Work-surface system and work surface therefor

Abstract

A work-surface system ( 20 ) and a work surface therefor ( 28 ) is disclosed. The system ( 20 ) uses standard two-drawer filing cabinets ( 26 ) to support the work surface ( 28 ). The work surface ( 28 ) is made up of a worktop ( 22 ), and a top adapter ( 24 ) for each filing cabinet ( 26 ). The top adapters ( 24 ) fit snugly onto top sides ( 32 ) of the filing cabinets ( 26 ), and are fixedly coupled to the worktop ( 22 ). No alteration or modification of the filing cabinets ( 26 ) is required. The top adapters ( 24 ) are constructed of a polymeric or other material so as not to mar or otherwise damage the filing cabinets ( 26 ). Use of the filing cabinets is not affected by the work surface ( 28 ). The work surface ( 28 ) may be easily removed from the filing cabinets ( 26 ) at any time and stored in a minimum of space.

1 . A work-surface system comprising: 
 a worktop;    N top adapters configured to fixedly couple to said worktop, where N is an integer greater than 1; and    N filing cabinets, wherein each of said filing cabinets is configured to unalterably couple to one of said N top adapters.    
   
   
       2 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said system comprises N-1 of said worktops; and    two of said N top adapters are configured to fixedly coupled to each of said N-1 worktops.    
   
   
       3 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 one of said N filing cabinets comprises:    a top side;    a front side substantially perpendicularly contiguous with said top side;    a left side substantially perpendicularly contiguous with said top side and said front side;    a right side substantially perpendicularly contiguous with said top side and said front side; and    a back side substantially contiguous with said top side, said left side, and said front side; and    each of said N top adapters comprises:    M substantially planar bearing sections, where M is a positive integer, wherein, for said one filing cabinet, each of said M bearing sections is configured to contact said top side;    a front lip configured to engage said top side and said front side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections;    a left lip configured to engage said top side and said left side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections;    a right lip configured to engage said top side and said right side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections; and    a rear lip configured to engage said top side and said back side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections.    
   
   
       4 . A system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein: 
 said one filing cabinet additionally comprises: 
 an upper drawer; and  
 an upper front surface of said front side between said upper drawer and said top side; and  
   said front lip is configured to engage said top side and said upper front surface of said one filing cabinet so as to not interfere with an operation of said upper drawer.    
   
   
       5 . A system as claimed in  claim 3  wherein: 
 said one filing cabinet additionally comprises a lock mounted in said front side proximate said top side and one of said left side and said right side; and    said front lip is configured to engage said top side and said front side of said one filing cabinet without obstructing said lock.    
   
   
       6 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 each of said N filing cabinets has a width; and    said width is one of a first width and a second width greater than said first width.    
   
   
       7 . A system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein: 
 said first width is 15 inches ±¼ inch; and    said second width is 18¼ inches ±¼ inch.    
   
   
       8 . A system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said worktop has a top width greater than a sum of said widths of said N filing cabinets.  
   
   
       9 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein: 
 each of said N filing cabinets is formed of a first material; and    each of said N top adapters is formed of a second material softer than said first material.    
   
   
       10 . A system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein: 
 said first material is painted sheet steel; and    said second material is a polymer.    
   
   
       11 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each of said N filing cabinets has a substantially equal height.  
   
   
       12 . A system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each of said N filing cabinets is configured to couple to one of said N top adapters without alteration of said each filing cabinet.  
   
   
       13 . A work surface for use with a filing cabinet, said work surface comprising: 
 a worktop; and    a top adapter configured to fixedly couple to said worktop and to unalterably couple to said filing cabinet.    
   
   
       14 . A work surface as claimed in  claim 13  wherein: 
 said filing cabinet is one of a plurality of said filing cabinets;    wherein said top adapter is one of a plurality of said top adapters; and    wherein each of said top adapters is configured to fixedly couple to said worktop and to unalterably couple to one of said filing cabinets.    
   
   
       15 . A work surface as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said top adapter comprises: 
 a substantially planar bearing section configured to contact a top side of said filing cabinet;    a front lip configured to engage a front-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with said planar bearing section;    a left lip configured to engage a left-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with said bearing section;    a right lip configured to engage a right-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with said bearing section; and    a rear lip configured to engage a back-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with said bearing section.    
   
   
       16 . A work surface as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said front lip is configured so as to not obstruct a lock mounted in a front side of said filing cabinet proximate said front-top edge.  
   
   
       17 . A work surface as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said top adapter comprises: 
 a plurality of substantially planar bearing sections, wherein each of said bearing sections is configured to contact a top side of said filing cabinet;    a front lip configured to engage a front-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with a first one of said bearing sections;    a left lip configured to engage a left-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with a second one of said bearing sections;    a right lip configured to engage a right-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with a third one of said bearing sections; and    a rear lip configured to engage a back-top edge of said filing cabinet in conjunction with a fourth one of said bearing sections.    
   
   
       18 . A work surface as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said top adapter comprises mounting ears by which said top adapter is configured to be fixedly coupled to said worktop.  
   
   
       19 . A work surface as claimed in  claim 13  additionally comprising fasteners by which said top adapter may be fixedly coupled to said worktop.  
   
   
       20 . A work-surface system comprising: 
 N two-drawer filing cabinets, where N is an integer greater than 1, wherein each of said N filing cabinets comprises: 
 an upper drawer;  
 a substantially planar front side formed of painted sheet steel, encompassing said upper drawer, and comprising an upper front surface between said upper drawer;  
 a substantially planar top side formed of painted sheet steel and substantially perpendicularly contiguous with said front side;  
 a substantially planar left side formed of painted sheet steel and substantially perpendicularly contiguous with said top side and said front side;  
 a substantially planar right side formed of painted sheet steel and substantially perpendicularly contiguous with said top side and said front side; and  
 a substantially planar back side formed of painted sheet steel and substantially contiguous with said top side, said left side, and said front side;  
   N polymeric top adapters, wherein each of said N top adapters is configured to unalterably couple with one of said N filing cabinets, and wherein each of said N top adapters comprises: 
 M substantially planar bearing sections, where M is a positive integer, wherein each of said M bearing sections is configured to contact said top side of said one filing cabinet;  
 a front lip configured to engage said top side and said upper front surface of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections so as to not impede operation of said upper drawer;  
 a left lip configured to engage said top side and said left side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections;  
 a right lip configured to engage said top side and said right side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections; and  
 a rear lip configured to engage said top side and said back side of said one filing cabinet in conjunction with one of said M bearing sections; and  
   (N-1) worktops, wherein each of said N-1 worktops is configured to fixedly couple to two of said N top adapters;