Workstation with flexible canopy

• US 5,802,778 A
• Filed: 06/07/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Ludwig, Gary R., Tran, Thai Q., Heyer, Steven A., Thorp, Clarkson S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLO, LAURA ANTOINETTE
• Application Number:
  US08/660,503
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 52/36.1, 52/36.2, 52/71, 52/72, 52/70, 52/79.1, 52/79.4, 52/66, 52/239, 135/117, 135/87, 135/151, 135/154, 135/155, 135/143, 135/147, 135/97, 312/223.3, 312/3, 312/249.8, 312/329
• US Class Current: 52/36.2
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/125 Small buildings, arranged in other buildings E04H1/1272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/008 Tents or tent-like constructions composed partially of rigid panels E04H15/06 takes precedence; trailer-type vehicles or caravans with foldable or readily disassembled living accommodation comprising flexible elements B60P3/341

Abstract

A self-contained workstation defined by a multi-panel divider wall which defines a workstation area and is closeable by a door assembly hingedly connected thereto. The workstation is readily movable and accessible so as to facilitate repositioning of the workstation as well as opening and closing of the door assembly. The workstation further includes an overhead canopy which is pivotally connected along one edge to the divider wall and extends forwardly therefrom so as to overlie the workstation area which canopy is raisable to adjust vertical clearance within the workstation.

Claims

1. A self-contained workstation comprising:

a divider wall comprising at least three upright divider wall panels disposed in a serially adjacent relationship and positioned in upright supportive engagement on a floor, said divider wall panels having a horizontal width defined between generally parallel and vertically extending side edges and being serially connected together to define first and second opposite divider wall ends, the side edge of one said divider wall panel and the side edge of another adjacent said divider wall panel being positioned closely adjacent one another, each adjacent pair of said side edges being non-separably joined together at a fixed predetermined angle one with respect to the other by a mounting member having opposite ends fixedly connected respectively to said adjacent divider wall panels;

a door assembly which includes at least three door panels disposed in serially adjacent relationship and positioned in upright supportive engagement on a floor, said door panels having a horizontal width defined between generally parallel and vertically extending side edges and being serially connected together to define a pivot end and an opposite free end of said door assembly, the combined width of the door panels at least equal to the distance extending laterally between said first and second divider wall ends, said pivot end being pivotally connected to said first divider wall end so that said door assembly is swingable relative to said divider wall about a first vertical axis between open and closed positions, each adjacent pair of said door panels being pivotally connected together to define a second pivot axis therebetween so that each said door panel is independently swingable relative to an adjacent said door panel, said door assembly having at least two of said second pivot axes, said free end having connector means for removably connecting said free end to said second divider wall end when in said closed position, said connector means being releasable to permit said free end to be swung away from said second divider wall end by pivoting of either said door assembly about said first pivot axis, or said door panels about one or both of said second pivot axes; and

a horizontally enlarged canopy assembly which overlies a top end of said workstation so as to cover a workstation area defined by the divider wall and the closed door assembly, said canopy assembly including a canopy frame formed of elongate rods which is connected to an upper end of the divider wall and supports a canopy fabric thereon, a rear edge portion of said canopy frame being pivotally connected to said divider wall by at least two spaced apart pivot members which are secured to said upper end of said divider wall, said canopy frame being pivotable vertically between lowered and raised positions about a horizontal pivot axis defined by said pivot members, said pivot axis extending along a top edge of an intermediate one of said wall panels between said opposite side edges thereof.

2. The workstation according to claim 1, wherein said canopy frame extends forwardly from said rear edge portion in a cantilevered relation from said divider wall and includes a front edge portion which extends forwardly to said closed door assembly, said canopy frame having a lower surface disposed in load bearing engagement on said divider wall when in said lowered position.

3. The workstation according to claim 2, wherein said canopy frame includes adjustment means connected between said canopy frame and said divider wall for permitting said pivoting between said raised and lowered positions and releasably fixing said canopy frame in said raised position.

4. The workstation according to claim 1, wherein said adjacent pair of door panels pivotally connected together includes a connector assembly joined between respective said side edges thereof which connector assembly defines said second pivot axis, one said side edge of said adjacent pair of door panels being supported in rolling engagement with the floor by a wheel assembly extending downwardly therefrom and an adjacent side edge pivotally connected thereto being supported above the floor by said connector assembly.

5. The workstation according to claim 1, wherein said canopy frame is pivotable through an acute angle upwardly to said raised position such that a substantial portion of said workstation area remains covered by said canopy assembly when moved to said raised position.

6. A self-contained workstation comprising:

a divider wall comprising at least three upright divider wall panels which are serially connected together to define first and second opposite divider wall ends and are positioned in upright supportive engagement on a floor, each said divider wall panel having a horizontal width defined between generally parallel and vertically extending side edges, the side edge of one said divider wall panel and the side edge of another adjacent said divider wall panel being positioned closely adjacent one another, each adjacent pair of said side edges being non-separably joined together at a fixed predetermined angle one with respect to the other by a rigid mounting member having opposite ends fixedly connected respectively to said adjacent divider wall panels;

a door assembly which includes a plurality of door panels serially connected together to define a pivot end and an opposite free end and positioned in upright supportive engagement on a floor by downwardly directed caster assemblies, said door panels having a horizontal width defined between generally parallel and vertically extending side edges, the combined width of said door panels being at least equal to the distance extending laterally between said first and second divider wall ends, said pivot end being pivotally connected to said first divider wall end so that said door assembly is swingable as a unit about a first vertical axis between open and closed positions;

said adjacent side edges of said adjacent door panels being pivotally connected so that each said door panel is independently swingable about a second vertical pivot axis defined between said adjacent side edges, said free end having connector means for removably connecting said free end to said second divider wall end when in said closed position; and

a horizontally enlarged canopy assembly which overlies a top end of said workstation so as to cover a workstation area defined by the divider wall and the closed door assembly, said canopy assembly including a canopy frame formed of elongate rods, a rear edge portion of said canopy frame being pivotally connected to an upper end of the divider wall and supporting a canopy fabric thereon, said canopy frame being connected to said mounting members by pivot means for defining a horizontal pivot axis, said horizontal pivot axis extending between the opposite side edges of an intermediate one of said wall panels along an upper edge thereof, said canopy frame being vertically swingable about said horizontal pivot axis between a lowered position vertically supported by said divider wall and a raised position disposed upwardly therefrom, said canopy assembly being pivoted through an acute angle upwardly to said raised position such that a substantial portion of said workstation area remains covered by said canopy assembly when moved to said raised position.

7. The workstation according to claim 6, wherein said pivot means is a pair of pivot brackets mounted to said mounting members to which said canopy frame is pivotally connected, said canopy frame being vertically swingable about said horizontal pivot axis which extends through said pivot members.

8. The workstation according to claim 7, wherein said canopy frame extends forwardly from said rear edge portion and is disposed in load bearing engagement at least on said side edges at said first and second opposite divider wall ends.

9. The workstation according to claim 8, wherein said canopy frame includes adjustment means connected between said canopy frame and at least one of said first and second opposite divider wall ends for permitting said pivoting between said raised and lowered positions and releasably fixing said canopy frame in said raised position.

10. A self-contained workstation comprising:

a divider wall comprising at least three serially-connected upright divider wall panels positioned in upright supportive engagement on a floor, said divider wall panels having parallel vertically extending side edges which are laterally spaced to define a horizontal width of each said divider wall panel, the side edge of one said divider wall panel and the side edge of another said divider wall panel being positioned closely adjacent one another and-fixedly connected together in a fixed angular relation by a mounting member extending therebetween, at least an intermediate one of said divider wall panels being disposed between first and second said divider wall panels which define opposite first and second ends of said divider wall assembly, said first and second divider wall panels extending at an angle forwardly relative to said intermediate divider wall panel adjacent thereto to define a rear boundary of a workstation area, said side edges of said first and second divider wall panels which are disposed away from said intermediate divider wall panel defining an open front of said workstation area;

a door assembly which includes a plurality of door panels serially connected together, said door assembly being pivotally connected to said first end of said divider wall assembly to selectively enclose said open front when in a closed position and being positioned in upright supportive engagement on a floor, said door panels having parallel vertically extending side edges which are laterally spaced apart, the side edge of one said door panel and the side edge of another laterally adjacent said door panel being fixedly connected together by connector means for defining a first vertical pivot axis about which said adjacent door panels are independently pivotable, at least an intermediate one of said door panels being disposed between first and second said door panels which said first and second door panel respectively define a pivot end and an opposite free end of the door assembly, said pivot end and said first divider wall end being pivotally connected together by pivot connector means so that said door assembly is swingable as a unit about a second vertical pivot axis between an open position and said closed position, said free end having connector means for removably connecting said free end to said second divider wall end when in said closed position; and

a horizontally enlarged canopy assembly which overlies a top end of said workstation so as to cover the workstation area defined by the divider wall and the closed door assembly, said canopy assembly including a canopy frame formed of elongate rods which includes a rear frame member disposed in a load-bearing relation with the divider wall, a front frame member having opposite ends connected to said rear frame member by first and second frame connectors proximate said first and second opposite ends of said divider wall and being cantilevered therefrom so as to extend forwardly over said door assembly when in said closed position generally along a top edge thereof, an intermediate frame assembly being connected to said front and rear frame members to support a canopy fabric thereon, said intermediate frame assembly having at least one first support member extending forwardly between said front and rear frame members, and at least one second transverse member extending horizontally between said first and second frame connectors and connected to said first support member, said rear frame member of said canopy frame being pivotally connected to pivot members secured on each said mounting member of said intermediate divider wall so as to be pivotally supported at two locations, said canopy frame being vertically swingable about a horizontal pivot axis which is defined by said pivot members and extends along a top edge of said intermediate divider wall panel between the opposite side edges thereof.

11. The workstation according to claim 10, wherein the opposite ends of said front and rear frame members are connected together by said first and second frame connectors which are disposed in load bearing engagement at least on said side edges of said divider wall panels disposed at said first and second opposite divider wall ends.

12. The workstation according to claim 10, wherein said canopy frame includes adjustment means connected between said canopy frame and at least one of said first and second opposite divider wall ends for permitting said pivoting between said raised and lowered positions and releasably fixing said canopy frame in said raised position.