Outdoor desk and document storage cabinet

Abstract

An outdoor desk and document storage cabinet for use at a construction site to selectively provide a writing surface or to shield documents from the elements comprising a cabinet cover including at least one document retaining device to be attached to a post, wall or other support structure and a desk top including a writing surface movable between a storage position and a writing position such that when the desk top is in the storage position the desk top and cabinet cover cooperatively form a document storage compartment to isolate documents disposed therein from the elements and when the desk top is in the writing position the writing surface is accessible to provide a stable desk-like writing surface.

1 . An outdoor desk and document storage cabinet for use at a construction site to selectively provide a writing surface or to shield documents from the elements comprising a cabinet cover including an interior surface having at least one document retaining device and a desk top including a writing surface movable between a storage position and a writing position such that when said desk top is in the storage position said desk top and said cabinet cover cooperatively form a document storage compartment to isolate documents disposed therein from the elements and when said desk top is in the writing position said writing surface is accessible to provide a stable desk-like writing surface. 
   
   
       2 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 1  wherein said cabinet cover comprises a cover panel including an interior surface having a peripheral flange formed about the outer periphery thereof and said desk top comprises a desk top panel having a peripheral flange formed about the periphery thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  wherein said peripheral flange of said cabinet cover comprises a pair of side peripheral flange sections, a top peripheral flange section and a bottom peripheral flange section; and said peripheral flange of said desk top comprises a pair of side peripheral flange sections, an inner peripheral flange section and an outer peripheral flange section. 
   
   
       4 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  further including a desk top stop comprises at least one desk top stop member extending outwardly from said cabinet cover and a desk top limit comprising at least one top limit member extending outwardly from engage said desk top stop member to limit movement of said desk top relative to said cabinet cover when said desk top is in the open or deployed position. 
   
   
       5 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  wherein a plurality of documents retaining devices is disposed on said interior surface cover panel. 
   
   
       6 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 5  wherein said plurality of document retaining devices comprises at least one clip member pivotally coupled to the interior surface of said cover panel to selectively attach notes, permits or other documents to the interior surface of said cover panel. 
   
   
       7 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of document retaining devices further includes at least one compartment extending outwardly from the interior surface of said cover panel to store documents in the interior thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  wherein document retaining devices comprises at least one compartment extending outwardly from said interior surface of said cover panel to store documents in the interior thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  wherein said desk top panel includes an interior surface having a desk structure including said writing surface disposed thereon. 
   
   
       10 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 9  wherein said desk structure comprises a substantially flat writing member held in spaced relationship relative to said desk top panel by a pair of side writing surface supports disposed on opposite side portions thereto. 
   
   
       11 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 10  wherein a rear wall extends between the rear portion of said flat writing member and said side writing surface supports to cooperatively form a drawer-like storage compartment with said desk top panel. 
   
   
       12 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 4  further includes an interior desk top limit comprising a flexible element coupled to opposite side portions of said outdoor desk and document storage cabinet to limit the pivotal movement of said desk top relative to said cabinet cover when said desk top is pivotally opened to the deployed position. 
   
   
       13 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 12  wherein opposite end portions of each flexible element are coupled between the upper end portion of the side peripheral flange section and the outer end portion of the corresponding side peripheral flange section on the same side of said outdoor desk and document storage cabinet. 
   
   
       14 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  further includes an interior desk top limit comprising a flexible element coupled to opposite side portions of said outdoor desk and document storage cabinet to limit the pivotal movement of said desk top relative to said cabinet cover when said desk top is pivotally opened to the deployed position. 
   
   
       15 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 2  further including a mounting pin extending outwardly from opposite sides of said peripheral flange of said cabinet cover and a mounting aperture formed through opposite sides of said peripheral flange of said desk top to pivotally couple said cabinet cover to said desk top. 
   
   
       16 . An outdoor desk and document storage cabinet for use at a construction site to selectively provide a writing surface or to shield documents from the elements comprising a cabinet cover including a cover panel having an interior surface having at least one document retaining device and a desk top including a writing surface movable between a storage position and a writing position such that when said desk top is in the storage position said desk top and said cabinet cover cooperatively form a document storage compartment to isolate documents disposed therein from the elements and when said desk top is in the writing position said writing surface is accessible to provide a stable desk-like writing surface, said cabinet cover comprising a cover panel having a peripheral flange formed about the outer periphery thereof and said desk top comprises a desk top panel having a peripheral flange formed about the periphery thereof, said peripheral flange of said cabinet cover comprises a pair of side peripheral flange sections, a top peripheral flange section and a bottom peripheral flange section, and said peripheral flange of said desk top comprises a pair of side peripheral flange sections, an inner peripheral flange section and an outer peripheral flange section, said outdoor desk and document storage cabinet further including, a desk top stop comprising a pair of desk top stop members extending outwardly from the lower portion of the exterior surface of said cover panel in substantially parallel relationship relative to the lower peripheral cabinet cover, and a desk top limit comprising a pair of desk top limit members extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the inner peripheral to engage a corresponding cover stop member of said desk top stop to limit the pivotal movement of said desk top relative to the cabinet cover when said desk top is pivotally opened to the deployed position. 
   
   
       17 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 16  further including a support to hold said cabinet cover and said desk top above the ground or other supporting surface. 
   
   
       18 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 17  wherein said support comprises a pair of elongated support member held in spaced relationship relative to each other by at least one cross-support member. 
   
   
       19 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 18  where the upper portion of each said elongated support member is attached to said cabinet cover. 
   
   
       20 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 1  further including a support to hold said cabinet cover and said desk top above the ground or other supporting surface. 
   
   
       21 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 18  wherein said support comprises a pair of elongated support member held in spaced relationship relative to each other by at least one cross-support member. 
   
   
       22 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 19  where the upper portion of each said elongated support member is attached to said cabinet cover. 
   
   
       23 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of document retaining devices further includes at least one compartment comprising a flexible resilient mesh attached to said interior surface of said cover panel to store documents in the interior thereof. 
   
   
       24 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 21  wherein said support is detachably coupled to said outdoor desk and storage cabinet. 
   
   
       25 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 24  wherein said support is coupled to said outdoor desk and document storage cabinet by an attachment structure comprising at least one collar attached to said cabinet cover. 
   
   
       26 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 25  wherein said attachment structure comprises a pair of collars on opposite sides of the lateral center line of said cabinet cover to stabilize said outdoor desk and storage cabinet when the upper portion of each said elongated support member is inserted into a corresponding collar. 
   
   
       27 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 24  wherein said support is coupled to said outdoor desk and document storage cabinet by an attachment structure comprising at least one collar attached to said cabinet cover. 
   
   
       28 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 27  wherein said attachment structure comprises a pair of collars on opposite sides of the lateral center line of said cabinet cover to stabilize said outdoor desk and storage cabinet when the upper portion of each said elongated support member is inserted into a corresponding collar. 
   
   
       29 . The outdoor desk and document storage cabinet of  claim 28  wherein the lower portion of each said hollow sleeve extends below said cabinet cover to engage said desk top to limit the movement of said desk top relative to said cabinet cover when said outdoor desk and storage cabinet is in said open position.