GB2212338A

GB2212338A - Cable management pad

Info

Publication number: GB2212338A
Application number: GB8726088A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Raymond Notley; Geoffrey Skinner
Original assignee: ASHER SYST FURNITURE Ltd; ASHER SYSTEMS FURNITURE Ltd
Current assignee: ASHER SYST FURNITURE Ltd; ASHER SYSTEMS FURNITURE Ltd
Priority date: 1987-11-06
Filing date: 1987-11-06
Publication date: 1989-07-19
Also published as: GB8726088D0

Abstract

A cable management pad for use in trunking (16, Fig. 1c) for connecting adjoining desks (12, 14) in office furniture systems has edges which extend parallel with and close to the sides of said trunking adjacent respective adjoining desks. The pad is formed with a number of cableways 22 for accommodating respective cables which extend from one to an adjacent desk. The pad may be formed by moulding natural or synthetic rubber. The cable ways may be moulded grooves. Two desks may be joined at an angle (Figs. 2a to 2c and 3a to 3c) or three desks may be joined (Figs. 4a, 4b). Excess cable may be stored in area 34. <IMAGE>

Description

Cable Management Pad.

This invention relates to cable management pads for use in trunking for connecting adjoining desks in office furniture systems.

In modern office furniture systems it is customary to arrange desks in arrays where adjoining desks may be disposed in one example end to end in line with front edges of the desks collinear or with the front edge of one desk collinear with the rear edge of the next desk. In a second example two or three desks are arranged at 1200 angular spacing said angular spacing being formed either between the front edges of the adjoining desks or between the front edge of one and the rear edge of an adjoining desk. In other examples desks are disposed at 45 0 and 90 respectively to one another. With such desk arrays tidiness and safety dictate that all cables, power, data and telecommunication cables should as far as possible be hidden from view.In the desks themselves this is known to be accomplished by forming along a rear edge of the desk a duct, suitably, of rectangular section in which cables needed to be passed from one to another desk at either end of said duct can be laid. Also cables from an adjoining desk can be led into said duct and therefrom to machinery such as a typewriter, word processor, dictating machine, etc., employed at the desk on which the duct is provided. However, the elegant disposal of cables between desks in the arrays described is not easily achieved particularly since it is important that power cables should be separated as much as possible from data and telecommunications cables.

It is known to provide in the desk arrays referred to a part intermediate adjoining desks 1 in which trunking is afforded at desk top level for the passage of cables between desks. The separation of cables in such trunking is sometimes achieved by wrapping additional insulating material around the cable part accommodated in the trunking and sometimes by using vacuum formed compartmented trays dropped into the trunking and in which the cables are laid. The first of these forms of separation is cumbersome and time consuming to put into effect whilst the second is unsatisfactory as cables tend to be bunched between the trays and the inlets to the trunking with the result that separation is not satisfactorily achieved. The problem is one of sufficient importance as to require the recent advent of a governmental standard for cable management in office furniture environments.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide improved means for cable management between desks in office furniture arrays.

The present invention consists in a cable management pad for use in trunking for connecting adjoining desks in office furniture systems, said pad having edges which extend parallel with and close to sides of said trunking adjacent respective adjoining desks, said pad being formed with a plurality of separate cableways for accommodating respective cables which extend from one to an adjacent desk, said cableways extending from one to another of said edges of the pad which are parallel and close to sides of said trunking adjacent respective adjoining desks.

Preferably, said cableways extend from two spaced locations at one of said edges of the pad to two spaced locations at another of said edges of the pad and include intersecting cableway sections comprising end sections leading from said side edges of the pad to an intermediate section connecting at least one end section leading from each of said sides of the pad to said other side of the pad, there being provided at said cableway intersecting locations abutment means for facilating passage of cables between said cableway end sections and said cableway intermediate section.

Advantageously, said cableways extends in parallel in said cableway end sections and in said cableway intermediate section.

Suitably, said cableways are provided by walls formed in one with and upstanding from a base part of said pad.

Advantageously, there is provided surplus cable storage regions between said end sections at the same side of the pad and said intermediate section.

The pad of the invention is formed, usually, by moulding from insulating material.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURES la and ib are respectively a side elevation and plan view of a cable management pad according to one embodiment of the invention; FIGURE ic is a diagram of an array of desks employing the pad illustrated in Figures la and lb; FIGURES 2a and 2b are respectively a side elevation and plan view of a second embodiment of cable management pad according to the invention; FIGURE 2c is a diagram of an array employing the pad of Figures 2a and 2b; FIGURES 3a and 3b are respectively a side elevation and plan view of a cable management pad according to a third embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 3c is a diagram of a desk array employing the pad of Figures 3a and 3b;; FIGURE 4a is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of cable management pad according to the invention; and FIGURE 4b is a diagram illustrating a desk array in which the pad of Figure 4 is employed.

In the drawings, like parts have been accorded the same reference numerals. Referring first to Figures la, ib and lc, an array 10 of desks 12 and 14 is provided in which said desks are connected end to end through trunking 16 which is of rectangular cross-section. The desks are connected with the front edge of one of the desks in line with the rear edge of the adjacent desk although they may also be connected with the front edges of both desks in line. Placed lengthwise in the trunking is a cable management pad 20 formed with cableways 22. The cableways 22 have end sections 24 which extend normal to opposite longer edges of the rectangular pad and which are collinear.There are thus four end sections of the cableways, two at each of the longer sides of the pad 20, and an intermediate cableway section 26 which extends between the end sections 24 and parallel with the longer edges of the pad 20. The cableways are provided by upstanding walls 28 which form the intermediate section of the cableways and upstanding walls 30 which form the end sections of the cableways. At the intersection of the intermediate and end sections of the cableways are provided upstanding abutments 32 which facilitate change of direction of cables from the end sections to the intermediate section of the cableways.

It will be appreciated that if the desks 12 and 14 are arranged with the front edge of one desk in line with the rear edge of the adjacent desk, cables can be supplied from a duct 13 at the rear edge of desk 12 to a duct 15 at the rear edge of desk 14 via the cableways afforded on the pad 20. To this end, a cable which is led into one of the end sections 24 can be turned through 900 to be then laid along the intermediate cableway section 26 to lie between the upstanding walls 28 thereof or outside one or other of those upstanding walls. Where necessary, the cable led into an end section 24 can be bent around abutment 32 to facilitate its passage along the intermediate cableway section 26.

When the pad 20 is placed in the trunking 16, the longer edges of the pad fit close to the side edges of the trunking. In this way, no bunching of cabling takes place between the sides of the trunking and the pad 20.

Although the arrangement has been described where the front edge of one desk is aligned with the rear edge of the adjacent desk, it will be apparent that where the front edges of the desks are aligned, cables can be passed from the duct 13 of one desk to the duct 15 of the adjacent desk by passage straight along the opposed end sections 24 of the cableway.

It will be seen that the arrangement described provides at least two paths for cables either via the intermediate cableway 26 or straight across from one cableway end section to the opposed cableway end section 24. In one of such paths, is laid the power cable whilst in the other path are laid the telecommunications and data cables. The telecommunications and data cables operate at similar relatively low voltages and can be safely placed in the same cableways, whereas the power cable operates at a higher voltage and must be separated from the data and telecommunications cables.

It will be noted that between the end sections 24 and intermediate section 26 of the cableways at one side of the intermediate section 26 is an area 34 in which surplus cabling can be safely stored. By "surplus cabling", is meant cabling which is of length greater than the length of the cableway in which it is required to be laid.

Referring now to Figures 2a, 2b and 2c, it will be seen from the latter figure that the array 10 of desks comprises desks 40, 41 and 42 secured to sides of trunking 43 which in plan view takes the form of an equilateral triangle. In the trunking 43 fits the pad 20 of Figure 2a and 2b in which it will be seen that end sections 24 of the cableways are provided which extend normal to the edges of the pad. Between the sections 24 at each edge of the pad there extend the intermediate cableway sections which are parallel with the edges of the pad. At the intersections of the end sections and intermediate sections of the cableways, are the abutments 32 for facilitating change of direction of the cables.

It will be apparent that cables led into one end section of the cableways 24 at one side of the pad can be fed directly to a similar end section 24 at an adjacent side of the pad or can be fed, if necessary, via the abutments 32 to either of two intermediate cableway sections, one lying parallel to the side at which the cable is introduced to end section 24 and the other lying parallel to an adjacent side of the pad.

As with the first embodiment of the invention described, the sides of the pad 20 fit closely to the sides of the trunking and thereby bunching of cable supplied to the trunking from ducts 44, 45 or 46 at the rear edges of the respective desks 41, 42 and 40 is prevented. It will be seen that cable storage regions 34 are provided between each side of the pad and the intermediate cableway section running parallel with said side and between the end cableway sections at right angles to said side. In addition, further cable storage regions 34 are provided between the intermediate cableway sections 26 and at the vertices of the pad.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be seen that desks 50 and 51 disposed at 1350 angular spacing are provided with respective ducts 52 and 53 at adjacent ends thereof between which ends fits trunking 54 which is triangular in plan view. In this trunking fits the pad 20, the edges of which fit closely to the corresponding edges of the trunking. Cabling can be led as before described from one desk to the other, and it will be apparent that such cabling can be led through the cableways either from the end of ducts 52 to the corresponding end of duct 53 either straight across the pad 20 through the cableway end sections 24 if the duct 51 is aligned with these or via an end 24 aligned with duct 52, intermediate section 26 and end section 24 aligned with duct 53. As will be seen, four regions 34 are provided for stowage of surplus cabling.

Referring now to Figures 4a and 4b the pad therein illustrated is for use in trunking 60 which is triangular in plan view and fits between desks 61 and 62 disposed mutually at right angles. Respective ducts 63 and 64 are provided for the desks 61 and 62. The pad 20 affords cableways similar to those described in connection with the embodiments of Figures 2a and 2b and 3a and 3b.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that because the cableways are taken to the edges of the trunking between desks and because ample areas for stowage of surplus cable are provided, the cable runs in each cableway can be kept substantially straight and are well separated from cable runs in an adjacent cableway. The only points at which cables from one cableway cross with cables from another cableway are at the intersections of the intermediate and end sections of cableways.

At such locations, the cables cross one another at substantial angles which is a safe relative disposition for the cables.

It will be appreciated that in all cases, the ducts of the desks contain apertures through which cables which are to be led from the duct to equipment on the desk itself can be taken.

Many variations can be adopted without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the pads could instead of having, as described, a base sheet and upstanding walls be made from a thick pad of material in which the cableways are formed by grooves moulded in the material. The abutments 32 would also be formed when the pad is moulded.

The embodiments of the invention described are all preferably formed by moulding and are formed with insulating material such as natural or synthetic rubber.

Bobbins may be provided in which the surplus cables stowed in the regions 34 can be wound to keep the same tidy and separated from other cables similarly wound which may be stored in the same region.

Claims

1. A cable management pad for use in trunking for connecting adjoining desks in office furniture systems, said pad having edges which extend parallel with and close to sides of said trunking adjacent respective adjoining desks, said pad being formed with a plurality of separate cableways for accommodating respective cables which extend from one to an adjacent desk, said cableways extending from one to another of said edges of the pad which are parallel and close to sides of said trunking adjacent respective adjoining desks.

2. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that said cableways extend from two spaced locations at one of said edges of the pad to two spaced locations at another of said edges of the pad and include intersecting cableway sections comprising end sections leading from said side edges of the pad to an intermediate section connecting at least one end section leading from each of said sides of the pad to said other side of the pad, there being provided at said cableway intersecting locations abutment means for facilating passage of cables between said cableway end sections and said cableway intermediate section.

3. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that said cableways extends in parallel in said cableway end sections and in said cableway intermediate section.

4. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterised in that said cableways are provided by walls formed in one with and upstanding from a base part of said pad.

5. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that there is provided surplus cable storage regions between said end sections at the same side of the pad and said intermediate section connecting said end sections.

6. A cable management pad, as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said pad is formed by moulding from electrically insulating material.

7. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that said pad is rectangular in plan view, said cableway end sections extending normal to and said intermediate section extending parallel to said side edges of the pad.

8. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that said cableway end sections are disposed in pairs on respective ends of said intermediate section, said end sections of each pair being collinear.

9. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, characterised in that said end sections and said intermediate sections are each rectilinear.

10. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that said abutment means are wall elements collinear with a wall of said intermediate cableway section.

11. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that said pad is of triangular form in plan view and said intermediate cableway sections extend respectively parallel with and spaced from the sides of the pad whilst said cableway end sections extend from and normal to respective edges of the pad to connect each with adjacent ends of two of said intermediate sections.

12. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 11, characterised in that between each intermediate cableway section and the edge of the pad parallel thereto and between said intermediate cableway sections are provided surplus cable stowage regions.

13. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12, characterised in that said pad is of equilateral triangular form in plan view.

14. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 13, characterised in that said pad is formed by moulding from electrically insulating material.

15. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that said pad is of isosceles triangular form in plan view having an apex angle of 45 degrees and said intermediate cableway section extends normal to collinear cableway end sections parallel with the side of the pad opposite the apex angle thereof and connects at an end thereof remote from said collinear end sections with cableway end sections respectively extending normal to sides of the pad adjacent said apex angle.

16. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 15, characterised in that between said collinear cableway end sections and the side of the pad parallel thereto, and between said intermediate cableway section one of said collinear end sections and one of said end sections extending from a side of the pad adjacent said apex angle and further between said end sections extending from the sides of the pad adjacent said apex angle are formed respective surplus cable stowage regions.

17. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 15 or 16, characterised in that said pad is formed by moulding from electrically insulating material.

18. A cable management pad as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that said pad is of right angled triangular form in plan view, said intermediate cableway sections extend respectively parallel to the sides of the pad and collinear cableway end sections extend parallel with the side of said pad opposite said right angle and collinearly with and from opposite ends of said intermediate cableway section parallel with said side of the pad opposite said right angle whilst further cableway end sections extend respectively normal to the sides of the pad containing said right angle to adjacent ends of the intermediate cableway sections respectively parallel with the sides of said pad containing said right angle.

19. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 18, characterised in that surplus cable stowage areas are provided which are contained between the side of the pad opposite said right angle and the intermediate cableway section parallel thereto and the collinear cableway end sections, between each side of the pad containing the right angle thereof and the intermediate cableway section parallel therewith and the end cableway sections extending between respective ends of the intermediate cableway section and the side of the pad parallel thereto, and, between the cableway end sections connecting with adjacent ends of said intermediate cableway sections parallel to the sides of the pad containing said right angle.

20. A cable management pad as claimed in Claim 18 or 19, characterised in that said pad is formed by moulding from electrically insulating material.

21. A cable management pad for use in trunking for connecting adjoining desks in office furniture systems, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures l(a) to (c), 2(a) to (c), 3(a) to (c) or 4(a) and (b) of the accompanying drawings.