Lightweight bridge for office panelling systems

• US 6,076,317 A
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teknion Furniture Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Teknion Furniture Systems Limited
• Inventors: Liberty, Jonathan, Hellwig, John, Marangoni, Lorie
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kang, Timothy B.
• Application Number:
  US08/843,143
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 52/36.1, 52/36.4, 52/36.5, 52/36.6, 52/220.7, 52/239, 160/135, 160/351
• US Class Current: 52/239
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7425 Details of connection of panels E04B2/7427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7483 Details of furniture, e.g. tables or shelves, associated with the partitions
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7488 Details of wiring

Abstract

Workstations are defined using a combination of office panels and bridge arrangements which are attached to and project at an angle from a spine of office panels. The office panel frames which partially define a workstation provide the convenience of power and communication cabling within the panel frames. The bridge arrangements provide a lower cost alternative defining other walls of the workstation while also providing a system which can be rearranged easily. The bridge arrangements are preferably self supporting in an upright orientation and can easily be detached from a horizontal securing channel of an office panel frame and moved to a new position.

Claims

1. An office panelling system comprising a series of connected office panels in combination with bridge arrangements which collectively subdivide an open space into a plurality of workstations, said office panels comprising a structural frame to which releasable rectangular elements are secured with the releasable elements defining an exterior finish to either side of the frame, said frame including intermediate securing channels extending horizontally with each securing channel defining a freely accessible horizontal support adjacent said elements, each bridge arrangement including a partition forming a wall section of a workstation with one end of said partition connected to one of said panel frames at a position intermediate to the length of the respective office panel frame and an opposite end of said partition connected to a floor engaging structural support member which forms a "T" junction with said partition, and wherein said partition is several times lighter than one of said office panels of an equivalent length and height and wherein each partition is rectangular in shape, defines a large gap between a lower edge thereof and the floor and includes a lightweight core bound by an exterior frame with an exterior finish surface material secured to said lightweight core.

2. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition of each bridge has an exterior finish the same as said elements.

3. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each partition has a cardboard honeycomb interior.

4. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each floor engaging column member is of a weight many times greater than said partition and anchors the opposite end of said bridge arrangement.

5. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition has two separate components secured within a common perimeter frame.

6. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition is secured to a center post of said support member.

7. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said floor engaging structural support has a gently bowed front face and a back face with said centre post exposed within said back face.

8. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said floor engaging structural support is many times heavier than said partition and acts as an anchor for said opposite end of said partition.

9. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said floor engaging structural support has a horizontally curved front face and a rear face with a center post connected to said partition.

10. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said partition is only supported at either end thereof.

11. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said partition includes an accessory rail along a lower edge thereof which releasably supports a wiring trough.

12. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system has at least one elongate spline formed by office panels connected in an end to end manner with said bridge arrangements extending in a general perpendicular manner relative to said spline.

13. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 12 wherein none of said bridge arrangements are located to opposite sides of said spline.

14. An office panelling system comprising a series of connected office panels forming a spine which receives power and communication wiring interior to each office panel frame, each office panel comprising a structural frame to which releasable rectangular elements are secured with the releasable elements defining an exterior finish to either side of the frame, said structural frame including intermediate securing channels extending horizontally with each securing channel defining a freely accessible horizontal support adjacent said elements;

said office panelling system further including subdividing bridge arrangements with each bridge arrangement connected at an angle to said spine of office panels and forming a wall of a workstation, each bridge arrangement having one end connected to at least one securing channel of an adjacent office panel frame and an opposite end of said bridge arrangement including a floor engaging structural support member, said bridge arrangement intermediate said one end and said floor engaging structural support member including a lightweight core to which a decorative finish surface is attached, wherein each bridge arrangement includes a floor engaging support post at an end of said bridge arrangement opposite said floor engaging structural support member, said support post cooperating with said floor engaging structural support member such that said bridge arrangement when disconnected from said securing channel is self supporting in a vertical orientation.

15. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said floor engaging support post and said floor engaging structural support member of each bridge arrangement include floor engaging members for sliding movement of said bridge arrangement across a floor from one point of attachment to said office panels to a new point of attachment to said office panels.

16. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said planar core of each bridge is a lightweight core to which a decorative fabric is secured.

17. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said planar core of each bridge is a honey comb structure and said floor engaging structural support member is primarily of a metal material and forms a stanchion for said bridge arrangement.

18. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said planar core of each bridge arrangement terminates at a lower edge positioned to define a large gap between the floor and said lower edge.

19. An office panelling system as claimed in claim 18 wherein each planar core includes a perimeter frame thereabout which perimeter frame is connected to said floor engaging structural support member and secures said planar core to said securing channel of an adjacent office panel frame.

20. An office panelling system comprising a series of connected office panels forming a spine which receives power and communication wiring interior to each office panel frame and provide power and communication outlets at distributed locations along said spine, each office panel comprising a structural frame to which releasable rectangular elements are secured with the releasable elements defining an exterior finish to either side of the frame, said structural frame including open securing channels extending horizontally used to attach components to the office panel;

said office panelling system further including subdividing bridge arrangements with each bridge arrangement connected at an angle to said spine of office panels and forming a wall of a workstation extending outwardly from said spine, each bridge arrangement having one end connected to at least one of said open securing channels of the structural frame of an adjacent office panel with an opposite end of said bridge arrangement including a floor engaging structural support member, each bridge arrangement intermediate said one end and said floor engaging structural support member including a planar core to which a decorative finish surface is attached, said bridge arrangements cooperating with said spine of office panels to define workstations spaced along said spine with two walls of each workstation being defined by bridge arrangements attached to said spine with a portion of said spine forming a third wall of said workstation, said third wall being located between and connected to said two walls of said workstation defined by said bridge arrangements.