Variable width end panel - Patent Review 6128877

Claims

The invention claimed is:

1. A reconfigurable office partition having a plurality of prefabricated standard width panels interconnected to define a partition wall; said partition including a variable width panel comprising:

a frame having a knock-down construction adapted for on-site assembly, including:

a first rigid stile adapted to be disposed in a generally vertical assembled orientation along a first side of said frame and defining a centerline;

at least two rigid cross-members having first ends thereof rigidly attached to said stile; said cross-members being disposed in a vertically spaced-apart relationship, and extending in a generally horizontal assembled orientation; at least one of said cross-members positioned in a horizontally offset position relative to said centerline; said cross-members having a predetermined full width with a construction which permits said cross-members to be cut to a custom width at a second end thereof during said on-site assembly for use in a special width panel that is adapted for connection with the standard width panels; and

a second stile adapted to be disposed in a generally vertical assembled orientation along a second side of said frame opposite said first side; said second stile being shaped for detachable connection with second ends of said cross-members;

fasteners for detachably connecting said second ends of said cross-members with said second stile to define a pocket therebetween;

a core panel shaped to be received in said pocket, and having a predetermined full width with a construction which permits said core panel to be cut to a custom width during said on-site assembly for use in said special width panel;

fasteners for mounting said core panel in said frame; and

at least one cover panel configured to be detachably mounted on said frame, and enclose an associated portion of the same; said cover panel having a predetermined full width with a construction which permits said cover panel to be cut to a custom width during said on-site assembly for use in said special width panel.

2. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said stiles includes an inwardly projecting mounting flange defining at least a portion of said pocket, said flange being cantilevered to form a free edge.

3. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said cross-members include mounting flanges defining at least a portion of said pocket.

4. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said core panel comprises a sheet of gypsum board.

5. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said core panel comprises sheet metal.

6. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said cross-members comprise metal channels with slots for removably mounting said cover panel thereon.

7. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

at least one of said stiles includes a vertical channel extending longitudinally therealong shaped to receive utilities therein through an outwardly opening side to facilitate vertical routing of utilities therein along a face of said frame.

8. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said second stile defines a wall track shaped to extend along an existing architectural wall in close proximity thereto, and including a pair of horizontally spaced-apart flanges forming a U-shaped channel that receives a side edge of said core panel.

9. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said at least two cross-members are disposed side-by-side relative to one another when assembled and including:

third and fourth cross-members disposed side-by-side relative to one another when assembled to define a gap therebetween within which said core panel is received.

10. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said wall track includes a pair of inwardly-extending sidewalls forming said flanges, each defining a vertical free edge, a side edge of said core panel being disposed between said sidewalls when assembled.

11. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 10, including:

fasteners for securing said cross-members to said sidewalls of said wall track during said on-site assembly.

12. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said wall track is configured to interconnect said variable width panel to an adjacent full width panel in an end-to-end configuration when in an assembled condition.

13. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 12, including:

at least one elongated retainer removably connected to said wall track and extending over and retaining a cut edge of said cover panel.

14. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 13, including:

a floor track; and

a bracket configured to interconnect said wall track and said floor track during said on-site assembly.

15. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said wall track has a construction which permits cutting said wall track such that first and second portions thereof can be mounted to said core panel to form a contour closely following a non-planar existing architectural wall.

16. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 15, wherein:

said wall track includes a plurality of clearance holes for securing said variable width panel to a standard width panel.

17. A reconfigurable office partition as set forth in claim 15, including:

a ceiling track shaped to be supported on a ceiling;

a variable height panel support configured to extend between and connect with a top portion of said frame and said ceiling track when in an assembled condition; said panel support being vertically adjustable and including a lock which rigidly retains said panel support at a selected height.