Worksurface support system with power and communication capability and front and rear access covers

• US 20040149177A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, Scott J., Gayhart, Jon W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• 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

Abstract

A table or desk unit includes a worksurface and leg structure, and a wire management arrangement located below the worksurface. The wire management arrangement includes upper and lower wire management members that support wires or cables for providing power and/or communication capability to items or equipment on the worksurface, and front and rear access covers which are movable between open and closed positions for providing access to the upper and lower wire management members. The rear access cover is configured to provide access to the lower wire management member, and engages the upper wire management member when in the closed position. A portion of the upper wire management member above the rear access cover is exposed, to mount power outlets that can be accessed from the rear of the worksurface. The front access cover is engaged with the worksurface when in the closed position, and is configured to provide access to both the upper and lower wire management members when in the open position. A wire cover member is releasably engageable with the leg structure, and includes an internal passage that receives wires or cables. The wire cover member includes a lower end received within an upwardly facing recess formed in a foot member forming a part of the leg structure, and an upper end that extends into an opening in one of the wire management members for supplying power or communication wiring thereto. An adjustable height support assembly is engaged with the foot member, for adjusting the worksurface height. The support assembly includes an upper adjustment member threadedly engaged within a receiver associated with the foot member, and a lower adjustment member threadedly engaged with the upper adjustment member. The upper and lower adjustment members include engagement structure which locks the upper and lower adjustment members together when the lower adjustment member is extended to a predetermined position. Subsequent rotation of the lower adjustment member rotates the upper and lower adjustment members together, to provide a telescoping construction for adjusting the height of the worksurface.

Claims

1. A desk, comprising:

a worksurface supported by leg structure;

a wire management arrangement located below the worksurface; and

front and rear access covers, each of which is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the front and rear access covers are configured to provide access to the wire management arrangement from either the front or the rear of the desk.

2. The desk of claim 1, wherein the wire management arrangement includes an upper wire management member and a lower wire management member.

3. The desk of claim 2, wherein the rear access cover is mounted to the lower wire management member and is selectively engageable with the upper wire management member for maintaining the rear access cover in the closed position.

4. The desk of claim 3, wherein the front access cover is engageable with a catch arrangement associated with the underside of the worksurface for selectively maintaining the front access cover in the closed position.

5. The desk of claim 3, wherein the front and rear access covers are interconnected together and are mounted to the lower wire management member.

6. The desk of claim 3, wherein a portion of the upper wire management member is exposed below the worksurface and above the rear access cover when the rear access cover is in the closed position, and wherein the exposed portion of the upper wire management member includes one or more power distribution receptacles that are accessible from the rear of the desk.

7. The desk of claim 3, wherein the rear access cover includes a deflectable engagement member adapted to engage a surface defined by the upper wire management member for releasably maintaining the rear access cover in the closed position.

8. The desk of claim 2, wherein the upper wire management member is adapted to support a power distribution system, and wherein the lower wire management member is adapted to support communication cables or wires.

9. The desk of claim 1, wherein the leg structure comprises a pair of legs, wherein each leg includes a foot member and a worksurface support member, wherein at least one of the legs includes an upright support member that extends between the foot member and the worksurface support member, and a wire cover located exteriorly of the upright support member and engaged therewith, wherein the wire cover defines an interior adapted to receive wires and to provide a passage for wires between the foot member and the worksurface support member.

10. The desk of claim 9, wherein the wire cover is engaged with the upright support member via a clip member secured to the upright support member and having releasable engagement structure engageable with the wire cover for releasably engaging the wire cover with the upright support member.

11. A desk, comprising:

a worksurface defining a front and a rear;

leg structure engaged with and supporting the worksurface;

a wire management arrangement located below the worksurface and including a first upwardly facing channel and a second upwardly facing channel; and

a cover arrangement including a first movable cover member and a second movable cover member, wherein the first movable cover member provides access to the wire management arrangement from the rear of the worksurface and the second movable cover member provides access to the wire management arrangement from the front of the worksurface.

12. The desk of claim 11, wherein the wire management arrangement comprises an upper wire management member and a lower wire management member.

13. The desk of claim 12, wherein at least the lower wire management member defines an upwardly open channel for receiving wires in a lay-in manner.

14. The desk of claim 12, wherein the second movable cover members is configured to provide access to both the upper and lower wire management members when in the open position and to prevent access to both the upper and lower wire management members when in the closed position, and wherein the upper wire management member and the first movable cover member are configured to provide access to the lower wire management member when the first movable cover member is in the open position and to prevent access to the lower wire management member when the first movable cover member is in the closed position.

15. The desk of claim 14, wherein the first movable cover member and the upper wire management member include releasable retainer structure for releasably maintaining the first movable cover member in the closed position.

16. The desk of claim 12, wherein the first and second movable cover members are mounted to the lower wire management member for movement between the open and closed positions.

17. The desk of claim 16, wherein the first movable cover member is engageable with the upper wire management member to maintain the first movable cover member in the closed position, and wherein the second movable cover member is engageable with an underside defined by the worksurface to maintain the second movable cover member in the closed position.

18. The desk of claim 12, wherein the upper wire management member includes an upstanding, rearwardly facing mounting wall, wherein one or more electrical power receptacles are adapted for engagement with the mounting wall, and wherein the first movable cover member is configured to engage the upper wire management member below the mounting wall such that at least a portion of the mounting wall including the one or more electrical power receptacles is exposed between when the first movable cover member and the worksurface when he first movable cover member is in the is in the closed position

19. A support for a desk having a worksurface, comprising:

a foot member;

an upstanding leg member secured to and extending upwardly from the foot member;

a worksurface support member secured to the leg member at a location above the foot member, wherein the worksurface is adapted for engagement with the worksurface support member; and

a wire cover member defining an internal passage, wherein the wire cover member is located exteriorly of the upstanding leg member and wherein wires are adapted to be received in the internal passage of the wire cover member, wherein the wire cover member is configured to conceal the wires between the foot member and the worksurface support member.

20. The support of claim 19, wherein the wire cover member is releasably engaged with upstanding leg member.

21. The support of claim 20, wherein the wire cover member comprises a channel member defining a pair of spaced apart edges, and wherein the wire cover member is releasably engaged with the leg member via a clip member secured to the leg member that is configured to releasably engage the edges of the channel member.

22. The support of claim 21, wherein the channel member and the leg member are configured such that the edges of the channel member cooperate with an external surface of the leg member to define an internal passage within which the wires are received.

23. The support of claim 19, wherein the foot member includes a recess within which a lower end of the wire cover member is adapted to be received, and wherein the wire cover member is releasably engaged with the leg member at a location above the foot member.

24. The support of claim 23, further comprising a wire management member located below the worksurface and having an internal area within which wiring for the desk us located, and wherein the wire cover member defines first and second spaced apart ends and includes an opening located toward the first spaced apart end, wherein the wire cover member is adapted to be positioned in either a first position in which the first end is received within the recess of the foot member and the second end is positioned to extend into the internal area of the wire management member, wherein the opening toward the first end of the wire cover member is located so as to receive wires from a location adjacent a support surface such as a floor, or a second position in which the second end of the wire cover member is received within the recess of the foot member and the first end is positioned to extend into the internal area of the wire management member.

25. The support of claim 24, wherein the wire cover member includes a pair of spaced apart edges, and wherein the wire cover member is releasably engaged with the leg member above the foot member via a clip member secured to the leg member and having a configuration that cooperates with the wire cover member to releasably engage the spaced apart edges of the wire cover member.

26. In a table or desk unit including a worksurface and a leg structure for supporting the worksurface above a supporting surface such as a floor, wherein the leg structure includes a foot member and an upstanding leg member extending upwardly from the foot member, and wherein the table or desk unit further includes a wire management arrangement located below the worksurface, the improvement comprising a wire cover member extending between the foot member and the wire management arrangement, wherein the wire cover member is located externally of the leg member and defines an internal passage for routing wires from a location adjacent the foot member upwardly to the wire management arrangement.

27. The improvement of claim 26, wherein the wire cover member defines a channel-shaped cross-sectional configuration and is position to cooperate with at least one external surface of the leg member to define the internal passage.

28. The improvement of claim 27, further comprising releasable engagement structure interposed between the leg member and the wire cover member for releasably securing the wire cover member to the leg member.

29. The improvement of claim 28, wherein the releasable engagement structure comprises a clip member secured to the leg member, wherein the clip member is configured to releasably engage a pair of spaced apart areas defined by the wire cover member upon application of a push-on force to the wire cover member, and wherein the clip member is further configured to release engagement with the spaced apart areas of the wire cover member upon application of a pull-off force to the wire cover member.

30. The improvement of claim 29, wherein the foot member defines an upwardly facing recess adjacent the leg member, and wherein the wire cover member defines a lower end adapted for engagement within the upwardly facing recess of the foot member.

31. The improvement of claim 30, wherein the wire management arrangement defines an internal area adapted to receive wiring associated with the table or desk unit, and includes an opening in communication with the internal area, wherein the wire cover member defines an upper end adapted to be received within the opening of the wire management arrangement to enable wires to pass from the internal passage of the wire cover member into the internal area of the wire management arrangement.

32. The improvement of claim 31, wherein the wire cover member defines spaced apart first and second ends and a recess located adjacent the first end, wherein the wire cover member is adapted to be positioned in either a first position in which the first end of the wire cover member is engaged within the recess defined by the foot member and the second end of the wire cover member is positioned within the opening of the wire management arrangement to enable infeed wiring to extend into the internal passage of the wire cover member from the lower end of the wire cover member, or a second position in which the second end of the wire cover member is engaged within the recess defined by the foot member and the first end of the wire cover member is positioned within the opening of the wire management arrangement.

33. An adjustable height support member for supporting an article of furniture on a supporting surface such as a floor, wherein the article of furniture includes a threaded receiver, comprising:

an engagement member adapted to engage the supporting surface;

a sleeve threadedly engaged with the receiver; and

a stem secured to and extending upwardly from the engagement member, wherein the stem is threadedly engaged with the sleeve such that rotation of the stem relative to the sleeve is operable to provide a first range of height adjustment for the engagement member relative to the article of furniture, and wherein the stem and the sleeve include engagement structure for preventing rotation between the stem and the sleeve when the stem is rotated relative to the sleeve to reach an outer extent of the first range of height adjustment, and wherein subsequent rotation of the stem and the sleeve together is operable to cause rotation of the sleeve relative to the receiver to provide a second range of height adjustment for the engagement member relative to the article of furniture.

34. The adjustable height support member of claim 33, wherein the stem is threadedly engaged with the sleeve via a set of external threads formed on the stem that are engaged with a set of internal threads defined by the sleeve.

35. The adjustable height support member of claim 34, wherein the sleeve defines an internal passage within which the stem is received.

36. The adjustable height support member of claim 35, wherein the sleeve defines a lower wall and wherein the internal threads defined by the sleeve are formed in an opening associated with the lower wall of the sleeve.

37. The adjustable height support member of claim 36, wherein the engagement structure comprises an expanded area of the stem located above the threads of the stem, wherein the expanded area of the stem is engageable with the lower wall of the sleeve adjacent the opening in the lower wall to prevent rotation of the stem relative to the sleeve.

38. The adjustable height support member of claim 37, wherein the expanded area of the stem comprises a generally conical section formed toward an upper end defined by the stem, and wherein the lower wall of the sleeve includes a beveled surface adjacent the opening adapted to receive and engage the conical section of the stem when the stem attains a predetermined position relative to the sleeve upon rotation of the stem relative to the sleeve.

39. An adjustable height support member for an article of furniture, comprising:

an engagement member for engaging a supporting surface such as a floor;

a lower adjustment member extending upwardly from the engagement member;

an upper adjustment member engaged with the article of furniture via first mating thread structure provided on the upper adjustment member and a receiver member associated with the article of furniture such that the upper adjustment member is movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the article of furniture;

wherein the lower adjustment member and the upper adjustment member are engaged with each other via second mating thread structure such that the lower adjustment member is movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the upper adjustment member; and

engagement structure interposed between the upper and lower adjustment members for preventing rotation between the upper and lower adjustment members when the lower adjustment member attains a predetermined position as the lower adjustment member is moved outwardly relative to the upper adjustment member, wherein further rotation of the lower adjustment member causes rotation of the upper adjustment member to move the upper adjustment member outwardly relative to the article of furniture.

40. The adjustable height support member of claim 39, wherein the upper adjustment member comprises a generally cylindrical member having a lower wall and a threaded outer surface engaged with the receiver, and wherein the lower adjustment member is threadedly engaged within a threaded opening in the lower wall of the generally cylindrical member.

41. The adjustable height support member of claim 40, wherein the lower adjustment member comprises a threaded shaft extending upwardly from the engagement member and engaged within the threaded opening in the lower wall of the generally cylindrical member.

42. The adjustable height support member of claim 41, wherein the engagement structure comprises an expanded section associated with the threaded shaft, wherein the expanded section is configured to engage the lower wall of the generally cylindrical member adjacent the threaded opening when the threaded shaft is rotated to extend the threaded shaft relative to the generally cylindrical member.

43. The adjustable height support member of claim 40, wherein the upper adjustment member and the lower adjustment member include noncircular engagement structure for facilitating rotation of the upper and lower adjustment members.