Wiring access system for desks and the like

The specification discloses a wiring system for desks, tables and the like in which an end edge trim piece located at the juncture between the top and side of the desk is releasably fastened thereto and can be removed to expose a relatively large aperture extending from the interior to the exterior of the desk to allow one to readily feed wiring therethrough. The edge trim piece itself includes a relatively smaller opening which can then be positioned over the wiring when the end edge trim piece is resecured to the desk, the smaller opening being less noticeable than the larger opening would be. The smaller opening in the trim piece includes a removable insert which can be oriented in different positions to provide yet further adjustment for the size of the opening through which wiring passes as it extends through the end trim piece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to wiring systems for desks or the like. 
Wiring is often brought into a desk from beneath, is run through some sort 
of raceway underneath the desk or within the desk, and is then fed out 
through an access opening generally at the top of the side of the desk and 
from thence out onto the desk top. In this way, wiring for telephones, 
dictating machines and other office equipment does not have to hang 
exposed down the sides of the desk. 
The problem of the access openings at the top of the sides of the desk 
being unsightly and sloppy was solved at least in many applications by a 
wiring access means disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,605 to Robert C. 
VanGessel and Dirk J. VanKuik, issued on Jan. 22, 1974 and assigned to 
Steelcase Inc. In that invention, an insert having a plurality of sides 
with different sized openings on each side could be reoriented within an 
opening at the top edge of the desk side panel so as to provide a 
different sized opening for different sized wires coming through the 
access opening. The system was particularly useful on wood desks where the 
old sliding door systems of metal desk is not useable. 
One problem still remaining with that system is that the access opening 
into which the wiring insert is fitted is still quite small when it comes 
to feeding bulky wires through, particularly if they have large connectors 
on the end thereof as telephone and dictating machine wiring often do. 
This problem could obviously be corrected by making the wiring insert 
larger. Unfortunately, the insert itself begins to get unsightly in 
appearance when one pursues this solution. Yet another obvious solution is 
to structure the desk end panel so that it is removable. In this way, the 
wiring can first be located within the desk and set so that it will pass 
out onto the top of the desk, and then the end panel can be laid over the 
wiring with the access opening located to receive the wiring. The wiring 
insert is then placed in the access opening to further tighten the 
aperture through which the wiring passes. 
While these solutions are helpful, they leave the problem unsolved when the 
desk has an end panel which can not be removed. Further, these solutions 
create another problem for the user in the field who wants to move his 
wiring from the left side of the desk to the right side of the desk or 
vice versa. He would have to change both end panels around in order to 
accomplish this goal. For most users, such a reconstruction of the desk 
constitutes major surgery. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In the present invention, these problems are solved by providing a desk, 
table or the like with an edge trim piece releasably secured generally at 
the juncture of the top and side panels of the desk and having a 
relatively small aperture therethrough. When the edge trim piece is 
removed, a significantly larger opening is exposed which extends through 
either the top or side panel or both and which is sufficiently large than 
even bulky wiring can readily be threaded therethrough. Once the wiring 
has been so threaded, the edge trim piece is resecured to the desk with 
the wiring passing through the relatively smaller access opening in the 
edge trim piece. 
Preferably, the attractiveness of the system is further enhanced by 
providing a removable insert within the access opening in the edge trim 
piece. This insert has multiple sides with different sized apertures 
therein and can be reoriented within the access opening to further tailor 
the size of the wiring aperture to the diameter of the wire or wires 
passing through the aperture. 
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be 
more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the written 
specification and appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In the preferred embodiment, the desk 1 (FIGS. 1 and 5) includes an edge 
trim piece 40 releasably joined thereto along the adjacent edges of the 
desk top 10 and the desk side panel 20. As shown, side panel 20 is located 
at one end of desk 1 and hence might be referred to as an end panel even 
though the end constitutes a side. Trim piece 40 can be removed exposing a 
large access opening 14 and 24 extending through end panel 20 and top 10 
(FIGS. 2 and 4) through which wiring, especially with bulky connectors, 
can readily be threaded. A wiring insert 70 can then be oriented and 
secured within a small access opening 44, held in place by an insert 
retainer 60, with an appropriate wire receiving aperture oriented 
upwardly. Then, trim piece 40 is resecured in place by means of the mating 
recessed clips 50 and studs 30, such that once secured, wiring 2 passes 
from the interior of the desk, up through large access opening 14 and 24 
and through a smaller aperture within the insert 70 located in smaller 
access opening 44 in edge trim piece 40. (FIGS. 4 and 5). 
When installed, trim piece 40 is located with one of its side surfaces 
abutting the end edge 11 of desk top 10 and with an adjacent side abutting 
the top edge 21 of desk end panel 20 (see FIG. 2). For aesthetic purposes, 
the end edge 11 of desk top 10 is defined by a thin trim strip and 
similarly, the top edge 21 of desk end panel 20 is defined by a thin trim 
strip (FIG. 4). However, these could just as well be the raw exposed edges 
of the desk top 10 and desk end panel 20 respectively. 
The desk top 10 and end panel 20 can be made of any conventional desk 
construction material. The invention is particularly useful in wood desks, 
however, and accordingly in the preferred embodiment, top 10 and end panel 
20 are made of wood. 
Top 10 includes an enlarged access opening 14 extending from end edge 11 
through to the interior surface 13 (FIG. 4) of top 10. It will be noted 
that access opening does not extend through the exterior surface of top 
10, thus insuring no portion of the opening is visible when trim 40 is in 
place. 
Desk end panel 21 includes an enlarged aperture 24 extending from the upper 
edge 21 thereof through the inside surface 23 thereof (FIG. 4). It will be 
noted that aperture 24 does not extend through the exterior surface 22 of 
end panel 20. This insures that no portion of access aperture 24 will be 
visible when trim strip 40 is in place. 
It is important that the combined access opening 24 and 14 be sufficiently 
large that large bundles of wiring can be fed therethrough easily. The 
entire access opening could be located completely in top 10 or in the 
broadest aspects of the invention, completely in end panel 20. However in 
the preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the access opening as a 
whole must be located in top 10 in order to be able to pass wiring through 
an open end of insert 70, as described below. 
Threaded, swaged or otherwise inserted into the end edge 11 of desk top 10 
are a plurality of studs 30 (FIG. 2). Each stud 30 has an enlarged head 
31. Studs 30 form one half of a releasable securing system which 
facilitates securing trim piece 40 in place. 
The other half of the releasable securing system comprises slotted clips 50 
located within recesses 43 along the inside face 41 of trim piece 40 (FIG. 
2). The slot within each of the clips 50 is open at one end so that the 
clips 50 can be slid over the heads 31 of studs 30 to thereby secure end 
trim piece 40 in place. Such a clip and stud arrangement is known and one 
example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,820 to E. J. 
Ostling, issued Jan. 27, 1970 and entitled FLEXIBLE JOINT STRUCTURE AND 
CLIPS THEREFOR. Alternative releasable securing means can be utilized to 
secure trim piece 40 in place, but it is preferable that some type of snap 
or sliding fit be employed so that the releasably securing fasteners can 
be completely hidden from view when edge trim piece 40 is in position. 
Edge trim piece 40 itself is made of a material which is decoratively 
compatible with top 10 and end panel 20. In the preferred embodiment, this 
material is wood. A relatively small access opening 44 extends from the 
top surface 45 of edge trim piece 40 through to the bottom surface 42 
thereof (See FIGS. 2 and 3). Also, access opening 44 opens outwardly 
through the inside face 41 of edge trim piece 40. The small access opening 
44 is just sufficiently large to accommodate insert 70, and insert 70 has 
at least one aperture which is just sufficiently large to accommodate the 
largest anticipated bundle of wiring which might be passed through from 
the interior of the desk up to the desk top 10. 
Insert 70 has completely open spaced ends 71 (FIG. 3). These ends are 
framed by one completely closed side 72 which is joined to a second side 
73 having a small generally U-shaped aperture 76 therein. Side 73 is 
joined to side 74 which has a somewhat larger but still medium sized 
opening 77 therethrough. Side 74 is in turn joined to side 75 which 
further joins to completely close wall 72 and which itself includes the 
largest aperture 78. These four sides have equal dimensions so that any 
one of them may be turned up in small access opening 44. Preferably, 
insert 70 is made of metal and is chrome plated or otherwise polished so 
that it is attractive to view. 
Insert 70 is secured in place within small access opening 44 by means of an 
insert retainer 60. Insert retainer 60 includes a back wall 61 having a 
pair of tabs 62 projecting forwardly from each side edge thereof. Tabs 62 
are spaced slightly from the side walls of access opening 44 so that any 
of the two opposing walls of insert 70 fit snugly between the outside 
surfaces of tabs 62 and the inside surface of the sidewalls of access 
opening 44. Thus, tabs 62 are slidable in cross section FIG. 4. Insert 60 
is preferably formed of metal and screws 62 are used to fasten the back 
wall 61 against the back wall of access opening 44. 
In use, edge trim piece 40 is removed from the desk and wiring is fed 
through large access opening 14 and 24. Once the feeding operation has 
been completed, insert 70 is oriented within access opening 44 with one of 
its openings 76, 77 or 78 oriented upwardly. The particular opening 
selected would depend on the size of the bundle of wires extending through 
access opening 24. Obviously, the larger bundles would be accommodated by 
aperture 78, the smallest bundles by aperture 76 and the medium sized 
bundles by aperture 77. In this regard, all of the walls 72, 73, 74 and 75 
of insert 70 are the same size so that insert 70 can be oriented with any 
of them facing upwardly. If no wiring were passing through large access 
opening 14 and 24, then the completely closed wall 72 of insert 70 would 
be oriented upwardly. 
Once insert 70 is properly oriented within small access opening 44, the 
entire edge trim piece 40 is positioned along the upper, end edge of the 
desk with its inside face 41 facing the end edge 11 of top 10 and with its 
bottom face 42 facing downwardly against the top edge 21 of desk end panel 
20. Studs 31 extend into recesses 43 in position at the open end of the 
slot within clips 50. Edge trim piece 40 is then slid sidewardly so that 
clips 50 lock over the heads 31 of studs 30. The wiring 2 now extends from 
the interior of desk 1 through large access opening 14 and 24, through the 
open end 71 of insert 70, and through an appropriate aperture within 
insert 70. 
It will be noted that it is necessary that, after trim 40 and insert 70 are 
in place, there be at least some opening, such as 14, through top 10. This 
allows wiring to feed through the open end 71 of insert 70. Otherwise, the 
passage of wiring might be blocked by closed wall 72; or passage of a 
large wire through aperture 78 of wall 75 might be blocked by the too 
narrow aperture 76 in wall 73. 
Preferably, each desk is provided with one edge trim piece 40 as described 
above and with another edge trim piece 40A which is identical except that 
it does not include any access opening 44 and does not include any 
provision for an insert 70. Thus, one end of the desk has no provision for 
passing wiring. However, either end can readily be changed by simply 
exchanging edge trim piece 40 with edge trim piece 40A. 
Of course, it is understood that the above is merely a preferred embodiment 
and that various changes and alterations can be made without departing 
from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention.