Enclosure system for electronic equipment concealable in a table top

• US 6,802,577 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack Gershfeld
• Original Assignee: Jack Gershfeld
• Inventors: Gershfeld, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US10/277,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.1, 312/223.3, 312/317.3, 312/319.2, 312/327, 312/194, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 248/917, 248/919, 248/923
• US Class Current: 312/223.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0073 liftable above the desk top

Abstract

An enclosure system for electronic equipment concealable in a table top is disclosed. The enclosure system has a saddle attached to a bezel. The saddle defines an open area for receiving an enclosure. The bezel defines an opening for receiving a top plate of the enclosure. An outer perimeter of the bottom surface of the bezel rests on edges of an opening cut through a table top. The enclosure pivots from a concealed position, in which the top plate is flush with the bezel, to an open position in which the face plate of the enclosure is exposed. A spring biases the enclosure towards the open position, while a latch maintains the enclosure in the concealed position.

Claims

1. An enclosure system for electronic equipment concealable in a table top comprising:

(1) a saddle;

(2) a latch means;

(3) a spring means;

(4) a catch means;

(5) an enclosure suitable for housing electronic equipment and comprising a face plate, a top portion, two opposite side walls and a bottom portion;

(6) a top plate fixedly attached to the top portion of the enclosure;

(7) a bezel comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the bezel defining an opening for receiving the top plate, wherein an outer perimeter of the bottom surface is for resting on edges of an opening cut through a table top;

(8) a hinge means;

wherein the saddle comprises;

a base member;

a first vertical leg extending up from one end of the base member and terminating in a first upper end;

a second vertical leg extending up from an opposite end of the base member and terminating in a second upper end, the first and second vertical legs and the base member together defining an open area for receiving the enclosure therein;

attachment means disposed on the first upper end and the second upper end fixedly attaching the saddle to the bottom surface of the bezel;

wherein the top plate is pivotally mounted to the bezel by way of the hinge means for pivotal movement of the enclosure from a concealed position in which the top plate is flush with the bezel to an open position in which the face plate is exposed;

wherein the latch means is fixedly attached to the first vertical leg and the catch means is fixedly attached to the bottom portion of the enclosure such that the latch means selectively maintains the enclosure in the concealed position by way of engaging with the catch means;

wherein the spring means comprises a proximal end pivotally attached to the first vertical leg and a distal end pivotally attached to the enclosure thereby biasing the enclosure towards the open position.

2. An enclosure system as in claim 1, wherein the saddle is formed from the material selected from the group consisting of bent sheet metal, machined metal, cast metal, bent wire and plastic.

3. An enclosure system as in claim 2, wherein the saddle further comprises a plurality of teeth disposed along outer edges of the first and second vertical legs, the teeth extending upwardly at a substantially forty five degree angle in relation to the outer edges and defining spaces therebetween for effecting insertion of holding plates, said holding plates being formed from strips of bent sheet metal and comprising openings for receiving lag screws for biasing the holding plates inserted in said spaces in the direction opposite to a bottom of the table top, thereby securing the saddle to the tabletop.

4. An enclosure system as in claim 3, wherein the catch means is a hook formed from the material selected from the group consisting of bent sheet metal, machined metal, cast metal, bent wire and plastic and wherein the latch means further comprises:

a latch holding member formed from bent sheet metal, the latch holding member fixedly attached to the first vertical leg;

a latch fixedly attached to the latch holding member, the latch comprising a spring loaded roller for engaging with the hook.

5. An enclosure system as in claim 4, wherein the first vertical leg further comprises a plurality of elongated openings for receiving screws for attaching the latch holding member to the first vertical leg such that the position of the latch holding member can be adjusted prior to fixedly attaching the latch holding member to the first vertical leg by way of said screws.

6. An enclosure system for electronic equipment concealable in a table top comprising:

(1) a saddle and a bezel formed from one piece of cast metal;

(2) a latch means;

(3) a spring means;

(4) a catch means;

(5) an enclosure suitable for housing electronic equipment and comprising a face plate, a top portion, two opposite side walls and a bottom portion;

(6) a top plate fixedly attached to the top portion of the enclosure;

(7) a hinge means;

wherein the saddle comprises;

a base member;

a first vertical leg extending up from one end of the base member and terminating in a first upper end;

a second vertical leg extending up from an opposite end of the base member and terminating in a second upper end, the first and second vertical legs and the base member together defining an open area for receiving the enclosure therein;

wherein the bezel comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, the bezel defining an opening for receiving the top plate, wherein an outer perimeter of the bottom surface is for resting on edges of an opening cut through a table top and wherein the saddle is attached to the bottom surface of the bezel at the first upper end and the second upper end;

wherein the top plate is pivotally mounted to the bezel by way of the hinge means for pivotal movement of the enclosure from a concealed position in which the top plate is flush with the bezel to an open position in which the face plate is exposed;

wherein the latch means is fixedly attached to the first vertical leg and the catch means is fixedly attached to the bottom portion of the enclosure such that the latch means selectively maintains the enclosure in the concealed position by way of engaging with the catch means;

wherein the spring means comprises a proximal end pivotally attached to the first vertical leg and a distal end pivotally attached to the enclosure thereby biasing the enclosure towards the open position.

7. An enclosure system as in claim 6, wherein the saddle further comprises a plurality of teeth disposed along outer edges of the first and second vertical legs, the teeth extending upwardly at a substantially forty five degree angle in relation to the outer edges and defining spaces therebetween for effecting insertion of holding plates, said holding plates being formed from strips of bent sheet metal and comprising openings for receiving lag screws for biasing the holding plates inserted in said spaces in the direction opposite to a bottom of the table top, thereby securing the saddle to the tabletop.

8. An enclosure system as in claim 7, wherein the catch means is a hook formed from the material selected from the group consisting of bent sheet metal, machined metal, cast metal, bent wire and plastic and wherein the latch means further comprises:

a latch holding member formed from bent sheet metal, the latch holding member fixedly attached to the first vertical leg;

a latch fixedly attached to the latch holding member, the latch comprising a spring loaded roller for engaging with the hook.

9. An enclosure system as in claim 8, wherein the first vertical leg further comprises a plurality of elongated openings for receiving screws for attaching the latch holding member to the first vertical leg such that the position of the latch holding member can be adjusted prior to fixedly attaching the latch holding member to the first vertical leg by way of said screws.