Distribution duct for work space environment system

• US 5,881,500 A
• Filed: 01/16/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wright Line LLC (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Applied Power Incorporated (ICC-Nexergy, Inc)
• Inventors: Paquette, Edmund T., Beck, Patrick K., Latino, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): KENT, CHRISTOPHER T
• Application Number:
  US08/784,879
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 52/36.1, 52/36.6, 52/220.7, 52/239
• US Class Current: 52/36.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• 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: H02G 3/288 in modular walls, e.g. wall panels

Abstract

A distribution duct for power distribution wiring, data communication wiring, and the other wiring is mounted between adjacent perforated support columns of a work space system. The duct extends laterally from the columns to allow the wiring to pass the face of a column. The duct includes an inner elongated member which rests at each end in a perforation in a respective column. A resilient clip holds each end of the inner member in the perforations. The inner member has an open side that is covered by an elongated outer member that is coextensive with the inner member and extends laterally away from one side of the columns. The outer member is snapped in place on the inner member, and covers snap in place on the outer members to connect the ends of adjacent outer members. An identical inner member may be mounted to the rear of a first inner member and receive a similar outer member to form a two-sided duct.

Claims

1. In a work space system of the type having perforated support columns from which elements are supported and having a power distribution duct spanning said columns, said columns having front sides that lie in a plane, said duct containing energy conductors to or from conductor access points spaced along said duct, the improvement wherein said duct comprises:

an elongated inner member that extends transversely between adjacent columns and generally behind the plane of said front sides, said inner member having a first open side; and

an elongated outer member covering said first open side and extending outwardly from the front side of said columns.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said energy conductors are included in an electrical conductor track which is contained in the inner member.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein an electrical outlet is secured to said track and extends into said outer member.

4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said columns have rear sides that lie in a plane and said inner member has a second open side opposite from said first open side and an additional elongated outer member covers said second open side and extends outwardly from the rear side of said columns.

5. The improvement of claim 4, wherein conductor access points are provided in both outer members.

6. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said system has at least three adjacent columns including a middle column spaced between two other columns, inner members are positioned in the spaces between said adjacent columns, an elongated outer member covers the first open side of each inner member, and said elongated outer members are connected by a connecting cover which spans the front side of said middle column thereby defining a conduit space between said connecting cover and the front side of said middle column.

7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein electrical conductor tracks are contained in each said duct and a cable which extends through said conduit space connects adjacent tracks.

8. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said duct is removably connected to said columns so as to be adjustable in height on said columns.

9. The improvement of claim 8, wherein the inner member has tabs at its ends that are received in perforations in the columns, fasteners connect the inner member to the columns, and the outer member is attached to the inner member.

10. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the fasteners are retainer clips that include a barb that extends through the inner member and through a column perforation.

11. The improvement of claim 9 wherein the inner member has lips adjacent its top and bottom and the outer member is resiliently mounted on the lips.

12. A distribution duct for a work station system that includes spaced perforated columns from which elements are supported, the columns having front sides that lie in a plane, the duct comprising:

an elongated inner member for extending transversely between adjacent columns and generally behind said plane, said inner member including ends that are adapted to engage with the perforations in the front side of the adjacent columns, said inner member having an open face; and

an elongated outer member coextensive with the inner member and covering the open face and for extending outwardly from said plane,

the inner and outer members adapted to define an elongated space between and to said front side of the columns.

13. A duct in accordance with claim 12 together with a removable fastener for securing an end of the inner member to a column.

14. A duct in accordance with claim 12 wherein inner members are adapted to extend between adjacent pairs of a plurality of columns, an outer member is disposed on each inner member, and covers connect adjacent outer members.

15. A duct in accordance with claim 12 together with a second elongated inner member for extending transversely between the adjacent columns and including ends that are adapted to engage with the perforations in a rear side of the adjacent columns, the second inner member having an open face, the second inner member being joined back-to-back to the first inner member, and a second elongated outer member coextensive with the second inner member and covering the open face of the second inner member.

16. A duct in accordance with the claim 15 wherein the first and second inner members are identical.

17. A duct in accordance with claim 13 wherein the ends of the inner member are adapted to overlie the front side of the columns and contain perforations that match the perforations in the column, and each end has a tab for engaging a perforation in a column.

18. A duct in accordance with claim 17 wherein the fastener is a removable clip that has a ledge that is adapted to extend through one set of aligned perforations in the end of the inner member and a column, and a resilient barb that is adapted to extend through a second set of aligned perforations.

19. A duct in accordance with claim 14 wherein the outer members snap in place onto the inner members and the covers snap in place on the outer members.

20. A duct in accordance with claim 12 wherein the inner member has upper and lower longitudinal lips at the top and bottom of the open face, and the outer member includes upper and lower edges that are received in the lips to mount the outer member to the inner member.

21. A duct in accordance with claim 20 wherein the upper and lower edges of the outer member include longitudinal grooves,

together with a cover having a cross-section profile like that of the outer member and having upper and lower fingers that are received in the grooves.

22. A kit of parts for a distribution duct to be attached to spaced perforated columns having front sides that lie in a plane, comprising:

identical elongated inner members adapted to extend between adjacent columns behind said plane and to attach to the perforations on the front side of the columns, the inner members having an open front face;

identical elongated outer members coextensive in length to the inner members and adapted to attach to a respective inner member to cover the open face thereof, the outer members extending outwardly from the open face; and

at least one cover for connecting the ends of adjacent outer members at a column.

23. A kit in accordance with claim 22 together with resilient fasteners for joining the ends of the inner members to the perforations in the columns.

24. A kit in accordance with claim 22 wherein the inner members have rear flanges that are adapted to abut with the rear flanges of another inner member, together with fasteners for joining together the abutting rear flanges.

25. A kit in accordance with claim 24 wherein the inner members are open to the rear, together with an electrical conductor track adapted to be received in a space defined by two inner members arranged back to back.

26. A kit in accordance with claim 25 wherein the ends of the track mount resilient arms that engage the top and bottom of the open front faces of the two inner members.