Furniture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11812848-B2
Application number	US-202217580263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2022
Priority date	May 23, 2018
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

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 upper surface defining a first slot, a second slot spaced apart from the first slot, and a third slot spaced apart from the first slot and the second 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; and
a first workstation accessory having a first connection member which is at least partially received in the first slot, the second slot, or the third slot,
wherein each of the first slot, the second slot, and the third slot is configured to receive the first connection member.

2. The furniture system of claim 1 , 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.

3. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the first workstation accessory is adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the chase.

4. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first slot, the second slot, and the third slot extends from the first end to the second end of the body.

5. The furniture system of claim 1 , wherein the first workstation accessory is received in the first slot, and further comprising a second workstation accessory having a second connection member which is at least partially received in the second slot and a third workstation accessory having a third connection member which is at least partially received in the third slot, wherein the second workstation accessory is positioned between the first workstation accessory and the third workstation accessory.

6. The furniture system of claim 1 , further comprising a second workstation accessory having a second connection member which is at least partially received in the second slot, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first workstation accessory is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chase and a longitudinal axis of the second workstation accessory is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chase.

7. The furniture system of claim 5 , wherein the first workstation accessory and the second workstation accessory are tables.

8. 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 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.

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 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 coupled to the upper surface of the chase via a first connection member at least partially positioned in the first slot; and
a second workstation accessory coupled to the upper surface of the chase via a second connection member at least partially positioned in the second slot;
wherein positions of the first workstation accessory and the second workstation accessory are adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the chase.

10. The furniture system of claim 9 , wherein the first slot and the second slot are each configured to receive the first connection member and to receive the second connection member.

11. The furniture system of claim 9 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the first workstation accessory is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the chase and a longitudinal axis of the second workstation accessory is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the chase.

12. The furniture system of claim 11 , wherein the first workstation accessory and the second workstation accessory are tables.

13. 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.

14. The furniture system of claim 13 , wherein the second workstation accessory and the power outlet of the modular power unit are positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.

15. 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.

16. 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 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; and
a storage unit positioned beneath the lower surface of the body between the first leg and the second leg, the storage unit including
a first storage space configured to be accessed from a first side of the elongated chase,
a second storage space separate from the first storage space and configured to be accessed from a second side of the elongated chase that is opposite to the first side; and
a mounting member positioned between an upper surface of the storage unit and the lower surface of the chase, wherein the mounting member supports the chase.

17. The furniture system of claim 16 , further comprising a first workstation coupled to the elongated chase and a second workstation coupled to the elongated chase, wherein the second workstation is separated from the first workstation by the storage unit.

18. The furniture system of claim 16 , wherein the first storage space is closer to the lower surface of the body than the second storage space such that the first storage space and the second storage space are stacked.

19. The furniture system of claim 16 , wherein the first storage space and the second storage space are positioned adjacent to each other along a longitudinal axis of the storage unit.

Assignees

• Millerknoll Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A47B83/001 Primary

  Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems · CPC title

• A47B9/20

  Telescopic guides · CPC title

• A47B41/02

  {Adjustable, inclinable, sliding or foldable} desks tops · CPC title

• A47B97/00

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

• H01R25/006

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