each day, because apart from the ordinary uses to which they have been put, these days there has to be added to such use, with great effeciency, the accommodation of personal computers and devices.
The principal inconvenience that is presented by known collapsible desks resides in the fact that in the majority of cases it is not possible to adapt them to the characteristics of the user, and in the cases in which such adaptation is possible, it involves complicated systems which, apart from making it difficult for the user to obtain the required adaptation, increases the price of the desk.
The object of the present invention is to provide a desk that substantially eliminates the above-mentioned inconvenience, that is to say one which through a simple handling mechanism, allows regulation of the height of the desk, and at the same time can be folded away, to facilitate its storage and transportation with a minimum of space.
According to the present invention, there is provided a collapsible desk of adjustable height, the desk comprising a board and support foot means joined in an articulated way by first and second parallel, generally rectangular members in such a way that the board, the foot means and the said members provide a deformable parallelogram which allows one to regulate the height of the desk, one of the said members being provided with support means via which a lever is rotatably mounted and the lever being provided with means for holding it and thereby the said board in a determined one of plurality of positions.
Each of the said generally rectangular members may have been formed using a tubular element.
The said generally rectangular members could be vertically offset slightly with respect to each other and, in this case, the said one of the said generally rectangular members could be the lower one of these members.
Preferably, the said holding means comprises a series of detents with which the said lever is provided and a rod with which the said detents cooperate, the rod being held by first and second supports fast with the upper side of the other of the said generally rectangular members.
The said support means via which the lever is rotatably mounted could comprise first and second supports fast with the said one of the said generally rectangular members. In this case, the said lever could be generally U-shaped to comprise a double lever which is rotatably mounted via the said first and second supports fast with the said one of the said generally rectangular members.
At least one side of the said board could be provided with an aperture to receive coupling means.
One of the said generally rectangular members could be offset horizontally in relation to the other for better folding of the desk.
Article carrying means, for example in the form of grid means, could be carried by the upper sides of the said generally rectangular members.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desk according to an example of the invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of the desk shown in Figure 1; and
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 show schematically how different forms of grids can be incorporated with the desk.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a desk comprises a board 1, provided on its underside with a support 2 in which are rotatably mounted the horizontal upper sides of two identical parallel, generally rectangular members 3 and 4. The members 3 and 4 have each been made starting from an elongate element, preferably tubular. The two lower, horizontal sides of members 3 and 4 are rotatably mounted in feet 5 (which feet serve as a support for the desk), so that the two members 3 and 4 remain arranged in parallel planes, a deformable parallelogram being provided between support 2, the non-horizontal sides of the members 3 and 4 and the feet 5, which deformable parallelogram allows the board 1 to be placed in different parallel planes.
To place and maintain the board 1 in a desired position, there is provided a double lever 6 (which is generally U-shaped when viewed from above, so that it has two arms) rotatably mounted via two supports 7 fast with the upper side of the generally rectangular member 3, at least one of the arms of the lever 6 having a series of detents in the form of slots 8, which cooperate with a rod 9 mounted between supports 10 fast with the upper side of the generally rectangular member 4.
The described desk may be enlarged by means of grids or other accessories. For example, various such desks can be joined together, the desks having in the sides of their boards 1 apertures 11 which allow one desk to be coupled to another by way of a grid 12 (see Figure 3). A grid 13 as shown in Figure 4 may also be received in such an aperture 11.
It is also possible to enlarge the desk by receiving a grid 14 on the two upper sides of the generally rectangular members 3 and 4, as shown in Figure 5. Also, it is possible in the case of the desk being used for personal computers to lay out some guide means that allows the mounting of a draw to store disks and to incorporate a grid 15 above the board 1 to hold the monitor, as shown in Figure 6.
It should be understood that other embodiments, variations and alterations in the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein described and illustrated by way of example.

Claims

1. A collapsible desk of adjustable height, the desk comprising a board and support foot means joined in an articulated way by first and second parallel, generally rectangular members in such a way that the board, the foot means and the said members provide a deformable parallelogram which allows one to regulate the height of the desk, one of the said members being provided with support means via which a lever is rotatably mounted and the lever being provided with means for holding it and thereby the said board in a determined one of a plurality of positions.

2. A desk according to Claim 1, wherein each of the said generally rectangular members has been formed using a tubular element.

3. A desk according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the said generally rectangular members are vertically offset slightly with respect to each other.

4. A desk according to Claim 3, wherein the said one of the said generally rectangular members is the lower one of these members.

5. A desk according to any preceding claim, wherein the said holding means comprises a series of detents with which the said lever is provided and a rod with which the said detents cooperate, the rod being held by first and second supports fast with the upper side of the other of the said generally rectangular members.

6. A desk according to any preceding claim, wherein the said support means via which the lever is rotatably mounted comprises first and second supports fast with the said one of the said generally rectangular members.

7. A desk according to Claim 6, wherein the said lever is generally U-shaped to comprise a double lever which is rotatably mounted via the said first and second supports fast with the said one of the said generally rectangular members.

8. A desk according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one side of the said board is provided with an aperture to receive coupling means.

9. A desk according to any preceding claim, wherein one of the said generally rectangular members is offset horizontally in relation to the other for better folding of the desk.

10. A desk according to any preceding claim, wherein article carrying means is supported by the upper sides of the said generally rectangular members.