Method of connecting partition panels

• US 6,928,785 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hobson, Phillip M., Seiber, Charles A., Shipman, David A., Minami, Don S., Luchetti, Robert J., Shaw, Benjamin G., Eldon, James B. III, McClanahan, David D., Draudt, Gregg R., Lada, Christopher O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/124,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 522/39, 52/361, 52/364, 52/365, 52/366, 527/451, 527/451.3, 312/245, 312/246, 211/103, 211/187, 211/190, 211/208
• US Class Current: 52/745.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/425 introduced by a vertical pivoting movement
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/04 Partition walls adjustable A47B57/58
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/06 Brackets or similar supporting means for cabinets, racks or shelves A47B96/022 takes precedence; aspects of adjusting height or inclination A47B57/00 ; brackets for the display of articles A47F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7424 Glazing details
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7425 Details of connection of panels E04B2/7427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7433 with panels and support posts
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7448 with separate framed panels without intermediary posts, extending from floor to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7453 with panels and support posts, extending from floor to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7455 Glazing details
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7461 Details of connection of sheet panels to frame or posts
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7462 using resilient connectors, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7466 using hooks
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/747 using hook and loop-type fasteners
• 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 2002/749 Partitions with screw-type jacks
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/00 Stairways, ramps, or like structures mounting or marking-off stairways E04F21/26; of temporary use during building construction E04G27/00; means for facilitating access to swimming pools E04H4/144; means for facilitating access to swimming pools E04H4/144; appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00; Balustrades; Handrails ladders permanently attached to fixed structures E06C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5045 specially adapted for furniture E06B3/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 52/13 Hook and loop type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/557 Expansible section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/591 : having operating mechanism

Abstract

A freestanding portable partition panel system is provided for open office spaces and the like. Each panel includes a partition frame having vertical upright frame members positioned adjacent opposite side edges thereof, and multiple horizontal frame members attached to the upright frame members in a vertically spaced-apart relationship to rigidly interconnect the same. One or more horizontal rows of discrete slots are defined in each of the horizontal frame members. Cover panels are mounted on the partition frames that permit access to the slots, and off-module connectors with hooks are provided for engaging the slots for interconnecting furniture units in off-module positions. For example, the hooks of the connectors are engaged with selected slots to hold a furniture unit, such as a partition panel, perpendicular to a second partition panel in an off-module position on its face.

Claims

1. A method of connecting furniture units to partition panels, comprising steps of:

providing a freestanding partition panel including a partition frame having front and rear faces and a cover panel covering a substantial area on the front face, the partition frame having horizontal and vertical frame members rigidly connected together, the vertical frame members having first outer surfaces defining a transverse narrow first dimension and the horizontal frame members having outer portions extending outward from the first outer surfaces to define a transverse wider second dimension, the outer portions having an off-module connector structure thereon adapted to support a furniture unit in any one of a plurality of off-module positions located between vertical side edges of the freestanding partition panel;

the first outer surfaces of the vertical frame members and outer portions of the horizontal frame members defining at least one laterally open uninterrupted horizontal wireway extending continuously between the vertical side edges and that is covered by the cover panel when the cover panel is attached;

accessing the off-module connector structure from the front face when the cover panel is attached to and supported on the outer portion to support the furniture unit thereon; and

removing the cover panel, accessing the horizontal wireway to position wiring therein, and then re-attaching the cover panel.

2. The method of defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal frame members define a plurality of laterally open uninterrupted horizontal wireways, and including additional cover panels, at least some of the additional cover panels including a top cover panel and a bottom cover panel defining a gap therebetween for accessing the off-module connector structure;

and

removing one of the top and bottom cover panels to selectively access one of the plurality of horizontal wireways.

3. The method defined in claim 2, including attaching a second partition panel to the off-module connector structure at a location between vertical side edges of the freestanding partition panel, the second panel defining at least one laterally-open second horizontal wireway that is aligned with and opens into the first-mentioned horizontal wireway along the front face.

4. A method of connecting partition panels comprising steps of:

providing a first partition panel including a partition frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members, at least one of which includes a horizontal row of horizontally spaced and aligned discrete site locators, including at least one discrete site locator positioned between vertical side edges of the partition frame, the discrete site locators being configured and adapted to locate an off-module-located second partition panel along the partition frame at any one of a number of known locations; and

accurately locating an off-module-located second partition panel on the first partition panel relative to a selected one of the discrete site locators.

5. The method defined in claim 4, wherein, during the step of accurately locating, the first partition panel includes vertically spaced covers defining a slit therebetween, the slit providing access to the horizontally spaced and aligned discrete site locators.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the upper and lower horizontal frame members each include one of the horizontal rows of discrete site locators, and including a step of engaging top and bottom partition-engaging brackets on the first and second partition panels, respectively, to stabilize the second partition panel on the first partition panel.

7. The method defined in claim 4, wherein the step of accurately locating includes counting off a particular number of the discrete site locators from an end of the first partition panel and then attaching a bracket to a last-counted one of the discrete site locators.

8. A method of connecting partition panels comprising steps of:

providing a first partition panel including a partition frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members, at least one of which includes a horizontal row of horizontally spaced and aligned discrete site locators, including at least one discrete site locator positioned between vertical side edges of the partition frame, the discrete site locators being configured and adapted to locate an off-module-located furniture unit along the partition frame at any one of a number of known locations; and

accurately locating a furniture unit on the first partition panel relative to at least one of the discrete site locators.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein, during the step of accurately locating, the first partition panel includes vertically spaced covers defining a slit therebetween, the slit providing access to the horizontally spaced and aligned discrete site locators.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the upper and lower horizontal frame members each include one of the horizontal rows of discrete site locators, and including a step of engaging top and bottom partition-engaging brackets on the first and second partition panels, respectively, to stabilize the second partition panel on the first partition panel.

11. The method defined in claim 8, including attaching the furniture unit to selected ones of the discrete site locators on both the upper and lower horizontal frame members.

12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein the furniture unit includes a second partition panel attached to the first partition panel in a perpendicular relationship.

13. The method defined in claim 8, including attaching the furniture unit to at least two of the discrete site locators on a selected one of the upper and lower horizontal frame members.

14. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the partition frame includes upright frame members, and including a step of rigidly connecting the upper and lower horizontal frame members to the upright frame members to form a rigid framework.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the step of rigidly connecting includes permanently attaching at least one of the upper and lower horizontal frame members to the upright frame members, such as by welding.

16. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the upper and lower horizontal frame members include planar face surfaces, and including a step of forming at least a portion of the discrete site locators in the planar face surface on the upper and lower horizontal frame members.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the step of forming the discrete site locators includes forming a row of slots in at least one of the upper and lower horizontal frame members.

18. The method defined in claim 8, including a step of providing a floor channel, and supporting the partition frame on the floor channel.

19. The method defined in claim 18, including a step of anchoring the partition frame to the floor channel.

20. The method defined in claim 18, including a step of providing a horizontal row of discrete site locators on the floor channel.

21. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the step of accurately locating includes counting off a particular number of the discrete site locators from an end of the first partition panel and then attaching a bracket to a last-counted one of the discrete site locators.

22. A method of connecting partition panels comprising steps of:

providing a first partition panel including a partition frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members, at least one of which includes a horizontal row of horizontally spaced and aligned discrete site locators, including at least one discrete site locator positioned between vertical side edges of the partition frame, the discrete site locators being configured and adapted to locate an off-module-located furniture unit along the partition frame at any one of a number of known locations; and

accurately locating a furniture unit on the first partition panel relative to at least one of the discrete site locators;

wherein the upper horizontal frame member includes separate front and rear frame members, and including a step of positioning the separate front and rear frame members on opposite sides of the partition frame.

23. The method defined in claim 22, wherein the front and rear frame members each include face surfaces having the discrete site locators therein, and including a step of positioning and attaching the front and rear frame members to the partition frame so that the face surfaces define parallel front and rear planes of the partition frame.

24. The method defined in claim 22, wherein the partition frame includes upright frame members positioned between and supporting the separate front and rear frame members, and including a step of welding the separate front and rear frame members to the upright frame members.

25. A method of connecting partition panels comprising steps of:

providing a first partition panel including a partition frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members, at least one of which includes a horizontal row of horizontally spaced and aligned discrete site locators, including at least one discrete site locator positioned between vertical side edges of the partition frame, the discrete site locators being configured and adapted to locate an off-module-located furniture unit along the partition frame at any one of a number of known locations; and

accurately locating a furniture unit on the first partition panel relative to at least one of the discrete site locators;

wherein the upper and lower horizontal frame members include planar face surfaces, and including a step of forming at least a portion of the discrete site locators in the planar face surface on the upper and lower horizontal frame members;

wherein the step of forming the discrete site locators includes forming a row of slots in at least one of the upper and lower horizontal frame members; and

wherein the step of forming the discrete site locators includes forming a row of slots in both of the upper and lower horizontal frame members.