Elevated binder bin

• US 6,536,858 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc. (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Müller, Karl H., Heidmann, Kurt R., Simons, George J. Jr., Eich, Thomas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/723,688
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 312/196, 312/245, 312/246, 312/247, 312/140.4, 312/322, 312/323, 108/59, 108/60, 108/61, 108/102, 108/47, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 52/365, 52/366, 522/39, 248/225.21, 248/239, 248/250, 248/905
• US Class Current: 312/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 95/008 Suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/04 Partition walls adjustable A47B57/58
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7483 Details of furniture, e.g. tables or shelves, associated with the partitions
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7487 Partitions with slotted profiles

Abstract

A furniture system includes a low-height partition having a horizontal row of discrete attachment sites, such as slots on each side, and having a top surface. A binder bin has a continuous horizontal attachment feature, such as an “L” groove, along an upper portion of its rear side. A bracket system attaches the binder bin to the partition in a raised position, and includes a bent-rod top bracket and bottom brackets configured to engage the slots on opposite sides of the partition. The binder bin is initially attached at a desired location along the partition by selectively engaging the brackets with the slots and by engaging the bracket with the groove. The angle of the binder bin is adjustable with respect to the top surface of the partition by threadably finely adjusting a nut on the brackets.

Claims

1. A furniture system comprising:

a partition;

a binder bin extending at least partially below and above a top surface of the partition; and

brackets supporting the binder bin on the partition, at least one of the brackets engaging a rear face of the partition and at least one of the brackets engaging a front face of the partition.

2. The furniture system defined in claim 1, wherein the bracket engaging the rear face comprises a top bracket, and the bracket engaging the front face comprises a bottom bracket.

3. The furniture system defined in claim 2, wherein at least about half of the binder bin extends above a top surface of the partition.

4. The furniture system defined in claim 1, wherein the brackets include a top bracket that comprises an angled elongated member extending from the binder bin to the partition.

5. The furniture system defined in claim 4, wherein the top bracket includes a bent rod that extends between the binder bin and the partition in a tensioned arrangement.

6. The furniture system defined in claim 1, wherein the partition includes a horizontal top frame member having discrete attachment sites thereon, the discrete attachment sites including a horizontally-extending row of slots along the partition, and wherein the top bracket includes horizontally extending hooks shaped to selectively engage particular slots in the horizontal row of slots in the partition.

7. The furniture system defined in claim 1, including a shelf and vertically-elongated brackets supporting the shelf under the binder bin.

8. A furniture system comprising:

a partition;

a binder bin; and

brackets supporting the binder bin on the partition, at least one of the brackets engaging a rear face of the partition and at least one of the brackets engaging a front face of the partition, the bracket engaging the rear face being a separate top bracket and the bracket engaging the front face being a separate bottom bracket;

wherein at least about half of the binder bin extends above a top surface of the partition, and wherein the top bracket engages a top area on the binder bin and also engages the rear face of the partition.

9. The furniture system defined in claim 8, wherein the bottom bracket engages a bottom area on the binder bin and engages the front face of the partition.

10. A furniture system comprising:

a partition;

a binder bin; and

brackets supporting the binder bin on the partition, at least one of the brackets engaging a rear face of the partition and at least one of the brackets engaging a front face of the partition;

wherein the brackets include a top bracket that comprises an angled elongated member extending from the binder bin to the partition, and wherein the binder bin includes a horizontally-extending feature, and the top bracket adjustably engages the feature on the binder bin.

11. The furniture system defined in claim 10, wherein the horizontally-extending feature includes a groove along back of binder bin.

12. A furniture system comprising:

a partial-height partition having a top surface; and

a binder bin attached to and supported by the partition, the binder bin extending at least above the top surface; and

a bracket system supporting the binder bin on the partition, the bracket system including a threaded member that, when threadably adjusted, adjusts an angle of the binder bin relative to a top surface of the partition.

13. The furniture system defined in claim 12, wherein the threaded member includes a tie rod extending between the partition and the binder bin.

14. A furniture system comprising:

a partial-height partition having a top surface; and

a binder bin attached to and supported by the partition, the binder bin extending at least above the top surface; and

a bracket system supporting the binder bin on the partition, the bracket system including a threaded member that, when threadably adjusted, adjusts an angle of the binder bin relative to a top surface of the partition;

wherein the threaded member includes a tie rod extending between the partition and the binder bin, and wherein the tie rod extends at one angle between a rear face of the partition to a rear wall of the binder bin.

15. The furniture system defined in claim 14, wherein the rear wall of the binder bin includes a horizontal groove, and the tie rod includes a connector shaped to mateably engage the groove.

16. A furniture system comprising:

a partition having front and rear horizontal rows of discrete attachment sites;

a binder bin being attached to selected ones of the front discrete attachment sites and having a continuous horizontal feature along a rear side of the binder bin;

an elongated bracket for the binder bin that is configured to adjustably engage selected ones of the rear discrete attachment sites and also configured to adjustably engage the continuous horizontal feature to mount the binder bin to the partition, the bracket further being adjusted in length to angularly adjust the binder bin to a position parallel a top surface of the partition.

17. The furniture system defined in claim 16, wherein the continuous horizontal feature includes a long slot.

18. The furniture system defined in claim 17, wherein the long slot has an L-shaped cross section.

19. The furniture system defined in claim 18, wherein the bracket includes an end-connector for mateably engaging the long slot.