Workspace display

• US 20020124479A1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Joel D. Stanfield, Joseph R. Branc, Mark A. Baloga, Mitchell Niewiadomski, William L. Miller
• Inventors: Branc, Joseph R., Stanfield, Joel D., Miller, William L., Baloga, Mark A., Niewiadomski, Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 6,760,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/36.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0071 Booth like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0068 Modular articulated structures, e.g. stands, and articulation means therefor

Abstract

A workspace display for open plan spaces includes a partition with a plurality of freestanding partition walls configured to divide a building space into at least one workspace. The workspace has an opening permitting user ingress and egress, and the partition has a height lower than a ceiling height to form a gap between a top edge of the partition and a ceiling. The workspace display includes a dry erasable whiteboard secured to the partition, and a video device is mounted to the partition in a generally overhead position in optical communication with the whiteboard, such that an occupant of the workspace can electronically manipulate images on the whiteboard.

Claims

1. In a workspace created by a plurality of partial height panel walls and having a whiteboard on at least one of the panel walls, the improvement comprising:

an imaging device attached to at least one said panel walls, said imagining device being mounted in a manner that allows said imagining device to optically communicate with said whiteboard so that an occupant of the workspace can electronically manipulate images on said whiteboard using the imaging device, said imagining device further being mounted substantially overhead such that an occupant of said workspace does not substantially interfere with the optical communication between said imaging device and said whiteboard.

2. The workspace display set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said imaging device is a camera.

3. The workspace display set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said camera adapted to transmit images on the whiteboard surface.

4. The workspace display set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said imaging device is a projector.

5. The workspace display set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

a computer, wherein said imaging device is operatively connected to said computer and said imaging device transmits electronic images from said computer to said whiteboard.

6. The workspace display set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the whiteboard and the imaging device are mounted to different panel walls within said workspace.

7. The workspace display set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said whiteboard and said imaging device are mounted to non-adjacent panel walls.

8. The workspace display set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said whiteboard defines an interior screen surface and an exterior screen surface, said whiteboard having light transmitting properties providing an image on said interior screen surface and said exterior screen surface.

9. The workspace display set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said whiteboard comprises a first display screen;

said workspace has an opening configured to permit user ingress and egress; and

including;

a second display screen positioned outside said workspace adjacent said opening and in optical communication with said optical device.

10. The workspace display set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said optical device is a projector; and

said second display screen defines an interior screen surface and an exterior screen surface, said second display screen having light transmitting properties providing an image on said interior screen surface and said exterior screen surface.

11. The workspace display set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a door movably mounted to a selected one of said panel walls, said door being movable between an open position permitting user ingress and egress, and a closed position substantially closing off said opening.

12. The workspace display set forth in claim 1, wherein:

one of said partial height panel walls is movably mounted to form a door, said whiteboard positioned on said door.

13. The workspace display set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said whiteboard comprises a first whiteboard; and

including;

a second whiteboard positioned exterior of said workspace adjacent said door.

14. The workspace display set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said workspace includes at least first and second panel walls in a generally parallel spaced apart relationship.

15. The workspace display set forth in claim 14, including:

a third panel wall extending between and interconnecting said first and second panel walls to form a three sided workspace.

17. The workspace display set forth in claim 16, including:

a door movably mounted to said partition, said door being movable between an open position permitting user ingress and egress, and a closed position substantially closing off said opening.

18. The workspace display set forth in claim 16, including:

a second display screen positioned outside said workspace adjacent said opening and in optical communication with said camera.

19. The workspace display set forth in claim 16, wherein:

said partition includes at least three of said partition walls forming a workspace having at least three sides.

20. The workspace display set forth in claim 16, including:

a worksurface positioned in said workspace.

16. Aworkspace display for open plan spaces, comprising:

a partition including a plurality of freestanding partition walls configured to divide a building space into at least one workspace having an opening permitting user ingress and egress, said partition having a height lower than a ceiling height to form a gap between a top edge of said partition and a ceiling;

a dry erasable whiteboard secured to said partition; and

a camera mounted to said partition in a generally overhead position in optical communication with said whiteboard.