Furniture stanchions with unitary power routing system

• US 5,160,188 A
• Filed: 06/12/1990
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Knoll Incorporated (Millerknoll Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Inventors: Bullwinkle, Wallace C., Reuter, Robert E., Rizzi, John J., Stephens, William I., Rorke, A. Brooks
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US07/536,873
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 312/194, 312/196, 312/203, 312/223, 108/50, 52/28, 52/36, 52/221
• US Class Current: 312/196
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2037/005 Tables specially adapted for laboratories
• 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: B01L 9/02 Laboratory benches or tables; Fittings therefor

Abstract

A fully enclosed structural support stanchion for furniture is provided, having an internal cavity which may receive standard modular office furniture electrical service cabling, and which is provided with a demountable front accessory panel to which plural electrical or electronic accessories may be mounted such that a portion of the accessory extends into the stanchion and releasably connects to one end of the standard modular furniture electrical service cabling. The stanchion is constructed with rigid materials so that it can act as a support for an overhead bookshelf or other storage facility, and the stanchion is further provided with a large internal storage cavity into which small office supplies or other articles may be placed and stored behind a hinged, selectively closable door. The stanchion further includes an elongated bracket support which may receive standard shelf brackets, permitting the stanchion to act as a cantilever support for structures such as shelves secured to the shelf brackets. The internal cavity and demountable front-accessory panel of the stanchion may receive electrical service wiring comprising a conventional cable and connector shelf rigidly mounted on a support bracket having an accessory spring clip, enabling accessories to be quickly and releasably secured to the mounting bracket spring clip while simultaneously mating electrical contacts on the accessory with electrical contacts provided in the cable connector shell.

Claims

1. A furniture system including a base unit and an overhead unit and at least one stanchion, said base unit including:

(a) stanchion securement means for fastening said stanchion to said base unit, said stanchion securement means including plural holes therethrough;

(b) a work surface secured to said stanchion securement means;

said stanchion including;

(c) a unitary right-angle frame including two longitudinal side edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge;

(d) a top end plate secured to said frame;

(e) a unitary right-angle bottom end plate secured to said frame, said bottom end plate further including a cable clearance space disposed in said bottom plate and plural securement holes in said bottom end plate in alignment with said holes in said stanchion securement means;

(f) a top front panel having side edge secured to said frame, and having a top edge secured to said top end plate;

(g) a middle front panel secured to said frame below said top front panel;

(h) a bottom accessory panel secured to said frame below said middle front panel; and

said overhead unit including a bottom surface supported by said stanchion and secured to said top end plate.

2. The furniture system of claim 1, comprising two spaced-apart stanchions, each of said stanchions having a center point and a worker seating position, said seating position being located between said stanchions and spaced apart from an axis connecting said center points of said stanchions;

and

wherein said furniture system further comprises an ergonomic shelf for securement between said stanchions, said shelf comprising a horizontal elongated panel having first and second parallel spaced-apart ends, a square longitudinal rear edge extending between said first and second ends, and a downwardly beveled front longitudinal edge, said front edge being laterally rearwardly curved in an arc defined by a radius extending from said seating position to a predetermined endpoint.

3. A furniture system including a base unit and an overhead unit and at least one stanchion, said base unit including:

(a) plural support means for supporting said base unit upon a floor, each said support means including an upwardly facing top securement surface;

(b) stanchion securement means secured to each said top securement surface for fastening said support means to said stanchion, said securement means including plural securement holes;

(c) a base unit frame comprising plural elongated structural members each having two ends secured to one of said support means;

(d) a planar work surface secured to said base unit frame;

said stanchion including;

(e) first and second elongated frame panels each having two longitudinal side edges, one top edge, and one bottom edge, said first frame panel being secured to said second frame panel at a right angle along one longitudinal edge of said first and second frame panels;

(f) a top end plate having a hypotenuse edge and first and second side edges secured to said top edges of said first and second elongated frame panels;

(g) a bottom end plate comprising two bottom plate arms formed at a right angle to each other, said bottom plate arms being secured to said bottom edges of said first and second elongated frame panels, said bottom end plate including

(i) a cable clearance space disposed between said bottom plate arms; and

(ii) plural securement holes in said bottom panel arms disposed in alignment with said holes in said stanchion securement means;

(h) a rectangular top front panel having side edges secured to one longitudinal edge of each of said first and second frame panels, and having a top edge secured to said hypotenuse edge;

(i) a middle front panel secured to one longitudinal edge of each of said first and second frame panels below said top front panel;

(j) a bottom accessory panel secured to one longitudinal edge of each of said first and second frame panels below said middle front panel; and

said overhead unit including a bottom surface supported by said stanchion and secured to said top end plate.

4. The furniture system of claim 3, wherein said stanchion securement means secured to said top securement surface for fastening said support means to said stanchions comprises:

an angle plate comprising two angle plate arms joined at a right angle, each plate arm including an inwardly extending fastener hole tab;

a fastener hole in said angle plate; and

a tab fastener hole in each of said fastener hole tabs.

5. The furniture system of claim 3, wherein said plural support means secured to said base unit for supporting said base unit upon a floor comprise plural elongated legs.

6. A furniture system including a base unit and an overhead unit and at least one stanchion, said base unit including:

(a) plural support means for supporting said base unit upon a floor and including an upwardly facing top securement surface;

(b) stanchion securement means secured to said top securement surface for fastening, said support means to said stanchions, said securement means including a plurality of holes;

(c) plural base unit frame members each having two ends each secured to one of said support means;

(d) a desktop secured to said frame members;

said stanchion including;

(e) a unitary right-angle frame including two longitudinal side edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge;

(f) a top end plate secured to said frame;

(g) a unitary right-angle bottom end plate secured to said frame, said bottom end plate further including a cable clearance space disposed in said bottom plate and plural securement holes in said bottom end plate in alignment with said holes in said stanchion securement means;

(h) a top front panel having side edges secured to said frame, and having a top edge secured to said top end plate;

(i) a middle front panel secured to said frame below said top front panel;

(j) a bottom accessory panel secured to said frame below said middle front panel; and

said overhead unit including a bottom surface supported by said stanchion and secured to said top end plate.