Cable harness for office furniture

• US 5,516,298 A
• Filed: 03/04/1994
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dar-Ran Furniture Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Specialty Lighting, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMELLO, JILL ELIZABETH
• Application Number:
  US08/206,492
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 312/226, 174/48, 174/49, 439/535, 439/536, 439/540, 439/131, 439/138, 439/142, 439/31
• US Class Current: 439/131
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/16 structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box

Abstract

A cable harness for managing cables originating from devices supported by an office work surface and from external power and telecommunication sources is disclosed. The harness comprises a stationary plate and a carrier plate. The stationary plate has an upper edge portion and a front surface adapted for fixed attachment with an upright wall of a furniture system. The carrier plate has a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a lower edge portion pivotally interconnected with the stationary plate upper edge portion. The carrier plate includes a first plurality of apertures configured to receive electrical power receptacles serially aligned in a first lower row, and further includes a second plurality of apertures configured to receive electronic cable connectors serially aligned in a second upper row. The first lower row is located between the carrier plate lower edge portion and the second upper row. The carrier plate is pivotable between a closed position, in which the carrier plate front surface and the stationary front surface each face forwardly, and an open position, in which the carrier front surface faces downwardly and rearwardly and the stationary plate front surface faces forwardly.

Claims

1. An electronic cable harness comprising:

a stationary plate having an upper edge portion and a front surface adapted for fixed attachment with a panel of a furniture system; and

a carrier plate having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a lower edge portion pivotally interconnected with said stationary plate upper edge portion, said carrier plate including a first plurality of apertures configured to receive electrical power receptacles, said apertures being serially aligned in a first lower row, and a second plurality of apertures configured to receive electronic cable connectors, said apertures being serially aligned in a second upper row, said first lower row being located between said carrier plate lower edge portion and said second upper row;

wherein said carrier plate is pivotable between a closed position, in which said carrier plate front surface and said stationary front surface each face forwardly, and an open position, in which said carrier front surface faces downwardly and rearwardly and said stationary plate front surface faces forwardly, so that said carrier plate rear surface can be forwardly accessed.

2. The electronic cable harness of claim 1, wherein in the closed position, said carrier plate front surface is substantially coplanar with said stationary plate front surface.

3. The electronic cable harness of claim 1 further comprising at least one electronic cable connector matably received within one of said plurality of apertures in said upper row.

4. The electronic cable harness of claim 1, further comprising at least one electric power receptacle matably received within one of said plurality of apertures in said lower row.

5. The electronic cable harness of claim 4, further comprising an electrical power cable electrically connected with said at least one power receptacle, said cable extending from the rear surface of said power receptacle.

6. The electronic cable harness of claim 1, wherein in the open position, said carrier plate front surface forms an angle with said stationary front surface of between about 10 and 30 degrees.

7. The electronic cable harness of claim 1, further comprising a support frame comprising:

a mounting frame fixed to said stationary plate and adapted for fixed attachment to a panel of a furniture piece, said mounting frame being configured to space said stationary plate and said carrier plate away from the furniture piece panel a distance sufficient to enable rearwardly-approaching cables to connect with power receptacles and electronic connectors mounted in the apertures of said upper and lower rows.

8. The electronic cable harness of claim 7, wherein said mounting frame further includes an opening rearward of said carrier plate, said opening being sized to enable power receptacles mounted in said first plurality of apertures and electronic connectors mounted in said second plurality of apertures to receive rearwardly-approaching cables therein.

9. A furniture system comprising:

a base having a generally upright panel, said panel having a front surface and a rear surface; and

an electronic cable harness comprising;

a stationary plate having an upper edge portion and a front surface;

a carrier plate having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a lower edge portion pivotally interconnected with said stationary plate upper edge portion, said carrier plate including a first plurality of apertures configured to receive electrical power receptacles, said apertures being serially aligned in a first lower row, and a second plurality of apertures configured to receive electronic cable connectors, said apertures being serially aligned in a second upper row, said first lower row being located between said carrier plate lower edge portion and said second upper row; and

means for fixedly mounting said harness stationary plate to said base panel front surface so that said stationary plate front surface is forwardly facing;

wherein said carrier plate is pivotable between a closed position, in which said carrier plate front surface and said stationary plate front surface each face forwardly, and an open position, in which said carrier front surface faces downwardly and rearwardly, and said stationary plate front surface faces forwardly, so that said carrier plate rear surface can be forwardly accessed.

10. The furniture system of claim 9, wherein in the closed position, said carrier plate front surface is substantially coplanar with said stationary plate front surface.

11. The furniture system of claim 9, wherein said base panel includes an aperture sized and configured to enable power receptacles mounted in said first plurality of apertures and electronic connectors mounted in said second plurality of apertures to receive rearwardly-approaching cables therein.

12. The furniture system of claim 9, further comprising at least one electronic cable connector matably received within one of said plurality of apertures in said upper row.

13. The furniture system of claim 9, further comprising at least one electric power receptacle matably received within one of said plurality of apertures in said lower row.

14. The furniture system of claim 9, further comprising an electrical power cable electrically connected with said at least one power receptacle, said cable extending from the rear surface of said power receptacle.

15. The furniture system of claim 9, wherein in the open position, said carrier plate front surface forms an angle with said stationary front surface of between about 10 and 30 degrees.

16. The furniture system of claim 9, wherein said base further comprises a generally horizontal support surface intersecting said base panel substantially orthogonally.

17. The furniture system of claim 16, wherein said electronic harness is mounted so that said stationary plate upper edge portion is positioned between about 4 and 9 inches below said horizontal support surface.

18. The furniture system of claim 9 further comprising a support frame comprising:

a mounting frame fixed to said stationary plate and adapted for fixed attachment to a vertical panel of a furniture piece, said mounting frame being configured to space said stationary plate and said carrier plate away from the furniture piece panel a distance sufficient to enable cables rearwardly-approaching cables to connect with power receptacles and electronic connectors mounted in the apertures of said upper and lower rows.

19. The furniture system of claim 18, wherein said mounting frame further includes an opening rearward of said carrier plate, said opening being sized to enable power receptacles mounted in said first plurality of apertures and electronic connectors mounted in said second plurality of apertures to receive rearwardly-approaching cables therein.

20. A furniture system comprising:

(a) a base having a generally upright panel, said panel having a front surface and a rear surface, said base comprising;

a generally horizontal support surface intersecting said base panel substantially orthogonally, wherein said support surface further comprises at least one aperture;

said furniture system further comprising

(b) an electronic cable harness comprising;

a stationary plate having an upper edge portion and a front surface;

a carrier plate having a front surface, an opposing rear surface, and a lower edge portion pivotally interconnected with said stationary plate upper edge portion, said carrier plate including a first plurality of apertures configured to receive electrical power receptacles, said apertures being serially aligned in a first lower row, and a second plurality of apertures configured to receive electronic cable connectors, said apertures being serially aligned in a second upper row, said first lower row being located between said carrier plate lower edge portion and said second upper row;

(c) means for fixedly mounting said harness stationary plate to said base panel front surface so that said stationary plate front surface is forwardly facing;

wherein said carrier plate is pivotable between a closed position, in which said carrier plate front surface and said stationary plate front surface each face forwardly, and an open position, in which said carrier front surface faces downwardly and rearwardly, and said stationary plate front surface faces forwardly, so that said carrier plate rear surface can be forwardly accessed;

and wherein said upright panel further comprises means for capturing and guiding a cable connected with one of said receptacles of said upper or said lower row to said at least one support surface aperture.