Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural strip – slat – or panel type – Portable
Patent
1996-01-17
1998-09-08
Purol, David M.
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural strip, slat, or panel type
Portable
1602312, A47G 500
Patent
active
058031464
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a modular partition system that has a variety of applications such as subdividing office space, erecting temporary shelters, etc. The modular partition system is characterised by being lightweight, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Temporary modular partition systems are used in a wide variety of business applications. A good example is exhibition halls where the area allocated to each participant is enclosed by an assembly of panels forming an individual booth. A booth design may require a considerable development effort from an aesthetical point of view and typically the owner would use the same booth in several presentation events that are scheduled at different geographical locations. Therefore, portability of the booth becomes an important design criterion.
The industry has developed a wide variety of partition systems, particularly for temporary usage, with the objectives in mind of providing the user with a low. cost product, that is portable and easy to assemble. Many of the proposed constructions, however, fall short of the intended objectives. In many instances, the assembly procedure is complicated because fasteners are used to join together various parts which requires from the owner to supply hand tools. Another drawback is the high cost and often excessive weight of such prior art modular partitions.
OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is a partition system that is inexpensive to manufacture, lightweight and that does not require fasteners such as screws or clamps for being assembled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a partition system comprising: panel including: connected in a non-collinear relationship at mating ends thereof to form a closed polygonal figure, first and second ones of said plurality of frame members including a transverse wall from which project two side walls in a spaced apart relationship defining therebetween an elongated channel that extends along a longitudinal axis of the frame member, one of said side walls including at an end portion thereof a projection extending toward the other of said side walls, a third of said plurality of frame members comprising end portions capable of engaging respective ones of said first and second frame members, each said end portions including a groove spaced from a respective extremity of said third frame member by a distance not exceeding a depth of said channel, thereby allowing to engage the end portions of said third member in said first and second frame members by mating the projections thereof in the grooves at the end portions of the third frame member; respective channels of said first and second frame members; generally parallel relationship to one another for joining said panels together.
The partition system broadly defined above achieves the objectives of this invention by virtue of the tongue and groove connection between the frame members that allows an easy and fastener-free assembly of each panel. An interesting characteristic of the invention is the structural interrelationship between the frame and the panel member. The latter is stiff enough to rigidify the assembly and enable it to carry its intended weight.
The ability of the panel member to enhance the structural integrity of the structure allows to relax the manufacturing tolerances of the frame members making assembly still easier. Any excessive looseness in the tongue and groove joints that may develop as a result of wear will not compromise the stability of the panel structure since the stiff panel member significantly limits the angular movement between the frame members. Stated otherwise, even if the joints between the frame members are loose, once assembled the partition system acquires substantial rigidity.
In a most preferred embodiment, all frame members have a longitudinally extending channel that provides the frame of the panel with a continuous inwardly facing peripheral groove
REFERENCES:
patent: 4166332 (1979-09-01), Donovan
patent: 4467854 (1984-08-01), Godfrey
patent: 4830080 (1989-05-01), Densen
patent: 5092385 (1992-03-01), Beaulieu
patent: 5339576 (1994-08-01), Fussler
patent: 5450694 (1995-09-01), Goranson et al.
patent: 5486391 (1996-01-01), Tyner
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