Table wire trough

• US 5,971,508 A
• Filed: 05/17/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Stewart, Robert L., Mead, Karl J., Nielsen, Erik, Deimen, Michael L., Nieh, Ting-Wen, Crissler, Thomas F., Tjandra, Subur
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/649,212
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.6, 312/223.3, 312/223.4, 312/223.5, 312/223.1, 312/246, 312/194, 108/50.02, 108/23, 108/25, 108/26, 108/27, 248/58, 248/63, 248/68.1, 248/73, 174/48, 174/49, 361/832, 361/826, 361/827
• US Class Current: 312/223.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0418 Covers or lids; Their fastenings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0437 Channels

Abstract

A modular wireway which is adapted to be utilized with easily mountable, demountable and remountable attachments includes an elongate member which is mountable to a support surface and at least one connector which is adapted for mating with a connector on a removably attachable cable management trough or a removably attachable modesty panel, or both. The disclosed elongate member has a generally I-shaped transverse cross-section and includes an upper horizontal flange member configured to be mounted on a support bracket secured to a support surface, a web which depends from the upper horizontal flange member, and a lower attachment flange connected to the lower end of the web. The attachment flange includes one or more connectors which allow attachment of one or more removable closures which together with the elongate member define an enclosed raceway, a rigidly connected auxiliary cable management trough, a hingedly connected cable management trough, and/or a modesty panel. The modular wireway invention allows furniture and the like to be quickly and easily configured and reconfigured as desired to provide powerways and auxiliary wireways for communication cables.

Claims

1. A modular wireway dependently supported from an underside of a worksurface comprising:

an elongate member depending from the underside of the worksurface, a modesty panel dependently attached to the elongate member, the elongate member including at least one connector mating with a connector on a removably attached cable management trough, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners, the elongate member including a modesty panel connector engaging a mating connector on the dependently attached modesty panel.

2. The modular wireway of claim 1, wherein the at least one connector is configured for rigidly connecting the cable management trough to the elongate member.

3. The modular wireway of claim 1, wherein the elongate member further comprises at least one retainer for removably supporting at least one closure on the elongate member to define an enclosed raceway, the retainer being configured to allow attachment of the closure to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

4. The modular wireway of claim 1, wherein the modesty panel includes a raceway having a bottom and side walls, the upper ends of the side walls of the raceway being vertically spaced away from the elongate member, whereby cables can be layed into the raceway.

5. The modular wireway of claim 1, wherein the elongate member has a generally I-shaped transverse cross-section and includes an upper horizontal flange member configured to be mounted on a support bracket secured to the worksurface, a web which depends from the upper horizontal flange member, and a lower attachment flange connected to the lower end of the web.

6. The modular wireway of claim 5, wherein the attachment flange has at least two connectors, including at least one connector configured for rigidly connecting the cable management trough to the elongate member, and at least one connector configured for hingedly connecting the cable management trough to the elongate member.

7. A modular wireway dependently supportable from an underside of a support surface of an article of furniture comprising:

an elongate member which is configured to be dependently mountable to the underside of the support surface, the elongate member including at least one connector for mating with a connector on a removably attachable cable management trough, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners, wherein the at least one connector is configured for hingedly connecting the cable management trough to the elongate member.

8. A modular wireway dependently supportable from an underside of a support surface of an article of furniture comprising:

an elongate member which is configured to be dependently mountable to the underside of the support surface, the elongate member including at least one connector for mating with a connector on a removably attachable cable management trough, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners, wherein the elongate member includes at least two connectors, including at least one connector configured for rigidly connecting the cable management trough to the elongate member, and at least one connector configured for hingedly connecting the cable management trough to the elongate member.

9. A modular wireway comprising:

an elongate member which is mountable to a support surface, the elongate member including at least one connector for mating with a connector on an attachable cable management trough, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners, the elongate member further comprising a modesty panel connector, the modesty panel connector being configured to allow attachment of a modesty panel to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners, and a modesty panel having a mating connector configured to engage the modesty panel connector on the elongate member, the modesty panel being dependently attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom, and at least one side access door which is hingedly connected to the raceway.

10. The modular wireway of claim 9, wherein the access door includes a connector for detachably and hingedly connecting the access door to the modesty panel without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

11. A modular wireway dependently supported from an underside of a worksurface comprising:

an elongate member depending from the underside of the worksurface, a modesty panel dependently and removably supported from the elongate member, the elongate member including a modesty panel connector engaging a mating connector on the dependently, removably attached modesty panel, and at least one retainer supporting at least one closure on the elongate member to define an enclosed raceway, wherein the elongate member has a generally I-shaped transverse cross-section and includes an upper horizontal flange member configured to be mounted on a support bracket secured to the worksurface, a web which depends from the upper horizontal flange member, and a lower attachment flange connected to the lower end of the web.

12. The modular wireway of claim 11, wherein the modesty panel connector is configured to allow attachment of the modesty panel to elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

13. The modular wireway of claim 11, wherein the retainer is configured to allow attachment of the closure to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

14. The modular wireway of claim 11, wherein the elongate member further comprises at least one trough connector for mating with a connector on an attachable cable management trough.

15. The modular wireway of claim 14, wherein the trough connector is configured to allow attachment of the cable management trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

16. The modular wireway of claim 11, wherein the modesty panel includes a raceway having a bottom and side walls, the upper ends of the side walls of the raceway being vertically spaced away from the elongate member, whereby cables can be layed into the raceway.

17. A modular wireway comprising:

an elongate member which is mountable to a support surface, the elongate member including a modesty panel connector for engaging a mating connector on a dependently attachable modesty panel, and at least one retainer for supporting at least one closure on the elongate member to define an enclosed raceway; and

a modesty panel having a mating connector configured to engage the modesty panel connector on the elongate member, the modesty panel being dependently attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom, and at least one side access door which is hingedly connected to the raceway.

18. The modular wireway of claim 17, wherein the access door includes a connector for detachably and hingedly connecting the access door to the modesty panel without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

19. A modular wireway dependently supported from the underside of a worksurface comprising:

an elongate member dependently mounted to the underside of the worksurface, the elongate member including at least one connector mating with a connector on a cable management trough, whereby the cable management trough is removably mounted to the elongate member; and

a modesty panel removably attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom and sidewalls, the upper ends of the sidewalls of the raceway being vertically spaced apart from the elongate member, whereby cable can be laid into the raceway.

20. The modular wireway of claim 19, wherein the elongate member further comprises a modesty panel connector and the modesty panel includes a mating connector which is engaged with the modesty panel connector to removably attach the modesty panel to the elongate member.

21. The modular wireway of claim 20, wherein the modesty panel connector and mating connector are configured to allow attachment of the modesty panel to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners.

22. The modular wireway of claim 19, wherein the elongate member has a generally I-shaped transverse cross-section and includes an upper horizontal flange member configured to be mounted on a support bracket secured to the worksurface, a web which depends from the upper horizontal flange member, and a lower attachment flange connected to the lower end of the web.

23. A modular wireway comprising:

an elongate member which is mountable to a support surface, the elongate member including at least one connector for mating with a connector on an attachable cable management trough; and

a modesty panel removably attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom, and at least one side access door which is hingedly connected to the raceway.

24. An article of furniture comprising:

a worksurface;

an elongate member dependently mounted to an underside of the worksurface, the elongate member including at least one connector mating with a connector on a cable management trough, whereby the cable management trough is removably attached to the elongate member, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners; and

a modesty panel removably attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom and sidewalls, the upper ends of the sidewalls of the raceway being vertically spaced away from the elongate member, whereby cables can be laid into the raceway.

25. The article of furniture of claim 24, further comprising a pop-up grommet extending through the worksurface to allow one or more cables to be passed from the upper side of the worksurface, through the grommet, and to an electrical receptacle mounted on the elongate member.

26. An article of furniture comprising:

a worksurface;

an elongate member mounted to the worksurface, the elongate member including at least one connector for mating with a connector on a removably attachable cable management trough, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners; and

a modesty panel removably attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom, and at least one side access door which is hingedly connected to the raceway.

27. An article of furniture comprising:

a worksurface; and

an elongate member mounted to the worksurface, the elongate member including at least one connector for mating with a connector on an attachable cable management trough, the at least one connector being configured to allow attachment of the trough to the elongate member without tools or auxiliary fasteners, the elongate member having a generally I-shaped transverse cross-section and including an upper horizontal flange member configured to be mounted on a support bracket secured to a support surface, a web which depends from the upper horizontal flange member, and a lower attachment flange connected to the lower end of the web.

28. An article of furniture comprising:

a worksurface;

an elongate member mounted to the worksurface, the elongate member including a modesty panel connector for engaging a mating connector on an attachable modesty panel, and at least one retainer for supporting at least one closure on the elongate member to define an enclosed raceway; and

a modesty panel removably attached to the elongate member, the modesty panel including a raceway having a bottom, and at least one side access door which is hingedly connected to the raceway.

29. An article of furniture comprising:

a worksurface; and

an elongate member mounted to the worksurface, the elongate member including a modesty panel connector for engaging a mating connector on an attachable modesty panel, and at least one retainer for supporting at least one closure on the elongate member to define an enclosed raceway, the elongate member having a generally I-shaped transverse cross-section and including an upper horizontal flange member configured to be mounted on a support bracket secured to a support surface, a web which depends from the horizontal flange member, and a lower attachment flange connected to the lower end of the web.

30. A modular power and cable distribution system dependently supported from the underside of a worksurface of an article of furniture comprising:

an elongate member having a top flange dependently supported from the worksurface, a vertical web extending downwardly from the top flange, and a bottom flange, the bottom flange including a connector supporting at least one of a trough mounted laterally adjacent to the elongate member, a closure panel which together with the elongate member defines an enclosed powerway, and a modesty panel dependently supported from the elongate member.