Modular furniture unit having power distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9968187-B2
Application number	US-201715634185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2017
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A modular furniture unit can be configured to provide power distribution in conjunction with other furniture features. Embodiments of furniture arrangements may utilize one or more modular furniture units to provide one or more of such features (e.g. storage, seating, privacy, work surface, lighting, etc.). In some embodiments, the modular furniture unit includes an elongated upper member having an upper slot that has a first end and a second end opposite its first end. At least one leg is attached to the first end and at least one leg is attached to the second end. The elongated upper member may have a channel through which power cabling passes and outlets that are connected to such cabling. Different elements can be connected to the upper member via the upper slot or a downward facing opening of the upper member and/or to the legs to provide different furniture arrangements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular furniture unit comprising:
a first upper member having a first end and a second end;
at least one first leg connected to the first end of the first upper member;
the first upper member having a top, a bottom, a first sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a first side of the first upper member extending between the first and second ends of the first upper member, the first upper member also having a second sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a second side of the first upper member that is opposite the first side of the first upper member, the second side of the first upper member also extending between the first and second ends of the first upper member;
the first upper member having at least one of: outlets positioned in the first sidewall and outlets positioned in the second sidewall, each of the outlets connected to wiring positioned in the first upper member to conduct electricity from a source of electricity to the outlets;
the top of the first upper member having an elongated slot;
the first upper member having a downwardly facing opening defined in the bottom of the upper member; and
at least one first connector connected to the first upper member within the downwardly facing opening;

a second upper member having a first end and a second end;
the second upper member having a top, a bottom, a first sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a first side of the second upper member extending between the first and second ends of the second upper member, the second upper member also having a second sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a second side of the second upper member that is opposite the first side of the second upper member, the second side of the second upper member also extending between the first and second ends of the second upper member;
the second upper member having at least one of: outlets positioned in the first sidewall and outlets positioned in the second sidewall, each of the outlets connected to wiring positioned in the second upper member to conduct electricity from a source of electricity to the outlets;
the top of the second upper member having an elongated slot;
the second upper member having a downwardly facing opening defined in the bottom of the second upper member;

an upper member inter-connection connector is attached between the first end of the second upper member and the second end of the first upper member within the downwardly facing openings of the first and second upper members;
at least one second leg attached to the second end of the first upper member and attached to the first end of the second upper member via the upper member inter-connection connector.

2. The modular furniture unit of claim 1 , comprising a privacy screen attached to the first upper member via the slot of the first upper member.

3. The modular furniture unit of claim 2 , comprising a shelf body attached between the at least one first leg and the at least one second leg underneath the first upper member and spaced apart from the first upper member.

4. The modular furniture unit of claim 1 , comprising a shelf element or a seat element attached to the first upper member via the slot of the first upper member.

5. The modular furniture unit of claim 1 , comprising a display device attached to the first upper member via the slot of the first upper member.

6. The modular furniture unit of claim 1 , comprising at least one of: a privacy screen attached to the first upper member via the slot of the first upper member and at least one tabletop attached to the first upper member via the at least one first connector.

7. The modular furniture unit of claim 1 , comprising:
a third upper member having a first end and a second end;
at least one third leg connected to the first end of the third upper member;
at least one fourth leg connected to the second end of the third upper member;
the third upper member having a top, a bottom, a first sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a first side of the third upper member extending between the first and second ends of the third upper member, the third upper member also having a second sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a second side of the third upper member that is opposite the first side of the third upper member, the second side of the third upper member extending between the first and second ends of the third upper member;
the third upper member having at least one of: outlets positioned in the first sidewall of the third upper member and outlets positioned in the second sidewall of the third upper member, each of the outlets connected to wiring positioned in the third upper member to conduct electricity from a source of electricity to the outlets;
the top of the third upper member having an elongated slot; and
a work surface extending between the first upper member and the third upper member above the first and third upper members, the first upper member being attached to the work surface adjacent to a first side of the work surface, the third upper member being attached to the work surface adjacent to a second side of the work surface.

8. A modular furniture unit comprising:
an upper member having a first end and a second end;
at least one first leg connected to the first end of the upper member;
at least one second leg connected to the second end of the upper member;
the upper member having a top, a bottom, a first sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a first side of the upper member extending between the first and second ends of the upper member, the upper member also having a second sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a second side of the upper member that is opposite the first side of the upper member, the second side of the upper member also extending between the first and second ends of the upper member;
the upper member having at least one of: outlets positioned in the first sidewall and outlets positioned in the second sidewall, each of the outlets connected to wiring positioned in the upper member to conduct electricity from a source of electricity to the outlets;
the top of the upper member having an elongated slot extending from adjacent the first end of the upper member to adjacent to the second end of the upper member; and
a saddle seat attached to the upper member via the slot.

9. The modular furniture unit of claim 8 , wherein the saddle seat has a middle portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the first side portion extending downwardly from the middle portion along the first sidewall, the second side portion extending downwardly from the middle portion along the second sidewall.

10. The modular furniture unit of claim 8 , wherein the upper member has a downwardly facing opening defined in the bottom of the upper member and wherein connectors are connected to the upper member within the downwardly facing opening.

11. The modular furniture unit of claim 10 , wherein an upper end of each storage device is attached to the upper member inside the downwardly facing opening via the connectors.

12. The modular furniture unit of claim 11 , wherein the storage device has pouches.

13. A furniture arrangement comprising:
a first modular unit comprising:
a first upper member having a first end and a second end;
at least one first leg connected to the first end of the first upper member;
at least one second leg connected to the second end of the first upper member;
the first upper member having a top, a bottom, a first sidewall extending from the top to the bottom at a first side of the first upper member extending between the first a

Assignees

• Knoll Inc

Inventors

• Udagawa Masamichi
• Moeslinger Sigrid
• Snyder Ronald

Classifications

• A47B83/001

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

• H01R24/76

  with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• A47B21/06 Primary

  characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables · CPC title

• H01R25/006

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

• H02B1/20

  Bus-bar or other wiring layouts, e.g. in cubicles, in switchyards (installations of bus-bars H02G5/00) · CPC title