Lightweight freestanding divider wall

• US 6,061,972 A
• Filed: 05/21/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Thorp, Clarkson S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aubrey, Beth A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian E.
• Application Number:
  US09/083,231
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 52/36.1, 52/36.5, 52/64, 52/309.4, 52/283, 52/236.2, 52/239, 52/243, 160/135, 160/351, 160/352, 248/684, 248/688, 248/188.8, 40/605, 40/606
• US Class Current: 52/36.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/105 Adjustable partition panels for displaying articles for furniture A47B96/1416; partition walls in buildings E04B2/78
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7401 assembled using panels without a frame or supporting posts, with or without upper or lower edge locating rails
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7418 Accessories supported on the free upper edge, e.g. auxiliary panels, noise abatement devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0062 collapsible

Abstract

A portable divider wall including a wall member of a lightweight foam material and two foot supports or feet located along a bottom portion of the wall member for supporting the wall member in an upright position. The foot supports each include a recess in which the bottom portion of the wall member is disposed, and a projection which projects into the interior of the wall member to removably secure the foot to support the wall member.

Claims

1. An upright, freestanding, portable divider wall arrangement comprising:

a wall member of a lightweight foam material and having a top portion, a bottom portion, first and second spaced-apart side surfaces which face away from one another and a solid interior portion of said foam material extending transversely between said side surfaces; and

first and second feet disposed spaced-apart from one another along said bottom portion of said wall member to support said wall member in a generally upright manner, each said foot including an upwardly opening recess defined by two spaced-apart side walls and a bottom wall extending transversely between said side walls, and a cantilevered projection extending generally vertically upwardly from said bottom wall and being disposed in spaced relation between said side walls, said recess receiving therein said bottom portion of said wall member and said projection extending into, and being snugly engaged within, said solid interior portion to fasten the respective said foot to said bottom portion of said wall member.

2. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said projection has a lower end disposed at said bottom wall of said recess and an upper end having a pointed configuration which extends in a self-penetrating manner into said solid interior portion.

3. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said projection is disposed on said bottom wall at an approximately equal distance from each of said side walls of said recess.

4. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein each said foot comprises first and second end surfaces facing away from one another, said two side walls being generally parallel to one another and said bottom wall being generally perpendicular to and extending between said two side walls, said two side walls and said bottom wall extending transversely between and adjoining said first and second end surfaces.

5. The divider wall arrangement of claim 4 wherein said projection extends generally vertically upwardly from said bottom wall of said recess and generally parallel to said two side walls, said projection being spaced at an approximately equal distance from each of said side walls and being frictionally engaged within said solid interior portion of said wall member at said bottom portion thereof to fasten said foot to said wall member.

6. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first and second side surface are configured for displaying information thereon.

7. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said wall member is constructed of rigid plastic foam.

8. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said wall member comprises a monolithic one-piece slab of rigid plastic foam having a substantially uniform and minimum thickness of about three inches.

9. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first and second feet each include wheels mounted at a bottom portion thereof.

10. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said projection when inserted into said solid interior portion causes deformation of said foam material to rigidly fasten the respective foot to said wall member.

11. The divider wall arrangement of claim 2 wherein said projection when inserted into said solid interior portion causes deformation of said foam material to rigidly fasten the respective foot to said wall member.

12. The divider wall arrangement of claim 1 wherein said projection has an upper end with a pointed shape which extends into said solid interior portion in a self-penetrating manner.

13. An upright, freestanding, portable divider wall arrangement comprising:

a wall member having a top portion and a bottom portion and comprising a lightweight foam material;

first and second feet disposed spaced-apart from one another along said bottom portion of said wall member to support said wall member in a generally upright manner, each said foot including means for removably fastening said foot to said bottom portion of said wall member; and

third and fourth feet disposed spaced-apart from one another along said top portion of said wall member each including means for removably fastening the respective said foot to said top portion of said wall member, and shelf means disposed atop said third and fourth feet, said first, second, third and fourth feet being substantially identical to one another and said third and fourth feet being disposed in an inverted position with respect to said first and second feet.

14. An upright, freestanding, portable divider wall arrangement comprising:

a wall member constructed of a monolithic one-piece slab of lightweight foam material and having a top portion, a bottom portion, first and second spaced-apart side surfaces which face away from one another and a solid interior portion extending transversely between said first and second side surfaces, said wall member having a minimum thickness defined between said first and second side surfaces of about three inches; and

first and second feet spaced-apart from one another along said bottom portion of said wall member to support said wall member in a generally upright manner, each said foot including an upwardly opening recess defined by two spaced-apart side walls and a bottom wall extending transversely between said side walls, and a cantilevered projection extending generally vertically upwardly from said bottom wall and being disposed in spaced relation between said side walls, said recess receiving therein said bottom portion of said wall member and said projection having a tapered upper end extending in a self-penetrating manner into said solid interior portion of said foam material to fasten the respective said foot to said bottom portion of said wall member.

15. The divider wall of claim 14 wherein said projection defines an outer surface having a substantial portion which directly engages said solid interior portion of said foam material.