Bracket for securing items of furniture without tools or fasteners

Abstract

A system for assembling furniture includes a bracket coupled to a first item and a frame coupled to a second item of furniture. The bracket is configured to removably interengage with the frame. The bracket includes a pair of co-planar extensions, a pair of supports, and an elongated resilient bent middle section having a length dimension that is longer than a length dimension of each of the extensions such that end tab portions of the bent middle section extend beyond the supports. The frame includes a pair of rails, each rail having a recess and a flange. The recess receives respective ones of the end tab portions. The flange receives respective ones of the end tab portions responsive to the middle section being urged from the recess into the flange to cause the bent middle section to deform into an interference fit engagement with the flange.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A beltway system for a modular furniture assembly, configured to connect to two or more workstations together, comprising:
 a main body including a first end and a second end opposing the first end and a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the main body being configured to separate two or more workstations, and the first side facing a first of the two or more workstations and the second side facing a second of the two or more workstations;   a data trough including a telecommunication port configured to provide a data connection for one of the two or more workstations, the data trough extending between the first end and the second end; and   a power block spatially separated a distance above the data trough, the power block including a first power receptacle facing the first side and a second power receptacle facing the second side.   
     
     
         28 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , further comprising a pass-through located between the power block and the data trough. 
     
     
         29 . The beltway system of  claim 28 , further comprising a partition spaced perpendicularly relative to the beltway system, the partition being configured to provide physical separation between the workstations coupled to the first end and the workstations coupled to the second end. 
     
     
         30 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , further comprising hidden power cables running within a top section of the main body and hidden data cables underneath the trough, such that the power cables and the data cables are separated by a distance and do not intersect and are not visible to a user seated at the workstations. 
     
     
         31 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein the data connection is an Ethernet, audio, video, USB, IEEE 1394, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , being configured to utilize a single power source and a single data source to provide power and data to all the workstations. 
     
     
         33 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , further comprising vertical support elements coupled to the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         34 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein the system is secured to the workstation by being screwed to an underside of the workstations, and wherein the data trough has an upper lip relative to a work surface of the two or more workstations. 
     
     
         35 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein the workstation includes a long dimension and a short dimension, wherein the beltway system is configured to be connected to the workstation either along the long dimension or along the short dimension. 
     
     
         36 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , further comprising a first section coupled to the first end and a second section coupled to the second end, wherein the data trough extends between the first and the second section, wherein the first section and the second section each includes a power block. 
     
     
         37 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , being configured such that a user of each of the two or more workstations can utilize a telecommunication port and a power receptacle at the workstation without utilizing any extension cords. 
     
     
         38 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein one power block is provided for each two workstations. 
     
     
         39 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , being further configured to connect four workstations, wherein the main body includes at least two power blocks. 
     
     
         40 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein a top surface of the main module is configured to be connected to an overhead storage module. 
     
     
         41 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein the telecommunication port is located along a bottom surface of the data trough such that no part of the telecommunication port extends into the distance between an uppermost surface of the data trough and the power block. 
     
     
         42 . The beltway system of  claim 27 , wherein the beltway system is coupled to a frame, the beltway system further comprising a first furniture item coupled to a bracket for securing the first furniture item to the beltway system, wherein the bracket includes:
 a pair of co-planar extensions;   a pair of supports each extending away at an angle from the extensions; and   an elongated resilient bent middle section extending between the pair of supports, such that a bend of the bent middle section forms an apex located along and between the pair of supports, the bent middle section having a length dimension that is longer than a length dimension of each of the extensions such that end tab portions of the bent middle section extend beyond the supports.   
     
     
         43 . The beltway system of  claim 42 , wherein the frame includes a pair of rails, each rail has a recess and a flange, wherein each recess receives respective ones of the end tab portions, and wherein the flange is configured to receive respective ones of the end tab portions responsive to the bent middle section being urged from the recess into the flange to cause the bent middle section to deform into an interference fit engagement with the flange. 
     
     
         44 . The beltway system of  claim 43 , wherein the bracket and the frame are interengaged without use of fasteners. 
     
     
         45 . The beltway system of  claim 42 , wherein the bent middle section is v-shaped. 
     
     
         46 - 54 . (canceled)