Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Agent's Reference: 5385P01CA
A DESK HAVING A BOOK BOX
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a desk and, in particular, to a
desk having a
book box provided with a plurality of leg receiving sockets.
Description of the Related Art
100021 It is known to provide desks with book boxes to allow students to
store
educational materials. Traditionally a welded metal frame with legs has been
used to
support the book box. However, it is also known to provide a plastic book box
with leg
receiving sockets. This allows the desk to be shipped with the legs
disassembled. An
example of such a desk is disclosed in United States Patent Number 8,186,284
which
issued on May 29,2012 to Westbrook et al., and discloses a desk comprising a
writing
surface and a book box which is secured to the writing surface. A plurality of
leg
receiving sockets or receiver sleeves are integrally molded with the book box.
Each
receiver sleeve has an outer wall and an inner wall. The inner wall of each
receiver sleeve
has a slot and a plurality of radially spaced ribs. The desk further includes
a plurality of
legs which are each received by a corresponding receiver sleeve. The legs each
include a
detent adapted to engage the inner wall slot of the receiver sleeve when the
leg is
received by the receiver sleeve. The detent both secures the leg to the book
box and
positions the upper leg portion within the opening.
100031 There however remains a need for an improved desk having a book
box
provided with a plurality of leg receiving sockets.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] There is provided a desk comprising a member having a writing
surface and a
book box coupled to the member. The book box has a plurality of leg receiving
sockets.
The desk also has a plurality of legs. Each of the legs has proximal end
portion. The
proximal end portion of each of the legs is flared and is received by a
corresponding one
of the leg receiving sockets.
[0005] There is also provided a desk comprising a member having a writing
surface
and a book box coupled to the member. The book box has a plurality of
substantially
cylindrical leg receiving sockets. Each of the leg receiving sockets has an
inner wall and
plurality of ribs extending along the inner wall thereof. The desk also
includes a plurality
of legs. Each of the legs has a proximal end portion with a quadrilateral
cross-section.
The proximal end portion of each of the legs is flared and is received by a
corresponding
one of the leg receiving sockets. The ribs extending along the inner wall of
each of the
leg receiving sockets frictional engage a corresponding one of the legs so
removal of the
legs from the leg receiving sockets is restricted.
[0006] There is also provided a method of securing a proximal end of a
leg to a leg
receiving socket on a piece of furniture. The method comprises press fitting
the proximal
end of the leg into the leg receiving socket and flaring the proximal end of
the leg so
removal of the leg from the leg receiving socket is restricted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS
[0007] The invention will be more readily understood from the following
description
of the embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to
the
accompanying drawings, in which:
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[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved desk having a book
box
provided with a plurality of leg receiving sockets;
[0009] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the desk;
[0010] Figure 3 is a top view of a book box of the desk;
[0011] Figure 4 is a bottom view of the book box of the desk;
[0012] Figure 5 is a sectional view of a leg receiving socket of the book
box of the
desk;
[0013] Figure 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing a leg press
fitted into a
corresponding leg receiving socket of the book box of the desk;
[0014] Figure 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing flaring of the leg
which is
press fitted into the corresponding leg receiving socket of the book box of
the desk;
[0015] Figure 8 is a partially exploded, fragmentary, isometric view
showing
trimming of the leg which is press fitted into the corresponding leg receiving
socket of
the book box of the desk;
[0016] Figures 9 is a perspective view of the desk showing a front of the
desk;
[0017] Figures 10 is a perspective view of the desk showing a rear of the
desk;
[0018] Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views of the desk showing
opposite ends of
the desk.
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DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Referring to the drawings and first to Figures 1 and 2, an
improved desk 10 is
shown. The desk 10 generally comprises a writing surface 12, a book box 14,
and a
plurality of legs 16, 18, 20 and 22. The writing surface 12 is a surface of a
substantially
planar member 24 which is secured to the book box 14. In this example, the
planar
member 24 is constructed of engineered wood and is fixedly secured to the book
box 14.
However, in other examples, the planar member may be constructed of any
suitable
material and may be releasably or hingedly secured to the book box. The book
box 14, as
best shown in Figure 2, includes a planar base 26, end walls 28 and 30, and a
front wall
32 that extends between the end walls 28 and 30. Securing the planar member 24
to the
book box 14 in a manner such that the planar member 24 extends substantially
parallel to
the planar base 26 of the book box 14, as best shown in Figure 1, results in
the formation
of a recess 34 where educational materials may be stored.
[0020] Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, in this example the book box 14 is
constructed of a molded thermoplastic material and there are integrally
molded,
substantially cylindrical leg receiving sockets 36, 38, 40 and 42 which are
disposed in
respective corners of the book box 14. However, in other examples, the book
box may be
constructed of any suitable material and the leg receiving sockets may be
disposed in
other locations on the book box. The leg receiving sockets 36, 38, 40 and 42
each receive
a corresponding one of the legs 16, 18, 20 and 22 as best shown in Figures 1
and 2. The
legs are telescopic and quadrilateral in cross-section, more specifically
square, in this
example as seen in Figure 8. It will be understood by a person skilled in the
art that the
leg receiving sockets 36, 38, 40 and 42 have substantially identical
structures and
function in a substantially identical manner. Accordingly, only one leg
receiving socket
36 is discussed in detail herein with the understanding that the other leg
receiving sockets
38, 40 and 42 have substantially identical structures and function in a
substantially
identical manner.
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[0021] The leg receiving socket 36 is shown in greater detail in Figure 5
and has a
cylindrical inner wall 44. There is a plurality of circumferentially spaced-
apart ribs, for
example ribs 46a, 46b, and 46c, which extend longitudinally along the inner
wall 44 of
the leg receiving socket 36. The ribs 46a, 46b, and 46c also extend
perpendicularly
outward from the inner wall 44 and frictionally engage the leg 16 which is
press fit into
the leg receiving socket 36 as best shown in Figures 6 to 8. The frictional
engagement of
the ribs 46a, 46b, and 46c with the leg 16 helps ensure that the leg 16
remains tightly
press fitted into the leg receiving socket 36. A tight press fit decreases the
wobble of the
leg 16 and provides overall stability to the desk 10.
[0022] Figure 6 shows the leg 16 press fitted into the leg receiving socket
36 during
assembly of the desk. A proximal end 48 of the leg 16 is first inserted into a
first end 50
of the leg receiving socket 36 and the leg 16 is pressed into the leg
receiving socket 36
towards a second end 52 of the leg receiving socket 36 until the proximal end
48 of the
leg 16 extends out of a second end 52 of the leg receiving socket 36 as seen
in Figure 6.
The proximal end 48 of the leg 16 is hollow and constructed of metal in this
example.
This allows the proximal end 48 of the leg 16 to be flared or widened, as
shown in Figure
7, to help ensure that the leg 16 remains tightly press fitted into the leg
receiving socket
36. The proximal end 48 of the leg 16 is then trimmed so it is substantially
flush with the
second end 52 of the leg receiving socket 36 as shown in Figure 8 with trimmed
portion
54 of the leg 16 removed. It will be understood by a person skilled in the art
that the other
legs 18, 20 and 22 are tightly press fit into respective leg receiving sockets
38, 40 and 42.
The planar member 24 may then be secured to the book box 14, as shown in
Figures 9 to
12, to thereby couple the writing surface 12 to the book box 14 as also shown
in Figure 1.
[0023] Flaring or widening the legs at their respective proximal ends
helps ensure
that the legs are tightly press fitted into respective leg receiving sockets.
This allows the
legs to be securely coupled to the book box without the need for a detent or
other locking
mechanism. This reduces the number of components required to assemble the
desk. Once
the desk is assembled, movement of the legs in response to a pushing force is
restricted
by the planar member while movement of the legs in response to a pulling force
is
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restricted by the frictional engagement of the ribs of the leg receiving
sockets with the
flared or widened distal proximal ends of the legs.
100241 It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that many of
the details
provided above are by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the
scope of the
invention which is to be determined with reference to the following claims.
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