Combined cable manager and table connector

• US 5,988,076 A
• Filed: 03/05/1999
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nova-Link Limited
• Original Assignee: Nova-Link Limited
• Inventors: Vander Park, Antonius Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US09/263,124
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.02, 108/50.01, 108/50.11, 108/64, 108/23, 312/223.6, 312/223.3, 312/249.9, 312/195, 312/245, 248/918
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables

Abstract

A work station system suitable for an office can include an elongate support beam, rigid, vertical posts supporting this beam above the floor, and a movable desk unit with a work surface and rollable members mounted at a bottom end thereof A wall is mounted on the top of the beam in a vertical position and is supported by the beam. A flexible cable and wire carrier device extends between elevated positions on the support beam and the desk unit and is connected to both. Preferably this carrier device includes an elongate carrier section comprising a plurality of interconnected links that are pivotable with respect to each other. The carrier device permits the desk unit to move towards and away from the support beam and, if a desk unit which is vertically adjustable is connected to the carrier device, the carrier device also permits the desk unit to move upwardly or downwardly. The carrier device can include a connecting module attached to its beam end. The invention can also be used with a supporting wall that is supported directly by the floor and that has no beam member supporting it.

Claims

1. A work station system suitable for an office comprising:

an elongate, rigid, horizontally extending supporting arrangement adapted for support on a floor, said arrangement including a wall structure that extends substantially vertically;

a movable desk unit with a work surface thereon and rollable members mounted at a bottom end thereof and rollably supporting said desk unit near said supporting arrangement;

a flexible cable and wire carrier device extending between said supporting arrangement and said desk unit and connected to both, said carrier device including an elongate carrier section comprising a plurality of interconnected links that are pivotal with respect to each other in a single vertically extending plane,

wherein said carrier device permits said desk unit to move in a primary direction towards and away from said supporting arrangement and substantially prevents movement of said desk unit in a horizontal direction perpendicular to said primary direction.

2. A work station system according to claim 1 wherein said supporting arrangement includes an elongate support beam and rigid, vertically extending supporting members connected to said beam for mounting said beam in an elevated position above the floor, said wall structure is mounted on top of said beam, and said carrier device extends between said support beam and the desk unit.

3. A work station system according to claim 1 wherein said desk unit includes a desk top section providing said work surface, the height of said desk top section is adjustable, and said carrier device is connected to said desk top section.

4. A work station system according to claim 2 wherein said carrier device includes a connecting module attached to one end of said carrier section, said module having two opposite side walls, each with a vertically extending edge adapted to rest against a side of said support beam, and hook members to detachably engage said support beam.

5. A work station system according to claim 4 wherein said connecting module has a substantially open bottom through which said carrier section can extend and a substantially open end at an end thereof adjacent said support beam.

6. A work station system according to claim 2 wherein said support beam has a number of access openings formed in at least one longitudinal side thereof and said carrier device is connected to said support beam in the region of one of said access openings, whereby wires or cables extending along an interior passageway formed by said support beam are able to pass through said one access opening and said elongate carrier section to said desk unit.

7. A work station system according to claim 2 wherein said elongate carrier section is connected to a cable and wire housing provided along a rear side of said desk unit, said housing forming a chamber for wiring and having one or more wire access openings formed in a bottom thereof and wherein said bottom of the housing is spaced a substantial distance above the floor.

8. A work station system according to claim 2 wherein said elongate carrier section is pivotably connected to a channel shaped connector provided on a rear side of said desk unit whereby an adjacent end of said carrier section can pivot about a horizontal pivot axis relative to said connector, said channel shaped connector having two vertical sidewalls on opposite sides thereof and a front wall extending between said sidewalls, and wherein said horizontal pivot axis is positioned at least two feet above the floor.

9. A work station system according to claim 2 wherein said wall structure is a supporting wall with metal side panels forming major sides thereof and said supporting wall is capable of bearing electrically operated office equipment thereon.

10. A work station system for an office comprising:

an elongate, rigid, horizontally and vertically extending supporting arrangement adapted for support on a floor, said supporting arrangement being adapted for supporting electrically operated office equipment;

a movable desk unit with a desk top section providing a work surface on top thereof, and

a flexible cable and wire carrier device extending between an elevated connection point on said supporting arrangement and said desk unit and connected to both said supporting arrangement and said desk unit, said carrier device including an elongate, flexible carrier section comprising a plurality of interconnected links that are pivotable to a limited extent with respect to each other, said carrier section providing protection for wires or cables extending therethrough during use of said carrier device and having a desk end and an opposite end, the desk end being connected to said desk unit at a connection point located a substantial distance above the floor,

wherein said carrier device permits said desk unit to move horizontally towards and away from said supporting arrangement to a limited extent.

11. A work station system according to claim 10 wherein said supporting arrangement includes an elongate, horizontal support beam and rigid, vertically extending supporting members connected to said beam and supporting said beam a substantial distance above said floor, and said carrier device extends between the support beam and the desk unit and is firmly connected to said support beam.

12. A work station system according to claim 11 wherein said support beam is supported a distance of at least nine inches above the floor and said connection point for the desk end of the carrier section is at least 2.0 feet above the floor.

13. A work station system according to claim 10 wherein the height of said desk top section is adjustable, and said carrier device is connected to said desk top section.

14. A work station system according to claim 11 wherein said supporting arrangement includes a support wall capable of bearing relatively heavy electrical equipment and mounted on top of the horizontal support beam, said support wall including metal side panels with means for attaching said electrical equipment to the support wall provided thereon.

15. A work station system according to claim 14 wherein at least one liquid crystal display screen is mounted on said support wall and at least one central processing unit is mounted on said support beam, the or each central processing unit being operatively connected to one respective liquid crystal display screen.

16. A work station system suitable for office use comprising:

an elongate, horizontally and vertically extending supporting arrangement adapted for support on a floor, said supporting arrangement including a support wall that extends vertically, said supporting arrangement supporting computer equipment including a central processing unit;

at least one electronic display screen mounted on said support wall and operatively connected to said computer equipment;

a movable desk unit with a computer keyboard provided thereon and connected by wiring to said central processing unit, said desk unit including rollable members mounted at a bottom end thereof and rollably supporting said desk unit near said supporting arrangement; and

a flexible cable and wire carrier device extending between said supporting arrangement and said desk unit and connected to both, said wiring extending through said carrier and protected thereby,

wherein said carrier device permits said desk unit to move towards and away from said supporting arrangement.

17. A work station system according to claim 16 wherein said supporting arrangement includes at least one elongate support beam and rigid, vertically extending legs connected to said at least one beam for mounting said at least one beam in an elevated horizontal position above the floor, said at least one beam supports said computer equipment including said central processing unit, and said support wall is mounted on top of said at least one beam.

18. A work station system according to claim 17 wherein said cable and wire carrier device includes an elongate carrier section comprising a plurality of interconnected links that are pivotal with respect to each other, said interconnected links being pivotable in a single, substantially vertical plane and said carrier device permitting said desk unit to move in a primary horizontal direction towards and away from said supporting arrangement and substantially preventing movement of the desk unit in a horizontal direction perpendicular to said primary direction.

19. A work station system according to claim 16 wherein said movable desk unit includes a desk top section with a work surface, the height of said desk top section is adjustable, and said carrier device is connected to said desk top section at a connection point located a substantial distance above the floor.

20. A work station system according to claim 18 wherein said carrier device includes a connecting module attached to one end of said carrier section, said module having two opposite sidewalls each with a vertically extending edge adapted to rest against a vertical side of one support beam and hook members to detachably engage said one support beam, and wherein said one end of said carrier section is located a distance of at least about 1.5 feet above the floor.

21. A work station system according to claim 19 wherein said connection point on the desk top section is at least two feet above the floor and said at least one beam is mounted at least nine inches above the floor.