PARTITION SYSTEM

• US 20090007504A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Mills Company (Bradley Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Mills Company (Bradley Corporation)
• Inventors: Odya, Midchi K., Persick, Thomas S., Thielke, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/205
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1266 Cubicles for dressing; Toilets

Abstract

A partition system includes a first pilaster and a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable from a closed position to an open position. The door is configurable in a first configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in a first direction and prevented from rotating in a second direction from the closed position, the second direction opposite the first direction. The door is further configurable in a second configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in the second direction and prevented from rotating in the first direction from the closed position. The door is coupled to the first pilaster to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam.

Claims

1. A partition system comprising:

a first pilaster; and

a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable from a closed position to an open position;

wherein the door is configurable in a first configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in a first direction and prevented from rotating in a second direction from the closed position, the second direction opposite the first direction;

wherein the door is configurable in a second configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in the second direction and prevented from rotating in the first direction from the closed position; and

wherein the door is coupled to the first pilaster to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam.

2. The partition system of claim 1 wherein the door comprises an edge and the pilaster comprises a recess that receives at least a portion of the edge when the door is in the closed position.

3. The partition system of claim 1 wherein the edge and the recess comprise correspondingly curved surfaces.

4. The partition system of claim 1 wherein the recess comprises a curved surface and the edge comprises at least two non-parallel surfaces.

5. The partition system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second pilaster;

wherein the door comprises a lip and the second pilaster comprises first and second recesses extending along the second pilaster, and

wherein the lip is configured to be received in the first recess when the door is in the first configuration and the second recess when the door is in the second configuration.

6. The partition system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second pilaster having a substantially identical cross-section as the first pilaster;

wherein the door is configured to engage the second pilaster when the door is in the closed position.

7. The partition system of claim 6 wherein the second pilaster comprises a stop member having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and wherein the door is configured to engage the first side when the door is in the closed position and in the first configuration, and wherein the door is configured to engage the second side when the door is in the closed position and in the second configuration.

8. The partition system of claim 7 wherein the door is coupled to the first pilaster via a hinge member.

9. The partition system of claim 8 wherein the hinge member is a continuous elongate member coupled to the door and the first pilaster.

10. The partition system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second pilaster comprising an extending portion,

wherein the door comprises an edge portion configured to be received in a recess in the pilaster; and

wherein the door further comprises a lip configured to engage the extending portion.

11. The partition system of claim 10 wherein the edge portion of the door is curved and the lip of the door is substantially triangular in cross-section.

12. The partition system of claim 10 wherein the edge portion of the door comprises two non-parallel surfaces and the lip of the door is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

13. A partition system comprising:

a pilaster comprising an extending portion having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and

a door configured to engage the extending portion when the door is in a closed position;

wherein the door is configurable in a first installed orientation where the door engages the first side when in the closed position;

wherein the door is configurable in a second installed orientation where the door engages the second side when in the closed position; and

wherein the door engages the extending portion to define a seam and prevent a line of sight from being established through the seam.

14. The partition system of claim 13 wherein the pilaster further comprises first and second recesses that extend along an edge of the pilaster to define the extending portion.

15. The partition system of claim 14 wherein the door comprises a lip, wherein the lip is received within the first recess when the door is in the first configuration and wherein the lip is received within the second recess when the door is in the second configuration.

16. The partition system of claim 13 wherein the extending portion has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

17. The partition system of claim 13 further comprising a second pilaster rotatably coupled to the door to define a second seam and prevent a line of sight from being established through the second seam.

18. A partition system comprising:

a first pilaster having a recess;

a door, the door rotatably coupled to the first pilaster, a portion of the door configured to be received within the recess; and

a second pilaster configured to engage the door when the door is in a closed position;

wherein the door is coupleable to the first pilaster in a first orientation such that the door rotates from the closed position to a first open position in a first direction;

wherein the door is coupleable to the first pilaster in a second orientation such that the door rotates from the closed position to a second open position in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction; and

wherein the door and the first and second pilasters are configured to prevent a line of sight from being established from a first side of the door to a second side of the door at the interface of the door and the first pilaster and at the interface of the door and the second pilaster.

19. The partition system of claim 18 wherein a first edge of the door comprises a convex surface and the recess comprises a correspondingly shaped concave portion.

20. The partition system of claim 18 wherein the second pilaster comprises a projection having first and second sides, and wherein the door comprises a lip configured to engage one of the first and second sides when the door is in the closed position.

21. The partition system of claim 18 wherein the first pilaster is interchangeable with the second pilaster.

22. A partition system comprising:

a door comprising a curved portion; and

a pilaster comprising a recess;

wherein the door is rotatably coupled to the pilaster such that at least a portion of the curved portion is received within the recess when the door is in a closed position.

23. The partition system of claim 22 wherein the curved portion is substantially convex and the recess comprises a correspondingly shaped concave portion.

24. The partition system of claim 22 further comprising:

a second pilaster comprising a second recess;

wherein the door further comprises a second curved portion that is at least partially received within the second recess when the door is in the closed position.

25. The partition system of claim 22 wherein the curved portion is received within the recess to define a seam and prevent a line of sight from being established through the seam.