Portable standing desk
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Solution Overview
Problem
The need for a portable and versatile workspace solution that can efficiently accommodate electronic equipment in various locations has arisen due to the shift towards remote working and learning, with existing solutions lacking in portability and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A portable standing desk designed to transition between a compact storage position and multiple use positions, featuring interlocking tray portions and an end cap with detents and coupling channels, allowing for easy setup and configuration of working surfaces and accessory support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the desk is designed to be portable and compact for transportation, then it can be easily moved between locations, but it cannot accommodate electronic equipment in a usable fashion when deployed
Solution Approach 1:
The desk is divided into multiple tray portions (first tray portion, second tray portion) that can be segmented for compact storage and assembled into various configurations for use. Each tray portion can independently support electronic equipment, allowing the desk to be both portable and functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray portions are designed to be dynamically reconfigurable through hinge mechanisms that allow rotation between stored and deployed positions. This dynamic transformation enables the desk to transition from a compact portable state to an expanded functional workspace state.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the desk expands to accommodate electronic equipment in multiple positions, then workspace versatility is improved, but the device becomes more complex and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The tray portions are designed to nest within each other when in the stored position, with the first tray portion and second tray portion occupying overlapping spatial volumes. This nesting arrangement minimizes the overall footprint and simplifies transportation while maintaining the capability for multiple workspace configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tray portion serves multiple functions: providing a working surface for electronic equipment, acting as a structural element in the hinge mechanism, and serving as a component in both stored and deployed configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the tray portions are designed to interlock securely in stored position, then structural stability is improved, but the mechanism for transitioning between positions becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement and disengagement functions are merged into the hinge mechanism itself. The same hinge posts and guide arms that enable rotation between stored and deployed positions also provide the interlocking engagement features (fingers, landing surfaces, detents) that secure the tray portions together in the stored position.
Solution Approach 2:
The detents and complementary grooves on the tray portions automatically engage and disengage through the motion of the hinge mechanism during transition between positions. The user simply needs to initiate the movement, and the interlocking features self-service by locking into place during the transition without requiring separate manual engagement actions.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable standing desk configured for use in at least a storage position and a first use position includes a first and second tray portion, and an end cap. The first tray portion can have a main body including a first plurality of fingers, a first plurality of landing surfaces, first hinge posts and first guide arms. The first tray portion has a first working surface and a first inside surface. The second tray portion has a main body including a second plurality of fingers, a second plurality of landing surfaces, second hinge posts and second guide arms. The second tray portion has a second working surface and a second inside surface. The first and second hinge posts couple with the second and first guide arms to form a hinge that defines a pivot axis such that the first and second tray portions are selectively rotatable relative to each other.