Modular furniture

• US 5,220,871 A
• Filed: 02/05/1992
• Issued: 06/22/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Duncan, Terence M., Maas, Thomas R., Klipa, Edmund X., DeDamos, Craig S., Grund, Gary H., Varellas-Olree, Carolyn M., Humphrey, Charles G., Wilcox, Gale F., Paulsen, James G., Feutz, David A., Nelsen, Randall P., Slager, Mark T., Deimen, Michael L., Kent, Royal A., Wurth, Michael E., Mullen, Jon R., Pearson, Alan L., Parker, Linda M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ASCHENBRENNER, PETER
• Application Number:
  US07/831,789
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50, 108/90, 108/153, 108/149, 108/101, 312/194, 312/196, 312/208
• US Class Current: 108/59
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/033 with parts added to the original furniture to enlarge its surface
• 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 2200/0013 Desks with central bearing beams
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0085 Supplementary support fixed on the edge of a desk or table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0086 Supplementary support fixed to the extension of a table leg
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/01 Office wall with desktop function
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 63/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, specially adapted for storing books, documents, forms, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems

Abstract

A freestanding modular furniture arrangement is provided to create workstations in open office plans, and other similar applications. Each furniture unit includes a worksurface with capped cutouts in the rear corners to mount overhead cabinets, privacy screens, and other furniture accessories. A mounting rail extends continuously along the rearward edge of each worksurface, and is capable of removably supporting therein a plurality of different amenities, such as bookshelves, CRT stands, fans, task lamps, etc., so as to permit a worker to personalize his or her own workstation. A removable stanchion permits certain convertible amenities to be supported either freestanding on the worksurface, or along the rear of the worksurface on the mounting rail. An L-shaped intermediate leg is available to support the worksurface in a cantilevered fashion to facilitate unfettered task chair movement along the forward edge of the worksurface.

Claims

1. A modular furniture arrangement, comprising:

at least one worksurface panel having a forward edge, opposite side edges, and forward and rearward corners;

at least one back panel disposed along the rearward edge of said worksurface panel;

at least two supports connected with said worksurface panel and said back panel to form a modular, freestanding furniture unit supported by said supports on a floor surface;

at least one privacy screen having first fastener means positioned adjacent opposite sides thereof for mounting said screen on said furniture unit;

first and second mounting apertures disposed through said worksurface panel adjacent the rearward corners of said worksurface panel;

second fastener means connected with said furniture unit, and positioned underlying said first and second mounting apertures, and releasably engaging said first fastener means to detachably mount said privacy screen on said furniture unit in a generally vertical orientation adjacent the rearward edge of said worksurface panel;

at least two caps, each being shaped to close at least a portion of an associated one of said mounting apertures;

means for detachably supporting each of said caps on said worksurface panel over an associated one of said mounting apertures, whereby to mount said privacy screen on said furniture unit, said caps are removed from said worksurface panel, said first and second fastener means are detachably interconnected, and said caps are reattached to said worksurface panel.

2. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said supports extend generally below the side edge of said worksurface panel, and include rear portions that are exposed at said mounting apertures; and

said second fastener means are mounted on the rear portions of said supports.

3. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said second fastener means include removable grommets.

4. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said mounting apertures comprise arcuate cutouts at the rear corners of said worksurface panel which extend between the rearward edge and the opposite side edges of said worksurface panel, and are bounded generally by the rear portions of said supports and said back panel.

5. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said caps comprise grommet caps, and are shaped to cover only said grommets and the rear portions of said supports.

6. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 5, including:

at least two post caps removably attached to said worksurface panel, and covering those portions of the mounting apertures that are not covered by said grommet caps.

7. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 6, including:

an overhead unit; and

at least two rigid posts shaped to be received through said mounting apertures, and having lower ends thereof adapted for connection with at least one of said supports and said back panel, and upper ends thereof adapted for connection with said overhead unit.

8. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said privacy screen is supported over and vertically in line with said back panel.

9. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said first fastener means is spring biased to facilitate vertical adjustment of said privacy screen.

10. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said grommets include means for detachably mounting said post caps thereon.

11. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said second fastener means includes removable grommets.

12. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said mounting apertures comprise arcuate cutouts at the rear corners of said worksurface panel which extend between the rearward edge and the opposite side edges of said worksurface panel, and are bounded generally by the rear portions of said supports and said back panel.

13. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said second fastener means includes removable grommets; and

said caps comprise grommet caps, and are shaped to cover only said grommets and the rear portions of said supports.

14. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 13, including:

at least two post caps removably attached to said worksurface panel, and covering those portions of the mounting apertures that are not covered by said grommet caps.

15. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, including:

an overhead unit; and

at least two rigid posts shaped to be received through said mounting apertures, and having lower ends thereof adapted for connection with at least one of said supports and said back panel, and upper ends thereof adapted for connection with said overhead unit.

16. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said privacy screen is supported over and vertically in line with said back panel.

17. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said first fastener means is spring biased to facilitate vertical adjustment of said privacy screen.

18. A modular furniture arrangement, comprising:

at least one worksurface panel having a forward edge, a rearward edge, opposite side edges, and forward and rearward corners;

at least one back panel disposed along the rearward edge of said worksurface panel;

at least two supports connected with said worksurface panel and said back panel to form a modular, freestanding furniture unit supported by said supports on a floor surface;

first and second mounting apertures disposed through said worksurface panel adjacent the rearward corners of said worksurface panel;

said supports extending generally below the side edges of said worksurface panel, and including rear portions that are exposed at said mounting apertures;

said mounting apertures forming openings adapted to receive mounting posts therethrough;

first fastener means positioned in the rear portions of said supports, and adapted to connect accessory furniture items therewith;

a pair of fastener covers detachably connected with said furniture unit, and covering the rear portions of said supports; and

a pair of mounting post covers detachably connected with said furniture unit, and covering those portions of said mounting apertures that are not covered by said fastener covers.

19. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 18, wherein:

said first fastening means include removable grommets; and

said mounting post corners are removably supported by said grommets.

20. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

said mounting apertures comprise arcuate cutouts at the opposite rear corners of said worksurface panel.

21. A modular furniture arrangement as set forth in claim 20, wherein:

said first fastening means include removable grommets; and

said mounting post corners are removably supported by said grommets.

22. An amenity unit for freestanding modular furniture and the like of the type having a worksurface with an apertured mounting rail extending generally continuously along a rearward edge thereof, said amenity unit including:

means disposed generally adjacent an upper portion of said amenity unit for equipping a furniture unit;

first and second rigid prongs projecting generally downwardly from a lower portion of said amenity unit, and shaped to be closely received within associated apertures in a mounting rail to support the same therein, whereby said amenity unit can be arranged and detachably mounted in the mounting rail substantially anywhere therealong for furniture personalization;

said prongs each having a generally circular lateral cross-section shape, and including a lower free end shaped to be received through the mounting rail apertures, and a shoulder positioned upwardly of said free end shaped to abut the mounting rail and support said amenity unit thereon;

a stanchion having said prongs mounted therein, and being removably attached to said amenity unit.

23. An amenity unit as set forth in claim 22, including:

feet positioned to abuttingly support said amenity unit on the worksurface in a freestanding fashion.