Furniture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11291302-B2
Application number	US-202017101725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2020
Priority date	May 23, 2018
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A furniture system comprising:
an elongated chase including a body extending from a first end to a second end, the body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the body further having a first side wall and a second side wall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface;
a first leg coupled to the lower surface of the body;
a second leg coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg;
power cables positioned within a cavity of the body; and
a modular power unit including a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables and a housing coupled to and extending from the lower surface of the body, the housing having a first outer face adjacent the first side wall and a second outer face adjacent the second side wall, the power outlet supported by the housing at the first outer face,
wherein the first outer face of the modular power unit is spaced inwardly from the first side wall of the body such that the modular power unit is recessed relative to the first side wall.

2. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated chase defines a longitudinal axis extending through the first end and the second end, and wherein the power outlet extends outwardly from the first outer face such that an end surface of the power outlet is between the first side wall and the first outer face in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

3. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the modular power unit is couplable to the lower surface of the body in different locations.

4. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated chase defines a longitudinal axis extending through the first end and the second end, wherein the body has a first length measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the modular power unit has a second length measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis that is less than the first length.

5. The furniture system of claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit positioned beneath the lower surface of the body between the first leg and the second leg, wherein the storage unit includes an upper surface, and wherein the modular power unit is positioned between the lower surface of the body and the upper surface of the storage unit such that the storage unit is positioned beneath the modular power unit.

6. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the second outer face of the modular power unit is spaced inwardly from the second side wall of the body such that the modular power unit is recessed relative to the second side wall, and wherein the second outer face includes another power outlet that is electrically coupled to the power cables.

7. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the body defines a plurality of slots extending between the first end and the second end, and further comprising a first workstation accessory coupled to one of the plurality of slots and a second workstation accessory coupled to another of the plurality of slots adjacent the first workstation accessory such that at least portions of the first and second workstation accessories overlap along a length of the elongated chase.

8. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the power cables extend from the cavity and through the first leg for connection to a building's power supply.

9. A furniture system comprising:
an elongated chase including a body extending from a first end to a second end, the body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defining a first slot and a second slot spaced apart from the first slot, the chase defining a longitudinal axis extending through the first end and the second end;
a first leg coupled to the lower surface of the body;
a second leg coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg;
power cables positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply;
a first workstation accessory removably coupled to the first slot and extending upwardly from the upper surface of the elongated chase; and
a second workstation accessory removably coupled to the second slot and extending upwardly from the upper surface the elongated chase,
wherein the first workstation accessory and the second workstation accessory at least partially overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

10. The furniture system of claim 9 , further comprising a modular power unit coupled to the lower surface of the body at least partially beneath the first workstation accessory, wherein the modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables, and wherein the power outlet of the modular power unit and the first workstation accessory are positioned on a same side of the longitudinal axis.

11. The furniture system of claim 10 , wherein the power outlet is a first power outlet supported on a first outer face of a housing of the modular power unit, wherein the modular power unit further includes a second power outlet supported on a second outer face of the housing opposite the first outer face, and wherein the first workstation accessory and the first power outlet are positioned on a first side of the elongated chase relative to the longitudinal axis and the second workstation accessory and the second power outlet are positioned on a second side of the elongated chase relative to the longitudinal axis opposite the first side.

12. The furniture system of claim 10 , wherein the first workstation accessory is a table, and wherein the modular power unit is positioned at least partially beneath the table.

13. The furniture system of claim 9 , further comprising a storage unit positioned beneath the lower surface of the body between the first leg and the second leg, wherein the storage unit includes a first storage space configured to be accessed from a first side of the elongated chase, and a second storage space configured to be accessed from a second side of the elongated chase.

14. The furniture system of claim 9 , wherein each of the first slot and the second slot extends from the first end to the second end of the body.

15. The furniture system of claim 9 , wherein the elongated chase further includes a third slot defined by the upper surface of the body of the elongated chase and spaced apart from each of the first slot and the second slot, the furniture system further comprising a third workstation accessory removably coupled to the third slot and extending upwardly from the upper surface of the elongated chase.

16. The furniture system of claim 9 , wherein the first workstation accessory is one selected from a group consisting of a table, a frame, a screen, a shelf, a light, a storage unit, a monitor arm, and a cable management member, and wherein the second workstation accessory is another selected from the group consisting of a table, a frame, a screen, a shelf, a light, a storage unit, a monitor arm, and a cable management member.

17. A furniture system comprising:
an elongated chase including a body extending from a first end to a second end, the body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface defining a slot extending from the first end to the second end, the chase defining a longitudinal axis extending through the first end and the second end;
a first leg coupled to the lower surface of the body;
a second leg coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg;
power cables positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configu

Assignees

• Miller Herman Inc

Inventors

• Matthai John
• Dewys Joshua
• Ruiter Joel
• Katje Michael
• Keyzer Peter
• Johnson Michael A
• Afrik Taiyoh

Classifications

• A47B97/00

  Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H02G11/00

  Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts · CPC title

• A47B2200/0052

  with two telescopic parts · CPC title

• A47B2200/12

  Vanity or modesty panels · CPC title

• H01R25/006

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title