Interior space-dividing wall system

• US 6,557,310 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haworth Limited (Haworth Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SMED International, Inc. (Haworth Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goodchild, Jim Thompson, Vallas, Rodney, Steeves, Robert E., Long, Darren R., Marshall, Dale R.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US09/875,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 522/201, 522/507, 52/361, 52/366, 522/39
• US Class Current: 52/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7425 Details of connection of panels E04B2/7427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7427 with adjustable angular connection of panels
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/742 Details of panel top cap
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7464 clasping a flange of a profile
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7468 using magnets
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7488 Details of wiring
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/749 Partitions with screw-type jacks

Abstract

A wall system and particularly a load-bearing spine wall defined by rigidly connected spine panels which are usable in conjunction with and connectable to branch panels for defining workstations. These spine panels include an interior frame having plural hollow cross beams rigidly joined between parallel uprights. The cross beams have elongate slots extending lengthwise along the sidewalls thereof. Each side of the frame permits one or more removable covering tiles to be attached thereto for defining the exterior surface of the spine panel. Load-bearing components having cantilevered hangers can be engaged within the elongate slots which extend lengthwise of the cross beams. Vertically adjacent tiles have longitudinal edges spaced to define a narrow elongate passage therebetween which aligns with the mouth of a respectively adjacent hanger-accommodating slot.

Claims

1. A load-bearing spine wall comprising rigidly connected spine panels, each said spine panel including an interior frame having plural hollow cross beams rigidly joined between parallel uprights, the cross beams having elongate slots extending lengthwise along the side walls thereof, each side of the frame permitting one or more removable covering tiles to be attached thereto for defining the exterior surface of the spine panel, load-bearing components having cantilevered hangers engaged within the elongate slots which extend lengthwise of the cross beams, and vertically adjacent said tiles having longitudinal edges spaced to define a narrow elongate passage therebetween which aligns with the mouth of a respectively adjacent hanger-accommodating slot.

2. A load-bearing spine wall, comprising a plurality of upright spine panels rigidly connected horizontally in series, each said spine panel including an interior frame having plural hollow cross beams disposed in vertically spaced relation and extending between and rigidly joined to a pair of horizontally spaced parallel uprights, the cross beams having opposite outwardly-facing side walls which are disposed on and accessible from opposite sides of the spine panel, each said side wall having an elongate hanger-accommodating slot extending lengthwise therealong and opening inwardly thereof, each said side of the frame permitting one or more removable covering tiles to be attached thereto for defining an exterior surface of the spine panel, vertically adjacent said covering tiles having adjacent longitudinal edges spaced to define a narrow passage therebetween which aligns with the mouth of a respectively adjacent said hanger-accommodating slot, and a load-bearing component at least partially mounted on said panel adjacent one side thereof, said component having a cantilevered hanger which projects into and is engaged within said hanger-accommodating slot, said hanger-accommodating slot having a vertically narrow mouth which opens inwardly from the respective side wall of the support beam and which communicates with an interior slot portion which opens downwardly from said mouth, said interior slot portion having opposed top and bottom walls which snugly confine the hanger therein, whereby said hanger can be inserted into or removed from said slot only by effecting angular tilting movement of the hanger within a plane generally transverse to the longitudinal direction of the slot.

3. A wall arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said hanger-accommodating slot includes an upper slot portion which is generally horizontally aligned with the mouth as formed in said side wall and opens inwardly therefrom, and a lower slot portion which communicates with and projects downwardly from said upper slot portion to an elevation below a lower edge of said mouth and terminating at said bottom wall, and one of said upper and lower slot portions being defined at least in part by said top wall, said hanger including a cantilevered hanger member having a downwardly projecting hook part adjacent a free end thereof with said hanger member being positionable in said slot so that the hook part projects into the lower slot portion below the lower edge of said mouth, and said hanger also including a cantilevered locking member which projects through the mouth into the upper slot portion and overlies the cantilevered hanger member, one of said members being positioned closely adjacent the top wall, whereby the hanger member can not be withdrawn from the slot without first withdrawing the locking member.

4. A wall arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the hanger includes a cantilevered hanger member having a downwardly projecting hook part at a free end thereof and being insertable into the hanger-accommodating slot for creating a hooked engagement with the respective side wall, the hanger also including a cantilevered locking member which is insertable into the slot in direct overlying relationship with the cantilevered hanger member so that the vertical overlying hanger and locking members occupy substantially the full height of the mouth of the slot and prevent the hanger member from being withdrawn from the slot without first withdrawing the locking member.

5. A wall arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the slot has an arcuate configuration which curves downwardly as it projects horizontally inwardly from the mouth, and the cantilevered hanger having a similar downwardly-curved arcuate configuration as it projects toward the free end thereof for disposition within the slot.

6. A wall arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the hollow support beam has a pair of upwardly-opening slot arrangements formed in and extending lengthwise along a top wall of the support beam adjacent opposite longitudinally-extending sides thereof, and the removable covering tiles having attaching clips along a lower edge thereof provided with downwardly cantilevered attaching flanges which project into said slot arrangements for permitting lower edges of the cover tiles to be removably mounted on the support beams.

7. A wall arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the support beams have notches which extend vertically therethrough and open inwardly from opposite ends thereof, said notches having a width which generally corresponds to the width of the upright so as to accommodate the upright therein, the width of the notch being less than the width of the support beam so that the support beam has cantilevered portions which define opposite sides of the notch and which embrace the upright therebetween, the cantilevered portions extending across exterior side faces of the upright so that serially adjacent panels can have the horizontally aligned support beams thereof positioned in closely adjacent and substantially abutting engagement to effect a substantially continuous hanger-accommodating slot along the horizontally-aligned support beams of adjacent panels.

8. A wall arrangement according to claim 7, wherein first and second said support beams which respectively define uppermost and lowermost support beams of said interior frame are reversely vertically oriented relative to the uprights to which they are fixed.

9. A wall arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said support beam has a bottom wall which is spaced downwardly from said top wall, and opposite longitudinally extending edges of said bottom wall being joined to respectively adjacent side walls through intermediate wall parts which are cantilevered vertically downwardly, and said removable tiles having securing flanges which are fixed to and project rearwardly from upper edges of the tiles for creating a resilient snap engagement with the downwardly cantilevered intermediate wall parts.

10. An upright space-dividing wall arrangement defined by at least two upright wall panels which are joined together in horizontally adjacent and aligned relationship, each said wall panel including an interior frame which includes a pair of horizontally spaced and generally parallel uprights which define opposite edges of the panel and which have lower end parts disposed for supportive engagement with a floor, the panel mounting on the frame a side cover arrangement which closes off the interior of the frame and extends generally from an upper edge of the frame to a lower edge which is spaced upwardly from the floor, the lower end parts of the uprights extending vertically between the floor and the lower edge of the side cover arrangement, the uprights extending along the adjacent edges of the two serially adjacent panels being positioned sidewardly directly adjacent and fixedly connected to one another, and a shroud arrangement positioned to encircle the lower end parts of said adjacent uprights and extend vertically between said floor and the lower edge of the side cover arrangement, said shroud arrangement including upper and lower shroud members which are vertically telescopically supported one on the other to accommodate variations in height between the floor and the bottom edge of the side cover arrangement.

11. A wall arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the shroud arrangement is divided vertically into substantially identical opposed halves which horizontally couple together for enclosing the lower leg parts therebetween, each half of said shroud cooperating with a respective said lower leg part.

12. A wall arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the upper shroud member is connected to and suspended downwardly from the lowermost support beam of the respective panel, and the lower shroud member is supportively engaged with the floor.

13. A wall arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the shroud in horizontal cross section is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the panel support beams and defines therein a vertical clearance space for accommodating cabling.

14. A portable, upright, non-load-bearing, space divider panel, comprising a pair of generally parallel and horizontally spaced upright support legs having lower ends adapted for supportive engagement with a floor, a plurality of generally horizontally elongate cross beams including top and bottom cross beams disposed in vertically spaced relationship and extending between and having opposite ends thereof fixedly connected to said uprights for defining a rigid frame, said cross beams being defined by horizontally elongate tubes having a width which is less than the width of said uprights, said cross beams having openings associated with the side-facing walls thereof, at least one removable cover tile positioned adjacent each side of the frame and having rear spring clips which engage within the openings of the cross beam, said cover tile being disposed vertically so as to substantially occupy a region adjacent one side of the cross beams so that an outer surface of the cover tile is substantially flush with outer side edges of the uprights.

15. A wall panel according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of said removable cover tiles are disposed adjacent at least one side of said frame and are positioned in vertically adjacent relationship one above the other, the vertically adjacent longitudinally extending edges of adjacent upper and lower said cover tiles being adjacent but slightly vertically spaced to define a horizontally elongate clearance passage therebetween which horizontally aligns with one of said cross beams.