Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Having means for supporting an electrical component
Patent
1998-12-03
2000-11-28
Cuomo, Peter M.
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Having means for supporting an electrical component
3122233, 312196, 52 361, A47B 3700
Patent
active
061520489
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to work stations suitable for mounting electrical, communication and computer equipment such as computer monitors and telephone turrets. This invention further relates to support brackets that can be used in these work stations.
Work stations suitable for mounting electrical, communication and computer equipment are well known and are available from different manufacturers. One such known work station system is shown and described in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,177 issued Jun. 13, 1989 and entitled "BEAM-TYPE WORK STATION SYSTEM". The corresponding British patent is U.K. patent No. 2,197,189 filed May 5, 1987. These patents describe office furniture in the form of work stations that have a horizontal hollow support beam from which extend detachable support brackets having arm portions extending outwardly and upwardly. A flat work surface member is mounted on an outer section of the arm portions horizontally away from and above the top of the beam. Equipment can be mounted on the beam side of the work surface member so that a lower portion of the equipment is positioned below the horizontal plane defined by the top of the work surface. This known work station system has been very successful due to its ability to carry, and allow relatively easy installation of, a substantial amount of equipment and cabling while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Published European Patent Application No. 0 006 707 describes a space divider system suitable for an office which includes a plurality of posts with at least one beam assembly supported by the posts. The posts and the beam constitute a raceway for receiving electrical wiring and further constitute a rigid structure for supporting various components including acoustic panels that extend upwardly from the beam. Although these acoustic panels are suitable for dividing up the office space and providing privacy, because they are made of a foamed material and covered in a fabric, these panels are generally not suitable for supporting items such as electrical equipment and shelving.
More recent European Published Patent Application No. 0 637 422 which was published in 1995 describes freestanding modular furniture that can be used to create workstations in an open office plan. Each furniture unit includes a work surface and a mounting rail extends continuously along the rearward edge of the work surface. This rail is capable of removably supporting a plurality of different amenities, such as bookshelves, stands and lamps. A removable stanchion permits certain amenities to be supported along the rear of the work surface on the rail.
Improvements and additions to the aforementioned work station system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,177 have now been developed in order to accommodate a substantially increased use of electrical equipment such as computers and telephone systems.
A preferred embodiment of applicant's improved work station comprises a beam-type work station module or a series of modules configured into a unitary system. These or each module has a vertically extending core that includes a horizontal support beam and a support wall extending upwardly from the beam. As in the work station of U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,177, a work area is supported in cantilever fashion from one side of the beam of the module and can extend across the face of the module. The work area is provided by horizontal work surface members that are supported by support brackets or arms that extend upwardly and outwardly from the beam of the module. The beam of one module can be connected to the beam of another module to create a series of two or more modules. The preferred support bracket described herein is adjustable with respect to its horizontal length to permit it to be shortened or lengthened. In this way, the horizontal distance of the work surface members from the vertical core can be varied depending on the particular requirements of the work station.
According to one aspect of the invention, a workstation suitable for mounting electrical equipment incl
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Cuomo Peter M.
Nova-Link Limited
Tran Hanh V.
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