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(11) | EP 0 916 285 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC |
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| (54) | CHILD'S DESK |
| (57) The invention relates to a child's desk comprising several interconnecting elements
including a base (1) with two frontal columns (3) and two back columns (2). All four
columns are provided with height-adjustment means. The front columns (3) can be jointed
to a drawer (12) with a board (4), while the back columns (2) can be joined to a scat
(8). Means are provided to move the seat (8) closer to the drawer (12) or to separate
it therefrom. This structure enables the desk to be adapted to children of different
ages and also includes innovatively arranged elements such as a tray (22) for coloured
pencils, a bin (22) and a foot rest (6). |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention, as expressed in this specification, refers to a desk for children, that is designed to provide an attractive desk for children which can also be adapted for different ages of the children, allowing the seat to be moved closer and further away from the table-top as well as adjusting the height of both the table-top and seat independently.
[0002] In addition, the aforementioned desk has been designed to be of great use for children's tasks, having elements such as a pencil tray, wastepaper basket and footrest set out in a novel way.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In order to achieve the mentioned objectives, the invention consists of a child's desk, which has a one-piece structure forming the base and the legs of the seat and table-top of the desk.
[0004] The aforementioned structure is a kind of approximately trapezium-shaped ring, forming the base or foot of the desk and from the vertices (corners) of which there are four upright columns, the two rear columns corresponding to the legs of the desk seat, while the two front columns, which are higher and further apart than the rear columns, correspond to the legs of the table-top of the desk.
[0005] The front edge of the aforementioned base, that which is located between the two front columns, has a central zone in which another part is fitted forming a desk footrest.
[0006] The two rear columns can be fitted together with a male/female joint into the lower part of a body, which constitutes the seat of the desk, fitted directly or through spacers, which allows the height of the seat to be increased.
[0007] The corresponding male/female joints are fixed by screws or similar; in the example an embodiment, which will be shown later, they are fixed by means of cylindrical shafts with inner thread and tightening screws.
[0008] Similarly, the two front columns are attached by male/females to the lower part of the drawer section of the table-top, also directly or by spacers, which allow the height of the aforementioned table-top to be increased. In addition, on at least one of the columns, making use of the joint between the said columns and drawer section, another part is incorporated constituting a wastepaper basket. In the example of the invention these means of joint, as in the case of the seat, are made by means of cylindrical shafts with inner thread and tightening screws.
[0009] The drawer section referred to is a hollow section open at the top and which provides considerable internal space. In the front, upper central area of the desk's front zone, the drawer section has a lip in which are included hinge devices to fit the table-top of the desk so that the user can raise and lower the table-top as he/she chooses. These hinge devices consist of tubes in the form of bushings, which are inserted in lateral holes located on the lip of the drawer section referred to. These holes match the holes on brackets located on the underside of the table-top, so that the aforementioned tubes or bushings also pass through the holes of the brackets.
[0010] After having matched the said holes on the brackets and lip and having inserted the mentioned bushings, screws are inserted into the inside ends of these bushings and corresponding nuts are fitted to the outer edge of the mentioned brackets thus completing the articulated joint between the drawer section and the table-top.
[0011] Each table-top bracket has various holes so that according to the pair of holes which are coupled to those of the drawer section lip, the table-top is located closer or further away from the seat of the desk without affecting the articulation between the drawer section and the table-top.
[0012] Close to the upper corners of the table-top, hollows or cavities are included for storing writing implements or similar.
[0013] Between the aforementioned hollows or cavities, the table-top has an area in which an additional part forming a pencil tray with various sections can be fitted.
[0014] The joint and fixture between the aforementioned pencil tray and the table-top is preferably achieved using dowels and corresponding holes.
[0015] Next, in order to provide a better understanding of this specification and forming an integral part of the same, some figures are given as illustration without limitation representing the object of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0016]
Figure 1. - Represents a perspective view of a child's desk carried out according to this invention that shows all its components in place.
Figure 2. - Represents a blown-up perspective view of the child's desk referred to in figure 1.
Figure 3. - Represents a perspective view of a child's desk drawn according to this invention, with its parts in place, similar to figure 1 but in this case eliminating the spacers, which allow the height of the seat and table-top to be increased, and with the drawer section partly open.
Figure 4. - Represents a perspective view of the table-top section of the child's desk of the previous figures, with an blown-up view of the pencil tray included in the table-top.
Figure 5. - Represents a perspective view of a child's desk according to this invention showing all its parts assembled, similar to figure 1 but in this case with the drawer section being fully open and with an blown-up drawing showing the hinge elements between the drawer and the table-top.
Figure 6. - Represents a blown-up detail of figure 5, relating to the hinge elements.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0017] In this section, a description of an embodiment of the invention is given, making reference to the numeration adopted in the figures.
[0018] Thus, this example of the child's desk has a base or foot 1, determined by a kind of profiles or branches which define an approximate trapezoidal contour and between which there is a deep space approximately concentric to this contour.
[0019] Two columns 2 which rise from the rear corners of the base 1 will form the legs of the desk seat and two columns 3 which rise from the front corners of the base 1 will form the legs of the table-top 4.
[0022] The section of the base 1 located between the front columns 3 has an area 5 in which a footrest 6 is fitted and snapped on.
[0023] The rear columns 2 have upper end pieces, with male/female fitting into respective intermediary spacers 7 which in turn fit into the corresponding areas of the lower part of the seat section 8.
[0024] This seat section 8 can be fitted directly onto the upper ends of the rear columns 2, without using the intermediary spacers 7 so that the seat of the desk 8 is lowered, as represented in figure 3. In either case, fastening of the corresponding male/female joints between spacers 7, rear columns 2 and seat 8 or between rear columns 2 and seat 8 is achieved by fitting cylindrical shafts with inner thread 9, which pass through coinciding holes on the corresponding male/female parts and are coupled to respective tightening screws 10.
[0025] The front columns 3 also have ends adapted for other spacers 11, which are in turn connected to the underside of the drawer section 12; the joins being made by means of a male/female device and being held as before by coinciding holes, shafts with inner thread 9 and tightening screws 10.
[0026] The other spacers 11 can also be left out in the assembly, fitting the lower part of the drawer section 12 directly to the front columns 3 by means of male/female joint having the effect of lowering the height of the table-top 4 as shown in the desk in figure 3.
[0027] The internally threaded shaft 9 and the screw 10 which hold a front column 3 to a spacer 11 or directly to the drawer section 12, according to the height required for the table-top 4, also hold a wastepaper basket 13 which is located adjacent to the external face of the said column 3, for which purpose the said wastepaper basket 13 has a hole, which is located to match the hole referred to in the front column 3 referred to for the purpose of fixing the basket 13 to the column 3.
[0028] The drawer section has a lip 14, which has lateral holes intended for hinging with the table-top 4. For this purpose, the lower part of the table-top 4 has two brackets 15, which have holes 16 which match the holes of the lip 14, subsequently introducing into the same bushing 17 into which in turn are fitted screws 18, the threaded parts of which are exposed and are coupled with respective nuts 19 thus establishing the articulation between the table-top 4 and the drawer section 12, which is completely hidden when the table-top is closed in its normal position for use of the desk.
[0029] In addition, the brackets 15 have extra more internal holes 20 that may replace the holes 16 previously referred to in the hinge system with the drawer section 12, so that if these holes 20 are used, the table-top 4 in the closed position will be located further away from the seat 8. Thus, depending on the holes selected, 16 or 20, for the hinge mechanism, the distance between the table-top 4 and the seat 8 can be adjusted.
[0030] Close to the brackets 15 there are raised parts which correspond to hollows or cavities on the top or outside edge of the table-top 4, which form compartments 21 for putting writing utensils or similar.
1. CHILD'S DESK, which has various parts which are easily assembled; characterised in that it has
one base (1) provided with two front columns (3), which can be joined to a drawer
section (12) with table-top (4), and with two rear columns (2) which can be joined
to a seat (9); having the aforementioned four columns (2 & 3) means for adjusting
the height and having said table-top (4) and seat (8) means for adjusting the distance
between them.
2. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 1, characterised in that the said means for adjusting the height
consist of spacers (7 & 11) which are fitted with male/female joints between the rear
columns (2) and the seat (8), and/or between the front columns (3) and the drawer
section (12), thus raising the height of the seat (8) and/or the desk top (4) which
the drawer section incorporates (12); while not fitting the aforementioned spacers
(7 & 11), the seat (8) fits directly onto the rear columns (2) by means of male/female
joint, and/or the drawer section (12) fits directly onto the front columns (3) by
means of a male/female joint; in addition there are also fixing elements (9 & 10)
for the aforementioned male/female inserts and joints.
3. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 2, characterised in that the said fixing elements consist of
cylindrical shafts with internal thread (9), which after having passed through the
corresponding holes of the aforementioned columns (2 & 3), spacers (7 & 11), drawer
section (12) and seat (8), are coupled to tightening screws (10).
4. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 1, characterised in that the aforementioned base (1) has an area
(5) at the front, in which a footrest (6) can be fitted.
5. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 1, characterised in that to the said columns (2 & 3) at least
one wastepaper basket (13) is fitted.
6. CHILD'S DESK, according to claims 5 and 2, characterised in that said wastepaper basket (13) is
joined to the external face of one of the front columns (3) by means of a lateral
hole in the wastepaper basket (13) and by means of the fixing elements (9 & 10) for
the adjusting the height of the desk.
7. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 1, characterised in that the said means for adjusting of distance
between the seat (8) and the table-top (4) comprise brackets (15), located in the
lower part of the table-top (4), each of which is provided with various holes (16
& 20) which are hinged on a lip (14) on the drawer section (12), so that depending
on which holes are used for the hinge mechanism B the holes located closest to the
seat (20) or further away from the seat (16) B the table-top (4) will he located closer
to or further away from the seat (8) when the table-top is in the closed position
on the drawer (12).
8. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 7, characterized in that the said hinge mechanism between the
brackets (15) and the lip (14) of the drawer section (12) is achieved by matching
the holes (16 or 20) in the brackets (15) with some lateral holes of the aforementioned
lip (14) of the drawer section (12) and by fitting bushings (17) through the matching
holes; the hinge mechanism is fixed by screws (18) that enter the bushings (17) at
one end and whose screwed parts emerge at the other end of the bushings (17), these
screwed parts incorporating corresponding nuts (19)
9. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 1, characterised in that the outside of the table-top (4) has
compartments (21) for writing utensils, between which there is an area to which a
pencil tray (22) can be fitted.
10. CHILD'S DESK, according to claim 9, characterised in that the said pencil tray (22) has several
sections and is fitted to the aforementioned part of the table-top (4) by means of
dowels and corresponding holes.