Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02946876 2016-10-28
Wall Mount Furniture with Cable Concealment
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part (CIP) of United States
Utility Patent
Application Serial No. 13/893,119, filed May 13, 2013 and currently pending,
which claims the
benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/645,792,
filed May 11,
2012. The entire disclosure of both documents is herein incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention.
[002] This disclosure relates generally to furniture devices, and more
particularly, to wall
mounted furniture, for usage with computers, books, electronic devices, desk
items and audio
visual equipment.
2. Description of Related Art.
[003] Historically, electronic equipment was, and still largely is, located
and stored on some
type of shelving system, console, or stand for convenient operation and use.
For example, a
home entertainment center (or stereo console) is a piece of furniture seen in
many homes, which
houses major electronic items, such as a television set, a VCR and/or DVD
player, stereo
components (such as an AM/FM tuner, multi-disc compact disc changer, record
player, one or
more cassette players, and graphic equalizer), and cable or satellite
television receivers. These
electronics typically require some type of cords, cables and/or wires (which
are generally
referred to herein as cables) either interconnected between the electronics or
connected to an
electrical outlet. Typically though, the electronics are spatially separated
such that these wires
are on top of the furniture and are easily viewable and visually unappealing.
In the alternative,
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large entertainment centers and stands were used to house all the electronics
and hide the wires.
However, such entertainment centers and stands were often very bulky taking up
a lot of excess
space and greatly contrasted with the appearance of the wall.
[004] The commonality of flat panel televisions and computer monitors has
substantially
reduced the need for these large pieces of furniture. Furthermore, these flat
panel televisions are
very thin in comparison to the older, conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) or
projection
televisions, making them suitable for wall-mounting. As a result, smaller
pieces of furniture can
be utilized to house the remaining electronics.
[005] Wall-mounting televisions, however, have problems of their own. While
flat panel
televisions are much smaller than conventional CRT televisions, they are still
very heavy. Thus,
flat panel televisions are typically mounted to steel braces which are in turn
mounted to wall
studs with large screws. Because the flat panel television is mounted to the
wall, it is separated
from the outlet and the other interconnected electronics (e.g., cable box, DVR
player, surround
system, etc.). Generally, the components, therefore, lack an efficient wire
management system.
Thus, visually unappealing exposed wires often run from the flat panel
televisions to the outlet
and the associated electronics and simply hang or dangle along the wall. While
cables can be run
through walls to avoid the unsightly mess, this can often require more
construction expertise and
cost to carry out compared to simply installing the television and mount.
[006] Over the years the home office has also transformed from elaborate desks
and bookcases
to a more simplistic arrangement usually comprising of a computer, a few
electronic devices and
a few reference books. Like the audio-video equipment discussed above, it is
common for
electronic items located on a desk to be stored in plain sight for ease of
use. The electronic
devices housed on a desk often need cords to provide power and interconnection
between such
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devices and/or related peripherals. These cables are often considered
unsightly and have a
tendency to become tangled with other cables thereby creating a frustrating
user experience.
Additionally, the user often has a need to disconnect some of the cables; for
instance, to take a
laptop charger for travel.
[007] Existing furniture for computer use are generally of two types. The
first is a solid
standalone unit with an accompanying hutch spaced above the desk and mounted
to a wall to
support the weight of the hutch. The second is a desk-hutch combination with a
solid rear
section connecting the hutch to the desk portion. Generally, neither of the
two types include a
cord management arrangement that conceals cables, or power stripes, except by
simply hiding
them under the desk on the floor and providing holes for cables to pass
through the desk. Certain
structures may include built in power outlets or power strips, but these
systems do not provide
for management of cables, they merely build in the cabling.
[008] Some desk configurations include a hutch mounted and secured to a wall.
Such
mounting generally comprises installation by using bolts (or other fasteners)
attached to the studs
of the wall, or anchors such as a toggle bolt, either way, creating unsightly
holes in the wall.
Further, the mounting must be very secure as such hutches are often very heavy
and the load is
borne entirely by the wall. Electronic devices that require cables to extend
between the two
components can also generally not be mounted on both desk elements without
unsightly cable
connections.
[009] Portable electronic devices such as laptop computers, tablets, e-
readers, smailphones, cell
phones, monitors, printers, headphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and
related
devices/peripherals also generally require charging and/or a wired connection
to other items at
certain times. Primarily this is when they are not being transported by their
owner. Exposed
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charging and connection cables are unsightly and are usually left in an
exposed arrangement for
a variety of reasons including the physical construction of a desk which does
not allow for cables
to run from one section to another and so they can be easily accessed.
Modifications to a piece
of furniture to run such cabling would irreversibly change the furniture.
Furthermore,
transformers (i.e. "power blocks") such as those commonly used in a laptop
charging cables and
a number of computer peripherals such as, but not limited to, printers are
often difficult to
maneuver and often do not allow the user to utilize the existing holes in the
desk (if present), as
they need to be on one side of the hole or the other, and generally cannot be
suspended in the air
due to their weight.
[010] Accordingly, there exists a need for a desk and other furniture that can
support common
desk items by being attached to a wall to provide a reduced footprint and that
can also house
cables in a concealed arrangement while simultaneously allowing the user
relatively easy access
to such cables.
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SUMMARY
[012] The following is a summary of the invention in order to provide a basic
understanding of
some aspects of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or
critical elements
of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The sole purpose
of this section is to
present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to
the more detailed
description that is presented later.
[013] In an embodiment, there is described herein a piece of furniture
comprising: a first side
support and an opposing second side support with a writing surface extending
therebetween, said
writing surface having a front side and an opposing back side; a concealment
compartment
disposed below said writing surface and between said first side support and
said second side
support and having a front side and an opposing back side, said back side
being open such that
when said desk system is installed against a wall, said wall is generally
flush with said open back
of said compartment such that said wall generally closes said open back side;
and an opening at
the top of said concealment compartment configured such that cables stored in
said concealment
compartment may be connected to devices on said writing surface.
[014] In an embodiment, the furniture further comprises an opening in said
concealment
compartment configured such that cables stored in said concealment compartment
may be
plugged into a wall power receptacle through said opening.
[015] In an embodiment of the furniture, the front side of said concealment
compartment
comprises a removable cover.
[016] In an embodiment, the furniture further comprises a mounting bracket
extending from
said writing surface to said concealment compartment.
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[017] In an embodiment of the furniture, the desk is mounted to a wall using
said mounting
bracket.
[018] In an embodiment of the furniture, the mounting holes are spaced about
four inches apart.
[019] In an embodiment of the furniture, the concealment compartment has a
hingedly attached
cover.
[020] In an embodiment of the furniture, the concealment compartment is
configured to
accommodate a plurality of transformer blocks connected to a power strip
therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[021] For a better understanding of the embodiments described herein and to
show more clearly
how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of
example only, to the
accompanying drawings which show at least one exemplary embodiment.
[022] FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an assembled piece of furniture
utilizing a
concealment area, specifically, a desk is provided.
[023] FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the lower portion of the
embodiment of FIG. 1.
Items in the concealment area are shown in shadow.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[024] The following detailed description and disclosure illustrates by way of
example and not
by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the
art to make and use
the disclosed systems and methods, and describes several embodiments,
adaptations, variations,
alternatives and uses of the disclosed systems and apparatus. As various
changes could be made
in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the
disclosures, it is intended that
all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
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[025] The furniture (100) of the present disclosure has numerous advantages
over the currently
known units and systems which display and store electronic devices, books and
desk items.
Specifically, the present pieces of furniture (100) provide for a piece of
furniture (100) which
gives the indication that the furniture (100), and associated electronics,
have been built into a
wall (101) (including hiding cords), without the piece of furniture (100) or
the electronics having
been built into the wall (101).
[026] Described herein, among other things, is a wall-mounted piece of
furniture (100) such as
a desk as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 having a concealed compartment (1046) for
housing cables
(1104) which generally uses the wall (101) as part of the concealed
compartment (1046) and
which can provide for a broad access point. This is generally done by
configuring an
appropriately-sized compartment (1046) such that when the furniture (100) is
mounted to a wall
(101), the wall (101) is one of the sides of the compartment (1046) and the
compartment (1046)
is accessible from a large portion of the furniture (100).
[027] In some embodiments of the furniture (100) of the present disclosure, an
integrated
weight-bearing base gives the appearance of a piece of furniture (100) that
has been built into a
wall (101) but is, instead, simply lightly secured to the wall (101).
Specifically, the furniture
(100) is designed in such a way that when placed in contact with a wall (101),
the wall (101) is
not bearing the downward force from the furniture (100) or objects on the
furniture (100), and
instead the feet of the furniture (100) are bearing most of the weight. The
wall (101) mount
generally serves only to inhibit the furniture (100) from toppling away from
the wall (101). In
other words, the vertical forces are primarily transferred to the base (1024)
and (1032) of the unit
and attachment to the wall (101) is primarily for horizontal forces. Further,
the furniture (100)
gives the appearance that it is part of the wall (101) to which it is
attached, and enhances that
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illusion by hiding cabling and associated electrical components in a hidden
concealment
compartment (1046).
[028] The furniture (100) of the present disclosure efficiently hide and
manage the cables
(1104) of electronic devices, while maintaining the appearance of a wall
mounted desk or similar
piece of built-in or constructed furniture. In other words, the furniture
(100) allows for cables
(1104) and larger components such as transformers, power strips (1100), and
battery backups to
be mostly hidden from the exposed, exterior surface of the furniture (100) as
if the cables (1104)
had been concealed in the wall (101) when the furniture (100) was installed.
However, the
cables (1104) are, in fact, concealed outside the wall (101) in the furniture
(100) which is also
not built in.
[029] This disclosure will discuss throughout its text concealing "cables"
(1104). It is generally
recognized that electronic equipment utilizes a number of forms of wired
connectors and
components. These are all jointly referred to herein as "cables" and that term
is intended to
mean things such as, but not limited to, power cables, communication cables,
charging cables,
extension cables, power strips, electrical transformers, battery backups and
combinations of the
above that are commonly used to connect electrical components to each other
for the
communication of power, data or other electric signals.
[030] In order to provide for cable concealment, the furniture (100) will
generally create a
pocket or compartment (1046) with a cover panel (1102) between the exterior of
the furniture
(100) and an existing wall (101), and a pass-through gap (1040) allowing
cables (1104) to run up
to electronics (201) located on the piece of furniture (100) from the
compartment (1046). In
some embodiments, the cover panel (1102) can be added and removed with ease
and without the
need for tools. In other embodiments, the cover panel (1102) is mounted to
internal hinges
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which allows the user access to the contents of the pocket. In other
variations the outward facing
containment cover (1102) is attached to the side posts (1000) via a tongue and
grove
arrangement. Still further cover (1102) may be mounted in a generally immobile
arrangement as
is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[031] FIGS. 1 and 2 show two images of an embodiment of a piece of furniture
(100),
specifically a desk system from a perspective view. FIG. 1 shows the entire
piece of furniture
(100) in the fashion it would be installed. It is, thus, adjacent to and in
contact with the wall
(101) of a structure. While FIGS 1 and 2 depict a piece of furniture (100)
that is generally
intended to be considered a "desk" it should be recognized that the furniture
(100) can assume a
variety of shapes an structures such as, but not limited to, desks, bookcases,
fireplaces, and
entertainment centers. The only restriction on the furniture (100) is that it
is generally intended
to house some form of electronic component (usually which utilizes central
power) somewhere
on it.
[032] In the embodiment of FIGS 1 and 2, the furniture (100) generally
comprises a frame
(110) onto which structures forming the concealment area (1046) as well as
other sub-assemblies
are positioned. The frame (110) will mount some form of sub-assembly onto
which electronics
are to be placed. This can comprise anything from a simple horizontal shelf,
to a vertical bracket
system designed to connect to and support a large flat screen television. In
the depicted
embodiment, this sub-assembly is the desk portion (1048) which includes a top
writing surface
(1002) and a lower storage shelf or drawer (1008).
[033] The frame (110) of the piece of furniture (100) generally is formed from
two vertical side
posts (1000) positioned on opposing sides of the structure which define the
width of the system.
The sides (1000) are generally parallel to each other and extend vertically
from their a bottom
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surfaces (1024) and (1032) to their top surfaces (1022) and (1030) with a
length therebetween.
The side posts (1000) are generally planar, but this is by no means required.
The side post inner
surfaces (1016) and (1026) are generally perpendicular to any shelves (such as
sub-assemblies
(1044) and (1042)) as well as the writing surface (1002) of the desk assembly
(1048). Further,
they are also generally perpendicular to the back supports (1020) which are
also generally
perpendicular to the writing surface (1002). The bottom surfaces (1024) and
(1032) of the
vertical side posts are generally designed to be weight bearing and will be
placed on a floor
(1062) or other surface when the furniture (100) is positioned. To assist in
stability, weight
bearing, and floor (1062) contact, the bottom surfaces (1024) and (1032) may
include feet of any
type known to those of ordinary skill in the act to protect flooring from
direct contact with
furniture (100) and to allow for leveling.
[034] The side posts (1000) are generally connected perpendicularly to rear
posts (1020) which
are also generally vertically arranged. In the depicted embodiment, that
design provides for each
combination of side post (1000) and rear post (1020) to form a "corner" of a
frame (110) for the
piece of furniture (100). This allows the furniture (100) to have a generally
open back allowing
the wall (101) to be visible through the furniture (100). While not required,
this arrangement can
enhance the appearance that the furniture (100) is built into the wall (101).
In an alternative
embodiment, the rear posts (1020) are replaced with a single monolithic piece
extending the
width of the back of the furniture (101) and to which both side posts (1000)
are attached.
[035] The desk sub-assembly (1048) will generally be arranged to extend out
from the wall
(101) in generally horizontal arrangement. The desk (1048) is generally
attached within the L of
each of the corners formed from the sides (1000) and rear posts (1020). In the
depicted
embodiment, the desk (1048) comprises an uppermost writing surface (1002)
which generally
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defines the depth of the desk (1048), as it is the deepest component. The
writing surface (1002)
is generally planar and horizontal allowing a human user to stand or sit at
its front side (1006)
and manipulate objects on its uppermost major face. Below the writing surface
(1002) is a shelf
surface (1008) which acts to form a storage area below the writing surface
(1002). The shelf
surface (1008) and writing surface (1002) are connected together by side
supports (1028). This
combined structure may also have at the rear a portion of the mounting bracket
(1112), a separate
rear panel, or parts of other structures to form a back. Having a rear panel
behind the shelf
surface (1008) of the desk (1048) is generally preferred as this structure is
intended to hold
objects used in the desk (1048) and as such the user may not want them to
contact the wall (101)
or fall into the concealed compartment (1046).
[036] As should be apparent from the FIGS, the piece of furniture (101) has a
generally
rectilinear parallelepiped appearance common in most pieces of furniture. It
also has a generally
rectangular footprint. However, the footprint is defined mostly by the
horizontal extension of the
desk assembly (1048) and it is preferable that the desk (1048) not have any
legs or supports at its
front end (1006). This enhances the illusion that the furniture (100) is built
into the wall (101) as
it appears to be suspended from the wall (101) as opposed to simply being
adjacent to it.
[037] Located below the desk sub-assembly (1048) is the cable concealment area
(1046). The
cable concealment area (1046) will generally be towards the back of the piece
of furniture (100)
and will often be constructed to be within the frame (110) (e.g. not
horizontally extending
beyond the frame (110) as the desk (1048) does). In some embodiments the cable
concealment
area (1046) is enclosed on 4 sides although a portion of the 5th or 6th side
may be covered. The
cable concealment area (1046) is generally in the form of a vertical pocket
shelf whereby there is
a shelf (1038) defining the lower portion of the pocket upon which objects in
the concealment
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area (1046) will be placed. The objects are concealed from view by a front
concealing panel
(1102).
[038] Generally the inner surface of the right post (1026) and the inner
surface of the left post
(1016) will form the sides of the pocket shelf (1038). This provides for a
hollow volume to exist
between the concealment cover (1102) and the wall as is best seen in FIG. 2.
As can be seen in
FIG. 1, the pocket shelf (1038) is generally hidden by the concealing panel
(1102), particularly
when positioned as is shown in the FIGS. so as to be generally aligned with
the front edges of the
side posts (1000), appears to simply be a solid component supporting the desk
assembly (1046).
Generally, the existing wall (101) will be directly against the backside of
the pocket shelf (1038)
forming the back of the concealed compartment (1046). However, this is not
strictly necessary
and in an alternative embodiment, the concealed compartment (1046) may include
a backside.
[039] In an embodiment, the backside is provided by a portion of the mounting
bracket (1112).
As is best visible in FIG. 2, above the top of the concealment cover (1002)
there may be
positioned a mounting bracket (1112) which may form at least a portion of the
backside of the
concealed compartment (1046) and/or the backside of the desk assembly (1046).
The mounting
bracket (1112), in an embodiment, may extend the entire distance covering the
wall behind the
concealment cover (1102) and above the shelf (1008) although the depicted
embodiment does
not show this. A large mounting bracket (1112) is generally not preferred as
the mounting
bracket (1112) will deny access to a power outlet (1201) or other structure in
the wall (101)
behind the concealment compartment (1046) that may be desired to have access
to. Instead, the
mounting bracket (1112) is generally provides for two purposes. One is to
provide a uniform
appearance of the material of the furniture (100) from the top of the desk
(1048) to the bottom of
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the concealed compartment (1046) and the other is to provide a surface which
is generally
coplanar with the wall (101) to allow for the furniture (100) to be mounted to
the wall.
[040] In some embodiments the mounting bracket (1112) comprises a set of
mounting holes
(1114) for fasteners (1106). In some embodiments the mounting holes (1114) are
spaced about
4" apart from one another. The diameter and depth of the mounting holes (1114)
is determined
by the material utilized for the mounting bracket (1112). In certain
embodiments the mounting
bracket (1112) is located within the concealment area (1046) and is thereby
usually unable to be
seen by a user at average eye-level. In the depicted embodiment, the mounting
brackets (1112)
serve to hide the visible portion of the wall (101) below the writing surface
(1002) and above the
cable concealment area (1046).
[041] In the depicted embodiment, the piece of furniture (100) is not
positioned over a power
outlet (1201). Instead, located on the right side post (1000) (or
alternatively or additionally on
the left side post) (1000) is a cable access panel (1004) which provides
access to the cable
concealment area (1046) for wires and cables which need to pass from the area
generally covered
by the furniture (100). In some embodiments the cable access panel (1004)
includes a removable
grommet to allow for cables to exit or enter the concealment area (1046). The
access panel
(1004) will generally be used if an existing wall outlet (1201) is positioned
outside the part of the
wall (1101) over which the furniture (100) is placed.
[042] An access panel (1004) is generally not necessary in embodiments where
the electrical
outlet (1201) would be located in the area upon which the furniture (100) is
placed. In this type
of embodiment, the electrical outlet (1201) will generally be accessed
directly from inside the
concealment area (1046), specifically from above the pocket shelf (1032). As
contemplated
above, if the electrical outlet (1201) is behind the piece of furniture (100),
it is possible to
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position the pocket shelf (1038) so that the outlet (1201) will generally fall
at a height where it is
below the bottom of the mounting bracket (1112), but above the shelf (1038).
This allows the
outlet (1201) to be accessed from within the concealment area (1046) and
conceals the outlet
(1201) itself. As electrical outlets (1201) are often at a generally common
elevation from the
floor (1062), it can be possible to position the shelf (1038) in such a manner
as to inhibit the
shelf (1038) from being at the height of the outlet (1201). However, as shown
in the
embodiment of FIG. 1, this is not required and it may be the case that the
pocket shelf (1038) is
not at the correct height to hide the outlet (1201). In this case, the access
point (1004) is used
and the furniture (100) is posited near or adjacent the outlet (1201) as
shown.
[043] The pocket shelf (1038) is used to provide a concealed volume for the
storage and
organization of cables (1104) commonly needed for the use of modern electronic
displays such
as televisions and computer monitors or other things on or in the desk
assembly (1048). The
pocket shelf (1038) hides these items by providing a concealment cover (1102)
which creates a
volume hidden from the exterior of the furniture (100) by the concealment
cover (1102) when
the items are resting on the shelf (1038), as well as when they extend
downward to it.
Depending on embodiment, the concealment cover (1102) may extend all the way
up to the desk
area (1048) completely hiding the internal volume from view from the front.
[044] Alternatively and preferably, since the desk area (1048) will generally
extend a
significant distance from the wall (101), it is possible to still conceal the
concealment area (1046)
volume while leaving a gap (1040) between the top of the concealment cover
(1002) and the
desk (1048) as depicted in FIGS 1 and 2. This gap (1040) is generally not
readily visible from
the front of the furniture (100) and allows for cables (1104) to enter the
concealment area (1046)
from under the desk assembly (1048). Specifically if the user was to place a
keyboard tray under
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the shelf (1008) at the bottom of the desk assembly (1048), the keyboard cable
could go through
this gap (1040) and onto the packet shelf (1038).
[045] It should be apparent that while the cables (1104) can be visible in
this gap (1040), they
generally are not readily visible. In the first instance as generally one
would not be looking at
the piece of furniture (100) from a height less than the height of the desk
(1048) and would
instead be looking somewhat downward onto it. Thus, the desk (1048) would
block line of sight
to the gap (1040) in many cases. Even where it does not, the presences of the
mounting bracket
(1112) serves to provide for illusion that the frame (110) actually extends
from the writing
surface (1002) to the pocket shelf (1038) because the material of the
furniture (100) appears
continuous.
[046] Specifically, as can be seen best in FIG. 2, if one looks directly at
the furniture (100)
from below the height of the desk (1048), the user first sees the desk (1048)
itself, then the
mounting bracket (1112), and then the concealment cover (1102). As these
objects will
generally all be made of the same material and have the same finish, the three
will flow together
and appear to form a continuous piece. In particular, the mounting bracket
(1112) and the
concealment cover (1002) are not readily seen as being at different distances
from the user. This
can be particularly true if certain finishes (such as flat black) are used on
both pieces.
[047] In order to use the pocket shelf (1038), cables (1104) may run into the
concealment area
(1046) from the top. This may be accessed, as discussed above, from the gap
(1040) present
under the desk assembly (1048). Additionally or alternatively, the writing
surface (1002) of the
desk (1048) will generally contain a cable access area (1204) to allow access
to the volume of
the concealment area (1046) from the top. In some embodiments such as that
shown in FIG. 1
the cable access (1204) area is a grommet cut into the writing surface (1002).
CA 02946876 2016-10-28
[048] However, in an alternative embodiment the access area (1204) is a gap
left between the
back of the desk (1048) and the wall (101) which runs the entire width of the
writing surface
(1002) and frame (110). This gap will generally be sufficient to allow for a
relatively large
object such as a power strip or power transformer to be placed therethrough
(e.g. 2-3 inches).
The area (1204) may be covered with a temporary cover (not shown) which may
cover all or a
portion of the area (1204). However that is generally not necessary The area
(1204) is designed
to allow for cables to travel from the writing surface (1002) to the
concealment area (1046)
below the writing surface (1002) providing an arrangement not particularly
different from an
open trough.
[049] As should be apparent, the furniture (100) provides for a number of
benefits for cable
(1104) concealment. In the first instance, the concealment area (1046) is
generally quite large as
it can be deep enough to handle a large power strip (1100), electrical
transformer, or similar
device (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or more inches deep (from the wall (101))) and
can also have a height
sufficient to cover the devices and extra cables. Further, as the concealment
area (1046) can be
accessed via the gap (1040) which runs substantially the entire length of the
backside of the
furniture (100), cables running from electronics (201) on the desk (1048)
(e.g. a computer
monitor) can be directed straight back against the wall (101) where they can
then pass through
the gap (1040) to enter the concealment area (1046). Within the concealment
area (1046), the
cables (1104) can then turn to go wherever they need to go to connect. This
means that visible
cabling is generally limited to the cable necessary to go straight back from
the device (201) on
the desk (1048) to the area (1204) and then directly downward to the gap
(1040).
[050] In the embodiment of the FIGS, the access area (1204) does not run the
entire length of
the backside, but instead comprises two holes arranged at the two back corners
of the writing
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surface (1002). The corners are preferred as they are generally concealed by
the side posts
(1000) making the holes a little less apparent. Further, having two allows for
the cables (1104)
to run either direction from electronics (201) on the writing surface (1002).
[051] It should be apparent that the above describes the most relevant aspects
of the furniture
(100) when it comes to cable concealment. Specifically, the cables (1104) are
generally
concealed by allowing them to be hidden on the pocket shelf (1038) between the
concealment
cover (1102) and the wall (101). Cables (1104) are only visible when it is
necessary for them to
extend to an object outside the concealment volume and this is generally
accomplished using the
smallest possible distance of cable run. Further, as cables (1104) are stored
on the pocket shelf
(1038), they are generally not at a user's feet where they can be in the way,
and can be more
easily viewed from the front of the furniture (100). Instead, only the portion
of the cable (1104)
on the writing surface (1002) and visible above the gap (1040) can be seen.
This provides the
illusion that the cables (1104) are in fact stored in the wall (101). The
suspension of the desk
assembly (1048) without front supports or a large side wall enhances this
illusion as the area
under the desk (1048) is clearly visible, and the cables (1104), which have
previously been
stored at the user's feet in this type of arrangement, are not visible.
[052] In some embodiments, in order to enhance the "built-in" appearance of
the piece of
furniture (100) and emphasize the fact that cables (1104) are hidden, there is
included a lower
shelf assembly (1042) extending horizontally between the inner surface of the
right side post
(1028) and the inner surface of the left side post (1016). In most
embodiments, the lower shelf
(1056) has around a zero degree incline with the floor (1062), in other words
the lower shelf
(1056) is level when the bottom surfaces (1024) and (1032) are placed on the
floor (1062) of a
room. The back side of the lower shelf (1058) is substantially flush with the
back side of the side
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posts (1020) and thus the wall (101) when the furniture (100) is positioned in
contact with the
wall (101). There is a distance between the back side of the lower shelf
(1058) and the front of
the lower shelf (1060) of sufficient dimension where the front side of the
lower shelf (1060)
extends to at least the front side of the side posts (1036 and 1034). This
allows for a user to
place objects, such as books (1203) on the shelf for storage.
[053] As should be apparent, the presence of the lower shelf assembly (1042)
enhances the
concealed nature of the cables (1104) as the shelf (1042) is positioned in
such a manner that the
cables (104) could not be placed at the user's feet. The shelf (1056) is in
the way and the wall
(101) is visible behind the objects on the shelf (1056) with no cables (1104)
being visible. Thus,
a viewer of the furniture (100) sees the cables (1104) extend on the writing
surface (1002)
toward the back of the desk assembly (1038), pass into the desk assembly
(1048), and effectively
disappear. This implies that they have gone into the wall (101) as the wall
(101) is visible above
and below the desk assembly (1048), and the mounting board (1112) and
concealment cover
(1002) give the impression as being flush against the wall (101) leaving no
other space in which
the cables (1104) can be hidden. Thus, as opposed to prior designs which "hid"
the cabling
(1104) at the user's feet, the present design of FIG. 1 is such that such an
arrangement is not
possible, and the presence of the lower shelf (1042) makes the cables (1104)
to appear even more
concealed. Note that for symmetry purposes, the depicted embodiment of FIG. 1
also includes
an upper shelf assembly (1044).
[054] Because of the effect, the concealment area (1046) is actually somewhat
hard to see in
FIG. 1. For this reason, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the lower portion
of the furniture
(100) with a concealment cover (1102) in place but with various sample
components placed
within it shown in shadow. A power strip (1100) can be seen in the concealment
area (1046),
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and also seen is a power cord (1104) running vertically to the desk system
(1048). The power
cords (1104) are shown to include transformers at their plug portions which
are also hidden. It
should be recognized that placement of these types of objects on the pocket
shelf (1038) can
occur through various methods. In the depicted embodiment, the cables (1104)
will generally all
be placed on the pocket shelf (1038) and pulled up through the gap (1040),
they can be plugged
in to power strip (1100).
[055] Alternatively, as contemplated previously, the cover (1102) may be
removable or
rotatable relative to the frame (110) to allow for access to the pocket shelf
(1038). This
arrangement would generally be preferred if there was no gap (1040), however,
it is not
necessary as the power components could be placed prior to attaching the
furniture (100) to the
wall (101). This provides even greater concealment, but also does not allow
for the cables
(1104) to be easily changed if needed.
[056] Also depicted in FIG. 2 are fasteners (1106) such fasteners are, in some
embodiments,
used for attaching the mounting bracket (1112) to the wall (101). In certain
embodiments, the
fasteners (1106) are used to directly attach the mounting bracket (1112) to
the existing wall
(1050) and the writing surface (1110). In other embodiments, the fasteners
(1106) are used to
directly attach the mounting bracket (1112) to the existing wall (1050).
[057] In certain embodiments the vertical side posts (1000) is constructed in
multiple sections
resulting in a seam (1108) which shows the mating of the two sections of the
side post.
[058] Although not described in detail, numerous other embodiments are
possible in
accordance with the present invention. Several of these embodiments are shown
and depicted
herein.
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[059] While the invention has been disclosed in conjunction with a
description of certain
embodiments, including those that are currently believed to be the preferred
embodiments, the
detailed description is intended to be illustrative and should not be
understood to limit the scope
of the present disclosure. As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in
the art,
embodiments other than those described in detail herein are encompassed by the
present
invention. Modifications and variations of the described embodiments may be
made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
