Table with wire manager

• US 5,934,201 A
• Filed: 10/23/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howe Furniture Corp (Commercial Furniture Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Howe Furniture Corp (Commercial Furniture Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Diffrient, Niels
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/956,914
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.02, 312/223.6, 312/223.1
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0026 Desks with C-shaped leg

Abstract

A folding table has a top which is supported on two C-leg assemblies. Extending beneath the top and along its back edge is a wire tray having an access door accessible from beneath the table top. The vertical leg portion of at least one of the two C-leg assemblies carries a tubular wire housing having a vertical access opening. The opening is closed by the projecting flap portion of an elongated resilient member which is clamped between the vertical leg portion and the housing.

Claims

1. In a table comprising a substantially horizontal top having at least one edge and at least one substantially vertical leg, the improvement which comprises:

a wiring tray extending along said edge beneath said top, said wiring tray having an access door thereto accessible from beneath said top;

a housing secured to, and extending along a major portion of the length of, said leg and defining an elongated wire-receiving opening, the housing including at least one side substantially conforming to said leg; and

an elongated resilient member secured between the conforming side of said housing and said leg, said resilient member including a flap extending outwardly from the conforming side of said housing and normally closing said wire-receiving opening but displaceable to permit wires to enter or exit said housing, whereby any one of said wires may be housed within both of said tray and housing.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein both of said leg and said housing are tubular and have external substantially planar conforming facing surfaces separated by said resilient member.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said resilient member is substantially C-shaped in cross-section and comprises:

a substantially rectangular body portion separating said substantially planar facing surfaces and bounded on one edge by a bead from which said flap extends; and

an extension bounding a second, opposite, edge of the resilient member and forming a stripe between said vertical leg and said housing.

4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein each of said tubular leg and housing is substantially semi-oval in cross-section.

5. In a table comprising a substantially horizontal top having at least one edge and at least one substantially vertical leg, the improvement which comprises:

a housing secured to, and extending along a major portion of the length of, said leg and defining an elongated wire-receiving opening, the housing including at least one side substantially conforming to said leg; and

an elongated resilient member secured between the conforming side of said housing and said leg, said resilient member including a flap extending outwardly from the conforming side of said housing and normally closing said wire-receiving opening but displaceable to permit wires to enter or exit said housing.

6. The improvement of claim 5, wherein both of said leg and said housing are tubular and have external substantially planar conforming facing surfaces separated by said resilient member.

7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein said resilient member is substantially C-shaped in cross-section and comprises:

a substantially rectangular body portion separating said substantially planar facing surfaces and bounded on one edge by a bead from which said flap extends; and

an extension bounding a second, opposite, edge of the resilient member and forming a stripe between said vertical leg and said housing.

8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein each of said tubular leg and housing is substantially semi-oval in cross-section.

9. In a folding table comprising a substantially horizontal top having at least one edge and at least two hingedly mounted leg assemblies providing at least two substantially vertical legs, the improvement which comprises:

a wiring tray removably supported extending along said edge beneath said top by interengagement between respective first and second ends of the wiring tray and the at least two substantially vertical legs, said wiring tray having an access door between said first and second ends and accessible from beneath said top.

10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein a support wall extends along at least a portion of the length of said wiring tray and said access door is hingedly connected to said support wall.

11. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the at least two vertical legs each have at least one pin extending therefrom, and the first and second ends of the wiring tray each define a hook which hangs upon the pin of the adjacent vertical leg to support the wiring tray between the at least two vertical legs.