GB2127682A

GB2127682A - Furniture comprising a table or desk

Info

Publication number: GB2127682A
Application number: GB08227654A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter John Metcalf; Richard Bruce Carson
Original assignee: SCOTT HOWARD ASSOCIATES LIMITE
Current assignee: SCOTT HOWARD ASSOCIATES LIMITE
Priority date: 1982-09-28
Filing date: 1982-09-28
Publication date: 1984-04-18

Abstract

Furniture comprising a table or desk (2) having a top (4), the top (4) having front (6) and back (8) edges joined by at least one side edge (10) which has at least two side edge portions (12, 14, 16), all the side edge portions (12, 14, 16) being of substantially the same length and being arranged to extend one after another, and one of the two side edge portions (12, 16) forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and either the front (6) or the back (8) edge of the top (4) of the table or desk. Various furniture combinations including a plurality of tables of this type combined with cupboards and/or screens are disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Furniture comprising a table or desk This invention relates to furniture comprising a table or desk. The furniture is particularly useful in offices but it may also be used in domestic households.

Tables or desks, especially in offices, usually have rectangular tops. The tops thus have front and back edges joined by a pair of parallel side edges.

It has been noted that with such rectangular table or desk tops, the corners of the table or desk top are often not fully utilised because they can be out of easy reach of a person seated at the table or desk. This applies particularly to those corners farthest from the person seated at the table or desk. In addition, the corners present sharp obstructions against which persons may knock themselves.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a modified table or desk having a top that does not suffer so much from the above stated disadvantages of the known tables or desks having tops with right angled corners.

accordingly, this invention provides furniture comprising a table or desk having a top, the top having front and back edges joined by at least one side edge which has at least two side edge portions, all the side edge portions being of substantially the same length and being arranged to extend one after another, and one of the two side edge portions forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and either the front or the back edge of the top of the table or desk.

The table or desk may be made from any of the currentiy employed materials utilised for making known tables or desks.

In one embodiment of the invention, the said at least one side edge has three side edge portions, a first one of the three side edge portions forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and the front edge of the top, a second one of the three side edge portions forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and the back edge of the top, and a third one of the three side edge portions being located between the first and the second side edge portions.

The top of the table or desk may have two side edges which are similarly shaped. Alternatively, the top may have two side edges which are differently shaped. When the top has two side edges which are differently shaped, the side of the top not formed by the said at least two side portions may be formed by a single straight edge portion.

The furniture of the invention may include a screen positionable adjacent a plurality of the edges of the top.

The furniture may also includes an upstanding member positionable adjacent at least one edge of the top of the table or desk. The upstanding member may have various numbers of sides. In presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the upstanding member either has three, four or six sides. The upstanding member may be a cupboard for receiving things such for example as clothes or office equipment.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 6 show simplified perspective views of different embodiments of furniture for use in an office.

Referring to Figure 1 , there is shown a desk 2 having a flat top 4. The top 4 has front and back edges 6,8 respectively. The front edge 6 is joined to the back edge 8 by a side edge 10 which has three side edge portions 12, 14, 16. It will be noted that the side edge portion 1 2 forms a nonright angled corner portion between itself and the front edge 6 of the top 4. Similarly, the side edge portion 1 6 forms a non-right angled corner portion between itself and the back edge 8 of the top 4.

The side edge portion 1 4 is located between the side edge portions 12 and 1 6. The right hand end of the top 4 thus has two cut away corners formed by the side edge portions 12, 1 6. The left hand side of the top 4 is similarly formed and has been similarly numbered for ease of reference and understanding.

The top 4 is supported on a pair of support legs 18, 20 and, as is illustrated, these legs are shaped to follow the general contour of the ends of the top 4. The legs 18, 20 are pillar type legs. One side of the legs 1 8, 20 may pivot open to reveal desk or other space within the legs 1 8, 20. For example, the inside of one or both of the legs 1 8, 20 may be provided with shelves, drawers or any other types of storage facility.

Projecting from the back edge 8 of the top 4 is a table 22 having a table top 24. The end 26 of the top 24 remote from the back edge 8 of the top 4 is shaped the same as the ends 10 of the top 4. The other end of the top 24 adjacent the back edge 8 is a straight edge 28.

Referring now to Figure 2, a desk top 4 of the shape shown in Figure 1 is illustrated. A number of sides of the top 4 are surrounded by a high screen 30 giving a degree of privacy. A desk top 32 is shown projecting from the side edge portion 1 2 of the top 4. One end 34 of this top 32 is shaped similarly as the ends 10 of the top 4. Located between the tops 4 and 32 is a six sided upstanding member 36. One of the sides of the member 36 can be arranged to pivot open to reveal cupboard space for clothes or office equipment. Alternatively, if desired, the six sided member 36 can be solid or hollow, but not openable. Attached to the end 38 of the top 32 is a three sided upstanding member 40 which can be used to house electronic cables and the like if desired. The top 32 is provided with an upstanding low screen 42.

Figure 3 illustrates the combination of two desks 2 and a six sided upstanding member 36.

Figure 4 illustrates the combination of a desk 2, an upstanding member 36, a three sided member 40 and a further table top 44. The top 44 has at each end only two side edge portions 46, 48. It will be noted that in the top 44, each side edge portion 48 forms a non-right angled corner portion between itself and the back edge 50 of the top 44.

In Figure 5, there are shown three tables 52 extending from three of the six sides of a six sided upstanding member 36. Each table 52 has a table top 54. Each top 54 has an end 56 which is remote from the upstanding member 36 and which is supported on a leg 58. Each end 56 has two end portions 60, 62. It will be noted that each side edge portion 60 forms a non-right angled corner portion between itself and a back edge 64 of each top 54. The tops 54 are advantageously joined at their ends remote from the ends 56 to the upstanding six sided member 36.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a table 66 which is similar to the table 22 shown in Figure 1. The table 66 is joined to one side 68 of a four sided upstanding member 70. The corners 72 of the member 70 are bevelled as shown. An upstanding six sided member 36 extends from one side 74 of the member 70. A further upstanding four sided member 76 extends from one corner edge portion 78 of the top of the table 66. The upstanding four sided member 76 only extends to the height of the top of the table 66. The members 70, 36 and 76 can be merely used for aesthetic purposes and/or they can be used to provide cupboard and drawer space. The corners 80 of the member 76 are bevelled the same as the corners 72 of the member 70.

It will be noted the various side edge portions, for example the side edge portions 12, 14, 16 in Figure 1 and the side edge portions 46, 48 in Figure 4, are all substantially of the same length.

This gives the edges of the table or desk tops a symmetrical look and ensures that a sufficient amount of the corner of each table or desk top is "cut off" so that this hitherto often unused part of the top is removed. The substantial length of the side edge portions is to be distinguished from the very short bevelled corners 72, 80 shown in Figure 6. These bevelled corners 72, 80 may have straight sides but, even when the bevelled corners are provided on the table or desk tops, they do not constitute the stated side edge portions of the side edges of the table or desk tops. Bevelled edges 72,80 on a normally rectangular table or desk would merely constitute a slight bevelling of the edges of the normal table, and this is in contrast to the requirement of the tables or desks of the present invention that they have tops in which all the side edge portions are of substantially the same length, with the side edge portions being arranged to extend one after another.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the tables and desks and their tops may be shaped differently from the illustrated tables and desks and their tops.

Claims

1. Furniture comprising a table or desk having a top, the top having front and back edges joined by at least one side edge which has at least two side edge portiOns, all the side edge portions being of substantially the same length and being arranged to extend one after another, and one of the two side edge portions forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and either the front or the back edge of the top of the table or desk.

2. Furniture according to claim 1 in which the said at least one side edge has three side edge portions, a first one of the three side edge portions forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and the front edge of the top, a second one of the three side edge portions forming a non-right angled corner portion between itself and the back edge of the top, and a third one of the three side edge portions being located between the first and the second side edge portions.

3. Furniture according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the top of the table or desk has two side edges which are similarly shaped.

4. Furniture according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the top of the table or desk has two sides which are differently shaped.

5. Furniture according to claim 4 in which the side of the top not formed by the said at least two side portions is formed by a single straight edge portion.

6. Furniture according to any one of the preceding claims and including a screen positionable adjacent a plurality of the edges of the top.

7. Furniture according to any one of the preceding claims and including an upstanding member positionable adjacent at least one edge of the top of the table or desk.

8. Furniture according to claim 7 in which the upstanding member has either three, four or six sides.

9. Furniture according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which the upstanding member is a cupboard.

10. Furniture substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.