Support rail assembly for office accessories

• US 6,267,338 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Byrne, David, Mitchell, Edward, Roels, Ricky D., Saylor, Charles, Phillips, Sheldon, Compton, Cheryl C., Brinks, Kevin L., Wayner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Application Number:
  US09/304,162
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 248/200, 248/121, 248/122.1, 248/126, 248/201, 248/231.61, 248/231.71, 248/298.1, 211/94.01, 211/162, 211/133.1, 108/44
• US Class Current: 248/200
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/033 with parts added to the original furniture to enlarge its surface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2037/005 Tables specially adapted for laboratories
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment

Abstract

A support rail assembly for positioning work-related accessories adjacent a worksurface such as a table. The rail assembly includes a horizontally elongated rail supported in upwardly spaced relationship from the worksurface by a support arm or stanchion. The rail defines therein an elongate slot which permits the mounting of accessories in various positions on the rail which are convenient to the user. The rail is supportable from either the rear edge of a worksurface or may be cantilevered forwardly from a wall adjacent the worksurface or from a wall panel to which the worksurface is attached.

Claims

1. An office accessory arrangement for use with a worksurface having an enlarged upper surface, said arrangement comprising:

an elongate support rail stationarily positionable above the worksurface and extendible generally along a longitudinal edge thereof, said support rail defining therein a pair of slots disposed in angled relation with one another, said slots communicating with one another and opening outwardly via a common access opening defined in a peripheral wall of said support rail; and

an accessory supported entirely on said support rail so as to be free of supportive engagement with the worksurface, said accessory having a mounting part which projects into only one of said slots to releasably secure said accessory to said support rail, whereby the angled relation of said slots permits said accessory to be disposed in different positions relative to the worksurface and permits mounting of different accessories on said support rail.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said slots and said access opening extend along substantially the entire lengthwise extent of said support rail such that said accessory is positionable at any desirable location therealong.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said peripheral wall of said support rail defines front and rear legs each defining one of said slots therein, said front and rear legs each including a pair of opposed and spaced-apart top and bottom walls connected to one another by an edge wall extending therebetween, said edge wall of said front leg defining a forwardmost extent of said support rail and said edge wall of said rear leg defining a rearward most extent of said support rail, said top, bottom and edge walls of the respective front and rear legs together defining the respective said slot.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said access opening is defined by adjacent and opposed free edges of said top walls of said front and rear legs.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said accessory comprises a document support tray having a base wall, and said mounting part includes a stiff but resiliently deflectable flange which is secured to and cantilevered downwardly from said base wall for projection into one of said pair of slots.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said mounting part includes a generally vertically oriented leg part which projects downwardly from said base wall and is connected at a lower end thereof to said flange to space said flange downwardly from said base wall.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 further including a pair of support arms connectable to the worksurface adjacent a rear edge portion thereof, said support rail being slidably engageable on upper ends of the respective support arms to stationarily position said support rail above the worksurface and generally along the rear edge portion thereof.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein said support rail mounts thereon an elongate mounting member which extends in the longitudinal direction of said support rail along substantially the entire longitudinal extent thereof and the respective support arms each include a receiving member defining therein a channel for slidably receiving said mounting member, each said channel being open at opposite ends thereof, and said elongate mounting member being slidably and sidewardly insertable into said channels of the respective support arms through respective open ends thereof to releasably but fixedly secure said support rail to said support arms.

18. The arrangement of claim 1 further including a support arm having a forwardmost end mounting said support rail thereon, said support arm including a mounting arrangement at a rearwardmost end thereof adapted for securing said support arm to an upright wall member disposed closely adjacent the longitudinal edge of the worksurface.

19. The arrangement of claim 18 further including a support bracket fixed to said rearwardmost end of said support arm, said support bracket including at least one hook projecting outwardly therefrom for engagement within a slot formed in a rigid upright member of a space-dividing wall panel system.

9. An office accessory arrangement for use with a worksurface having an enlarged upper surface, said arrangement comprising:

an elongate support rail stationarily positionable above the worksurface and extendible generally along a longitudinal edge thereof, said support rail defining therein a pair of slots in communication with one another and which open outwardly via a common access opening defined in a peripheral wall of said support rail, said peripheral wall of said support rail defining front and rear legs each defining one of said slots therein, said rear leg and the respective slot projecting generally horizontally and said front leg and the respective slot projecting forwardly and angling downwardly from a junction with said rear leg such that said front and rear legs together define a downwardly-opening, shallow V-shape configuration with said access opening extending longitudinally along said junction; and

entirety rail so as to be free of supportive engagement with the worksurface, said accessory having a mounting part which projects into one of said slots to releasably secure said accessory to said support rail.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said front and rear legs and the respective slots together define an included angle of greater than 90°

such that said accessory is positionable in either a generally horizontal orientation upon said mounting part thereof being inserted into said slot of said rear leg or in an angled position upon said mounting part thereof being inserted into said slot of said front leg.

11. A support rail assembly for use with a worksurface having an enlarged upper surface, a front edge portion adjacent a user and a rear edge portion remote from the user, said assembly comprising:

an elongate support rail having longitudinally extending front and rear edges and a pair of free end edges extending transversely relative to said front and rear edges, said support rail being adapted for mounting an accessory thereon; and

a support arm connectable to the worksurface adjacent the rear edge portion thereof for stationarily positioning said support rail above the worksurface and generally along the rear edge portion thereof, one of said support rail and said support arm mounting thereon an elongate mounting member which extends in the longitudinal direction of said support rail and projects in a direction transverse relative thereto and the other of said support rail and said support arm defining therein a channel for slidably receiving said elongate mounting member, said channel being open at opposite ends thereof generally adjacent said free end edges of said support rail such that said elongate mounting member is slidably and sidewardly insertable into said channel through one of said open ends such that said support arm is slidably positionable along the longitudinal extent of said support rail.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said support rail has a bottom portion having said elongate mounting member projecting generally downwardly therefrom, and said support arm has an upper end having a mounting plate secured thereto, said channel extending transversely across said mounting plate and said mounting plate being in supportive engagement with said bottom portion of said support rail.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said elongate mounting member includes a rod-shaped portion and an elongate rib extending along the length of said rod-shaped portion for mounting said rod-shaped portion to said bottom portion, said rib having a smaller cross-sectional size than said rod-shaped portion, said channel opening upwardly through an access opening having a smaller cross-sectional size than said channel, said rod-shaped portion being slidably disposed within said channel and said rib extending downwardly through said access opening to secure said support rail to said support arm.

14. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said support rail includes front and rear legs each defining a longitudinally extending slot therein for mounting an accessory on said support rail, said rear leg and the respective slot projecting generally horizontally and said front leg and the respective slot projecting forwardly and angling downwardly from a junction with said rear leg such that front and rear legs together define a shallow V-shape configuration.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said front and rear legs each include opposed and spaced-apart top and bottom walls connected to one another by an edge wall extending therebetween, said edge wall of said front leg defining said front edge of said support rail and said edge wall of said rear leg defining said rear edge of said support rail, said top, bottom and edge walls of the respective front and rear legs together defining the respective slot, said slots communicating with one another and opening outwardly via a common access opening for permitting mounting of the accessory on said support rail, said access opening being defined between adjacent and opposed longitudinally extending free edges of said top walls of said front and rear legs.

16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said support arm has an upper end mounting thereon front and rear mounting plates disposed on opposite sides of said channel, said channel opening upwardly through an access opening defined between inner opposed longitudinal edges of said mounting plates, said front and rear mounting plates being respectively disposed in supportive engagement with said front and rear legs of said support rail.

17. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said support rail is releasably fastened to an upper end of said support arm, said support arm having a lower end which is adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the worksurface, said assembly further including a generally L-shaped mounting element for securing said support arm and said support rail to the rear edge portion of the worksurface, said mounting element having a first leg which is adapted to overly the rear edge portion of the worksurface and a second leg fixed to a lower end of said first leg for projecting partially under the worksurface.

20. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said support rail is releasably fastened to an upper end of said support arm, said assembly further including a mounting arrangement for removably mounting said support arm to the rear edge portion of the worksurface, said mounting arrangement including a base portion fixed to a lower end of said support arm which bears upon the upper surface of the worksurface and an elongate bracket adapted for connection longitudinally along the rear edge portion and defining an upwardly opening channel, said mounting arrangement further including a generally vertically-oriented mounting part fixed to said base portion and overlying the rear edge portion of the worksurface, said mounting part being snugly engaged within said channel of said bracket to secure said support arm to the worksurface.

21. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said mounting member projects transversely and generally downwardly from a lower portion of said support rail and extends along substantially the entire longitudinal extent thereof, said channel is defined in an upper end of said support arm, and said support arm is slidably positionable between said free end edges of said support rail and supports said support rail from a lower side thereof.

22. The assembly of claim 21 further including a pair of said support arms connectable to the worksurface adjacent the rear edge portion thereof, said support arms being slidably positionable along the longitudinal extent of said support rail between said free end edges thereof.

23. A support rail assembly for use with a worksurface having an enlarged upper surface, a lower surface opposite said upper surface, a front edge portion adjacent a user and a rear edge portion remote from the user, said assembly comprising:

an elongate support rail adapted for mounting an accessory thereon;

an upright support arm having an upper end releasably connected to said support rail for stationarily positioning the support rail above the worksurface and generally along the rear edge portion thereof and a lower end for bearing upon the upper surface of the worksurface, said support arm defining thereon a rear upright surface disposed between said upper and lower ends for facing away from the front edge portion of the worksurface;

a mounting arrangement for securing said support arm and said support rail to the worksurface, said mounting arrangement including;

a mounting flange having a first leg portion which overlies at least part of said rear surface of said support arm and a second leg portion fixed to said first leg portion and projecting in a generally horizontal manner from a lower end thereof for extension under the worksurface, said first leg portion defining therein at least one slot;

at least one pin member projecting generally outwardly from said rear surface for engagement within said one slot; and

a fastening member associated with said second leg portion and being adjustable to exert a generally downwardly directed force on said first leg portion so as to wedge said one pin in said one slot and fixedly but releasably secure said support arm and support rail to the worksurface.

24. The support rail assembly of claim 23 wherein said fastening member threadingly engages with said second leg portion and has an upper end for engagement with the lower surface of the worksurface and a lower end configured for gripping by a hand or tool, said fastening member being manually rotatable to bring said upper end thereof into clamping engagement with the lower surface of the worksurface and to wedge said one pin in said slot.

25. The support rail assembly of claim 23 wherein said second leg portion is adapted to be spaced horizontally downwardly from the lower surface of the worksurface.

26. The support rail assembly of claim 23 wherein said support arm and said first leg portion have generally arcuate configurations so as to project forwardly from the rear edge portion of the worksurface toward the front edge portion thereof, said mounting flange having a minimal thickness to permit downward projection of said mounting flange between the rear edge portion of the worksurface and a wall member positioned closely adjacent the rear edge portion.

27. The support rail assembly of claim 23 wherein said support arm includes a pair of generally parallel flanges spaced-apart from one another and extending along opposite longitudinal edges of said rear surface so as to project outwardly therefrom, said flanges and said rear surface together defining an upwardly opening and generally U-shaped recess configured to receive said first leg portion.

28. A combination comprising:

a worksurface having longitudinally extending front and rear edges and defining thereon an enlarged upper surface;

a horizontally elongated support rail having a length defined between a pair of free terminal ends thereof, said support rail defining a pair of slots in communication with one another and opening outwardly and frontwardly of said support rail via a common access opening which is disposed opposite a mounting element, said mounting element projecting transversely and rearwardly from said support rail and extending longitudinally along a substantial portion of said length thereof;

an office-type accessory supported entirely on said support rail so as to be free of supportive engagement with the worksurface, said accessory having a mounting part which projects into one of said slots via said access opening to releasably secure said accessory to said support rail; and

a support arm disposed adjacent the rear edge of the worksurface for stationarily positioning said support rail above the worksurface so as to extend generally along the rear edge thereof, said support arm including a mounting part defined on an upper end thereof which slidably receives said mounting element of said support rail, said support arm being positioned between said free terminal ends of said support rail; and

a mounting arrangement for removably mounting said support arm adjacent the rear edge of the worksurface.

29. The combination of claim 28 wherein said mounting part of said support arm comprises a plate defining a channel therein which opens both outwardly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of said support rail and sidewardly generally adjacent each of the respective free terminal ends of said support rail, said mounting element projecting transversely from a lower side of said support rail and being releasably engaged within said channel and sidewardly insertable thereinto through one of said open ends thereof.

30. The combination of claim 29 further including a pair of said support arms connectable to the worksurface for stationarily positioning said support rail above the worksurface, said support arms being positioned inwardly of the respective free terminal end edges of said support rail.

31. An office accessory arrangement comprising:

an elongate support rail including front and rear legs each defining a slot therein, said slots opening outwardly via a common access opening, said front and rear legs and the respective slots being disposed in angled relation with one another such that said front and rear legs together define a shallow inverted V-shaped configuration with said access opening extending longitudinally along a junction between said front and rear legs;

an accessory having a mounting element which projects into one of said slots to releasably secure said accessory to said support rail; and

a support arm for stationarily positioning said support rail along an upright wall member, said support arm having a front end which mounts said support rail thereon and a rear end securable to the wall member.

32. The arrangement of claim 31 further including a support bracket fixed to said rear end of said support arm, said support bracket including at least one hook projecting outwardly therefrom for engagement within a slot formed in a rigid upright member of a space-dividing wall panel system.

33. The arrangement of claim 31 wherein said front end of said support arm defines a channel which extends in the longitudinal direction of said support rail, and said support rail on a lower side thereof includes a transversely projecting and elongate mounting member which is slidably engageable within said channel to releasably connect said support rail to said support arm.

34. The arrangement of claim 33 wherein said front and rear legs each include opposed and spaced-apart top and bottom walls connected to one another by an edge wall extending therebetween, said edge wall of said front leg defining a front edge of said support rail and said edge wall of said rear leg defining a rear edge of said support rail, said top, bottom and edge walls of the respective front and rear legs together defining the respective slot, said access opening being defined between adjacent and opposed longitudinally extending free edges of said top walls of said front and rear legs.