In-fill arrangement for post and beam furniture systems

• US 6,510,663 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jourden, Michael A., Mueller, Karl Heinz, Wing, Genevieve
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amiri, Nahid
• Application Number:
  US09/800,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 522/381, 522/43, 526/503, 526/501, 524/812, 527/75, 527/81, 522/431, 522/39, 522/201, 522/821, 522/45, 522/362, 403/282, 403/292, 403/293, 403/403, 160/135
• US Class Current: 52/238.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7433 with panels and support posts
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/67 Rigid angle couplings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/4966 Deformation occurs simultaneously with assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/55 Member ends joined by inserted section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/551 Externally bridged

Abstract

An in-fill panel arrangement is designed for post and beam furniture systems of the type having overhead beams supported on vertical posts. Each of the beams has a lowermost face with a horizontal slot extending therealong, and each of the posts includes outwardly extending flanges having an end face with a slot extending vertically therealong. Beam-to-post connectors are attached to the opposite ends of the beams, and are detachably retained in the slots in the posts to mount the beams on the posts. Rigid in-fill panels are shaped to be positioned directly below the beams and above the floor to partition the space into individual work areas. Panel mounting brackets are detachably retained in the slots in the posts and the beams, and are connected with the in-fill panels. The slots in the posts and the beams are substantially identical in size and shape to define an integrated universal mounting arrangement wherein the posts and the beams can be interconnected in alternative configurations, and the in-fill panels can be mounted at a variety of different locations. The in-fill panels may have an arcuate shape, and can be positioned in an alternating facing relationship to create a serpentine shape.

Claims

1. A post and beam furniture system for partitioning open office space, comprising:

a plurality of overhead beams, each having opposite ends, and a lowermost face with a single horizontal slot extending centrally therealong;

a plurality of vertical posts, each having a lower portion thereof adapted to be abuttingly supported on a floor surface of the open office space, an upper portion thereof adapted to be connected with an associated one of said overhead beams, and at least one outwardly extending flange having an end face with a single vertical slot extending centrally therealong, and wherein each of said slots in said posts, and each of said slots in said beams are substantially identical in size and shape;

a plurality of beam-to-post connectors configured to be attached to the opposite ends of said beams, and detachably retained in said slots in said posts for mounting said beams on said posts; and

a plurality of mounting brackets adapted to mount rigid in-fill panels on said post and beam furniture system to partition the open office space into individual work areas, and having first connector portions thereof detachably retained in said slots in said posts and said beams, and second connector portions thereof configured for connection with the in-fill panels, whereby said posts and said beams can be detachably interconnected in alternative configurations, and said mounting brackets and associated in-fill panels can be positioned at a variety of different locations throughout said post and beam furniture system.

2. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one bottom center bracket having a foot adjacent a lower portion thereof shaped for abutting support on the floor surface, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with lower portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels.

3. A furniture system as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one top center bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said beams, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with upper portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels.

4. A furniture system as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one top end bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with an upper portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

5. A furniture system as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one bottom end bracket having a retainer adjacent a lower portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with a lower portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

6. A furniture system as set forth in claim 5, including:

a plurality of arcuate in-fill panels, each having a pair of side edges extending along opposite side portions thereof in a normally vertical orientation, and a pair of generally curved top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation; and

wherein

said mounting brackets connect each of said arcuate in-fill panels to at least one of said posts and said beams in a generally upright orientation, wherein said side edges are disposed adjacent to said side edges of a next adjacent one of said arcuate in-fill panels, and said generally curved top and bottom edges are disposed in an alternating relationship, such that said arcuate in-fill panels collectively define a serpentine partition having a sinusoidal plan configuration which protrudes outwardly from opposite sides of said beam in a wave pattern.

7. A furniture system as set forth in claim 6, including:

a plurality of flat in-fill panels, each having a pair of side edges extending along opposite side portions, and a pair of generally straight top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation.

8. A furniture system as set forth in claim 7, including:

a utility raceway extending generally vertically from the floor surface to said beam; and

wherein

said serpentine partition is positioned such that an outwardly curved center portion of said serpentine partition extends around said utility raceway to visually block the same from at least one side of said serpentine partition.

9. A furniture system as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said arcuate in-fill panels each have a generally similar arcuate shape.

10. A furniture system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said arcuate and flat in-fill panels each have a generally similar width.

11. A furniture system as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said arcuate and flat in-fill panels each have a generally similar height.

12. A furniture system as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said side edges of said arcuate in-fill panels are generally straight and disposed parallel to the side edge of a next adjacent one of said arcuate in-fill panels.

13. A furniture system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said side edges of said flat in-fill panels are generally straight and disposed parallel to the side edge of a next adjacent one of said flat in-fill panels.

14. A furniture system as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

said slots each have a generally T-shaped lateral cross-sectional configuration with an enlarged interior track portion and a reduced neck portion which opens outwardly.

15. A furniture system as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said posts include at least one X-shaped post having four mutually perpendicular outwardly extending flanges.

16. A furniture system as set forth in claim 15, wherein:

said posts include at least one Y-shaped post having three outwardly extending flanges.

17. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one top center bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said beams, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with upper portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels.

18. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one top end bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with an upper portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

19. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one bottom end bracket having a retainer adjacent a lower portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with a lower portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

20. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, including:

a plurality of arcuate in-fill panels, each having a pair of side edges extending along opposite side portions thereof in a normally vertical orientation, and a pair of generally curved top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation; and

wherein

said mounting brackets connect each of said arcuate in-fill panels to at least one of said posts and said beams in a generally upright orientation, wherein said side edges are disposed adjacent to said side edges of a next adjacent one of said arcuate in-fill panels, and said generally curved top and bottom edges are disposed in an alternating relationship, such that said arcuate in-fill panels collectively define a serpentine partition having a sinusoidal plan configuration which protrudes outwardly from opposite sides of said beam in a wave pattern.

21. A furniture system as set forth in claim 20, including:

a utility raceway extending generally vertically from the floor surface to said beam; and

wherein

said serpentine partition is positioned such that an outwardly curved center portion of said serpentine partition extends around said utility raceway to visually block the same from at least one side of said serpentine partition.

22. A furniture system as set forth in claim 21, wherein:

said arcuate in-fill panels each have a generally similar arcuate shape, a generally similar width, and a generally similar height.

23. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, including:

a plurality of flat in-fill panels, each having a pair of side edges extending along opposite side portions, and a pair of generally straight top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation.

24. A furniture system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said slots each have a generally T-shaped lateral cross-sectional configuration with an enlarged interior track portion and a reduced neck portion which opens outwardly.

25. A post and beam furniture system for partitioning open office space, comprising:

a plurality of overhead beams, each having opposite ends, and a lowermost face with a horizontal slot extending therealong;

a plurality of vertical posts, each having a lower portion thereof adapted to be abuttingly supported on a floor surface of the open office space, an upper portion thereof adapted to be connected with an associated one of said overhead beams, and at least one outwardly extending flange having an end face with a vertical slot extending therealong;

a plurality of beam-to-post connectors configured to be attached to the opposite ends of said beams, and detachably retained in said slots in said posts for mounting said beams on said posts;

a plurality of rigid in-fill panels shaped to be positioned directly below said beams and above the floor surface to partition the open office space into individual work areas;

a plurality of panel mounting brackets having first connector portions thereof detachably retained in said slots in said posts and said beams, and second connector portions thereof connected with said in-fill panels; and

wherein

each of said slots in said posts, and each of said slots in said beams is substantially identical in size and shape to define an integrated universal mounting arrangement in said furniture system for detachably interconnecting said posts and said beams in alternative configurations, and mounting said in-fill panels at a variety of different locations.

26. A furniture system as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one bottom center bracket having a foot adjacent a lower portion thereof shaped for abutting support on the floor surface, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with lower portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels.

27. A furniture system as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one top center bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said beams, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with upper portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels.

28. A furniture system as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one top end bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with an upper portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

29. A furniture system as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

said mounting brackets include at least one bottom end bracket having a retainer adjacent a lower portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with a lower portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

30. In a post and beam furniture system of the type having at least one overhead beam and at least one vertical post with a lower portion thereof adapted to be supported on an associated floor surface, and an upper portion thereof connected with said beam, the improvement of a serpentine panel arrangement comprising:

a plurality of arcuate in-fill panels, each having a pair of side edges extending along opposite side portions thereof in a normally vertical orientation, and a pair of generally curved top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation; and

a plurality of brackets connecting each of said in-fill panels to at least one of said posts and said beams in a generally upright orientation, wherein said side edges are disposed adjacent to said side edges of a next adjacent one of said in-fill panels, and said generally curved top and bottom edges are disposed in an alternating facing relationship, such that said in-fill panels collectively define a serpentine partition having a sinusoidal plan configuration which protrudes outwardly from opposite sides of said beam in a wave pattern.

31. A furniture system as set forth in claim 30, wherein:

said side edges of each of said in-fill panels are generally straight such that said serpentine partition extends substantially continuously along said beam.

32. A furniture system as set forth in claim 31, wherein:

each of said in-fill panels has a non-transparent appearance to define a visual partition between areas of an associated open space.

33. A furniture system as set forth in claim 32, wherein:

said beam has a lowermost face with a single horizontal slot extending centrally therealong; and

at least one of said brackets is configured to be removably mounted in said slot in said beam.

34. A furniture system as set forth in claim 33, wherein:

said post has at least one end face with a single vertical slot extending centrally therealong; and

at least one of said brackets is configured to be removably mounted in said slot in said post.

35. A furniture system as set forth in claim 34, wherein:

at least one of said brackets includes a foot shaped for abutting support on the floor surface, and a pair of outwardly extending arms connected with lower portions of adjacent in-fill panels.

36. A furniture system as set forth in claim 35, wherein:

at least one of said in-fill panels includes a rigid marginal frame, and a panel of flexible material covering said frame.

37. A furniture system as set forth in claim 36, wherein:

said flexible material comprises a stretch fabric.

38. A furniture system as set forth in claim 37, including:

a utility raceway extending generally vertically from the floor surface to said beam; and

wherein

said serpentine partition is positioned such that an outwardly curved center portion of said serpentine partition extends around said utility raceway to visually block the same from at least one side of said serpentine partition.

39. A furniture system as set forth in claim 38, wherein:

said in-fill panels each have a generally similar arcuate shape.

40. A furniture system as set forth in claim 39, wherein:

said in-fill panels each have a generally similar width.

41. A furniture system as set forth in claim 40, wherein:

said in-fill panels each have a generally similar height.

42. A furniture system as set forth in claim 41, wherein:

said posts include X-shaped posts and Y-shaped posts.

43. In combination, a post and beam furniture system and a serpentine panel arrangement therefor, comprising:

a plurality of overhead beams;

a plurality of vertical posts, each having a lower portion thereof adapted to be supported on an associated floor surface, and an upper portion thereof connected with at least one of said beams;

a plurality of arcuate in-fill panels, each having a pair of generally straight side edges extending along opposite side portions thereof in a normally vertical orientation, and a pair of generally curved top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation; and

a plurality of brackets connecting each of said in-fill panels to said post and beam furniture system in a generally upright orientation, wherein said generally straight side edges are disposed adjacent to said side edges of a next adjacent one of said in-fill panels, and said generally curved top and bottom edges are disposed in an alternating facing relationship, such that said in-fill panels collectively define a serpentine partition having a sinusoidal plan configuration.

44. A combination furniture system and panel arrangement as set forth in claim 43, wherein:

one of said beams has opposite ends thereof connected with the upper portions of two of said posts to define a frame area having an inverted U-shaped front elevational configuration; and

said serpentine partition is positioned in said frame area, extends between said two posts, and protrudes outwardly from opposite sides of said one beam in a wave pattern.

45. A combination furniture system and panel arrangement as set forth in claim 44, wherein:

said overhead beams include first and second beams, each of which has opposite ends;

said posts include first, second and third posts disposed in a laterally spaced apart, in-line relationship, wherein said second post is disposed in between said first post and said third post;

said first beam has the opposite ends thereof connected with the upper portions of said first and second posts, and said second beam has the opposite ends thereof connected with the upper portions of said second and third posts; and

said serpentine partition extends continuously between said first and third posts, and has one side portion thereof connected with said first post, an opposite side portion thereof connected with said third post, and a center portion thereof which is not connected to said second post.

46. A combination furniture system and panel arrangement as set forth in claim 45, wherein:

said serpentine partition is configured such that said center portion thereof is disposed a spaced apart distance from said second post.

47. A combination furniture system and panel arrangement as set forth in claim 46, wherein:

said in-fill panels each have a generally similar shape.

48. An in-fill panel mounting system for post and beam furniture systems of the type having a plurality of overhead beams, each having a lowermost face with a single horizontal slot extending therealong, a plurality of vertical posts, each having a lower portion thereof adapted to be abuttingly supported on a floor surface of the open office space, an upper portion thereof connected with an associated one of the overhead beams, and at least one outwardly extending flange having an end face with a single vertical slot extending therealong, and a plurality of rigid in-fill panels shaped to be positioned directly below the beams and above the floor surface to partition the open office space into individual work areas, comprising:

at least one bottom center bracket having a foot adjacent a lower portion thereof shaped for abutting support on the floor surface, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with lower portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels;

at least one top center bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in the slot of an adjacent one of the beams, and a pair of outwardly extending arms adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with upper portions of adjacent ones of the in-fill panels;

at least one top end bracket having a retainer adjacent an upper portion thereof received in the slot of an adjacent one of the posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent a lower portion thereof configured to be connected with an upper portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels; and

at least one bottom end bracket having a retainer adjacent a lower portion thereof received in said slot of an adjacent one of said posts, and an outwardly extending arm adjacent an upper portion thereof configured to be connected with a lower portion of an adjacent one of the in-fill panels.

49. A serpentine partition arrangement for post and beam furniture systems of the type having a plurality of overhead beams and a plurality of vertical posts having lower portions thereof supported on an associated floor surface, and upper portions thereof connected with the beams, comprising:

a plurality of arcuate in-fill panels, each having a pair of generally straight side edges extending along opposite side portions thereof in a normally vertical orientation, and a pair of generally curved top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation;

said in-fill panels being disposed in a generally upright orientation, wherein said generally straight side edges are disposed adjacent to said side edges of a next adjacent one of said in-fill panels, and said generally curved top and bottom edges are disposed in an alternating facing relationship, such that said in-fill panels collectively define a serpentine partition having a sinusoidal plan configuration.

50. A method for furnishing open building plans and the like of the type having a ceiling and a floor surface, comprising:

providing a post and beam furniture system including a plurality of horizontal beams positioned to define an overhead framework, and a plurality of vertical support posts having lower ends thereof adapted to be abuttingly supported on the floor surface, and upper ends thereof adapted to be connected with the overhead framework;

positioning the support posts at preselected locations on the floor surface, and detachably connecting the upper ends thereof with the horizontal beams to support the overhead framework a predetermined spaced apart distance above the floor surface and below the ceiling;

providing a plurality of arcuate in-fill panels, each having a pair of generally straight side edges extending along opposite side portions thereof in a normally vertical orientation, and a pair of generally curved top and bottom edges extending along upper and lower portions thereof in a normally horizontal orientation;

providing a plurality of brackets configured to connect each of the in-fill panels to associated ones of the posts and the beams;

positioning each of the in-fill panels in a generally upright orientation, with the generally straight side edges thereof disposed adjacent to the side edges of a next adjacent one of the in-fill panels, and with the generally curved top and bottom edges disposed in an alternating facing relationship; and

connecting the brackets to their associated beams, posts and in-fill panels, so that the in-fill panels collectively define a serpentine partition which extends below at least one of the associated beams, and has a sinusoidal plan configuration which protrudes outwardly from opposite sides of the one beam in a wave pattern.