CONFERENCE TABLE ASSEMBLY

• US 20090260547A1
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Ludwig, James Nolan, Pelman, Todd Allen, Rao, Vivek Mohan, Kincald, Brett Robert, Siminoff, Mark D., Epstein, Lewis Mark, Doerksen, Kyle J., Rinaldis, David John, Cheng, Larry, Overthun, Thomas, Student, Joerg Christoph, Scherrer, Lukas Martin, Adams, Matthew Robert, Mason, Brian Joseph, Stage, Susanne
• Granted Patent: US 8,074,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/50.20
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/08 Table tops; Rims therefor not restricted to table tops A47B95/04
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/003 Table combination having a central power access component
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/006 having an incorporated display screen
• 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 37/00 Tables adapted for other particular purposes glass cutting tables C03B33/03
• 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: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/66 Transforming electric information into light information scanning details H04N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A conferencing assembly for use with at least one computer, the assembly including a table top forming a table top opening, a leg support structure, a display screen supported adjacent the top surface, a switcher for controlling input to the display screen, a plurality of handsets, each hand set including a selector button usable to send a signal to the switcher thereby causing the switcher to link a computer associated with the selector button to the display, a plurality of handset cables, each handset cable having first and second ends linked to the switcher and an associated selector button, respectively, for passing signals from the selector buttons to the switcher, a take up assembly including a separate weight for each of the handset cables, the take up assembly disposed below the top member and aligned with the top opening, each handset cable linked to an associated weight, each weight applying a force tending to pull the second end of the associated handset cable into the opening.

Claims

1. A conferencing assembly for use with at least one computer, the assembly comprising:

a table top member having top and bottom surfaces and forming a table top opening;

a leg support structure supporting the top member is a substantially horizontal orientation;

a display screen associated with the top member and supported adjacent the top surface;

a switcher for controlling input to the display screen;

a plurality of handsets, each hand set including a selector button usable to send a signal to the switcher thereby causing the switcher to link a computer associated with the selector button to the display;

a plurality of handset cables, each handset cable having first and second ends linked to the switcher and an associated selector button, respectively, for passing signals from the selector buttons to the switcher;

a take up assembly including a separate weight for each of the handset cables, the take up assembly disposed below the top member and aligned with the table top opening, each handset cable linked to an associated weight, each weight applying a force tending to pull the second end of the associated handset cable into the opening.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each weight includes a pulley wheel, each handset cable passing around an associated pulley wheel.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein each weight further includes first and second plates mounted on opposite sides of the pulley wheel.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the plates are mounted to the pulley wheel axis via a pin.

5. The assembly of claim 2 further including a guide structure, the guide structure forming a separate substantially vertical channel for each of the pulley wheels, each pulley wheel moving up and down within a channel as the second end of an associated cable is pulled away from and allowed to move toward the opening, respectively.

6. The assembly of claim 1 including at least four separate handsets.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the take up assembly further includes a deck member having a top deck surface below the top surface of the table top member, the deck member forming a separate opening for each of the handsets, each cable passing through a separate one of the openings formed by the deck member, the handsets received on the deck surface of the deck member thereby limiting downward movement through the opening formed by the deck member.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the deck surface forms a recess proximate each of the openings formed by the deck member, each recess formed to receive an associated one of the handsets.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the deck surface is substantially parallel to the top surface of the table top member.

10. The assembly of claim 7 further including at least one utility wall member extending upward from the deck surface below the table top member and at least one of a power and a data receptacle mounted in the wall member for access through the table top opening.

11. The assembly of claim 10 further including a utility island extending upward from the deck surface, the utility wall forming a circumferential wall about the island, the island further including a top mounting surface that is substantially parallel to the top surface of the table top member.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the island includes at least first, second, third and fourth receptacles, the first and second receptacles facing in substantially opposite directions and the third and fourth receptacles facing in substantially opposite directions.

13. The assembly of claim 11 further including first and second door members hingedly mounted to the mounting surface for movement between open and closed positions, each door member including a top door surface, when the door members are in the closed positions, the door members substantially closing the table top opening and the door surfaces substantially flush with the top surface of the table top member.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein an opening edge defines the shape of the table top opening, the door members forming a gap with the opening edge when in the closed positions.

15. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the deck member has a circumferential edge, the assembly further including a well wall member extending upward from the circumferential edge of the deck member to the bottom of the table top member so that the deck and the well wall member form a cavity below the table top member for receiving cables and the like.

16. The assembly of claim 2 wherein each handset cable further includes a video cable and each handset further includes a video jack proximate the button for linking to an associated computer.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein each handset cable further includes an audio cable and each handset further includes an audio jack proximate the button for linking to an associated computer.

18. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each handset weighs at least one pound.

19. A conferencing assembly for use with at least one computer, the assembly comprising:

a table top member having top and bottom surfaces and forming a table top opening;

a leg support structure supporting the top member is a substantially horizontal orientation;

a display screen associated with the top member and supported adjacent the top surface;

a switcher for controlling input to the display screen;

a plurality of handsets, each hand set including a selector button usable to send a signal to the switcher thereby causing the switcher to link a computer associated with the selector button to the display;

a plurality of handset cables, each handset cable having first and second ends linked to the switcher and an associated selector button, respectively, for passing signals from the selector buttons to the switcher;

a deck member having a top deck surface below the top surface of the table top member and aligned with the table top opening, the deck member forming a separate opening for each of the handsets, each handset cable passing through a separate one of the openings formed by the deck member, the handsets received on the deck surface of the deck member when in a stored position; and

a take up assembly including a separate pulley wheel for each of the handset cables, the take up assembly disposed below the deck member, each handset cable linked to an associated pulley wheel, each pulley wheel applying a force tending to pull the second end of the associated handset cable toward the deck top.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the leg support structure form a leg cavity, the deck member and take up assembly disposed within the leg cavity.

21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the switcher is also disposed within the leg cavity.

22. The assembly of claim 20 further including a totem assembly and a bridge member, the totem assembly having top and bottom ends and a mounting surface, the totem disposed adjacent the top member with the mounting surface above the top surface of the table top member, the bridge member having first and second ends secured to the leg support structure and the totem assembly, respectively, the display screen mounted to the mounting surface adjacent the top surface of the table top member.

23. A conferencing assembly for use with at least one computer, the assembly comprising:

a table top member having top and bottom surfaces and forming a table top opening;

a leg support structure supporting the top member is a substantially horizontal orientation;

a display screen associated with the top member and supported adjacent the top surface;

a switcher for controlling input to the display screen;

a plurality of handsets, each hand set including a selector button usable to send a signal to the switcher thereby causing the switcher to link a computer associated with the selector button to the display;

a plurality of handset cables, each handset cable having first and second ends linked to the switcher and an associated selector button, respectively, for passing signals from the selector buttons to the switcher; and

a deck member having a top deck surface below the top surface of the table top member and aligned with the table top opening, the deck member forming a separate opening for each of the handsets, each handset cable passing through a separate one of the openings formed by the deck member, the handsets received on the deck surface of the deck member when inn a stored position.

24. The assembly of claim 23 further including a take up assembly including a separate weight for each of the handset cables, the take up assembly disposed below the deck member, each handset cable linked to an associated weight, each weight applying a force tending to pull the second end of the associated handset cable toward the deck top.