US4887538A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular office furniture system
Assignee: LEE-ROWAN COMPANY A CORP OF
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Filing: 1988-10-12
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Granted: 1989-12-19
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Expires: 2008-10-12
Abstract
Abstract An office system comprising a desk and a file folder and basket frame. Each comprises a group of tubular components, file folder frames and baskets, some of which can be used for either the desk or the file holder frame and basket. Assembly is easy using household tools. A stop can be snapped in place to limit sliding movement of either or both the file holder frame or the basket.
Inventors
- 👤 William D. Arnold
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:31
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B17/00; A47B88/00; A47B88/40; A47B88/402; A47B2088/401; A47B2210/00; A47B2210/0002; A47B2210/0024; A47B2210/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
469 words
A modular office furniture system comprising a desk having a front and rear and having first and second side assemblies, the first side assembly comprising front and rear vertical tube sections each having a top and a bottom, the front vertical tube sections being connected to the rear vertical tube sections by vertically spaced upper and lower pairs of horizontally opposed channel runners, front and rear cross tubes each having a horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upstanding leg sections contiguous with the horizontal section, the upstanding leg sections of the front and rear cross tubes being telescopingly joined to the bottoms of the front and rear vertical tube sections, respectively, a forward horizontal straight tube extending between the tops of the front vertical tube sections, a rearward horizontal straight tube extending between the tops of the vertical tubes, the tops of the vertical tube sections being flattened to permit them to lie against the horizontal straight tubes at their points of contact, and screws connecting the flattened upper ends of the vertical tube sections to the horizontal straight tubes, a forward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the forward horizontal straight tube, a rearward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the rearward horizontal straight tube, the forward and rearward curved support tubes having forward and rearward vertical sections, respectively, a cross tube having a front to rear extending horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upwardly extending front and rear legs, the front leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the forward vertical section of the forward curved support tube and the rearward leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the rearward vertical section of the rearward curved support tube, a desk top, and screw fasteners connecting the desk top to the horizontal straight tubes and the horizontal sections of the curved support tubes, a file holder frame having side members adapted to slidingly fit within a selected pair of the horizontally opposed channel runners and being adapted to support a plurality of file folders, a basket having side members spaced and adapted to fit between a selected pair of horizontally opposed channel runners, a contact element on the file folder frame, a contact element on the basket, a stop installed on at least one of the upper channel runners and a stop installed on at least one of the lower channel runners for sliding movement thereon, each stop having a portion positioned to be contacted by the contact element of the file folder frame or the contact element of the basket and having another portion adapted to contact a vertical tube section at the front of the desk during sliding movement of either the file folder frame or the basket.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
469 words
A modular office furniture system comprising a desk having a front and rear and having first and second side assemblies, the first side assembly comprising front and rear vertical tube sections each having a top and a bottom, the front vertical tube sections being connected to the rear vertical tube sections by vertically spaced upper and lower pairs of horizontally opposed channel runners, front and rear cross tubes each having a horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upstanding leg sections contiguous with the horizontal section, the upstanding leg sections of the front and rear cross tubes being telescopingly joined to the bottoms of the front and rear vertical tube sections, respectively, a forward horizontal straight tube extending between the tops of the front vertical tube sections, a rearward horizontal straight tube extending between the tops of the vertical tubes, the tops of the vertical tube sections being flattened to permit them to lie against the horizontal straight tubes at their points of contact, and screws connecting the flattened upper ends of the vertical tube sections to the horizontal straight tubes, a forward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the forward horizontal straight tube, a rearward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the rearward horizontal straight tube, the forward and rearward curved support tubes having forward and rearward vertical sections, respectively, a cross tube having a front to rear extending horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upwardly extending front and rear legs, the front leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the forward vertical section of the forward curved support tube and the rearward leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the rearward vertical section of the rearward curved support tube, a desk top, and screw fasteners connecting the desk top to the horizontal straight tubes and the horizontal sections of the curved support tubes, a file holder frame having side members adapted to slidingly fit within a selected pair of the horizontally opposed channel runners and being adapted to support a plurality of file folders, a basket having side members spaced and adapted to fit between a selected pair of horizontally opposed channel runners, a contact element on the file folder frame, a contact element on the basket, a stop installed on at least one of the upper channel runners and a stop installed on at least one of the lower channel runners for sliding movement thereon, each stop having a portion positioned to be contacted by the contact element of the file folder frame or the contact element of the basket and having another portion adapted to contact a vertical tube section at the front of the desk during sliding movement of either the file folder frame or the basket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
219 words
The modular office furniture system of claim 1 including a file folder and basket frame assembly comprising two upright assemblies, each upright assembly comprising vertical front and rear tube sections, at least one pair of channel runners, the channel runners extending front to rear and being connected to the front tube sections, respectively, and to the rear tube sections, respectively, a top assembly comprising front and rear cross tubes, each cross tube having a horizontal tube section and vertical side legs extending downwardly from the ends of the horizontal tube section, the front section vertical side legs being telescopingly fitted with the front vertical tube sections and the rear section side legs being telescopingly fitted with the rear vertical tube sections, a channel runner extending between one front and one rear side leg and another channel runner extending between the other front and the other rear side leg, front and rear cross tubes each comprising a horizontal base section and upstanding leg sections, the front cross tube leg sections being telescopingly fitted to the front vertical tube sections and the rear cross tube leg sections being telescopingly fitted to the rear vertical tube sections, the file holder frame and the basket being selectively installable on selected pairs of the channel runners of the file folder and basket frame assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The modular office furniture system of claim 2 including additional stops for installation on selected ones of the channel runners of the file folder and basket frame assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The modular office furniture system of claim 2 wherein each file holder frame supports parallel channel runners extending front to rear and opening upwardly to receive side tabs of a plurality of file folders.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The modular office furniture system of claim 1 wherein the desk top comprises two rectangular sections, and dowels for locating adjacent side edges of the desk top sections relative to one another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
338 words
A modular office furniture system comprising a desk having a front and rear and having first and second side assemblies, the first side assembly comprising front and rear vertical tube sections each having a top and a bottom, the front vertical tube sections being connected to the rear vertical tube sections by vertically spaced upper and lower pairs of horizontally opposed channel runners, front and rear cross tubes each having a horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upstanding leg sections contiguous with the horizontal section, the upstanding leg sections of the front and rear cross tubes being telescopingly joined to the bottoms of the front and rear vertical tube sections, respectively, a forward horizontal straight tube extending between and connected to the tops of the front vertical tube sections, a rearward horizontal straight tube extending between and connected to the tops of the rear vertical tubes, a forward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the forward horizontal straight tube, a rearward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the rearward horizontal straight tube, the forward and rearward curved support tubes having forward and rearward vertical sections, respectively, a cross tube having a front to rear extending horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upwardly extending front and rear legs, the front leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the forward vertical section of the forward curved support tube and the rearward leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the rearward vertical section of the rearward curved support tube, a desk top, and means connecting the desk top to the horizontal straight tubes and the horizontal sections of the curved support tubes, a file holder frame having side members adapted to slidingly fit within a selected pair of the horizontally opposed channel runners and being adapted to support a plurality of file folders, and a basket having side members spaced and adapted to fit between a selected pair of horizontally opposed channel runners.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
338 words
A modular office furniture system comprising a desk having a front and rear and having first and second side assemblies, the first side assembly comprising front and rear vertical tube sections each having a top and a bottom, the front vertical tube sections being connected to the rear vertical tube sections by vertically spaced upper and lower pairs of horizontally opposed channel runners, front and rear cross tubes each having a horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upstanding leg sections contiguous with the horizontal section, the upstanding leg sections of the front and rear cross tubes being telescopingly joined to the bottoms of the front and rear vertical tube sections, respectively, a forward horizontal straight tube extending between and connected to the tops of the front vertical tube sections, a rearward horizontal straight tube extending between and connected to the tops of the rear vertical tubes, a forward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the forward horizontal straight tube, a rearward curved support tube having a horizontal section telescopingly fitted to the rearward horizontal straight tube, the forward and rearward curved support tubes having forward and rearward vertical sections, respectively, a cross tube having a front to rear extending horizontal section for resting on a floor and having upwardly extending front and rear legs, the front leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the forward vertical section of the forward curved support tube and the rearward leg of the cross tube being telescopingly fitted to the rearward vertical section of the rearward curved support tube, a desk top, and means connecting the desk top to the horizontal straight tubes and the horizontal sections of the curved support tubes, a file holder frame having side members adapted to slidingly fit within a selected pair of the horizontally opposed channel runners and being adapted to support a plurality of file folders, and a basket having side members spaced and adapted to fit between a selected pair of horizontally opposed channel runners.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-12-18 | 1993-06-19 | 1993-12-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-12-18 | 1997-06-19 | 1997-12-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-12-18 | 2001-06-19 | 2001-12-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |