Patent ID: 6415723
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: A47B

Abstract:
A table assembly, comprising:a table top; a wire management housing mounted below the table top by means of a pivot connection providing movement of the wire management housing between an inoperative folded position in which the wire management housing is folded against the underside of the table top, and an operative unfolded position in which the wire management housing is unfolded away from the underside of the table top, wherein the wire management housing defines an internal cavity and includes a transversely extending brace member and an access member movably mounted to the brace member for movement between an open position for providing access to the internal cavity for placing wires within the internal cavity, and a closed position for preventing access to the internal cavity for maintaining wires within the internal cavity, wherein the access member is further movable to a collapsed position when the wire management housing is in its inoperative folded position to reduce the volume of the internal cavity relative to the volume of the internal cavity when the access member is in its closed position, and wherein the wire management housing further includes an opening in communication with the internal cavity, separate from the access member, for providing access to the internal cavity from below the table top other than through the access member; a pair of legs mounted to the underside of the table top, wherein the wire management housing is located between the pair of legs, and wherein each leg includes an upper mounting portion rigidly secured to the underside of the table top, and a lower portion movably mounted to the upper mounting portion by means of a pivot connection spaced outwardly from the underside of the table top such that, when the wire management housing is in its inoperative folded position and the access member is in its collapsed position, the leg lower portions are pivotable toward each other over the wire management housing to a folded position in which the leg lower portions are substantially in line with each other and are oriented substantially parallel to the underside of the table top, wherein each leg includes a wire management recess extending throughout at least a portion of its length, and a cover movably mounted to the leg adjacent the recess for movement between an open position providing access to the recess for placing wires into the recess, and a closed position preventing access to the recess for retaining wires within the recess; wherein the wire management arrangement of the leg and the wire management housing are configured and arranged relative to each other to enable the cover of the wire management arrangement and the access member of the wire management housing to both be in the open position at the same time, to provide lay-in placement of wires into the wire-receiving recess of the leg and into the internal cavity of the wire management housing; and a releasable engagement arrangement interposed between the legs and the brace member for engaging the brace member with the legs when the legs are in their operative extended positions and the wire management housing is in its operative unfolded position, for bracing the legs against movement away from their operative extended positions, wherein the releasable engagement arrangement provides disengagement of the brace member from the legs to enable the legs and the wire management housing to be moved to their inoperative folded positions.