Furniture system facilitating informal collaboration and presentations

Abstract

A furniture system particularly adapted for informal collaboration and presentations includes lounge seating units for team members and a podium seating unit for a seated presenter. An information display panel is attached to a rear of the podium seating unit and extends vertically with its front surface being reachable over a back of the podium seating unit. The back terminates below a presenter's lumbar, but is deep enough to discourage the presenter from leaning rearwardly against the screen. By this arrangement, the seated presenter maintains level eye contact with group members in an informal setting while discussing and pointing to information. Accessories are provided to enhance use of the system, such as a paper-and-drink tray for resting on the seat cushion, an erasable board attachable to the screen, bridge tables positionable between seating units, and table-attached screens for promoting privacy.

1 . A furniture system adapted for informal collaboration and presentations, comprising 
 at least one lounge seating unit adapted to supported seated group members in an informal setting;    a podium seating unit having a seat and a back for a seated presenter; and    an information display panel coupled to the podium seating unit and located adjacent a rear of the podium seating unit, the display panel extending above the seating unit with its front surface being reachable over the back of the podium seating unit, whereby the seated presenter can maintain level eye contact with group members in an informal setting while discussing and pointing to information on the display panel.    
   
   
       2 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the display panel includes a front surface suitable for use as a projector screen for receiving a projected image.  
   
   
       3 . The furniture system defined in  claim 2 , wherein the display panel is attached to the podium seating unit.  
   
   
       4 . The furniture system defined in  claim 3 , wherein the display panel is attached to the back of the podium seating unit and supported at least in part by the podium seating unit.  
   
   
       5 . The furniture system defined in  claim 4 , wherein the display panel includes a frame and a sheet covering the frame, and including fasteners attaching the frame abuttingly against a rear of the back.  
   
   
       6 . The furniture system defined in  claim 4 , wherein the display panel extends vertically and does not extend at a rearward angle to the seat, so that the display panel is adapted to reduce distortion of projected images from a projector supported user a height of the seat and at a location in front of the podium seating unit.  
   
   
       7 . The furniture system defined in  claim 4 , wherein the podium seating unit includes a back that extends above the seat less than a height of a seated presenter's underarm, such that the presenter can comfortably rest their forearm on the back while pointing to a spot on the display panel.  
   
   
       8 . The furniture system defined in  claim 4 , wherein the display panel includes an erasable surface.  
   
   
       9 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the display panel is attached to a rear of the podium seating unit, and including a board releasably attached to the display panel that includes a writable/erasable surface adapted to receive erasable markings thereon.  
   
   
       10 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the podium seating unit includes a seat cushion on the seat, and a back cushion on the back, the seat and back cushions defining a crevice at their adjacent surfaces.  
   
   
       11 . The furniture system defined in  claim 10 , wherein the podium seating unit includes legs defining a height dimension not greater than a height dimension of the seat cushion.  
   
   
       12 . The furniture system defined in  claim 10 , wherein the back cushion has a horizontal thickness dimension about equal to the seat cushion.  
   
   
       13 . The furniture system defined in  claim 10 , including a table tray with a body shaped to rest on the seat cushion, and with a rear flange configured to fit into the crevice.  
   
   
       14 . The furniture system defined in  claim 13 , wherein the crevice extends vertically, and the rear flange extends vertically into engagement with the crevice.  
   
   
       15 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , including a table tray with a front flange configured to fit against a front surface of the seat.  
   
   
       16 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lounge seating unit includes two spaced-apart lounge seating units, and further including a bridge table attached between and interconnecting the two lounge seating units.  
   
   
       17 . The furniture system defined in  claim 16 , including a privacy screen attached to a rearward edge of the bridge table and screening an area between the two lounge seating units, the two lounge seating units having backs extending to a height of the privacy screen.  
   
   
       18 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the seat of the podium seating unit includes a lockable drawer for storing items therein.  
   
   
       19 . The furniture system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the back of the podium seating unit is at moat about 8 inches above a top surface of the seat.  
   
   
       20 . A podium seating unit adapted for informal collaboration and presentations, comprising 
 a podium seating unit having a seat and a back for a seated presenter; and    an information display panel attached to the podium seating unit and located adjacent a rear of the podium seating unit, the display panel extending above the seating unit with its front surface being reachable over the back of the podium seating unit, whereby the seated presenter can maintain level eye contact with group members in an informal setting while discussing and pointing to information on the display panel.    
   
   
       21 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 20 , wherein the display panel includes a front surface suitable for use as a projector screen for receiving a projected image.  
   
   
       22 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 21 , wherein the display panel includes a frame and a sheet covering the frame, and including fasteners attaching the frame abuttingly against a rear of the back.  
   
   
       23 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 22 , wherein the display panel extends vertically or at a forward angle toward the podium seating unit, and does not extend at a rearward angle to the seat, so that the display panel is adapted to reduce distortion of projected images from a projector setting at a height of the seat and at a location in front of the podium seating unit.  
   
   
       24 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 22 , wherein the podium seating unit includes a back that extends above the seat less than a height of a seated presenter's underarm, such that the presenter can comfortably rest their forearm on the back while turning and pointing to a spot on the display panel.  
   
   
       25 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 22 , wherein the display panel includes an erasable surface.  
   
   
       26 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 20 , wherein the display panel is attached to a rear of the podium seating unit, and including a board releasably attached to the display panel that includes a writable/erasable surface.  
   
   
       27 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 20 , wherein the podium seating unit includes a seat cushion on the seat, and a back cushion on the back, the seat and back cushions defining a vertical crevice at their adjacent surfaces.  
   
   
       28 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 27 , wherein the podium seating unit includes legs defining a height dimension not greater than a height dimension of the cushion.  
   
   
       29 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 28 , wherein the back cushion has a horizontal thickness dimension about equal to the seat cushion.  
   
   
       30 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 27 , including a table tray with a body shaped to rest on the seat cushion, and with a rear flange configured to fit into the crevice.  
   
   
       31 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 27 , wherein the crevice extends vertically, and the rear flange extends vertically into engagement with the crevice.  
   
   
       32 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 26 , wherein the table tray includes a front flange configured to fit against a front surface of the seat cushion.  
   
   
       33 . The podium seating unit defined in  claim 20 , wherein the back of the podium seating unit is about 8 inches above the top of the seat.  
   
   
       34 . A seating unit comprising: 
 a base;    a seat and a back supported on the base; and    a projector screen attached to one of the base, back and seat; the screen extending above the back and the back having a height allowing a user sitting on the seat to reach over the back and point to projected images on the screen.    
   
   
       35 . The seating unit defined in  claim 34 , including a board releasably attached to the display panel that includes a writable/erasable surface.  
   
   
       36 . The seating unit defined in  claim 34 , wherein the back has a front spaced away from the projector screen and a low height below a lumbar height of the seated user which discourages the seated user from leaning rearwardly against the projector screen.  
   
   
       37 . The seating unit defined in  claim 34 , wherein the back of the podium seating unit is at most about 8 inches above a top surface of the seat.