BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to a collapsible desk and desk/chair combination, particularly for use in a classroom environment.

There are many sorts of desks which can be used in various scenarios. Classroom desks are often smaller and are either a desk alone or a desk and chair combination for one or two people.

However, there are not portable desks which can be easily assembled and disassembled for transportation and storage.

The present invention addresses this and provides a collapsible desk and desk and chair combination. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one example embodiment, a collapsible desk includes: a plurality of elongate frame members; a plurality of lower frame supporting members each comprising a foot portion for resting on a floor and including at least one horizontal opening and at least one vertical opening, each opening sized to receive an end of one of the elongate members therein so that a plurality of lower frame supporting members thereby together hold a plurality of frame members in a horizontal position relative to the floor when the foot portion is resting on the floor and a plurality of frame members in a vertical position; a plurality of upper frame supporting members each including at least one horizontal opening and at least one vertical opening, each opening sized to receive an end of one of the elongate members therein so that a plurality of frame supporting members thereby together hold a plurality of frame members in a horizontal position relative to the floor and a plurality of frame members in a vertical position; a desk member having a flat upper surface for use as a desk surface, which desk member can be held securely in a horizontal position by the frame members held in position by the upper frame supporting members thereby to form a desk.

The elongate frame members may include at least one groove formed therein.

The openings in the frame supporting members, in one example, have a protrusion formed therein sized to fit into the grooves in the frame members. The collapsible desk may include four lower frame supporting members and four upper frame supporting members.

The desk member may include a plurality of frame engaging formations so that the desk member can be held securely in a horizontal position by the frame members which in turn are held in position by the upper frame supporting members thereby to form a desk.

The collapsible desk may further include: a plurality of first chair frame supporting members each including at least one horizontal opening and at least one vertical opening, each opening sized to receive an end of one of the frame members therein so that the plurality of first chair frame supporting members can be connected by vertical frame members to lower frame supporting members; a plurality of second chair frame supporting members each including at least one horizontal opening sized to receive an end of one of the frame members therein so that the plurality of second chair frame supporting members can be connected by frame members to the plurality of first chair frame supporting members; a seat member having a flat upper surface for use as a seat surface, which seat member is held securely in a horizontal position by the frame members held in position by the first and second chair frame supporting members; a plurality of back rest frame supporting members each including at least one horizontal opening and at least one vertical opening, each opening sized to receive an end of one of the frame members therein so that the plurality of back rest frame supporting members can be connected by vertical frame members to a plurality of first chair frame supporting members; and a back rest member having a flat upper surface for use as a back rest surface, which back rest member Is held securely in a vertical position by the plurality of back rest frame supporting members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1-3 show a plurality of frame supporting members for use with a collapsible desk according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a frame member for use with a collapsible desk according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a desk member according to the present invention;

Figure 6 shows an exploded view of one example embodiment of a collapsible desk according to the present invention;

Figure 7 shows the collapsible desk of Figure 6 in an assembled position;

Figures 8-10 show a plurality of frame supporting members for use with a collapsible desk according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 11 -12 example supporting members;

Figure 13 show an exploded view of another example embodiment of a collapsible desk according to the present invention; and

Figure 14 shows the collapsible desk of Figure 16 in an assembled position. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the accompanying Figures, a collapsible desk includes a plurality of elongate frame members 10 and a plurality of frame supporting members.

These components in use can be assembled together to form a desk as will be described in more detail below.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the desk includes a plurality of lower frame supporting members 12 each comprising a foot portion 14 for resting on a floor.

The lower frame supporting members 12 (Figures 1 and 3) include at least one horizontal opening 16 and at least one vertical opening 18.

Each of the horizontal and vertical openings are sized to receive an end of one of the elongate members 10 therein.

In this way, a plurality of the lower frame supporting members 12 thereby together hold a plurality of frame members 10 in a horizontal position relative to the floor when the foot portion 14 is resting on the floor and a plurality of frame members 10 in a vertical position as can best be seen in Figures 6 and 7.

A plurality of upper frame supporting members 20 each include at least one horizontal opening 22 and at least one vertical opening 24.

Each of the horizontal and vertical openings are sized to receive an end of one of the elongate members 10 therein.

In this way, a plurality of upper frame supporting members 20 thereby together hold a plurality of frame members 10 in a horizontal position relative to the floor and a plurality of frame members In a vertical position as can best be seen in Figures 6 and 7.

In this regard, the elongate frame members 10 include at least one groove 30 formed therein and the openings in the upper and lower frame supporting members 12 and 16 have a protrusion 32 formed therein sized to fit into the grooves in the frame members.

It will be appreciated that the protrusion 32 slides into the groove 30 thereby preventing the frame member 10 from rotating with respect to the frame supporting member into which it is inserted.

A desk member 26 has a flat upper surface 28 for use as a desk surface.

The desk member 26 can be held securely in a horizontal position by the frame members 10 which are in turn held in position by the upper frame supporting members 20 thereby to form a desk as can best be seen in Figures 6 and 7.

In this regard, the desk member 26 includes a plurality of frame engaging formations 34 so that the desk member 26 can be held securely in a horizontal position by the frame members 10 which in turn are held in position by the upper frame supporting members 20.

In one example, the plurality of frame engaging formations 34 engage with the groove 30 on the frame members 10.

Alternatively or in addition, holes can be formed through the desk member 26 and the relevant frame member 10 and a fastener can be inserted through the holes when they are aligned to connect the two together.

One example of a fastener that could be used is a male/female type fastener where the male fastener has a screw thread and the female fastener has a complimentary screw thread so that the two can be connected together.

With reference to Figures 6 and 7, it will be appreciated that the illustrated desk includes four lower frame supporting members 12 and four upper frame supporting members 16.

In addition, the desks once assembled are stackable one on top of the other.

Figures 8-14 illustrated a second embodiment of the present invention in which a chair is added to the desk.

Referring to Figure 9, a plurality of first chair frame supporting members 36 each include at least one horizontal opening 38 and at least one vertical opening 40.

These openings are sized to receive an end of one of the frame members 10 therein.

In this way, the plurality of first chair frame supporting members 36 can be connected by vertical frame members 10 to the lower frame supporting members 12a (best seen in Figures 13 and 14).

A plurality of second chair frame supporting members 42 shown in Figure 8 each include at least one horizontal opening 44 sized to receive an end of one of the frame members therein.

In this way, the plurality of second chair frame supporting members 42 can be connected to the plurality of first chair frame supporting members 36 by frame members.

A seat member 46 has a flat upper surface 48 for use as a seat surface. The seat member 46 is held securely in a horizontal position by the frame members 10 which are in turn held in position by the first and second chair frame supporting members. This can best be seen in Figure 14.

A plurality of back rest frame supporting members 50 illustrated in Figure 10 each include at least one horizontal opening 52 and at least one vertical opening 54.

Each opening is sized to receive an end of one of the frame members 10 therein so that the plurality of back rest frame supporting members 50 can be connected by vertical frame members 10 to a plurality of first chair frame supporting members 36.

A back rest member 56 has a flat upper surface 58 for use as a back rest surface.

The back rest member 56 is held securely in a vertical position by the plurality of back rest frame supporting members 50.

In use, the seat member 46 and back rest member 56 have holes formed therein as well as in the relevant frame member 10. A fastener as has been described above can then be inserted through the holes when they are aligned to connect the two together.

Referring to Figures 13 and 14, a plurality of braces 60 are added for support It will be appreciated that further braces could be added as required to further stablise the frame.

In the illustrated embodiment, these are added by sliding brace connecting elements 62 over two frame members 10 and the brace 60 will then be held in position between these two brace connecting elements 62 as illustrated in the figures. It will be appreciated that the collapsible desk and desk/chair combination are easily collapsed into a storage/transport form and can be moved around as required by a user or stored more easily taking up less room than traditional desks.

Furthermore, no tools are required to assemble the desk and desk/chair combination.