Table leg cable management system

• US 6,490,981 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valley Design Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valley Design Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Bettin, Joseph S., Isensee, Loren L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/777,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.02, 108/50.01, 108/190, 312/223.6, 312/223.3, 312/223.1, 248/49, 248/188, 248/188.1, 248/188.8, 522/207, 522/201
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/14 Bars, uprights, struts, or like supports, for cabinets, brackets, or the like aspects of adjusting height or inclination of shelves or brackets A47B57/00

Abstract

A support member for use with an article of furniture has cable management capabilities. The support member comprises an elongate leg member defined by a wall to form an elongate inner cavity therein. Preferably, the leg member has a substantially circular lateral cross-section. The wall has a slot therethrough providing access to the inner cavity. The slot has first and second ends where each end of the slot is spaced from its respective end of the elongate leg member. An access panel is hingedly attached to the support member to cover only an intermediate portion of the slot. The access panel is moveable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the access panel limits access to the inner cavity through the intermediate portion of the slot. In the open position the access panel allows access to the inner cavity along the entire length of the slot.

Claims

1. A support member comprising:

a tubular member having a contiguous perimeter wall, the wall configured to have

an elongate opening therethrough, the opening having a length extending less than that of the tubular member; and

an access panel attached to the tubular member and

moveable between a closed and an open position, wherein the access panel in the closed position covers only an intermediate portion of the elongate opening extending through the tubular member, and wherein the access panel in the open position allows access to the elongate opening extending through the tubular member.

2. The support member of claim 1 wherein the access panel is hingedly attached to the tubular member.

3. The support member of claim 1 wherein the access panel is spring biased toward the closed position.

4. A support member having cable management capabilities for use with an article of furniture comprising:

a tubular member having a contiguous perimeter wall which defines an inner longitudinal cavity, the wall configured to define an elongate opening extending therethrough for providing access to the inner cavity; and

an access panel hingedly attached to the tubular member to cover only an intermediate portion of the elongate opening in a closed position for limiting access to the inner cavity through the elongate opening, with the access panel being moveable to an open position to provide access to the inner cavity through the elongate opening.

5. The support member of claim 4 wherein the access panel is spring biased and movable to the open position by application of pressure on the access panel directed toward the inner cavity.

6. The support member of claim 4 wherein the tubular member has a substantial circular lateral cross-sectional area.

7. A table leg for use with an article of furniture comprising:

a tubular leg member having first and second ends and having a substantially circular lateral cross-section defined by a contiguous wall to form an elongate inner cavity therein, the contiguous wall configured to define an elongate opening therethrough, the elongate opening having first and second ends and each end of the elongate opening being spaced from its respective end of the tubular leg member; and

an access panel hingedly attached to the tubular leg member, the access panel being moveable between a closed position and an open position, the access panel being spring biased to the closed position whereby it covers an intermediate portion of the elongate opening, the access panel being movable to the open position by pushing the access panel inward which allows access to the inner cavity through the elongate opening.

8. The table leg of claim 7 wherein the elongate opening has first and second side edges extending between the first and second ends of the elongate opening, and the access panel is hingedly attached to the elongate leg member along the first side edge.

9. The table leg of claim 7 wherein access panel has first and second ends, and wherein the respective ends of the access panel and elongate opening collectively define a lateral opening into the inner cavity at each end of the elongate opening.

10. The table leg of claim 9 wherein each lateral opening is circular.

12. The table leg of claim 8 wherein the access panel swings inwardly into the inner cavity away from the second side edge of the elongate opening.

11. A table leg for use with an article of furniture comprising:

An elongate leg member having first and second ends and having a substantially circular lateral cross-section defined by a wall to form an elongate inner cavity therein, the wall having a slot therethrough, the slot having first and second ends and each end of the slot being spaced from its respective end of the elongate leg member; and

an access panel hingedly attached to the elongate leg member, the access panel being moveable between a closed position and an open position, the access panel being spring biased to the closed position whereby it covers an intermediate portion of the slot, the access panel being movable to the open position by pushing the access panel inward which allows access to the inner cavity through the slot, wherein access panel has first and second ends, wherein the respective ends of the access panel and slot collectively define a lateral opening into the inner cavity at each end of the slot, and wherein each lateral opening has a larger circumferential dimension than the slot.