Modular furniture

A modular furniture arrangement, comprising:

• at least one worksurface panel;
• at least two supports connected with said worksurface panel to form a modular, freestanding furniture unit supported by said supports on a floor surface;
• at least one overhead unit;
• at least two rigid posts, having lower ends thereof adapted for connection with said supports, and upper ends thereof adapted for connection with said overhead unit;
• least two mounting apertures disposed through said worksurface panel adjacent opposite rear corners thereof;
• each of said mounting apertures being shaped to receive an associated one of said posts therethrough;
• at least two caps, each being shaped to close an associated one of said mounting apertures;
• means for detachably supporting each of said caps on said worksurface panel over an associated one of said mounting apertures;
• means for detachably and rigidly connecting the lower ends of said posts with said supports in a manner such that said posts extend upwardly from said furniture unit in a generally vertical orientation;
• means for rigidly connecting the upper ends of said posts with said overhead unit, whereby to mount said overhead unit on said furniture unit, said caps are removed from said worksurface panel, said posts are inserted through said mounting apertures, the lower ends of said posts are securely fastened to said supports, and the upper ends of said posts are securely fastened to said overhead unit.

A modular furniture arrangement, comprising:

• at least one worksurface panel;
• at least two supports connected with said worksurface panel to form a modular, freestanding furniture unit supported by said supports on a floor surface;
• at least one overhead unit;
• at least two rigid posts, having lower ends thereof adapted for connection with said furniture unit, and upper ends thereof adapted for connection with said overhead unit;
• said posts each including first and second flanges fixedly interconnected along a common edge with free edges thereof spaced apart to define an open face therebetween, and a cover detachably connected with said flanges, and enclosing at least a portion of said open face to create a vertical channel in each of said posts through which utilities may be routed;
• at least two utility apertures disposed through said worksurface panel adjacent opposite rear corners thereof;
• at least two caps, each being shaped to close at least a major portion of an associated one of said utility apertures;
• means for detachably supporting each of said caps on said worksurface panel over an associated one of said utility apertures;
• means for rigidly connecting the upper ends of said posts with said overhead unit;
• means for detachably and rigidly connecting the lower ends of said posts with said furniture unit when said caps are removed from said worksurface panel, such that said posts extend upwardly therefrom in a generally vertical orientation, and the vertical channel in each of said posts is generally aligned and communicates with an associated one of the utility apertures in said worksurface panel to facilitate routing utilities throughout said modular furniture arrangement.

In a modular furniture arrangement of the type including worksurface panels, supports, back panels, and overhead units which are variously interconnected to create a desired furniture unit, the improvement of a transaction post construction therefor, comprising:

• at least two rigid posts, each having a lower end thereof adapted for connection with at least one of an associated one of said supports and an associated one of said back panels, and an upper end thereof adapted for connection with an associated one of said overhead units;
• at least one of said worksurface panels having at least two mounting apertures therethrough positioned adjacent opposite rear corners thereof, and each mounting aperture being shaped to receive an associated one of said posts therethrough;
• at least two caps, each being shaped to close an associated one of said mounting apertures;
• means for detachably supporting each of said caps on said one worksurface panel over an associated one of said mounting apertures;
• means for detachably and rigidly connecting the lower ends of each of said posts with at least one of said one support and said one back panel in a manner such that said posts extend upwardly from said furniture unit in a generally vertical orientation;
• means for rigidly connecting the upper ends of said posts with said associated overhead unit, whereby to mount said one overhead unit on said workstation, said caps are removed from said one worksurface panel, said posts are inserted through said mounting apertures, the lower end of each of each of said posts is securely fastened to at least one of said one support and said one back panel, and the upper ends of said posts are securely fastened to said overhead unit.