Modular office furniture partition - Patent Review 5406760

I claim:

1. An upright partition for use in a modular office furniture system, the partition comprising:

a frame comprising:

two vertical posts each having outward opposing faces defining spaced apart parallel forward and rearward planes;

plurality of horizontal beams, at least one beam in each said plane, each beam having an inward face and an outward face, the inward face of each beam being connected to one said outward face of an associated post in an overlapping moment resisting connection; and a plurality of cladding panels each connected to one said beam;

each cladding panel having an inner surface;

whereby an internal cavity is defined inward of the outward faces of said beams, and a raceway is defined outward of said outward faces of the posts and inward of the inner surfaces of the cladding panels.

2. A partition according to claim 1 including pairs of parallel beams, one beam of each pair being connected on each of the outward opposing faces of each vertical post.

3. A partition according to claim 2 wherein said pairs of beams are vertically spaced from other pairs of beams at uniform vertical intervals.

4. A partition according to claim 1 wherein each panel includes resilient clips releasably coupling each panel to at least one said beam.

5. A partition according to claim 4 wherein each panel is coupled by said resilient clips between an upper beam and an associated parallel lower beam.

6. A partition according to claim 5 wherein each panel is coupled outward of and overlying said upper and lower beams.

7. A partition according to claim 1 wherein the beams are selected from the group consisting of: hollow rectangular tubes, square tubes, round tubes, oval tubes, extruded members, drawn tubes, channel members, I-beam members, and angle members.

8. A partition according to claim 7 wherein the beams are drawn tubes which in transverse section have an arcuate upper portion and an arcuate lower portion with straight intermediate portions therebetween.

9. A partition according to claim 8, wherein the beams and posts are connected with brackets having a saddle portion of internal profile mating the external section profile of the beams.

10. A partition according to claim 9 wherein the brackets include opposing flange portions above and below the saddle portion, the flange portions overlying and connected to the outward face of an associated post.

11. A partition according to claim 10 wherein the flange portions are perforated and the bracket is connected to the post with fasteners selected from the group consisting of self tapping screws, rivets, bolts, and puddle weld metal.

12. A partition. according to claim 1 wherein the posts are selected from the group consisting of: hollow rectangular tubes; square tubes; round tubes; oval tubes; extruded members; drawn tubes; channel members; I-beam members; and angle members.

13. A partition according to claim 1 including releasable securing means on at least one said post for securing said post to frames of like partitions in a modular assembly.

14. A partition according to claim 1 wherein the posts include a vertical series of slots in each of their outward faces, the partition further comprising a plurality of hanger means for suspending furniture components upon the posts, the hanger means including an inward end having inward facing dogs co-acting with selected slots of said series, and wherein the cladding panels overly the slots, and said inward. end of the hanger means.

15. A partition according to claim 1 wherein the panels have an external cover constructed of materials selected from the group consisting of: roll formed sheet metal; extruded aluminium; extruded plastic; fibreboard; and fabric.

16. A partition according to claim 1 including an inwardly upwardly recessed panel whereby cables may pass between the internal cavity of the frame and equipment external to the partition panels.

17. A partition according to claim 15 wherein said recessed panel includes electrical power outlets in an outward surface thereof.

18. A partition according to claim 1, including cable support means comprising a vertical member and a vertically spaced apart series of laterally extending cable supporting arms, said cable support means being attached to the posts within the internal cavity of the partition.

19. An upright partition for use in a modular office furniture system, the partition comprising:

a frame comprising:

two vertical posts each having outward opposing faces defining spaced apart parallel foward and rearward planes;

a plurality of horizontal beams, at least two beams in each said plane, each beam having an inward face and an outward face, the inward face of each beam being connected to one said outward face of an associated post in an overlapping moment resisting connection; and a plurality of cladding panels each connected to one said beam;

whereby an internal cavity is defined comprising:

(a) a central vertically extending post space between said forward and rearward planes and bounded by said posts, and

(b) a plurality of horizontally extending raceways bounded by adjacent beams outward from said forward and rearward planes at least as far as said outward faces of the beams, the central post space and raceways in communication between the beams and posts,

the central post space permitting passage of cable means vertically and horizontally between the posts inwardly past the beams throughout the entire height of the partition,

the raceways permitting passage of the cable means horizontally between the beams outwardly past the posts throughout the entire width of the partition, and to adjacent similar portions.

20. A partition according to claim 20 wherein the central post space is open at a top and bottom of the partition for ingress and exit of cable means vertically therefrom.

21. A partion according to claim 20 wherein the cladding panels define an outward extent of the raceways.

22. A partition as claimed in claim 20 wherein the beams comprise hollow tubes having open ends, each beam extends across each post to present an open end of the beam proximate each end of the partition,

coupling means to join ends of partitions having similarly spaced beams together in line including coupling inserts having two ends with each end received telescopically with the open end of a beam of two abutting partitions.

23. An upright partition for use in a modular office furniture system, the partition comprising;

a frame comprising:

two vertical posts each having outward opposing faces defining spaced apart parallel forward and rearward planes;

a plurality of horizontal beams, at least one beam in each said plane, each beam having an lnward face and an outward face, the inward face of each beam being connected to one said outward face of an associated post in an overlapping moment resisting connection; and

a plurality of cladding panels each connected to one said beam;

whereby an internal cavity is defined inward of the outward faces of said beams, and a raceway is defined outward of said outward faces of the posts and inward of a plane in which the outward faces of the beams lie.

24. A partition according to claim 23 including pairs of parallel beams, one beam of each pair being connected on each of the outward opposing faces of each vertical post.

25. A partition according to claim 24 wherein said pairs of beams are vertically spaced from other pairs of beams at uniform vertical intervals.

26. A partition according to claim 25 wherein the beams are selected from the group consisting of: hollow rectangular tubes, square tubes, round tubes, oval tubes, extruded members, drawn tubes, channel members, I-beam members, and angle members.

27. A partition according to claim 26 wherein the beams are drawn tubes which in transverse section have an arcuate upper portion and an arcuate lower portion with straight intermediate portions therebetween.

28. A partition according to claim 27, wherein the beams and posts are connected with brackets having a saddle portion of internal profile mating the external section profile of the beams.

Description Submit all comments and votes

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an upright partition, for use in a modular office furniture system, having an open internal frame inward of removable cladding panels within which cables, wires and electrical power conduits may be enclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of modular office furniture systems is currently very wide spread in modern office interior design. The advantages of using partitions in a modular office system include increased efficiency in the use of space and individual offices with permanent walls may be largely eliminated in open office designs. As a result, a tenant of leased commercial space may minimize the cost of leasehold improvements, and may occupy and vacate premises rapidly through assembly and disassembly of modular components.

Conventionally a partition comprises an interior hollow rectangular frame constructed of roll formed sheet metal channel sections welded together in a rigid assembly. Electrical wiring and communication cables are accomodated in the hollow interior of the partitions, and are passed between partitions through holes punched in the webs of frame members. Partitions are connected together at their vertical end frame members into various geometric office maze patterns and cladding panels are hung on the frames to enclose and conceal the supporting frames and wiring.

Commonly the vertical frame members have a series of longitudinally spaced slots within which dogs extending from the cladding panels are engaged. In a like manner shelves, desktop brackets, filing cabinets and other components of the modular office furniture system are hung on the partitions to complete the modular furniture assembly.

The fabrication of conventional partition frames often involves several operations which require special tooling and machine setups. For example, where frame members are constructed of formed sheet metal channels, openings for wiring, notches for connections to other frame members and slots for hanging accessories are punched in a flat sheet metal blank. The blank is then bent into a channel shape in a rollforming operation, or on a brake press. The formed channels are then fitted together in a jig and welded at rigid connections.

It will be apparent that where different sized frame members are used and where the configuration of members vary, numerous machine setup modifications must be made. Production may involve the preparation of a number of different frame member configurations each of which may require separate inventory, machine setups, production scheduling and drawings. Therefore it is desirable to simplify the design of frame members as much as possible to minimize production costs, inventory requirements, and provide maximum flexibilty in manufacturing scheduling.

It is also desirable to minimize the use of welding as a means for connecting frame components. The heat from welding can distort metal frames, and a further manufacturing step may be required to straighten metal frames which have become twisted, or cambered through the welding process. In addition, welding thin sheet metal frames may require relatively highly skilled workers, and quality control supervision.

A welded metal frame is for all practical purposes, impossible to modify after fabrication. An improperly fabricated welded metal frame must be scrapped and very little of the material can be salvaged for reuse. If a purchaser of a partition system wishes to modify the furniture layout, whole partitions cannot be modified easily. Therefore modification plans are restricted to the rearrangement of existing partitions, or purchasing new partitions of different dimensions.

Despite the above disadvantages however, welded metal partition frames remain the most commonly used type since the strength is high and manufacturing cost is low compared to conventional alternatives.

A significant recent development in partition design relates to the increasing demands being put on office furniture to accomodate various communication devices such as computers, telephones, facsimile machines, printers and the like.

In order to accomodate the increasing number of electrical and communication wires required in most modern office environments, wire or cable raceways through the hollow interior of partitions have been provided. The common conventional location for such a raceway is at the base or cap of a partition.

The individual conventional partitions each have a raceway or several raceways which communicate with each other when assembled in a modular partition wall. The raceway also commonly communicates with the electrical system of the occupied building through vertical power poles which extend up through the drop ceiling of the building office space or through monuments and access openings in the floor of the office space.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,153 to Hage describes a typical conventional partition raceway. The base portion of the Hage partition is essentially a hollow accessible beam within which electrical and communication wiring can be placed. The conventional partition frame is connected to the top of the hollow beam forming the cable raceway.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,539 to Kelly et al describes another example of a partition system which may accomodate cables at the base and at the cap of a conventional partition system. The vertical frame members are not modified in such a system but rather the cables are passed over the vertical frame members around their outward edges. This type of system may accomodate limited numbers of relatively thin cables retaining them within the space occupied by the cladding panels.

An alternative conventional method of passing wires between frames is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,577 to Tenser et al. In this conventional system openings are made in the web section of vertical frame members. The electrical and communication wiring are threaded through the web openings. Therefore wires are not visible but are entirely concealed by the cladding panels. An advantage of this system is that the outward edges of vertical frame members remain completely clear. Accordingly, the attachment of other components of modular office furniture systems is not impeded by cables overlapping the openings upon which shelves and other components are hung.

A distinct disadvantage of such a system is the need to thread cables through the openings. When installing, moving or maintaining computers or other office equipment, it may become frequently necessary to install and remove the cables. Increased labour costs and wear on the cables results from such a system. However since the web portion of the frame member contributes minimally to the strength of the frame member, providing such openings does not reduce the strength of the frame significantly.

Since most office equipment is operated on the top of a desk or table, current partition designs often include what is known as a "waist-line" waist height cable raceway. Electrical receptacles and various wires are accomodated at waist height thereby eliminating wires which hang down from table top to "base-line" receptacles located at the bottom of a partition. Use of a waist-line raceways simplifies installation and maintenance of equipment by eliminating the need for the installer to crawl under furniture to access a base-line cable raceway and electrical receptacles. The use of a waist height raceway also generally reduces the length of cables required between devices all located at a table top elevation.

An open interior partition system is sold under the trade mark OPTIMA by Design Finish Studio of Israel. This conventional partition is constructed of vertical sheet metal channel posts with pairs of horizontal round tubes. The pairs of horizontal tubes at each of their ends are inserted into specially designed molded plastic end connectors. The plastic connectors are snap-locked into the interior throat of the vertical channel posts to complete a rigid connection. The partition accomodates wires and cables within its interior by threading wires etc between the pairs of tubes and through openings punched in the webs of the vertical post channels.

This type of partition remains at a disadvantage since special molded connectors must be used, and the wires must be threaded between partitions through openings in the web of the posts.

Threading of wires through openings increases the time and effort required to install, remove and maintain office equipment, and increases wear on the outer insulated surfaces of the wiring, thereby reducing its service life.

However in such a conventional partition, since the entire internal space is open, between pairs of horizontal tubes, wires and cables may be accomodated at any level within an individual partition in the interior behind removable panels. Additionally, the panels are coupled to the horizontal beams with resilient tabs, rendering the entire internal cavity easily accessible through removable panels.

Therefore it is desirable to provide a partition which may easily accomodate electrical and communication cables preferably at any height in a manner which simplifies the installation, removal and maintainence of such equipment.

Also it is desirable to protect and conceal wiring and receptacles as much as possible behind cladding panels while maintaining the structural integrity of the partition frame.

The simplification of frame construction may result in significant cost savings in respect of the type of fabrication machinery used in manufacturing, savings in inventory costs, and enhancement of production scheduling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention addresses the disadvantages of the prior art in a novel manner through the provision of an upright partition for use in a modular office furniture system.

The partition of the invention has a frame which is open within its interior providing clearance for wires and cables enclosed between cladding panels on the frames exterior. The frame is simply constructed of vertical posts and horizontal beams connected together at rigid overlapping joints. Saddle brackets are used to secure rounded tubular beams to square tubular posts with screws or rivets. The overlapping of beams on the posts provides a rigid connection and also defines a wire accomodating raceway between adjacent partitions. The raceway is defined outward of the outward post faces inward of the cladding panels and preferably at least to the beam outer faces.

Therefore, it will be apparent that by simply cutting posts and beams to length, and connecting them with such brackets and screws, a partition frame may be quickly fabricated. Preferably the partitions are assembled in a factory environment and shipped to the customer. If desired however, the partitions may be shipped to the site in compact bundles reducing the bulk and cost of transportation. The partitions then may be assembled and erected at their final location. The ability to disassemble and reassemble the partition frames also aids the purchaser in moving the partitions to new premises and adds flexibility in redesigning their office layout.

Preferably, the beams are paired together at spaced apart elevations with the post located between beams of the pair. Therefore, the wires may pass between paired beams within the interior of the partition and may be passed over the outward surface of the posts between adjacent partitions. The cladding panels are coupled to the beams with resilient clips such that all panels are easily removable to provide access to the interior of the partition. Wires may pass between adjacent partitions over the outward face of the posts and enclosed inward of the panels. The overlapping of the beams spaces the panels away from the posts thereby providing an adequately sized cable raceway bounded by the beams outwardly and at top and bottom, and bounded inwardly by the adjacent post.

Accordingly the invention specifically provides: an upright partition for use in a modular office furniture system, the partition comprising: a frame comprising: two vertical posts each having outward opposing faces defining spaced apart parallel forward and rearward planes; a plurality of horizontal beams, at least one beam in each said plane, each beam having an inward face and an outward face, the inward face of each beam being connected to one said outward face of an associated post in an overlapping moment resisting connection; and a plurality of cladding panels each connected to one said beam; whereby an internal cavity is defined inward of the outward faces of said beams, and a raceway is defined outward of said outward post faces and inward of the outward faces of said beams.

Further aspects of the invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be readily understood, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a frontal perspective elevation view of an assembled modular office furniture partition wall including multiple vertical partitions, with a central partition having a modified utility access panel;

FIG. 2 is a frontal perspective view, of the wall of FIG. 1, with the upper and lower cladding panels removed to reveal the internal partition frame;

FIG. 3 illustrates an elevation view of adjacent vertical posts, of the wall of FIG. 1, showing two abutting partitions with their supporting feet and horizontal beam frame members;

FIGS. 4, and 5 are sectional plan views along lines 4--4 and 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation view along line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view along line 7--7 of FIG. 1 showing the structure of the utility access panels with electrical power bus, and cable hanger;

FIG. 8 is a sectional plan view along line 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional plan view along line 9--9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an isometric detail view of a typical saddle bracket connection joining a horizontal beam to a vertical post in an overlapping rigid connection;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the connection between four adjacent partition frame posts in an X-shaped configuration;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the component parts of the connection shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the toggle clamp used to connect adjacent frames together; and

FIG. 14 is a detail elevation view of an installed toggle clamp.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Office partition walls are assembled from adjacent rectangular partitions as shown in FIG. 1. A partition is generally clad with panels 5 and 7. The panels 5 and 7 are constructed of a painted sheet metal cover which may be filled with sound absorbing insulation and covered with sound absorbing fabric or other materials. Upper and lower panels 5 may be fitted with windows, or screens if desired. Adjustable legs 4 are provided to level the partition wall along its length.

The novel construction of the partition frame is illustrated in FIG. 2. Upper and lower panels 5 have been removed leaving only the central panels 5 and 7 behind which electrical conduits, communication wires etc. are housed. Accordingly, upper and lower panels 5 may be wholly eliminated, or in part, from the partition frames if the interior designer wishes to present a more open office atmosphere. Furniture components such as desk tops, shelves, and cabinets can be suspended from the posts 1 of the partition frame independently whether or not a design includes the uppermost and lowermost cladding panels 5.

The frames of the partition are very simply constructed of two vertical posts 1 and horizontal beams 2. The beams 2 are preferrably arranged in parallel pairs on both sides of the posts 1. Pairing of the beams 2 strengthens the frame and allows use of standard panel dimensions.

The beams 2 are connected to outward opposing front and rear faces of each post 1 in an overlapping moment resisting connection.

FIG. 10 shows the preferred means by which the posts 1 and beams 2 are connected in an overlapping rigid manner. The beams 2 are shown as tubular in transverse section having a "racetrack" sectional shape. The tubular beams 2 have an arcuate upper portion and an arcuate lower portion with a straight intermediate portion between. The arcuate upper and lower portions are preferred by semicircular. This section is advantageous in that the section is easily drawn or extruded from metals such as steel and aluminium or from plastic. The section has a relatively high moment of inertia to resist torsion and flexure, and can be easily connected to the posts 1 and panels 5, as shown.

The beams 2 and posts 1 are connected, as shown in the typical connection detail of FIG. 10, with brackets 3 having a saddle portion 20 of internal profile mating the external profile of the beams 2. The brackets 3 also include flange portions 21 above and below the saddle portion 20. The flange portions 21 lie over and are connected to the outward forward or rearward face 22 of the associated posts 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the flange portions 21 are perforated and the bracket 3 is connected to the post 1 with self tapping screws 23. Other conventional means may also be used such as rivets, bolts, spot welding or puddle welding (not shown).

The cladding panels 5 include resilient clips (26 and 27 in FIG. 6) for releasably coupling each panel 5 between associated parallel upper and lower pairs of beams 2. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the cladding panels 5 are positioned outward of, overlying and coupled to the beams 2. Due to the thickness of the saddle portion 20 of the brackets 3 shown in FIG. 10, a gap is present between the beams 2 and the adjacent top or bottom edge of the panels 5.

The partition is formed from an open gridwork of posts 1 and beams 2. As a result, the partition has an open interior cavity which advantageously permits the passage of wires and cables generally indicated as 32.

As seen in FIG. 6 the cavity is made up of a vertically extending central post space 40 together with horizontally extending raceways 41 adjacent and open to the central post space 40.

The central post space 40 is defined between the posts 1, that is between a forward plane including the forward face of each post 1 and a rearward plane including the rearward face of each post 1. The central post space 40 extends vertically between the spaces, parallel forward and rearward planes and between interior faces of the posts 1. The central post space 40 extends continuously vertically throughout the height of the partition and is open upwardly to above the top of the partition and is open downwardly to below the lowest beam 2 of the partition.

A plurality of raceways 41 extend horizontally between the beams 2 outward of and respective of the forward or rearward planes. The raceways 41 extend the full width of each partition and are open at each end to beyond the exterior end faces of the posts 1.

The raceways 41 are inward of the panels (5 and 7) and preferably extend forwardly and rearwardly from the respective forward or rearward plane at least the thickness of the beams 2.

The raceways 41 are open on their inner sides to the central post space 40 over the entire distance between the posts 1. Whereas the central post space 40 ends at the interior end faces of the posts 1, the raceways 41 provide for a passageway for cables 32 horizontally past the posts 1 outward of the posts 1 inward of the panels 5, 7.

Similarly the central post space 40 provides a passageway for cables 32 vertically past the beams 2 inward of the beams 2 and inward of the panels 5, 7. With the raceways 41 and central post space 40 in communication, the cavity permits cables 32 to be passed vertically through the portion between the posts 1 inside the beams 2 and horizontally across a partition and between adjacent partitions in the raceways outside the posts 1, between the beams 2 and inside the panels 5, 7. In the context of FIG. 2, with a plurality of corresponding panels 5 removed, a continuous