Patent Publication Number: US-6712433-B2

Title: Workstation system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to office furniture and more particularly to workstations for use in office environments. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Office workstations are available in a wide variety of designs, ranging from individual free-standing desks to complex partition systems. A typical partition system may comprise groupings of inter-connected wall panels that are arranged to define individual work areas containing desks that may either be free-standing or hung off the panels. Typically, at least some of the panels inter-connect at right angles to provide stability to the partition system overall. 
     The partition system may have a fixed configuration with the wall panels extending from floor to ceiling. More usually, however, the panels are lower than full height and the partition system is designed so that it can be reconfigured to suit changing work environment requirements. 
     Cables for providing power and data communications services may be routed through the panels themselves to appropriate locations within the work areas. Typically, cabling is run overhead and then brought down through the wall panels to work height. Where the wall panels are less than full height, cabling can be run through a column or pole that extends upwardly from the workstation system to the ceiling. 
     A partition based workstation system has a number of advantages, particularly in terms of flexibility of overall configuration, and ease of reconfiguration as needs change. However, care must be taken when setting up or re-configuring a partition system to ensure that the panels provide appropriate support and stability for the system overall. As such, there is not complete freedom of lay-out. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a new approach to workstation system design. 
     The system provided by the invention is based on the provision of a free-standing service trunk that can be used in association with at least one desk providing a work surface at a defined working height. The service trunk comprises an elongate self-standing structure having first and second ends spaced longitudinally of the service trunk and a top that extends between the ends at a height above the defined working height of the desk and that provides a generally horizontal storage support surface. The service trunk further includes means for delivering power and/or communication services from an input location on the trunk to an output location accessible from a desk associated with the trunk. 
     The provision of a free- or self-standing service trunk as the central element of a workstation system represents a novel approach to workstation system design. The trunk provides a fixed “core” element around which the system can be built, using either free-standing desks placed adjacent to the trunk, or desk structures that are physically connected to the trunk or both. That is not to say that the trunk is immovable, though it usually will not be moved at frequent intervals. One or more desks can be appropriately positioned relative to the trunk and easily re-located as necessary. 
     Power and/or communication services are provided through the trunk. Normally, there will be a single input location for power and communications cables, and a plurality of outlets distributed along the trunk at relatively frequent intervals so that the outlets are accessible, whatever configuration of desk or desks is used. The cables can enter the service trunk at floor level, or from above via a power pole or other coupling arrangement. 
     In most applications, the service trunk will be provided with both power and communications cables. Preferably, the trunk incorporates troughs that extend longitudinally of both sides of the trunk below the top and above the defined desk height and appropriate outlets are provided either in the troughs themselves or in association with the troughs, for example, by way of one or more power/communications bars. 
     The top of the service trunk provides a support surface that can accommodate whatever form of storage is considered appropriate or necessary for the work environment. For example, the top can serve as a form of shelf that can directly receive items to be stored, or conventional storage structures such as bookcases, file cabinets or the like. Preferably, however, the workstation system includes storage cabinets that are designed specifically to be accommodated on the top of the service trunk. The top may also be designed to receive privacy screens or other elements typically found in an office environment. 
     Additional storage may be provided for use alongside the service trunk. Preferably, the trunk itself comprises a pair of gable ends that support opposite ends of the top, and an upright median panel that extends between the gables below the top generally on the longitudinal centreline of the trunk. This creates large recessed areas below the top on both sides of the trunk which can accommodate storage units, such as conventional file cabinets or specially designed free-standing cabinets, for example, mounted on wheels. 
     The median panel may also be designed to provide an array of horizontal slots into which can be hooked desk supports and other accessories for use with the service trunk. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a particular preferred embodiment of the invention by way of example, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view from one end of the service trunk of a workstation system in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a typical vertical sectional view through the service trunk shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of an upper part of FIG. 2, showing additional features; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the underside of a storage cabinet in association with the top of the service trunk; 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the cabinet of FIG. 4 installed on the top of the service trunk; and, 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an end portion of the service trunk showing an input conduit for power and communications cables. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, a workstation system in accordance with the invention is shown to include a service trunk  20  and a desk  22  for use in association with the trunk. The desk has a work surface  24 . In FIG. 1, the desk  22  is shown in an exploded position away from the trunk  20 . FIG. 3 shows part of the desk  22  installed on the service trunk and illustrates the fact that the working surface  24  of the desk is at a defined desk height H above a floor on which the service trunk is located. 
     Service trunk  20  is an elongate self-standing structure having first and second ends  26 ,  28  that are spaced longitudinally of the trunk, and a top  30  that extends between the ends at a height above the defined desk height H, as best seen in FIG.  3 . The top provides a generally horizontal storage support surface  32 . 
     The service trunk is designed to deliver power and/or communication services from an input location on the trunk to output locations accessible from one or more desks associated with the trunk. Details of how this is accomplished will be provided later. For the moment, it will be seen that FIG. 1 shows at  34  an input conduit for power and communication cables at floor level. The conduit connects to the trunk at one end and the cables are routed through the service trunk as will be described later, to provide the required services at locations that are accessible from desks such as desk  22 . 
     In FIG. 1, a power/communications bar  36  is shown at a location below the top  30 , and has a series of electrical outlets  38  and voice/data modules (VDMs)  40  that are accessible at the front face of the bar. Communications cables connecting to the VDMs  40  are shown at  40   a  and “in” and “out” plug-in cables for power are shown at  38   a  and  38   b  respectively. The power cables  38   a  and  38   b  are designed to be “daisy-chained” for interconnecting different receptacles in the same circuit, as known in the art. For example, the cables may be so-called Anderson quick-connect cables. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 a trough-shaped wire manager  42  is provided below bar  36  to receive wiring that is plugged into the electrical outlets  38  and/or the VDMs  40 . 
     While FIG. 1 does not purport to show a complete workstation system, the figure does illustrate how one desk ( 22 ) can be used in association with the service trunk  20 . Several desks such as desk  22  can be connected to the service trunk as will be described later, or free-standing desks can be used in association with the service trunk. At the same time, the top  30  provides a support surface ( 32 ) that can accommodate almost any storage need, ranging from a single shelf-type storage to a surface that can accommodate storage cabinets such as the cabinet indicated at  44  in FIG.  1 . Top  30  can also receive privacy screens such as the screen indicated at  46 . 
     In the particular embodiment illustrated, the top  30  of the service trunk is supported at opposite ends by respective end gables  26 ′,  28 ′, and an upright median panel  48  extends between the end gables  26 ′,  28 ′ generally on the longitudinal centreline of the service trunk, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     Each end gable comprises a pair of rectangular panels secured together face-to-face, and each gable is provided along its bottom edge with two adjustable feet  50 , by which the gable can be levelled. Top  30  comprises two flat rectangular boards  30   a ,  30   b  that are positioned side-by-side and spaced slightly from one another to define a slot  52  that receives a generally V-shaped extrusion  54 . Extending longitudinally of the service trunk below the top  30  and supported on the top edges of the two gables  26 ′,  28 ′ are a series of aluminum extrusions  56  that both support the top  30  on the gables and provide troughs for receiving power and communication cables, as best seen in FIG. 3 (to be described). 
     Below the top  30  and centred on slot  52 , a steel beam  58  extends longitudinally of the service trunk and carries the median panel  48 . It can be seen that the two opposite faces of panel  48  are defined by respective extrusions  60  that are identical. The extrusion is shaped to provide an array of undercut T-section slots that extend horizontally of the panel  48 . The slots provide multiple hook-in attachment locations by which accessories can be coupled to the median panel  48 . A few examples of typical such accessories are shown in FIG.  1  and comprise the power/communications bar  36  referred to previously, file hangers  62  and a shelf  64 . 
     It will be appreciated that the slot arrangement described provides wide flexibility for positioning accessories on the median panel  48 . Of course, such accessories need not be used and the panel could be left “as is” or the extrusion  60  could even be replaced by plain panels or panels having some other form of attachment regime. 
     For reasons of electrical safety, in the illustrated embodiment, the power/communications bars  36  are movable horizontally along panel  48 , but not vertically. A T-section extrusion  36   a  (FIG. 3) is used at the back of each bar  36  to suspend the bar from panel  48  and is too large to fit other than in the top slot provided by extrusion  60 . 
     FIG. 2 also illustrates the fact that the provision of a central median panel as panel  48  allows for wide unobstructed spaces on both sides of the trunk, below the top  30 . These spaces can be used to accommodate static or movable storage cabinets, such as file cabinets or wheeled cabinets that are specially designed to be used in association with the service trunk. 
     The two extrusions  60  of median panel  48  are attached to opposite sides of a rectangular frame, upper and lower longitudinal members of which are shown at  66   a  and  66   b  respectively. The upper frame member  66   a  is located in a channel member  68  that is wider than the extrusion so as to provide a gap between the extrusion and the channel member at each side for accommodating hook-on accessories such as the desk  22  shown in FIG.  1 . Desk  22  in fact has a pair of arms  70  that project outwardly from an inner end of the top of the desk and that are shaped to provide hooks  72  to engage over one side limb of channel  68 . Channel  68  extends over the whole length of panel  48  and thereby provides an infinite number of attachment locations for a desk or other accessory that is to be coupled structurally with the trunk. 
     As noted previously, several similar desks  22  can be used in association with the same trunk and can be located wherever appropriate along the length of the trunk, at both sides. In this embodiment, each desk simply comprises a top panel  74  that provides the work surface  24  of the desk, and upright legs  76  that have a height selected to “match” the height of the channel  68  (FIG. 3) above the floor surface on which the trunk is located. Again, adjustable feet  78  are provided at the bottom ends of the legs  76 . 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the extrusions  56  immediately below the top  30  of the service trunk provide, at each side of the trunk below the top  30 , upper and lower cable troughs  80  and  82  respectively. In this particular embodiment, the two top troughs  80  are lay-in troughs for communications cables (specifically data cables)  84  which run longitudinally of the trunk and connect as appropriate to one or more of the power/communications bars  36 . 
     Power cables  85  extend longitudinally of the service trunk from the input location (e.g. location  34  in FIG. 1) along a central trough  86  above beam  58  and incorporate Anderson connectors (as discussed previously) so that the cabling can be configured as appropriate to the particular workstation configuration. This cabling system is of course also reconfigurable if required. As such, the system provides flexibility in terms of locating electrical outlets (via bars  36 ) that are accessible from desks used in association with the trunk. 
     As can be seen, the power/communications bars  36  are located below desk height so that electrical components on the desks can be plugged into the appropriate bar using cables that are routed down over the rear edge of the top surface  24  of the desk generally as indicated at  40 ′ in FIG.  3 . 
     The lower troughs  82  are so-called “casual” wire management troughs and accommodate equipment cables (power and data) indicated at  88 . These troughs have hinged outer doors  82   a  that provide access to the troughs for easy cable lay-in and re-routing. 
     As noted previously, the top of the service trunk provides a support surface  32  that preferably accommodates storage cabinets such as the cabinet shown at  44  in FIG.  1 . FIGS. 4 and 5 show a lower portion of cabinet  44  in association with top  30  and illustrate the manner in which the storage cabinet can be coupled to the top  30 . It is of course to be understood that, in other embodiments, free-standing storage cabinets could be used. 
     Referring first to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the cabinet has two disc-shaped protrusions  90  in corner regions of its bottom surface. Similar protrusions are in fact provided in all four corner regions of the bottom surface of the cabinet. Corresponding complimentary recesses are provided in corner regions of the top surface of the cabinet (but are not shown) so that identical cabinets are stackable on top of one another and are then restrained against lateral displacement. 
     FIG. 4 shows how a cabinet can be in effect locked to the top  30  of the service trunk using these protrusions. This is accomplished through the intermediary of attachment plates  92 ,  94 . The plates have respective recesses  92   a  and  94   a  for accommodating the protrusions  90  on the underside of the cabinet. Inner edges of the respective plates  92 ,  94  are provided with dependent hook-shaped formations  92   b  and  94   b  respectively that can be individually hooked into the central groove  52  that is provided in the top  30 . It will be seen that the extrusion  54  that fits into groove  52  is shaped to provide respective laterally directed groove portions  52   a  at both sides that receive the hooks  92   b ,  94   b . The hooks are complimentarily offset with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction of groove  52  so that they can be hooked independently into the grooves  54   a  and the plates  92 ,  94  will then lie flat on the top surface  32  of top  30 , as best seen in FIG. 5. A locking plate  96  is then slid longitudinally between respective angled formations  92   c  and  94   c  at the tops of the respective plates. Captive nuts  98  within the respective recesses of the two plates then receive bolts  100  that are threaded downwardly through the protrusions  90 , effectively securing the cabinet to the two plates  92 ,  94  and locking the cabinet to the top  30 . 
     The same attachment method normally will be used at both ends of the cabinet. 
     Screen  46  (FIG. 1) is coupled to groove  52  by means of an extrusion  46   a  that extends along the lower edge of the screen and that has a depending rib with a V-shaped profile (not shown) that fits stably into groove extrusion  54 , while allowing the screen to be simply lifted out of the groove for re-configuration. 
     Finally, FIG. 6 shows an alternative method of coupling power and communications cables to the service trunk. As noted previously, so-called power columns or power poles traditionally are used to deliver power from an overhead supply location to a desk at floor level. FIG. 6 illustrates what may be characterized as a flexible power column coupling for delivering power and communications cables to the service trunk. As shown in FIG. 6, the power column itself is generally denoted  102  and comprises a series of tubular segments that are articulated with respect to one another so that the configuration of the conduit can be changed. Typically, the conduit  102  is a plastic moulding comprising relatively rigid segments  104  and flexible connections between the segments. At the bottom end of the conduit is a fixture  106  that is attached to an end of the trunk so that cables ( 108 ) within the conduit  102  can be routed into the service trunk without being exposed at the exterior of the trunk. 
     In summary, the present invention provides a new approach to workstation system design, that relies on the use of a service trunk as a core element of the system. The service trunk provides power and communications services to appropriate locations on the trunk. Desk structures are provided in association with the trunk, either as free-standing desks adjacent the trunk, or as desk structures that are semi-suspended from the trunk. At the same time, the top of the trunk provides a support for storage cabinets or other storage elements at a level above desk height. 
     In the particular embodiment illustrated, the service trunk also features relatively large open spaces at both sides below the top, which can accommodate floor-mounted storage cabinets. While this arrangement is believed to offer a number of advantages, it is to be understood that, within the broad scope of the invention, the storage trunk could have a different design. For example, the trunk could feature a platform at floor level and a series of floor level storage cabinets supported on the platform and in turn supporting the top of the storage trunk. 
     It will of course be appreciated that other modifications may be made within the broad scope of the invention, some of which have been indicated previously and others of which will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example, instead of the described arrangement of providing power bars (bar  36 ) for delivering power and data to desks associated with the service trunk, power cables could be run in a trough such as trough  80  or  82  (FIG. 3) and the trough could be provided with a series of electrical receptacles that are spaced along the outer face of each trough at locations selected to be conveniently accessible wherever desks are positioned longitudinally of the service trunk. This would lose the advantage of flexibility in position that comes with the use of power bars, but might be preferred in some applications. Similarly, VDMs could be mounted on the faces of the troughs. 
     It should finally be noted that references herein to “desks” should be interpreted broadly as meaning any structure that provides a work surface, i.e. is not limited to a structure at which a person sits to work. As such, the defined “working height” of the desk structure may be different depending on whether the structure is designed to accommodate a person who is sitting or standing while working.