Sliding privacy door for partition systems

• US 8,402,699 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimball International Incorporated (HNI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimball International Incorporated (HNI Corporation)
• Inventors: Henriott, Jay M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Katcheves, Basil
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHAN, BETH A
• Application Number:
  US13/178,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 52/361, 52/362, 522/05, 522/07, 522/39, 522/43, 522/431, 524/74, 524/751, 524/76, 524/812, 524/831, 16/87.R, 16/90, 16/91, 16/94.R, 16/95.R, 16/96.R, 16/87.B, 161/05, 494/04, 49409-411
• US Class Current: 52/36.1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/46 Horizontally-sliding wings E06B3/487 takes precedence

Abstract

An office partition system including at least first and second panels and a sliding privacy door guidably supported against the first panel via an elongated horizontal guide. The elongated horizontal guide has a channel that receives the privacy door and a mounting structure for mounting the guide to a horizontal track of the first panel. The elongated horizontal guide has a width that is substantially equivalent to the width of the first panel. The privacy door includes wheels that may support the entire weight of the privacy door. The privacy door may move from a first, open position allowing access to an interior space of the office partition system via an opening to a second, closed position restricting access to the interior space via the opening.

Claims

1. An office partition system, comprising:

at least first and second panels having respective panel side edges spaced from one another to define an opening therebetween;

said first panel having a panel width defined between opposite side cages of said first panel, said first panel further including an upper portion, a lower portion, a first face, a second, opposite face, and an interior defined between said first and second faces;

an elongate horizontal guide mounted to said first face, said elongate horizontal guide including a channel having a length substantially equal to said panel width; and

a privacy door comprising;

a frame including a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges,

at least one wheel attached to said bottom edge, said at least one wheel supporting an entire weight of said privacy door, and

said top edge received within said guide channel, said privacy door moveable within said guide channel between a first position allowing access through said opening and a second position restricting access through said opening.

2. The office partition system of claim 1, wherein said top edge, said bottom edge, and said pair of side edges of said frame define an interior frame area, said privacy door further including a screen positioned within said interior frame area.

3. The office partition system of claim 1, further comprising a stop member attached to said bottom edge of said frame of said privacy door, said stop member comprising a vertical portion extending vertically into said interior of said first panel.

4. The office partition system of claim 1, wherein said top edge is received within said guide channel with at least one clearance gap between said top edge and said guide channel.

5. The office partition system of claim 4, wherein said clearance gap comprises lateral clearances between respective lateral walls of said top edge and lateral walls of said guide channel.

6. The office partition system of claim 4, wherein said clearance gap comprises a vertical clearance between said top edge and a top wall or said guide channel.

7. The office partition system of claim 6, wherein said first panel further includes a leveling glide operable to adjust a height of said panel and to in turn vary said clearance gap.

8. The office partition system of claim 1, wherein said first face of said first panel comprises a horizontal track, said elongate horizontal guide mounted to said horizontal track.

9. The office partition system of claim 1, wherein said privacy door further comprises an interior face, said interior face facing, and spaced from, said first face of said first panel.

10. The office partition system of claim 1, wherein said privacy door has a thickness between 0.5 inches and 1.5 inches.

11. An office partition system, comprising:

at least first and second panels having respective panel side edges spaced from one another to define an opening therebetween;

said first panel including an upper portion, a lower portion, a first face, a second, opposite face, and an interior defined between said first and second faces, said first face including a horizontally outwardly facing horizontal track defining an elongated horizontal opening;

an elongate horizontal guide separate from, and mounted within said opening of said track, said elongate horizontal guide including a channel; and

a privacy door comprising;

a frame including a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges, said top edge of said frame received within said guide channel, and

a pair of wheels attached to said bottom edge, said privacy door moveable within said guide channel via said pair of wheels between a first position allowing access to said opening, and a second position restricting access to said opening; and

a stop member attached to said bottom edge of said frame, said stop member comprising a vertical portion extending vertical to said interior of said first panel.

12. The office partition system of claim 11, wherein said top edge is received within said guide channel such that a vertical clearance exists between said top edge and a top wall of said guide channel, and said first panel further comprises a leveling glide operable to adjust a height of said panel and to in to vary said clearance.

13. The office partition system of claim 11, wherein said privacy door further comprises an interior face, said interior face facing, and spaced from, said first face of said first panel.

14. The office partition system of claim 11, wherein said horizontal track further comprises at least one track flange and said elongate horizontal guide further comprises at least one guide flange, said elongate horizontal guide mounted to said horizontal track of said first face of said first panel by receipt of said guide flange into said opening of said track behind said track flange.

15. The office partition system of claim 11, wherein said elongate horizontal guide includes at least one flange removably attached to said horizontal track.

16. The office partition system of claim 11, wherein said top edge is received within said guide channel with at least one clearance gap between said top edge and said guide channel.

17. An office partition system, comprising:

a panel including a first face, a second, opposite face, an upper portion and a lower portion, and an interior defined between said first and second faces

an elongate horizontal guide mounted to said upper portion of said panel, said guide disposed outwardly of said first face, said panel defining a width between opposite side edges of said panel and said horizontal guide defining a length, said panel width being substantially equal to said length of said horizontal guide; and

a privacy door comprising;

a frame including a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges, said top edge received within said elongate horizontal guide,

at least one wheel attached to said bottom edge, said at least one wheel supporting an entire weight of said privacy door, and

a stop member mounted to said bottom edge, said stop member comprising a vertical portion extending vertically into said interior of said panel.

18. The office partition system of claim 17, wherein said panel defines a width between opposite side edges of said panel and said horizontal guide further comprises a channel defining a length, said panel width being substantially equal to said length of said channel.

19. The office partition system of claim 17, wherein said top edge is received within said guide channel with at least one clearance gap between said top edge and said guide channel.