Cord system for height-adjustable furniture

• US 10,381,808 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Byrne, Norman R., Knapp, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US15/713,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 108 5002
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/02 with vertical adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0082 Cable inlet in worktop or desk, e.g. grommet
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/20 Telescopic guides
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/06 having associated enclosures, e.g. for preventing access to live parts

Abstract

An electrical power or data system for height-adjustable furniture includes a self-retracting cord section that extends and retracts in response to an upper furniture portion raising and lowering with respect to a lower furniture portion, such as to limit or avoid entanglement of the cord with other objects in the vicinity of the furniture. The system includes an electrical power or data cord having an input end portion and an output end portion, with the retracting cord section disposed between the input and output end portions, and with an electrical power or data connector at the output end portion and configured for mounting along the upper furniture portion.

Claims

1. A height adjustable furniture with electrical power or data system, comprising:

a movable furniture portion comprising a tabletop or desktop, and a stationary furniture portion comprising lower leg portions of a plurality of upright legs that are coupled to said table top or desktop, wherein said movable portion is raisable and lowerable relative to said stationary portion;

an electrical power or data cord having an input end portion and an output end portion opposite said input end portion, and a self-retracting cord section disposed between said input end portion and said output end portion;

an electrical power or data connector disposed at said output end portion of said cord and configured for mounting along said movable portion of said height-adjustable furniture;

wherein said input end portion is configured to extend outwardly from said stationary portion of said height-adjustable furniture;

wherein said self-retracting cord section is configured for mounting at either said movable portion or said stationary portion of said height-adjustable furniture, and wherein said self-retracting cord section is configured to extend to a first length upon raising said movable portion of said height-adjustable furniture and to retract to a second length that is shorter than the first length upon lowering said movable portion of said height-adjustable furniture;

a cord storage and support member coupled to said tabletop or desktop, said cord storage and support member defining a hollow channel for receiving and concealing said self-retracting cord section; and

wherein at least one of said upright legs defines a hollow interior region, and further comprises an elbow conduit in communication with both said hollow interior region and said hollow channel of said cord storage and support member, wherein an intermediate portion of said electrical power or data cord between said self-retracting cord section and said input end portion is routed through said elbow conduit, and wherein said intermediate portion of said electrical power or data cord is movable through said elbow conduit as said height-adjustable furniture is raised and lowered.

2. The electrical power or data system and height-adjustable furniture of claim 1, wherein said self-retracting cord section comprises an elastic coil portion.

3. The electrical power or data system and height-adjustable furniture of claim 1, wherein said electrical power or data connector comprises a high voltage AC power outlet or a low voltage DC power outlet.

4. The electrical power or data system and height-adjustable furniture of claim 1, wherein said input end portion of said electrical power or data cord comprises at least one chosen from (i) a high voltage AC power plug, (ii) a low voltage DC power plug, and (iii) an electronic data signal plug.

5. The electrical power or data system and height-adjustable furniture of claim 1, wherein said upright legs comprise respective upper leg portions that are telescopingly engaged with respective ones of said lower leg portions.

6. The electrical power or data system and height-adjustable furniture of claim 5, wherein at least one of said upright legs defines a hollow interior region, and wherein a portion of said electrical power or data cord located between said input end portion and said self-retracting cord section is disposed in said hollow interior region.

7. The electrical power or data system and height-adjustable furniture of claim 6, wherein said lower leg portion of said at least one upright leg defines an opening through which said electrical power or data cord passes into said hollow interior region.

8. A height-adjustable furniture article with electrical power or data system, comprising:

a movable upper furniture portion comprising a tabletop or desktop mounted to a stationary lower furniture portion comprising lower leg portions of a plurality of upright legs that are coupled to said table top or desktop via respective upper leg portions, wherein said movable upper furniture portion is raisable and lowerable relative to said stationary lower furniture portion;

an electrical power or data cord having an output end portion coupled to said movable upper furniture portion, an input end portion opposite said output end portion, and a self-retracting cord section disposed between said input end portion and said output end portion, wherein said input end portion is configured to extend outwardly from the stationary portion of the height-adjustable furniture;

wherein at least one of said upright legs defines a hollow interior region for receiving a portion of said electrical power or data cord, and wherein said lower leg portion of said at least one upright leg defines an opening through which said electrical power or data cord passes into said hollow interior region;

an electrical power or data connector disposed at said output end portion of said cord and accessible at said movable upper furniture portion;

wherein said self-retracting cord section is configured for mounting at either the movable portion or the stationary portion of the height-adjustable furniture, and wherein said self-retracting cord section is configured to extend to a first length upon raising the movable portion of the height-adjustable furniture and to retract to a second length that is shorter than the first length upon lowering the movable portion of the height-adjustable furniture;

a cord storage and support member coupled to said tabletop or desktop, said cord storage and support member defining a hollow channel for receiving and concealing said self-retracting cord section; and

an elbow conduit in communication with both said hollow interior region of said at least one of said upright legs and said hollow channel of said cord storage and support member;

wherein an intermediate portion of said electrical power or data cord between said self-retracting cord section and said input end portion is routed through said elbow conduit, and wherein said intermediate portion of said electrical power or data cord is movable through said elbow conduit as said height-adjustable furniture is raised and lowered.

9. The height-adjustable furniture article of claim 8, wherein said upper leg portions are telescopingly engaged with respective ones of said lower leg portions.

10. The height-adjustable furniture article of claim 8, wherein said self-retracting cord section comprises an elastic coil portion.

11. The height-adjustable furniture article of claim 8, wherein said electrical power or data connector comprises a high voltage AC power outlet or a low voltage DC power outlet.

12. The height-adjustable furniture article of claim 8, wherein said input end portion of said electrical power or data cord comprises at least one chosen from (i) a high voltage AC power plug, (ii) a low voltage DC power plug, and (iii) an electronic data signal plug.