Desk system

• US 5,666,887 A
• Filed: 08/03/1995
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Millhouse, John W., Grabowski, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/510,599
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 312/197, 312/317.2, 312/317.3, 312/317.1, 312/223.6, 312/194, 312/249.8, 312/249.9, 312/351.3, 312/195, 108/91, 108/93, 108/94, 108/27, 108/92
• US Class Current: 108/91
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/065 Pivotally mounted auxiliary tables
• 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: A47B 7/00 Tables of rigid construction
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 95/043 Protecting rims, buffers or the like

Abstract

A nested table system which can be reconfigured as desired to accommodate work space requirements includes a stationary table and a movable table having legs supported on casters to facilitate repositioning thereof. The movable table has a worksurface which has dimensions, and which is supported at an elevation, which allows at least a portion of the worksurface of the movable table to be positioned underneath the worksurface of the stationary table. The nested table systems includes one or more features which helps prevent damage to the edges of the worksurface of the movable table when it is moved underneath or adjacent to the stationary table. Such features include a bumper molding which projects outwardly from the edges of the worksurface of the moveable table, arcuate side edges on the moveable table which in combination with a rearwall extending downwardly from a rear edge of the worksurface of the stationary table prevents the corners of the worksurface of the movable table from contacting rear legs of the stationary table, and a plurality of cable management channels which are preferably comprised of an energy absorbing, resiliently deformable polymeric material and which acts as bumpers.

Claims

1. A nested table system comprising:

a stationary table having a rectangular worksurface with a rear edge, a front edge and opposing side edges, a pair of rear legs located substantially at the corners at which the rear edge intersects with the side edges of said rectangular worksurface, and a pair of front legs located substantially at the corners at which the front edge intersects with the side edges of said rectangular worksurface, said stationary table including a rearwall which extends downwardly from said rear edge of said worksurface of said stationary table; and

a movable table which is translatable independently of said stationary table and which is unconnected to said stationary table, said movable table having a substantially horizontal worksurface supported by a plurality of legs, each of which is supported on a caster;

said worksurface of said stationary table having an underside which is supported at a height which is greater than a height at which a top side of said worksurface of said movable table is supported, and said legs of said worksurface of said stationary table being sufficiently spaced apart to allow at least a portion of said worksurface of said movable table to be positioned underneath said worksurface of said stationary table;

said rearwall extending below the level of said worksurface of said movable table when said movable table is positioned underneath said stationary table, said worksurface of said movable table having substantially straight, parallel front and back edges and arcuate side edges at opposite ends of said worksurface, said arcuate edges having a radius of curvature which cooperates with said rearwall of said stationary table to prevent the corners at the intersection between said straight and said arcuate edges of said movable table from contacting said rear legs of said stationary table regardless of the relative position of said movable table underneath said worksurface of said stationary table;

said worksurface of said movable table including a bumper molding which projects outwardly from edges thereof, whereby damage to said edges can be avoided should said edges collide with said legs of said stationary table.

2. The nested table system of claim 1, wherein said rearwall of said stationary table includes a plurality of cable management channels secured thereto for routing cable from said worksurface of said stationary table to a floor or wall outlet.

3. The nested table system of claim 2, wherein said cable management channels are of an energy absorbing, resiliently deformable polymeric material.

4. The nested table system of claim 1, wherein said stationary table includes opposing endwalls which extend downwardly from the worksurface at opposite sides of said stationary table to a level below the height of said worksurface of said movable table and said legs of said stationary table include an upper portion with an enlarged cross-section having surfaces which project inwardly beyond the inboard sides of said endwalls, whereby said enlarged portions of said legs act as bumpers which minimize contact between the edges of said worksurface of said movable table and said stationary table, and act as a conspicuous visual guide to promote reconfiguring of said table system without bumping said edges of said movable table against the legs of said stationary table.

5. The nested table system of claim 4, wherein said legs of said stationary table are steel, and said upper portion of each of said legs is a hollow wooden part into which an upper end of one of said legs is disposed.

6. The nested table system of claim 1, wherein said bumper molding extends continuously along the entire perimeter of said worksurface of said moveable table.

7. The nested table system of claim 6, wherein said bumper molding is of a resiliently deformable polymeric material.

8. The nested table system of claim 7, wherein said bumper molding has a transverse profile which includes a bulbous head portion and a stem portion, said stem portion being received within a groove in the edges of said worksurface of said moveable table.

9. The nested table system of claim 7;

wherein said worksurfaces are comprised of wood.

10. A nested table system, comprising:

a movable table having a substantially horizontal worksurface, with substantially straight, parallel front and back edges and arcuate side edges at opposite ends of said worksurface, said worksurface of said movable table being supported by a plurality of legs, each of which is supported on a caster;

a stationary table having a substantially horizontal, rectangular worksurface with a rear edge, a front edge and opposing side edges, a pair of rear legs located substantially at the corners at which the rear edge intersects with the side edges of said rectangular worksurface, a pair of front legs located substantially at the corners at which the front edge intersects with the side edges of said rectangular worksurface, and a rearwall which extends downwardly from said rear edge of said worksurface of said stationary table below the level of said worksurface of said movable table;

said movable table being translatable independent of said stationary table and being unconnected to said stationary table;

said worksurface of said stationary table having an underside which is supported at a height which is greater than a height at which a top side of said worksurface of said movable table is supported, and said front legs of said worksurface being sufficiently spaced apart to allow at least a portion of said worksurface of said movable table to be positioned underneath said worksurface of said stationary table;

said arcuate edges having a radius of curvature which together with said rearwall of said stationary table prevent the corners at the intersection between said straight and said arcuate edges of said worksurface of said movable table from contacting said rear legs of said stationary table regardless of the relative position of said movable table underneath said worksurface of said stationary table.

11. The nested table system of claim 10, wherein said worksurface of said movable table includes a bumper molding which projects outwardly from the edges thereof, whereby damage to said edges can be avoided should said edges collide with said front legs of said stationary table.

12. The nested table system of claim 11, wherein said rearwall of said stationary table includes a plurality of cable management channels secured thereto for routing cable from said worksurface of said stationary table to a floor or wall outlet.

13. The nested table system of claim 12, wherein said stationary table includes opposing endwalls which extend downwardly from the worksurface at opposite sides of said stationary table to a level below the height of said worksurface of said movable table and said legs of said stationary table include an upper portion with an enlarged cross-section having surfaces which project inwardly beyond the inboard sides of said endwalls, whereby said enlarged portions of said legs act as bumpers which minimize contact between the edges of said worksurface of said movable table and said stationary table, and act as a conspicuous visual guide to promote reconfiguring of said table system without bumping said edges of said movable table against the legs of said stationary table.

14. The nested table system of claim 13, wherein said legs of said stationary table are steel, and said upper portion of each of said legs is a hollow wooden part into which an upper end of one of said legs is disposed.

15. The nested table system of claim 12, wherein said cable management channels are of an energy absorbing, resiliently deformable polymeric material.

16. The nested table system of claim 15, wherein said worksurfaces are comprised of wood.

17. The nested table system of claim 11, wherein said bumper molding extends continuously along the entire perimeter of said worksurface of said moveable table.

18. A nested table system, comprising:

a movable table having a substantially horizontal worksurface supported by a plurality of legs, each of which is supported on a caster;

a stationary table having a substantially horizontal, rectangular worksurface with a rear edge, a front edge and opposing side edges, a pair of rear legs located substantially at the corners at which the rear edge intersects with the side edges of said rectangular worksurface, a pair of front legs located substantially at the corners at which the front edge intersects with the side edges of said rectangular worksurface, and a rearwall which extends downwardly from said rear edge of said worksurface of said stationary table;

said movable table being translatable independently of said stationary table and being unconnected to said stationary table;

said worksurface of said stationary table having an underside which is supported at a height which is greater than a height at which a top side of said worksurface of said movable table is supported, and said front legs of said worksurface of said stationary table being sufficiently spaced apart to allow at least a portion of said worksurface of said movable table to be positioned underneath said worksurface of said stationary table;

said rearwall extending below the level of said worksurface of said movable table when said movable table is positioned underneath said stationary table, said worksurface of said movable table having substantially straight, parallel front and back edges and arcuate side edges at opposite ends of said worksurface, said arcuate edges having a radius of curvature which cooperates with said rearwall of said stationary table to prevent the corners at the intersections between said straight and said arcuate edges of said movable table from contacting said rear legs of said stationary table regardless of the relative position of said movable table underneath said worksurface of said stationary table;

a plurality of cable management channels secured to said rearwall of said stationary table, whereby cable can be routed from said worksurface of said stationary table to a floor or wall outlet.

19. The nested table system of claim 18, wherein said cable management channels are of an energy absorbing, resiliently deformable polymeric material.

20. The nested table system of claim 19, wherein said worksurface of said movable table includes a bumper molding which projects outwardly from the edges thereof, whereby damage to said edges can be avoided should said edges collide with said legs of said stationary table.

21. The nested table system of claim 20, wherein said bumper molding is of a resiliently deformable polymeric material.