Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electrical power distribution systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-07
2001-03-13
Thompson, Gregory (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electrical power distribution systems and devices
C361S644000, C361S827000, C361S647000, C361S648000, C052S205000, C052S239000, C174S0450TD
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201687
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to telecommunications equipment and interconnects and, in particular, to telecommunications equipment operation within free standing modular furniture partition walls for an open office architecture.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
It is well known that the complexity of voice and data telecommunications has increased and with it standard for insuring operation flexibility and manageability of supporting systems. Telecommunications include voice, data, and video transmission of information, fire and security matters, audio, environmental, and other intelligent building controls over media that typically includes fiber optics, specialized copper data cabling, as well as microwave and radio wave transmissions. Office design practices have introduced flexible layouts designed to support workgroups and small teams. As a result, spaces for such teams are frequently rearranged to meet the changing requirements of the work for an individual and that of the team, resulting in an open office work environment that often requires reconfiguration. Standards including those of the American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”), the Electronic Industries Association (“EIA”), and the Telecommunications Industry Association (“TIA”) play an important role and, in fact, place stringent requirements on the construction and layout of such open office environments. By way of example, an interconnection in horizontal cabling that allows for open office spaces to be reconfigured frequently without disturbing horizontal cable runs must meet standards such as EIA/TIA 569, TIA/EIA 607, and TSB 75. Such standards provide for interconnection capability including multiuser outlet/connector and transition points, by way of example. In general, TIA standards allow for various connections in the horizontal cabling between horizontal cross connects and telecommunication outlets and connectors.
Typically, a wiring management system may be provided for use in furniture components and will include routing channels for routing wire throughout the system as illustrated by way of example with U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,431 to Olson et al, and the free standing modular furniture of U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,658 to Schreiner et al. As described, the use of wire management and modular furniture components in an office environment provides for the routing of power and other cabling to various electrical appliances in the office space to permit efficient use of that space. However, the installation and maintenance requirements of wire management systems have posed practical difficulties that include the interconnection of various active and routing electrical components for meeting the demands of the office space, while at the same time effectively concealing the wiring and electrical components from view. As is often the case, various wire management systems associated with office furniture will focus on the wire management needs for connection and interconnection with communications outlets provided to the office workstation, which outlets have horizontal interconnections to a remotely located telecommunications closet. As a result, various communications organizing methods and devices typically concentrate on the connection to appropriate connectors and the storage of excess links of cable within compartments formed within furniture modules such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,881 to Wilson et al. Further, although it is well known to rack mount electronics equipment on framing structures, and organize wire runs within wire management systems, as described by way of example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,819 to Hebel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,012 to Lerman; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,087 to Orlando, such systems have not addressed the needs of the open office and would not meet the needs identified while keeping to the standards of the industry.
Although many innovations have been directed to the open office for providing floor space division using furniture, movable partitions, and other means other than building permanent walls, none have focused on the important requirement that the workstation, having the multiuser telecommunications equipment and assemblies, is required to be within fixed and often long distances to the telecommunications closet, which will typically house vital active switching equipment. Usually, the telecommunications closet is based on each floor of a building and is the junction between a backbone and the horizontal pathways for such cabling routed to the various workstations. The telecommunications closet will typically include both voice and data telecommunications equipment, termination fields and cross connect wiring. Planning and layout of the open office must therefore be concerned about distances to this telecommunications closet and, as a result, configure the workstation environment and location of each workstation carefully in arranging an effective floor plan.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for expanding the capability of the open office architecture by providing a modular furniture wall with a telecommunications closet capability. It is further an object of the present invention to use off-the-shelf components within such a furniture wall for providing a distributed architecture within the stringent electrical and telecommunications codes and standards.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention are provided by a modular furniture wall system useful in providing active telecommunications equipment and wire management in an open office architecture. The wall system comprises an upright oriented supporting frame including opposing horizontal and vertical frame members fixedly joined to form a rectangular opening sufficient for receiving an electronic circuit package therein, wherein each of the frame members include at least one pair of parallel surfaces. First and second opposing U-shaped members are fixedly attached to the opposing vertical frame members, respectively, wherein the pair of parallel surfaces is received within a slot formed between opposing legs of the U-shaped member. A first L-shaped member is adjustable connected to a second L-shaped member for providing a channel between extending first and second legs of the L-shaped members. Further, the first and second L-shaped members are adjustable secured to the opposing horizontal frame members and positioned between the first and second opposing U-shaped members. Opposing pairs of shelf elements are carried by opposing surfaces of the U-shaped member and the L-shaped member, respectively, with each of the opposing pair of shelf elements having a horizontal surface for supporting an electronic circuit package such as an active telecommunications switch. Typically, the electronic circuit package will have opposing front and rear surfaces including electrical connectors thereon. In the preferred embodiment, the package is removably mounted to the opposing pair of shelf elements with the front and rear surfaces within generally horizontal planes, the front face preferable facing upward. Wiring is routed from the electronic circuit package through the channel and outward from the frame. Opposing first and second cover panels are supported by the frame, which cover panels cover the opening thereof to enclose the electronic circuit package and wire within therein.
Preferable, the frame members are formed from tubular steel having a rectangular cross-section for slidably receiving the U-shaped members. To further manage the routing of the wiring, a plurality of wire holders are carried by opposing sides of each of the U-shaped members for guiding wire from within the rectangular opening outward therefrom. In addition, each of the L-shaped members includes apertures within side wall portions for guiding the wire therethrough into the channel formed therebetween. In an alternate embodiment, at least one opposing pair of shelf elements is pivotally attached to
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
American Access Technologies, Inc.
Datskovsky Michael
Thompson Gregory
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