Table with support leg having an elongated channel

• US 6,766,748 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated (Millerknoll Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated (Millerknoll Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stannis, Gordon J., Saffell, Mark B., Ritch, David J., Insalaco, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US09/975,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.02, 108/50.01, 108/157.1, 108/157.18, 108/64, 312/223.6
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2097/003 Cable holders; cable organisers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables

Abstract

A table includes a support leg having an elongated channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the support leg and opening laterally outwardly from said support leg. The channel has an open end at a top of the support leg. In a preferred embodiment, a catch member extends across at least a portion of said channel and a worksurface is supported by the top of said support leg. In another aspect, the worksurface has a cutout shaped to receive at least a portion of the top of the support leg with at least a portion of the channel nested in the cutout. In a preferred embodiment, the support leg includes a socket that is shaped to receive a portion of the worksurface. A method of routing a utility line on a table is also provided.

Claims

1. A table comprising:

a support leg having an elongated channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of said support leg and opening laterally outwardly from said support leg, said channel having an open end communicating with a top of said support leg, wherein said channel has a first depth at a first location proximate said top of said support leg and wherein said channel has a second depth at a second location distal to said top of said support leg, wherein said first depth is greater than said second depth;

a catch member extending across at least a portion of said channel; and

a worksurface supported by said top of said support leg.

2. The table of claim 1 wherein said worksurface further comprises a cutout, wherein said top of said support leg is connected to said worksurface at said cutout.

3. The table of claim 1 wherein said top of said support leg further comprises a socket, wherein a portion of said worksurface is received in said socket.

4. The table of claim 1 wherein said top of said support leg further comprises a support platform, wherein a bottom of said worksurface is supported on said support platform.

5. The table of claim 1 wherein said worksurface comprises a inwardly extending groove formed around at least a portion of the periphery thereof, and further comprising a bumper having an insert inserted into said groove.

9. The table of claim 1 wherein said worksurface comprises a rear edge, wherein at least a portion of said rear edge has a concave contour.

10. The table of claim 1 wherein said support leg is made of glass filled polypropylene.

11. The table of claim 1 wherein said support leg further comprises a plurality of ribs formed in said channel.

6. A table comprising:

a support leg having an elongated channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of said support leg and opening laterally outwardly from said support leg, said channel having an open end communicating with a top of said support leg, wherein said channel is defined by a depth, and wherein said depth of said channel is tapered along the length thereof;

a catch member extending across at least a portion of said channel; and

a worksurface supported by said top of said support leg.

7. A table comprising:

a support leg having an elongated channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of said support leg and opening laterally outwardly from said support leg, said channel having an open end communicating with a top of said support leg, wherein said support leg has an opening formed along one side of said channel;

a catch member extending across at least a portion of said channel, and wherein said catch member comprises an insert portion inserted in said opening of said support leg and a cross member extending from said insert portion across at least a portion of said channel; and

a worksurface supported by said top of said support leg.

8. The table of claim 7 wherein said opening in said support leg is a first opening, and wherein said support leg has a second opening formed along an opposite side of said channel opposite said first opening, and further comprising a second catch member having an insert portion inserted in said second opening and a cross member extending from said insert portion across at least a portion of said channel, wherein said cross members of said first and second catch members extend across the entirety of the channel.

12. A table comprising:

a support leg having an elongated channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of said support leg and opening laterally outwardly from said support leg, said channel having an open end at a top of said support leg; and

a worksurface supported by said top of said support leg, wherein said worksurface has a cutout shaped to receive at least a portion of said top of said support leg with at least a portion of said channel nested in said cutout.

13. The table of claim 12 wherein cutout is located at a corner of said worksurface.

14. The table of claim 13 wherein said channel opens diagonally outwardly from said corner of said worksurface.

15. The table of claim 12 wherein said top of said support leg further comprises a socket, wherein a portion of said worksurface is received in said socket.

16. The table of claim 12 wherein said top of said support leg further comprises a support platform, wherein a bottom of said worksurface is supported on said support platform.

17. The table of claim 12 wherein said worksurface comprises a inwardly extending groove formed around at least a portion of the periphery thereof, and further comprising a bumper having an insert inserted into said groove.

18. The table of claim 12 wherein said channel is defined by a depth, and wherein said depth of said channel is tapered along the length thereof.

19. The table of claim 12 further comprising a catch member extending across at least a portion of said channel.

20. The table of claim 19 wherein said support leg has an opening formed along one side of said channel, and wherein said catch member comprises an insert portion inserted in said opening and a cross member extending from said insert portion across at least a portion of said channel.

21. The table of claim 12 wherein said worksurface comprises a rear edge, wherein at least a portion of said rear edge has a concave contour.

22. The table of claim 12 wherein said support leg comprises a plurality of ribs formed in said channel.

23. A method for routing a utility line on a table comprising:

providing said table comprising a support leg having an elongated channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of said support leg and opening laterally outwardly from said support leg, said channel having an open end at a top of said support leg, and a worksurface supported by said top of said support leg, wherein said worksurface has a cutout shaped to receive at least a portion of said top of said support leg with at least a portion of said channel nested in said cutout;

providing a utility line having at least a portion disposed on a top of said worksurface; and

running said utility line from said top of said worksurface into said channel through said open end thereof.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said support leg comprises a catch member extending across at least a portion of said channel, and wherein said running said utility line further comprises running said utility line in said channel behind said catch member and thereby capturing said utility line in said channel.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said worksurface comprises a rear edge at least a portion of which has a concave contour and wherein said utility line comprises a plurality of utility lines, and further comprising passing one of said plurality of utility lines from said top of said worksurface over said rear edge at said portion thereof having a concave contour.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising providing a trough disposed along said rear edge, and disposing said utility line passing over said rear edge in said trough.