Steelcase Inc.

Samuel J Ellison

Daniel N Siegrist

Alan Ernest Rheault

George J Simons, Jr

Thomas G Feldpausch

Frederick S Faiks

David M DeBoer

Phillip D Carino

Daniel Grabowski

Mark Chamberlin

Bruce M Finlayson

John P VanKammen

Mark W Chamberlin

A telescopingly adjustable furniture article is provided for filling an office space where the footprint dimensions of the office space are not known ahead of time or are likely to be periodically changed to different sizes. The furniture article includes a desk having a worksurface with ends, a support for supporting one of the ends, and a foot on the other end. A storage unit or cabinet having a top is provided. The foot adjustably rests on the top, so that the top supports the other end of the worksurface, but so that the furniture unit is horizontally adjustable to different locations partially under the worksurface. A Z-bracket interconnects the worksurface to the top of the cabinet to secure the relationship of the cabinet and the desk. The furniture article can advantageously be used by itself or in combination with a building wall or demountable architectural wall, or in combination with a partition system to define a plurality of non-uniformly dimensioned offices. The furniture article is further adjustable to optimize use of space in the offices, but while staying within the dimensions of the office space footprints.

Freestanding furniture defining office with adjustable footprint

A telescopingly adjustable furniture article is provided for filling an office space where the footprint dimensions of the office space are not known ahead of time or are likely to be periodically changed to different sizes. The furniture article includes a desk having a work surface with ends, a support for supporting one of the ends, and a foot on the other end. A storage unit or cabinet having a top is provided. The foot adjustably rests on the top so that the top supports the other end of the work surface, but so that the furniture unit is horizontally adjustable to different locations partially under the work surface. A Z-bracket interconnects the work surface to the top of the cabinet to secure the relationship of the cabinet and the desk. The furniture article can advantageously be used by itself, in combination with a building wall or demountable architectural wall, or in combination with a partition system to define a plurality of non-uniformly dimensioned offices. The furniture article is further adjustable to optimize use of space in the offices, but while staying within the dimensions of the office space footprints.

A desk includes a worksurface supported by supports defining a knee space under the worksurface and an access opening to the knee space under an edge of the worksurface. A courtesy panel is removably mounted to the furniture structure for movement between a closed position for covering the knee space for privacy and an open position to facilitate access to the knee space by repairment. A first bracket is attached under the worksurface above the courtesy panel, and a second bracket is slidably attached to a top of the courtesy panel for engaging the first bracket. The two brackets include mating apertures, and a thumb screw comprising polymeric material extended downwardly through the second bracket mateably into the first bracket to retain the assembly together.

Connection structure for courtesy panel on furniture

A lock system for casegoods, such as desks, cabinets, storage units, wardrobes and the like, includes an elongated, flexible tape or lock member having a plurality of spaced lock studs positioned thereon. A lock actuator moves the tape between unlocked and locked positions. Catches are mounted on the drawers, doors and the like of the article. When the flexible tape is moved to the locked position, the lock studs block or prevent opening movement of the drawers or doors due to contact with the catches. The flexible tape is routed through channels or other mounting structure formed in panels and tops of the article of furniture. An interlock mechanism, which may be integrated with the lock member, includes a lock lever, a cable attached to the lock lever and a plurality of interlock cams. Control members on the drawers rotate the cams to take up the cable causing the interlock lever to pivot and engage the lock member, thereby moving the lock member to a locked position. The interlock mechanism may include a plurality of force generating members which act upon the lock member upon the opening of a drawer. The force generated by each of the members is insufficient in and of itself to move the tape to the locked position. The force generated by two of the members is, however, sufficient to move the tape to a locked position, thereby preventing opening of a second drawer.

Lock system for casegoods

An insert is provided for selectively filling a utility access opening in furniture where the access opening is formed in a panel in the furniture, but where the panel has a thickness that may be one of two different dimensions. The insert includes a sleeve having a stop for engaging a first surface on the panel, short retainers configured to frictionally engage an opposing surface in opposition to the stop when the panel defines a first relatively thin dimension, and long retainers configured to frictionally engage the opposing surface in opposition to the stop when the panel defines a second relatively thick dimension. A port mateably frictionally engages the insert to close the sleeve. The port is frictionally held in the sleeve by detents, and engages the retainers to hold them securely in engagement with the panel. The short retainers can be broken off so that they do not interfere with positioning the port into the sleeve when the sleeve is engaged with a relatively thick panel. A method includes breaking off the short retainers and engaging the insert with the relatively thick panel, and thereafter inserting the port into the sleeve.

Insert for filling utility access opening in furniture panel

A desk, credenza, return and the like article of furniture includes a horizontal worksurface or top and vertical support panels. Access openings are provided in the vertical panels and in the top. A plurality of wire management supports are cantilevered from or positioned adjacent vertical panels of the article to support wires, cables, conduit and the like within the interior of the article. Openable or removable covers are provided to close the access openings in the furniture. Rear panels of the article may be removable to provide access to the interior of pedestals and the like for routing wire through the interior of the furniture.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Samuel J Ellison