US5130494A — Work space wire management system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 111 words

An article of furniture having a generally horizontal work surface, said article comprising a top having front and rear sides and opposite ends, a member depending from said top, and a panel pivotably mounted to said member adjacent said rear side of said top for movement between a first position wherein said panel restricts access to space rearward of said article from a position beneath said top and a second position wherein said panel permits access to space rearward of said article from a position beneath said top, said panel being movable in a direction toward said front side of said article as said panel is pivoted toward said second position.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 111 words

An article of furniture having a generally horizontal work surface, said article comprising a top having front and rear sides and opposite ends, a member depending from said top, and a panel pivotably mounted to said member adjacent said rear side of said top for movement between a first position wherein said panel restricts access to space rearward of said article from a position beneath said top and a second position wherein said panel permits access to space rearward of said article from a position beneath said top, said panel being movable in a direction toward said front side of said article as said panel is pivoted toward said second position.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 67 words

An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein said member is a support member for said top, said support member at least partially defining a knee space beneath said top and between said opposite ends thereof, said panel partially defining said knee space when said panel is in the first position and pivotable into said knee space as said panel is pivoted toward said second position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 64 words

An article of furniture according to claim 2 wherein said support member is mounted adjacent to one of said opposite ends of said top, said article further comprising a rail mounted on said support member and extending between said opposite ends of said top beneath the same, said panel being pivotably mounted to said rail for pivotable movement between said first and second positions.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

An article of furniture according to claim 3 and further comprising a latch for releasably fastening said panel in said first position.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

An article of furniture according to claim 4, wherein said latch is mounted on said top.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

An article of furniture according to claim 3 wherein two of said support members are mounted to said top at said opposite ends thereof, said knee space being at least partially defined by and between said support members, said rail being mounted to and between said support members at lower portions thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

An article of furniture according to claim 6 wherein at least one hinge is mounted to and between said rail and said panel to effect pivotable movement of said panel into said knee space between said first and second positions of said panel.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

An article of furniture according to claim 7 and further comprising a latch for releasably fastening said panel in said first position.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

An article of furniture according to claim 8, wherein said latch is mounted on said top.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 112 words

In a grommet for an article of furniture having an interior space and a panel separating the interior space of said article from the exterior thereof, said panel having an opening therein for communication between the interior and exterior, said grommet being adapted to be received in said opening, the improvement in said grommet comprising: a sleeve adapted to be received within the opening; and a cover removably mounted to the sleeve to cover the opening, said cover comprising a closure member pivotally mounted thereto, said closure member having a pair of opposed walls connected by a web thereby defining a channel for conducting wires therethrough between the interior and the exterior.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 112 words

In a grommet for an article of furniture having an interior space and a panel separating the interior space of said article from the exterior thereof, said panel having an opening therein for communication between the interior and exterior, said grommet being adapted to be received in said opening, the improvement in said grommet comprising: a sleeve adapted to be received within the opening; and a cover removably mounted to the sleeve to cover the opening, said cover comprising a closure member pivotally mounted thereto, said closure member having a pair of opposed walls connected by a web thereby defining a channel for conducting wires therethrough between the interior and the exterior.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 149 words

In a grommet for an article of furniture having an interior space and a panel separating the interior space of said article from the exterior thereof, said panel having an aperture therein for communication between the interior and exterior, said grommet being adapted to be received in said aperture, the improvement in said grommet comprising: a sleeve having a passage therethrough, said sleeve being adapted to be received within the aperture; and a cover removably received within the sleeve to at least partially cover the passage, said cover having a top wall and a recessed base wall spaced from the top wall by a side wall, said base wall and said side wall at least partially defining an opening beneath the top wall and substantially concealed from view thereby to permit wires to pass therethrough between the interior and the exterior when the grommet is received within the aperture.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 149 words

In a grommet for an article of furniture having an interior space and a panel separating the interior space of said article from the exterior thereof, said panel having an aperture therein for communication between the interior and exterior, said grommet being adapted to be received in said aperture, the improvement in said grommet comprising: a sleeve having a passage therethrough, said sleeve being adapted to be received within the aperture; and a cover removably received within the sleeve to at least partially cover the passage, said cover having a top wall and a recessed base wall spaced from the top wall by a side wall, said base wall and said side wall at least partially defining an opening beneath the top wall and substantially concealed from view thereby to permit wires to pass therethrough between the interior and the exterior when the grommet is received within the aperture.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

A grommet according to claim 11 wherein the cover has a wall portion complementary in shape to the sleeve and adapted to be slidably received within the sleeve.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

A grommet according to claim 12 wherein a portion of said sidewall is offset from the remainder of said sidewall and said offset portion partially defines said opening.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

A grommet according to claim 13 wherein the recessed base wall includes a section removably connected thereto adjacent the contiguous opening whereby the contiguous opening can be enlarged when the section is removed.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

A grommet according to claim 14 wherein the section is connected to the recessed portion by a frangible connection.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 137 words

An article of free standing furniture having a generally horizontal work surface, the article comprising: a horizontal panel supported by two support members and a vertical panel extending therebetween, said horizontal panel, vertical panel and support members at least partially defining an interior space and separating said interior space of the article from the exterior thereof; and wire management means for conducting electrical wires to electrical components associated with said article, said wire management means comprising a grommet mounted to the horizontal panel and defining an opening therethrough for communication between the interior space and the exterior and a channel mounted within the interior space to one of the vertical panel and the horizontal panel substantially in registry with the grommet; said vertical panel being mounted to the support members for pivotable movement into the interior space.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 137 words

An article of free standing furniture having a generally horizontal work surface, the article comprising: a horizontal panel supported by two support members and a vertical panel extending therebetween, said horizontal panel, vertical panel and support members at least partially defining an interior space and separating said interior space of the article from the exterior thereof; and wire management means for conducting electrical wires to electrical components associated with said article, said wire management means comprising a grommet mounted to the horizontal panel and defining an opening therethrough for communication between the interior space and the exterior and a channel mounted within the interior space to one of the vertical panel and the horizontal panel substantially in registry with the grommet; said vertical panel being mounted to the support members for pivotable movement into the interior space.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

An article of furniture according to claim 16 wherein the grommet comprises a sleeve mounted to said panel and defining the opening therethrough; and a cover removably mounted to the sleeve to cover the opening.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 39 words

An article of furniture according to claim 17 wherein the cover comprises a closure member pivotally mounted thereto, said closure member having a pair of opposed walls connected by a web thereby defining a channel for conducting wires therethrough.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 30 words

An article of furniture according to claim 17 wherein the cover has a wall portion complementary in shape to the sleeve and adapted to be slidably received within the sleeve.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 37 words

An article of furniture according to claim 19 wherein the cover comprises a recessed portion connected angularly to a first wall, said first wall and said recessed portion having a contiguous opening to form the opening means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 33 words

An article of furniture according to claim 20 wherein a portion of said first wall is offset from the remainder of said first wall and said offset portion partially defines said contiguous opening.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 34 words

An article of furniture according to claim 21 wherein the recessed portion includes a section removably connected thereto adjacent the contiguous opening whereby the contiguous opening can be enlarged when the section is removed.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 21 words

An article of furniture according to claim 22 wherein the section is connected to the recessed portion by a frangible connection.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 53 words

An article of furniture according to claim 21 wherein the cover comprises a second wall angularly connected to said first wall at said offset portion and spaced from said contiguous opening to partially define the opening means and substantially conceal the opening means from view when the cover is mounted to the sleeve.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 21 words

An article of furniture according to claim 16 further comprising a latch for releasably fastening the panel in the first position.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 108 words

A grommet for conducting electrical wiring from the interior of an article of furniture to the exterior thereof, said grommet comprising: a sleeve having a passage therethrough along an axis; a cover having a wall partially defining an opening therein, said cover being removably received within the sleeve with the wall substantially normal to the axis and thereby at least partially covering the passage; and a member extending from said wall adjacent to the opening so that the member and the opening can be oriented relative to the sleeve, about the axis, to at least partially obscure the opening from view without obstructing the opening into the passage.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 108 words

A grommet for conducting electrical wiring from the interior of an article of furniture to the exterior thereof, said grommet comprising: a sleeve having a passage therethrough along an axis; a cover having a wall partially defining an opening therein, said cover being removably received within the sleeve with the wall substantially normal to the axis and thereby at least partially covering the passage; and a member extending from said wall adjacent to the opening so that the member and the opening can be oriented relative to the sleeve, about the axis, to at least partially obscure the opening from view without obstructing the opening into the passage.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 15 words

A grommet according to claim 26 wherein the member is pivotally mounted to the wall.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 23 words

A grommet according to claim 26 wherein the wall is recessed in the cover, and the member extends above and over the opening.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 18 words

A grommet according to claim 26 wherein the wall includes a section removably connected thereto adjacent the opening.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 18 words

A grommet according to claim 29 wherein the section is connected to the wall by a frangible connection.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-07-14	1996-01-13	1996-07-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-07-14	2000-01-13	2000-07-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-07-14	2004-01-13	2004-07-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Work space wire management system

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