Assembly of wall units with concealed wire storage

• US 5,346,296 A
• Filed: 03/23/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sligh Furniture Co (Lexington Holding, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sligh Furniture Co (Lexington Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kelley, James O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US08/036,193
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 312/111, 312/198, 312/265.6, 312/265.5, 312/7.1, 312/195
• US Class Current: 312/198
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/01 Office wall with desktop function
• 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: A47B 87/00 Sectional furniture, i.e. combinations of complete furniture units , e.g. assemblies of furniture units of the same kind such as linkable cabinets, tables, racks or shelf units switchboards or switch cubicles for the distribution of electric power H02B

Abstract

A group of cabinet modules can be lined up side-by-side against a wall with space between the modules, and between them and the wall, to provide communicating passages for receiving concealed wiring. Pilasters cover these spaces, and also spaces between the outer modules and end panels. A slip-in fastening system for the pilasters facilitates the installation and maintenance of the wiring. This system can also be incorporated in a free-standing space divider by assembling a group of units back-to-back.

Claims

1. A free standing furniture unit particularly suited for placement against a wall or back to back against like furniture units comprising:

one or more modules connected together in edge to edge fashion, each module having a front, back and sides, the sides comprising a pair of spaced vertical side panels, a rear panel extending between the side panels and enclosing the back of the module, components selected from the group consisting of shelves, cabinets, drawers and work surfaces being mounted between the side panels, the unit further comprising end panels mounted on outer surfaces of the side panels at exposed ends of the furniture unit, the end panels covering the side panels and extending rearwardly past rear edges of the side panels and the rear panels of the modules, such that when the furniture unit is placed against a wall, rear edges of the end panels can abut the wall so as to create the impression of a built-in furniture unit, while the rear panels and rear edges of the side panels are spaced away from the wall, the spacing being sufficient that electrical wiring and connectors can fit behind the unit and can extend in a completely concealed fashion from module to module between end panels at opposite ends of the furniture unit.

2. A furniture unit according to claim 1, wherein the end panels are spaced from the adjacent side panels by spacers that provide wiring communication between the end and side panels from the front of the furniture unit to the space behind the unit, such that wiring can extend behind the modules and then outwardly between the end panels and adjacent side panels, the furniture unit further comprising pilasters removably mounted over outer edges of the end panels and adjacent side panels and covering the space therebetween, the pilasters being removably mounted on the furniture units such that they can be manually removed without disassembling the unit in order to provide wiring access to the space behind the pilasters.

4. A furniture unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit comprises an edge-to-edge assembly of two or more separate modules, each with its own side panels and with end panels at exposed ends of the assembly, the assembly including a spacer between adjacent side panels of adjoining modules, the spacer separating the side panels a predetermined distance sufficient to create a wire access space therebetween that permits the passage of electrical wires and connectors and communication cables between the adjacent side panels as well as along the back of the unit between adjacent modules.

5. A furniture unit according to claim 4 and further comprising opening means in the side panels for permitting electrical wiring to be extended through the side panels from the space between adjacent side panels into the interior of the unit on a front side of the rear panel.

6. A free standing furniture unit according to claim 4 and further comprising removable pilasters covering the wiring access spacers, the pilasters being held in place by manually releasable fasteners.

7. A furniture unit according to claim 6, wherein the releasable fasteners for each pilaster comprises one member mounted on a module and another member mounted on the pilaster, the members being manually engageable from the front of the unit to hold the pilaster snugly on the furniture unit when the pilaster is positioned on the furniture unit, the members being completely concealed when the pilaster is mounted on the furniture unit, the fasteners being releasable from the front of the unit to permit removal of the pilaster by manual manipulation of the pilaster without requiring any tools.

8. A furniture unit according to claim 7, wherein the pilasters are mounted on the furniture unit by slide fit fasteners, wherein the pilasters are fitted against the furniture unit in an elevated position and are slid downwardly into a mounted position, the fasteners becoming engaged as a pilaster is slid downwardly to its mounted position, the fasteners drawing the pilaster snugly against the furniture unit as the pilaster is slid downwardly, the pilasters being removable by sliding the pilaster upwardly until the fasteners release and then pulling the pilasters away from the furniture unit.

3. A furniture unit designed for placement against a wall or back to back against a like furniture unit and comprising one or more furniture modules connected together in edge to edge relationship, each module comprising spaced vertical side panels and a rear panel extending between the side panels to form a back of the module, with shelves, cabinets, drawers, or work surfaces mounted between the side panels, the improvement comprising end panels mounted on the side panels of the module at exposed ends of the unit, spacers being positioned between the end panels and side panels to form a wire access space between the end and side panels that is sufficiently wide for a person to reach between the panels to pass wiring therebetween, the end panel extending rearwardly past the back of the unit, such that when the unit is positioned with the end panels flush against a wall, the rear panels and side panels are spaced forwardly of the walls, leaving a concealed space behind the unit for wire storage and passage, the extension of the end panels past the back of the unit also facilitating flush mounting of the unit against the wall and providing the appearance of a built-in unit without requiring a flush fit of the entire unit back with the wall.