STRUCTURES INCORPORATING WORKIMG SURFACES

This invention relates to structures incorporating working surfaces.

The invention is concerned with a structure having a working surface, especially but not exclusively, such as a kitchen unit.

It is often desirable to have power supply means embodied in such a structure, usually at the rear of end thereof, which contains means for supplying electrical power to domestic appliances. The invention is particularly concerned with such an arrangement wherein the, or at least one of the. power supply sources comprises a cordless connector, a typical example of which is described in my patent specification No. WO 2003/074789. In my patent specification WO 2004/091343 there is described such a power supply means incorporating a cordless connector carried on an arm and also incorporating a conventional socket. These parts incorporate a cover and are carried in a body consisting of a channel located below the working surface and into which they pivot so that in the storage position the cover forms a continuation of the working surface. In the operative position of the power supply means, the arm can be moved into an extended position in which it lies over the working surface and the cordless connector at its end may be engaged by an appliance.

Other suggestions in which power supply means are pivoted into a storage position have been made in EP 0179410, DE 202 01866 and EP 1085631. These arrangements do not incorporate a cordless connector and therefore are not bound by the requirement of having a

cordless connector on a rigid arm, which in the exposed position of the carrier is at a level of the work surface, and in the storage position is well below the work surface.

The arrangement described in my aforementioned specification WO 2004/091343 is very satisfactory. However, it suffers from a drawback in that the channel is described as being fairly deep, and in certain circumstances this would require the alteration of the trunk of a kitchen unit carrying the worksuiface to accommodate the channel.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a power supply device for use with a working surface, the device incorporating a container channel, a sub frame connected to the channel and being movable relative thereto between a storage position in which the sub frame is substantially contained within the channel and an operative position, a pivot arm carried by the sub-frame having at its end a cordless connector and being capable of moving from a compact position over the sub-frame and an operative position in which, when the sub- frame is in the operative position, it extends over the working surface; and a cover for the device capable of moving between open and closed positions, characterised in that the cover is movable in a direction which is different to the direction of movement of the sub-frame and in that means is provided on the cover to move the sub frame into the homed position when the cover is moved into the closed position. With such an arrangement ihc movement of the sub- frame can be significantly reduced so that the channel will not be as deep as that of the known devices and normally it may be not significantly greater than the thickness of the working surface.

Biassing means, conveniently in the form of a spring, are provided tending to urge the sub frame into the operative position. Preferably there is provided engagement means on the cover to engage the sub frame and to move it into the homed position when the cover is moved into the closed position. The engagement means preferably comprises a cam carried by the cover and engaging a part on the sub-frame. Conveniently when the sub-frame is in the retracted position, the cam engages the said part in an overcentre position to prevent the sub- frame from being moved upwardly by the biassing means.

The sub-frame and the cover are preferably both pivoted to the channel to move about different pivot connections. The channel preferably has a rear wall which extends upwardly above the height of the front wall of the channel and embodies a pivot member located above the height of the front wall and the cover has a corresponding member which pivotally engages the pivot member.

The device preferably further comprises a socket, which is fixed, preferably fixed relative to the channel, and does not move with the sub frame and/or the cover.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:-

l ^; igυ re I is a perspective view of the povver supply device of the invention with the lid in the open position, and with the leg in the retracted position,

Figure 2 is a similar view of the device with the leg in the extended position,

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the parts of the power supply device of the invention,

Figure 4 is a section through the power supply device in the storage position with certain parts omitted for clarity,

Figure 5 is a similar view showing of the parts of the power supply device during the opening movement, and

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the power supply device with the lid in the open position and the sub frame in the operative position.

Re fen-ing now to the drawings there is shown a power supply device 10 of the invention which in use is fitted into a slot S at the rear of a top member I ¹ the upper surface U of which comprises a working surface in for example a kitchen. The power supply device 10 comprises a body consisting of channel member 12, a sub frame 14 and a cover 18 all of which are extru- sions.

The channel 12 comprises a horizontal base 20 (see Figures 4, 5 and 6). a vertical front face 22 and a vertical rear face 24. The rear face 24 has an upward extension 26, which will

be described more fully below. Formed on the base 20 near the front face 22 is a socket 28. An inverted "L"shaped part 30, defining a horizontal groove 32, is also formed on the base 20 on the side of the socket 28 remote from the front face 22.

Al the top end of the extension 26 are a forward facing socket 34 and a stop arrangement 36 which will be described more fully below.

A horizontal top member 40 is formed on the top of the front face 22. The top member 40 extends both over the front portion of the channel 12 and forwardly of the front wail 22. It has a tapered front edge 42.

The sub frame 14 comprises a main plate 44. having a stepped down parallel front portion 46. A hinge arm 48 extends from the free end of the stepped down portion 46. This arm 48 has a cylindrical end part 50 which fits in the socket 28 so that the sub frame 14 can pivot between an operative position and a retracted position as will be described more fully below. In the operative position of the sub frame 14 the main plate 44 is aligned with the rear of the top member 40 and the stepped down portion 46 engages the underside of the top member 40 to limit the movement of the sub frame 14 (as shown in Figure 6). In the retracted position of the subframe the rear end of the main plate 44 is close to the base 20 (as shown in

Figure 4).

Located on the underside of the stepped down portion 46 is a low rim 52 which forms a channel 54 with the hinge arm 48.

A plate spring 56 has its ends received respectively in the groove 32 and channel 54. The spring 56 biases the sub frame 14 upwardly towards the operative position.

The main plate 40 has a keyhole shaped opening 58 therein (see Figure 3).

The sub frame 14 further comprises a top polypropylene plate 60 (best shown in

Figure 3) which is held in position by an aluminium retaining member 62 having a rear vertical wall 64 terminating in a foot 66 that lies over the rear portion of the plate 44 and is connected thereto by screws 68. A circular opening 70 is provided in the top plate 60 above the head of the keyhole opening 58.

A polycarbonate leg 72 having a cordless connector 74 at its distal end is pivoted at its proximal end to the sub frame 14 by having cylindrical studs 76 engaging in the opening 70 and the head of the keyhole slot 58. The leg 72 can thus pivot from a retracted storage position (as shown in Figures 1 and 3), in which its rear end lies under the plate 60, and it, the leg 72, lies wholly over the plate 40, and a projecting operative position (as shown in Figure 2) in which it lies on the working surface. It will be noted that as the plate 60 comprises polypropylene, it ill not damage the leg 72 during this swinging movement.

The cover 18 has a curved depending rear part 78. A leg 80 extends from the end of the part 78. The leg 80 terminates in a cylindrical projection 82 that lits into the socket 28. Because of the pivot engagement between the parts 82 and 34, the cover 18 can move from a closed position as shown in Figure 4 and an open position as shown in Figure 6.

The stop arrangement 36 consists of a top cross-piece 84 and a parallel lower projecting member 86. The shapes of the curved portion 78 and the slop arrangement 36 is such that the portion 78 moves along the ends of the parts 84 and 86 and in the closed position the cover 18 IOi ms a continuation of the cross-piece 84. Formed on the underside of the iid 18 and being carried by the curved portion 78 is a cam member 88 (not shown in Figure 2). The cam member 88 has a nose 90 which engages the top plate 62 as shown in Figure 1. The shape of the nose 90 is such that as the cover 18 is moved to the closed position, it, the nose 90, engages the top member 62 and pushes the sub frame 14 downwardly against the influence of the spring 56 until the sub frame 14 is in the homed retracted position. When this occurs, the cam 88 will be in an over centre position so that the spring 56 cannot push the cover 18 open.

it will be seen that when the cover 18 is lifted so that the cam member 88 is no longer in the over centre position, the spring 56 will move the sub frame 14 into the operative position.

It will also be noted that the direction of movement of the cover (i.e. pivoting about the pivot connection 82, 34) is different to the direction of movement of the sub-frame (i.e. pivoting about the pivot connection 50, 28).

On the front end of the cover 18 is a slightly raised lip 92.

Also contained λvithin the channel 12 is a power point supply unit 94 (see Figure 3) which is slightly upwardly inclined relative to the work surface and which seats on a switch mechanism 96 fixed to the base 20 of the channel 12. This unit 94 does not move.

End closures and covers 98 and 100 are secured to the end of the channel 12 by means of screws 102 that engage in sockets 104 and 106 formed on and in the front and rear walls 22 and 24 respectively. The covers 100 include a carrier surface 102 which is in line with the under surface of the plate 40, and serves to hold the device 10 in position in the slot S cut into the work surface.

It will be seen that because the sub frame 14 can pivot as described and it would be located under the cover 18 in the closed position, the depth of the channel 12, i.e. from the underside of the plate 40 to the lower face of the base 20, need be no greater than the thickness of a conventional work surface W. Accordingly, the trunk of the kitchen unit will not be affected by the provision of the device 10. All that would be necessary for this purpose would be the cutting of the opening or slot S in the work surface W.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there will be the appropriate electrical connections Io the leg 72 and to the socket switch mechanism. Two or more devices 10 may be provided in the work surface.

This invention is not limited to the precise constructional details herein before described and illustrated in the drawings. For example the sub-frame may be carried in guides within which it is movable vertically. In such an arrangement the cover may be connected to the sub- frame by means of pivoted links or may engage the sub-frame in the same manner as discussed above. It will be noted that the direction of movement of the cover when connected to the sub- frame by a link or links (i.e. the pivoting direction) is different to the direction of movement of the sub-frame (i.e. the vertical direction). Other pivot arrangements may be provided. The various parts may comprise other materials.