Space-dividing fence for power and/or communication distribution
First Claim
1. An upright space-dividing arrangement for distributing electrical power and telecommunication cables so as to permit access thereto from adjacent workstations, comprising:
- a plurality of horizontally-spaced upright hollow posts each supported on and projecting upwardly from a floor and terminating at an upper free end, each said post having upper and lower openings disposed in vertically spaced relation and extending horizontally therethrough;
a plurality of horizontally elongate lower rails each extending horizontally between and being releasably fixedly joined to a pair of said posts, each said lower rail having an elongate lengthwise extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the lower openings of the joined posts, at least two of said lower rails being rigidly releasably joined to an intermediate said post so that the elongate channels thereof communicate with one another through the lower openings defined in the intermediate post;
a plurality of horizontally elongate upper rails each extending horizontally between and being fixedly joined to a pair of said posts and vertically spaced from corresponding said plurality of lower rails, each said upper rail having an elongate lengthwise-extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the upper openings of the joined posts, at least two of said upper rails being rigidly releasably joined to said intermediate post so that the elongate channels thereof are in open communication with one another through the upper openings of said intermediate post;
a said lower rail, a corresponding said upper rail, and said pair of said posts define a transversely accessible open region therebetween;
electrical power means extending along selected ones of said elongate lower rails and through lower openings of selected said posts, said electrical power means including elongate flexible electrical power transmitting cabling extending through the lower openings of said intermediate post and into the channels of said pair of lower rails attached to said intermediate post, said electrical power means including a power block connected to said cabling and mounted on one of the lower rails of said pair and defining thereon an electrical receptacle which faces sidewardly of the lower rail and accommodates a conventional electrical plug; and
telecommunication cabling extending through the upper openings of said intermediate post and into and along the channels of the pair of upper rails joined to said intermediate post and connected to a telecommunication connector which is stationarily mounted on one of the upper rails of said pair.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An upright electrical power and telecommunication distribution having a plurality of upright posts disposed in horizontally spaced relationship, and horizontally-elongate rails extending between and rigidly joined to each adjacent pair of posts. The lower rail defines a channel for accommodating electrical power cabling, and the upper rail also has a channel for accommodating communication cabling. The posts define openings therein to enable the power and communication cables to pass through the post for communication with the rails which are joined thereto. The upper rail is open on the top and accommodates a removable cap to facilitate laying in of telecommunication cables, and one of the side walls of the upper rail has openings for accommodating boxes or plates mounting telecommunication connectors. The lower rail is open on the bottom to facilitate insertion of electrical power cabling, the bottom being closed by a removable cover. In the preferred embodiment electrical power is provided by a power module including a power block which attaches to and is suspended from the underside of the lower rail, which power block accommodates a removable receptacle unit on either or both sides thereof. The power module has an elongate cable projecting the power block and which extends longitudinally along the lower rail for projection into an adjacent rail, with the cable having a pluglike connector which can be engaged with a power block mounted on the adjacent rail.
112 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An upright space-dividing arrangement for distributing electrical power and telecommunication cables so as to permit access thereto from adjacent workstations, comprising:
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a plurality of horizontally-spaced upright hollow posts each supported on and projecting upwardly from a floor and terminating at an upper free end, each said post having upper and lower openings disposed in vertically spaced relation and extending horizontally therethrough; a plurality of horizontally elongate lower rails each extending horizontally between and being releasably fixedly joined to a pair of said posts, each said lower rail having an elongate lengthwise extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the lower openings of the joined posts, at least two of said lower rails being rigidly releasably joined to an intermediate said post so that the elongate channels thereof communicate with one another through the lower openings defined in the intermediate post; a plurality of horizontally elongate upper rails each extending horizontally between and being fixedly joined to a pair of said posts and vertically spaced from corresponding said plurality of lower rails, each said upper rail having an elongate lengthwise-extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the upper openings of the joined posts, at least two of said upper rails being rigidly releasably joined to said intermediate post so that the elongate channels thereof are in open communication with one another through the upper openings of said intermediate post; a said lower rail, a corresponding said upper rail, and said pair of said posts define a transversely accessible open region therebetween; electrical power means extending along selected ones of said elongate lower rails and through lower openings of selected said posts, said electrical power means including elongate flexible electrical power transmitting cabling extending through the lower openings of said intermediate post and into the channels of said pair of lower rails attached to said intermediate post, said electrical power means including a power block connected to said cabling and mounted on one of the lower rails of said pair and defining thereon an electrical receptacle which faces sidewardly of the lower rail and accommodates a conventional electrical plug; and telecommunication cabling extending through the upper openings of said intermediate post and into and along the channels of the pair of upper rails joined to said intermediate post and connected to a telecommunication connector which is stationarily mounted on one of the upper rails of said pair. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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7. An upright space-dividing arrangement for distributing electrical power and telecommunication cables so as to permit access thereto from adjacent workstations, comprising:
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a plurality of horizontally-spaced upright hollow posts each supported on and protecting upwardly from a floor and terminating at an upper free end, each said post having upper and lower openings disposed in vertically spaced relation and extending horizontally therethrough; a plurality of horizontally elongate lower rails each extending horizontally between and being fixedly joined to a pair of said posts, each said lower rail having an elongate lengthwise extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the lower openings of the joined posts, at least two of said lower rails being rigidly joined to an intermediate said post so that the elongate channels thereof communicate with one another through the lower openings defined in the intermediate post; a plurality of horizontally elongate upper rails each extending horizontally between and being fixedly joined to a pair of said posts, each said upper rail having an elongate lengthwise-extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the upper openings of the joined posts, at least two of said upper rails being joined to said intermediate post so that the elongate channels thereof are in open communication with one another through the upper openings of said intermediate post; electrical power means extending along selected ones of said elongate lower rail and through lower openings of selected said posts, said electrical power means including elongate flexible electrical power transmitting cabling extending through the lower openings of said intermediate post and into the channels of said pair of lower rails attached to said intermediate post, said electrical power means including a power block connected to said cabling and mounted on one of the lower rails of said pair and defining thereon an electrical receptacle which faces sidewardly of the lower rail and accommodates a conventional electrical plug; telecommunication cabling extending through the upper openings of said intermediate post and into and along the channels of the pair of upper rails joined to said intermediate post and connected to a telecommunication connector which is stationarily mounted on one of the upper rails of said pair; the upper rail includes a generally upwardly-opening channel-shaped upper rail member defining a top access opening extending longitudinally throughout the entire length thereof for facilitating access to the channel within the upper rail member for laying in of telecommunication cabling, and a top cover removably mounted on said upper rail member for closing off the channel thereof; the upper rail member and the top cover cooperate to define horizontally elongate narrow access slots therebetween which extend lengthwise of the upper rail on opposite sides thereof; a face skin arrangement mounted on said upper rail and projecting downwardly along at least one side of the upper and lower rails fixedly joined between a pair of adjacent posts, said face skin arrangement including a vertically and horizontally enlarged thin face skin which is disposed generally within a vertical plane and is positioned adjacent one side of said upper and lower rails and extends vertically therebetween; and a hook means joined to said face skin adjacent an upper edge thereof and projecting through one of said access slots for support on said upper rail.
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15. An upright space-dividing fence arrangement for distributing electrical power and telecommunication cables to permit access thereto from adjacent workstations, comprising:
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a plurality of horizontally-spaced upright hollow posts each supported and projecting upwardly from a floor and terminating at an upper free end, said plurality of posts including at least first, second and third said posts which are all disposed in substantial horizontally spaced relation from one another; each said post having a plurality of upper openings formed in side walls thereof for communication with a hollow interior of the post, each said post also including a plurality of lower openings formed in the side walls thereof for communication with the hollow interior thereof, said plurality of upper openings being disposed so that centers thereof are defined generally within a first horizontal plane, and centers of the plurality of lower openings are defined within a second generally horizontal plane which is spaced vertically downwardly a substantial distance below said first horizontal plane and above the floor; a plurality of horizontally elongate lower rails each extending horizontally between and being joined to a pair of said posts, each said lower rail having an elongate lengthwise extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the lower openings of the joined posts, at least a first said lower rail being releasably joined to and extending between said first and second posts, and a second said lower rail being releasably joined to and extending horizontally between said second and third posts so that the elongate channels in said first and second lower rails communicate with one another through the lower openings defined in said second post; a plurality of horizontally elongate upper rails each extending horizontally between and being joined to a pair of said upright posts, each said upper rail having an elongate lengthwise extending channel which at opposite ends thereof is in communication with the upper openings of the joined post, a first said upper rail extending horizontally between and being joined to said first and second posts, and a second said upper rail extending horizontally between and being joined to said second and third posts so that the elongate channels thereof communicate with one another through the upper openings defined in said second post; said upper rails being spaced vertically upwardly from corresponding said lower rails so that there is defined therebetween a vertically extending open and transversely-accessible space which extends horizontally between the joined posts; electrical power means extending along selected ones of said elongate lower rails and through lower openings of selected said posts, said electrical power means including elongate flexible electrical power transmitting cabling extending through the lower openings of said second post and into the channels of said first and second lower rails, said electrical power means including a power block connected to said cabling and mounted on one of said first and second lower rails and defining thereon an electrical receptacle which accommodates a conventional electrical plug; and telecommunication cabling extending through the upper openings of said second post and into and along the channels of said first and second upper rails and connected to a telecommunication connector which is stationarily mounted on one of said first and second upper rails. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification