Flush mounted flip top telecommunication and electrical station for board room tables

• US 6,338,301 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Original Assignee: Spider Manufacturing, Inc. (Dirtt Environmental Solutions)
• Inventors: Almond, Gordon S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Hanh V.
• Application Number:
  US09/453,179
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 108/25, 108/26, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 312/223.6, 312/223.1, 312/223.3, 312/322, 174/48, 174/50, 174/57, 174/66, 220/3.8, 220/3.2, 220/241
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables

Abstract

A telecommunication, data including audio and visual data, and electrical station which can be permanently mounted within an aperture formed in a board room table includes a container having a perimeter flange which supports the station within the table. The container also has separate compartments for electrical plug-ins and data and telecommunication jacks. The upper face of the compartments are tilted toward the user for ease of attaching plugs and jacks. A lid pivots between a closed position flush and coplanar with the table surface and an open position fully rotated below the surface of the table so as to permit unrestricted access by the user to the interior of the station.

Claims

1. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical avid telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mountable into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face when said service outlet support is mounted in said container,

wherein said service outlet support has depending therefrom at least one generally vertical support arm which is spaced inwardly from one of said perimeter walls adjacent said at least one generally vertical support arm so as to elevate said upper mounting face from said bottom wall and so that said one of said perimeter walls and said at least one generally vertical support arm define a lid receiving cavity therebetween,

and wherein said lid in said open position is generally entirely contained within said lid receiving cavity and generally entirely beneath said first plane.

2. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper mounting face has an inwardly facing perimeter portion joined at the medial point thereof by a transverse strip thereby defining a pair of apertures under which conventional electrical, data and telecommunication service outlets are mounted,

and wherein, depending from said transverse strip is a divider wall dividing said container into separate compartments.

3. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 1 further comprising securing means to secure said station within said aperture formed in said table, said securing means selectively positionable in vertical relation to the underside of said table and mountable on said perimeter walls.

4. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 3, wherein said securing means are rigid flanges having threaded apertures for the threaded engagement therethrough of threaded bolts at right angles to said first plane so as to compress said table between an upper end of said bolt and said container support at right angles to said first plane.

5. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper mounting face lies in a plane which is canted with respect to said first plane and said service outlets are generally in a line of sight through said upper access aperture with a user sitting at said table when said station is mounted in said table whereby insertion and removal of electrical plugs, data and telecommunication jacks is facilitated by said canting of said upper mounting face.

6. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lid has downwardly and outwardly projecting arms for pivotal connection generally at terminal ends of said arms to opposite walls of said perimeter walls, said lid pivotable about an axis parallel to and spaced from said first plane, so as to be rotatable between said open and closed positions, and wherein in said open position said lid is fully rotated below said first plane into said container.

7. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 1 wherein said lid is pivotable about an axis of rotation, said axis of rotation generally parallel to said first plane so that in said open position said lid is fully retracted into said lid receiving cavity below said first plane.

8. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 1 further comprising rotational stops mounted to an inside face of each of said opposite perimeter walls, positioned adjacent a rotation path of said lid for contact with said lid when said lid is in said closed position.

9. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container support is a lip, cantilevered outwardly from said upper perimeter edge, and mountable flush and coplanar with said upper surface of said table.

10. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 9 wherein said lip is a circumferential lip extending contiguously around said upper perimeter edge.

11. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 1 wherein said lid is nested, when in said open position, within said lid receiving cavity.

12. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 9 wherein said lip is sized to fit snugly within a groove formed around edges of said aperture in said table so as to mount an upper surface of said lip flush with said upper work surface of said table.

13. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 11 wherein said lid is a pair of clam-shell doors, each of said clam-shell doors pivotable oppositely from the other between said closed position and said open position wherein said each of said clam-shell doors is nested within a corresponding said cavity between said perimeter walls of said container and said service outlet support when said service outlet support is mounted into said container.

14. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access, into said container,

a service outlet support mounted into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face,

wherein said service outlet support has depending therefrom at least one generally vertical support arm which is spaced inwardly from one of said perimeter walls adjacent said at least one generally vertical support arm so as to elevate said upper mounting face from said bottom wall and so that said one of said perimeter walls and said at least one generally vertical support arm define a lid receiving cavity therebetween,

and wherein said lid in said open position is generally entirely contained within said lid receiving cavity and generally entirely beneath said first plane.

15. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 14 wherein said upper mounting face has an inwardly facing perimeter portion joined at the medial point thereof by a transverse strip thereby defining a pair of apertures under which conventional electrical, data and telecommunication service outlets are mounted,

and wherein, depending from said transverse strip is a divider wall dividing said container into separate compartments.

16. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 14 further comprising securing means to secure said station within said aperture formed in said table, said securing means selectively positionable in vertical relation to the underside of said table and mountable on said perimeter walls.

17. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 16 wherein said securing means are rigid flanges having threaded apertures for the threaded engagement therethrough of threaded bolts at right angles to said first plane so as to compress said table between an upper end of said bolt and said container support at right angles to said first plane.

18. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 14 wherein said upper mounting face lies in a plane which is canted with respect to said first plane and said service outlets are generally in a line of sight through said upper access aperture with a user sitting at said table when said station is mounted in said table whereby insertion and removal of electrical plugs, data and telecommunication jacks is facilitated by said canting of said upper mounting face.

19. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 14 wherein said lid has downwardly and outwardly projecting arms for pivotal connection generally at terminal ends of said arms to opposite walls of said perimeter walls, said lid pivotable about an axis parallel to and spaced from said first plane, so as to be rotatable between said open and closed positions, and wherein in said open position said lid is fully rotated below said first plane into said container.

20. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 15 wherein said lid is, pivotable about an axis of rotation, said axis of rotation generally parallel to said first plane so that in said open position said lid is fully retracted into said lid receiving cavity below said first plane.

21. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 14 further comprising rotational stops mounted to an inside face of each of said opposite perimeter walls, positioned adjacent a rotation path of said lid for contact with said lid when said lid is in said closed position.

22. A telecommunication, data and electrical station as claimed in claim 14 wherein said container support is a lip, cantilevered outwardly from said upper perimeter edge, and mountable flush and coplanar with said upper surface of said table.

23. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 22 wherein said lip is a circumferential lip extending contiguously around said upper perimeter edge.

24. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 14 wherein said lid is nested, when in said open position, within said lid receiving cavity.

25. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 22, wherein said lip is sized to fit snugly within a groove formed around edges of said aperture in said table so as to mount an upper surface of said lip flush with said upper work surface of said table.

26. The telecommunication, data and electrical station of claim 24 wherein said lid is a pair of clam-shell doors, each of said clam-shell doors pivotable oppositely from the other between said closed position and said open position wherein said each of said clam-shell doors is nested within a corresponding said cavity between said perimeter walls of said container and said service outlet support when said service outlet support is mounted into said container.

27. A telcommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mountable into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face when said service outlet support is mounted in said container,

wherein said upper mounting face has an inwardly facing perimeter portion joined at the medial point thereof by a transverse strip thereby defining a pair of apertures under which conventional electrical, data and telecommunication service outlets are mounted,

and wherein, depending from said transverse strip is a divider wall dividing said container into separate compartments.

28. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mountable into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face when said service outlet support is mounted in said container,

further comprising securing means to secure said station within said aperture formed in said table, said securing means selectively positionable in vertical relation to the underside of said table and mountable on said perimeter walls,

and wherein said securing means are rigid flanges having threaded apertures for the threaded engagement therethrough of threaded bolts at right angles to said first plane so as to compress said table between an upper end of said bolt and said container support at right angles to said first plane.

29. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mountable into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face when said service outlet support is mounted in said container,

wherein said lid has downwardly and outwardly projecting arms for pivotal connection generally it terminal ends of said arms to opposite walls of said perimeter walls, said lid pivotable about an axis parallel to and spaced from said first plane, so as to be rotatable between said open and closed positions, and wherein in said open position said lid is fully rotated below said first plane into said container.

30. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said tables,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mountable into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face when said service outlet support is mounted in said container,

further comprising rotational stops mounted to an inside face of each of said opposite perimeter walls, positioned adjacent a rotation path of said lid for contact with said lid when said lid is in said closed position.

31. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter wills secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mountable into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane when said service outlet support is in mounted into said container,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face when said service outlet support is mounted in said container,

and wherein said lid is nested, when in said open position, within a cavity formed between said perimeter walls of said container and said service outlet support when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

and wherein said lid is a pair of clam-shell doors, each of said clam-shell doors pivotable oppositely from the other between said closed position and said open position wherein said each of said claim-shell doors is nested within a corresponding said cavity between said perimeter walls of said container and said service outlet support when said service outlet support is mounted into said container.

32. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mounted into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face,

wherein said upper mounting face has an inwardly facing perimeter portion joined at the medial point thereof by a transverse strip thereby defining a pair of apertures under which conventional electrical, data and telecommunication service outlets are mounted,

and wherein, depending from said transverse strip is a divider wall dividing said container into seperate compartments.

33. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mounted into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face,

further comprising securing means to secure said station within said aperture formed in said table, said securing means selectively positionable in vertical relation to the underside of said table and mountable on said perimeter walls,

wherein said securing means are rigid flanges having threaded apertures for the threaded engagement therethrough of threaded bolts at right angles to said first plane so as to compress said table between an upper end of said bolt and said container support at right angles to said first plane.

34. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mounted into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face,

wherein said lid has downwardly and outwardly projecting arms for pivotal connection generally at terminal ends of said arms to opposite walls of said perimeter walls, said lid pivotable about an axis parallel to and spaced from said first plane, so as to be rotatable between said open and closed positions, and wherein in said open position said lid is fully rotated below said first plane into said container.

35. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mounted into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an open position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face,

further comprising rotational stops mounted to an inside face of each of said opposite perimeter walls, positioned adjacent a rotation path of said lid for contact with said lid when said lid is in said closed position.

36. A telecommunication, data, and electrical station which is flush mountable within an aperture formed through an upper work surface of a table, the station comprising:

a rigid container wherein said container has surrounding an upper perimeter edge thereof, a container support projecting outwardly therefrom in a first plane parallel to an upper surface of said table when said container is mounted in said table through said aperture in said table,

perimeter walls secured to and depending from said container support and a bottom wall connected to a lower edge of said perimeter walls spaced from said container support,

said bottom wall having a conduit aperture therein to provide insertion access for electrical arid telecommunication conduit,

said container support and said perimeter walls defining an upper access aperture for access into said container,

a service outlet support mounted into said container for mounting thereon electrical and telecommunication service outlets in cooperation with said electrical and telecommunication conduit,

said service outlet support having an upper mounting face recessed below said first plane,

a lid selectively pivotable between a closed position covering said upper access aperture and an opens position wherein said lid is pivoted completely into said container, said lid when pivoted into said closed position lying flush and coplanar with said container support within said upper access aperture, and when pivoted into said open position providing access through said upper access aperture to said upper mounting face,

wherein said lid is nested, when in said open position, within a cavity formed between said perimeter walls of said container and said service outlet support when said service outlet support is mounted into said container,

wherein said lid is a pair of clam-shell doors, each of said clam-shell doors pivotable oppositely from the other between said closed position and said open position wherein said each of said clam-shell doors is nested within a corresponding said cavity between said perimeter walls of said container and said service outlet support when said service outlet support is mounted into said container.