Description

MULTIPURPOSE STORAGE BLOCK AS COMPUTER

ACCESSORY

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory, and more particularly, to a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory having a coupling part which easily and stably couples a body part of the multipurpose storage block to a monitor support or a keyboard of a computer, in which the multipurpose storage block has a simple structure but can be used for a variety of purposes, for example, for the purpose of storing office supplies or computer supplies, such as stationery, business cards, cups, etc. Background Art

[2] Generally, a computer comprises a main body, incorporating a variety of hardware devices therein, a keyboard and a mouse, serving as input devices, and a monitor serving as an output device. Generally, the main body is disposed under a desk, and the keyboard, the mouse and the monitor are disposed on the desk.

[3] Generally, the tops of desks in households and offices are cluttered with things such as office supplies, bookshelves, stationery, phones, etc. Accordingly, there is very little room to work on the desk, and the desk is usually messy with business cards and message sheets attached thereto. Thus, there is a problem in that it is troublesome to sort and store stationery in separate stationery boxes after the use thereof, the space of the desk cannot be effectively used, and the messy state makes a bad impression on people.

[4] In order to solve such problems, a variety of storage boxes have been suggested.

However, the above-described problems have not yet been solved with the known storage boxes because the known storage boxes are structured such that they still necessarily occupy a large space on a desk. Alternatively, storage boxes integrated with keyboards or monitors generally used in offices or storage boxes that can be coupled to the keyboards or monitors have been suggested for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of use of space.

[5] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0413490 (published on April 7, 2006) discloses a keyboard with a storage box (hereinafter, referred to as a first related art). The first related art discloses a construction in which a computer keyboard has an openable portion at a position thereof, which is openable in a hinged manner, and a storage box can be provided under the computer keyboard when the openable portion is in an open state, such that the openable portion can be disposed at the side portion or

the upper portion of the computer keyboard.

[6] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0412871 (Published on April 4, 2006) discloses a keyboard with a drawer (hereinafter, referred to as a second related art). In the construction of the second related art, a drawer is provided under a keyboard in a sliding manner. The drawer is installed at the front side lower portion of the keyboard. Alternatively, the drawer is installed at the side lower portion or the back side lower portion of the keyboard. As a further alternative, the number of drawers can be plural.

[7] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0221757 (Published on April 16, 2001) discloses a storage box for office supplies (hereinafter, referred to as a third related art). The storage box comprises a fixed member fixed to a certain position of a main body of a computer or a monitor, and a storage member coupled to the fixed member in a hinged manner by a hinge member, which is vertically inserted in the fixed member, so that the storage member can pivot around the hinge member within a certain angular range.

[8]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[9] With such a configuration, disclosed in the first related art, a box part and a keyboard part are separately formed and are then coupled to each other by the hinge structure so that the keyboard part pivots on the hinge structure when the box is used. Thus the overall thickness of the keyboard in the first related art is greater than that of general keyboards. This results in that a user is easily getting tired because the thicker keyboard causes discomfort in a user wrists. Further, it is inconvenient to use the box part as a storage box because the keyboard part must be pivoted in order to open the box part every time the storage box is used.

[10] The second related art has the following problems. When the drawer is provided at the front side lower portion of the keyboard, the drawer is installed in a direction facing a user and the user performs typing in a state in which the user wrists and part of the user arms are placed on the drawer. Accordingly, the user tends to injure the user wrists or arms on the partition of the drawer. In addition, it is inconvenient to use the drawer because the drawer must be pulled out whenever it is used.

[11] The third related art has problems in that the coupling structure for coupling the storage box to a computer is very complicated, unlike the simple structure which the present invention aims to provide, in that it deteriorates the efficiency of use of space because the storage box must be coupled to the computer in the space above a desk due to the adoption of the hinge structure, and in that the storage box does not have a variety of functions and forms but has only a storing function.

[12]

Technical Solution

[13] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory which can be coupled to a monitor support or the back surface of a keyboard in an easy and simple manner, and which can be conveniently used, so that a user's work is not hindered by office supplies on a desk, for example, when performing typing, and the top of the desk is maintained neat.

[14] Another object of the invention is to provide a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory which has a simple structure but can be easily and stably coupled to a monitor support or a keyboard, so that it occupies a small space on a desk and can receive a variety of objects therein, and which ensures coupling stability so that the storage block and objects received in the storage block do not fall while a user works at a desk.

[15] A further object of the invention is to provide a storage box as a computer accessory which further includes an auxiliary storage part, in addition to the aforementioned construction, the auxiliary storage part being pivotably coupled to the body part of the storage block, so that the space of a desk can be more effectively used and the storage capacity of the storage block is increased.

[16] A still further object of the invention is to provide a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory which functions not only as a storage box for storing a variety of objects therein but also as coupling means such that a variety of computer peripheral devices, such as a memory card reader, a USB device, a mobile phone charger, a lighting device, an electric fan, a digital camera and so on are attached thereto.

[17]

Advantageous Effects

[18] As described above, the present invention provides the multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory having the following advantageous effects. The multipurpose storage block of the invention is coupled to the monitor support or to the back side of the keyboard, so that a typical dead space on a desk can be effectively used.

[19] Further, the multipurpose storage block of the invention can receive a variety of objects regardless of the size of the objects. The multipurpose storage block of the invention allows the received objects to be easily viewed at a glance. Further, the multipurpose storage block of the invention can enhance the effective use of a space on a desk by allowing objects to be neatly sorted. Although the multipurpose storage block of the invention has a simple structure, it can be easily coupled to a monitor support or to a keyboard. Further, the multipurpose storage block of the invention can be stably

coupled to monitor supports or to keyboards having a variety of widths. In addition, the multipurpose storage block of the invention incurs low cost, while maximizing the effective use of a space.

[20] Further, the multipurpose storage block of the invention includes the auxiliary storage part, which is pivotably coupled to the body part thereof, and thus the multipurpose storage block of the invention has a function of integrating peripheral devices of a computer, such as a memory card reader, a USB device, and a speaker, as well as a function of receiving objects therein.

[21] Further, since the multipurpose storage block has a simple structure, it is possible to be realize at a low manufacturing cost thereof, and it does not incur any the maintenance costs.

[22]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[23] The above and other objects, features and other advantageous effects of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[24] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the coupling state of a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory of the invention, in which the multipurpose storage block is coupled to a keyboard of a computer;

[25] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view illustrating the multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory according to the invention;

[26] FIG. 3 is a back perspective view illustrating the multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory according to the invention; and

[27] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory according to the invention.

[28]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[29] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory comprising a body part having a receiving portion for receiving a variety of sorts of objects therein and a coupling part disposed on the back side of the body part for coupling the body part to a monitor support or a keyboard.

[30] It is preferable that the coupling part include a rod portion for allowing a monitor support or a keyboard to slide along it, and a coupling depression, in which a portion of the monitor support or the keyboard is received after sliding along the rod portion.

[31] It is preferable that the coupling part further include a fixing unit for preventing the monitor support or the keyboard from moving around, in which the fixing unit is a

protrusion provided on the upper surface of the coupling depression. [32]

Mode for the Invention

[33] Here in after, a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings.

[34] FIG 1 shows the coupling state, in which a multipurpose storage block as a computer accessory B (hereinafter, referred to as "multipurpose storage block B") according to the invention is coupled to a computer. The multipurpose storage block B is structured in a manner such that it can be coupled either to a monitor support or to a keyboard in an insertion manner, but in this application an explanation is made of the case in which the multipurpose storage block B is coupled to a monitor support.

[35] As shown in FIG. 1, a computer comprises a main body (not shown), a monitor M, receiving an output signal from the main body and displaying a desired image based on the output signal, a keyboard K, connected to the main body for allowing a user to input an input signal and for transferring the input signal to the main body, and a mouse (not shown). The Monitor M comprises a monitor body Ml and a monitor support M2 for supporting the monitor body Ml on a desk.

[36] As shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, the multipurpose storage block B of the invention is structured in a manner such that it is coupled to the monitor support M2 in an inserted manner. The multipurpose storage block B of the invention comprises a body part 10 having a receiving portion 10a and a coupling part 20.

[37] The construction of the coupling part 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

The coupling part 20 includes a rod portion 21, which allows the keyboard K to be inserted therein, and a coupling depression 22, in which a portion of the keyboard K, sliding along the rod portion 21, is inserted. Accordingly, when using the multipurpose storage block B of the invention, a user places the rod portion 21 between the top surface of a desk and the bottom surface of the monitor support M2. At this time, the monitor support M2 is inserted into the multipurpose storage block B, sliding in the rod portion 21, and finally a portion of the monitor support M2 is inserted into the coupling depression 22. Accordingly, coupling is completed.

[38] At this time, in order to more easily couple the multipurpose storage block B of the invention to the monitor support M2, it is preferable that the rod portion 21 have an inclined surface extending from an end portion thereof to the coupling depression 22. The inclination angle of the inclined surface increases toward the coupling depression 22 from the end portion of the rod portion 21.

[39] With such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, the multipurpose storage block B

having a space large enough to receive objects having a variety of forms and sizes is installed between the monitor M and the keyboard K. Thus, effective use of the desk space is enhanced. In particular, since the multipurpose storage block B is installed between the monitor M and the keyboard K, the typically dead space between the monitor M and the keyboard K is effectively used, resulting in an increase in the efficiency of use of space.

[40] Now, the body part 10 of the multipurpose storage block B will be detailed. The body part 10 has the receiving portion 10a, the space of which is divided into a plurality of compartments according to necessity, so that stationery, such as clips, erasers, and etc. and small items, such as business cards, are disposed in the upper portion thereof, and items such as CDs and diskettes are disposed underneath. The aforementioned coupling part 20 is provided to the back side of the body part 10, so that the body part 10 is coupled to the monitor support M2.

[41] The coupling part is further provided with a fixing unit 30 which prevents the monitor support M2, inserted in the multipurpose storage block B, from moving around. The widths of the monitor supports M2 vary corresponding to the kinds of monitor. When the width of the monitor support M2 is narrower than the width of the coupling depression of the multipurpose storage block B, the monitor support M2 may shake and move around in the coupling depression in the state in which the monitor support M2 is received in the coupling depression. The monitor is typically somewhat heavy. Accordingly, there is less probability of the multipurpose storage block B moving around, even if the coupling depression is larger than the monitor support M2, due to the weight of the monitor M. However, in order to assure the secure and stable installation of the multipurpose storage block B, it is preferable that the coupling part include the fixing unit 30.

[42] The fixing unit 30 may take a variety of forms. However, it is preferable that the fixing unit 30 be provided as a protrusion 30a formed on the upper portion of the coupling depression in order to use the given structure of the coupling part rather than separately provide the fixing unit 30.

[43] In the case in which the receiving portion 10a is formed on the upper portion of the body part, the depth of the receiving portion 10a varies according to position over the entire area thereof. In this case, the protrusion 30a is located at a certain position on the upper portion of the body part. It is preferable that the depth of the receiving portion not be deep but that the depth of edge portions of the coupling depression be relatively deep. With this configuration, the protrusion is formed on the upper portion of the coupling depression.

[44] Even if the monitor support is narrower than the coupling depression, the monitor support slides along the rod portion 21 toward the coupling depression, and is finally

fixed in the coupling depression thanks to the protrusion 30a.

[45] One or two auxiliary storage parts can be coupled to one side or both sides of the body part of the multipurpose storage block B of the invention. FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 show exemplary constructions in which the auxiliary storage parts are provided on both sides of the body part of the multipurpose storage block B.

[46] The auxiliary storage parts 40 are installed in such a way that they laterally protrude from both side ends (in the lengthwise direction) of the keyboard, which is arranged parallel to the receiving portion of the body part. Accordingly, objects having a relatively large size can be received in the auxiliary storage parts 40. For example, CDs, a variety of manuals or a mouse may be received in the auxiliary storage parts 40.

[47] As shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable that the auxiliary storage parts 40 be pivotably coupled to the body part 10. This configuration improves the efficiency of use of space on a desk. The pivotable coupling is attained through a male part-female part combination provided on ends of the body part and the auxiliary storage part 40, respectively.

[48] As shown in the right part of FIG. 4, a through hole 11 is formed in the body part at a position near the side edge thereof. An end portion of the auxiliary storage part 40 is provided with a protrusion 41 on the upper surface thereof. The protrusion 41 has a shape corresponding to that of the penetration hole 11 and can be inserted into the penetration hole 11. That is, the protrusion is inserted into the penetration hole 11 when the auxiliary storage part 40 and the body part are coupled to each other, so that the auxiliary storage part 40 can pivot around the protrusion 41. The penetration hole 11, used for coupling the auxiliary storage part 40 and the body part of the multipurpose storage block B to each other, can be used as a space to receive a cup therein.

[49] As shown in the left portion of FIG. 4, the male part- female part coupling may be realized in an alternative manner. That is, the body part has a female part 12 having a shape corresponding to that of the protrusion formed on the auxiliary storage part 40 on the lower surface thereof instead of the penetration hole 11. The female part 12, provided on the lower surface of the body part, is mated with the protrusion 41, serving as the male part.

[50] It is preferable that a penetrating portion 50 be provided on the lower surface of the body part in order to allow electric wires to be neatly arranged. That is, a wire for connecting a keyboard and a wire for connecting a mouse are received in the penetrating portion 50, so that the top of the desk can be kept tidy.

[51] The multipurpose storage block B of the invention has a function of integrating a variety of computer peripherals, such as a memory card reader, a USB device, a speaker, a mobile phone charger, a lighting device, an electric fan and a digital camera, by allowing them to be installed thereto, and also has a function of receiving a variety

of kinds and sizes of office supplies therein. Thus, the user's computer work can be smoothly performed. In particular, it is desirable that the speaker be received in the auxiliary storage parts, which are arranged like wings with respect to the body part, rather than being received in the body part of the multipurpose storage block B.

[52] It is desirable that the electric fan and the lighting device be driven by a USB connection. The speaker is connected with a headset or earphones. The headset or the earphones may be received in the receiving portion 10a of the body part when they are not used.

[53] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

[54]

Sequence Listing

[55] storage block as computer accessory, monitor support, keyboard