Office furniture construction

• US 5,791,751 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyer, Peter, Clark, Mitchell P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US08/655,975
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 312/196, 312/323, 312/322, 312/331, 312/317.3
• US Class Current: 312/196
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/065 Pivotally mounted auxiliary tables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems

Abstract

An office furniture construction includes a desk having a primary work surface and a service unit mounted over the work surface including an overhead bookshelf and side located supports for supporting the overhead bookshelf. A work table is pivoted to the worksurface for horizontal movement between an inwardly pivoted position for use by the primary user, and an outwardly pivoted position for providing an open arrangement conducive for conferencing by a group of workers. The office system further includes a bifolding security door movably attached to the service unit for articulated movement between a storage position located generally under the overhead bookshelf, and a closed secured position covering a front edge of the work surface that prevents access to the primary work area. By using the security door, a primary user is able to leave confidential papers spread out on the primary work surface between work sessions, but is able to secure the papers from view by other workers even when the other workers use the table, such as when the primary user is gone.

Claims

1. An office furniture construction comprising:

a worksurface having a front edge, the worksurface being located at a height that is easily accessible to a seated person;

a service unit including an overhead bookshelf having top and bottom walls, a rear wall, and a pair of opposite sidewalls, and including at least one service door that is movable between an open position and a closed position for closing the overhead bookshelf, the bottom wall of the bookshelf being spaced above the worksurface, the service unit further including side supports located on opposing side edges of the worksurface that support the bookshelf directly above the worksurface, the service unit still further including a rear sidewall extending between the worksurface and the bottom wall of the bookshelf and extending horizontally between the side supports, the service unit generally enclosing a work area above the work surface and defining a primary work area;

the service unit further including a second shelf spaced below the bookshelf that defines a storage cavity above the second shelf and below the bookshelf; and

a lockable bifolding door movably secured by a slidable hinge to the service unit for controlled articulated movement that positions outer show surfaces of the bifolding door against each other in a protected position when in a folded position and that prevents damage during movement between a storage position located within the storage cavity and a security position in which the bifolding door extends between the second shelf and the front edge of the worksurface and also between the side supports to prevent visual and physical access to the primary work area.

2. The office furniture construction defined in claim 1 wherein the bifolding door includes a first panel and a second panel pivoted to the first panel, the first panel being linearly movably supported within the storage cavity by the slidable hinge.

3. The office furniture construction defined in claim 2 including an auxiliary door for covering the storage cavity when the bifolding door is in the storage position.

4. The office furniture construction defined in claim 2 wherein the first panel is located above the second panel when in the security position.

5. The office furniture construction defined in claim 4 wherein the first panel is located below the second panel when in the storage position.

6. The office furniture construction defined in claim 2 wherein the show surfaces of the first and second panels, when in said security position, define a common plane, and wherein the bifolding door includes an intermediate hinge pivotally connecting the first and second panels having a pivot axis positioned generally in said common plane.

7. The office furniture construction defined in claim 2 wherein the first and second panels are pivotable between a folded position wherein the panels lie flat against each other and an unfolded position wherein the panels lie in a common plane.

8. The office furniture construction defined in claim 7 wherein the first and second panels are interconnected by a hinge that limits the rotation of the first panel on the second panel to 180 degrees of rotation.

9. The office furniture construction defined in claim 1 including a lock for securing the bifolding door in the security position, the lock engaging the bifolding door at a location spaced above a bottom edge of the bifolding door when the bifolding door is in the security position.

10. An office furniture construction comprising:

a desk unit defining a worksurface having a primary work area thereabove, the worksurface being located at a height that is easily accessible to a seated person and having a cavity directly below the worksurface such that a seated user'"'"'s knees and feet may be positioned under the worksurface;

a service unit attached to the desk unit generally enclosing the primary work area except along a front edge of the worksurface;

a work table pivotally attached to the desk unit for horizontal movement along a limited arc between an inwardly pivoted position facilitating use by a primary user and an outwardly pivoted position facilitating use by a group of workers, the work table being located at a height that is easily accessible to a seated person, and being substantially free of obstructions therebelow such that a seated user'"'"'s knees and feet may be positioned directly below the table; and

the service unit including a multi-panel security door movably attached to the service unit for movement between a hidden storage position within the service unit and an extended locked closed position wherein the security door prevents access to the work area;

whereby a primary user can leave confidential papers in the primary work area between work sessions yet can permit use of the work table for conferencing by coworkers and/or subordinates without fear of exposing the confidential papers by moving the security door to the locked closed position.

11. The office furniture construction defined in claim 10 wherein the service unit includes a storage cavity, and wherein the multi-panel security door is operably mounted to the service unit and is configured to collapse to a compact arrangement for storage in the storage cavity.

12. The office furniture construction defined in claim 11 wherein the security door includes a first panel and a second panel pivoted to the first panel for movement between a compact position wherein the first panel lies flat against the second panel and an extended position wherein the first panel lies in a common plane and is collinear with the second panel.

13. The office furniture construction defined in claim 12 including a pivot/translate mechanism for both pivotally and translatably supporting the second panel constructed so that, after the panels are moved to the compact position, the panels can be translated into the storage cavity.

14. In combination, an office furniture construction comprising:

a desk unit defining a worksurface having opposite ends, and front and rear edges, the worksurface being located at a height that is easily accessible to a seated user, said desk unit further defining a cavity directly below the worksurface such that a seated user'"'"'s knees and feet may be positioned under the worksurface;

a service unit attached to the desk and including a pair of sidewalls along the opposite ends of the worksurface, a rear wall generally located along the rear edge of the worksurface, a first upper wall spaced above the worksurface and extending over the worksurface to define a primary work area between the sidewalls and below the first upper wall, and a second upper wall spaced above the first upper wall for defining a storage cavity;

the service unit including a lockable bifolding door movably attached to the service unit for movement between a folded storage position within the storage cavity and an unfolded extended position wherein the bifolding door provides security by preventing access to the primary work area, the bifolding door including a first panel and a second panel pivoted to the first panel by an intermediate hinge, the first panel further including a sliding top hinge operably mounted in the storage cavity for carrying the bifolding door into and out of the storage cavity, the first and second panels being pivotable between the folded storage position where outer visual surfaces of the panels lie flat against each other in a protected arrangement preventing scratches or damage to the outer visual surfaces and the unfolded extended position wherein the outer visual surfaces of the panels lie in a common plane facing outwardly, the intermediate hinge being constructed to permit 180°

of rotation of the first panel on the second panel and limiting the initial rotation of the first and second panels to an outward movement away from the worksurface and away from the service unit when initially moving the bifolding door from the unfolded extended position toward the folded storage position; and

an elongated work table pivotally connected to the desk unit for horizontal movement along a limited arcuate path, the work table defining a secondary worksurface and being located at a height easily accessible to a seated user, the work table being substantially free of obstructions therebelow such that a plurality of seated users'"'"' knees and feet may be positioned directly below the secondary worksurface;

whereby a primary user can leave confidential papers in the primary work area between work sessions yet can permit use of the adjacent work table for conferencing by coworkers without fear of exposing the confidential papers by moving the bifolding door to the unfolded extended position.