Nd panel support system

Claim 2

A furniture system comprising: a plurality of pairs of structural, load-bearing end support panels of a construction sufficiently strong to support a top and cabinet suspended from the top without the necessity of an additional conventional structural desk frame; the end panels in each of said pairs of end support panels having differing depths from front to rear and differing heights from top to bottom from the end panels in other of said pairs; a plurality of tops of differing lengths and of differing depths from front to rear; a plurality of differing types of cabinets; first releasable securing means on each of said tops and on said end support panels to facilitate the ready securance or removal of one of said plurality of tops between one of said pairs of end support panels whereby a top is supported by said end support panels when attached thereto; second releasable securing means on said cabinets and on said tops for readily releasably securing each of said cabinets to any one of said tops in a suspended manner from said top when sAid top is secured to and supported by one of said pairs of said end support panels whereby a plurality of different types of end panel supported furniture can be readily assembled, disassembled and reassembled from said end support panels, said tops and said cabinets.

Claim 3

The furniture system of claim 1 comprising: a cover member of each of said end support panels; said first releasable securing means on each said support panel being disposed within said end panel normally concealed from view by said cover member; and third releasable securing means on said cover member and its said end panel for releasably securing said cover member to said end panel whereby said cover members can be readily removed for access to said first securing means.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 in which space divider panels are provided for joining to said end support panels.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 in which space divider panels are provided for joining to said end support panels.

Claim 6

The furniture system of claim 1 in which said first releasable securing means includes means for mounting each of said tops in either the generally horizontal orientation or in a tiltably mounted, inclined orientation with respect to said end support panels.

Claim 7

A furniture system comprising: at least two structural, load bearing end support panels of a construction sufficiently strong to support a top and cabinets suspended from the top without the necessity of an additional conventional structural desk frame; a plurality of tops of differing lengths; a plurality of differing types of cabinets; first releasable securing means on each of said tops and on said end support panels to facilitate the ready securance or removal of one of said plurality of tops between said two end support panels whereby a top is supported by said end panels when attached thereto; second releasable securing means on said cabinets and on said tops for readily releasably securing each of said cabinets to any one of said tops in a suspended manner from said top when said top is secured to and supported by said end support panels whereby a plurality of different types of end panel supported furniture can be readily assembled, disassembled and reassembled from said end support panels, said tops and said cabinets; a cover member for each of said end support panels; said first releasable securing means on said end support panels being disposed within each said end support panel normally concealed from view by said cover member; and third releasable securing means on said cover member and its said end support panel for releasably securing said cover member to said end support panel whereby said cover member can readily be removed from said end support panel for access to said first releasable securing means.

Claim 8

A furniture system comprising: at least two structural, load bearing end support panels of a construction sufficiently strong to support a top and cabinets suspended from the top without the necessity of an additional conventional structural desk frame; a plurality of tops of differing lengths; a plurality of differing types of cabinets; first releasable securing means on each of said tops and on said end support panels to facilitate the ready securance or removal of one of said plurality of tops between said two end support panels whereby a top is supported by said end panels when attached thereto; second releasable securing means on said cabinets and on said tops for readily releasably securing each of said cabinets to any one of said tops in a suspended manner from said top when said top is secured to and supported by said end support panels whereby a plurality of different types of end panel supported furniture can be readily assembled, disassembled and reassembled from said end support panels, said tops and said cabinets; a cover member for each of said end support panels; said first releasable securing means on said end support panels being disposed within each said end support panel normally concealed from view by said cover member; and third releasable securing means on said cover member and its said end support panel for releasably securing said cover member to said end support panel whereby said cover member can readily be removed from said end support panel for access to said first releasable securing means.

Claim 9

The furniture system of claim 6 in which there are a plurality of pairs of said end panels, the end panels in each of said pairs having different depth dimensions from front to rear from those in other of said pairs.

Claim 10

A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said second releasable securing means comprises a lock member slideably mounted on said cover and lock-engaging means on said panel adapted to engage with said lock member.

Claim 11

The system as defined in claim 8 wherein said lock member comprises a bar slideably mounted in said cover, a plurality of tab members having engaging means thereon extending outwardly from said bar, and said lock engaging means comprising a plurality of tab-receiving slots formed in said panel adapted to lockingly engage with said engaging means on said tab members.

Claim 12

The system as defined in claim 9 and further including biasing means for said lock member, said biasing means urging said tab members toward locked position with respect to said tab-receiving slots in said panel.

Claim 13

The system as defined in claim 10 and further including release actuator means on said lock member to shift same out of locking engagement with said panel, and a removable plate member on said panel allowing accesS to said release actuator means.

Claim 14

The system of claim 10 in which said engaging means on each said tab member comprises a barb on said tab defining first and second shoulders on either side thereof respectively, said first shoulder being positioned farther from said bar than said second shoulder; means on said tab for securing said bias means thereto; means on said cover for securing said bias means to said cover on either side of said tab whereby said tab will be locked in said slot either by said first shoulder or said second shoulder and said bar can be used with either a panel having no fabric wrapped around its edges or a panel having upholstery wrapped around its edges simply by connecting said bias means to said cover on an appropriate side of said tab.

Claim 15

The system of claim 12 in which said second securing means includes tabs on said cover members and first slots on said end panel for receiving said tabs, said tabs including engaging means for holding said tabs in place in said first slots; a second slot adjacent and below each said first slot thereby dfining a bridge between each of said first and second slots, said bridge being of a bendable material whereby it can be bent in or out, up or down by inserting a tool into an appropriate one of said first and second slots and operating said tool against said bridge, said bridge thereby forming a means for adjusting said cover member in or out, up or down with respect to said end panel.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13 in which said cover member includes a rearwardly projecting side flange at either side thereof; said end panel including a channel at each side thereof for receiving said side flanges with each side flange adjacent a channel wall; said channel wall including a tab therein made of a bendable material whereby said tab can be bent either inwardly or outwardly, said tabs bearing against said side flanges to thereby provide a means for adjusting said cover member from side to side.

Claim 17

A furniture system comprising: a plurality of pairs of end support panels, the end panels in each of said pairs having at least different depth dimensions from front to back from those of other of said pairs; a plurality of tops of differing lengths and depths from front to back; a plurality of different types of cabinets; first releasable securing means on each of said tops and on said end panels to facilitate the ready securance or removal of one of said plurality of tops between one of said pair of end panels whereby a top is supported by a pair of said end panels when attached thereto; second releasable securing means on said cabinets and on said tops for readily releasably securing each of said cabinets to said tops whereby one or more of said cabinets can be suspended from one of said tops when it is supported between one of said pair of end panels such that a plurality of different types of furniture can be readily assembled, disassembled and reassembled from said pairs of end panels, tops and cabinet components; the length and the depth of any combination of any of said combined tops and end panels being whole number multiples of 5 inches whereby the arrangement of a number of combinations of said components in a room is facilitated.

Claim 18

A furniture system comprising: a plurality of pairs of end support panels, the end panels in each of said pairs having at least different depth dimensions from front to back from those of other of said pairs; a plurality of tops of differing lengths and depths from front to back; a plurality of different types of cabinets; first releasable securing means on each of said tops and on said end panels to facilitate the ready securance or removal of one of said plurality of tops between one of said pair of end panels whereby a top is supported by a pair of said end panels when attached thereto; second releasable securing means on said cabinets and on said tops for readily releasably securing each of said cabinets to said tops whereby one or more of said cabinets can be suspended from one of said tops when it is supported between one of said pair of end panels such that a plurality of different types of furniture can be readily assembled, disassembled and reassembled from said pairs of end panels, tops and cabinet components; the length and the depth of any combination of any of said combined tops and end panels being whole number multiples of 5 inches whereby the arrangement of a number of combinations of said components in a room is facilitated.

Claim 19

The system of claim 15 wherein said depth is one of 20, 25, 30 and 35 inches.

Claim 20

The system of claim 16 wherein said length is one of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75 inches.

Claim 21

The system of claim 17 in which space divider panels are provided for joining to said end panels, said space divider panels each having a depth from one side edge to the other which is one of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 inches.

Claim 22

The system of claim 15 in which space divider panels are provided for joining to said end panels, said space divider panels each having a depth from one side edge to the other which is a whole number multiple of 5 inches.

Claim 23

The system of claim 19 in which said space divider panels have a depth which Is one of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 inches.

Claim 24

The furniture system of claim 15 comprising: a cover member for each of said end support panels; said first releasable securing means on each said end support panel being disposed within said end panel normally concealed from view by said cover member; and third releasable securing means on said cover member and its said end panel for releasably securing said cover member to said end panel whereby said cover members can be readily removed for access to said first securing means.