Modular system of power and data delivery components and method of setting up and utilizing the components in a work space environment

• US 20040082334A1
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Gennrich, David James, Chase, Kent Bradley, Lindeman, William Charles, Nelipovich, Richard A., Petrick, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,357,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• 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: H02G 3/0493 Service poles

Abstract

A modular system of power and data components comprising a substation having power and data ports is provided. The system includes channels releasably connectable to the substation and supports. The substation, channels and supports are releasably and rotatably connected to permit the system to be formed in almost infinite combinations to accommodate numerous office or work space configurations. The system is used in conjunction with tables, screens and other furniture to form a fully and easily adjustable office or work space set-up to accommodate any office or work space situation and to allow quick change to accommodate changes in the initial office or work space set-up.

Claims

1. A modular system of power and/or data and/or communications components comprising:

a first structure into which at least one of data, power or communications means is brought into the modular system and distributed; and

at least one second structure for accepting the at least one data power or communications means and making at least one of data, power or communications means available to at least one work station.

2. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the first structure is one of a group comprising a substation and a support.

3. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second structure is one of a group comprising a substation, a support, an umbilical, a parrot, a channel or a support.

4. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the data, power and communications means are all brought into the first structure and are all distributed to the second structure.

5. A modular system of power, data and communications components comprising:

a substation having power and data ports, for connection respectively to power and data carrier means, and means to connect said ports to, respectively, a source of power and at least one communication data source;

at least one channel releasably connectable to said substation, said channel comprising a proximal end and a distal end and means to carry power and data from said substation therethrough; and

,

at least one support, associated with said channel, said at least one support having means to releasably connect the channel such that the channel can span from a substation to a support or from a first support to another support.

6. The modular system of claim 5, wherein said channel and substation are connected such that said channel can rotate in relation to said substation.

7. The modular system of claim 5, wherein said channel and support are connected such that said channel can rotate in relation to said support.

8. The modular system of claim 5, wherein said channel and substation are connected such that said channel can rotate in relation to said substation and said channel and support are connected such that said channel can rotate in relation to said support.

9. A modular system for use in creation of a work space, comprising:

at least one work station;

a substation, in proximity to the work station, comprising a central device for receiving data, power and communications conduits and providing means to distribute data, power and communications to the at least one work station; and

data, power and communications carrier means connectable between the substation and a work station such that data, power and communications are available at a work station.

10. The modular system of claim 9, wherein the carriers are channels.

11. The modular system of claim 9, wherein the carriers are umbilicals.

12. The modular system of claim 10, wherein the central device is a substation.

13. The modular system of claim 12, wherein the at least one work stations is five work stations.

14. The modular system of claim 13, including a desk, a chair and a lamp for each work station, and a screen disposed between at least two of the work stations.

15. A method of providing a work space environment comprising the steps of:

providing at least one structure for receiving at least one of data, power and communications means; and

providing at least one second structure for receiving and distributing the at least one of data, power and communications means to the work space.

16. The method of claim 15, including the steps of providing at least one third structure for receiving the at least one of data, power and communications means and providing access to the means to the work space.

17. The method of claim 15 including providing at least one table for use in the work space.

18. The method of claim 15 including providing at least one screen.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one structure is one of the group comprising at least one substation, at least one channel and at least one support.

20. The method of claim 19 including the step of providing at least one table and the at least one screen as desired about the system;

and

laying power cables and data cables within the system such that data and power are available where desired within the office or work space system.

21. The method of claim 15 including the step of providing means to drop power and communication means from the ceiling-of the work environment to the at least one structure.

22. The method of providing an office or work space environment of claim 19, including providing a coverable opening along the length of the at least one channel, the channel comprising a first end and a second end, the opening being disposed to have power and data cables operably placed within the channel by being simply laid in the opening from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel.

23. The method of providing an office or work space environment of claim 19, including providing attachment means to the substation and support, the attachment means including rotating means, such that the support may be spaced apart from the substation at any point away from the substation and a channel may span from the substation to the support.

24. The method of providing an office or work space environment of claim 19, including providing a single substation and a plurality of supports and channels, such that a large office or work space environment is created.

25. A method of providing an office or work space environment comprising the steps of:

providing at least one substation, at least one channel and at least one support;

providing at least one table;

providing at least one screen;

assembling the at least one substation, the at least one channel and the at least one support into a desirable system and placing the at least one table and the at least one screen as desired about the system; and

laying power cables and data cables within the system such that data and power are available where desired within the office or work space system.

26. The method of providing an office or work space environment of claim 25, including providing a coverable opening along the length of the at least one channel, the channel comprising a first end and a second end, the opening being disposed to have power and data cables operably placed within the channel by being simply laid in the opening from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel.

27. The method of providing an office or work space environment of claim 25, including providing attachment means to the substation and support, the attachment means including rotating means, such that the support may be spaced apart from the substation at any point away from the substation and a channel may span from the substation to the support.

28. The method of providing an office or work space environment of claim 25, including providing a single substation and a plurality of supports and channels, such that a large office or work space environment is created.

29. A modular system for use in creation of a work space, comprising:

at least two work stations;

at least one substation, in proximity to at least one of the two work stations, comprising a central device for receiving data, power and communications conduits and providing means to distribute data, power and communications to the at least two work stations;

data, power and communications carrier means connectable between the conduits and a work station such that data, power and communications are available a work station; and

a conduit connecting the at least one work station connected to the substation to the at least one other work station.

30. The modular system of claim 29, wherein the conduits are channels.

31. The modular system of claim 30, wherein the central device is a substation and supports are included such that at least one channel is attached to the substation at a first end and to a support at a second end.

32. The modular system of claim 29, wherein the conduits are umbilicals.

33. The modular system of claim 29, wherein the at least two work stations is five work stations.

34. The modular system of claim 29, including a channel spanning from the substation to a support and a second channel spanning form the support to a second support, the work stations each including a desk, a chair and a lamp, and a screen disposed between at least two of the work stations.

35. The modular system of claim 29 including another work station, comprising a channel and a support, the another work station being releasably fastenable to the first work station using a releasable locking means.

36. A substation for use in a work space, comprising:

a hub into which one or more of power, data and communications means can be introduced and subsequently the one or more power, data and communications means can be distributed at or near a work surface of the work space, said hub including ports for access to the one or more power, data and communications means; and

said hub being configurable and reconfigurable such that the ports accommodate the one or more power, data and communications means present in the hub and desired by a user.

37. The substation of claim 36 including means to distribute the one or more power, data and communications means in any direction.

38. The substation of claim 37, wherein the means to distribute the one or more power, data and communications means is one or more channel releasably attachable to the hub.

39. The substation of claim 37, wherein the means to distribute the one or more power, data and communications means is an umbilical.

40. A support for use in a Work space, comprising:

a structural element;

means to releasably attach at least one channel to the structural element; and

said attachment means being disposed to permit the at least one channel to be rotated to a desired position and then releasably locked in the position, the position being within a range of angles to the axis of the support desired.

41. The support of claim 40, wherein the range of angles is 90 degrees.

42. Connecting means for use with a modular system, comprising:

a structure for rotatably attaching an element to one of either a substation or a support, the structure being further attachable to means for constructing a work space.

43. The connection means of claim 42, wherein the means for constructing a work space is a power entry panel, such that power can be brought to either a substation or a support.

44. The connection means of claim 42, wherein the means for constructing a work space is a channel, the channel being attached to one of a substation or a support by the connection means and spanning to another one of a substation or a support.

45. A method of providing power and/or data communications to a work space environment comprising the steps of:

providing at least one substation, at least one channel and at least one support;

assembling the at least one substation, the at least one channel and the at least one support into a desirable system; and

providing a coverable opening along the length of the at least one channel, the channel comprising a first end and a second end, the opening being disposed to have power and data cables operably placed within the channel by being laid in the opening from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel.

46. The method of claim 45 including the step of operably placing the cable laid within the at least one channel into the at least one support whereby the cable is placed within the support by laying the cable in the support.

47. The method of claim 45 including the step of operably placing the cable laid within the at least one channel into the at least one substation whereby the cable is placed within the substation by laying the cable in the substation.

48. A method of providing power and/or data communications to a work space environment comprising the steps of:

providing at least one substation, at least one channel and at least one support;

providing means for rotatably connecting the channel to the substation;

providing means for rotatably connecting the channel to the support; and

assembling the at least one substation, the at least one channel and the at least one support into a desirable system.