Horizontally supported planar surfaces – With receptacle – Detachable or relatively movable
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-13
2003-06-17
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3637)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
With receptacle
Detachable or relatively movable
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578497
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a work surface storage system and, more particularly, to a work surface storage system having separate containers which store office supplies therein and are removably secured to a work surface to permit selective access to the containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Office areas typically are subdivided into multiple workstations wherein each workstation is provided with a work surface for use by an office worker. It is well known to provide such work surfaces on freestanding bases, for example, to form a table. Also, many office areas are subdivided by freestanding wall panels wherein a work surface may be connected to or suspended from such a wall panel.
To facilitate the organization and flow of work on a work surface, such work surfaces typically include storage systems for the storage of articles therein. It is well known to provide such work surfaces with pullout drawers on which to store papers and office supplies. Such pullout drawers may be subdivided internally into compartments to separate the different types of office supplies being stored therein although such subdivided drawers may still permit unwanted mixing of the office supplies which may occur as a result of careless placement of the office supplies within the partitions by the office worker or possibly by shifting of the supplies during opening and closing of the drawer. Furthermore, since multiple drawers are provided which are fully enclosed by the work surface unit, an office worker may ultimately open several drawers before locating the desired office supply.
Additionally, such drawer structures typically are supported in a support frame which projects downwardly from a bottom of the work surface. The support frame thereby reduces the vertical clearance space or knee space between the floor and the bottom of the work surfaces into which clearance space the legs of the user must almost be placed. Thus, a drawer located directly in the knee space of the work surface may ultimately interfere with the office worker's legs. Additionally, the location of each drawer is typically limited to a single predefined location.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved work surface arrangement and a storage system therefor which overcomes disadvantages associated with prior systems.
The invention relates to a work surface storage system with removable containers. The storage system includes a work surface which may be mounted on a freestanding base, supported on an existing wall structure such as a wall panel, or supported in other conventional arrangements. The work surface defines an open clearance space between a bottom face of the work surface and a floor which clearance space thereby defines a knee space that accommodates the legs of a user seated adjacent to the work surface.
The storage system further includes a plurality of storage containers which are removably connectable to the bottom face of the work surface wherein each container is adapted to receive office supplies therein. The storage containers are mounted on the work surface through a connector arrangement which permits ready removal of the storage containers but also permits the storage containers to be placed at substantially any desired location across the bottom work surface face which thereby provides significant flexibility in placing the individual storage containers in convenient locations for use by the office worker.
More particularly, the connection system comprises a layer of a connector material which preferably is a hook and loop material known commercially as Velcro™. The connector material is applied to substantially the entire bottom face of the work surface to maximize the attachment area to which the storage containers may be attached. The storage containers are outfitted with a similar mating connector material, namely a hook and loop material which is mateable with the corresponding connector material on the bottom work surface face.
Each storage container includes a flange extending about the entire upper rim of the storage container to which an annular strip of the connector material is applied. Thus, the storage container may be affixed to the hook and loop material on the bottom work surface face at any desired location.
The storage container contains a hollow interior storage space in which the office supplies may be stored. To permit removal of the storage containers from the work surface, a tab is provided on the rim which projects outwardly from the flange in cantilevered relation therewith. When the entire rim is fixed to the work surface, the tab still hangs free and may be gripped by the hand of the office worker to allow for pulling of the storage container downwardly which effects disengagement of the hook and loop materials on the work surface and the storage container.
To further facilitate identification and usage of the office supplies that are stored in the multiple storage containers, the work surface preferably is formed from a translucent material which allows the office worker to look downwardly therethrough. In this arrangement, the hook and loop material on the work surface also is translucent so that the office worker can look through the work surface and connector material to view the contents of the various storage containers. This permits ready identification of the office supplies and practically eliminates a manual search through multiple containers to locate the desired office supply. Instead, the office worker can readily locate the desired office supply visually, even when the office worker is leaning over the work surface, and can then grip the selected container for removal of the storage container from the work surface.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
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Chen José V.
Haworth Inc.
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