Office space dividing system - Patent Review 5056577

Claims

We claim:

1. An office space dividing system, including at least one rectangular panel having a frame which includes first and second stiles and upper and lower rails arranged to define two upper and two lower corners, with the first and second stiles and upper and lower rails having substantially flat front and back sides disposed in common front and back planes, respectively, and inner and outer facing sides which extend between the front and back planes, characterized by:

the first and second stiles and upper and lower rails being constructed of tubular members having the same cross-sectional configuration, and having square cut ends having edges which define openings to the tubular members,

said first and second stiles and upper and lower rails being arranged such that the inner side of each rail is substantially aligned with an end of each stile, and the inner side of each stile is substantially aligned with an end of each rail, to provide adjoining obstructed openings at each of the upper and lower corners,

and including right-angle metallic joining means linking the rails and stiles at each of the upper and lower corners via the adjoining openings, with the rails and stiles being adjusted relative to the right-angle metallic joining means to provide square upper and lower corners,

said right angle joining means including first and second spaced identical right angle members formed from a flat metallic sheet, with each having a centrally located joining tab bent orthogonally towards, and joined to, the joining tab of the other.

2. The office space dividing system of claim 1 wherein the rails and stiles are staked to the right angle joining means to retain the square upper and lower corners.

3. The office space dividing system of claim 1 wherein each right angle member has inner and outer edges which define indentations which facilitate staking, with the outer edge being complementary to the inner edge, permitting the right angle members to be stamped from a flat metallic sheet with substantially no waste.

4. The office space dividing system of claim 1 ; wherein the inner facing sides of the first and second stiles and the upper and lower rails collectively define a window, with said window being occupied by a foamed-in-place gypsum core.

5. The office space dividing system of claim 2 wherein the inner facing sides of the first and second stiles and upper and lower rails have at least one longitudinal extending channel which functions to hold the desired position of the gypsum core within the window.

6. The office space dividing system of claim 1 including at least one metallic rod extending between and fixed to the inner facing sides of the first and second stiles, to prevent outward bowing of the first and second stiles.

7. The office space dividing system of claim 6 wherein the inner facing sides of the first and second stiles and the upper and lower rails collectively define a window, with said window being occupied by a foamed-in-place gypsum core.

8. An office space dividing system, including at least one rectangular panel having a frame which includes first and second stiles and upper and lower rails arranged to define two upper and two lower corners, with the first and second stiles and upper and lower rails having substantially flat front and back sides disposed in common front and back planes, respectively, and inner and outer facing sides which extend between the front and back planes, characterized by:

the first and second stiles and upper and lower rails being constructed of tubular members having the same cross-sectional configuration, and having square cut ends having edges which define openings to the tubular members,

said first and second stiles and upper and lower rails being arranged such that the inner side of each rail is substantially aligned with an end of each stile, and the inner side of each stile is substantially aligned with an end of each rial, to provide adjoining unobstructed openings at each of the upper and lower corners,

and including right-angle metallic joining means linking the rails and stiles at each of the upper and lower corners via the adjoining openings, with the rials and stiles being adjusted relative to the right-angle metallic joining means to provide square upper and lower corners,

said inner facing sides of the identically configured first and second stiles and lower rail having a centrally located channel, and the outer facing sides of the first and second stiles and lower rail having first and second spaced grooves adjacent to the substantially flat front and back sides, with the identically configured top rail being inverted relative to the position of the lower rail such that the inner facing side has said first and second spaced grooves and the outer facing side has said centrally located channel.

9. The office space dividing system of claim 8 wherein the inner facing sides of the first and second stiles and the upper and lower rails collectively define a window, with said window being occupied by a foamed-in-place gypsum core which is held within the window by the centrally located channels of the first and second stiles and lower rail, and by the first and second spaced grooves of the upper rail.

10. The office space dividing system of claim 1 including a wire trough fixed to the upper rail, with the wire trough having a bottom portion configured complementary to the central channel in the outer facing side of the upper rail.

11. The office space dividing system of claim 10 including first and second sheets of panel coverings each having upper, lower and side edges, and first and second spline beads, and wherein the first and second spaced grooves in the outwardly facing sides of the first and second stiles and lower rail function as spline grooves for respectively receiving said first and second spline beads which hold the side and lower edges of said panel coverings, and wherein the wire trough has an upper portion which has first and second spaced grooves which function as spline grooves which receive the first and second spline beads to hold the upper edges of the panel coverings.

12. The office space dividing system of claim 11 including first and second upper and first and second lower corner members removably fixed to the frame, with said first and second upper corner members having first and second spaced grooves which continue the first and second grooves in the first and second stiles and the first and second grooves in the wire trough, and with the first and second lower corner members having first and second spaced grooves which continue the first and second grooves in the first and second stiles and the first and second grooves in the lower rail.

13. The office space dividing system of claim 12 wherein the first and second upper and first and second lower corner members each have front and back flat surfaces respectively disposed in the common front and back planes.

14. The office space dividing system of claim 12 including a vertically extending support post having hook receiving means, and including hook means on the at least one rectangular panel engaging the hook receiving means of said support post, and including a second rectangular panel supported by said support post, with said second rectangular panel including a wire trough having a bottom portion configured the same as and aligned with the bottom portion of the wire trough of the at least one rectangular panel, and including a metallic spanner disposed within and fixed to the bottom portions of the wire troughs of the at least one and said second rectangular panels.

15. The office space dividing system of claim 14 including means additionally fixing the metallic spanner to the support post.

16. The office space dividing system of claim 14 wherein the bottom portions of the troughs have outwardly flared sides, and wherein the metallic spanner has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional configuration having depending legs which include inwardly angled portions which rest against and wedge within the outwardly flared sides of the wire troughs.

17. The office space dividing system of claim 10 including an elongated panel cap removably attached to, and substantially flush with, the top portion of the wire trough.

18. The office space dividing system of claim 17 wherein the elongated panel cap has a substantially C-shaped configuration which includes a bight, depending leg portions, and inwardly turned flange portions, and including a clip member attached to the panel cap, said clip member having first and second longitudinal ends, and first and second spaced mounting points at each end which are closely adjacent to the depending leg portions of the panel cap, with a mounting point at each end being provided by first and second horizontally oriented resilient leg portions, said resilient leg portions being constructed to flex during assembly with the panel cap such that their associated mounting points are not effective until the desired assembled position is achieved, at which point they become functional to cooperate with the other mounting points to resist disassembly from the panel cap in response to forces which tend to rotate the clip member in either rotational direction.

19. The office space dividing system of claim 18 wherein the clip member has first and second resiliently bendable depending legs which include knee portions which are biased inwardly by first and second predetermined portions of the wire trough, with the knee portions being below said first and second predetermined portions such that the biasing force is in a direction which resists disassembly, to firmly but releasably hold the elongated panel cap against first and second predetermined portions of the wire trough.

20. The office space dividing system of claim 10 including a vertically extending support post having hook receiving means, and including hook means on the at least one rectangular panel engaging the hook receiving means of said support post, with said hook means including a slotted standard and at least upper and lower hooks fixed thereto, a post cap which includes a depending alignment portion which engages the slotted standard and a horizontal alignment portion, and an elongated panel cap removably attached to, and substantially flush with, a top portion of the wire trough, with said panel cap overlying the horizontal alignment portion of the post cap.

21. The office space dividing system of claim 20 including post cover means disposed to cover at least one vertical side of the post, and having an upper end which terminates adjacent to the post cap, and wherein the post cap includes an additional depending alignment portion which engages the post cover means adjacent to said upper end.

22. An office space dividing system, including a post, and at least two rectangular panels supported by the post, with each panel having a frame having an upper rail, characterized by:

said upper rail having an upwardly facing surface which defines a channel having a bight and upwardly extending, outwardly flared sides,

a wire trough fixed to the upper rail of each panel, with the wire trough having a bottom portion nested in the channel defied by the top rail, including a bottom having outwardly flared sides,

including a panel-to-panel spanner fixed to the wire troughs of both of the at least two panels, and to the post, with the spanner having a cross sectional configuration in the shape of an inverted U, including depending legs having portions which are bent inwardly to nest and wedge within the outwardly flared sides of the bottom of the wire trough.

23. The office space dividing system of claim 22 wherein the wire trough has an upper portion which has first and second spaced grooves which function as spline grooves.

24. The office space dividing system of claim 22 including an elongated panel cap removably attached to, and substantially flush with, the top portion of the wire trough.

25. The office space dividing system of claim 24 wherein the elongated panel cap has a substantially C-shaped configuration which includes a bight, depending leg portions, and inwardly turned flange portions, and including a clip member attached to the panel cap, said clip member having first and second longitudinal ends, and first and second spaced mounting points at each end which are closely adjacent to the depending leg portions of the panel cap, with a mounting point at each end being provided by first and second horizontally oriented resilient leg portions, said resilient leg portions being constructed to flex during assembly with the panel cap such that their associated mounting points are not effective until the desired assembled position is achieved, at which point they become functional to cooperate with the other mounting points to resist disassembly from the panel cap in response to force which tend to rotate the clip member in either rotational direction.

26. The office space dividing system of claim 25 wherein the clip member has first and second resiliently bendable depending legs which include knee portions which are biased inwardly by first and second predetermined portions of the wire trough, with the knee portions being below said first and second predetermined portions such that the biasing force is in a direction which resists disassembly, to firmly but releasably hold the elongated panel cap against first and second predetermined portions of the wire trough.

27. The office space dividing system of claim 22 wherein the post includes hook receiving means, and including hook means on the at least two rectangular panels engaging the hook receiving means of said support post, with said hook means including a slotted standard and at least upper and lower hooks fixed thereto, a post cap which includes a depending alignment portion which engages the slotted standard and a horizontal alignment portion, and an elongated panel cap removably attached to, and substantially flush with, the top portion of the wire trough, with said panel cap overlying the horizontal alignment portion of the post cap.

28. The office space dividing system of claim 27 including post cover means disposed to cover at least one vertical side of the post, and having an upper end which terminates adjacent to the post cap, and wherien the post cap includes an additional depending alignment portion which engages the post cover means adjacent to said upper end.

29. An office space dividing system including at least one rectangular panel having an upper edge, and an elongated panel cap on the upper edge, characterized by:

the elongated panel cap having a substantially C-shaped configuration which includes a bight, depending leg portions, and inwardly turned flange portions,

and a clip member attached to the panel cap which removable connects the panel cap to the upper edge of the panel,

said clip member having a vertical axis, about which the clip member is rotated during assembly with said panel cap,

said clip member having a substantially flat, upper, horizontally oriented surface having first and second longitudinal ends, with the flat upper surface, which is disposed at right angles to said vertical axis, being disposed closely adjacent to the bight of said panel cap, between said depending leg portions,

said clip member further having first and second spaced mounting points at each of said first and second longitudinal ends which are closely adjacent to the depending leg portions of the panel cap, with a mounting point at each longitudinal end being provided by first and second horizontally oriented resilient leg portions which extend horizontally outward from said clip member in opposite directions and respectively terminate at said first and second longitudinal ends, said resilient leg portions being constructed to flex during assembly with the panel cap, during which the clip member is rotated 90 degrees about said vertical axis, such that the mounting points associated with the first and second resilient leg portions are not effective until the desired assembled position is achieved, at which point they become functional by returning to their un-flexed configurations to cooperate with the other mounting point at each longitudinal end to resist disassembly from the panel cap in response to forces which tend to rotate the clip member in either rotational direction about said vertical axis.

30. The office space dividing system of claim 29 wherein the upper edge of the panel has a channel shaped recess, and wherein the clip member has first and second resiliently bendable depending legs which include knee portions which are biased inwardly by first and second predetermined portions of the recess, with the knee portions being below said first and second predetermined portions such that the biasing force is in a direction which resists disassembly, to firmly but releasably hold the elongated panel cap against the upper edge of the panel.

31. An office space dividing system including a post, at least one rectangular panel supported by the post, with the rectangular panel having first and second vertically oriented edges and an upper edge, a slotted standard fixed to each of the first and second vertically oriented edges, and a post cap on the post, characterized by:

a depending alignment portion on the post cap which engages the slotted standard,

an elongated panel cap removably fixed to the upper edge of the at least one rectangular panel,

and a horizontal alignment portion on the post cap,

with said panel cap overlying the horizontal alignment portion of the post cap.

32. The office space dividing system of claim 31 including post cover means disposed to cover at least one vertical side of the post, and having an upper end which terminates adjacent to the post cap, and wherein the post cap includes an additional depending alignment portion which engages the post cover means adjacent to said upper end.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates in general to open plan office space dividing partition systems, and more specifically to the construction of space dividing panels used in such systems.

BACKGROUND ART

Open plan office space dividing partition systems utilize panels as the main system element, and the manufacturing cost of the panels represents a major fraction of the cost of any system. It is thus important, and it is an object of the present invention, to reduce the manufacturing costs of such systems, without sacrificing strength, durability, and appearance.

The increasing usage of computers and associated electrical equipment in modern offices has greatly increased the number of communication wires required to be concealed within space dividing partition systems. It is thus another object of the invention to provide a new and improved office space dividing system which has the capacity to carry a large number of communication wires.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, the present invention is an office space dividing system which includes new and improved rectangular panels having a high strength, accurate frame construction which requires no welding or grinding. The new panel construction quickly achieves and maintains the desired square corners, even when the frame is required to support a relatively heavy foamed-in-place gypsum core, which is the core element in a preferred embodiment of the invention. A large wire trough occupies the top of the panel, providing a large space for laying in communication wires which are routed to associated work stations, as well as providing rigid anchor points for panel to panel spanners which rigidize the system.

The panel frame construction includes first and second stiles and upper and lower rails, all constructed from the same roll formed tubular metallic stock. The ends of the stiles and rails are not mitered, but square, simplifying the cutting of the frame elements. Instead of butting the square ends of the rails against the stiles, or the square ends of the stiles against side rails, the inner side of each frame member, ie., the side which faces the frame window, is aligned with the square end of the adjoining member. In other words, the inner side of each rail is substantially aligned with a square end of each stile, and the inner side of each stile is substantially aligned with a square end of each rail. This arrangement provides adjoining unobstructed openings to the rails and stiles at each of the upper and lower corners of the frame.

Right angle metallic joining and reinforcing members are press fit into the adjoining rail and stile openings at each corner of the frame, with the tooling for performing the press fit operation squaring the corners as the press fits are made. Each right angle joining member has a leg portion which enters a frame and a leg portion which enters a rail. Each such leg portion is made up of two spaced, interconnected flat leg members stamped from a metallic sheet. Each flat leg member enters a specially shaped receiving pocket, with the receiving pockets being directly adjacent first and second opposite flat sides of the frame elements. The squared corners are maintained by staking the rails and stiles against the flat leg members of the press-fit right angle members, which are firmly held in position during the staking operation by the receiving pockets.

When the frame is to support a foamed-in-place gypsum core, one or more horizontally oriented metallic rods, with the number depending upon the height of the frame, are fixed between the inner surfaces of the stiles, by welding or riveting, to prevent outward bowing of the stiles.

The tubular stock from which the rails and stiles is constructed, in addition to the hereinbefore mentioned first and second flat sides, includes a side having an externally facing longitudinally extending central groove or channel. The side opposite to the channel side includes a pair of outwardly facing spaced spline grooves adjacent to the lateral edges of the side for receiving spline beads which hold outer covers, such as fabric covers, on the opposing major sides of a panel.

The first and second stiles and lower rail are oriented such that the central channel faces the frame window and the spline grooves are on the outer perimeter of the frame. The upper rail is inverted, relative to the orientation of the lower rail, such that the longitudinal central channel faces upwardly and thus outwardly. The first and second flat sides of each frame element are thus disposed in common front and back parallel planes, with the inner and outer facing sides of each frame element extending perpendicularly between the front and back planes of the frame.

The inwardly facing longitudinal central channels of the stiles and lower rail will firmly and reliably hold a foamed-in-place gypsum core, when such a core is used, and the inwardly facing spline grooves of the upper rail also assist in the core holding function.

A large metallic wire trough is fixed to the upper surface of the upper rail, with the bottom of the wire trough being complementary to the upwardly facing longitudinal channel of the upper rail, accurately seating and longitudinally directing the wire trough along the top of the frame. The top of the wire trough is upwardly open, with spline beads being inwardly formed adjacent to the longitudinally extending sides of the wire trough. There is still adequate spacing between the spline beads to enable a large number of communication wires to be laid into the open top of the wire trough.

Before an outer covering is fixed to a panel, each panel is provided with upper and lower plastic corners which engage exposed corners of the right angle joining members. The upper plastic corners extend along the relatively long vertical end edges of the wire trough, and the upper plastic corners have outwardly extending fingers which latch to suitably located openings in the wire trough. The upper and lower plastic corners have flat surfaces in the parallel front and back planes of the frame, to provide a smooth supporting surface for the panel coverings. The portions of the plastic corners which continue the outer perimeter of the frame have spline grooves aligned with the spline grooves of the rail, stile, or wire trough, as the case may be, to provide two continuous spline grooves around the outer perimeter of the frame for tightly holding two panel covers, one on each major flat side of the panel.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the panels are supported by posts, with the posts providing a desired center line modularity to the system. A slotted standard is fixed to each of the two vertically extending lateral edges of each frame, and hook-type support elements are attached thereto which engage hook receiving edges of an associated post. The long channel-seated metallic wire troughs and upper frame rails cooperatively form strong anchor points for metallic panel-to-panel spanners or rigidizers, which are also secured to the top of the post being spanned. The inner configuration of the wire trough at the bottom is channel shaped, with outwardly flared sides, and the spanner has an inverted U-shaped configuration. The depending leg portions of the inverted U-shaped configuration have portions bent to lie firmly against the angled sides of the wire trough, providing a wedging effect and additional resistance against relative movement between the spanners and wire troughs, resulting in a superior panel-to-panel rigidizing structure.

Post caps include three alignment portions when the post cap is associated with a post having an "unused" panel position, eg., a post capable of supporting four panels but which is only being used to support one, two or three panels. A post cover is placed on the side of the post not presently being used to support a panel. The three alignment portions include first depending alignment legs which telescope into the upwardly open ends of the slotted standards of the panels joined to the associated post, a second depending alignment leg for engaging each post cover, and a horizontally extending portion which underlies a panel cap. A panel cap snaps on to the top of each wire trough, substantially flush with the top of the wire trough.

In a metallic embodiment of the panel cap, the panel cap is formed from a sheet of metal into a substantially C-shaped cross sectional configuration. Panel cap retaining clips are provided, with each clip having a pair of spaced, horizontally oriented leg members at each longitudinal end, with one leg member of each pair being resiliently bendable. The resilient leg members of the clip, which are disposed at diagonally opposite corners, are deflected by depending legs of the metallic panel cap as each clip is positioned within the C-shaped configuration of the panel cap and then turned one-quarter of a turn. Thus, during assembly, the clip effectively has only two oppositely directed legs. The clip is retained in the desired assembled position with the panel cap as the flexible legs return to their unstressed positions, providing two spaced mounting points on each end of the clip which contact the depending legs of the panel cap to, resist turning and therefor removal of a clip once the legs of the clip are aligned perpendicular to the depending leg portions of the panel cap. Each panel cap retaining or mounting clip also has to resilient, depending leg portions which are inwardly biased by the spline groove structure of the wire trough, as the panel cap is forced to its seated position on top of a wire trough. As the panel cap reaches its desired assembled position, "knees" on the resilient, depending legs pass the bottoms of the spline groove structure, allowing the legs to flex outwardly towards their unbiased positions, to firmly but removably hold the clips and their associated panel cap on top of the wire trough.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings which are shown by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a panel constructed according to the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the panel shown in FIG. 1, except without fabric outer panel coverings, and without an electrical raceway at the panel base;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a panel frame shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end view of one of the elements of which the stiles and rails of the frame shown in FIG. 3 is constructed;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the frame shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a right angle corner joining member used to interconnect the stiles and rails of the frame shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the right angle corner joining member shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the right angle corner joining member shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 illustrates a low scrap method of stamping the elements which make up the right angle corner joining member shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the frame shown in FIG. 3, taken between and in the direction of arrows X--X;

FIG. 10A is a vertical sectional view of the frame shown in FIG. 3, taken between and in the direction of arrows XA--XA;

FIG. 11 is an end view of a wire trough and panel cap shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the wire trough shown in FIG. 11, without the panel cap;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a lower plastic frame corner shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of an upper plastic frame corner shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 15 is an end elevational view of the plastic frame corner shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the frame corner shown in FIG. 15, taken between and in the direction of arrows XVI--XVI;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary elevational view of a space dividing panel system constructed according to the teachings of the invention which illustrates two panels supported by a post;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the system shown in FIG. 1, without one of the panels;

FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of a panel-to-panel spanner shown in FIGS. 2, 17 and 18, for connecting two panels in a straight line;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the spanner shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is an end view of the spanner shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary elevational end view which illustrates the installation of the spanner shown in FIG. 19 in the wire trough shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary plan view of a spanner for a four-way intersection of four panels;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary plan view of a spanner for a three-way 120 degree intersection of three panels;

FIG. 25 is a plan view of one of the elements used to construct the spanner shown in FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of an element which may be used in place of the mitered elements shown in FIG. 24 to construct a three-intersection of three panels having one 90 degree angle and two 135 degree angles between the three panels;

FIG. 27 is a plan view of a post cap for a two-way straight intersection between two panels;

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the post cap shown in FIG. 28, taken between and in the direction of arrows XXVIII--XXVIII;

FIG. 29 is a plan view of a post cap for a four-way intersection between four panels;

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the post cap shown in FIG. 29, taken between and in the direction of arrows XXX--XXX;

FIG. 31 is a side elevational view of a panel cap shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 32 is a bottom view of the panel cap shown in FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is an end view of the panel cap shown in FIG. 31;

FIG. 34 is an elevational view of a clip used to attach the panel cap shown in FIG. 31 to the wire trough shown in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 35 is a plan view of the clip shown in FIG. 34.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, there is shown in perspective in FIG. 1 a panel 40 which is constructed according to the teachings of the invention. FIG. 2 illustrates panel 40 in a partially exploded perspective view. Panel 40, as best shown in FIG. 2, includes a metallic frame 42 having first and second u