Office furniture system with integrated digital resources

• US 10,779,647 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2018
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Deal Design, LLC
• Original Assignee: New Deal Design, LLC
• Inventors: Amit, Gadi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US16/105,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20180368572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 108 5001, 108 5002, 108 23, 52 361, 52239, 312196, 3122233
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0071 Booth like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0079 Conference or video conference table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0075 Lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/13 Sound or noise reduction or dampening, e.g. built in via the furniture panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/023 by selectively switching fixed light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/045 the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0478 by means of an image recording device, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/301 for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/402 for working places
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 : by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An office furniture component provides an enclosure defining an interior work space, the enclosure having at least three walls and one or more open sides via which the interior work space may be accessed. A flat work surface may be provided within the interior space. Electronic systems may be installed within the furniture component, such as display screens, cameras, and lighting systems. A lighting controller may implement contextual lighting to vary work space illumination in response to occupant use of the work space.

Claims

1. An office furniture apparatus comprising:

a single, unitarily formed workspace enclosure and a support positioning the enclosure over a floor surface;

wherein

the workspace enclosure comprises a continuously-connected top surface, a left side surface, a right side surface and a bottom surface, the continuously-connected surfaces partially enclosing an interior space containing a work surface that is simultaneously accessible to multiple individuals through open front and back portions.

2. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, in which the support comprises a pedestal.

3. The office furniture apparatus of claim 2, in which the pedestal comprises a lift for positioning the enclosure at variable heights relative to the floor surface.

4. The office furniture apparatus of claim 2, in which the support further comprises a weighted base.

5. The office furniture apparatus of claim 2, in which the support further comprises a base mechanically secured to the floor surface.

6. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, in which the top, left side, right side and bottom surfaces form a continuous loop around the interior space.

7. The office furniture apparatus of claim 6, in which the enclosure continuous loop around the interior space is generally rectangular in cross-section with rounded corners.

8. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, in which the interior space is about seven feet in length and three feet in width.

9. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, wherein the work surface comprises a rigid flat work surface mounted within the interior space.

10. The office furniture apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a lighting fixture mounted proximate the enclosure top surface.

11. The office furniture apparatus of claim 10, in which the lighting fixture comprises a plurality of light sources, a first subset of the light sources being directed downwards towards the work surface, and a second subset of the light sources being directed outwards towards the open front portion of the enclosure, and a third subset of the light sources being directed outwards towards the open rear portion of the enclosure.

12. The office furniture apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a first video camera mounted within the enclosure and having a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the open front and back portions of the enclosure.

13. The office furniture apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a lighting controller controlling illumination of the plurality of light sources, the lighting controller responsive to changes in activation status of the first video camera to modify illumination of the second and/or third subset of light sources.

14. The office furniture apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lighting controller increases the intensity of the second and/or third subset of light sources in response to activation of the first video camera.

15. The office furniture apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lighting controller decreases the intensity of the second and/or third subset of light sources in response to deactivation of the first video camera.

16. The office furniture apparatus of claim 12, in which the first video camera is mounted proximate an inner surface of the enclosure at a first end of the interior space;

the apparatus further comprising a video display screen mounted proximate the first video camera.

17. The office furniture apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a second video camera mounted within the enclosure and having a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the work surface.

18. The office furniture apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a lighting controller controlling illumination of the plurality of light sources, the lighting controller responsive to activation of the second video camera to increase illumination of a subset of the light sources directed towards said portion of the work surface.

19. The office furniture apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a lighting controller responsive to inputs indicative of an operational status of one or more electronic systems integrated with the office furniture apparatus, in order to vary illumination of the plurality of light sources.

20. The office furniture apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises light sources having two or more color temperatures;

the apparatus further comprising a lighting controller responsive to inputs indicative of an operational status of one or more electronic systems integrated with the office furniture apparatus, in order to vary the color temperature of light from the plurality of light sources.

21. The office furniture apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a lighting controller responsive to inputs indicative of an operational status of one or more electronic systems integrated with the office furniture apparatus, in order to vary the distribution of illumination within the interior space.

22. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, in which the top surface, left side surface, right side surface and bottom surface each have an exterior surface featuring a central ridge joining two generally flat portions to form an obtuse angle about a centerline extending from the central ridge towards a center portion of the office furniture apparatus.

23. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, in which the top surface, left side surface, and right side surface each have an interior surface formed from two generally flat portions to form an obtuse angle about a centerline extending between the generally flat portions towards a center portion of the office furniture apparatus.

24. The office furniture apparatus of claim 1, in which one or more of the top surface, left side surface, right side surface and bottom surface each has cross-section forming a curve.

25. An office furniture apparatus comprising:

a rigid, flat work surface oriented horizontally;

a support positioning the work surface over a floor surface; and

a workspace enclosure formed from a single continuous surface comprised of a front wall, the front wall connected with a top wall, the top wall connected with a rear wall, the enclosure further defining an interior space encompassing the work surface and having open side portions, wherein an occupant may be positioned within the interior space to use the work surface.

26. The office furniture apparatus of claim 25, the workspace enclosure further comprising a bottom wall extending from the front wall at least partially beneath the work surface.

27. The office furniture apparatus of claim 25, in which the rear wall extends down to the floor surface, thereby helping support the enclosure.

28. The office furniture apparatus of claim 25, wherein the enclosure comprises curved portions interconnecting the front wall with the top wall and interconnecting the top wall with the rear wall.

29. The office furniture apparatus of claim 25, in which the front wall, top wall and rear wall each feature a central ridge joining two generally flat portions to form an obtuse angle about a centerline extending from the central ridge towards a center portion of the office furniture apparatus.

30. The office furniture apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a video conferencing display screen mounted on an inside surface of the enclosure front wall, above the work surface.

31. A wall-mounted office furniture apparatus comprising:

a rigid, flat work surface oriented horizontally;

a single, unitarily formed workspace enclosure comprising a front wall to which the work surface is mounted, the front wall connected with a top wall, the top wall connected with a rear wall, wherein the rear wall is configured for mounting to a wall within an office space, the enclosure further defining an interior space encompassing the work surface and having open side portions, wherein an occupant may be positioned within the interior space to use the work surface.

32. The office furniture apparatus of claim 31, the workspace enclosure further comprising a bottom wall extending from the front wall at least partially beneath the work surface.

33. The office furniture apparatus of claim 32, the workspace enclosure further comprising a rear flange extending from a lower portion of the rear wall inwards into the interior space, the rear flange positioned at a height beneath the bottom wall.

34. The office furniture apparatus of claim 31, wherein the enclosure comprises curved portions interconnecting the front wall with the top wall and interconnecting the top wall with the rear wall.

35. The office furniture apparatus of claim 31, in which the front wall, top wall and rear wall each feature a central ridge joining two generally flat portions to form an obtuse angle about a centerline extending between the generally flat portions towards a center portion of the office furniture apparatus.

36. The office furniture apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

a video conferencing display screen mounted on an inside surface of the enclosure front wall, above the work surface.