Partition system

• US 8,726,578 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Mills Company (Bradley Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Mills Company (Bradley Corporation)
• Inventors: Thielke, Mark A., Persick, Thomas S., Odya, Midchi K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GITLIN, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US13/183,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20110265385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 52/34, 52/361, 522/381, 522/39, 522/41, 522/05, 52/365, 52/32, 52/65, 160/130, 160/180, 160/181, 160/210, 160/220, 160/160, 493/81, 493/82, 493/97, 493/98, 494/00, 494/01, 494/02
• US Class Current: 52/32
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1266 Cubicles for dressing; Toilets

Abstract

A partition system includes a first pilaster and a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable from a closed position to an open position. The door is configurable in a first configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in a first direction and prevented from rotating in a second direction from the closed position, the second direction opposite the first direction. The door is further configurable in a second configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in the second direction and prevented from rotating in the first direction from the closed position. The door is coupled to the first pilaster to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam.

Claims

1. A lavatory partition system comprising:

a first pilaster comprising a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and a first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces, the first lateral surface comprising a recess, the recess being generally symmetric about a centerline between the first and second major surfaces of the first pilaster;

a second pilaster;

a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable between a closed position and an open position, the door comprising;

a first substantially planar major surface;

a second substantially planar major surface opposite the first major surface; and

a first lateral convex surface extending from an edge of the first substantially planar major surface and to an edge of the second substantially planar major surface, the first lateral convex surface defining a projection;

a second lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces such that when the door is in the closed position the second lateral surface is adjacent to the second pilaster, and when the door is in the open position the second lateral surface is spaced apart from the second pilaster;

wherein at least a portion of the projection on the door extends into the recess on the first pilaster to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam when the door is in the closed position;

wherein the projection on the door rotates within the recess as the door rotates between opened and closed positions.

2. The lavatory partition system of claim 1 wherein the first lateral surface on the first pilaster is a curved surface.

3. The lavatory partition system of claim 2 wherein the first lateral surface on the first pilaster intersects the first major surface on the first pilaster along a first edge and intersects the second major surface on the first pilaster along a second edge, wherein the recess on the first pilaster is recessed from the first edge and the second edge.

4. The lavatory partition system of claim 3 wherein the first lateral surface on the first pilaster is substantially concave.

5. The lavatory partition system of claim 1 wherein the projection on the first lateral surface on the door is a convex surface.

6. The partition system of claim 1 wherein the projection on the first lateral surface on the door is defined by a pair of linear surfaces meeting at a ridge.

7. The partition system of claim 1 further comprising a second pilaster, the second pilaster comprising:

a first major surface;

a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and

a first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces, the first lateral surface comprising a recess;

wherein the door further comprises a convex second lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces on the door, the convex second lateral surface at least partially received within the recess on the second pilaster when the door is in the closed position.

8. A lavatory partition system comprising:

a first pilaster comprising a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and a concave first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces;

a second pilaster;

a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable between a closed position and an open position, the door comprising;

a first major surface;

a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and

a first lateral surface extending from the first major surface and to the second major surface, the first lateral surface comprising a projection;

a second lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces such that when the door is in the closed position the second lateral surface is adjacent to the second pilaster, and when the door is in the open position the second lateral surface is spaced apart from the second pilaster;

wherein at least a portion of the projection on the door extends into the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam when the door is in the closed position;

wherein the projection on the door rotates within the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster as the door rotates between opened and closed positions;

wherein the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster is configured to enable a user to move the door from the closed position in both a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction, the concave first lateral surface being generally symmetric about a plane extending parallel to one of the first and second major surfaces of the first pilaster and through the axis of rotation of the door.

9. The lavatory partition system of claim 8 wherein the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster intersects the first major surface on the first pilaster along a first edge and intersects the second major surface on the first pilaster along a second edge, wherein the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster is recessed from the first edge and the second edge.

10. The lavatory partition system of claim 8 wherein the projection on the first lateral surface on the door is a convex surface extending between an edge of a planar portion of the first major surface of the door and an edge of a planar portion of the second major surface of the door.

11. The partition system of claim 8 wherein the projection on the first lateral surface on the door is defined by a pair of linear surfaces meeting along a ridge.

12. The partition system of claim 8 further comprising a second pilaster, the second pilaster comprising:

a first major surface;

a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and

a concave first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces

wherein the door further comprises a convex second lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces on the door, the convex second lateral surface at least partially received within the recess on the second pilaster when the door is in the closed position.

13. A lavatory partition system comprising:

a first pilaster comprising;

a first major surface;

a second major surface opposite the first major surface;

a concave first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces,

wherein the concave first lateral surface intersects the first major surface along a first edge and intersects the second major surface along a second edge,

wherein the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster is recessed within the first pilaster from the first edge and the second edge and is symmetric about a centerline between the first major surface of the first pilaster and the second major surface of the first pilaster;

a second pilaster comprising a recess;

a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable between a closed position and an open position, the door comprising;

a first major surface;

a second major surface opposite the first major surface;

a convex first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces; and

a convex second lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces;

wherein the convex first lateral surface on the door extends into the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster portion to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam when the door is in the closed position;

wherein the convex first lateral surface on the door rotates within the concave first lateral surface on the first pilaster as the door rotates between opened and closed positions;

wherein the convex second lateral surface on the door is at least partially received within the recess on the second pilaster when the door is in the closed position; and

wherein the convex second lateral surface on the door is spaced apart from the second pilaster when the door is in the open position.

14. The partition system of claim 13 further comprising a second pilaster, the second pilaster comprising a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface on the second pilaster, and a concave first lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces on the second pilaster;

wherein the door further comprises a convex second lateral surface extending between the first and second major surfaces on the door, the convex second lateral surface on the door at least partially received within the recess on the second pilaster when the door is in the closed position.