Abstract:
An accessory for fitting work station auxiliary components ( 14-19 ) below a work surface ( 13 ) which has at least one profile ( 12 ) adapted to be fixed below a work surface ( 13 ) wherein said profile ( 12 ) extends horizontally along the surface ( 13 ) and includes at least one attachment element ( 20-26 ) for joining the auxiliary components ( 14-19 ) to the profile ( 12 ), wherein the location of the auxiliary components ( 14-19 ) along said profile ( 12 ) is interchangeable, and wherein the profile ( 12 ) and the at least one attachment element ( 20-26 ) are joined using snap-engagement fasteners ( 28-30 )

Description:
The present application claims priority to Italian Patent Application Serial No. MI 2001A 001600, filed Jul. 25, 2001. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention refers to an accessory for fitting auxiliary components for a workstation below a work surface. 
     As is well known to experts of the sector workstations must be equipped with a high number of auxiliary components, distributed in a small space. 
     Indeed, also in a minimum configuration of a work station there is in any case a personal computer and connection cables between the units of the personal computer and to the mains. 
     Workstations having a larger number of auxiliary components can for example be equipped with filing drawers and vertical screening panels. 
     Moreover, the sector requires a high flexibility in configurations and arrangements of work surfaces, which constitute the workstation, also arranged at an angle to each other. 
     Work stations are often realised through the composition of work surfaces and legs, without the side shoulders against which to mask for example the cables or against which to connect filing drawers or other. 
     Therefore, there has been an increased need to foresee an organisation of the space, for example below the work surface, for the positioning of the auxiliary components. 
     Currently the space under a work surface is mainly exploited to fix the cables through clips or grooves. Other auxiliary components such as filing drawers, or keyboard-holding elements, possibly fixed below the work surface of a work station, are for example screwed directly onto the surface itself or in any case each have their own attachment system and therefore are not interchangeable. 
     The main drawback of the attachment systems currently used consists of the lack of a common attachment system available to all of the auxiliary components. 
     Moreover, in the case of reorganisation of a work station, the modification of the arrangement of the auxiliary components is very difficult from the point of view of the work necessary and in general can be carried out a limited number of times, with it being necessary to make new holes in the surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention is that of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, cost-effective and particularly functional manner. 
     Another purpose is that of realising an accessory for fitting auxiliary components for a workstation below a work surface which constitutes a standard attachment system which can be applied to multiple uses. 
     In view of the aforementioned purposes, according to the present invention, it has been thought of to realise an accessory having the characteristics outlined in the attached claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages compared to the prior art shall become even clearer from an examination of the following description, referring to the attached drawings, which show an accessory realised according to the innovative principles of the invention itself. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of a first configuration of a work station provided with an accessory for fitting auxiliary components below a work surface, object of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second simplified configuration of a workstation equipped with an accessory, object of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a detail of a work surface of a work station carrying a glued profile and a profile connected through screws; 
     FIG. 4 shows a cross-section view of an element for attaching auxiliary elements consisting of a cable-guide in the realisation of an arm; 
     FIG. 5 shows a cross-section view of a second embodiment of a cable-carrier with two arms; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below showing a detail of an example arrangement under a work surface of some elements for attaching auxiliary components, such as cable-carriers adhering to the surface, a helical cable-carrier and a support for electrical sockets; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view from below showing a detail of the application of a screening panel to a surface; 
     FIGS. 8-10 show perspective views, exploded with respect to the profiles, of further elements for attaching auxiliary components—a keyboard-holding element, a support panel for a personal computer and a universal screw attachment, respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, an accessory for fitting auxiliary components for a work station below a work surface, in object is wholly indicated with  10  and, in the example illustrated according to the present invention, comprises one or more profiles  12 , or profile sectors  11 , capable of being fixed below a surface  13  and a plurality of different elements for attaching auxiliary components. 
     By auxiliary components for a work station we mean for example cables  14 , vertical screening panels  15 , electrical sockets, telephone sockets or other sockets  16 , keyboards  17  and other units of a personal computer  18 , filing drawers  19  and other auxiliary material which can be secured to the surface  13 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the elements for attaching auxiliary components of a work station are for example cable-carrying elements adhering to the surface, or horizontal,  20  and  20 ′, as well as vertical cable-carrying elements  21 , rectangular supports  22  for electrical sockets  16 , brackets  23  for attachment with a screw of vertical panels  15 , keyboard-carrying elements  24 , support panels  25  for units of a personal computer  18  and universal attachments  26  with a screw  44 . 
     The profile  12  and the attachment elements have additional snap-engagement means which stably bind them in the vertical direction still maintaining a radial clearance  27 , which allows the relative translation in the longitudinal direction between the profile  12  and the attachment elements. 
     In an embodiment, shown in section just as an example in FIGS. 3-5, the profile  12  has an undercut to form a longitudinal L-shaped seat  28 , formed on both sides, which constitutes one of the additional snap-engagement means. 
     The attachment elements, on the other hand, are equipped with additional snap-engagement means consisting of elastic walls  29 , which have the outer shape of the profile and which terminate with a toothed element  30 . 
     The profile  12 , for example made out of plastic material, can either be flexible or rigid. In the first case, shown in FIG. 1, the profile  12  shall be applied below the surface  13  of an angled workstation, so as to follow the curved shape of the surface. 
     Should the profile  12  be rigid, through the combination of rectilinear profile sectors  11  and portions curved in a suitably predetermined manner it is possible to reach an analogous result in terms of rationalising the space and the distribution of auxiliary components under a work surface  13 . 
     The profile sectors  11 , of various sizes, can moreover be applied to the surface  13  for the localised attachment of an auxiliary component, for example a cable-guide  20 , according to that which is shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The attachment of the profile  12  to the surface  13  takes place for example through screws  31  applied in different points according to the shape of the workstation. 
     Therefore, the profile  12  can also not be prepunched, but in a preferred embodiment, according to that which is shown in section in FIG. 3, has a longitudinal slot  32  with a V-shaped section to receive the attachment screw  31  and for housing for the head of such a screw  31 . 
     Moreover, there is an inner guide cavity  33  for the screw, arranged along an active axis  34  of said screw  31 . 
     On the top the profile  12  is equipped with a space for collecting shavings  35  of wood and/or plastic generated from the action of the attachment screw  31  against the profile  12  itself and the surface  13  during assembly. 
     The profile  12 , made according to that which has been outlined, is moreover suitable for being stuck to the surface for example through double-sided adhesive tape, should the application of small loads be foreseen on the attachment elements for auxiliary components. 
     Indeed, regarding this on the upper side of the profile flat surfaces  36  are arranged for sticking the profile  12  itself in contact with the surface  13 . 
     Observing the aforementioned attachment elements for auxiliary components in greater detail, FIGS. 4 and 5 show the horizontal cable-guiding elements  20  and  20 ′, equipped with one or two flexible arms  37 . The arms  37 , which extend along the side of the walls  29  of the engagement means with the profile  12 , terminate with a curved portion  43  for containing the cables  14 . 
     Through such horizontal cable-guides  20  and  20 ′ it is possible to arrange more or less voluminous bundles of cables  14  under a surface  13  of a work station, according to suitable routes, keeping them as adhered as possible to such a surface so that they are not visible. 
     Moreover, the cable-guides  20 ′ with two arms  37  allow the separation of different types of cables  14 . 
     The vertical cable-guide  21  consists, in the example shown, of a flexible helix  38 , capable of adapting to surfaces  13  of different heights, inside which the bundle of cables  14  is arranged which from the collection point under the surface is conveyed to the floor for connection to the mains. 
     A further non-shown embodiment of the cable-guide  21  could consist of a bellows-type tubular wall. 
     The vertical cable-guide  21  shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 terminates with a conical support element  39  and is equipped at the opposite end with an element for connection  40  with the walls  29 . 
     The cables  14  can possibly originate from the power, telephone or personal computer sockets  16  fixed below the surface  13  and screwed into the rectangular support  22 , carrying on one side one or more means for engagement with the profile  12  (FIG.  6 ). 
     Further attachment elements for auxiliary components consist of brackets  23  for attachment for example through screws of vertical screening panels  15 , capable of being positioned opposite the operator&#39;s station, as shown in FIG.  7 . 
     Finally, the keyboard-holding element  24 , for example consisting of a space with a sliding base  42 , shown in FIG. 8 isolated from the profiles  12 , can be applied to such parallel profiles  12  through engagement means arranged at its corners. 
     A further type of attachment element for auxiliary components, suitable for being simultaneously bound to two parallel profiles  12 , consists of the support panel  25  for units of a personal computer or other peripheral units  18  (FIG.  9 ). 
     Finally, a plurality of universal screw attachments  26 , an example of which is shown in FIG. 10, can be applied to furniture accessories, such as filing drawers  19  or other, so as to distribute the weight to be borne over many generically directed profiles  12 . 
     The additional snap-engagement means of the attachment elements, which consist of the elastic walls  29  terminating with the toothed element  30 , can for example be made integral with the attachment elements or be stably connected to them through fixed or separable clamps. 
     The attachment elements for auxiliary components as well as the profiles  12  can for example be made out of moulded plastic material, die-cast aluminium or other materials which combine strength, elasticity and ease of treatment. 
     The accessory for fitting auxiliary components for a work station  10  below a work surface, object of the present invention, is applied to surfaces  13  by means of screws  31  or is stuck to it, according to variable configurations for each surface. 
     The attachment elements for auxiliary components are snap-bound to the profile  12  through the additional engagement means. 
     The attachment elements thus assembled are allowed to translate longitudinally with respect to the profile  12 , to be positioned in a more suitable manner with respect to any technical and aesthetic requirement and possibly to be withdrawn from the profiles themselves. 
     The horizontal cable-guides  20  and  20 ′, equipped with one or more flexible arms  37  allow, moreover allow one or more cables  14  to be advantageously added or eliminated without having to disassemble the entire cable-guide element  20  and  20 ′ for this. 
     Moreover, the vertical cable-guide  21 , equipped with the flexible helix  38  is suitable, thanks to its shape, to surfaces  13  of different heights and can possibly also convey the cables  14  between two points, which are not on the same vertical. 
     From that which is described above with reference to the figures, it is clear how an accessory for fitting auxiliary components for a workstation below a work surface according to the invention is particularly useful and advantageous. The purpose mentioned in the preamble of the description is thus achieved. 
     Moreover, such an accessory shall advantageously be used to gain an excellent aesthetic result and to optimise the organisation of the space under the surface with any type of work station. 
     Moreover, the accessory object of the present invention allows the arrangement of the auxiliary components and of the electrical cables to easily be modified at a later date taking up the minimum amount of time and material. 
     Of course, the shapes of the accessory for fitting auxiliary components for a work station below a work surface object of the invention can be different from those shown purely as a non-limiting example in the drawings, just as the materials can be different. 
     The scope of protection is therefore defined by the attached claims.