Office partition interconnector assembly

• US 4,344,475 A
• Filed: 05/05/1980
• Issued: 08/17/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fred J. Frey
• Original Assignee: Fred J. Frey
• Inventors: Frey, Fred J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonck, Rodney H.
• Application Number:
  US06/146,739
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 160/135, 160/183, 160/229 R, 160/231 R, 160/231 A, 160/232, 160/351, 52/36, 52/236, 52/282, 211/189, 211/199, 16/150
• US Class Current: 160/135
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 5/00 Screens shutters closing an opening E06B9/02; fly-screens E06B9/52; Draught-deflectors
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7429 using flexible hinges

Abstract

Office partition interconnector assembly comprising a separate and independent generally rigid support member fixedly mountable on a lateral end of a partition panel and having edge retaining channel means, e.g. projecting outwardly therefrom and containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and conjointly therewith a generally resilient flexible web having an enlarged edge at one side thereof for operative removable insertion in the support member channel means and also having attachment means, such as another such enlarged edge, at the other side thereof for removably attaching the web to another partition panel, thereby to provide an interposed self-contained modular type flexible connection between the panels adjustably at any selective angular relation of the panels to form an office partition, the support member and flexible web preferably being bilateral for interconnecting two partition panels in end to end relation or a plurality of such panels in radially disposed adjacency about a common center point within the confines of the corresponding interconnectors thereat, whereby to provide an almost infinite variety of shapes and layouts for rooms accomplished by so joining office partition panels together in an interchangeable modular manner permitting their ready assembly, disassembly and reassembly as desired.

Claims

1. Office partition interconnector assembly comprising

a solid unitary support member having a main web means defining a continuous enclosing main boundary surface of selective cross-sectional profile provided along one surface portion thereof constituted as a rearward continuous surface portion with partition panel engaging means for fixedly mounting the support member on one partition panel and provided at another surface portion thereof constituted as a forward continuous surface portion with selectively positioned edge retaining external channel means including a pair of cooperating spaced apart individual wall means each independently projecting externally forwardly outwardly from the main boundary surface of the main web means at such forward surface portion and remotely from such rearward surface portion and terminating in corresponding substantially uniform thickness free edge portions in self disposed relation to the remainder of such support member and extending beyond the profile of the adjacent surface portion of the support member thereat and defining an open channel insert slot therebetween, and

a flexible web having an enlarged edge at one side thereof in continuous integral coextensive relation therewith for operative insertion between the cooperating wall means of the edge retaining channel means of the support member and attachment means at the other side thereof for attaching the web to another partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

2. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein another edge retaining channel means is provided on the support member for receiving a corresponding enlarged edge of another flexible web operatively inserted therein for attachment of another such partition panel thereat.

3. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein the enlarged edge of the flexible web is of bulbous bead edge cross-sectional configuration and the edge retaining channel means has a channel aperture of complemental bulbous cross-sectional configuration.

4. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support member is substantially rigid and the flexible web is resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane.

5. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface for operatively engaging a lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

6. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface, and a separate intervening abutment spacer is provided having a backing surface engaging side and a partition panel engaging side, the abutment spacer being connected at the backing surface engaging side thereof to the backing surface and being mountable at the partition panel engaging side thereof on the lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

7. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support member is in the form of a block and the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface for operatively engaging a lateral end of the adjacent partition panel and containing locating means for locating the backing surface on such lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

8. Assembly according to claim 7 wherein the block is an extension end cap block intermediately provided with external auxiliary attachment means for removably attaching auxiliary means thereat.

9. Assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support member is in the form of a bilateral support member provided with a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means projecting outwardly and each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and the flexible web is in the form of a bilateral flexible web provided with a pair of opposed enlarged edges one of which is operatively inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means and the other of which is operatively insertable in one corresponding edge retaining channel means of another such support member on such other partition panel for attaching the flexible web to such other partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

10. Assembly according to claim 9 wherein a central cover strip is removably disposed in overlying relation between the outwardly projecting edge retaining channel means and in substantially raised flush relation therewith medially of the corresponding outwardly directed communicating slots.

11. Assembly according to claim 10 wherein screw accommodating attachment means are provided in the support member intermediate the outwardly projecting edge retaining channel means and in underlying relation beneath the central cover strip for attaching the support member to the adjacent partition panel.

12. Assembly according to claim 9 wherein the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface for operatively engaging a lateral end of the adjacent partition panel and containing locating means for locating the backing surface on such lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

13. Assembly according to claim 9 wherein a selectively offset bilateral angular adapter plate is provided having a pair of opposed retention edges at the corresponding sides thereof one of which is operatively inserted in the other edge retaining channel means of the support member and the other of which is operatively insertable in the other corresponding edge retaining channel means of such other support member on such other partition panel when the partition panels are disposed at a selectively offset angular planar disposition with respect to each other.

14. Assembly according to claim 13 wherein the intermediate breadth between the opposed retention edges of the adapter plate is larger than the corresponding intermediate breadth between the opposed enlarged edges of the flexible web.

15. Office partition interconnector assembly according to claim 1 comprising

a vertically elongate and substantially rigid bilateral support member having partition panel engaging means which includes a backing surface for operatively engaging a lateral end of one partition panel for fixedly mounting the support member on such partition panel, and further having a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means projecting outwardly from the support member and each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and

a vertically elongate flexible web substantially resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane and having a pair of opposed enlarged edges at the sides thereof one of which is operatively inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot and the other of which is operatively insertable in one corresponding edge retaining channel means of another such support member on another partition panel for attaching the flexible web to such other partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

16. Assembly according to claim 15 wherein the enlarged edges of the flexible web are of substantially bulbous bead edge cross-sectional configuration and the edge retaining channel means each has a channel aperture of complemental bulbous cross-sectional configuration.

17. Assembly according to claim 15 wherein a separate intervening abutment spacer is provided having a backing surface engaging side and a partition panel engaging side, the abutment spacer being connected at the backing surface engaging side thereof to the backing surface of the partition panel engaging means of the support member and being mountable at the partition panel engaging side thereof on the lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

18. Assembly according to claim 15 wherein the support member is in the form of a vertically elongate solid block and the backing surface of the partition panel engaging means contains locating means for locating the backing surface on such lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

19. Assembly according to claim 15 wherein a vertically elongate central cover strip is removably disposed in snap fit overlying relation between the outwardly projecting edge retaining channel means and in substantially raised flush relation therewith medially of the corresponding outwardly directed communicating slots.

20. Assembly according to claim 19 wherein screw accommodating attachment aperture means are provided in the support member intermediate the outwardly projecting edge retaining channel means and in underlying relation beneath the central cover strip for attaching the support member to the adjacent partition panel.

21. Assembly according to claim 15 wherein the backing surface of the partition engaging means contains vertically elongate rib locating means for locating the backing surface on such lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

22. Assembly according to claim 15 wherein a vertically elongate selectively offset bilateral angular adapter plate is provided having a pair of opposed retention edges at the corresponding sides thereof one of which is operatively inserted in the other of the edge retaining channel means of the support member and the other of which is operatively insertable in the other corresponding edge retaining channel means of such other support member on such other partition panel when the partition panels are disposed at a selectively offset angular planar disposition with respect to each other, the intermediate breadth between the opposed retention edges of the adapter plate being selectively larger than the corresponding intermediate breadth between the opposed enlarged edges of the flexible web in dependence upon the offset planar disposition of the partition panels.

23. Office partition interconnector assembly according to claim 1 comprising

two office partition panels,

two vertically elongate and substantially rigid bilateral support members, end having partition panel engaging means which includes a backing surface operatively engaging a lateral end of a corresponding one of the partition panels and fixedly mounting the particular support member thereon, and each further having a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means projecting outwardly from the support member with the edge retaining channel means each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and

two vertically elongate flexible webs, each substantially resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane and having a pair of opposed enlarged edges at the sides thereof, one of the enlarged edges of one of the flexible webs being operatively inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of one of the support members and the other of such enlarged edges being inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of the other of the support members, and one of the enlarged edges of the other of the flexible webs being operatively inserted in the other of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of such one of the support members and the other of such enlarged edges being inserted in the other of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of the other of the support members thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

24. Office partition interconnector assembly according to claim 1 comprising

a plurality of at least three office partition panels in radially disposed adjacency about a common center point,

a corresponding plurality of at least three vertically elongate and substantially rigid bilateral support members, each having partition panel engaging means which includes a backing surface operatively engaging the radially inward adjacent lateral end of a corresponding one of the partition panels and fixedly mounting the particular support member thereon, and each further having a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means projecting outwardly from the support member with the edge retaining channel means each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and

a corresponding plurality of at least three vertically elongate flexible webs, each substantially resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane and having a pair of opposed enlarged edges at the sides thereof, the enlarged edges of each of the flexible webs being operatively inserted in the radially adjacent edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slots of corresponding radially adjacent support members on correspondingly radially adjacent partition panels thereby to provide an interposed common connection among such panels to form an office partition.

25. Office partition interconnector assembly comprising

an office partition panel,

a separate and independent solid unitary support member having a solid main web means defining a continuous enclosing main boundary surface of selective cross-sectional profile provided along one surface portion thereof constituted as a rearward continuous surface portion with partition panel engaging means fixedly mounting the support member on the partition panel and provided at another surface portion thereof constituted as a forward continuous surface portion with selectively positioned edge retaining external channel means including a pair of cooperating spaced apart individual walls means each independently projecting externally forwardly outwardly from the main boundary surface of the main web means at such forward surface portion and remotely from such rearward surface portion and terminating in corresponding substantially uniform thickness free edge portions in self-disposed relation to the remainder of such support member and independently extending externally forwardly outwardly beyond the profile of the adjacent surface portion of the support member thereat and defining an open channel insert slot therebetween, and

a flexible web having an enlarged edge at one side thereof in continuous integral coextensive relation therewith for operative insertion between the cooperating wall means of the edge receiving channel means of the support member and attachment means at the other side thereof for attaching the web to another partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

26. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein another edge retaining channel means is provided on the support member for receiving a corresponding enlarged edge of another flexible web operatively inserted therein for attachment of another such partition panel thereat.

27. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein the enlarged edge of the flexible web is of bulbous bead edge cross-sectional configuration and the edge retaining channel means has a channel aperture of complemental bulbous cross-sectional configuration.

28. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein the support member is substantially rigid and the flexible web is resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane.

29. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface for operatively engaging a lateral end of the adjacent partition panel.

30. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface, and a separate intervening abutment spacer is provided having a backing surface engaging side and a partition panel engaging side, the abutment spacer being connected at the backing surface engaging side thereof to the backing surface and being mounted at the partition engaging side thereof on the lateral end of the partition panel.

31. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein the support member is in the form of a block and the partition panel engaging means includes a backing surface operatively engaging the lateral end of the partition panel and containing locating means for locating the backing surface on such lateral end of the partition panel.

32. Assembly according to claim 31 wherein the block is an extension end cap block intermediately provided with external auxiliary attachment means for removably attaching auxiliary means thereat.

33. Assembly according to claim 25 wherein the support member is in the form of a bilateral support member provided with a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and the flexible web is in the form of a bilateral flexible web provided with a pair of opposed enlarged edges one of which is operatively inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means and the other of which is operatively insertable in one corresponding edge retaining channel means of another such support member on such other partition panel for attaching the flexible web to such other partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

34. Office partition interconnector assembly according to claim 25 comprising

two office partition panels disposed at a selectively offset angular planar disposition with respect to each other,

two vertically elongate and substantially rigid bilateral support members, each having partition panel engaging means fixedly mounting the particular support member on the lateral end of a corresponding one of the partition panels, and each further having a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means with the edge retaining channel means each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot,

a vertically elongate flexible web substantially resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane and having a pair of opposed enlarged edges at the sides thereof one of which is operatively inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of one of the support members and the other of which is inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of the other of the support members, and

a vertically elongate selectively offset bilateral angular adapter plate having a pair of opposed retention edges at the corresponding sides thereof one of which is operatively inserted in the other edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of such one of the support members and the other of which is operatively inserted in the other of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding slot of the other of the support members, the intermediate breadth between the opposed retention edges of the adapter plate being selectively larger than the corresponding intermediate breadth between the opposed enlarged edges of the flexible web in dependence upon the offset angular planar disposition of the partition panels, thereby to provide an interposed angular connection between such panels to form an office partition.

35. Office partition interconnector assembly according to claim 25 comprising

two office partition panels,

two vertically elongate and substantially rigid bilateral support members, each having partition panel engaging means fixedly mounting the particular support member on the lateral end of a corresponding one of the partition panels, and each further having a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means with the edge retaining channel means each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and

two vertically elongate flexible webs, each substantially resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane and having a pair of opposed enlarged edges at the sides thereof, one of the enlarged edges of one of the flexible webs being operatively inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of one of the support members and the other of such enlarged edges being inserted in one of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of the other of the support members, and one of the enlarged edges of the other of the flexible webs being operatively inserted in the other of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of such one of the support members and the other of such enlarged edges being inserted in the other of the edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slot of the other of the support members thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition.

36. Office partition interconnector assembly according to claim 25 comprising

a plurality of at least three office partition panels in radially disposed adjacency about a common center point,

a corresponding plurality of at least three vertically elongate and substantially rigid bilateral support members, each having partition panel engaging means fixedly mounting the particular support member on the radially inward adjacent lateral end of a corresponding one of the partition panels, and each further having a pair of spaced apart edge retaining channel means with the edge retaining channel means each correspondingly containing an outwardly directed communicating slot, and

a corresponding plurality of at least three vertically elongate flexible webs, each substantially resiliently displaceable out of its normal plane and having a pair of opposed enlarged edges at the sides thereof, the enlarged edges of each of the flexible webs being operatively inserted in the radially adjacent edge retaining channel means through the corresponding communicating slots of corresponding radially adjacent support members on correspondingly radially adjacent partition panels thereby to provide an interposed common connection among such panels to form an office partition.

37. Office partition interconnector assembly comprising

a solid unitary support member having a main web means defining a continuous enclosing main boundary surface of selective cross-sectional profile provided along one surface portion thereof constituted as a rearward continuous surface portion with partition panel engaging means for fixedly mounting the support member on one partition panel and provided at another surface portion thereof constituted as a forward continuous surface portion with selectively positioned edge retaining external channel means including a pair of cooperating spaced apart individual wall means each independently projecting externally forwardly outwardly from the main boundary surface of the main web means at such forward surface portion and remotely from such rearward surface portion and terminating in corresponding substantially uniform thickness free edge portions in self-disposed relation to the remainder of such support member and independently extending externally forwardly outwardly beyond the perimetric profile of the adjacent surface portion of the support member thereat and defining an open channel insert slot therebetween,

a flexible web having an enlarged edge at one side thereof in continuous integral coextensive relation therewith for operative insertion between the cooperating wall means of the edge retaining channel means of the support member and attachment means at the other side thereof for attaching the web to another partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition, and

a cap in an end of said support member provided with means engageable within said channel retaining means for maintaining the flexible web in position against vertical movement in the edge retaining channel means.

38. Office partition interconnector assembly comprising

an office panel,

a separate and independent solid unitary support member having a main web means defining a continuous enclosing main boundary surface of selective cross-sectional profile provided along one surface portion thereof constituted as a rearward continuous surface portion with partition panel engaging means fixedly mounting the support member on the partition panel and provided at another surface portion thereof constituted as a forward continuous surface portion with selectively positioned edge retaining external channel sleeve means including a pair of cooperating spaced apart correspondingly oppositely curved individual wall means each independently projecting externally forwardly outwardly from the main boundary surface of the main web means at such forward surface portion and remotely from such rearward surface portion and terminating in corresponding substantially uniform thickness free edge portions in self-disposed relation to the remainder of such support member and independently extending externally forwardly outwardly beyond the perimetric profile of the adjacent surface portion of the support member thereat and defining a correspondingly rounded open channel insert slot therebetween,

a flexible web having an enlarged correspondingly complementally rounded edge at one side thereof in continuous integral coextensive relation therewith for operative insertion between the cooperating wall means of the edge receiving channel sleeve means of the support member and attachment means at the other side thereof for attaching the web to another partition panel thereby to provide an interposed connection between such panels to form an office partition, and

a cap at the end of the support member provided with means disposed within said edge receiving channel sleeve means to prevent vertical movement of said flexible web.