Wire management arrangement

• US 5,860,713 A
• Filed: 06/04/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Groupe Lacasse LLC (Haworth Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Anderson Hickey Co. (Haworth Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richardson, Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US08/869,230
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.6, 312/223.5, 312/223.4, 312/194, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 108/64, 16/260, 174/48, 174/50, 174/65 G, 174/66, 174/67
• US Class Current: 312/223.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0082 Cable inlet in worktop or desk, e.g. grommet

Abstract

A wire management arrangement is provided in a work surface arrangement to route cabling through the work surfaces. The wire management system includes two end grommet assemblies at the opposite ends of each work surface which permit the horizontal and vertical passage of cabling therethrough, and secondary grommets which permit the passage of cabling vertically therethrough. Each of the end grommet assemblies includes a housing that defines a vertical passage which extends through the work surface and a horizontal passage which is in communication with the vertical passage and extends through an end edge of the work surface so as to open into an adjacent work surface. A top cover and end cover are pivotally connected to the housing to respectively cover the vertical and horizontal passages.

Claims

1. A grommet for managing cables comprising:

a housing having a pair of spaced apart housing side walls and an open end at one end of said side walls which opens sidewardly in an outward direction, said housing further including a bottom wall which extends between said side walls adjacent said open end, said bottom wall extending inwardly away from said open end to enclose a portion of the bottom of said housing, said housing having an open interior which defines a vertical passage extending through said housing and a horizontal passage disposed above said bottom wall that extends inwardly from said open end and is in communication with said vertical passage;

a horizontally enlarged top cover which includes first pivot means for pivotally connecting said top cover to said housing, said first pivot means defining a first pivot axis which extends sidewardly between said housing side walls such that said top cover is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, said top cover overlying said vertical passage when in said closed position and projecting upwardly so as to provide access to said vertical passage when in said open position, said top cover including at least one notch in an edge thereof which opens vertically through said top cover to permit the passage of cabling through said notch and said vertical passage when said top cover is in said closed position; and

an end cover disposed adjacent to said open end which has an L-shaped cross-section defined by a horizontal section and a vertical section depending downwardly from said horizontal section, said end cover including second pivot means for pivotally connecting said end cover to said housing such that said end cover is pivotable between a closed position and an open position about a second horizontal pivot axis extending sidewardly between said housing side walls, said horizontal section overlying said bottom wall of said housing so as to enclose a top of said horizontal passage when said end cover is in said closed position, said vertical section extending downwardly so as to substantially enclose said open end of said housing when in said closed position and including at least one notch in an edge thereof which opens horizontally between said horizontal passage and an exterior of said grommet.

2. A grommet according to claim 1, wherein said top cover is pivotally connected to said housing by said pivot means proximate an inner end thereof, said top cover having a free end extending away from said pivot means towards said open end of said housing wherein said free end is swingable upwardly to said open position.

3. A grommet according to claim 1, wherein said notch in said end cover opens downwardly through a lower edge of said vertical section toward said bottom wall so as to allow cabling to be laid therethrough without being disturbed when said end cover is pivoted to said open position.

4. The grommet according to claim 3, wherein said bottom wall includes an upward opening recess which communicates with said notch of said end cover to accommodate cabling therein.

5. A grommet according to claim 1, wherein each of said end cover and said top cover includes cover side walls on the opposite sides thereof which are disposed in opposing relation with interior housing surfaces defined by said housing side walls, each of said first and second pivot means comprising pins projecting sidewardly from one of said interior housing surfaces and said cover side walls and respective pin seats formed in the other of said interior housing surfaces and said cover side walls.

6. A grommet according to claim 5, wherein said pin has a non-uniform cross-sectional shape which defines a wide width in a first direction and a narrow width in a second direction transverse to said first direction, each of said pin seats adapted to receive one of said pins therein, each of said pin seats comprising an entry channel which has a width corresponding to said narrow width of said pin and a pivot section in communication with said entry channel which has a width corresponding to said wide width of said pin, said pin being slidable in an entry direction through said entry channel and into said pivot section when said narrow width is oriented transverse to said entry direction, said pin being pivotable when seated in said pivot section.

7. A grommet according to claim 6, wherein said pin is insertable downwardly into said entry channel only when said top or end cover is in said open position, said wide width of said pin being oriented transverse to said entry direction when said top or end cover is in said closed position such that said wide width of said pin prevents said pin from sliding upwardly through said entry channel.

8. A grommet according to claim 1, wherein said first and second pivot means are each disengagable from said housing so as to permit disengagement of said top cover or said end cover from said housing when in one of said open and closed positions thereof, said first and second pivot means preventing disengagement of said top and end covers from said housing when in the other of said open and closed positions.

9. In a furniture arrangement having at least one horizontally enlarged work surface having opposite end edges, said furniture arrangement including a wire management arrangement therein comprising the improvement wherein each of said end edges includes a work surface notch which opens horizontally through said end edge and opens vertically through said work surface, each of said work surface notches including an end grommet fitted therein for managing the passage of cabling vertically through said work surface and horizontally through said end edge, each said end grommet including a housing which is seated in a respective one of said notches and defines a vertical passage therethrough and a horizontal passage which extends outwardly between said vertical passage and an open end of said housing disposed adjacent said end edge, each of said end grommets including a horizontally enlarged top cover and an L-shaped end cover, said top cover including pivot means for pivotally connecting said top cover to said housing such that said top cover is pivotable between open and closed positions, said top cover enclosing said vertical passage when in said closed position and including a notch formed in an edge thereof to permit the passage of cabling therethrough when in said closed position, said end cover being defined by a horizontal cover section and a vertical cover section depending downwardly therefrom, said horizontal cover section including second pivot means for pivotally connecting said end cover to said housing so as to be pivotable between open and closed positions, said horizontal cover section enclosing said horizontal passage and said vertical cover section enclosing said open end when in said closed position, said end cover including at least one end notch formed in an edge thereof which permits the passage of cabling horizontally through said open end of said end grommet when in said closed position.

10. A wire management arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said work surface includes a bottom surface which is supported on a top edge of a work surface support wall, said open end of said housing being disposed above said support wall.

11. A wire management arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said housing includes a bottom wall disposed adjacent said open end, said bottom wall extending inwardly away from said open end to enclose a portion of said work surface notch, said bottom wall being spaced downwardly from said horizontal cover section of said end cover when in said closed position so as to define said horizontal passage therebetween.

12. A wire management arrangement according to claim 11, wherein said bottom wall is disposed directly above said top edge of said support wall.

13. A wire management arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said open end of said housing is defined vertically between top and bottom surfaces of said work surface so as to be disposed above said work surface support wall.

14. A wire management arrangement according to claim 9, wherein another worksurface is disposed adjacent said work surface and includes additional said end grommets in the opposite ends thereof, one of said additional end grommets being disposed directly adjacent one of said end grommets in said work surface such that said open ends thereof are in communication one with the other.

15. A wire management arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said work surface includes a hollow compartment disposed below at least one of said end grommets, said vertical passage extending between a top surface of said work surface and a hollow interior of said compartment, said compartment having an enclosed outer side thereof and having an open inner side which opens inwardly into an area disposed below said work surface.

16. A grommet for managing cables comprising:

a housing having a pair of spaced apart housing side walls and a hollow interior between said housing side walls which defines a passage extending through said housing, said passage having first and second open ends which open from said housing so as to receive cabling therethrough, said passage extending horizontally through said housing and said first open end thereof opening sidewardly through an open end of said housing, and

a cover which includes pivot means for pivotally connecting said cover to said housing such that said cover overlies said first open end of said passage, said pivot means defining a pivot axis which extends sidewardly between said housing side walls such that said cover is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, said cover having an L-shaped cross-section defined by a horizontal section which overlies an upper side of said horizontal passage and a vertical section extending downwardly from said horizontal section so as to enclose said open end of said housing, said cover including at least one notch in an edge thereof which opens through said cover to permit the passage of cabling therethrough when said cover is in said closed position, said pivot means comprising pins protecting sidewardly from one of said cover and said housing side walls and respective pin seats formed in the other of said cover and said housing side walls, each of said pins having a non-circular cross-sectional shape which defines a wide width along a major axis thereof and a narrow width along a minor axis thereof oriented transverse to said major axis, each of said pin seats comprising an entry channel which has a narrow width corresponding to said narrow width of said pin and a pivot section in communication with said entry channel which has a wide width corresponding to said wide width of said pin, said pin being slidable in an entry direction through said entry channel and into said pivot section when said narrow width of said pins is oriented transverse to said entry direction, said pin being pivotable when seated in said pivot section.

17. A grommet according to claim 16, wherein said pin is insertable into said entry channel only when said cover is in said open position, said wide width of said pin being oriented transverse to said entry direction when said cover is in said closed position such that said wide width of said pin prevents said pin from sliding through said entry channel.

18. A grommet according to claim 17, wherein said entry channel opens upwardly and said pin is insertable downwardly into said entry channel toward said pivot section.

19. A grommet according to claim 17 wherein said passage extends vertically through said housing between said first open end which defines an upper end of said vertical passage and said second open end which defines a lower end of said vertical passage, said cover overlying said upper end when in said closed position.

20. In a furniture arrangement having a work surface and a wire management arrangement comprising the improvement wherein an edge of said work surface includes a wire passage which opens horizontally through said edge and vertically through said work surface, said wire passage including a grommet disposed therein for managing the passage of cabling vertically through said work surface and horizontally through said edge, said grommet including a housing which is seated in said wire passage and defines a vertical passage therethrough and a horizontal passage which opens through an open end of said housing, said open end being disposed proximate said edge of said work surface, said grommet further including a horizontally enlarged top cover and an end cover, said top cover including first pivot means for pivotally connecting said top cover to said housing such that said top cover is pivotable between open and closed positions, said top cover enclosing said vertical passage when in said closed position and defining an opening to permit the passage of cabling therethrough when in said closed position, said end cover including a horizontal section and a vertical section connected to said horizontal section, said horizontal section including second pivot means for pivotally connecting said end cover to said housing so as to be pivotable between open and closed positions, and said vertical section enclosing said open end when said end cover is in said closed position and being displaceable upwardly away from said open end during pivoting of said end cover about said second pivot means, said vertical section defining an opening which permits the passage of cabling horizontally through said open end of said grommet when in said closed position.

21. A wire management arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said horizontal section extends horizontally between said vertical section and said second pivot means and overlies said horizontal passage when said end cover is in said closed position.

22. A wire management arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said first pivot means is disposed between opposite ends of said top cover such that manual pressing of one of said opposite ends pivots the other opposite end upwardly to said open position.

23. A wire management arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said end cover and said top cover are removable when in said open position to provide access to said vertical passage and said horizontal passage.

24. A grommet for managing cables comprising:

a housing having a hollow interior which receives cabling therein and defines a horizontal passage extending through an open end of said housing; and

a cover which includes pivot means for pivotally connecting said cover to said housing so as to overlie said open end of said passage, said pivot means defining a pivot axis which extends sidewardly between opposite side walls of said housing such that said cover is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, said pivot means preventing removal of said cover when in said closed position while permitting removal of said cover from said housing when said cover is in said open position, said cover overlying said open end of said passage when in said closed position and projecting upwardly so as to provide access to said passage when in said open position, said cover having an L-shaped cross-section defined by a horizontal section which overlies an upper side of said horizontal passage and a vertical section extending downwardly from said horizontal section so as to enclose said open end of said housing, said vertical section defining an opening on an edge thereof to permit the passage of cabling horizontally therethrough when said cover is in said closed position.

25. A grommet according to claim 24, wherein said housing defines a vertical passage which extends into said hollow interior and is in communication with said horizontal passage.

26. A grommet according to claim 25, wherein said grommet includes a top cover which is pivotally connected to said housing and overlies said vertical passage.

27. A grommet according to claim 24, wherein a lower edge of said vertical section defines said opening for the passage of cabling.