Rotating Table Power Station With Concealed Locking Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for supplying electric, phone, and data lines into conference and boardroom tables are aesthetically unpleasing and often require expensive mechanisms for opening and closing, which can lead to mechanical failures.
Innovation Solution
A manually operated power and data station that conceals itself entirely beneath the work surface, featuring a rotating design with a lock bolt mechanism and torus hinges to secure wiring, allowing easy access from both sides and ensuring the station can be opened and closed without damaging the table surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal box with lid is used to supply lines into the table, then the electrical connections are protected, but the aesthetic integration into furniture becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The power and data station is divided into multiple components: a base unit containing electrical connections, a rotating interface mechanism, and a concealed cover panel. This segmentation allows the functional elements to be protected while the aesthetic surface remains separate and can be designed to match the furniture.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating interface mechanism is nested within the base unit, and the entire assembly is concealed beneath the work surface when closed. The interface receptacles are mounted on sloped panels that can be accessed from both sides, allowing the functional components to be hidden when not in use.
2Shape
If a hinged access door is used to recess the box, then aesthetic integration is improved, but the complexity of opening mechanism and risk of surface damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a hinged door that opens outward, the design inverts the approach by using a rotating interface that rolls over 180 degrees to open. The cover panel is depressed and the entire unit rotates, with the opening action being the reverse of conventional hinged doors.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating interface mechanism is designed to be manually operated without additional motors or complex mechanisms. The user simply depresses one side of the top panel and the unit rolls over, using the user's input force directly to open the mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If expensive electric devices are used to raise and lower the interface, then accessibility is improved, but the cost and reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is designed to be manually raised and lowered by the user through simple depression of the top panel. The rotating mechanism converts this simple pressing motion into the opening and closing action, eliminating the need for expensive electric actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating interface mechanism uses curved rolling motion to transition between open and closed positions. The 180-degree rotation allows the interface to move smoothly between positions without linear actuators, reducing mechanical complexity.
4Shape
If the station is entirely concealed below the work surface, then aesthetic integration is improved, but the ease of access to electrical connections worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The interface receptacles are mounted on sloped panels that can rotate 180 degrees from a concealed position to an accessible position. This dynamic transformation allows the electrical connections to be hidden when not in use and easily accessed when needed, without requiring permanent exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface can be accessed from both sides of the table through the sloped panels, adding a dimensional aspect to accessibility. The rotation mechanism allows access from either side of the work surface, providing flexibility in how users reach the electrical connections.
Data Source
AI summary
A power and data station rotatably mounted in an opening in a work surface comprising, a base having sloped power and data receptacle panels, a pair of torus hinges rotatably attached to said base, a lock bolt having a lock tooth fixedly attached to said base, a lock button slidably attached to said lock bolt, a first lock strike slot in one of said torus hinges, said lock tooth adapted to engage said lock strike slot to hold said station in an open position.