Chair and desk combination

Abstract

A chair and desk combination has a base, a chair attached to the base and a work surface attached to the base. In one embodiment, the height of the seating surface is vertically adjustable. In another embodiment, the chair is capable of swiveling about a vertical axis. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the distance between the forward edge of the seating surface and the rearward edge of the work surface is laterally adjustable.

1 . A chair and desk combination comprising: 
 (a) a base;    (b) a chair attached to the base, the chair having a seating surface with a forward edge; and    (c) a work surface attached to the base, the work surface having a rearward edge and defining a work surface area of between about 80 square inches and about 1100 square inches;    wherein the height of the seating surface is vertically adjustable.    
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the chair is capable of swiveling about a vertical axis through an arc of at least 15°.  
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the distance between the forward edge of the seating surface is laterally adjustable with respect to rearward edge of the work surface.  
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a pair of generally parallel, horizontal rails, the work surface is attached to the base by a pair of generally parallel riser rails, each horizontal rail has a forward end and a rearward end, each riser rail has an upper portion and a lower most end and the forward end of each horizontal rail is attached to the lower most end of a riser rail.  
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the combination further comprises a pair of generally parallel riser rails attached to the base, the work surface is defined on a substrate having an underside, the upper portion of the riser rails are attached to a pair of parallel first slide sections, the underside of the substrate is attached to a pair of parallel second slide sections and each first slide section cooperates with a second slide section so that the rearward edge of the work surface can be laterally adjusted by sliding the work surface forward with respect to the seating surface or by sliding the work surface rearwardly with respect to the seating surface.  
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and the second slide sections comprise a pair of slide rods, each of the slide rods being slidably disposed within both transverse rails.  
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and a pair of ball bearing race covers attached to the transverse rails, the second slide sections comprise a pair of ball bearing races attached to the underside of the substrate and a plurality of ball bearings are held within the races by the ball bearing race covers.  
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and a pair of dove tail covers and wherein the second slide sections comprise a pair of dove tail beams attached to the underside of the substrate, each dove tail beam being slidably disposed within one of the dove tail covers.  
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the first slide sections comprise a notched rail having a plurality of notches, and wherein the second slide sections comprise a latch, the latch being capable of cooperating with the notches in the notched rail to alternatively (i) fixedly engage the work surface with respect to the base at any one of a plurality of distances from the seating surface, and (ii) disengage the work surface from the base so that the work surface can be slid closer to the seating surface or further from the seating surface.  
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 9  wherein the latch comprises a latch release mechanism disposed proximate to the rearward edge of the work surface.  
   
   
       11 . The combination of  claim 6  wherein the second slide sections comprise a transverse rail and a set screw disposed through the transverse rail, the set screw being capable of engaging one of the slide rods.  
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 5  further comprising a notched plate attached to the underside of the substrate, the notched plate having a plurality of notches, and wherein the first slide sections comprise a transverse rail with a locking pin slidably disposed therein, the locking pin being capable of engaging the notches in the notched plate so as to prevent the sliding of the work surface with respect to the seating surface.  
   
   
       13 . A chair and desk combination comprising: 
 (a) a base;    (b) a chair attached to the base, the chair having a seating surface with a forward edge; and    (c) a work surface attached to the base, the work surface having a rearward edge and defining a work surface area of between about 80 square inches and about 1100 square inches;    wherein the seating surface of the chair is capable of swiveling about a vertical axis through an arc of at least 15°; and    wherein the distance between the forward edge of the seating surface is laterally adjustable with respect to the rearward edge of the work surface.    
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 13  where the height of the seating surface is vertically adjustable.  
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein the base comprises a pair of generally parallel, horizontal rails, the work surface is attached to the base by a pair of generally parallel riser rails, each horizontal rail has a forward end and a rearward end, each riser rail has an upper portion and a lower most end and the forward end of each horizontal rail is attached to the lower most end of a riser rail.  
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein the combination further comprises a pair of generally parallel riser rails attached to the base, the work surface is defined on a substrate having an underside, the upper portion of the riser rails are attached to a pair of parallel first slide sections, the underside of the substrate is attached to a pair of parallel second slide sections and each first slide section cooperates with a second slide section so that the rearward edge of the work surface can be laterally adjusted by sliding the work surface forward with respect to the seating surface or by sliding the work surface rearwardly with respect to the seating surface.  
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and the second slide sections comprise a pair of slide rods, each of the slide rods being slidably disposed within both transverse rails.  
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and a pair of ball bearing race covers attached to the transverse rails, wherein the second slide sections comprise a pair of ball bearing races attached to the underside of the substrate and wherein a plurality of ball bearings are held within the races by the ball bearing race covers.  
   
   
       19 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and a pair of dove tail beam covers and wherein the second slide sections comprise a pair of dove tail beams attached to the underside of the substrate, each dove tail beam being slidably disposed within one of the dove tail covers.  
   
   
       20 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein the first slide sections comprise a notched rail having a plurality of notches, and wherein the second slide sections comprise a latch, the latch being capable of cooperating with the notches in the notched rail to alternatively (i) fixedly engage the work surface with respect to the base at any one of a plurality of distances from the seating surface, and (ii) disengage the work surface from the base so that the work surface can be slid closer to the seating surface or further from the seating surface.  
   
   
       21 . The combination of  claim 20  wherein the latch comprises a latch release mechanism disposed proximate to the rearward edge of the work surface.  
   
   
       22 . The combination of  claim 17  wherein the second slide sections comprise a transverse rail and a set screw disposed through the transverse rail, the set screw being capable of engaging the slide rod.  
   
   
       23 . The combination of  claim 16  further comprising a notched plate attached to the underside of the substrate, the notched plate having a plurality of notches, and wherein the first slide sections comprise a transverse rail with a locking pin slidably disposed therein, the locking pin being capable of engaging the notches in the notched plate so as to prevent the sliding of the work surface with respect to the seating surface.  
   
   
       24 . A chair and desk combination comprising: 
 (a) a base;    (b) a chair attached to the base, the chair having a seating surface with a forward edge; and    (c) a work surface attached to the base, the work surface having a rearward edge and defining a work surface area of between about 80 square inches and about 1100 square inches;    wherein the height of the seating surface is vertically adjustable;    wherein the seating surface of the chair is capable of swiveling about a vertical axis through an arc of at least 15°; and    wherein the distance between the forward edge of the seating surface is laterally adjustable with respect to the rearward edge of the work surface.    
   
   
       25 . The combination of  claim 24  wherein the base comprises a pair of generally parallel horizontal rails, the work surface is attached to the base by a pair of riser rails, each horizontal rail has a forward end and a rearward end, each riser rail has an upper portion and a lower most end and the forward end of each horizontal rail is attached to the lower most end of a riser rail.  
   
   
       26 . The combination of  claim 24  wherein the combination further comprises a pair of generally parallel riser rails attached to the base, the work surface is defined on a substrate having an underside, the upper portion of the riser rails are attached to a pair of parallel first slide sections, the underside of the substrate is attached to a pair of parallel second slide sections and each first slide section cooperates with a second slide section so that the rearward edge of the work surface can be laterally adjusted by sliding the work surface forward with respect to the seating surface or by sliding the work surface rearwardly with respect to the seating surface.  
   
   
       27 . The combination of  claim 26  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and the second slide sections comprise a pair of slide rods, each of the slide rods being slidably disposed within both transverse rails.  
   
   
       28 . The combination of  claim 26  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and a pair of ball bearing race covers attached to the transverse rails, wherein the second slide sections comprise a pair of ball bearing races attached to the underside of the substrate and wherein a plurality of ball bearings are held within the races by the ball bearing race covers.  
   
   
       29 . The combination of  claim 26  wherein the first slide sections comprise a pair of transverse rails and a pair of dove tail beam covers and wherein the second slide sections comprise a pair of dove tail beams attached to the underside of the substrate, each dove tail beam being slidably disposed within one of the dove tail covers.  
   
   
       30 . The combination of  claim 26  wherein the first slide sections comprise a notched rail having a plurality of notches, and wherein the second slide sections comprise a latch, the latch being capable of cooperating with the notches in the notched rail to alternatively (i) fixedly engage the work surface with respect to the base at any one of a plurality of distances from the seating surface, and (ii) disengage the work surface from the base so that the work surface can be slid closer to the seating surface or further from the seating surface.  
   
   
       31 . The combination of  claim 30  wherein the latch comprises a latch release mechanism disposed proximate to the rearward edge of the work surface.  
   
   
       32 . The combination of  claim 27  wherein the second slide sections comprise a transverse rail and a set screw disposed through the transverse rail, the set screw being capable of engaging one of the slide rods.  
   
   
       33 . The combination of  claim 26  further comprising a notched plate attached to the underside of the substrate, the notched plate having a plurality of notches, and wherein the first slide sections comprise a transverse rail with a locking pin slidably disposed therein, the locking pin being capable of engaging the notches in the notched plate so as to prevent the sliding of the work surface with respect to the seating surface.