U.S. patent application number 09/982340 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-24 for hanger device for furniture with y-shaped legs.
Invention is credited to Risdall, Charles.
Application Number | 20030075084 09/982340 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25529061 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030075084 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Risdall, Charles |
April 24, 2003 |
Hanger device for furniture with y-shaped legs
Abstract
The invention is designed for use with a table or desk supported
by a pair of legs. The bottom portion of each leg is configured
with a stem and a foot extending perpendicular to the stem. The top
portion of each leg is configured in a y-shape having a first
branch, a second branch and a trunk. The first and second branches
extend up from the trunk and support the flat surface of the table
or desk. A hanger device is located on either the first branch or
the second branch and extends towards the flat surface. Placement
of the hanger device on a branch of the y-shaped portion causes a
load suspended from the hanger device to be supported primarily by
the trunk and a moment caused by the load to be offset by the
moment caused by the foot of each leg.
Inventors: |
Risdall, Charles; (Dallas,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMPSON COBURN, LLP
ONE FIRSTAR PLAZA
SUITE 3500
ST LOUIS
MO
63101
US
|
Family ID: |
25529061 |
Appl. No.: |
09/982340 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/147.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 17/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/147.21 |
International
Class: |
A47B 009/20 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An improved piece of furniture comprising: a flat surface
supported by a pair of legs; said legs having a top portion and a
bottom portion; said bottom portion having a foot and a stem; said
top portion having a trunk, a first branch and a second branch;
said trunk, said first branch and said second branch configured in
a y-shape; said trunk attached to said stem; said first branch and
said second branch attached to said flat surface; and a hanger
device located on either said first branch or said second branch
and extending towards said flat surface.
2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said hanger device is a
peg.
3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said hanger device is a
hook.
4. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a cross bar attached
to said pair of legs.
5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said trunk of said top portion
is telescopically received in said stem of said bottom portion.
6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said flat surface can be
positioned at a desired height.
7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said foot extends perpendicular
from said stem and parallel to said flat surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates generally to furniture with
y-shaped legs. More specifically, the present invention relates to
a device for hanging objects, such as student bookbags, from the
legs of such furniture.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Users of tables and desks often have the need to hang
objects, such as bookbags and coats, in a convenient, accessible
location while seated at the table or desk. Therefore, furniture
manufacturers have found it desirable to offer a hanger device of
some sort attached to the table or desk. Typically, these devices
are attached to the outside of the legs of the piece of
furniture.
[0005] However, these existing hanger devices pose several
problems. A heavy bookbag hung from existing devices can generate a
moment about the foot of the piece of furniture sufficient to tip
it, potentially causing bodily injury and property damage.
Additionally, because of the location of the hanger device on the
leg, the load can cause the leg to fail in shear or bending.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is in view of the above problems that the present
invention was developed. The invention is a hanger device for use
with a piece of furniture, such as a table or desk, having y-shaped
legs. The hanger device includes a peg on which an object can be
hung, and is attached to a branch of the y-shaped leg at one end.
The hanger device is attached to the inside of a branch and extends
inwards towards the trunk of the leg, and extends upward towards
the table surface. Due to the geometry resulting from the strategic
placement of the peg, the resultant forces of any load placed on
the hanger device are directed into and borne primarily by the
strong trunk of the leg. This is preferable over the forces being
borne by a weak branch, and provides the additional advantage of
minimizing any moment acting on the trunk. Because only a
negligible moment is generated about the foot of the table when a
load is placed on the peg, it is extremely unlikely that the piece
of furniture will tip over. A plug can be placed in the free end of
the hanger device to lend it a finished appearance.
[0007] Further advantages of the present invention will be apparent
from the description below with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which like numbers indicate like elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the
present invention and together with the description, serve to
explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0009] FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of a table
incorporating the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the branches of one leg of a
student desk or piece of furniture incorporating the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like
reference numbers indicate like elements, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a
hanger device 10 is used on a student desk with y-shaped legs 20.
It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that hanger device 10
can be used on any piece of furniture with y-shaped legs. A flat
surface 8 is supported by the legs 20. Each leg 20 has a top
portion 22 and a bottom portion 24. The bottom portion 22 has a
foot 26 and a stem 28. The top portion has a trunk 30, a first
branch 32 and a second branch 34. The trunk 30 and first branch 32
and second branch 34 form a y-shape. The stem 28 of bottom portion
24 is telescopically received in the trunk 30 of top portion 22.
Bottom holes 42 on stem 28 align with top holes 40 on trunk 30 and
allow the flat surface 8 to be positioned at a desired height. Any
suitable device can be used to fix top portion 22 with respect to
bottom portion 24 but in the preferred embodiment a screw (not
shown) is used. A cross bar 36 provides stability to the student
desk or piece of furniture. The cross bar 36 can be attached at any
suitable location on the legs 20 but in the preferred embodiment
the cross bar is attached to the first branch 32 of each leg. The
cross bar 36 can be attached by any suitable means but in the
preferred embodiment shown cross bar 36 is welded to each leg
20.
[0012] Hanger device 10 is attached to either the first branch 32
or the second branch 34. In the preferred embodiment hanger device
10 is a peg. Hanger device can be any other suitable configuration
including a hook. Hanger device 10 is attached to the inside of
either first branch 32 or second branch 34 and extends inwards
therefrom towards the flat surface 8. Thus, any load placed upon
hanger device 10, such as a student's bookbag, is borne primarily
by trunk 30 in compression, rather than by first branch 32 or
second branch 34 in shear or bending. Additionally, the y-shaped
configuration minimizes the moment acting on trunk 30 as compared
to a t-shaped configuration, all but eliminating the likelihood
that trunk 30 will fail in bending. The result is that the student
desk or other piece of furniture is less likely to become damaged
or destroyed than existing desks or furniture, because a much
larger load is required to crush or buckle trunk 30 than the load
required to shear or bend first branch 32 or second branch 34.
[0013] The placement of hanger device 10 on the inside of first
branch 32 or second branch 34 generates almost no moment about foot
26 of student desk or furniture. This makes student desk or
furniture far less likely to tip over when loaded than other
orientations of hanger device 10 with respect to leg 20. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention, the angle formed between
hanger device 10 and first branch 32 and second branch 34 is a
right angle.
[0014] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, hanger device
10 is a cylindrical peg. However, it will be obvious to one skilled
in the art that hanger device 10 could take any number of shapes
without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0015] As various modifications could be made in the constructions
and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from
the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter
contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting.
Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be
limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but
should be defined only in accordance with the following claims
appended hereto and their equivalents.
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