Office panelling system with a monitor screen mounted on a cantilevered adjustable arm

• US 5,321,579 A
• Filed: 06/05/1992
• Issued: 06/14/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teknion Furniture Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Teknion Furniture Systems Limited
• Inventors: Crinion, Jonathan, Brown, Mortimer
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/894,613
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 160/135, 248/225.1, 248/278, 248/279, 248/282, 248/917-923, 312/223.1, 312/223.3, 312/223.6, 312/7.2, 52/36, 52/220, 52/221, 52/238.1, 52/239, 52/36.1-36.6, 52/220.1-220.8, 174/48, 364/708, 364/708.1, 361/380, 361/390, 361/392, 361/393, 361/394, 361/395, 361/399, 361/415, 361/427-429, 361/681, 361/682, 361/724-727, 361/825, 358/254
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/006 having an incorporated display screen
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/01 Office wall with desktop function
• 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 2/7416 with free upper edge, e.g. for use as office space dividers
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7483 Details of furniture, e.g. tables or shelves, associated with the partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2085 comprising means allowing sideward adjustment, i.e. left-right translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/068 being part of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/92 Angular and linear video display screen support adjustment

Abstract

The present invention is directed to office panelling systems and, in particular, an office panelling system wherein a flat electronic display screen is incorporated within or directly supported by an office panel, with the display screen visible to one side of the panel. The office panel with the display screen located therein greatly enhances the amount of work space available at an associated work station, which otherwise would have a CRT supported on the work surface. The depth of the work surface can be cut down if the work station is primarily used for a dedicated data entry station or computer work station. In other cases, the computer monitor screen is a flat thin profile screen mounted on an adjustable arm supported at a position adjacent the panel whereby the spacing of the screen from the panel is adjustable by varying the effective length of the arm.

Claims

1. In an office panelling system having a number of interconnected panels used to subdivide an office space with the panels being less than 5 inches in thickness, an adjustably mounted flat electronic display having an adjustable securing arm secured to a mounting rail of one of said panels, said adjustable securing arm accommodating variable positioning of said display screen in front of the panel to which the securing arm is attached, said securing arm and display screen being movable from a storage position with said display screen generally flat against said panel to a forward operating position in front of and variably separated from said panel.

2. In an office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said securing arm is a bifolded arm hingedly attached at said panel and hingedly attached at said display screen.

3. In an office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said securing arm is attached to a horizontal rail of said panel exposed between decorative elements of said panel and wherein said securing arm is slidable along said horizontal rail.

4. In an office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panel includes a recessed area for at least partially accommodating said display screen when said display screen is in the storage position.

5. In an office panelling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said display screen is movable to a forward position at least 12 inches in front of said panel.

6. In an office panelling system having a multiplicity of discrete office panels interconnected to subdivide an open area in a particular manner and a work surface immediately in front of one of said panels, said one panel and said work surface cooperating to define a work station including a thin profile display monitor and a keyboard, said display monitor being supported in a cantilevered manner by an adjustable securing arm attached adjacent said panel above said work surface, said securing arm and said screen cooperating to position said screen at any position between a storage position adjacent said panel to a forward position in front of said panel and above said work surface whereby an operator may freely adjust the position of said display monitor to a desired operating position and return the display monitor to a storage position immediately adjacent the panel to allow additional work surface utilization for other tasks when said display monitor is in the storage position.

7. In an office panelling system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said adjustable securing arm is a bifolded arm with a first arm hingedly attached at said panel and a second arm hingedly attached at said display screen, with said first and second arms being hingedly secured to form said bifolded arm.

8. An adjustably mounted electronic display screen arrangement comprising:

an office panel less than 5 inches thick,

a flat, thin profile electronic display screen,

an adjustable securing arm, and

a horizontally extending mounting rail forming part of said office panel;

said flat electronic display screen being mounted at one end of said adjustable securing arm with an opposite end of said securing arm being slidably secured for horizontal sliding movement along said horizontally extending mounting rail,

said adjustable securing arm adjacent said mounting rail having a hinge arrangement having a vertical hinge axis,

said adjustable securing arm adjacent said flat electronic display screen including a hinge arrangement having a vertical hinge axis with said flat electronic display screen pivotally movable about said hinge axis,

said flat electronic display screen being movable from a storage position immediately adjacent and flat against said office panel to an in use position in front of and spaced from said panel by said securing arm,

said securing arm in said storage position being generally parallel with the front of said office panel, with said securing arm being at an angle to the front of said office panel when said flat electronic display screen is in an in use position,

said in use position being variable by pivotting of said securing arm about said hinge axis adjacent said mounting rail.

9. An adjustably mounted display screen arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said securing arm is a bifolded securing arm foldable upon itself centrally and said securing arm is generally flat against said office panel when said flat electronic display screen is in the storage position.

10. An adjustably mounted display screen arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein said securing arm is made of flat plate vertically orientated such that the flat plate can fold against said office panel.

11. An adjustably mounted display screen as claimed in claim 10 wherein said horizontal rail is exposed between decorative elements of said panel.

12. An adjustably mounted display screen as claimed in claim 8 wherein said panel includes decorative cover elements on the face thereof and a recess is provided in said decorative cover elements for partially accommodating said display screen within the thickness of said panel when said display screen is in the storage position.

13. An adjustably mounted display screen arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said display screen is movable to an in use position at least 12 inches in front of said panel.