Computer desk

The present invention relates to a computer desk.

More particularly, the invention relates to a computer desk comprising a support frame and a working surface.

Traditionally said working surface is formed by a plate- like member that is mounted on top of said support frame and enables to place a laptop, a keyboard, a computer display or the like thereupon.

A disadvantage of such classic computer desks consists in that the computer utilities placed thereupon can easily get damaged as they are exposed to dust infiltration, spilling of fluids thereon, other environmental parameters and they might also get damaged or even break due to undesired mechanical impacts.

In an attempt to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, it is generally known to place a protective cover over the computer utilities on the desk, so as to keep them from collecting dust and getting spilled on with liquids, however, such a protective cover does not provide sufficient resistance against mechanical shocks.

Another disadvantage of a classic computer desk is that the several computer utilities which are normally situated thereupon, take up a lot of space, also when not in use, which is often undesirable as it is often

required to place for example papers, books, writing utilities or other accessories on the desk.

Especially a computer display takes up quite some space on the working surface of the computer desk.

In case use is made of a laptop, one could remove the laptop from the desk and store it, however, when such laptop is connected to a docking station that is connected to a separate display, this separate display and the docking station cannot be easily and quickly stored away.

Also, a laptop is often stored in a locked closet or a portable case, such that it takes some time to unpack the laptop and reinstall it on the desk.

Still another disadvantage of classic computer desks is that they are not suitable for usage in classrooms, lecture halls or the like, as the computer display blocks the view of a person sitting at such known computer desk, making it impossible to look at a person giving a presentation or a lecture. On top of that, computer displays tend to be wider and higher, as for example the 22 inch panoramic display.

The invention aims to provide a solution for one or more of the above and/or other disadvantages.

To this aim, the invention relates to a computer desk comprising a support frame and a working surface with a proximal side and a distal side, whereby, according to

the characteristic feature of the invention, said computer desk comprises: a first member with a proximal side edge and a distal side edge; said first member being mounted pivotally at said proximal side of said working surface to move between a lowered position to form at least a part of said working surface, and a raised position in which the distal side edge of the first member is moved away from said support frame to give way for a second member that is mounted pivotally at the distal side of said working surface to move between a lowered position and a raised position in which the proximal side edge of the second member is moved away from said support frame; whereby said second member comprises a computer display of which the screen, in the raised position of the second member, is directed towards the proximal side of the working surface; and whereby said second member shows a pivotal axis which is situated at a first distance from the distal side edge of the second member.

The "proximal side" of the working surface means the side of this surface which is situated the closest to a user taking place at the computer desk. The "distal side" of the working surface is the side of this working surface which is the furthest removed from a user sitting at the computer desk.

In an analogue manner, a "proximal side edge" of a member needs to be regarded as the side edge of this member which, in a lowered position of this member, is positioned the closest to a person sitting at the computer desk, while a "distal side edge" means the side

edge of the member which, in the lowered position of the member concerned, is positioned the furthest from the user sitting at the computer desk.

An important advantage of a computer desk according to the invention is that it allows to easily and quickly erect the computer display by first raising said first member and then raising said second member so as to reveal the screen of the computer display on this second member, and by finally lowering said first member again.

Furthermore, such computer desk allows to just as easily store the computer display by raising the first member, then lowering the second member and, subsequently, lowering the first member again, such that the first member forms at least part of the working surface and the computer display is at the same time hidden in order to be protected against mechanical breakage, dust and liquid infiltration .

As the pivotal axis of the second member is situated at a distance from the distal side edge of this second member, the display will be positioned relatively low with respect to the working surface, in the raised position of the second member, such that a person sitting at the desk, even in the raised position of the second member, has a clear view over the display.

As such, a computer desk according to the invention is particularly suited to be used during lectures or presentations, or for educational purposes in classrooms or the like.

Preferably, in the lowered position of the second member, this second member is positioned at approximately the same height as or below said first member.

As a result thereof, an additional lowering of the second member with respect to the working surface is realized, which enhances visibility for a person sitting at the computer desk for looking beyond the display.

Also, according to a preferred form of embodiment of a computer desk according to the invention, in the raised position of said second member, the proximal side edge of this second member is situated above said first member.

The advantage thereof is that an optimal position of the computer display is obtained and this display is not positioned too low in the desk which would keep a person from having a clear view at this display itself.

With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, hereafter, as an example without any limitative character, are described some preferred embodiments of a computer desk according to the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 schematically shows a side view of a computer desk according to the invention; figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of a computer desk according to figure 1;

figure 3 shows the computer desk of figure 2 in another position of the first and second member; figure 4 shows the computer desk according to figure 1 during its use; figure 5 schematically shows a perspective view of a variant of a computer desk according to the invention .

In figures 1 to 4 is represented a first form of embodiment of a computer desk 1 according to the invention, which computer desk 1 comprises a support frame 2 and a working surface with a proximal side 3 and a distal side 4.

The support frame 2 in this case consists of a metal structure providing sufficient support for carrying a first member 5 and a second member 6.

Both members 5 and 6 consist of plate-like elements, such as for example wooden panels or composite panels which are pivotally mounted at a respective side of the working surface on the support frame 2.

The first member 5, which is mounted at the proximal side 3 of said working surface, shows a proximal side edge 7 and a distal side edge 8 and can be moved between a lowered position to form at least a part of said working surface, and a raised position in which the distal side edge 8 of the first member 5 is moved away from said support frame 2 to give way for the second member 6 that is mounted pivotally at the distal side 4 of said working surface to move between a lowered position and a raised

position in which a proximal side edge 9 of the second member 6 is moved away from said support frame 2.

The proximal side edge 7 and the distal side edge 8 of the first member 5 are preferably at least 35 cm spaced apart, while the thickness of the first member 5 is preferably, but not necessarily, situated in a range from 2 to 20 millimeters.

The support frame 2 in this example mainly comprises two trapezium shaped side supports with a bottom profile 11, two upwardly directed profiles 12a and 12b which are connected to the respective free ends of said bottom profile 11, and a top profile 13 connecting the upper free ends of said upwardly directed profiles 12a and 12b.

In this case, said top profile 13 extends beyond at least one of said upwardly directed profiles 12a and 12b, and in this case only beyond the profile 12a situated nearest to the proximal side 3 of the working surface.

The respective side supports can be interconnected by means of transversal connection profiles which are not shown in the drawings, however, this is not strictly required, as these side supports can also be solely interconnected by means of the member (s) 5 and/or 6.

The first member 5 is pivotally connected to the support frame 2 by means of hinges 14 which are each provided near the respective close by free end of the respective top profile 13.

The pivotal axis of the first member 5 is situated at a distance d from the proximal side edge 7 of this first member 5, which distance d is situated in a range from 10 to 20 cm.

Said first member 5 is in the given embodiment further provided on its distal side edge 8 with a downwardly directed surface 15 which, in the lowered position of the first and second members 5 and 6, rests upon the second member 6.

Said second member 6 shows a pivotal axis which is situated at a distance D from the distal side edge 10 of the second member 6, which distance D is preferably, though not necessarily, situated in a range from 5 cm to 20 cm.

Also this second member 6 is in this case pivotally connected to said support frame 2 by means of hinges 16, which are, in this example, connected to a respective upwardly directed profile 12b, however, it is clear that these hinges can also be mounted on the top profile 13.

The pivotal axis of said second member 6 is in this case situated below the working surface which is formed by said first member 5 when brought in its lowered position.

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, in the lowered position of the second member 6, this second member 6 is positioned at approximately the same height as or below said first member 5.

As can be seen for example in figure 4, in the raised position of the second member 6, the proximal side edge 9 of this second member 6 is situated above said first member 5 in its lowered position.

According to the invention, said second member 6 also comprises a computer display 17 of which the screen, in the raised position of the second member 6, is directed towards the proximal side 3 of the working surface, said computer display 17 being suspended on a support surface, more particular a support plate, which makes part of said second member 6.

The support frame 2 in this case comprises an generally box-shaped housing 18 in which said second member 6 is at least partially provided in its lowered position, which housing 18 is positioned below the working surface formed by the first member 5 in its lowered position.

Said box-shaped housing 18 comprises a bottom wall 19 and the distance D between the pivotal axis of the second member 6 and the distal side edge 10 thereof, is smaller than the distance between said pivotal axis of the second member 6 and said bottom wall 19.

In the lowered position of the second member 6, the distal side edge of this second member basically abuts a distal side wall 18a of said box-shaped housing 18. Also, according to a preferred characteristic of the invention, in the lowered position of the second member 6, the distal side edge 17a of the computer display 17 is

located close to said distal side wall 18a of the box- shaped housing 18.

These last two characteristics result in that the available room in the box-shaped housing 18 is used optimally, which is in fact an important advantage of the form of embodiment of figures 1 to 4 of the present invention, as space in conference rooms, class rooms and the like is usually limited and has to be used to its best.

The bottom profiles 11 delimit a bottom surface of the support frame 2 and, according to a variant of a computer desk according to the invention, the distance between said bottom surface and said working surface is adjustable .

A further improvement of a computer desk 1 according to the invention can be obtained by providing said first member 5 with releasable locking means for locking the first member 5 in its lowered position upon moving said first member 5 from said raised into said lowered position. The releasable locking means can be integrated in the hinge 14.

In an analogue manner, said second member 6 can be provided with releasable locking means, optionally integrated in the hinge 16, which lock the second member 6 in its raised position upon moving said second member 6 from said lowered into said raised position.

In this case, said support frame is provided with an internal space, allowing storage of a personal computer 20 or the like, however, this is not a strict requirement of the invention, as the support frame 2 might even form the housing of such a computer on itself.

The use of a computer desk 1 according to the invention is very simple and as follows.

As represented in figures 1 and 2, in the initial condition of the computer desk 1, the members 5 and 6 are both lowered.

Hereby, the downwardly directed surface 15 of the first member 5 rests upon the second member 6.

In this position, a suitable groove-free working surface is available to the user, which is of course of major importance when a user desires to handwrite in stead of using the computer 20.

When a user wishes to use the computer 20, as shown in figure 3, the first member 5 is pivoted from its lowered towards its raised position, and, subsequently, said second member 6 is moved towards its raised position.

Upon complete erection of the second member 6, the screen of the computer display 17 mounted on the second member 6 is made visible for a user sitting at the computer desk 1.

Upon complete raising of the second member 6, as shown in figure 4, the optional releasable locking means of one or both of hinges 16 will be activated, so as to prevent the second member 6 from being able to fall down again.

Due to the presence of a distance D between the pivotal axis of the second member 6 and the distal side edge 10 of this second member 6, said display 17 shows a somewhat lowered position with respect to the working surface and the support frame 2, providing a clear view for a user sitting at the desk 1.

The distance D should not be too small in order to provide for this open unblocked view towards an instructor of towards anything in front of the computer desk .

The distance D should neither be too big, as the lower portion of the screen might be hidden for the user by the first member 5.

For this reason, the bigger the distance D, the more distal the second member 6 should be placed, given a first member 5 and its dimensions.

When work on the computer is finished, the display can easily and quickly be stored in the box-shaped housing 18 of the support frame 2 by first raising the first member 5, then releasing the locking means of hinge 16 and lowering the second member 6.

Subsequently, the first member 5 is brought again in its lowered position and the optional locking means, eventually in one or both of hinges 14, might be activated so as to arrive again at the condition shown in figures 1 and 2.

In figure 5 is represented a variant of a computer desk according to the invention, which computer desk 1 shows basically the same structure at the computer desk 1 shown in figures 1 to 4.

In this case, however, the second member 6 is formed by a computer display 17 itself which is pivotally mounted on the support frame 2.

The first member 5 can also be the housing of the computer, while the keyboard is for example projected on the working surface formed by the first member 5 in its lowered position.

According to a variant of a computer desk 1 according to the invention which is not shown in the drawings, it is also possible that the computer 20 is placed in a box- shaped housing 18 as shown in figures 1 to 4, or in the second member 6, for example behind the display 17.

The invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above and represented in the appended drawings, as a computer desk according to the invention can be realized in various shapes and sizes without departure from the scope of the invention.