Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – With hood – canopy – shield storage chamber – or outrigged... – For roll type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-30
2004-04-06
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
With hood, canopy, shield storage chamber, or outrigged...
For roll type
C160S242000, C248S269000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715526
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention broadly relates to rollup shades and doors.
2. Prior Art
Open offices typically have work spaces divided by partitions into cubicles. The partitions do not reach the ceiling, and the entries to the cubicles do not have doors. Such an open arrangement lacks privacy, and encourages frequent interruptions by co-workers that reduce productivity. Some workers resort to placing plants or bookcases in the entries to deter interruptions.
Light duty doors for cubicle entries are known among the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,826 to Witter et al and U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,250 to Pichik et al. disclose barriers which are pulled across the entry from one edge and secured to the other edge. Because of the tension in the barrier, brackets much be screwed or otherwise securely attached to the edges of the entry. The installation is inconvenient, and since it may leave holes on the edges of the entry, such devices may not be approved by the employer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, objects of the present cubicle door are:
to deter interruptions;
to increase privacy;
to be installable within seconds;
to be installable without damaging the cubicle;
to be installable on cubicles with panels of different thickness;
to be installable on cubicles with different entry arrangements; and
to be changeable for fitting cubicle entry ways of different widths.
The present cubicle door is comprised of first and second brackets for wrapping over the top edges of a cubicle panel on opposite sides of the entry way. The brackets are sized to fit the panel. Alternatively, the brackets are wide enough to fit panels of different thickness, and resilient pads on the inside of the brackets adapt to different panels. A roller blind has a proximal end hinged by a pivot to the first bracket. The roller blind has a distal end which is removably supported on a support attached to the second bracket. The end of the roller blind is received in either one of perpendicular grooves on top of the support. The grooves allow the roller blind to meet the second support at different fixed angles to fit the shape of the entry way. Alternatively, a rotatable turret with a notch is arranged on the second bracket. The roller blind is received in the notch, and the second bracket may be oriented at different angles relative to the roller blind by rotating the turret.
REFERENCES:
patent: 193573 (1877-07-01), Tripp
patent: 930554 (1909-08-01), Moody
patent: 2747927 (1956-05-01), Burkhead
patent: 3203467 (1965-08-01), Wulk
patent: 3321164 (1967-05-01), Petrick
patent: 3989213 (1976-11-01), Allen
patent: 4261411 (1981-04-01), Dieterich
patent: 5275220 (1994-01-01), Siegal
patent: 5419015 (1995-05-01), Garcia
patent: 6253826 (2001-07-01), Witter et al.
patent: 6330898 (2001-12-01), Chang
patent: 6435250 (2002-08-01), Pichik et al.
patent: 6601638 (2003-08-01), Lafleur
Printouts from cubedoor.com web site showing an office cubicle door. 2 sheets.
Anderson Richard R.
Brownfield Roderick A.
Johnson Blair M.
Lo Jack
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