Furniture docking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427083-B2
Application number	US-201314096284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2013
Priority date	Dec 6, 2012
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A furniture docking system includes a dock and various dock supports, including freestanding and non-freestanding dock supports. The dock includes an upper rail having a primary channel and a pair of auxiliary channels opening upwardly from an upper surface of the upper rail, and a pair of side channels opening outwardly from opposite sides of the upper rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A furniture docking system comprising:
a plurality of docks each comprising opposite first and second sides and opposite first and second ends defining a length of each said dock, wherein said docks are arranged end-to-end along a longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of said docks comprising an upper rail and a lower rail and a plurality of vertical frame members extending between and connecting said upper and lower rails, said upper rail including an upwardly opening primary channel extending longitudinally along a top of said upper rail;
at least a first dock support and a second dock support each releasably connectable to each of said plurality of docks in a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations along said length of said dock and comprising a floor engaging portion laterally spaced from said dock, wherein said first dock support extends laterally from said dock on said first side thereof and said second dock support extends laterally from said dock on either of said first or second side thereof, wherein said first dock support is releasably coupled to said upper rail and lower rail, and said second dock support is coupled to at least one of said upper rail, said lower rail and/or one of said plurality of vertical frame members; and
a furniture accessory coupled to said primary channel of said upper rail and extending upwardly from said upper rail;
wherein said primary channel extends along a centerline of said top of said upper rail, and wherein said upper rail further comprises a pair of upwardly opening auxiliary channels each extending continuously longitudinally along an entire length of a top of said upper rail on opposite sides of said primary channel.

2. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said first dock support is coupled to said upper and lower rails with a draw rod.

3. The furniture docking system of claim 2 further comprising a pair of vertically spaced draw blocks engaging said first dock support and said upper and lower rails, wherein said draw rod extends between and is coupled to said draw blocks.

4. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said second dock support is coupled to only said upper rail.

5. The furniture docking system of claim 4 wherein said second dock support comprises a support engaging one of said pair of auxiliary channels formed in said upper rail, a worksurface coupled to said support and at least one leg supporting said worksurface at a location laterally spaced from said dock, wherein said at least one leg comprises said floor engaging portion of said second dock support.

6. The furniture docking system of claim 5 wherein said worksurface is vertically adjustably coupled to said support.

7. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said second dock support is coupled to one of said vertical frame members.

8. The furniture docking system of claim 7 wherein said second dock support comprises a support foot extending from said dock.

9. The furniture docking system of claim 8 wherein said support foot comprises a first support foot, and further comprising a second support foot coupled to said one of said vertical frame members opposite said first support foot and extending from said dock on said first side of said dock.

10. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said furniture accessory engages said pair of auxiliary channels.

11. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said second dock support engages one of said pair of auxiliary channels.

12. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said upper rail further comprises a pair of side channels opening laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said upper rail, and wherein said first dock support engages one of said side channels.

13. The furniture docking system of claim 1 wherein said furniture accessory comprises overhead storage, said overhead storage comprising a stanchion engaging said primary channel.

14. A furniture docking system comprising:
a plurality of docks each comprising opposite first and second sides and opposite first and second ends defining a length of each said dock, wherein said docks are arranged end-to-end along a longitudinal axis, each of said plurality of said docks comprising an upper rail comprising an upwardly opening primary channel extending longitudinally along a centerline of a top of said upper rail, a pair of upwardly opening auxiliary channels extending longitudinally along a top of said upper rail on opposite sides of said primary channel, and a pair of side channels opening laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said upper rail;
at least a first dock support and a second dock support each releasably connectable to each of said plurality of docks in a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations along said length of said dock and comprising a floor engaging portion laterally spaced from said dock, wherein said first dock support extends laterally from said dock on said first side thereof and said second dock support extends laterally from said dock on said second side thereof, wherein said first dock support is coupled to said upper rail at one of said auxiliary channels, and said second dock support is coupled to said upper rail at one of said side channels; and
a furniture accessory coupled to said primary channel of said upper rail and extending upwardly from said upper rail;
wherein said second dock support is coupled to said upper rail with a first draw block engaging said side channel, and further comprising a draw rod coupled between said first draw block and a lower rail vertically spaced from said upper rail, and a second draw block engaging said lower rail and coupled to said draw rod.

15. The furniture docking system of claim 14 wherein said first dock support comprises a support engaging said auxiliary channel, a worksurface coupled to said support and at least one leg supporting said worksurface at a location laterally spaced from said dock, wherein said at least one leg comprises said floor engaging portion of said first dock support.

16. The furniture docking system of claim 15 wherein said worksurface is vertically adjustably coupled to said support.

17. The furniture docking system of claim 14 wherein each of said docks further comprises a lower rail vertically spaced from said upper rail and a plurality of vertical frame members extending between and connected to said upper and lower rails, and further comprising a third dock support coupled to one of said vertical frame members of another one of said docks.

18. The furniture docking system of claim 17 wherein said third dock support comprises a support foot extending laterally from said another one of said docks.

19. The furniture docking system of claim 18 wherein said support foot comprises a first support foot, and further comprising a second support foot coupled to said one of said vertical frame members opposite said first support foot and extending from another of said docks opposite said first support foot.

20. The furniture docking system of claim 14 wherein said furniture accessory further engages said pair of auxiliary channels.

21. The furniture docking system of claim 14 wherein said furniture accessory comprises overhead storage, said overhead storage comprising a stanchion engaging said primary channel.

Assignees

• Miller Herman Inc

Inventors

• Dame Paul
• Katje Michael J
• Knoll Sheryl

Classifications

• A47B83/001 Primary

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

• E04H1/125

  Small buildings, arranged in other buildings (E04H1/1272 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04B2/7416

  with free upper edge, e.g. for use as office space dividers · CPC title

• A47B87/005

  Linkable dependent elements with the same or similar cross-section, e.g. cabinets linked together, with a common separation wall · CPC title

• A47B83/045 Primary

  Tables combined with cabinets (wall tables A47B5/00) · CPC title