JP2007523474A - Cable organizing housing - Google Patents

Abstract

  The present invention is a housing adapted to organize electrical cables, a base (2) for supporting the housing on a substantially flat surface, a rear panel (1), and an upper panel (5), a side panel (4, 12), and a front panel (3) arranged to face each other, and the rear, upper, front, and side panels are arranged so as to surround the inside of the casing. The body further comprises a power supply means (7), the front panel includes an opening allowing access to the interior of the housing, the opening including doors (8, 13) adapted to close the opening, top and side Each of the panels includes a flat surface including a plurality of openings (6) through which electrical cables can pass, and the power supply means only one power cable (9) passes out of the housing and plugs into a live outlet. Providing a housing that is adapted to be required. A desk (11) comprising the housing of the present invention is also provided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for organizing computer cables and the like, and more particularly, a cable routing and storage enclosure that includes a built-in power source and can be formed as part of an existing office fixture. About the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In practice, users of computer systems or home theater systems are aware of entanglements and scatters behind such systems due to associated cables.

  Means for routing and hiding electrical wiring are well known in the art. Furthermore, means for organizing office workstation cables are also known. As shown in Canadian Patent No. 2,000,211 a wire management assembly is disclosed that includes a housing for concealing wires, cords and cables of electrical equipment. The housing has an opening through which the wire passes. The housing also has an optional cover that is removable to allow access to the wire. It is possible to use this assembly in an office environment for safety and aesthetics.

  Canadian Patent No. 430,039, entitled “Cable Manager”, describes a cable manager for hiding electrical and telephone cables. The cable manager comprises a base housing part and an upper closing part. The top closure is hinged to allow access to the interior of the housing. The housing includes an entrance / exit space for electrical wiring.

  US Pat. No. 5,286,919 entitled “Computer Cable Management System” discloses a system for managing communication or power cables associated with a computer system. This system is composed of a housing for drawing and storing cables in the vertical and horizontal directions. The enclosure is surrounded by a door that provides access to the interior.

  Canadian Patent No. 485,971 discloses a housing for an electronic device. The electronic device is housed in a housing and the wiring of such a device is passed through a peripheral panel that includes an opening. The wire then passes through either the top or bottom of the housing in an organized manner. The wire is not visible when the rear door of the housing is in the closed position.

  US Pat. No. 6,359,217 teaches a housing that includes a rear wall, a side wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The housing may have an optional hinged door attached in front of it. Thompson et al., An important feature of a housing is that the housing can receive an electrical / data conduit through its entry point, and then can route the electrical / data conduit through the housing, It is described that this can be connected to a port located on the power supply panel in the housing. A power board located on the side of the housing can be used to receive wiring from electrical / network components. The power panel can be easily moved and can be positioned anywhere along the side wall.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,974 describes a rear post for organizing and guiding entertainment equipment cables. This pillar includes openings so that wires can pass from the television to other electronic devices and from those electronic devices to the power source. The cable running from the TV to the auxiliary electronics is invisible.

  US Pat. No. 6,415,723 teaches a folding table or desk with a wire management structure mounted on the table surface. This structure has a front panel that can be placed in an open or closed position. The table surface includes an opening through which the wire or cable passes. The wire can then enter the wire management structure where it can be plugged into an outlet.

  In the known art, as described above, there are systems consisting of a housing or housing that allow cables to enter and exit through openings. Once in the housing or housing, the wiring becomes invisible. Known techniques do not include a power source fixed within the housing or housing, and therefore do not allow for a single power cable to exit the housing. Furthermore, the known technology does not provide a good-looking storage device that is designed to integrate or blend into the surrounding furniture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that enables routing and storage of cables associated with a computer system or the like in an invisible and organized manner while providing a power supply means to which a power cable can be connected. Is to provide.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a power supply means to which power cables can be connected and eliminates the unsightly groupings of cables that are typically present, reducing the associated tripping risk or the user's foot of the computer system. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that allows routing and storage of cables associated with a computer system or the like in an invisible and organized manner, while eliminating the risk of cable entanglement.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon careful reading of the detailed description provided herein with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing adapted to organize electrical cables, a base for supporting the housing on a substantially flat surface, a rear panel, an upper panel, The rear panel, the rear panel, the front panel, the front panel, and the side panel are disposed so as to surround the inside of the housing, the housing further includes power supply means, and the front panel includes the housing. Including an opening that allows access to the interior of the body, the opening including a door adapted to close the opening, and each of the top and side panels includes a flat surface including a plurality of openings through which an electrical cable can pass. The power supply means is provided with a housing that is adapted so that only one power cable needs to be passed out of the housing and plugged into a power outlet. The power supply means may be, for example, a bar-shaped power bar, which may be fixed inside the housing or removable, and advantageously the power supply means may comprise additional devices in various configurations. Located on the base or on the front, side or rear panel so that it can be efficiently positioned and positioned. To ensure that regulatory standards are met, the housing configuration provides sufficient ventilation for the enclosed equipment. The housing is advantageously constructed with dimensions of about 2 feet high, 2 feet long and 5 inches wide. The majority of the openings are advantageously sized about 1.5 inches in diameter, with one larger opening diameter at the end being configured to be about 2.5 inches.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a desk comprising a housing adapted to organize electrical cables, a base for supporting the housing on a substantially flat surface, a rear panel, The upper panel, the opposite side panel, and the front panel, and the rear, upper, front and side panels are disposed so as to surround the inside of the housing, and further include power supply means. Including an opening that allows access to the interior of the housing, the opening including a door adapted to close the opening, and each of the top and side panels having a flat surface including a plurality of openings through which an electrical cable can pass. Including a power supply means is provided that is adapted so that only one power cable needs to be routed out of the housing and plugged into a live outlet.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS As shown in FIG. 1, a housing according to the present invention includes a base 2, on which a front panel 3, a rear panel 1, a left panel 12, and a right panel 4 extend upward. All are joined to the upper panel 5. In this configuration, the base 2, the front panel 3, the rear panel 1, the left panel 12, the right panel 4, and the upper panel 5 surround a three-dimensional space in the casing.

  The front panel 3 includes an opening having a door left panel 8 and a door right panel 13, which can be opened to place the contents of the housing or closed later to hide the contents.

  Power supply means 7 is mounted on the base 2 in the housing. The power supply means 7 includes a plurality of ports into which the male end of the power cord can be inserted. A single power cord 9 passes through the port 14 of the side panel 4 and is plugged into an external power outlet. The power supply means 7 can be fixed or removable, but alternatively the front panel, side panel or rear so that additional devices can be efficiently arranged and located in various configurations. It can be located on the panel. For example, the power supply means 7 may be a rod-shaped power source disposed on one side of the base 2 (as shown in FIG. 1), thereby including a second rod-shaped power source as desired, There may be a modem, a transformer, or other equipment.

  The left panel 4, the right panel 12, and the upper panel 5 include a plurality of ports 6 through which electrical cables can pass into and out of the housing. These ports may include closing means when not in use. The port 6 is advantageously sized about 1.5 inches in diameter and is optionally configured so that the diameter of one larger opening at the end is about 2.5 inches.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the housing as shown in FIG. 1 showing open port 15 and closed port 16. The circular port as shown includes a cover that includes a first fixed semicircle portion and a second rotatable semicircle portion. It can be said that the cover is in the open position when the rotated semicircle portion is arranged to completely correspond to the fixed semicircle portion. It can be said that the cover is in the closed position when the rotated semicircular part is arranged completely opposite to the fixed semicircular part. C. S. A and U.I. L. To ensure that regulatory standards, such as standards, are met, the enclosure configuration provides sufficient ventilation to the enclosed equipment.

  FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in which the housing of the present invention is arranged as part of a desk. As shown, the front panel 3 of the housing is near the rear of the central portion of the desk. Cables from a computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. can pass through the top surface of the desk 11 and into the interior of the housing. FIG. 3 also shows the door left panel 8 and the door right panel 13 each in a closed position. The power supply means 7 is shown inside the housing. Cables from a computer monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like pass through the top surface of the desk 11 into the housing and exit from the side of the housing to the side 10 of the desk. Within this side 10 is the central processing unit of the computer, and the cable can be connected to the central processing unit of the computer.

  FIG. 4 is a top view of the desk shown in FIG. As shown, the upper panel 4 of the housing forms part of the top surface of the desk 11. A plurality of ports 6 are embedded in the upper panel 4 and allow cables to enter the housing. A single power cord 9 is connected to the power supply means and is inserted into a power outlet through the back panel of the desk.

  Although the invention has been described with particular reference to the preferred embodiments, the scope of protection sought is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

  The apparatus taught herein generally includes a built-in power supply for organizing computer cables and the like, and more particularly, cable routing that can be formed as part of an existing office fixture. And an improved means for a storage enclosure.

It is a perspective side view of the 1st Example of the cable organizer of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cable organizer as shown in FIG. It is a front view of 2nd Example of the cable organizer of this invention. FIG. 4 is a top view of a cable organizer as shown in FIG. 3.

Claims (15)

A housing adapted to organize electrical cables,
A base (2) for supporting the housing on a substantially flat surface;
The rear panel (1),
The upper panel (5),
Side panels (4, 12) arranged opposite to each other;
With a front panel (3),
The rear, upper, front and side panels are arranged so as to surround the inside of the housing, and further include power supply means (7) located in the inside,
The front panel includes doors (8, 13) that open to allow access to the interior of the housing;
Each of the top and side panels includes a flat surface including one or more openings (6) through which an electrical cable can pass;
The housing, characterized in that the power supply means is adapted so that only one power cable (9) needs to pass out of the housing and be plugged into a power outlet.   2. A housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the door comprises at least one panel (8, 13) hinged on one side.   The housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the door comprises at least one panel (8, 13) adapted to slide parallel to the front panel in the open or closed position. .   The housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of openings (6) further include closing means (15, 16) for selectively opening and closing each of the plurality of openings. .   The casing according to claim 1, wherein each of the openings has a circular shape, a square shape, an elliptical shape, a slot shape, or a rectangular shape.   A housing according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power supply means (7) comprise at least two ports adapted to receive a male end plug of a power cable.   The casing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the casing is made of a material similar to a material used to constitute furniture that already exists in an intended use environment. .   The housing according to claim 7, wherein the material is one or more of metal, wood, imitation wood, plywood, and plastic.   9. A housing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cable is associated with a computer system or a home entertainment system. A desk (11) comprising a housing adapted to organize electrical cables,
A base (2) for supporting the housing on a substantially flat surface;
The rear panel (1),
The upper panel (5),
Side panels (4, 12) arranged opposite to each other;
With a front panel (3),
The rear, upper, front and side panels are arranged so as to surround the inside of the housing, and further include power supply means (7)
The front panel includes an opening allowing access to the interior of the housing, the opening including a door (8, 13) adapted to close the opening;
Each of the top and side panels includes a flat surface including a plurality of openings (6) through which an electrical cable can pass;
Desk, characterized in that the power supply means is adapted so that only one power cable (9) needs to pass out of the housing and plug into a power outlet.   11. Desk according to claim 10, characterized in that the door comprises at least one panel (8, 13) hinged on one side.   11. Desk according to claim 10, characterized in that the door comprises at least one panel (8, 13) adapted to slide parallel to the front panel in the open or closed position.   The desk according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the plurality of openings (6) further include closing means (15, 16) for selectively opening and closing each of the plurality of openings.   The desk according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of openings has a circular shape.   15. Desk according to any of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the power supply means (7) comprise at least two ports adapted to receive a male end plug of a power cable.

Images