Wire management system

• US 5,451,101 A
• Filed: 10/15/1993
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: VanKammen, John, Finlayson, Bruce, Grabowski, Daniel, Ellison, Samuel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANDY, ROBERT JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/137,953
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.6, 248/72.2, 248/72.4, 248/74.2, 248/74.1
• US Class Current: 312/223.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables

Abstract

A desk, credenza, return and the like article of furniture includes a horizontal worksurface or top and vertical support panels. Access openings are provided in the vertical panels and in the top. A plurality of wire management supports are cantilevered from or positioned adjacent vertical panels of the article to support wires, cables, conduit and the like within the interior of the article. Openable or removable covers are provided to close the access openings in the furniture. Rear panels of the article may be removable to provide access to the interior of pedestals and the like for routing wire through the interior of the furniture.

Claims

1. An article of furniture, comprising:

an elongated horizontal top;

a support operatively connected to said top, said support having a vertical panel;

a plurality of wire management clips including a hook portion and a base at least one of said clips having said hook portion clamped onto the vertical panel such that the base is cantilevered outwardly from the vertical panel, said clips being positioned in spaced relationship under said horizontal top; and

access means on at least one of said top and said panel for providing access to the space behind said panel and below said top for routing wires through said article with the wires being supported on said wire management clips.

2. An article of furniture as defined by claim 1 further including an end panel joined to said vertical panel and wherein said vertical panel is a security panel extending from said end panel in spaced relationship to a rear edge thereof and wherein said article further includes a rear panel and mounting means for removably mounting said rear panel to said article in abutting relationship to said end panel and in spaced relationship to said security panel.

3. An article of furniture as defined by claim 1 wherein one of said wire management clips is secured to an undersurface of said top.

4. An article of furniture as defined by claim 1 wherein said wire management clip further comprises:

a partition joined to said base in spaced relationship to said hook portion; and

an outer wall joined to said base in spaced relationship to said partition.

5. An article of furniture as defined by claim 4 wherein said partition is curved in cross section so as to resiliently engage articles of varying widths between said partition and said hook portion.

10. An article of furniture as defined by claim 1 wherein one of said top and said panel defines an access opening and said access means comprises:

a cover; and

mounting means engaging said cover for moveably mounting the cover at said access opening.

17. An article of furniture as defined by claim 1 wherein said top defines an access opening and wherein said access means comprises:

a support frame disposed within said access opening of said top, said frame

including a support flange extending therefrom; and

a tile removably positioned on said support flange to close said access opening.

6. An article of furniture comprising:

an elongated horizontal top;

a support operatively connected to said top, said support having a vertical panel

a plurality of wire management clips including a hook portion and a base, said clips being positioned in spaced relationship under said horizontal top;

access means on at least one of said top and said panel for providing access to the space behind said panel and below said top for routing wires through said article with the wires being supported on said wire management clips; and

said wire management clip further comprising a partition joined to said base in spaced relationship to said hook portion, and an outer wall joined to said base in spaced relationship to said partition, said partition being curved in cross section so as to resiliently engage articles of varying widths between said partition and said hook portion, and said outer wall having a generally inverted L-shape in cross section including a vertical leg joined to said base and a horizontal leg joined to said vertical leg, said horizontal leg defining a support shelf.

7. An article of furniture as defined by claim 6 wherein said hook portion of said clip includes a vertical sidewall joined to said base, a horizontal portion and a downwardly and inwardly directed outer portion resiliently joined to said horizontal portion, said hook portion snapping over said vertical panel to support said clip under said top on said vertical panel.

8. An article of furniture as defined by claim 7 further including an end panel joined to said vertical panel and wherein said vertical panel is a security panel extending from said end panel in spaced relationship to a rear edge thereof and wherein said article further includes a rear panel and mounting means for removably mounting said rear panel to said article in adjacent relationship to said end panel and in spaced relationship to said security panel.

9. An article of furniture as defined by claim 8 further including a modesty panel positioned below said top and wherein at least one of said wire management clips is secured to an undersurface of said top adjacent said modesty panel by a fastener extending through said horizontal portion of said clip.

11. An article of furniture comprising:

an elongated horizontal top;

a support operatively connected to said top, said support having a vertical panel;

a plurality of wire management clips including a hook portion and a base, said clips being positioned in spaced relationship under said horizontal top;

access means on at least one of said top and said panel for providing access to the space behind said panel and below said top for routing wires through said article with the wires being supported on said wire management clips;

one of said stop and said panel defining an access opening, said access means comprising a cover and mounting means engaging said cover for movably mounting the cover at said access opening; and

said mounting means comprising a pivot rod extending across said access opening, and a pivot block joined to a rear surface of said cover, said block defining a groove dimensioned to snap onto and capture said pivot rod.

12. An article of furniture comprising:

an elongated horizontal top;

a support operatively connected to said top, said support having a vertical panel;

a plurality of wire management clips including a hook portion and a base, said clips being positioned in spaced relationship under said horizontal top;

access means on at least one of said top and said panel for providing access to the space behind said panel and below said top for routing wires through said article with the wires being supported on said wire management clips;

one of said top and said panel defines an access opening, said access means comprising a cover, and mounting means engaging said cover for movably mounting the cover at said access opening; and

said wire management clip further comprising a partition joined to said base in spaced relationship to said hook portion, and an outer wall joined to said base in spaced relationship to said partition.

13. An article of furniture as defined by claim 12 wherein said partition is curved in cross section and defines a concave surface facing said outer wall.

14. An article of furniture as defined by claim 13 wherein said outer wall has a generally inverted L-shape in cross section including a vertical leg joined to said base and a horizontal leg joined to said vertical leg, said horizontal leg defining a shelf.

15. An article of furniture as defined by claim 14 wherein said hook portion of said clip includes a vertical sidewall joined to said base, a horizontal portion joined to said sidewall and a downwardly and inwardly directed outer portion resiliently joined to said horizontal portion, said hook configured to snap over panels of varying thickness.

16. An article of furniture as defined by claim 15 further including an end panel joined to said vertical panel and supporting said top and wherein said vertical panel is a security panel extending from said end panel in spaced relationship to a rear edge thereof and wherein said article further includes a rear panel and mounting means for removably mounting said rear panel to said article in adjacent relationship to said end panel and in spaced relationship to said security panel.

18. An article of furniture, comprising:

an elongated horizontal top;

a support operatively connected to said top, said support having a vertical panel;

a plurality of wire management clips including a hook portion and a base, said clips being positioned in spaced relationship under said horizontal top;

access means on at least one of said top and said panel for providing access to the space behind said panel and below said top for routing wires through said article with the wires being supported on said wire management clips;

said top defining an access opening, said access means comprising a support frame disposed within said access opening of said top, said frame including a support flange extending therefrom, and a the removably positioned on said support flange to close said access opening; and

said support frame further defining a detent resiliently engaging said tile.

19. An article of furniture as defined by claim 18 wherein said the includes upper and lower elements joined together to define said tile.

20. An article of furniture as defined by claim 19 wherein said upper element defines a desk accessory.

21. An article of furniture as defined by claim 19 further including a light shield sandwiched between said upper and lower elements, said elements defining at least one slot and said light shield defining a slit within said slot so that a cord can pass through said tile at said slot.

22. An article of furniture as defined by claim 21 wherein said elements are rectangular in plan.

23. An article of furniture as defined by claim 21 wherein said elements are generally circular in plan.

24. An article of furniture as defined by claim 22 wherein said support frame comprises a generally U-shaped end piece and elongated side members positioned in said access opening in adjacent relationship with said end piece.

25. An article of furniture as defined by claim 24 wherein said end piece and said side members include a plurality of detents.

26. An article of furniture as defined by claim 25 wherein said detents are formed from a material having a different durometer than the remaining portions of said support frame.

27. An article of furniture as defined by claim 23 wherein said support frame comprises:

a generally cylindrical member having inner and outer surfaces;

a border flange extending outwardly from an upper end of said cylindrical member; and

a tile support flange extending inwardly from the inner surface of said cylindrical member.

28. An article of furniture as defined by claim 27 further including a plurality of detents on said inner surface, said detents being vertically spaced from said tile support flange.

29. An article of furniture as defined by claim 28 wherein said detents are formed from a material having a different durometer than the remaining portions of said support frame.

30. An article of furniture as defined by claim 29 wherein said horizontal top defines an elongated access opening extending adjacent to a lateral edge thereof.

31. An article of furniture as defined by claim 30 wherein said top includes a plurality of reinforcement and stabilizing fingers extending from and interconnecting one lateral edge of said access opening to another lateral edge thereof.

32. An article of furniture as defined by claim 30 wherein said top comprises:

a planar base member;

a frame extending around and joined to the periphery of said base member; and

an insert on said base member, said insert having a lateral edge spaced from said frame to define said elongated access opening.

33. An article of furniture as defined by claim 32 wherein said planar base member defines a plurality of tandemly arranged slots opening therethrough within said access opening to allow access to the underside of said top, said slots being separated by fingers which are joined to said frame.

34. An article of furniture as defined by claim 33 wherein said vertical panel of said support defines another access opening and said article of furniture further includes a cover and pivot means engaging said cover for pivotally mounting the cover to said vertical panel at said access opening.

35. A work station, comprising:

a top;

a pedestal supporting said top, said pedestal including spaced side panels, a rear panel, means for removably mounting said rear panel on said pedestal and a security panel extending between said side panels and dimensioned to prevent access to a drawer supported by said pedestal when the rear panel is removed;

a modesty panel extending below said top from said pedestal; and

a plurality of wire management supports mounted in spaced relationship along said security panel and said modesty panel, each of said supports including a base, a pair of spaced sidewalls joined to said base, a partition wall joined to said base intermediate said sidewalls and attachment means joined to one of said sidewalls for hooking said support on at least one of said panels so as to cantilever outwardly therefrom.

36. A work station as defined by claim 35 wherein at least one of said side panels of said pedestal defines an access opening adjacent said security panel for routing a wire into the space between the rear and security panels for support by said wire management supports.

37. A work station as defined by claim 36 wherein said wire management support further includes a support flange extending generally horizontally from the other of said sidewalls.

38. A work station as defined by claim 37 wherein said partition is curved in cross section.

39. A work station as defined by claim 38 wherein said attachment means comprises a hook portion having a base portion joined to said one of said sidewalls and a leg portion extending from said base portion downwardly and inwardly towards said one of said sidewalls and wherein said work station further includes a plurality of fasteners extending through the base portions of some of said wire management supports for securing such supports to an undersurface of said top adjacent one of said panels.

40. A work station as defined by claim 39 further comprising:

a cover; and

pivot means connected to said cover for pivotally mounting the cover at said access opening.

41. A work station as defined by claim 39 wherein said top defines an access opening therethrough.

42. A work station as defined by claim 41 further including removable closure means on said top for closing said access opening in said top.

43. A work station as defined by claim 42 wherein said removable closure means comprises:

a sleeve having an inner surface defining a mounting flange, said sleeve dimensioned to be disposed within said access opening in said top; and

a tile resting on said mounting flange.

44. A work station as defined by claim 43 further comprising a detent on said inner surface of said sleeve for resiliently engaging said tile and retaining said tile within said sleeve.

45. A work station as defined by claim 44 wherein said sleeve includes a generally U-shaped portion having a base and spaced legs.

46. A work station as defined by claim 44 wherein said the comprises:

a member defining a slot; and

a resilient shield joined to said member at a slot and defining a slit for passage of a wire through said tile.

47. A work station as defined by claim 46 wherein said removable closure means further comprises another tile disposed on said mounting flange in tandem with said tile.

48. A work station as defined by claim 47 wherein said sleeve includes another U-shaped portion and a pair of elongated portions extending between the legs of said U-shaped portions.

49. A work station as defined by claim 44 wherein said sleeve is generally cylindrical in shape and said tile includes first and second rigid portions defining a slot and a flexible light shield sandwiched between said rigid portions and defining a slit aligned with said slot.

50. A wire management support adapted to be attached to a panel of an article of furniture, said support comprising:

a base;

a front wall joined to said base;

a rear wall joined to said base;

a partition joined to said base intermediate said walls; and

a hook joined to said rear wall, said hook being formed from a resilient material so that it will clamp onto panels of different thickness and whereby the support will cantilever outwardly from the panel.

51. A wire management support as defined by claim 50 further comprising a support shelf joined to and extending outwardly from an upper edge of said front wall.

52. A wire management support as defined by claim 50 wherein said hook includes an out-turned entrance flange.

53. A wire management support as defined by claim 51 wherein said partition is curved in cross section to define a wire retention space with said front wall.

54. A wire management support as defined by claim 53 wherein said base is joined to said rear wall and angles upwardly therefrom so that the base will move towards horizontal when an object is placed between the partition and the rear wall.

69. A wire management system comprising a plurality of the wire management supports defined in claim 50.

55. A closure assembly for an access opening in the surface of an article of furniture, said closure assembly comprising:

a sleeve dimensioned to be received within the access opening, said sleeve defining a peripheral retention flange, a mounting flange along an interior surface of said sleeve and at least one detent on the inner surface spaced from said retention flange; and

at least one the disposed on said mounting flange and removably retained within said sleeve by engagement with said detent.

56. A closure assembly as defined by claim 55 wherein said tile defines a peripheral groove dimensioned to receive said detent.

57. A closure assembly as defined by claim 56 wherein said tile comprises first and second halves joined together to define said peripheral groove.

58. A closure assembly as defined by claim 57 wherein said halves define a slot for the passage of a wire.

59. A closure assembly as defined by claim 58 further including a flexible light shield sandwiched between said halves and defining a slit extending along said slot.

60. A closure assembly as defined by claim 55 wherein said sleeve is rectangular and said assembly includes a plurality of tiles.

61. A closure assembly as defined by claim 60 wherein some of said tiles define slots for passage of wire therethrough.

62. A closure assembly as defined by claim 59 wherein said sleeve and said tile are generally circular in plan.

63. A closure assembly for an access opening in the horizontal worksurface of an article of furniture, said assembly comprising:

a sleeve having a pair of end pieces adapted to be positioned within the access opening in opposed relationship, said end pieces each defining a generally horizontally extending mounting flange; and

a the dimensioned to fit within the access opening, said the being supported on said mounting flange.

64. A closure assembly as defined by claim 63 wherein said end pieces are generally U-shaped in plan, each having a base and spaced legs.

65. A closure assembly as defined by claim 64 further comprising:

at least a pair of elongated sleeve members, said elongated sleeve members extending between opposed legs of said end pieces.

66. A closure assembly as defined by claim 65 wherein said end pieces each define an elongated trim bead and a detent.

67. A closure assembly as defined by claim 63 further including a plurality of additional tiles, said tiles being slidable along said mounting flanges of said end pieces and said sleeve members.

68. A wire management support adapted to be attached to a panel of an article of furniture, said support comprising:

a base;

a front wall joined to said base;

a rear wall joined to said base;

a partition joined to said base intermediate said walls; and

a clip joined to said rear wall, said clip being configured to resiliently clamp onto panels of different thickness such that the support will cantilever outwardly from the panel.