Furniture arrangement

• US 5,486,042 A
• Filed: 09/09/1993
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc. (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Bodden, Kurt S., Wurth, Michael E., Dellekoenig, Norbert, Heisler, William A., Stachowiak, Anthony A., Shipman, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US08/118,895
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 52/241, 312/196, 108/24, 108/155, 108/154, 108/158, 108/187
• US Class Current: 312/196
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/006 made of wood or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/033 with parts added to the original furniture to enlarge its surface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2013/006 to hollow tubular profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0321 Keyboard supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0335 mounted under the worksurface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2037/005 Tables specially adapted for laboratories
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0085 Supplementary support fixed on the edge of a desk or table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/15 Keyboard drawers

Abstract

A furniture unit includes a worksurface, a supporting base formed by a supporting pedestal and/or a supporting end panel, and a pair of rails connected to the underside of the worksurface reinforcing the worksurface and acting as a standoff between the worksurface and the supporting base, the rails including apertures spaced longitudinally along their length. A bracket is provided including an elongate bayonet-like leg for releasably engaging the apertures in the rail and further includes an accessory supporting end that extends laterally of a worksurface edge. A plurality of accessory units are selectively mounted to the bracket in a position spaced above the worksurface, thus allowing a user to select and position one or more of the accessory units along the edge of the worksurface for optimal use and efficiency of the furniture unit.

Claims

1. A furniture unit for workstations, comprising:

a worksurface including a top surface, a bottom surface, and marginal edges extending therebetween;

a rail attached to the bottom surface of said worksurface, and extending along at least one of said marginal edges, said rail including a plurality of first apertures;

a support connected to said rail for supporting said worksurface at a predetermined height above a floor surface;

a plurality of accessory units configured for use on said workstation; and

means for releasably selectively mounting at least one of said accessory units to said rail along the one marginal edge of said worksurface, and positioning said one accessory unit above said worksurface, said means for releasably selectively mounting including a bracket with a bayonet-like leg releasably engageable with one or more of said first apertures whereby said one accessory unit can be located to personalize and equip said furniture unit.

2. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of accessory units are also adapted to rest in a free state directly on the worksurface.

3. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rail acts as a standoff between said worksurface and said supporting means creating a space therebetween, said first apertures being positioned in said space for ready access.

4. A furniture unit as defined in claim 3 wherein said bracket includes an accessory unit supporting end that is supported in a cantilevered fashion by said bayonet-like leg, and said accessory units include means for stably engaging said accessory unit supporting end.

5. A furniture unit as defined in claim 4 wherein said rail includes second apertures for attaching said supporting means to said rail, said second apertures being spaced longitudinally along said rail with said first apertures.

6. A furniture unit as defined in claim 5 wherein said rail is U-shaped and includes a pair of sidewalls, and said first and second apertures are located along the length of said rail in both of said sidewalls.

7. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a portion extending above and below said top surface.

8. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein a pair of identical brackets are used to support a particular one of said accessory units.

9. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said selected accessory units are spaced above and over said worksurface when positioned on said bracket.

10. A furniture unit as defined in claim 9 including a bumper resting on said worksurface supportingly under said selected accessory units for supporting and stabilizing said selected accessory unit.

11. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 including a drawer-like member mounted under said worksurface, said drawer-like member including a front portion forming a secondary worksurface that is generally planar and is spaced from said worksurface so that papers can be left thereon as said drawer-like member is moved between an extended position for use and a retracted position, said drawer-like member further including a rear portion that is recessed forming an enlarged storage area for papers and the like.

12. A furniture unit as defined in claim 11 wherein said first portion is located at a predetermined height and has a suitable size so that a computer keyboard can be placed thereon at an ergonomic height for typing, said front portion size being sufficiently large for supporting the computer keyboard with an adjacent computer mouse pad, and said rear portion is recessed with enough size to receive the keyboard for storage of the keyboard under the worksurface when the drawer-like member is in the retracted position.

13. A furniture unit as defined in claim 12 wherein said front portion is a slab-type panel, and said rearward portion is a sheet metal formed drawer-like part attached to the rear said slab-type panel.

14. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rail has a U-shaped cross section and includes opposing sidewalls and a cross wall interconnecting said sidewalls, said opposing sidewalls including aligned pairs of said first apertures for connecting said supporting means thereto, and said means for releasably mounting said accessory units to said first apertures includes a bayonet-like leg for releasably engaging said aligned pairs of said first apertures.

15. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for releasably mounting said one or more accessory units includes a bracket having an accessory unit engaging end including upwardly oriented prong receiving apertures, said prong receiving apertures being positioned in an accessible location relative to said worksurface and defining means for releasably securing a selected one of said accessory units.

16. A furniture unit as defined in claim 15 wherein said means for releasably securing includes an intermediate prong assembly having downwardly oriented prongs spaced for engagement with said upwardly oriented apertures, and further including an upper portion adapted to releasably engage one of said accessory units whereby said accessory unit can be selectively placed either on said worksurface or on said intermediate prong assembly and said bracket in a position spaced above said top of said worksurface.

17. A furniture unit as defined in claim 16 wherein said intermediate prong assembly upper portion includes upwardly oriented prongs, and several of said accessory units are adapted to releasably securely engage said upwardly oriented prongs.

18. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes a base and further includes bracket means connected to said rail and operably connected to said base for semipermanently vertically adjusting the height of said worksurface, whereby the height of said worksurface is adjustable to an optimal height for a given user.

19. A furniture unit as defined in claim 18 wherein said bracket means includes a bracket attached to said rail, said bracket having at least one elongate vertical slot with multiple finger-like slots extending laterally at an angle from said vertical slot, and said supporting means includes at least one fastener extending through one of said slots into said base, whereby said worksurface can be raised to a desired position with said fastener loosely engaging a selected one of said finger-like slots to hold said worksurface at a selected desired height, and said fastener can be tightened into said base to securely semipermanently hold said worksurface at said desired position.

20. A furniture unit as defined in claim 1 including a pair of said rails attached to said worksurface proximate the edges of said worksurface so that said selected accessory units can be positioned along more than one of said worksurface edges.

21. A furniture unit for workstations, comprising:

a worksurface including atop surface, a bottom surface, and marginal edges extending therebetween;

a U-shaped rail attached to the bottom surface of said worksurface, and extending along at least one of said marginal edges, said rail including opposing sidewalls and a cross wall interconnecting said sidewalls, and further including a plurality of aligned pairs of first apertures in said opposing sidewalls;

supporting means connected to said rail for supporting said worksurface at a predetermined height;

a plurality of accessory units configured for use on said workstation;

brackets including a bayonet-like leg for releasably engaging said aligned pairs of first apertures, said brackets being configured to releasably selectively mount at least one of said accessory units to said rail along the one marginal edge of said worksurface, and position said one accessory unit above said worksurface; and

said cross wall being spaced from said worksurface thus creating a space defined by said sidewalls, said cross wall and the underside of said worksurface, said space being useful for receiving said means for releasably mounting said accessory unit, said cross wall including a depression extending longitudinally in said cross wall for receiving a fastener head, and further including holes in said depression for receiving a fastener shaft, whereby fasteners can be extended through one or more of said holes and into said worksurface for retaining said rail to said worksurface with the fastener heads being located in the depression in the cross wall in a position where the fastener heads do not interfere with resting the rail cross wall on the supporting means.

22. A furniture unit for workstations, comprising:

a worksurface including a top surface, a bottom surface, and marginal edges extending therebetween;

a rail attached to the bottom surface of said worksurface and extending along at least one of said marginal edges, said rail being U-shaped and including sidewalls and a cross wall connecting the sidewalls, said sidewalls engaging said bottom surface and said cross wall being spaced therefrom, said cross wall including a longitudinally extending recess and first apertures located in said recess so that headed fasteners can be extended through said first apertures into said worksurface to secure said rail to said worksurface with the heads of the headed fasteners being located in the recess, said rail sidewalls including second apertures adapted to receive fasteners for attaching mounting brackets thereto;

a pedestal;

a bracket for securing said rail to said pedestal; and

bracket engaging fasteners securing said bracket to said rail, said bracket engaging fasteners engaging selected of said second apertures, whereby said rail reinforces and supports said worksurface and further said rail rests on said pedestal and is secured thereto with the heads of the headed fasteners being located in the recess so that the heads do not interfere with resting said rail on said pedestal and also so that said second apertures are exposed for attaching mounting brackets thereto.

23. A furniture unit for workstations and the like, comprising:

a worksurface including a top surface, a bottom surface and marginal edges defined therebetween;

a rail having a U-shaped cross section attached to said worksurface proximate to one of said edges, said rail including opposing sidewalls and a plurality of spaced apertures located longitudinally along said rail in both of said sidewalls;

a plurality of accessory units adapted to equip said workstation; and

a bracket for releasably mounting selected of said accessory units to said rail, said bracket including a bayonet-like leg releasably engaging one or more of said spaced apertures in each of said sidewalls and further including an accessory unit engaging end extending in cantilever from said rail for engaging and supporting said selected accessory units with said selected accessory units extending above said workstation, whereby said one or more accessory units can be selected and positioned along said rail on one or more of said brackets to personalize and equip said furniture unit as desired.

24. A furniture unit as defined in claim 23 wherein said accessory units include a privacy screen, and said bracket accessory unit engaging end includes a portion adapted to attach to said privacy screen and further includes a bumper adapted to rest on said top surface and stabilize said privacy screen.

25. A furniture unit as defined in claim 23 wherein said bracket accessory unit engaging end includes upwardly oriented apertures, and including an intermediate prong assembly with prongs spaced and sized for engagement with said upwardly oriented apertures, said intermediate prong assembly further including an upper portion adapted to releasably engage one of said accessory units.

26. A furniture unit as defined in claim 25 wherein said accessory units are adapted to mateably engage said intermediate prong assembly on said bracket to space said accessory above said top surface, and said several accessory units are also adapted to be positioned in a free condition directly on said top surface.

27. A furniture unit for workstations, comprising:

a worksurface including a top surface, a bottom surface and marginal edges extending therebetween;

a rail attached to the worksurface reinforcingly supporting same and being located proximate one of the edges, said rail including opposing sidewalls and a plurality of spaced first apertures located longitudinally along said rail sidewalls, said rail further including a plurality of second apertures;

a base for supporting said worksurface at a predetermined height, said base including bracket means for attaching to said second apertures so that said worksurface is secured to said base but said rail sidewalls are exposed for selectively accessing said first apertures; and

brackets having bayonet-shaped legs for mateably engaging said first apertures, said brackets being configured to support accessories proximate said top surface.

28. A furniture unit as defined in claim 27 including a pair of said rails, both of which include accessible first apertures but which are located at different marginal edges.

29. A furniture unit as defined in claim 27 wherein said first apertures are slots and said second apertures are holes, and further said first and second apertures are located alternatingly along the length of said rail.