Claims
- 1. A partition system comprising:
a partition frame having front and rear sides and opposing vertical side edges, and having vertically-spaced horizontally-oriented first and second beams that extend between the vertical side edges; a utility management bracket attached vertically between the first and second beams, the bracket defining at least one forwardly-open horizontal front channel with open ends and at least one rearwardly-open horizontal rear channel with open ends, with the front and rear channels being adapted to receive wires laid in from the front side and the rear side, respectively; and at least one front cover and at least one rear cover releasably attached to the partition frame that aesthetically cover the front and rear sides, including the utility management bracket.
- 2. The partition system defined in claim 1, including a wire-retention bracket attached to the utility management bracket across an open side of one of the front and rear channels for retaining wiring within the one channel.
- 3. The partition system defined in claim 2, wherein the wire retention bracket includes snap-attach connectors for snap-attachment to the utility management bracket.
- 4. The partition system defined in claim 1, wherein the utility management bracket further includes apertures forming at least one wire-feed-through channel with open ends that face the vertical side edges.
- 5. The partition system defined in claim 4, wherein the utility management bracket includes front and rear separate bracket components attached to the frame in a back-to-back relationship, the front and rear bracket components having notches that, when attached back-to-back, form the at least one wire-feed-through channel.
- 6. The partition system defined in claim 1, wherein the utility management bracket includes up tabs and down tabs for engaging mating apertures in the first and second beams to retain the utility management bracket in place.
- 7. The partition system defined in claim 1, including a utility-outlet-support bracket attached between the first and second beams and adjacent the utility management bracket, the utility-outlet-support bracket being configured and adapted to support utility outlets.
- 8. A partition system comprising:
a partition frame having front and rear sides, and vertical side edges, and having vertically-spaced horizontally-oriented first and second beams that extend between the vertical side edges, the first and second beams having a first depth dimension; a utility management first bracket attached vertically between the first and second beams, the first bracket defining at least one forwardly-open horizontal front channel with open ends, the front channel being adapted to receive wires laid in from the front side, the first bracket having a second depth dimension that is at most half of the first depth dimension of the first and second beams, so that another bracket identical in depth to the first bracket can be attached behind the first bracket; and at least one front cover and at least one rear cover releasably attached to the partition frame that aesthetically cover the front and rear sides.
- 9. A partition system comprising:
first and second panel frames interconnected at an angle in plan view to form a concave corner, the first and second panel frames defining at least one horizontally-extending lay-in continuous channel on an outside of the first and second panel frames that is adapted to receive wiring laid into the channel around the concave corner; and first and second covers attached to the first and second panel frames, the first and second covers each having an inner surface enclosing the at least one horizontally-extending lay-in channel on the respective first and second panel frames; the first and second covers each having inner and outer surfaces defining a thickness and including abutting side edges at the concave corner, and further at least one of the first and second covers including an angled edge portion on the one cover+s inner surface that forms a reduced thickness at the abutting side edges so as to enlarge the horizontally-extending lay-in channel under the first and second covers at the concave corner, the angled edge portion providing relief adapted to reduce a sharpness of a bend in the wiring as the wiring extends around the concave corner.
- 10. The partition system defined in claim 9, including wiring extending along the lay-in channels in the first and second panel frames around the concave corner.
- 11. The partition system defined in claim 10, wherein the first and second panel frame s include at least one retainer on the first and second panel frames shaped to retain the wiring close to the first and second panel frames proximate the concave corner.
- 12. The partition system defined in claim 9, wherein the first cover includes an aesthetic outer surface defining a planar face and an angled flange forming the angled edge portion, the angled flange extending outboard of the planar face defined by the aesthetic outer surface.
- 13. A partition panel comprising;
a partition frame having at least two vertical posts, at least two horizontal beams, the posts each including a vertical row of regularly-spaced slots extending from a top to a bottom of the posts, and the horizontal beams each including a horizontal row of regularly-spaced slots extending from one end to an opposite end of the beams and across the posts; and at least one cover panel attached to the partition frame and aesthetically covering at least a portion of a side of the partition frame between the vertical and horizontal rows of regularly-spaced slots but providing access to the vertical and horizontal rows of regularly-spaced slots.
- 14. The partition panel defined in claim 13, wherein the partition frame includes adjustable feet on the partition frame supporting the partition frame.
- 15. The partition panel defined in claim 13, wherein the vertical row of regularly-spaced slots extend completely from a top to a bottom of the at least two vertical posts.
- 16. The partition panel defined in claim 13, including a plurality of accessories each having hooks shaped to selectively engage a set of slots in one or more of the vertical and horizontal row of slots, and that are positionable and attachable to the partition frame in horizontal positions corresponding to any of the horizontal slots regardless of a position of the posts.
- 17. A slatwall construction suitable for use in a workspace, comprising:
upper and lower slatwall components; and an interlock feature including a first overlap flange formed integrally on a top of the lower slatwall component and a second overlap flange integrally formed on a bottom of the upper slatwall component, the first and second overlap flanges including first and second L-shaped sections that overlap and interlockingly engage, at least one of the upper and lower slatwall components further including a retainer flange forming a gap with the first and second overlap flanges; and a plurality of wedging fasteners that extend into the gap and cause the first and second overlap flanges to frictionally engage in front and rear locations to form a torsionally-strong joint that resists bending, whereby the interlock feature securely attaches the upper and lower slatwall components together in a rigid horizontal connection that resists bending.
- 18. The slatwall construction defined in claim 17, wherein the plurality of wedging fasteners extend from a backside of the upper and lower slatwall components into the gap.
- 19. The slatwall construction defined in claim 17, wherein the wedging fasteners include screws.
- 20. The slatwall construction defined in claim 17, wherein the sections of the first and second overlap flanges have lips that interfit and grip when the overlap flanges are wedged together by the wedging fasteners.
- 21. The slatwall construction defined in claim 17, wherein the slatwall components are extruded components, one of the upper and lower slatwall components including both the first overlap flange and the retainer flange which define a space therebetween, and the second overlap flange and screw have a combined vertical dimension that fills the space to cause the first and second overlap flanges to wedge together.
- 22. A partition system comprising:
a partition panel having a panel frame with front and rear sides and having vertical posts and horizontal beams defining an opening through the front and rear sides; a window tile; a pair of side brackets engaging and covering inboard surfaces on the posts and at least partially covering front and rear surfaces on the posts; top and bottom trim brackets with ends engaging the side brackets and with bodies covering visible surfaces on the horizontal beams that define a part of the opening; and upper and lower window retaining brackets including flanges capturing edges of the window tile and retaining the window tile to the panel frame.
- 23. The partition system defined in claim 22, wherein the side brackets have legs that resiliently engage opposing front and rear surfaces of the posts to temporarily retain the side brackets in place until the top and bottom trim brackets are also installed.
- 24. The partition system defined in claim 22, wherein the top and bottom trim brackets include end sections with protruding detents that engage apertures in the side brackets for retaining the trim brackets in an installed position.
- 25. The partition system defined in claim 22, wherein the upper and lower window retaining brackets include spring clips that resiliently and securely engage apertures in the beams to retain the window tile in an installed position.
- 26. A partition system comprising:
a partition panel having a panel frame with front and rear sides and having vertical posts and horizontal beams defining an opening through the front and rear sides; a planar tile having top and bottom edges; trim components attached to the panel frames to cover portions of the posts and beams; and upper and lower retaining brackets including J flanges that engage and capture the top and bottom edges of the planar tile to retain the planar tile to the panel frame, the J flanges including rear surfaces having a plurality of horizontally-spaced aperture patterns thereon, and the retaining brackets further including spring clips with legs engaging the aperture patterns on the rear surface in a location not visible from the front side of the partition panel.
- 27. The partition system defined in claim 26, wherein the planar tile has an erasable surface.
- 28. The partition system defined in claim 26, wherein the panel frame includes a vertical row of slots, and including a tray and brackets supporting the tray, the brackets including hooks for selectively engaging the slots to support the tray at a selected height on the partition panel and in front of the erasable surface.
- 29. The partition system defined in claim 26, wherein the partition panel includes a cover panel covering the panel frame, and wherein the spring clips include a release tab and are non-removable except by use of a tool that extends between the panel frame and the cover panel into engagement with the release tab.
- 30. A partition panel comprising:
a panel frame including apertures; a component including spring clips releasably engaging the apertures to retain the component on the panel frame; and a security clip positioned on and engaging one of the spring clips to prevent unauthorized removal of the spring clip.
- 31. The partition panel defined in claim 30, wherein the security clip engages a resilient portion of the one spring clip.
- 32. A security system comprising:
a one-piece spring clip made. of high-strength resilient metal, the clip having angled sections forming a wedge-shaped section adapted to releasably engage apertures in a first component to retain a second component to the first component; and a separate security clip positioned in the wedge-shaped section to prevent unauthorized removal of the spring clip.
- 33. The security system defined in claim 32, wherein the security clip is pre-assembled to the spring clip to form a subassembly capable of simultaneous installation.
- 34. The security system defined in claim 32, wherein the security clip includes a leg that can be actuated to release the security clip and permit removal of the security clip and the spring clip.
- 35. A furniture system comprising:
a partition panel having a panel frame defining first and second rows of horizontal slots; a worksurface; and a worksurface support including a first bracket selectively engaging the first row of 5 horizontal slots, a second bracket selectively engaging the second row of horizontal slots in a vertically aligned condition with the first bracket, and a third bracket engaging and capturing the first and second brackets to retain the first and second brackets in the vertically aligned condition and in a non-releasable interlocked engagement with the first and second rows of slots.
- 36. The furniture system defined in claim 35, including a cantilever bracket attached to the worksurface and engaging at least one of the first, second, and third brackets for supporting the worksurface on the panel frame.
- 37. The furniture system defined in claim 35, wherein the third bracket telescopingly vertically engages the first and second brackets during assembly.
- 38. The furniture system defined in claim 35, wherein the panel frame includes a vertical row of slots and further including an anchoring fourth bracket engaging the vertical row of slots and the worksurface for retaining a rear edge of the worksurface close to the panel frame, so that a weight of the worksurface remains close to the panel frame in a manner minimizing a torque on the worksurface from a weight of the worksurface that would cause the worksurface to move away from the panel frame.
- 39. An apparatus comprising:
a partition panel having a panel frame member with at least one horizontal row of regularly-spaced slots; and a one-piece bracket including first and second parallel arms and a bendable loop connecting the parallel arms, the first and second parallel arms each including a free end with first and second hooks, respectively, formed thereon and extending laterally so that when the first and second hooks are engaged with selected ones of the slots in the partition panel, the first and second parallel arms extend vertically parallel a face of the partition panel; the first and second hooks each having a front portion adapted to engage a front of the panel frame member, a rear portion adapted to fit through the selected slots and engage an interior surface of the panel frame member, and a neck portion extending between the front portion and the rear portion, the first and second hooks being shaped so that the first and second hooks can be installed upon deforming the bendable loop and upon manipulating the bracket, but further being shaped so that the first and second hooks cannot be removed from the selected slots unless the bendable loop is again deformed.
- 40. The apparatus defined in claim 39, wherein the neck of the second hook on the second arm is longer than the neck on the first hook of the first arm.
- 41. The apparatus defined in claim 39, wherein the rear portion of the second hook on the second arm is longer than the rear portion on the first hook of the first arm.
- 42. The apparatus defined in claim 39, wherein the rear portion of the second hook on the second arm has a length not greater than a corresponding length of. the associated slot that the second hook engages, while the rear portion of the first hook on the first arm has a length not less than the corresponding length of the associated slot which the first hook engages.
- 43. A partition cover adapted to aesthetically cover part of a partition frame, comprising:
a panel body with an aesthetic outer surface, an inner surface, a vertical side edge, and top and bottom edges; a recess being defined between the top and bottom edges at the vertical side edge; the panel body being configured and adapted to engage the partition frame and support the panel body to aesthetically cover part of the partition frame; and a light seal adjustably retained on the panel body and adjustably extendable from the recess to expose different amounts of the light seal along the vertical side edge, whereby the light seal can be used to selectively cover differently-sized gaps between the panel body and an adjacent structure spaced from the vertical side edge.
- 44. The partition cover as defined in claim 43, wherein the panel body and light seal define a detent system defining a plurality of discrete positions for the light seal.
- 45. The partition cover as defined in claim 44, wherein the plurality of discrete positions include at least three positions and where the light seal includes a resilient detent finger and the panel body includes apertures engaged by the finger.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/077,553, filed Feb. 15, 2002, entitled PANEL SYSTEM, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein in its entirety. Further, the present application is related to application Ser. No. 10/076,709, filed Feb. 15, 2002, entitled PANEL SYSTEM WITH MODULAR APPLIANCE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT, the entire contents of which are also incorporated herein in its entirety.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10077553 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Child |
10367249 |
Feb 2003 |
US |