Furniture system

• US 5,724,778 A
• Filed: 05/25/1995
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Draudt, Gregg R., Bodden, Kurt S., Cornell, Paul T., Luchetti, Robert J., Zimmer, Linda K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/450,255
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 52/64, 52/238.1, 52/239, 52/243, 52/745.09, 52/745.1, 52/745.12, 52/741.1, 160/351, 40/605, 40/606, 40/610, 40/611, 40/617, 40/488-491
• US Class Current: 52/239
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/827 Partitions constituted of sliding panels
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2406 Connection nodes
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2472 Elongated load-supporting part formed from a number of parallel profiles
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7488 Details of wiring
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0733 for corners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1272 Exhibition stands
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/903 consisting of arcuate wings revolving around a parallel axis situated outside the wing, e.g. a cylindrical wing revolving around its axis E06B3/906 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0068 Modular articulated structures, e.g. stands, and articulation means therefor

Abstract

A furniture system is particularly adapted to support group activities in open plans, and the like. A plurality of columns support an overhead framework on the floor of a building in a freestanding fashion at a predetermined elevation, generally above average user height. A plurality of individual panels are provided, wherein each panel is constructed to permit easy, manual, bodily translation of the same by an adult user. A hanger arrangement is associated with the overhead framework, and cooperates with connectors on the panels to detachably suspend the panels at various locations along the overhead framework. The panels are manually reconfigurable between many different arrangements to efficiently and effectively support different group activities. Preferably, the panels are capable of providing a partitioning function to visually divide at least a portion of the workspace, and/or a display function to facilitate group communications.

Claims