The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 26, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1999
George J. Simons, Jr., East Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Mark A. Buchalter, East Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Howard M. Montgomery, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Yasuyuki Hirai, East Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Gregory M. Tanis, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Steelcase Development Corporation, Caledonia, MI (US);
Abstract
A furniture arrangement includes an overhead support defining an elongated overhead utility channel, and one or more lamps attached to the overhead support in recesses formed by the utility channel. A dome-shaped reflector or gull-wing-shaped light-distributing member is attached to the overhead support for distributing light from the lamps downwardly into side areas around the overhead support. The light-distributing members are positioned to both distribute light from the lamp and to visually shield contents of the utility channel from people standing around (or above) the side areas. The utility channel forms light-source recesses for receiving the lamps and lamp ballasts, and wireway recesses for receiving lay-in wiring and utilities, which wiring and utilities are guided by the light-distributing members into the wireway recesses. The overhead support can be part of a partition panel or can be supported on an overhead beam(s) forming part of an overhead framework for distributing utilities throughout an office area and for supporting office accessories. A narrower embodiment utilizes a pair of spaced parallel overhead beams, with a trough recessed between and supported by the parallel overhead beams.