Patent Application
20230133782
The present disclosure relates to screens or partition walls that are configured to subdivide a defined space.
Partition walls may be utilized to subdivide a defined space.
A partition system includes a primary wall and a secondary wall. The primary wall has a first frame. The secondary wall has a second frame that is secured to the first frame via a hinge such that the secondary wall is rotatable about an axis relative to the primary wall. The hinge is arranged such that adjacent side edges of the first and second frames define a gap therebetween when the secondary wall is in a nonplanar position relative to the primary wall. The hinge is further arranged such that the adjacent side edges of the first and second frames contact each other and close the gap when the secondary wall is in a substantially planar position relative to the primary wall.
A partition system includes a primary wall, a secondary wall, and an extension panel. The primary wall has a first frame. The secondary wall has a second frame that is secured to the first frame such that the secondary wall is rotatable about an axis relative to the primary wall. The second frame defines an internal cavity and a slot along an outer side edge. The extension panel is slidably secured to the second frame within the internal cavity. The extension panel is configured to slide at least partially into and out of the internal cavity via the slot.
A partition system includes a primary wall, a secondary wall, and a subdivider panel. The primary wall has a first frame. The secondary wall has a second frame secured to the first frame such that the secondary wall is rotatable about a first axis between a substantially planar position and a nonplanar position relative to the primary wall. The subdivider panel is rotatably secured to the second frame such that the subdivider panel is configured to pivot about a second axis relative to the second frame. The subdivider panel is configured to transition between a first position that is substantially parallel with the secondary wall and a second position that radially offset from secondary wall along the second axis.
A partition system includes support base, a primary wall, and a secondary wall. The primary wall has a first frame rotatably secured to the support base such that the primary wall is configured to pivot about a first substantially vertical axis relative to the support base. The secondary wall has a second frame secured to the first frame via a hinge such that the secondary wall is rotatable about a second substantially vertical axis relative to the primary wall.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
Many of the workers in today's workforce are transitioning to a work-from-home setting. This has many advantages for both employees and employers. For example, employee commute time is eliminated, costs associated with commuting (e.g., fuel cost, public transportation cost, etc.) is eliminated, the required amount commercial space to operate is reduced, etc. Working from home, however, may have some drawbacks. For example, with the advent of facetime meetings the decor within the background of one's home may not represent a desired professional environment. On the other hand, it is also not desirable to transition the decor of one's home into a traditional workspace. The partition system described herein solves this problem. More specifically, the partition system may be arranged such that a first side has a more office friendly decor and a second side has a more home friendly decor. The first side of the partition system, having the more office friendly decor, may be placed within the field of view of the camera capturing video during facetime meetings such that the first side of the partition system encompasses the entire background of the camera's field of view. The second side of the partition system, having the more home friendly decor, may be positioned toward the main living space within the home.
Referring to
The second frame 30 and the third frame 32 each include a top member 36, a bottom member 38, and two side members 40 forming a box or rectangular shape. The first frame 28 may have a similar structure as the second frame 30 and the third frame 32 (i.e., the first frame 28 may have a top member, a bottom member, and two side members forming a box or rectangular shape). Alternatively, and as showing in
The first frame 28 may also have a wider base or footprint relative to the second frame 30 and the third frame 32. Therefore, additional support members 52 may be secured to the sub-frames 42 within the spaces defined between the top members 44, bottom members 46, and side members 48 of the sub-frames 42. The additional support members 52 may be secured to top members 44 and bottom members 46 via fasteners.
The partition system 20 may further include a support base 54. The primary wall 22 maybe secured to the support base 54. More specifically, the first frame 28 of the primary wall 22 may be rotatably secured to the support base 54 such that the primary wall 22 is configured to pivot about a first axis 56 relative to the support base 54. The first axis 56 may be a substantially vertical axis. Substantially vertical may refer to any incremental angle that is between exactly vertical and 15° from exactly vertical. A post 58 may extend upward from the base 54 and through an orifice defined in the lower bottom member 44 of the first frame 28. A bushing 60 may be disposed within the orifice defined in the lower bottom member 44 of the first frame 28. The bushing 60 may be rigidly affixed to the lower bottom member 44 of the first frame 28. The post 58 may be rigidly affixed to the base 54 and may extend through the bushing 60. The post 58 may be secured to the base 54 via a fastener and a keyed engagement between a protrusion on the bottom of the post 58 and a keyed orifice defined in the base 54 in order to prevent relative rotational movement between the post 58 and the base 54. The entire primary wall 22 may be configured to pivot about the first axis 56 relative to the support base 54 via relative rotational movement between the bushing 60 and the post 58.
An A-frame support 62 may be rigidly secured to the top of the lower bottom member 44 of the first frame 28 and rotatably secured to the post 58 to provide additional support to the first frame 22. More specifically, the A-frame support 62 may be rotatably secured to the post 58 via a pin or fastener 64 that engages the post 58. The fastener 64 may include threads that engage either the post 58 or the A-frame support 62 and an unthreaded portion that engages the other of the post 58 or the A-frame support 62 so that the fastener 64 is rigidly affixed to the one of the post 58 and the A-frame support 62 and rotatably engages the other of the post 58 and the A-frame support 62. A first washer 66 may be disposed between the A-frame support 62 and the post 58 in order to reduce or absorb the friction between the A-frame support 62 and the post 58 during rotation of the primary wall 22 relative to base 54. A second washer 68 may be disposed between the A-frame support 62 and the fastener 64 in order to reduce or absorb the friction between the A-frame support 62 and the fastener 64 during rotation of the primary wall 22 relative to base 54, particularly if the fastener 64 is rigidly secured to the post 58 and rotatably secured to the A-frame support 62. If the fastener 64 is rotatably secured to the post 58 and rigidly secured to the A-frame support 62, the second washer 68 may not be required.
Referring now to
100251 The second frame 30 and the third frame 32 are each secured to first frame 28 via a pair of hinges 34 (i.e., one hinge along the top and one hinge along the bottom for each connection) such that secondary wall 24 and the tertiary wall 26 are each rotatable about relative to the primary wall 22. More specifically, the secondary wall 24 may be rotatable about the hinges 34 relative to the primary wall 22 via a second axis 70 and the tertiary wall 26 may be rotatable about the hinges 34 relative to the primary wall 22 via a third axis 72. The second axis 70 and the third axis 72 may each be substantially vertical axes. Substantially vertical may refer to any incremental angle that is between exactly vertical and 15° from exactly vertical.
The hinges 34 are arranged such that adjacent side edges 74 of the first frame 28 and the second frame 30 are sufficiently spaced apart to define a gap 76 therebetween when the secondary wall 24 is in a nonplanar position relative to the primary wall 22. The secondary wall 24 being in a nonplanar position relative to the primary wall 22 is depicted in
The hinges 34 each include a first plate 78 that is secured to the first frame 28, a second plate 80 that is secured to the second frame 30, and a pivot 82 that defines the second axis 70 and rotatably secures the first plate 78 to the second plate 80. The pivot 82 may be horizontally offset from the first frame 28 and the second frame 30. Stated in other terms the pivot 82, and the portions both the first plate 78 and the second plate 80 that receive the pivot 82, overhang the first frame 28 and the second frame 30. The pivot 82 may be a pin or a fastener. If the pivot 82 is a fastener, the pivot 82 may extends through a through hole defined by the second plate 80 and may engage a threaded orifice defined by the first plate 78, or vice versa. The second plate 80 may define a notch 84 configured to receive the first plate 78 when the secondary wall 24 is in the substantially planar position relative to the primary wall 22, or vice versa.
The hinges 34 may be secured to the frames (i.e., first frame 28, second frame 30, or third frame 32) via fasteners 86. More specifically, each first plate 78 and each second plate 80 may be secured to blocks 88 (See
Referring now to
Each pivot 102 may be a pin or a fastener. More specifically, each pivot 102 may be a fastener and thumb nut combination or a thumb screw for ease of assembly and disassembly. If the pivots 102 are thumb screws, each pivot 102 may extend through a through hole defined by an offset arm 104 that extends from each subdivider panels 94, 96 and may engage a tapped hole 106 defined by either the first plate 78 or the second plate 80 of the hinge. If the pivots 102 are fastener and thumb nut combinations, hole 106 may also be a through hole. A friction reducing pad or plate 108 may be disposed between each offset arm 104 and the first plate 78 or the second plate 80 in order to reduce or absorb the friction between the offset arms 104 and the first plates 78 or the second plates 80 while the subdivider panels 94, 96 are being rotated.
The first subdivider panel 94 and the second subdivider panel 96 are each configured to transition between first positions 110 that are substantially parallel with the secondary wall 24 and tertiary wall 26, respectively, and second positions 112 that are radially offset from secondary wall 24 and tertiary wall 26, respectively, relative to the fourth and fifth axes 98, 100, respectively. The second subdivider panel 96 is shown to be in the first position 110 in
Referring to
The extension panel system includes an extension panel 114 that is slidable into and out of the secondary wall 24. The extension panel 114 effectively increases the overall width the secondary wall 24 when extended, as illustrated in
The extension panel 114 may be secured to the second frame 30 by any slidable mechanism known in the art (e.g., a ball screw/ball nut combination, via roller or ball bearings disposed within a linear guide, bearing and rail combination, etc.). More, specifically, the extension panel 114 may be secured (e.g., via fasteners) to one or more bearing blocks 120 that are slidable along rails 122. The rails 122 in turn may be secured (e.g., via fasteners) to the second frame 30 within the internal cavity 116. The extension panel 114 has been removed in
Referring to
The members forming the frames of each wall may be constructed to have a particular functional cross-sectional shape. More specifically, the members forming the frames of each wall may have features, such as protrusions or extensions, defining internal spaces, channels, T-slots, etc. The members forming the frames of each wall may be extruded components, such as extruded aluminum or extruded plastic components. The cross-section 124 in
Each cross-section 124, 126, 128 defines outwardly facing T-slots 130. The outwardly facing T-slots 130 are configured to receive L-brackets 132. The L-brackets 132 are depicted in
Each cross-section 124, 126, 128 also defines outwardly extending channels 136. The adjacent members (e.g., top members 36, 44, bottom members 38, 46, and side members 40, 48) of each frame (e.g., the first frame 28, second frame 30, and third frame 32) are arranged such that the channels 136 of the members align to form a single channel that extends along or about an outer periphery of each wall (i.e., primary wall 22, secondary wall 24, and tertiary wall 26). In the case of the primary wall 22, notches may be cut into some of the members (e.g., top members, 44, bottom members 46, and/or side members 48) so that the single channel that extends along or about the outer periphery of the primary wall 22 is connected between adjacent sub-frames 42. Alternatively, such notches may be omitted so that the primary wall 22 includes separate channels that extend along or about an outer periphery of each sub-frame 42.
Graphic displays 138 may be disposed with the channels 136. More specifically, the graphic displays 138 may have outer edges 140 that are disposed within the channels 136 and an image portion 142 that within the outer edges. The graphic displays may more specifically be silicone edge graphics (SEGs). The graphic displays 138 may cover an area on both sides of each wall (i.e., primary wall 22, secondary wall 24, and tertiary wall 26) that has an outer perimeter formed by the single channel that extends along or about the outer periphery of each wall. In the alternative, if the primary wall 22 includes separate channels that extend along or about the outer periphery of each sub-frame 42, then separate graphic displays 138 may be disposed on both sides of each sub-frame, where each graphic display 138 covers an area that has an outer perimeter formed by the single channel that extends along or about the outer periphery of each sub-frame 42. The image portion 142 of the graphic displays 138 along one side of the partition system 22 may have a more office friendly image or decor (e.g., a company logo) while the image portion 142 of the graphic displays 138 along the other side of the partition system 22 may have a more home friendly decor (e.g., artwork that is to the liking of the homeowner).
Sound proofing 144 boards may be disposed within the internal spaces 146 of each wall (i.e., primary wall 22, secondary wall 24, and tertiary wall 26). The sound proofing boards 144 may also function as or may be replaced by filters to filter the air around the partition system 20. Additional T-slots 148 or other channels (e.g., cutouts in the top members 36, 44, bottom members 38, 46, and/or side members 40, 48) may be defined by the walls (i.e., primary wall 22, secondary wall 24, and tertiary wall 26) or frames (i.e., first frame 28, second frame, and 30 third frame 32). The additional T-slots 148 may be utilized to mount addition structures or devices within the internal spaces 146. The additional T-slots 148 or other channels (e.g., cutouts in the top members 36, 44, bottom members 38, 46, and/or side members 40, 48) may be utilized to route electrical wires to various devices that may be used in conjunction with or are mounted to the partition system 20 (e.g., lamps, fans for filtrations system, etc.).
It is noted that the cross-section in
It is also noted that at least some of the walls and their corresponding frames are depicted as having a flat side (see the side of the primary wall 22 facing the bottom of the page in
Referring to
It should be understood that the designations of first, second, third, fourth, etc. for any component, state, or condition described herein may be rearranged in the claims so that they are in chronological order with respect to the claims.
The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and may be desirable for particular applications.
