Conference table with central utility system

• US 6,629,505 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stewart, Robert L., Wilson, Kevin S., Nieh, Ting-Wen, Lowell, James B., Cronk, Jeffrey P
• Primary Examiner(s): Hansen, James O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US09/918,953
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 108/25, 108/26, 312/194, 312/223.3, 312/223.6
• US Class Current: 108/50.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0079 Conference or video conference table

Abstract

A conference table includes a work surface having one or more central openings. A utility distribution system is positioned below the central opening on a support channel. The support channel defines separated wireways for communicating separated utilities along the support channel. The utility distribution system further includes a plurality of W-shaped utility modules positioned on beams of the support channel below the central opening. The utility modules set end-to-end in an arrangement that facilitates initial installation and later retrofit or repair. The table is supported on legs that define a vertical wireway space, and further include a repositionable divider configured to selectively subdivide the vertical wireway space into subwireways of different cross-sectional sizes for accommodating different cross-sectional sizes of utility conduit bundles. A removable double-pivoted door is releasably supported to cover the opening and to provide easy access to the opening from either side of the tabletop.

Claims

1. A conference table comprising:

a leg assembly including first and second legs and a beam connected between and stabilizing the first and second legs;

a utility distribution system supported by the beam including utility outlets;

a tabletop supported by the leg assembly, including an elongated central opening over the beam for accessing the utility outlets;

including a top cover shaped to cover the central opening, and including cover supports in the central opening and attached to the tabletop that are constructed to pivotally support the top cover for movement between at least one opened position and a closed position where the top cover is co-planar with the tabletop;

wherein the cover supports define virtual pivots that support the top cover for pivotal movement without direct attachment to the top cover; and

wherein the cover support is configured to support the top cover in a propped opened position in either of the two oppositely opened positions.

2. A conference table comprising:

a leg assembly including first and second legs and a beam connected between and stabilizing the first and second legs;

a utility distribution system supported by the beam including utility outlets;

a tabletop supported by the leg assembly, including an elongated central opening over the beam for accessing the utility outlets;

including a top cover shaped to cover the central opening, and including cover supports in the central opening and attached to the tabletop that are constructed to pivotally support the top cover for movement between at least one opened position and a closed position where the top cover is co-planar with the tabletop;

wherein the cover supports define virtual pivots that support the top cover for pivotal movement without direct attachment to the top cover; and

wherein the cover supports comprise end pieces having shaped recesses configured to receive an edge of the top cover in a manner defining the virtual pivot.

3. The conference table defined in claim 2, wherein the shaped recesses include an inner lip that pivotally engages the top cover as the top cover is moved toward the opened position, and further include an outer lip that engages the top cover to prop open the top cover when the top cover is in the opened position.

4. The conference table defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second legs is tubular and includes a repositionable adjustable divider configured to subdivide a space in the one leg into separated wireways of different cross-sectional sizes.

5. A conference table comprising:

a leg assembly including first and second legs and a beam connected between and stabilizing the first and second legs;

a utility distribution system supported by the beam including utility outlets;

a tabletop supported by the leg assembly, including an elongated central opening over the beam for accessing the utility outlets; and

wherein at least one of the first and second legs is tubular and includes a repositionable adjustable divider configured to subdivide a space in the one leg into separated wireways of different cross-sectional sizes.

6. The conference table defined in claim 5, including a top cover shaped to cover the central opening, and including cover supports in the central opening and attached to the tabletop that are constructed to pivotally support the top cover for movement between at least one opened position and a closed position where the top cover is co-planar with the tabletop.

7. The conference table defined in claim 5, including a top cover shaped to cover the central opening, and including cover supports in the central opening and attached to the tabletop that are constructed to pivotally support the top cover for movement between at least one opened position and a closed position where the top cover is co-planar with the tabletop.

8. The conference table defined in claim 7, wherein the cover supports comprise end pieces that support the top cover for opening movement in two different ways.

9. The conference table defined in claim 7, wherein the cover supports define virtual pivots that support the top cover for pivotal movement without direct attachment to the top cover.

10. The conference table defined in claim 5, including beam covers attached to the beam.

11. The conference table defined in claim 5, including wireways defined in the beam.

12. The conference table defined in claim 11, including beam covers attached to the beam.

13. The conference table defined in claim 5, including a cover shaped to cover the opening and a cover support operably supporting the cover for opening movement in either of two different directions.

14. The table defined in claim 13, wherein the cover support defines a recess configured to hold the pencils and the like under the cover.

15. The table defined in claim 13, wherein the opening is elongated, and including light seal flaps that extend along both sides of the elongated opening to prevent visual access along sides of the cover into the elongated opening when the cover is in the closed position.

16. The table defined in claim 13, wherein the cover support includes end pieces having a cover-supporting surface constructed to support the cover in a horizontal closed position over the opening, the cover support including at least one recess configured to receive an edge of the cover as the cover is pivoted to an opened position.

17. The table defined in claim 16, including a rubber dampener on the up protrusion configured to soften movement of the cover to the closed position.

18. The table defined in claim 17, wherein the at least one recess is configured to hold the cover in a propped cantilevered manner when the cover is in one of the opened position.

19. The table defined in claim 16, wherein the at least one recess is configured to receive an edge of the cover and provide a lip that acts as a fulcrum, so that a person can flip open the cover by pulling on the edge.

20. The table defined in claim 16, wherein the at least one recess includes a lip that frictionally snappingly engages the cover when the cover is in the closed position.

21. The table defined in claim 16, wherein the end pieces include an up protrusion configured to engage and support a bottom of the cover when the cover is in the closed position.