US6430882B1 — Floor mounted utility post

Claim 1

Independent Claim 126 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a prefabricated floor construction adapted to be abuttingly supported on a building floor, and including a substantially hollow interior portion thereof defining at least one raceway to route at least one utility conduit therethrough, and a plurality of floor tiles defining an upper surface of said floor construction; and a utility post for distributing utilities, and including a floor tile shaped for installation on said prefabricated floor construction and having at least one marginally positioned cutout thereof disposed above said raceway and communicating therewith; said utility post including at least one vertical raceway being in communication with one of said at least one marginally positioned cutout and a top located above the at least one vertical raceway.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 126 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a prefabricated floor construction adapted to be abuttingly supported on a building floor, and including a substantially hollow interior portion thereof defining at least one raceway to route at least one utility conduit therethrough, and a plurality of floor tiles defining an upper surface of said floor construction; and a utility post for distributing utilities, and including a floor tile shaped for installation on said prefabricated floor construction and having at least one marginally positioned cutout thereof disposed above said raceway and communicating therewith; said utility post including at least one vertical raceway being in communication with one of said at least one marginally positioned cutout and a top located above the at least one vertical raceway.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 1 , wherein: said cut outs in said floor tile is a notch in an edge of said floor tile.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 2 , further including: at least one vertically positioned cover to enclose said race way.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 3 , wherein: said vertically positioned cover includes a utility receptacle.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 1 , wherein: said at least one vertical raceway is accessible from a vertical side of said floor mounted utility post.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 1 , wherein: said at least one vertical raceway opens along at least a portion of a vertical side of said floor mounted utility post.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 234 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a prefabricated floor construction adapted to be abuttingly supported on a building floor, and including a substantially hollow interior portion thereof defining at least one raceway to route at least one utility conduit therethrough, and a plurality of floor tiles defining an upper surface of said floor construction; and a utility post for distributing utilities, and including a floor tile shaped for installation on said prefabricated floor construction and having at least one marginally positioned cutout thereof disposed above said raceway and communicating therewith; said utility post including at least one vertical raceway being in communication with one of said at least one marginally positioned cutout and a top located above the at least one vertical raceway; said at least one marginally positioned cutout of said floor tile includes at least two marginally positioned cutouts positioned at separate edges of said floor tile; said at least one vertical raceway includes a pair of vertical raceway channel members secured to said floor tile, each of said vertical raceway channel members being in communication with one of said cutouts; said top is connected with upper portions of said raceway channel members; and said utility post further includes a door mounted to a first one of said raceways channel members, wherein said door, said top and said pair of vertical raceway channels in combination define a partial enclosure.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 234 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a prefabricated floor construction adapted to be abuttingly supported on a building floor, and including a substantially hollow interior portion thereof defining at least one raceway to route at least one utility conduit therethrough, and a plurality of floor tiles defining an upper surface of said floor construction; and a utility post for distributing utilities, and including a floor tile shaped for installation on said prefabricated floor construction and having at least one marginally positioned cutout thereof disposed above said raceway and communicating therewith; said utility post including at least one vertical raceway being in communication with one of said at least one marginally positioned cutout and a top located above the at least one vertical raceway; said at least one marginally positioned cutout of said floor tile includes at least two marginally positioned cutouts positioned at separate edges of said floor tile; said at least one vertical raceway includes a pair of vertical raceway channel members secured to said floor tile, each of said vertical raceway channel members being in communication with one of said cutouts; said top is connected with upper portions of said raceway channel members; and said utility post further includes a door mounted to a first one of said raceways channel members, wherein said door, said top and said pair of vertical raceway channels in combination define a partial enclosure.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 64 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 7 , wherein: at least one of said vertical raceway channel members has an S-shaped cross section defining two parallel channels, a first parallel channel facing an exterior of said post for external routing of utility conduits and a second parallel channel facing an interior of said post for internal routing of utility conduits.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 7 , further including: at least one shelf mounted to said vertical raceway channel members.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 9 , wherein: said raceways channel members define apertures for the routing of office utility conduits to an interior of said post.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 7 , further including: a second door mounted to a second of said raceway channel members.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 175 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a prefabricated floor construction adapted to be abuttingly supported on a building floor, and including a substantially hollow interior portion thereof defining at least one raceway to route at least one utility conduit therethrough, and a plurality of floor tiles defining an upper surface of said floor construction; and a utility post for distributing utilities, and including a floor tile shaped for installation on said prefabricated floor construction and having at least one marginally positioned cutout thereof disposed above said raceway and communicating therewith; said utility post including at least one vertical raceway being in communication with one of said at least one marginally positioned cutout and a top located above the at least one vertical raceway; said floor mounted utility post is positioned adjacent to and in combination with a second like floor mounted utility post, said utility posts forming a cabinet wherein said raceways form a back and sides of said cabinet and have a front thereof open for mounting of electrical equipment therein.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 175 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a prefabricated floor construction adapted to be abuttingly supported on a building floor, and including a substantially hollow interior portion thereof defining at least one raceway to route at least one utility conduit therethrough, and a plurality of floor tiles defining an upper surface of said floor construction; and a utility post for distributing utilities, and including a floor tile shaped for installation on said prefabricated floor construction and having at least one marginally positioned cutout thereof disposed above said raceway and communicating therewith; said utility post including at least one vertical raceway being in communication with one of said at least one marginally positioned cutout and a top located above the at least one vertical raceway; said floor mounted utility post is positioned adjacent to and in combination with a second like floor mounted utility post, said utility posts forming a cabinet wherein said raceways form a back and sides of said cabinet and have a front thereof open for mounting of electrical equipment therein.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 383 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a plurality of irregularly shaped floor pans adapted for abutting support directly on a floor surface in a mutually adjacent pattern, each floor pan including at least a portion of a first raceway in which first utilities can be routed and an exterior of said floor pan defining at least a portion of a second raceway in which second utilities can be routed; a plurality of rigid cover plates supported on said floor pans in a mutually adjacent arrangement to define at least a portion of a continuous floor surface thereover; a plurality of separator bridges; each of said floor pan having at least one of said cover plates positioned thereover to enclosed the same; each of said floor pan having one of said separator bridges positioned thereon, with sidewalls of said one separator bridge being disposed above, and oriented substantially perpendicular to sidewalls of said associated floor pan, whereby when said floor pans and separator bridges are positioned adjacent one another on the floor surface portions of adjacent floor pans abut end-to-end so that said first raceway is shielded from the floor surface and extends continuously through said floor construction, said adjacent floor pans define an open floor space therebetween which defines at least a portion of said second raceway and said separator bridges physically separate said second raceway from said first raceway to positively prevent the second utilities from coming into contact with the first utilities and thereby minimize interference therebetween; and at least one utility post supported on said floor pans, said utility post including a base shaped for mounting on said floor pans, said base having at least two cutouts therein positioned at separate edges of said base; said utility post further including a pair of vertical raceways, each of said vertical raceways being in communication with one of said cutouts and a top connected with upper portions of said raceway channels; the utility post being configured such that the first utilities can be routed through a first one of said at least two cutouts and into a first one of said vertical raceways and the second utility can be routed through a second one of said at least two cutouts and into a second one of said vertical raceways.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 383 words

A utility distribution system for open office plans comprising: a plurality of irregularly shaped floor pans adapted for abutting support directly on a floor surface in a mutually adjacent pattern, each floor pan including at least a portion of a first raceway in which first utilities can be routed and an exterior of said floor pan defining at least a portion of a second raceway in which second utilities can be routed; a plurality of rigid cover plates supported on said floor pans in a mutually adjacent arrangement to define at least a portion of a continuous floor surface thereover; a plurality of separator bridges; each of said floor pan having at least one of said cover plates positioned thereover to enclosed the same; each of said floor pan having one of said separator bridges positioned thereon, with sidewalls of said one separator bridge being disposed above, and oriented substantially perpendicular to sidewalls of said associated floor pan, whereby when said floor pans and separator bridges are positioned adjacent one another on the floor surface portions of adjacent floor pans abut end-to-end so that said first raceway is shielded from the floor surface and extends continuously through said floor construction, said adjacent floor pans define an open floor space therebetween which defines at least a portion of said second raceway and said separator bridges physically separate said second raceway from said first raceway to positively prevent the second utilities from coming into contact with the first utilities and thereby minimize interference therebetween; and at least one utility post supported on said floor pans, said utility post including a base shaped for mounting on said floor pans, said base having at least two cutouts therein positioned at separate edges of said base; said utility post further including a pair of vertical raceways, each of said vertical raceways being in communication with one of said cutouts and a top connected with upper portions of said raceway channels; the utility post being configured such that the first utilities can be routed through a first one of said at least two cutouts and into a first one of said vertical raceways and the second utility can be routed through a second one of said at least two cutouts and into a second one of said vertical raceways.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 104 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 13 , wherein: said cutouts are positioned at separate edges of said base; said at least one vertical raceway includes a pair of vertical raceway channel members secured to said base, each of said vertical raceway channel members being in communication with one of said cutouts; said top is connected with upper portions of said raceway channel members; and said utility post further includes a door mounted to a first one of said raceways channel members, wherein said door, said top and said pair of vertical raceway channels in combination define a partial enclosure.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 64 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 14 , wherein: at least one of said vertical raceway channel members has an S-shaped cross section defining two parallel channels, a first parallel channel facing an exterior of said post for external routing of utility conduits and a second parallel channel facing an interior of said post for internal routing of utility conduits.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 14 , further including: at least one shelf mounted to said vertical raceway channel members.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 32 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 16 , wherein: said raceways channel members define apertures for the routing of office utility conduits to an interior of said post.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 26 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 14 , further including: a second door mounted to a second of said raceway channel members.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 25 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 13 , wherein: said cutouts in said base are notchs in edges of said base.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 19 , further including: at least one vertically positioned cover to enclose said raceways.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 21 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 20 , wherein: said vertically positioned covers includes a utility receptacle.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 62 words

The utility distribution system for open office plans of claim 13 , wherein: said floor mounted utility post is positioned adjacent to and in combination with a second like floor mounted utility post, said utility posts forming a cabinet wherein said raceways form a back and sides of said cabinet and have a front thereof open for mounting of electrical equipment therein.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-08-12	2006-02-11	2006-08-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-08-12	2010-02-11	2010-08-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-08-12	2014-02-11	2014-08-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Floor mounted utility post

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