Frame system for power and signal cable management

• US 5,833,332 A
• Filed: 12/28/1995
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haworth Limited (Haworth Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Smead Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Roemer, Henry, Frederick, Ken, Then, Paul, Vallas, Rod, Marshall, Dale R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allred, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/579,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.6, 312/223.3, 312/257.1, 312/265.5, 312/265.6, 403/231, 403/245, 52/71, 52/36.1, 220/337, 220/338, 220/340
• US Class Current: 312/223.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2037/005 Tables specially adapted for laboratories
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0027 Desks with I-shaped leg
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0685 Joining sheets or plates to strips or bars F16B5/0692 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel furniture frame system comprising horizontal and vertical frame members which can be arranged in a variety of configurations to provide at least one continuous concealed channel for cables such as power and/or signal cables, in which the channel is easily accessible for wiring, maintenance, rearrangement and storage of cable without disassembly of the frame system and provides for access to cable outlets at work surface height so that cable devices can be connected to an outlet with minimal interference to the work surface. The frame system itself does not interfere with the work surface. The horizontal frame member has an opening on the top surface which is at work surface height for access to the cable channel, and also has a cover for the opening which has at least one flexible edge to enable cables to pass in and out of the channel when the cover is closed and permits the cable to move freely along the length of the cover.

Claims

1. A furniture frame system for supporting a work surface comprising:

(a) a horizontal frame member having first and second ends and top and bottom surfaces; and

(b) a vertical frame member supporting the horizontal frame member at a work surface height having upper and lower ends,

each frame member having a concealed cable channel extending throughout its entire length, the channel being defined by walls with ports for ingress and egress of cables, the frame members being shaped and constructed for mutual abutment to provide a continuous cable channel, the abutment being selected from the group of abutments consisting of;

port to port;

end to port, port to end; and

end to end; and

wherein the horizontal frame member has a central longitudinal opening in its top surface, the opening extending substantially the length of the horizontal frame member, said frame system being so constructed and arranged that the opening in the horizontal frame member is freely accessible when the work surface is supported by the frame system, and a cover for selectively closing the opening, the cover having a hinged longitudinal edge being rotatably moveable about said edge between an open position permitting access to an interior of said horizontal frame member along substantially an entire length of said horizontal frame member at work surface height, and a closed position wherein the horizontal frame member is substantially closed, the cover being moveable between the open and closed positions without the use of tools, the cover having at least one continuous flexible longitudinal free edge opposite said longitudinal hinged edge permitting cable to pass in and out of the opening and to freely move along the length of the cover with portions of said cable inside and outside of said horizontal frame member when said cover is in its closed position, and wherein the cable channel, the opening and the cover are so constructed and arranged to permit excess cable to be stored and concealed in the horizontal frame member.

2. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the horizontal frame member comprises the concealed cable channel and a secondary cable channel which is detachably secured to the horizontal frame member by suitable attachment means, the concealed cable channel and the secondary cable channel being so constructed and arranged to permit access to the concealed cable channel through the opening when the cover is in its open position, the secondary cable channel further being so constructed and arranged to abut at least one vertical frame member in such a manner as to provide a continuous cable channel therethrough.

3. The furniture frame system of claim 2 wherein the horizontal frame member has an opening in its bottom surface extending along the length of the concealed cable channel, the opening defined by inwardly projecting walls and wherein the secondary cable channel is defined by a continuous wall forming an opening, and L-shaped flanges on opposite sides of the opening, the flanges engaging the inwardly projecting walls of the horizontal frame member, to hang the secondary cable channel below the horizontal frame member, the secondary channel being made of resilient material so that when pressure is applied to the sides of the secondary cable channel along the continuous wall, the flanges release and allow the secondary cable channel to be detached from the horizontal frame member to provide access to both the concealed cable channel and the secondary cable channel.

4. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the top surface of the horizontal frame member is flush with the work surface.

5. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the cover has a central longitudinal opening and comprises two parts, each part having a hinged edge and a flexible free edge, and, when the cover is closed, the free edges meet and allow a cable to pass freely therebetween and permit free movement of the cable along the length of the cover.

6. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the vertical frame member contains at least one power and/or signal cable outlet, the outlets being positioned at a predetermined desired location.

7. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the vertical frame member has an opening in an exterior surface extending substantially throughout its length and a means for covering the opening which is removeable, the covering means, when removed, providing access to cable located in the channel of the vertical frame member, and, when closed, the covering means conceals the opening.

8. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the horizontal and vertical frame members have means for securing and supporting one or more furniture components.

9. The furniture frame system of claim 8 wherein the one or more furniture components are selected from the group consisting of:

a shelf, a privacy panel, a tack board, a privacy gable, a work surface, a cabinet, a drawer unit, an overhead storage unit, a lamp, an overhead lamp, a counter, a gable, a white board, a glazing unit, a holder, a tray, a cabinet and a support bar.

10. The furniture frame system of claim 8 wherein the securing and supporting means is such that an exterior wall of the horizontal frame member has a top support bracket hanger lip extending horizontally along the length of the horizontal frame member and a top support bracket tie down slot extending parallel to the hanger lip for attachment of a furniture component.

11. The furniture frame system of claim 8 wherein the vertical frame member has at least one attachment surface selected from a group of attachment surfaces consisting of:

a groove member and a track member, for engaging with the means for securing and supporting one or more furniture components.

12. The furniture frame system of claim 1 further comprising three or more vertical frame members arranged to form a corner, and wherein a cable chase is arranged in the corner.

13. The furniture frame system of claim 1 comprising at least two vertical frame members connected end to end to form a continuous channel.

14. The furniture frame system of claim 1 comprising at least one frame unit, the frame unit comprising two spaced apart vertical frame members and one horizontal frame member wherein the horizontal frame member abuts each of the two vertical frame members at work surface height forming a continuous channel for the passage of cable.

15. The furniture frame system of claim 14 comprising at least two frame units and means for connecting the at least two frame units to form a continuous channel for the passage of cable between the frame units.

16. The furniture frame unit of claim 15 wherein the connecting means is a butterfly hinge.

17. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the horizontal and vertical frame members have interior and exterior grooves, tracks and screw ports for attachment of a furniture component and/or another frame member.

18. The furniture frame system of claim 1 wherein the horizontal frame member has at least one power and/or signal outlet in its concealed cable channel.

19. A furniture frame system adapted for supporting a work surface comprising:

(a) at least one horizontal frame member having a first and second end and a top and bottom surface; and

(b) at least one vertical frame member having an upper end and a lower end,

wherein each frame member has at least one concealed channel for cable and cable outlets extending throughout its entire length, the channel being defined by walls with ports for ingress and egress of cables, wherein at least one horizontal frame member abuts at least one vertical frame member at work surface height providing a continuous channel, the abutment being selected from the group of abutments consisting of;

port to port;

end to port, port to end; and

end to end; and

wherein the horizontal frame member has a central longitudinal opening in its top surface, the opening extending substantially the length of the horizontal frame member and a cover for the opening, which can be opened and closed without use of tools, the opening providing access at work surface height to substantially the entire horizontal frame member, the cover having at least one flexible edge thereby permitting cable to pass in and out of the opening when said cover is in its closed position and to freely move along the length of the cover when said cover is in its closed position, and excess cable can be stored and concealed in the horizontal frame member, and

wherein the horizontal frame member has a main cable channel and an associated secondary cable channel, wherein the secondary cable channel is located below the main cable channel, and wherein the secondary cable channel is detachably secured to the main cable channel for rapid installation and deinstallation, the secondary channel abutting at least one vertical frame member in such a manner as to provide a continuous cable channel therethrough; and

wherein the secondary cable channel can be detachably secured to, or removed from, the horizontal frame member by snap-in attachment means which mate with corresponding snap-in receiving means of the horizontal frame member.

20. A furniture frame system adapted for supporting a work surface comprising:

(a) at least one horizontal frame member having a first and second end and a top and bottom surface; and

(b) at least one vertical frame member having an upper end and a lower end,

wherein each frame member has at least one concealed channel for cable and cable outlets extending throughout its entire length, the channel being defined by walls with ports for ingress and egress of cables, wherein at least one horizontal frame member abuts at least one vertical frame member at work surface height providing a continuous channel, the abutment being selected from the group of abutments consisting of;

port to port end to port, port to end; and

end to end; and

wherein the horizontal frame member has a central longitudinal opening in its top surface, the opening extending substantially the length of the horizontal frame member and a cover for the opening, which can be opened and closed without use of tools, the opening providing access at work surface height to substantially the entire horizontal frame member, the cover having at least one flexible edge thereby permitting cable to pass in and out of the opening when said cover is in its closed position and to freely move alone the length of the cover when said cover is in its closed position, and excess cable can be stored and concealed in the horizontal frame member,

wherein the horizontal and vertical frame members have attachment means for securing and supporting one or more furniture components; and

wherein at least one vertical frame member is used in supporting a furniture component and the attachment is such that said member has at least one attachment surface selected from a groove or a track member provided in the frame member for receiving a furniture component; and

wherein said vertical frame member is rectangular and has a U-shaped channel along its length for passage of power and/or signal cable, and the vertical frame member further comprises a T-shaped track means mounted on walls of said U-shaped channel for cooperating sliding engagement with arm members or groove members of elements for connecting one frame member to another frame member.