Frame type workstation configurations

• US 10,681,980 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Martin, Kirt, Eberlein, David C., Biddle, Fredric
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayres, Timothy M
• Application Number:
  US15/875,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20180140091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 108 11, 108 12, 108 59- 65, 108 5002, 108155, 108152, 108137-143, 312194-203, 3122236, 248451-453
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/02 Underframes
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/081 Movable, extending, sliding table tops
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/088 Sectional table tops
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/16 Holders for glasses, ashtrays, lamps, candles or the like forming part of tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2009/006 of two distinct heights, e.g. coffee table - dining table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/025 Computer workstation with integrated seat
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/04 Tables combined with other pieces of furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 85/06 Tables convertible otherwise into beds A47C17/62; into billiard tables A63D15/04
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/00 Tables with tops of variable height lecterns with variable height A47B19/06; school forms or desks with variable height A47B39/02, A47B41/02; seats with variable height A47C3/20

Abstract

A furniture assembly comprising a first frame structure having front and rear portions and including at least a first leg member and a substantially horizontal first rail member supported by the at least a first leg member where the first rail member has a first length dimension, a substantially horizontal second rail member supported by the at least a second leg member spaced apart from the first rail member wherein an assembly space includes the space between the first and second rail members, a front portion of the assembly space adjacent the front portion of the first frame structure and a rear portion of the assembly space adjacent the rear portion of the first frame structure, a first furniture sub-assembly having first and second ends, having a first depth dimension and supported within the assembly space by the first and second rail members and a second furniture sub-assembly having first and second ends, a second depth dimension and supported within the assembly space by the first rail member and a rail member of another frame structure, wherein the combined first and second depth dimensions are less than the first length dimension.

Claims

1. A table assembly comprising:

first and second leg members that form first and second facing surfaces, respectively, a frame space located between the facing surfaces of the leg members, each leg member forming a leg member top surface;

an elongated channel member connected at opposite ends to the first and second facing surfaces and located within the frame space, the channel member forming a wire management channel along its length and a channel support surface along a first edge of the wire management channel;

a table top member forming a table top surface and supported by the leg members wherein the table top member is located substantially within the frame space and the table top surface is substantially flush with the leg member top surfaces, the table top member including a rear edge and the channel member is located rearward of the table top and is at least in part at the same height as the rear edge of the table top, and wherein the table top member has an undersurface, and a portion of the undersurface adjacent the rear edge is supported by the channel support surface.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a trough member, the trough member extending between the facing surfaces of the leg members and including a rear edge that is supported by the channel support surface, the trough member forming a front edge that forms a trough support surface, and a portion of the undersurface adjacent the rear edge is supported by the trough support surface.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the trough member and the table top member are both supported by at least one support member support surface.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the channel member is mounted to the leg members for substantially horizontal sliding motion along the facing surfaces of the leg members.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the channel comprises an elongated rigid housing member and at least one clamping coupler assembly.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the channel comprises at least one receptacle.

7. A table assembly comprising:

first and second legs forming first and second substantially horizontal elongated surfaces, respectively, and each leg member forming a leg member top surface;

a support rail comprising an elongate rigid housing member forming a support surface and extending between first and second ends, the first and second ends of the rail supported by the first and second horizontal elongated surfaces, respectively, for sliding movement between first and second different locations along each of the first and second elongated surfaces, the support rail forming a wire management channel including a power receptacle in the wire management channel, the support surface being formed along a first edge of the wire management channel; and

a table top supported by the support surface between the first and second legs and positionable with the support rail at several positions adjacent the legs and wherein a top surface of the table top is substantially flush with the leg member top surfaces and wherein the table top includes a rear edge that is supported by the support surface so that the channel is located rearward of the table top.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the support rail comprises an elongate rigid housing member.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the wire management channel includes at least one clamping coupler assembly.

10. The assembly of claim 7 further including first and second couplers located at the first and second ends of the wire management channel for releasably securing the wire management channel at different positions along the first elongated surfaces.

11. The assembly of claim 7 wherein each first surface forms a leg lip and wherein the wire management channel includes a stationary finger member at each end that mate with the leg lips to support the wire management channel between the legs for sliding motion along the leg lips.

12. The assembly of claim 7 wherein each of the first and second elongated surfaces is an upper elongated surface and each leg member further includes a second lower elongated surface that is spaced vertically below and substantially parallel to the upper elongated surface.

13. The assembly of claim 7 wherein each upper elongated surface forms an upper leg lip, each second elongated surface forms a lower leg lip, the wire management channel including first and second couplers at first and second ends, respectively, each coupler includes a stationary finger member and a moveable finger member that engage the lower and upper leg lips on an adjacent leg member, respectively, to secure the channel member to the leg members.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the upper and lower leg lips on the first leg extend toward each other and wherein the upper and lower leg lips on the second leg extend toward each other.

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the wire management channel forms first and second channel openings at the first and second ends and the first and second channel openings are aligned with the space between the upper and lower elongated surfaces of the first and second legs.

16. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the first and second legs include facing surfaces and wherein the rail and the table top are located between the facing surfaces of the first and second legs.

17. A table assembly comprising:

first and second legs forming first and second substantially horizontal elongated surfaces, respectively, and each leg member forming a leg member top surface;

a support rail forming a support surface and extending between first and second ends, the first and second ends of the rail supported by the first and second horizontal elongated surfaces, respectively, for sliding movement between first and second different locations along each of the first and second elongated surfaces, the support rail forming a wire management channel including a power receptacle in the wire management channel; and

a table top supported by the support surface between the first and second legs and positionable with the support rail at several positions adjacent the legs and wherein a top surface of the table top is substantially flush with the leg member top surfaces, wherein the support surface is formed along a first side of the wire management channel and wherein the rail forms a second support surface along a second side of the wire management channel, the table top being a first table top, the assembly further including a second table top supported by the second support surface.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the wire management channel includes at least one clamping coupler assembly.

19. The assembly of claim 17 further including first and second couplers located at the first and second ends of the wire management channel for releasably securing the wire management channel at different positions along the first elongated surfaces.

20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein each first surface forms a leg lip and wherein the wire management channel includes a stationary finger member at each end that mate with the leg lips to support the wire management channel between the legs for sliding motion along the leg lips.