Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Including component designed to receive a disparate article... – Task-area type repositionable component
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-14
2004-06-01
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Including component designed to receive a disparate article...
Task-area type repositionable component
C052S036400, C052S239000, C108S060000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742307
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to office furnishing systems, and more particularly to a cubicle system including a continuous work surface extending uninterrupted horizontally along a length of a spine wall and a plurality of divider panels adjustably positioned at any point along a top of the work surface and releasably secured to the spine wall for readily, quickly and inexpensively adjusting a size for cubicles formed by the system. Additional related accessories may be secured at any point along the length of the spine wall as well.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent times ever more widespread use has been made in modem offices of partition walls constituted by modular elements that can be assembled in various possible configurations and used to divide an open area into several separate workspaces. The partition walls usually extend from the floor at least part way to the ceiling of the area in which they are fitted and may be equipped with auxiliary elements such as bookshelves, suspended fittings or cupboards attached to the walls. The main advantage of the use of such partition walls lies in the fact that the space available can be partitioned fairly quickly and easily and the elements originally used in one location can be re-used to furnish a different location. However, these walls are not very flexible in their use. The furnishing of an area partitioned by these walls is modified by re-hiring an installation team to breakdown the existing system and re-install it, after its initial fitting-out. Additionally, these cubicle systems are able to convert large open areas within an office into useable office work space.
A similar development, parallel to that indicated above, has also taken place in the field of office work-station furnishings (desks, boardroom tables, work surfaces for typists, etc.). In this field, it has also been proposed to use furnishing systems that provide for the assembly of modular elements in various possible configurations so as to fulfill the needs for ease, rapidity and flexibility of assembly.
Hitherto, separate modular furnishing systems have been proposed for partition walls and for screens and workstations respectively. In some cases, integrated modular systems have also been proposed and provide both partition walls and screens. Known modular-furnishing systems usually have a combined desk and paneling system, which provides an effective means for subdividing office space and defining work areas. Various prior patents show work surfaces positioned within areas divided by the paneling system. Certain of these systems provide for power and communication wires and cables to be distributed throughout the desk and paneling systems by running the wires and cables through the walls.
Examples of adjustable cubicle systems such as discussed above have been provided in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,375,802; 5,428,928; 5,852,904; 6,076,317 and 6,161,437 all are illustrative of such prior art and are discussed hereinbelow.
This invention relates to a space-dividing wall panel system having a plurality of base panels that are serially connectable one with the other to define a vertically enlarged wall supported on a floor. Each base panel is defined by at least one horizontal box-beam rigidly connected to a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical uprights, which are connected at the opposite ends of the box-beam and have a reduced thickness compared thereto. With this clearance between the faces of the box-beam and the uprights, the box-beam, cross rails at the ends of the uprights as well as additional extension panels are formed with longitudinally extending channels which are positioned free of interference with the vertical uprights and aligned with serially-adjacent channels of serially-adjacent wall panels. The channels provide a continuous linear track on the opposite sides of the upright which permit the connection of mounting hooks of furniture components and permit continuous, uninterrupted sliding or adjustment of the furniture components along the entire length of the aligned channels.
This invention relates to workstations that use a combination of office panels and bridge arrangements that are attached to and project at an angle from a spine of office panels. The office panel frames that partially define a workstation provide the convenience of power and communication cabling within the panel frames. The bridge arrangements provide a lower cost alternative defining other walls of the workstation while also providing a system that can be rearranged easily. The bridge arrangements are preferably self supporting in an upright orientation and can easily be detached from a horizontal securing channel of an office panel frame and moved to a new position.
This invention relates to a space-dividing wall panel system having a plurality of base panels that are serially connectable one with the other to define a vertically enlarged wall supported on a floor. Each base panel is defined by at least one horizontal box-beam rigidly connected to a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical uprights, which are connected at the opposite ends of the box-beam and have a reduced thickness compared thereto. With this clearance between the faces of the box-beam and the uprights, the box-beam, cross rails at the ends of the uprights as well as additional extension panels are formed with longitudinally extending channels which are positioned free of interference with the vertical uprights and aligned with serially-adjacent channels of serially-adjacent wall panels. The channels provide a continuous linear track on the opposite sides of the upright which permit the connection of mounting hooks of furniture components and permit continuous, uninterrupted sliding or adjustment of the furniture components.
This invention relates to a combined desking and paneling system, which provides an effective means for subdividing office space and defining work areas. Work surfaces are provided and can be independently supported or supported by the paneling system. Power and communication wires and cables are distributed through and between the desking and paneling systems.
This patent discloses a structural assembly for fastening together and disengaging a slotted supporting unit and a supported unit having adjustable gripping means mounted thereon co-operable with the slotted supporting unit to apply compressive forces to the supporting unit and resulting tensile forces to the supported unit in order to maintain the fastened together units facing planar relationship.
The above-described systems are able to divide an open area into a plurality of cubicle shaped workspaces. However, these systems can be awkward and clumsy while also not being easily assembled, altered or disassembled. Reconfiguration of prior systems typically requires complete or near complete dismantling. These systems create cubicles which are all of uniform size and require additional elements in order to provide a ready to use work space. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
It is thus desirable to provide an adjustable cubicle system including a continuous work surface extending along a length of a spine wall of the system. It is further desirable to provide an adjustable cubicle system including at least one dividing panel able to be selectively secured to the spine wall at any desired position therealong and extending perpendicularly thereto. It is still further desirable to provide an adjustable cubicle system wherein the dividing panel is able to be readily adjusted to produce cubicles of any desired size. It is even further desirable to provide an adjustable cubicle system including a plurality of dividing panels, each selectively securable to any position along the length of the spine wall to produce a plurality of cubicles, each cubicle being of a desired size. It is yet further des
Friedman Carl D.
Jack Schwartz & Assocs.
Slack Naoko
LandOfFree
Adjustable cubicle system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Adjustable cubicle system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adjustable cubicle system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3364205