Article of furniture having storage components

Abstract

A furniture unit such as a desk is provided with a slidably mounted storage drawer located under a work surface of the desk. The storage drawer is sized to support at least a laptop computer and a standard-sized alphanumeric computer keyboard. Additionally, a rear portion of the drawer supports a power and data module providing an AC power outlet and a phone and/or a data outlet for the computer. A front edge of the drawer folds down extending the drawer bottom and includes a wrist support pad for use with the computer keyboard. The furniture unit may also be supplied with a rotatable carousel storage unit located under the work surface, especially under the corner work surface of an L-shaped desk. The carousel storage unit includes one or more circular shelves rotatably mounted beneath the work surface and at least one pair of wire supports mounted to an protruding above each circular shelf. The wire supports provide lateral support for a row of books, binders and the like.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article of furniture, comprising: 
 a furniture housing; and    a drawer slidably mounted within said furniture housing, said drawer having a front portion and a rear portion and defining a storage area dimensioned to support at least a laptop computer and an auxiliary computer keyboard; and    said drawer rear portion including a power and data module, said power and data module having an AC power outlet and at least one of a phone and a data outlet.    
     
     
         2 . The article of furniture of  claim 1 , further comprising a drawer front pivotally attached to said drawer at said front portion.  
     
     
         3 . The article of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein said drawer front includes a wrist support pad on an interior side thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The article of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein said drawer front includes at least one storage pocket defined within an interior side thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The article of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein said drawer front includes at least one storage pocket defined within an interior side thereof, and a wrist support pad pivotally attached to said interior side, said wrist support pad pivotable for accessing said at least one storage pocket.  
     
     
         6 . The article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer front is movable between an upright closed position in which contents of said drawer storage area are hidden, and a horizontal open position wherein said drawer front forms an extension of said drawer.  
     
     
         7 . The article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer rear portion includes a vertical wall, said power and data module mounted within said vertical wall.  
     
     
         8 . The article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said article of furniture is a desk including a work surface, said drawer slidably mounted beneath said work surface.  
     
     
         9 . The article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer storage area has a width of between about 25 inches and about 38 inches, and a depth of between about 17 inches and about 26 inches.  
     
     
         10 . An article of furniture, comprising: 
 a furniture housing;    a storage component rotatably mounted within said furniture housing, said storage component including a first shelf and at least a first pair of support members mounted to and protruding above said first shelf, said support members adapted to laterally support therebetween a plurality of books and the like.    
     
     
         11 . The article of furniture of  claim 10 , further comprising at least a second pair of support members extending above said first shelf.  
     
     
         12 . The article of furniture of  claim 10 , wherein said first pair of support members are disposed parallel to one another, said support members adapted to laterally support a linear row of books and the like.  
     
     
         13 . The article of furniture of  claim 10 , wherein said first pair of support members are disposed at a non-parallel angle with respect to one another, said support members adapted to laterally support an arcuate row of books and the like.  
     
     
         14 . The article of furniture of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a second shelf vertically spaced from said first shelf; and    a support structure attaching said second shelf to said first shelf such that said second shelf is rotatable with said first shelf.    
     
     
         15 . The article of furniture of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second shelves are circular.