Work station desk module and system with cabling management

• US 5,473,994 A
• Filed: 07/30/1992
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Foley, Dennis, Shepherd, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US07/923,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50, 312/265.6, 312/223.6, 312/194, 312/114
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• 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

Abstract

A work station particularly adapted for use in a uniform open floor plan. The work station has a horizontal work surface having a front edge and a rear edge, a support member for supporting the horizontal work surface, a first trough located in an area beneath the horizontal work surface, and a second trough at a location displaced vertically below the first trough whereby the first and the second troughs define separate substantially horizontal passageways for the laying-in of cabling. In a further aspect, there is provided an office furniture system comprising a plurality of like work station modules aligned along a linearly extending course, each work station module occupying substantially the same area. Each work station module comprises a closed side along the linearly extending course, an open side opposite the closed side, a horizontal work surface, a support member connected to and supporting the horizontal work surface, a first trough parallel to the linearly extending course, a second trough at a location displaced vertically below the first trough and parallel to the linearly extending course so that the first and the second troughs define separate substantially horizontal passageways for electrical, communications, and data cables and the like.

Claims

1. A work station module for an office area comprising:

a horizontal work surface having a front edge and a rear edge,

a support member for standing on a floor of the office area and connected to and supporting said horizontal work surface above the floor, said support member having a lower edge, and further in which said support member comprises one or more substantially flat planar vertical panels having a bottom edge and a top edge connected to said horizontal work surface;

a means for facilitating passage of cabling connected to the bottom edge of said one or more substantially flat planar vertical panels and movable in relation to the bottom edge to allow passage of cabling under the bottom edge;

a first trough located in an area beneath said horizontal work surface and defining a substantially horizontal passageway for the laying in of cabling; and

a second trough defining a second substantially horizontal passageway, said second trough at a location displaced vertically below said first trough whereby said first and said second troughs define separate substantially horizontal passageways for cabling and communicate with an access way through the support member to enable cabling to pass from said first and said second troughs from an area beneath said work surface to an area outside thereof, said access way open to the lower edge of the support member whereby a work station module can be lifted and removed without disconnection of cabling extending through said first and said second troughs.

2. The work station module of claim 1 in which said facilitating means is comprised of a flexible resilient material.

3. The work station module of claim 1 in which said facilitating means is hinged at an upper edge thereof to said one or more vertical panels.

4. A work station module for an office area comprising:

a horizontal work surface having a front edge and a rear edge,

a support member for standing on a floor of the office area and connected to and supporting said horizontal work surface above the floor, said support member having a lower edge, and further in which said support member comprises one or more substantially flat planar vertical panels having a bottom edge and a top edge, and in which said support member is aligned with said rear edge of said horizontal work surface;

a trough located in an area beneath said horizontal work surface and connected to and supported by the support member and defining a substantially horizontal passageway for the laying in of cabling, and further in which said trough is connected to said support member on a first side thereof facing the front edge of said horizontal work surface, and further in which the support member defines an aperture to provide an access way in the direction of the trough to enable cabling to pass from said trough in an area beneath said work surface to an area outside thereof, said access way open to the lower edge of the support member whereby a work station module can be lifted and removed without disconnection of cabling extending through said trough;

one or more glides connected to said one or more vertical panels and extending downward from said bottom edge thereof to define a space between said bottom edge and a floor below whereby repositioning of said work station module is facilitated; and

a means for facilitating passage of cabling, said facilitating means connected to the bottom edge of said one or more substantially flat planar vertical panels and movable in relation to the bottom edge to allow passage of cabling under the bottom edge.

5. The work station module of claim 4 in which said facilitating means is comprised of a flexible resilient material.

6. The work station module of claim 5 in which said facilitating means is hinged at an upper edge thereof to said one or more vertical panels.