Drawer with hidden electrical connector

• US 20070040483A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP
• Original Assignee: Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP
• Inventors: Arkay-Leliever, Christian
• Application Number:
  US11/208,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/194
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0083 Cable or current inlet for drawer or shelf
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0077 Lighting for furniture, e.g. cupboards and racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

An item of furniture including a work platform, a suspended member connected with and located beneath the work platform, and a drawer is described. The drawer is connected with and located beneath the work platform. The drawer is aligned with an outer surface of the suspended member. The suspended member has a thickness t and the drawer has a height h, with the thickness t being approximately equal to the height h, allowing the drawer to have a camouflaged appearance. The item of furniture also includes an electrical connector located in the drawer for connection to a wire. The size of the wire is less than the size of an opening formed between the drawer and the work platform. By having such a configuration, the opening allows for the wire to pass out of the drawer when the drawer is in a closed position.

Claims

1. A desk comprising:

a work platform;

a recessed member having a thickness t₁ located under the work platform a distance d₁ away from the edges of the work platform;

a suspended member located a distance d₂ beneath the work platform and connected with the work platform through the recessed member;

a drawer connected with and located approximately the same distance d₂ beneath the work platform, the drawer having a front surface which is aligned with an outer surface of the suspended member, wherein the suspended member has a thickness t₂ and the drawer has a height h, and wherein the thickness t₂ is approximately equal to the height h, allowing the drawer to have a camouflaged appearance and form an opening between the drawer and the work platform; and

an electrical connector located in the drawer for connection to a wire having a thickness t₃, wherein the thickness t₃ is less than the distance d₂ to allow for the wire to pass out of the drawer when the drawer is in a closed position.

2. The desk of claim 1, wherein the thickness t₁ of the recessed member is greater than 5 mm.

3. The desk of claim 1, wherein the distance d₂ is greater than 5 mm.

4. The desk of claim 1, wherein the drawer includes two side surfaces each connected at an edge to an opposing side of the front surface, a back surface connected to an edge of each side surface, and a bottom surface connected with and below the front, the back, and the two side surfaces.

5. The desk of claim 1 further comprising an electrical housing housed within the drawer, wherein the electrical housing houses the electrical connector.

6. The desk of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is one of a power connector, a telephone connector, an audio connector, a video connector, or a LAN connector.

7. The desk of claim 1, further comprising a flexible conduit connected with the drawer, wherein the flexible conduit hoses an electrical wire which is electrically connected with the electrical connector.

8. A desk comprising:

a work platform;

a drawer connected with and located beneath the work platform, the drawer having a front surface which forms an opening for allowing a wire to pass through; and

an electrical connector located in the drawer for connection to the wire having a cross section which is sized less than the size of the opening to allow for the wire to pass through the opening and out of the drawer when the drawer is in a closed position.

9. The desk of claim 8, wherein the opening has a height h and a width w of greater than 5 mm.

10. The desk of claim 8, wherein the width of the opening is equal to the width of the drawer, and the height of the opening is greater than a thickness of the wire.

11. The desk of claim 8, wherein the drawer has a camouflaged appearance.

12. The desk of claim 8 further comprising an electrical housing housed within the drawer, wherein the electrical housing houses the electrical connector.

13. The desk of claim 8, wherein the electrical connector is one of a power connector, a telephone connector, an audio connector, a video connector, or a LAN connector.

14. An item of furniture comprising:

a work platform;

a suspended member connected with and located beneath the work platform;

a drawer connected with and located beneath the work platform, the drawer having being aligned with an outer surface of the suspended member, wherein the suspended member has a thickness t and the drawer has a height h, and wherein the thickness t is approximately equal to the height h, allowing the drawer to have a camouflaged appearance; and

an electrical connector located in the drawer for connection to a wire, wherein the size of the wire is less than the size of an opening formed between the drawer and the work platform, wherein the opening allows for the wire to pass out of the drawer when the drawer is in a closed position.

15. The item of furniture of claim 14, wherein the electrical connector is one of a power connector, a telephone connector, an audio connector, a video connector, or a LAN connector.

16. The item of furniture of claim 14, further comprising a cable management device connected with the drawer, wherein the cable management device houses an electrical wire which is electrically connected with the electrical connector.

17. The item of furniture of claim 14, wherein the width of the opening is equal to the width of the drawer, and the height of the opening is greater than a thickness of the wire.

18. The item of furniture of claim 14 further comprising an electrical housing housed within the drawer, wherein the electrical housing houses the electrical connector.

19. The item of furniture of claim 14, wherein the electrical connector is one of a power connector, a telephone connector, an audio connector, a video connector, or a LAN connector.

20. The item of furniture of claim 14 further comprising a support member located under the work platform and used to support and elevate the work platform 24 a distance above the ground.