Freestanding furniture ensemble

• US 5,255,966 A
• Filed: 02/08/1991
• Issued: 10/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Newhouse, Thomas J., Shepherd, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US07/653,033
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 312/195, 312/198, 312/203, 312/107, 312/108, 108/64
• US Class Current: 312/107
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2037/005 Tables specially adapted for laboratories
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems

Abstract

Office furniture includes a number of individual furniture components all incorporating the same basic constructional details and ornamentation and which articles of furniture may be selectively associated with one another to form selective furniture ensembles which can provide a complete work area. One feature of the invention is to provide a furniture top which has notched edges which selectively receive a corresponding end of another article of furniture so as to interlock several articles of furniture into a furniture ensemble in a manner to resist relative movement. In addition, certain edges of furniture tops are notched and have a straight vertical edge to indicate a functional component such as a pull-out pedestal drawer or a cabinet area with edges of the tops being arcuately convexly downwardly curved for user interface. The individual components include desks, credenzas, organizers, returns and storage columns. The components are designed to be adaptable for numerically controlled machinery manufacture for individual selectivity and efficient manufacture.

Claims

1. An ensemble of separate office furniture components having:

first and second horizontally disposed work surface panels of separate components at work surface height above the floor, each of said work surface panels having front edges and end edges bounding three sides of the work surfaces and portions of the front edges of rounded configuration;

the work surface panels being positioned in perpendicular relationship to each other with a first edge of one work surface panel abutting a front edge of a second work surface panel;

the front edge of the second work surface panel having a notch in confronting relationship with the end edge of the first work surface panel;

the notch extending to a first end edge of the second work surface panel and having a concavely curved surface portion at a first end of the notch joining said notch with said rounded front edge portion of said second work surface panel;

the surface of the notch and the end edge of the first work surface having complementary surfaces in abutting relationship with each other;

whereby the first and second work surfaces have rounded front edges converging in a flush jointed corner.

2. A furniture ensemble according to claim 1 wherein the notch and the first end edge of the first work surface are substantially vertical in orientation, normal to the first and second work surface panels.

3. A furniture ensemble according to claim 1 wherein the radius of curvatures of the front edge portion of the first and second work surface panels are substantially equal.

4. A furniture ensemble according to claim 3 wherein the notch has a depth substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the front edge portion of the second work surface panel.

5. A furniture ensemble according to claim 1 wherein the first work surface front edge has a notch at an end portion distal from the first end edge.

6. A furniture ensemble according to claim 1 wherein the notch and first end edge of the first work surface are substantially vertical in orientation, normal to the first and second work surface panels.

7. A furniture ensemble according to claim 1 wherein the second work surface panel has a forwardly directed portion of the front edge forming a diagonal corner adjacent the first end edge for supporting a keyboard.

8. A furniture ensemble comprising first and second articles of office furniture abutted together in end-to-edge relation, said first article of furniture comprising a flat panel member having an edge, said edge having one end and an elongated notch starting at said one end, said notch having first and second ends, said notch forming a notch opening at said one end of the edge, and the second end of said notch being defined by a concavely curved edge portion, said notch also including an edge extending between said first end and said concavely curved edge portion, and said second article of furniture having an end edge seated in said notch.

9. A furniture ensemble according to claim 8 wherein said notch edge and concavely said curved edge portion are generally disposed normal to said flat panel.

10. A furniture ensemble according to claim 8 wherein sa end edge terminates in a rounded convexly curved corner matching said concavely curved edge portion.

11. A furniture ensemble according to claim 10 wherein said second article of furniture includes a second flat panel, and said end edge and said rounded convexly curved corner are generally disposed normal to said flat panel.

12. A furniture ensemble according to claim 8 together with a third article of office furniture having an edge facing said first article of furniture edge, said third article of furniture edge having a notch therein aligned with said first article of furniture notch, and said second article of furniture having an opposite end edge seated in said third article of furniture notch.

13. A furniture ensemble according to claim 8 wherein said second article of furniture has a rounded front edge adjacent to said end edge to form a user edge interface for said second article of furniture.

14. A furniture ensemble according to claim 12 wherein said first article of furniture is a desk, said second article of furniture is a return, and said third article of furniture is a credenza.