QUICK ASSEMBLY MODULAR PARTITIONS

Abstract

A quick assembly and disassembly modular wall enclosure which comprises essentially a plurality of wall panel assemblies and interconnecting attachment hardware built into each of said wall panel assemblies. The attachment hardware is configured to interconnect the panel assemblies without the use of any additional, separately provided connecting elements and is further configured to enable erecting a surrounding wall structure that defines a fully surrounded interior space within.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to modular walls and, more particularly, to quick and easy to assemble and disassemble walls optimized for erecting sukkahs for the Jewish holiday of Succoth and, indeed, for general purposes as well, including office partitions.

Aspects of the sukka and its requirements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,311, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. In any event, erecting sukkas for families is sometimes challenging because sukka structures can be heavy, complicated to assemble and because they are sometimes erected by those who are not necessarily the most technically adept or mechanically handy. Oftentimes, the person who erects his or her sukka is of a comparatively advanced age or lacking in the strength needed to lift modular walls, as well as to assemble them together using intricate hardware and various tools. Another problem ensues from the need in the prior art to stow away the sukka panels and its various nuts, bolts and assembly tools each year at the conclusion of the holiday. Not infrequently, people discover that they have lost or misplaced some of the hardware, which they believe they have stowed during the prior Succoth holiday.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sukka design that does not require unduly heavy lifting efforts.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sukka design that allows assembly by a single person.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sukka design that facilitates erecting and disassembling the sukka by providing modular frame elements that are light and easy to quickly assemble/connect and disconnect from each other.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sukka design that disposes of the need to use and stow from year to year small, easy to lose or misplace, connection members, as the sukka frames described below incorporate the connection hardware and implements therewithin.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sukka design that produces a sturdy sukka booth and which retains its shape from year to year despite being exposed to the outdoors elements.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a sukka design that is optimized for use with a sukka cover that protects the contents of the sukka and its slat roof covering (s'chach) from inclement weather, particularly rain and winds.

It is also an object to the invention to provide a sukka covering that can be easily operated by a single person to cover the s'chach roof of the sukka during sudden whether changes.

The foregoing and other aspects of the invention are realized with a quick assembly and disassembly modular wall enclosure which comprises essentially a plurality of wall panel assemblies and interconnecting attachment hardware built into each of said wall panel assemblies. The attachment hardware is configured to interconnect the panel assemblies without the use of any additional, separately provided connecting elements and is further configured to enable erecting a surrounding wall structure that defines a fully surrounded interior space within.

In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, each of the plurality of wall panel assemblies comprises a rectangular frame structure into which said interconnecting attachment hardware is built-in, and each of said wall panel assemblies comprises an insertable panel which is removably attachable to the frame member.

Further, each of the insertable panels constitutes a construction selected from the group consisting of: a solid, opaque wall; a solid wall which is at least in part transparent; a frame and a swingable door held therein; a frame with a window defined therein; and a wall made of mesh materials which allows wind to pass therethrough. The interconnecting attachment hardware may comprise components that are juxtaposed between adjacently placed wall panel assemblies and which are aligned to interfit with one another in a manner which effects connection between adjacently placed wall panel assemblies. For example, the interconnecting attachment hardware comprises at least one generally pear-shaped opening in one wall panel assembly and a projecting bolt with an enlarged head on an opposing wall panel assembly, configured to be inserted into and catch the opening in the adjacent wall panel assembly. Alternatively, one wall assembly has a rectangular slot and another has an L-shaped arm that fits therein to thereby interconnect adjacent wall assemblies.

The wall assemblies may be configured of frame members having extending lips that define channels, wherein at least some of the frame members fit in channels of adjacent members and the corner members for interconnecting wall assemblies. The hardware may comprise embedded threaded bolts that are receivable in threaded sockets in adjacent wall panel assemblies.

To rigidify the structure, built-in, anti-bending hardware is provided to prevent bending of wall assemblies relative to each other, wherein the anti-bending hardware comprises U-shaped brackets that are slidable over a given wall panel assembly and which are positionable over an adjacent wall panel assembly in a manner which maintains adjacent wall panel assemblies in a common, flat plane and which protects the interconnecting attachment hardware from bending mechanical stresses. The U-shaped brackets may comprise lateral bolts extending between and anchored in opposed, depending walls and slidable within a sliding slot in a corresponding wall assembly. The anti-bending hardware may comprise a pair of said U-shaped brackets, including one at the top end and the other at the bottom end thereof.

The modular enclosure may further comprise a removable covering structure for the enclosure, where the covering structure is movable over a removable ceiling made of reeds, and the covering structure may comprise a rollable, synthetic cover to cover the ceiling.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art modular sukka.

FIG. 2A is a frame member for the modular construction.

FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C show the frame members in an interassembled state from side and top views.

FIG. 2D illustrates a frame member with insertable panels.

FIG. 3A illustrates a mode of interconnecting frame members.

FIG. 3B illustrates another mode of interconnecting frame members.

FIG. 3C and FIG. 3D show variants of frame interconnecting embodiments.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D show frame to frame reinforcing members that prevent bending.

FIG. 4E shows another frame to frame anti-bending construction.

FIG. 5 is perspective of an assembled sukka with a sukka covering.

FIG. 5A shows a s'chach supporting bracket.

FIG. 6A shows a side view for a sukka.

FIG. 6B shows a removable cover for the sukka.

FIG. 6C shows a detail of the sukka cover support.

FIG. 6D is a cross-section through lines 6D in FIG. 6C.

FIG. 7A shows another embodiment of a sukka covering structure.

FIG. 7B shows yet another embodiment of a sukka covering structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As shown in prior art FIG. 1, which corresponds to FIG. 9 of the incorporated by reference U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,311, the typical sukka 10 is a rectangular enclosure 12 enclosing an interior space 14 with an access door 16. This booth or enclosure 12 must, in order to meet the religious dictates, be located outdoors under the open sky, and is usually erected on an open, roofless porch, patio, or on the lawn of one's home. The open top must be covered by the so-called “s'chach”, which typically consists of thin reeds, e.g. loose bamboo sticks or bamboo slats woven into a mat, which are supported on wooden planks loosely laid across the open top. The s'chach must not be physically tied to the underlying structure. The sukka is furnished with a table and chairs, and the orthodox family will have all its meals in the sukka during the seven days of the Succoth holiday. Some even place cots in the sukka and sleep at night within.

Regardless, the structure must be sturdy enough to withstand winds, and it is not uncommon that the wall sections in FIG. 1 are quite heavy to lift, carry to the intended sukka location and assemble together for the holiday. And of course, the process must be reversed at the end of the holiday and repeated each year. For a sukka measuring 12 by 12 feet, and certainly for those measuring 20 by 12 feet, the task is daunting and requires at least two able bodied persons to haul, hold and assemble the structure, given that individual sections or panels can weigh considerably.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention and as shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C, the entire sukka is initially framed by using standardized, rectangular frames, each frame 20 being formed of two side frame members 22, 24 and top and one bottom frame members 26, 28 that are welded together (if metal) or cast as one integral frame. The frame can be plastic, to reduce its weight. Each side of the frame 20 has spaced projecting lips 29 that define therebetween channels 27. Typically, each frame is four feet wide and seven or eight feet tall, and has built-in connection hardware by which the frames are both affixed to each other and secured against losing their planar alignments that maintains them solidly in flat wall planes. Although the preference is to have standard sized frame pieces throughout, it is within the purview of the invention to make available frames that measure three feet wide or any dimension or configuration, in width, height and/or thickness.

Each frame member 20 has a thickness of an inch or so, and configured to receive within its interior space 19, a panel insert 30 that lies against a ledge 212, the panel inserts being secured by turning fastening knobs 32 (FIG. 2D) that serve to bear against and forcibly hold the insert 30 against the ledge 212, preventing rattling walls and providing a solid structure.

The panel inserts 20 can be solid and opaque, or transparent, or made of a mesh or screen material (for hot climates). In one embodiment, the panel insert 30 can be the frame 34 of a pre-installed door 36. A particular panel insert can have a built-in, openable window 214, to provide air circulation and/or a view to the outside, have a built-in electrical wall plug with an electrical extension to provide electrical power within, the range of options being as wide scoped as the imagination can carry one regarding the needs of the family to enhance the joy of sitting in the sukka.

In a variant embodiment, instead of insertable panels, the frames can be pre-fabricated such that they are completed panels, or even made as integral walls.

The first step in the assembly is to align frame pieces 20 edge to edge and secure them to create a wall 24 comprised of, for example, three interconnected frame members 20a, 20b and 20c, as shown in FIG. 2B. These wall sections can be attached to each other using corner posts 244, as shown in FIG. 2C, which is a top view showing the enclosed interior 246 of the sukka. Alternatively, one can first assemble two frames with a corresponding corner post 244, and so create self-standing corner sections that allow the subsequent addition of the intermediate frames to complete erecting a sukka enclosure. Both the wall frames and corner sections can be assembled while the frames stand or are laying flat on the ground, to suit individual preferences. Regardless, once the entire sukka framing has been completed, it should still be possible to move or nudge the entire frame system and place wedges under individual frames, all in a manner designed to assure that overall structure stands generally upright on a horizontal plane, with all frames resting securely and fully supported on the ground or floor at their undersides, in a manner such that none of the frame members or frame interattaching hardware (to be described) is being stressed, pulled or twisted or the like.

Once the frame structure has been fully assembled as described above, it is simple and straightforward to insert the panel inserts 30 into the individual frame opening to complete assembly of the surrounding walls. As already noted, these panels 30 include plain solid walls, or walls with windows formed therein, or a door and its frame, etc. In each case, the process of panel insertion comprises lifting each panel by its lifting ears 216 (FIG. 2D), inserting into a desired frame deep enough to rest against the ledge 212, and turning the fastening knobs 32 that are built-in the panels and which engage slots 31 (or projections 33) in the frame members. Preferably, cam surfaces on each knob serve to press the panel 30 against the ledge with a force which increases and is proportional to the amount of the knob's tightening.

As noted, one of the important considerations of the present invention is to enable rapid, easy, tool-less, and hardware-less assembling of the frame pieces to each other. Referring to FIGS. 3A-3D, a first expedient (FIG. 3A) provides the left-side frame 21 with a narrowed, height-wise extending projection 252 which is sized to fit into and fill the channel 27 defined by left and right lips 29 of the adjacent frame piece, such that the frames appear to be abutting and concealing the projection 252, when the panels have been interassembled. Further, the projection 252 defines pear shaped openings 253 that are larger at the top and narrow at the bottom, so configured as to allow the screw heads 255 located inside the adjacent channel of a panel frame to pass through the larger opening, and drop down so that the stems 256 of the screws 255 slide down and lock the screws of one frame into the locking slots 253 of the adjacent frame. Thus, frames are assembled by slightly lifting one frame 23, which has the screws, aligning the screw heads with the larger slot openings and inserting the screw heads and allowing the panel 23 to slide down and 20 interlock the two panels. This process is repeated all around including at the corner pieces 244.

In FIG. 3B the frames are provided in two widths, with the narrower frames 21 fitting into the channels 27 defined at the right and left sides of the wider frames 20. As before, the adjacent frames can be secured against being pulled apart in their assembled states by the screw and slot connection mechanism described above, or by the other interconnection modes.

In FIG. 3C, left sides of the frames are provided with threaded screw openings 258 at locations adjacent their tops and bottoms into which permanently embedded threaded bolts 259 at the juxtaposed side of the adjacent frame can be screwed in using manual or electrical tools. The head 261 of the bolt is designed to sink into the well 262 in the frame once fully screwed in, so that these bolt heads do not interfere with the later step of inserting the panels 30 into the frames 20. This embodiment does not require lifting and aligning one frame relative to the other during assembly. Preferably, the bolt locations and bolt openings (which are located invisibly inside the frames) are marked by lines on the outsides, so aligning and connecting frames is rendered very simple. Using a power tool to turn the bolts enables assembly of the frames into a task that should consume less than an hour. Note that the corner posts 244 are provided with the threaded bolt slots on one side and with the bolts at an adjacent side, located at 90 degrees to the threaded slots.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3D, the frame-to-frame securing mechanism comprises vertically elongated slots 263 on one side of the frame and a latch member 264 on the other side, both of which are built-in into the upright members of the frames. If desired, the latch member may have a pivot anchor (not shown), so that lifting of one hand relative to the other is unnecessary.

In all of the described frame to frame attaching hardware no loose parts need to be found or inserted into structural members, as the attaching hardware is built-in in the frame structural members. They can not be lost or misplaced during the yearly ritual of erecting and disassembling of the sukka structure.

In a preferred embodiment, measures are provided to avoid subjecting the frame to frame attaching hardware to bending forces. That is it is desirable to assure that forces normal to the joint locations between frame pieces, for example, forces arising from pushing on the walls from inside or outside the sukka or wind forces are countered so as to prevent bending or shearing or stressing the attaching hardware. To this end, and as described by reference to FIGS. 4A to 4D, an inverted U-shaped, retaining bracket 40 is slidingly fitted over the right upper side of alternate frames 20. The inverted bracket 40 has a base 42 with two, opposed depending side walls 44, 46 spaced apart to precisely fit the thickness of the frame 20. The frame has a through-going slit 266, allowing two spaced bolts 267, 268 to pass through the frame and hold the depending side walls 267, 268 connected to each other. After two frames are attached to each other, the retaining bracket 40 located on top of one frame is able to slide to the right and over the top of the adjacent frame. Because the side walls 44, 46 are made of a strong metal and their sidewall are connected by the bolts 267, 268, they retain their shape while tightly holding and maintaining the adjacent frames on a perfectly straight line. This prevents bending of the frames at their joint locations and/or mechanically stressing the face-to-face connecting hardware.

The same or similar trough-like bracket is preferably applied at the bottoms of the frames. If desired, the bottom bending-preventing brackets may be provided as just two spaced side walls joined by lateral balls and passing through and sliding in slots as heretofore described, provide the anti-bending device on the ground or the floor on which the frames are being assembled. With either embodiment, the anti-bending structures are similarly integrated in the frame structure and do not require separate stowage from year to year, avoiding the typical problem of searching for lost or misplaced sukka assembly parts.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4E, the anti-bending structure comprises an internally, sliding sturdy bolt 41, preferably square in cross section, which is configured to slide into an identically sized opening 43, in the adjacent frame member 20a. This bolt 41 is moveable via a lever 45 which juts out via a slot 47. The lever 45 can be grasped to move the bolt into and out of the opening in the adjacent frame. This mechanism can be provided at the bottoms of the frames, and if desired at the tops as well, in lieu of the inverted trough bracket described above.

Having thus assembled the surrounding walls, with the door and windows as desired, it remains to mount the s'chach 70 (FIG. 5) on the loosely laying cross beams 60 as in all conventional sukkahs. To this end, the present inventor contemplates using any s'chach mounting method including the one illustrated in the incorporated by reference U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,311, as illustrated in FIGS. 11a and 11b thereof and shown herein as element 62 which is a double flat bottom U-shaped element 62, as shown in FIG. 5A herein. That element supports cross beams 60 on which the s'chach 70 is laid, in well known manner. This element 62 can also serves to prevent bending of the frame piece at the locations where they are attached to each other, serving as the aforementioned anti-bending elements at the top end of the wall sections.

In this state the sukka has the form and structure that meets the basic requirements for a kosher sukka, which does not have to be rainproof (and must not be rainproof during meals). Nonetheless, many desires to have the capability of covering the s'chach (roof) 70 of the sukka when it rains. To this end, the instant invention adds a convenient openable cover assembly 00 shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, with other variants shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

Preliminarily, the present inventor recognizes that placing a flat, typically plastic cover over the flat s'chach 70 is prone to cause water to accumulate at the center and collapse the weak s'chach structure. Therefore, as an important consideration the cover 70 should be provided at a pitch sufficient to cause rapid rain water run off, without any risk of local accumulation. Since the rain cover should be made of a light plastic, it must rest on a solid surface. To this end, the present inventor has conceived of the need to provide the s'chach itself at a pitch, to thereby support its cover.

Thus, referring to FIG. 6A, a pitching structure 80 can be provided atop about two opposing side walls of the sukka in FIG. 5 and s'chach 70 supporting beam 60 can be provided at the indicated pitch.

Thus, in FIG. 6B, the s'chach itself is laid on the supporting structure 82, which is now pitched with the covering structure 90 resting directly atop the pitched s'chach, as shown (except for the gap provided for ease of illustration). The s'chach covering structure 90 comprises L-brackets 91 at opposed sides, each of which is fixed to adjacent frame members. The L-brackets 91 rotatably support a roll 92 of plastic or web material 94 which has a free weighted distal end 98, which can be rolled on and/or rolled off the s'chach covering 82. A hook 96 (FIG. 6C) can be grasped to rotate the roll 92.

More specifically, the plastic or web material 94 can be rolled on a rolling shaft 102 which has at one or both sides, a ring-shaped hook 96 which enables the shaft 102 to rotate. More specifically, the rotatable shaft 102 is supported on an outer bearing 106 with ball bearings 108 therebetween, the bearing 104 enabling the shaft to rotate to dispense or roll up the web material 94. The tool 122 shown in FIG. 7A can be used to snag the rotating ring 96.

Referring to FIG. 7A, the bracket 110 can be inserted in opposed corner pieces 244 (FIG. 2C), with each support 110 comprising an insertable portion 112 which has a spring loaded pin 114 which can catch inside the corner piece. The riser 116, together with the horizontal member 118 and vertical yoke 120 are able to support the roll of plastic or web material 92 in a slot 122, as shown in FIG. 7A. In this embodiment, the plastic or web material can rest atop the beams 130, which may be located above the flat s'chach 70 as shown in FIG. 7A.

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 7B, the plastic or web material is connected at one end in the yoke holder 110 with the roll of plastic or web material itself rolling out onto the s'chach by the force of gravity and being rollable up via pullable strings 134, from the rear of the sukka.

In other preferred embodiments, two or more of the corner posts 244 may be larger in size to more easily accommodate the brackets 110. Also, the supports 62 may be integrally provided with the panels. Still further, the panels 20 may have integrated within (invisibly) metal or magnetic strips 57, so that sukka decorations may be attached and held magnetically.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A quick assembly and disassembly modular wall enclosure, comprising: a plurality of wall panel assemblies; andinterconnecting attachment hardware built-in into each of said wall panel assemblies, said attachment hardware being configured to interconnect said wall panel assemblies without use of any additional, separately provided connecting hardware and being further configured to enable erecting a surrounding wall structure that defines a fully surrounded interior space within.

2. The modular enclosure of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of wall panel assemblies comprises a rectangular frame structure into which said interconnecting attachment hardware is built-in.

3. The modular enclosure of claim 2, wherein each of said wall panel assemblies comprises an insertable panel which is removably attachable to said frame member.

4. The modular enclosure of claim 3, wherein each said insertable panels constitutes a construction selected from the group consisting of: a solid, opaque wall; a solid wall which is at least in part transparent; a frame and a swingable door held therein; a frame with a window defined therein; and a wall made of mesh materials which allows wind to pass therethrough.

5. The modular enclosure of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting attachment hardware comprises components that are juxtaposed between adjacently placed wall panel assemblies and which are aligned to interfit with one another in a manner which effects connection between adjacently placed wall panel assemblies.

6. The modular enclosure of claim 5, wherein said interconnecting attachment hardware comprises at least one generally pear-shaped opening in one wall panel assembly and a projecting bolt with an enlarged head on an opposing wall panel assembly, configured to be inserted into and catch said opening in said adjacent wall panel assembly.

7. The modular enclosure of claim 5, wherein one wall assembly has a rectangular slot and another has an L-shaped arm that fits therein to thereby interconnect adjacent wall assemblies.

8. The modular enclosure of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said wall assemblies are configured of frame members having extending lips that define channels.

9. The modular enclosure of claim 9, wherein at least some of said frame members fit in channels of adjacent members.

10. The modular enclosure of claim 1, further comprising corner members for interconnecting wall assemblies.

11. The modular enclosure of claim 1, wherein said hardware comprises embedded threaded bolts that are receivable in threaded sockets in adjacent wall panel assemblies.

12. The modular enclosure of claim 1, further comprising built-in, anti-bending hardware that is configured to prevent bending of wall assemblies relative to each other.

13. The modular enclosure of claim 12, wherein the anti-bending hardware comprises U-shaped brackets that are slidable over a given wall panel assembly and which is positionable over an adjacent wall panel assembly in a manner which maintains adjacent wall panel assemblies in a common, flat plane and which protects said interconnecting attachment hardware from bending mechanical stresses.

14. The modular enclosure of claim 13, wherein said U-shaped brackets comprise lateral bolts extending between and anchored in opposed, depending walls and slidable within a sliding slot in a corresponding wall assembly.

15. The modular enclosure of claim 13, wherein each wall assembly comprises said anti-bending hardware having a pair of said U-shaped brackets, including one at the top end and the other at the bottom end thereof.

16. The modular enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a removable covering structure for the enclosure, where the covering structure is movable over a removable ceiling made of reeds.

17. The modular enclosure of claim 16, wherein the covering structure comprises a rollable, synthetic cover to cover the ceiling.

18. The modular enclosure of claim 1, wherein each wall panel assembly comprises an integrated panel surrounded by four frame members.

19. The modular enclosure of claim 6, wherein adjacent wall panel assemblies are interconnectable by lifting one wall assembly sliding its projecting wall into the opening in the adjacent wall assembly and dropping the lifted wall assembly to interlock the two wall assemblies with one another.

20. The modular enclosure of claim 6, wherein said pear-shaped opening is defined in a supporting structure located in a channel of said wall panel assembly.