Stacking panel and off-module panel connections

• US 6,000,179 A
• Filed: 11/13/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Musculus, Jeffrey A., Macdonald, Peter S., Jeffers, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kent, Christopher T.
• Application Number:
  US08/970,248
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 52/36.6, 52/126.4, 52/239, 52/243, 52/271, 52/489.1, 52/592.6, 52/656.9, 52/745.1, 52/747.1, 403/231, 403/375
• US Class Current: 52/239
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7425 Details of connection of panels E04B2/7427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7487 Partitions with slotted profiles
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/749 Partitions with screw-type jacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/4602 Corner joint

Abstract

A partition construction is provided for subdividing a building workspace wherein a first panel has a first frame with a horizontal top frame member and a vertical first side frame member, a second panel has a second frame with a horizontal bottom frame member and a vertical second side frame member, and a connection system for connecting the first and second panels in a stacked arrangement to form a first partition stack. The connection system includes at least one stacking connector which has fastener apertures proximate to each end of the connector. The fastener apertures in the stacking connector are in a predefined pattern identical to the fastener aperture pattern in the first and second side frame members. The connection system also includes a horizontal rail adapted to vertically align the top frame member of the first panel and bottom frame member of the second panel.

Claims

1. A partition construction for subdividing a building work space, comprising:

a first panel having a first frame comprising at least a horizontal top frame member and a vertical first side frame member;

a second panel having a second frame comprising at least a horizontal bottom frame member and a vertical second side frame member; and

a connection system connecting said first and second panels in a stacked arrangement to form a first partition stack wherein each of said first and second side frame members has fastener apertures in a predefined pattern, and comprising;

at least one stacking connector having, proximate to each end thereof, fastener apertures in a like predefined pattern; and

a first horizontal rail vertically aligning said top frame member and said bottom frame member.

2. The partition construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said horizontal top frame member and said horizontal bottom frame member have a U-shaped cross section and define respectively a first frame channel and a second frame channel.

3. The partition construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first horizontal rail is at least partially disposed in said first frame channel of said horizontal top frame member and at least partially disposed in said second frame channel of said horizontal bottom frame member.

4. The partition construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first horizontal rail comprises two sides, a web connecting said two sides, and each of said sides having a plurality of in-line, horizontally oriented slots positioned such that said slots are accessible to an installer when said first horizontal rail is disposed within said first and said second frame channels, said slots positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said first horizontal rail.

5. The partition construction as set forth in claim 4 further comprising:

at least a third panel substantially identical to said first and said second panels; and

a first off-module connector connecting said third panel to said first partition stack at substantially a right angle and positionable at a plurality of discreet regularly spaced intervals along an intermediate portion of said first partition stack.

6. The partition construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said plurality of regularly spaced intervals corresponds to said regularly spaced intervals of said slots in said first horizontal rail.

7. The partition construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein said off-module connector comprises:

an off-module connector rail having two sides and a connecting member, each of said sides having a plurality of horizontally oriented slots spaced at regular intervals therealong said intervals substantially the same as said intervals of said first horizontal rail; and

at least a first off-module connector plate nested between said two sides, said first off-module connector plate having a first tab engaging at least one of said slots in one side of said off-module connector rail and a first hook member engaging an end of one of said slots in said first horizontal rail.

8. The partition construction of claim 7 wherein said off-module connector further comprises a second off-module connector plate nested between said two sides and abutting said first off-module connector plate and substantially identical to said first off-module connector plate, said second off-module connector plate having a second tab engaging one of said slots in an other side of said off-module connector rail and a second hook member engaging an other end of said one of said slots in said first horizontal rail.

9. The partition construction of claim 8 wherein said off-module connector attaches a top of said third panel to said first horizontal rail, said partition construction further comprising:

a second horizontal rail having horizontally oriented slots therealong, said slots substantially vertically aligned with said slots in said first horizontal rail and wherein said second horizontal rail is disposed within a frame channel of said partition stack corresponding to a bottom of said third panel; and

a second off-module connector substantially identical to said first off-module connector attaching a bottom of said third panel to said second horizontal rail.

10. The partition construction of claim 1 further comprising:

a second partition stack substantially identical to said first partition stack, each of said first and said second partition stacks respectively having a first top partition channel and a second top partition channel, said channels having at least one slot in a bottom thereof proximate to each end of said first and said second top partition channels;

a first upper horizontal rail disposed within said first top partition channel and a second upper horizontal rail disposed within said second top partition channel, said first and said second upper horizontal rails being shorter than each of said first and said second partition stacks; and

a first horizontal connector rail connecting said first and said second partition stacks in an end-to-end in-line relationship, said horizontal connector rail including at least a first depending tab at a first end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said first top partition channel and a second depending tab at a second end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said second top partition channel.

11. The partition construction of claim 10 wherein said first and said second partition stacks further include respectively, a first and second bottom partition channel, said channels having at least one slot in a bottom thereof proximate to each end of said first and said second bottom partition channels, and wherein said partition construction further comprises:

a first bottom horizontal rail disposed within said first bottom partition channel and a second bottom horizontal rail disposed within said second bottom partition channel, said first and said second bottom horizontal rails being shorter than a length of each of said first and said second partition stacks; and

a second horizontal connector rail connecting said first and said second partition stacks in an end-to-end in-line relationship, said second horizontal connector rail including at least a first depending tab at a first end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said first bottom partition channel and a second depending tab at a second end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said second bottom partition channel.

12. The partition construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said panels comprises:

a frame further comprising two vertical side frame members, a horizontal top frame member, and a horizontal bottom frame member, said frame members joined at their respective ends to form a rectilinear frame defining a central cavity;

an acoustically damping filler disposed within said central cavity; and

a side panel affixed to each of said first and second frame sides enclosing said central cavity.

13. The partition construction as set forth in claim 12 wherein said side panels are at least partially constructed of gypsum board.

14. The partition construction of claim 1 further comprising:

a second partition stack substantially identical to said first partition stack, each of said first and said second partition stacks respectively having a first top partition channel and a second top partition channel, said channels having at least one slot in a bottom thereof proximate to each end of said first and said second top partition channels;

a first upper horizontal rail disposed within said first top partition channel and a second upper horizontal rail disposed within said second top partition channel, said first and said second upper horizontal rails having a length shorter than a horizontal length of each of said first and said second partition stacks; and

a first horizontal connector rail connecting said first and said second partition stacks in an end-to-end in-line relationship, said horizontal connector rail including at least a first depending tab at a first end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said first top partition channel and a second depending tab at a second end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said second top partition channel.

15. The partition construction of claim 14 wherein said first and said second partition stacks further include respectively, a first and second bottom partition channel, said channels having at least one slot in a bottom thereof proximate to each end of said first and said second bottom partition channels, and wherein said partition construction further comprises:

a first bottom horizontal rail disposed within said first bottom partition channel and a second bottom horizontal rail disposed within said second bottom partition channel, said first and said second bottom horizontal rails having a length shorter than a horizontal length of each of said first and said second partition stacks; and

a second horizontal connector rail connecting said first and said second partition stacks in an end-to-end in-line relationship, said second horizontal connector rail including at least a first depending tab at a first end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said first bottom partition channel and a second depending tab at a second end thereof engaging said at least one slot in said bottom of said second bottom partition channel.

16. The partition construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and said second panels include a top edge having a plurality of in-line, horizontally oriented sideward facing slots.

17. The partition construction as set forth in claim 16 further comprising:

at least a third panel substantially identical to said first and said second panels; and

a first off-module connector connecting said third panel to said first partition stack at substantially a right angle and positionable at a plurality of discreet regularly spaced intervals along an intermediate portion of said first partition stack.

18. The partition construction as set forth in claim 17 wherein said plurality of regularly spaced intervals corresponds to said regularly spaced intervals of said slots in said top edge of said panels.

19. The partition construction as set forth in claim 18 wherein said off-module connector comprises:

an off-module connector rail having two sides and a connecting member, each of said sides having a plurality of horizontally oriented slots spaced at regular intervals therealong said intervals substantially the same as said intervals of said slots in said top edge of said panel; and

at least a first off-module connector plate nested between said two sides, said first off-module connector plate having a first tab engaging at least one of said slots in one side of said off-module connector rail and a first hook member engaging an end of one of said slots in said top edge of said panel.

20. The partition construction of claim 19 wherein said off-module connector further comprises a second off-module connector plate nested between said two sides and abutting said first off-module connector plate and substantially identical to said first off-module connector plate, said second off-module connector plate having a second tab engaging one of said slots in an other side of said off-module connector rail and a second hook member for engaging an other end of said one of said slots in said top edge of said panel.

21. The partition construction of claim 20 wherein said off-module connector attaches a top of said third panel to said top edge of said first panel and wherein said first partition panel includes a bottom edge having a like plurality of in-line, horizontally oriented sideward facing slots as said top edge, said partition construction further comprising a second off-module connector substantially identical to said first off-module connector attaching a bottom edge of said third panel to said bottom edge of said first panel.

22. A partition construction for subdividing a building work space, comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical panels selectively interconnectable in a stacked arrangement, in an in-line arrangement, and in combined stacked and in-line arrangements, each of said panels having a rectilinear frame comprising at least a horizontal top frame member, a horizontal bottom frame member, and vertical side frame members maintaining said top and said bottom frame members in a parallel spaced apart relationship and defining a central cavity, said frame members having a predefined pattern of fastener apertures therethrough;

a plurality of horizontal rails, each of said horizontal rails positioned proximate said top frame member of each of said plurality of panels, and each of said horizontal rails having a repeating pattern of horizontally aligned slots therealong;

at least one stacking connector having, proximate to each end thereof, fastener apertures in a predefined pattern substantially identical to a portion of said frame member fastener pattern; and

at least one horizontal connector rail connecting said panels in an in-line arrangement, said horizontal connector rail having, proximate to each end thereof, fastener apertures in a predefined pattern substantially identical to a portion of said frame member fastener pattern.

23. The partition construction as set forth in claim 22 wherein said frame members have a U-shaped cross section and define a frame channel around each of said frames.

24. The partition construction as set forth in claim 23 wherein said horizontal rails are at least partially disposed in a frame channel at a top of a first panel and at least partially disposed in a frame channel at a bottom of a second panel.

25. The partition construction as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said horizontal rails comprises two sides, a web connecting said two sides, and each of said sides having a plurality of in-line, horizontally oriented slots positioned therein such that said slots are accessible to an installer when said horizontal rail is disposed within said frame channels of said first panel and said second panel, said slots positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said each of said horizontal rails.

26. The partition construction as set forth in claim 25 further comprising:

at least one off-module connector connecting a third panel to said first panel at substantially a right angle and positionable at a plurality of discreet, regularly spaced intervals along an intermediate portion of said first panel.

27. The partition construction as set forth in claim 26 wherein said plurality of regularly spaced intervals corresponds to said regularly spaced intervals of said slots in each of said horizontal rails.

28. The partition construction as set forth in claim 27 wherein said off-module connector comprises:

an off-module connector rail having two sides and a web member connecting said two sides, each of said sides having a plurality of horizontally oriented slots spaced at regular intervals therealong said intervals substantially the same as said intervals of each of said horizontal rails; and

at least a first off-module connector plate nested between said two sides and abutting said web member, said first off-module connector plate having a first tab engaging at least one of said slots in one side of said off-module connector rail and a first hook member engaging an end of one of said slots in said horizontal rail.

29. The partition construction of claim 28 wherein said off-module connector further comprises a second off-module connector plate nested between said two sides and abutting said first off-module connector plate and substantially identical to said first off-module connector plate, said second off-module connector plate having a second tab engaging one of said slots in an other side of said off-module connector rail and a second hook member engaging an other end of said one of said slots in said horizontal rail.

30. The partition construction of claim 29 wherein said off-module connector attaches a top of said third panel to said horizontal rail, said partition construction further comprising:

a bottom horizontal rail having horizontally oriented slots therealong, said slots substantially vertically aligned with said slots in said horizontal rail and wherein said bottom horizontal rail is disposed within a frame channel of said partition stack corresponding to a bottom of said third panel; and

a second off-module connector substantially identical to said first off-module connector for attaching a bottom of said third panel to said second horizontal rail.

31. The partition construction as set forth in claim 22 wherein each of said panels further comprises:

a first side and a second side;

an acoustically damping filler disposed within said central cavity; and

a side panel affixed to each of said first and second frame sides and extending substantially a length and width of said each of said frame sides.

32. The partition construction as set forth in claim 31 wherein said side panels are at least partially constructed of gypsum board.

33. An off-module connector connecting office partition panels in a substantially perpendicular fashion wherein a first partition panel is positioned intermediate ends of a second partition panel, each of the partition panels having at a top edge thereof at least one upwardly facing connector slot and a series of horizontal sideward facing slots arranged in a linear, regularly spaced pattern, said off-module connector comprising:

an off-module connector rail having two sides and a web member connecting said two sides, each of said sides having a plurality of horizontally oriented slots spaced at regular intervals therealong, said intervals substantially the same as the linear, regularly spaced pattern of the horizontal sideward facing slots along the top edge of the partition panel; and

at least a first off-module connector plate nested between said two sides and abutting said web member, said first off-module connector plate having a first tab engaging at least one of said slots in one side of said off-module connector rail and a first hook member engaging an end of one of the horizontal sideward facing slots in the top edge of the second partition panel.

34. The off-module connector of claim 33 further comprising a second off-module connector plate nested between said two sides and abutting said first off-module connector plate and substantially identical to said first off-module connector plate, said second off-module connector plate having a second tab engaging one of said slots in an other side of said off-module connector rail and a second hook member engaging an other end of one of the slots in the top edge of the second partition panel.

35. The off-module connector of claim 34 further wherein said off-module connector rail includes at least one connector tab depending from a bottom of one of said sides thereof, said connector tab positioned to engage the upwardly facing connector slot in the top edge of the first partition panel.

36. The method of connecting a first partition panel intermediate ends of a second partition panel wherein each of said panels has a plurality of in-line slots positioned at a top edge of each of said panels, said top panel edges also defining a channel therebetween, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a position for said first partition panel intermediate said ends of said second partition panel and corresponding to a slot in said top edge of said second partition panel;

engaging a first tab of a first off-module connector plate in a side slot in a first side of an off-module connector rail;

abutting said first off-module connector plate to a web of said off-module connector rail;

engaging a second tab of a second off-module connector plate in an oppositely oriented side slot in a second side of said off-module connector rail;

abutting said second off-module connector plate to said first off-module connector plate;

engaging a first hook member of said first off-module connector plate in an end of one of said slots in said top edge of said second partition panel;

engaging a second hook member of said second off-module connector plate in an other end of said one of said slots in said top edge of said second partition panel;

fastening said first and said second off-module connector plates to said web of said off-module connector rail;

positioning said first partition panel at said position intermediate said ends of said second partition panel; and

fastening said off-module connector rail to said top of said first partition panel.