GB2172197A - Desk - Google Patents

Abstract

A desk has a work top (10) and a portion (11) in which is provided an aperture (13) for entry of electrical cables to a space (35). A duct (29) is provided for accommodating mains cables (30) and a socket outlet unit (31) whose sockets (32) face the space (33) to be engaged by a plug (39) whose cable (40) passes through aperture (13). The duct (29) is offset laterally from aperture (13) and is additionally protected from spilt liquid entering aperture (13) by a deflector (34). The space (33) is divided by a wall (36) to provide a mains channel (37) and a data channel (38) for respective cables (40, 43). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Desk This inv'eti9p relates to a desk which inciir- porates an electrical supply arrangement whereby electrical cables and leads can pass from the arrangement to appliances on a working surface of the desk via the working surface. The term desk is intended to encompass work tops tables, benches and comparable structures providing working surfaces.

Many desks are required to support electrical equipment such as telephones, typewriters, calculators, and more recently, computers and associated equipment. The mounting quantity of such equipment in use makes it undesirable to allow the many supply cables to trail from a desk top, and it is preferred to incorporate within a desk structure trunking or comparable enclosing means for cables which can exit to the work top via an aperture in a work top. It is undesirable for cables to pass over the work top edge, because such parts of cables can be snagged by passers by, damaged by contact with walls or other wise damaged.

However, the work top aperture above a trunking system presents its own problems.

paramount amongs these is the danger of ingress of liquid to the trunking and cables due to washing of the surface or spillage of drinks on the work top. The consequences for a user can be severe electric shock. The provision of a wholly sealed cable exit is impractical as equipment often has to be removed and replaced frequently.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a desk wherein the above disadvantage is obviated or minimised.

Accordingly the invention provides a desk having: a work top; a cable-accommodating space beneath the work top; an aperture in the work top communicating with said space; and means providing a cable duct adjacent said space and adapted to enclose mains cables and present a socket outlet engageable by a plug to said space, said duct being laterally offset relative to said aperture so that any liquid entering said aperture can fall into the space but cannot enter said duct or said socket outlet.

One or more of the following features may be included in a preferred embodiment: (a) said space is at least partially delimited by walling which includes a solid wall separating said space from said duct; (b) said solid wall has an aperture serving to mount a socket assembly in said duct and presenting a socket outlet to said space; (c) a first portion of said walling above and on the space side of said solid wall provides a liquid catchment channel; (d) a second portion of said walling below and on the space side of said solid wall provides a surface sloping downwardly-away from the base of said solid wall.

(e) said walling includes a divider to separate a mains part of said space from a telephone/data part of said space; (f) said socket outlet is disposed so that when a plug on the end of cable is engaged therewith the cable extends downwardly or horizontally from the plug to reduce the possibility of liquid flowing along the cable surface into the plug; (g) the mains part of said space provides a channel beneath any such plug for accommodating a bight of a mains cable to receive any liquid travelling along the cable surface; (h) the duct is defined by said solid wall and a cover part which when secured closes said duct but is removable to allow installation and servicing of the socket outlet; (i) the duct has upper and lower walls extending from said solid wall and each engageable by said cover part;; 0) a part of said wailing adjacent the telephone/data part is adapted to mount a telephone outlet socket; (k) said walling is generally L-shaped having said solid wall as part of an upright limb thereof, the upper end of said upright limb being adapted for securement to desk structure above it and the free end of the other lumb being adapted for attachment to upright desk structure; (I) said walling has been extended; (m) said cover part has been extruded; (n) said aperture accommodates a loose-fitting grid-like cover providing cable passage parts and removable to facilitate the connection of cables to supplies in the space; (o) said telephone/data space is electrically screened to prevent electromagnetic interference with data cables.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a preferred desk of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of said part with a grating thereof removed.

A preferred desk of the invention has a work top 10 which has a front portion 11 cantileavered out beyond a vertical panel 12.

In portion 11 is cut an aperture 13 which accommodates a grid or grating 14 which covers the periphery of aperture 13 and provides cable entry passages. The grating 14 can be removed to allow entry of plugs to the space beneath portion 11. The space 33 beneath portion 11, partially bounded by portion 11 and panel 12 is outwardly and downwardly enclosed by a length of a first extrusion 15 which is generally L-shaped having an upright limb 16 including a solid wall 17 and a horizontal limb 18. The upper end of limb 16 has a flange 19 whereby it can be secured by brackets 20 and the free end of limb 18 has a flange 21 whereby it is secured to panel 12.

Solid wall 17 terminates above and below at horizontally extending walls 22, 23 which have snap formations engageable by complementary formations on inwardly extending flanges 24, 25 of a U-shaped cover 26 having a main web 27. The. inner end of flange 24 has an upward extension 28 which masks brackets 20 and its associated fixing screws.

Walls 17, 22 and 23 with cover 26 define a mains cable supply duct 29 which accommodates mains cables 30 and the bodies of socket outlets of which one only is shown at 31. The socket 32 of outlet 31 faces into the space 33. Opposite the wall 22 is a flange 34 which extends inwardly and upwardly and constitutes a liquid deflector to prevent flow of liquid from aperture 13 to or into duct 29.

Flange 34 and the upper part of wall 16 define a liquid receiving channel 35 which carries any spilt liquid to the ends of the extrusion 15 where deflectors (not illustrated) are provided to direct such liquid away from duct 29.

Limb 18 of extrusion 15 has an upstanding dividing wall 36 which divides the lower part of space 33 into a mains compartment 37 and a data compartment 38. The floor of compartment 37 is constituted by a part of limb 18 which slopes downwardly and away from wall 17, so that any liquid reaching channel 37 cannot flow into duct 29 or socket 32.

The floor of channel 37 is thus below the socket 32 which is mounted so that when engaged by a mains plug 39 on a cable 40, the cable 40 comes out of the plug horizontally and a bight 41 of the cable 40 naturally falls to lie in channel 37. This ensures that if spilt liquid flows along the surface of cable 40 it does not flow into plug 39 but into channel 37 and to the ends thereof whence it is conducted safely away from the cable(s) and duct 29. Wall 36 has a cut-out opposite socket 32 to allow a plug 39 to be conveniently inserted into socket 32.

Channel 38 can accommodate telephone and/or data cables 43 and a lip 44 on the link, 18 adjacent its free end can serve to mount a bracket 45 supporting telephone outlet sockets 46 wired to cable(s) 43.

Although only a single aperture 13 has been provided, the extrusion may extend the full length of a large desk or bench and a plurality of apertures 13 can be provided at spaced locations, cut-outs in wall 17 for each socket 31 and in wall 36 can be provided at each location. The cover 26 is removable for installation and servicing of the mains supply and can be decorative to provide a pleasing fascia for the desk.

The desk of the invention has a practicable cable management arrangement which separates mains and data cables and allows neat and pleasant "through-work top" access to the associated ducting. Further, any liquid spill into the aperture 13 is very unlikely to contact live wires and present any danger to the user.

Claims (17)

1. A desk having: a work top; a cable-accommodating space beneath the work top; an aperture in the work top communicating with said space; and means providing a cable duct adjacent said space and adapted to enclose mains cables and present a socket outlet engageable by a plug to said space, said duct being laterally offset relative to said aperture so that any liquid entering said aperture can fall into the space but cannot enter said duct or said socket outlet.

2. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein said space is at least partially delimited by walling which includes a solid wall separating said space from said duct.

3. A desk as claimed in claim 2 wherein said solid wall has an aperture serving to mount a socket assembly in said duct and presenting a socket outlet to said space.

4. A desk as claimed in claims 2 or 3 wherein a first portion of said walling above and on the space side of said solid wall provides a liquid catchment channel.

5. A desk as claimed in claims 2, 3 or 4 wherein a second portion of said walling below and on the space side of said solid wall provides a surface sloping downwardly away from the base of said solid wall.

6. A desk as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said walling includes a divider to separate a mains part of said space from a telephone/data part of said space.

7. A desk as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said socket outlet is disposed so that when a plug on the end of cable is engaged therewith the cable extends downwardly or horizontally from the plug to reduce the possibility of liquid flowing along the cable surface into the plug;

8. A desk as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the mains part of said space provides a channel beneath any such plug for accommodating a bight of a mains cable to receive any liquid travelling along the cable surface.

9. A desk as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the duct is defined by said solid wall and a cover part which when secured closes said duct but is removable to allow installation and servicing of the socket outlet.

10. A desk as claimed in claim 9 wherein the duct has upper and lower walls extending from said solid wall and each engageable by said cover part.

11. A desk as claimed in claim 6 wherein a part of said walling adjacent the telephone/data part is adapted to mount a telephone outlet socket.

12. A desk as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said walling is generally Lshaped having said solid wall as part of an upright limb thereof, the upper end of said upright limb being adapted for securement to desk structure above it and the free end of the other limb being adapted for attachment to upright desk structure.

13. A desk as claimed in claim 12 wherein said walling has been extruded.

14. A desk as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein said cover part has been extruded.

15. A desk as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said aperture accommodates a loose-fitting grid-like cover providing cable passage parts and removable to facilitate the connection of cables to supplies in the space.

16. A desk as claimed in claim 6 wherein said telephone/data space is electrically screened to prevent electromagnetic interference with data cables.

17. A desk as substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.