Modular classroom furniture system

Abstract

A modular classroom furniture system allows modular furniture components to be used to create desk surfaces having a plurality of different shapes, such as desk surfaces approximating an arc with an arbitrary radius of curvature, without requiring the desk surfaces to be custom-fabricated to fit the configuration of the particular classroom. According to an embodiment of the invention, a desk surface may be formed from table tops that are configured to be supported by support plates, such that a semi-continuous desk surface of arbitrary radius may be created from modular components without requiring the components to be custom manufactured for the particular classroom design. The table tops may be generally trapezoidal in shape and the support plates may be generally square or assume another desired shape. By allowing the table tops to be secured to the support plates in any desired angular orientation, a combination of tables may be deployed to form a desk surface that will assume a desired shape.

1 . A modular lecture hall furniture system, comprising: 
 a plurality of table tops; and    a plurality of support plates configured to provide support to said table tops;    wherein at least one of said support plates is disposed intermediate a pair of adjacent table tops and is configured to provide support to each of said adjacent table tops.    
   
   
       2 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 1 , wherein a first subset of the plurality of table tops are arranged to form a first desk surface having a first curved shape.  
   
   
       3 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 2 , wherein the first curved shape approximates a first radius of curvature.  
   
   
       4 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 2 , wherein the first curved shape approximates a first radius of curvature along a first portion of the first desk surface and approximates a second radius of curvature along a second portion of the first desk surface.  
   
   
       5 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 2 , wherein a second subset of the plurality of table tops are arranged to form a second desk surface having a second curved shape.  
   
   
       6 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 5 , wherein the first curved shape approximates a first radius of curvature, and wherein the second curved shape approximates a second radius of curvature, said second radius of curvature being larger than the first radius of curvature.  
   
   
       7 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 6 , wherein the first curved shape and second curved shape are configured to be concentric.  
   
   
       8 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 1 , wherein a first subset of the plurality of table tops are arranged to form a straight first desk surface.  
   
   
       9 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pedestals, at least one of each pedestal being configured to support a respective support plate.  
   
   
       10 . The modular lecture hall furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of the pedestals are each configured to support at least one self-retracting chair.  
   
   
       11 . A support system for a plurality of table tops, the support system comprising: 
 a pedestal, said pedestal having a base and a post connected to the post; and    a support plate connected to the post and configured to connect to an adjacent two of said table tops.    
   
   
       12 . The support system of  claim 11 , wherein the base is configured to support at least one self-retracting chair.  
   
   
       13 . The support system of  claim 11 , further comprising an electrical module having at least one of a data port and an electrical outlet.  
   
   
       14 . The support system of  claim 13 , wherein the pedestal defines a channel to enable at least one of electrical wires and data cables connected to the electrical module to be channeled through the pedestal.  
   
   
       15 . The support system of  claim 11 , wherein the support plate has a first set of apertures adjacent a rear edge of the plate configured to connect to the table tops in a fixed manner along the rear edge; and 
 wherein the support plate has a second set of apertures closer to a front edge to adjustably connect with the table tops along the front edge.    
   
   
       16 . The support system of  claim 11 , wherein the support plate is relatively smaller than at least one of the table tops.  
   
   
       17 . The support system of  claim 11 , wherein the support plate is approximately the same size as at least one of the table tops.  
   
   
       18 . The support system of  claim 11 , wherein the support plate is configured to be disposed under the table tops to provide support to adjacent table tops.  
   
   
       19 . The support system of  claim 11 , wherein the table tops are roughly trapezoidal in shape.