The systems described herein relate generally to dividing spaces.
Modular office and home spaces are becoming more and more common. These spaces are convertible between different uses. A major challenge for modular spaces is separation of the spaces. Systems and devices for effectively separating spaces are required.
In a first aspect, the disclosure provides a system for reversibly dividing a space. A first panel has a first track follower and a second track follower attached to opposite, narrow sides of the first panel. A second panel has a third track follower and a fourth track follower attached to opposite, narrow sides of the second panel. A first track and a second track are each on opposite sides of the space to be divided. Each run generally straight and generally vertical. Each has a top at a point overhead and a bottom at a point part-way to a floor of the space. A third and a fourth track each have a vertical portion that is adjacent and runs parallel to the respective first track and second track. Each have a curved portion extending below and across a bottom of the first track and second track. When the space is not being divided, the first and the second panel can be stored in an overhead position. As the first panel is lowered, the first track follower rides in the first track and the second track follower rides in the second track, until the first track follower and the second track follower reach the bottom of the first track and the bottom of the second track, respectively, thus allowing the first panel, when lowered, to divide an upper portion of the space. As the second panel is lowered, the third track follower rides in the third track and the fourth track follower rides in the fourth track. The third track follower and the fourth track follower ride in a generally vertical path, parallel to the first track and the second track, respectively, until the third track follower and the fourth track follower reach the curved portion of the third track and the fourth track, respectively. The third track follower and the fourth track follower follow the third track and the fourth track, respectively, and move below and across the bottom of the first track and the bottom of the second track, respectively, thus allowing the second panel to be aligned with the first panel and divide a lower portion of the space. When deployed, the first panel and the second panel form a divider.
Further aspects and embodiments are provided in the foregoing drawings, detailed description and claims.
The following drawings are provided to illustrate certain embodiments described herein. The drawings are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of claimed inventions and are not intended to show every potential feature or embodiment of the claimed inventions. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; in some instances, certain elements of the drawing may be enlarged with respect to other elements of the drawing for purposes of illustration.
The following description recites various aspects and embodiments of the inventions disclosed herein. No particular embodiment is intended to define the scope of the invention. Rather, the embodiments provide non-limiting examples of various compositions, and methods that are included within the scope of the claimed inventions. The description is to be read from the perspective of one of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, information that is well known to the ordinarily skilled artisan is not necessarily included.
The following terms and phrases have the meanings indicated below, unless otherwise provided herein. This disclosure may employ other terms and phrases not expressly defined herein. Such other terms and phrases shall have the meanings that they would possess within the context of this disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. In some instances, a term or phrase may be defined in the singular or plural. In such instances, it is understood that any term in the singular may include its plural counterpart and vice versa, unless expressly indicated to the contrary.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to “a substituent” encompasses a single substituent as well as two or more substituents, and the like.
As used herein, “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” or “including” are meant to introduce examples that further clarify more general subject matter. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, such examples are provided only as an aid for understanding embodiments illustrated in the present disclosure and are not meant to be limiting in any fashion. Nor do these phrases indicate any kind of preference for the disclosed embodiment.
As used herein, “panel” is meant to refer to a cuboid of homogenous or non-homogenous material used as at least a partial divider of a space.
As used herein, “track” is meant to refer to is a strip of material formed so as to allow movement along a given path in a consistent manner.
As used herein, “track follower” is meant to refer to a small piece of material that is attached to a panel and rides in the track. A track follower keeps the panel material in line with the track and forces the panel to follow the path set by the track as the track follower moves along the track.
As used herein, “divider” is meant to refer to the plurality of panels used to the divide the space.
As used herein, “overhead position” is meant to refer to any space above the space to be divided. Preferably, this space will be above the ceiling, but is not restricted to this.
As used herein, “line” is meant to refer to any device or material that is long, cylindrical, thin, flexible, and having a high tensile strength. Preferably, this will be a braided wire, but ropes, cords, string, twine, cable, strand, chains and combinations thereof may be used as well.
As used herein, “sound dampeners” is meant to refer to a passive material or an active device used to diminish the sound transfer through the divider.
As used herein, “gasket” is meant to refer to any material used to make a seal between two abutting surfaces. Gaskets may also be sound dampeners.
As used herein, “locking mechanism” is meant to refer to any mechanism designed to reversibly hold a plurality of objects together to prevent the dislocation of their current positions.
The disclosed invention consists of a divider being made up of independent panels, where each panel is mounted on independent, parallel tracks. The top-most panel is on a track that is generally straight. The second, and any following panels, are mounted on adjacent, parallel tracks that are approximately shaped like the letter “J”. The top panel moves down in a generally straight manner. The second panel moves down parallel to the first panel and then follows the track it is mounted on under the first panel to align with the first panel in a single plane. If there are other panels, the panel will move down and then below the panel that would be immediately above. The deployed panels form a divider in a room or space. In some embodiments, the second panel is lowered first.
The invention allows for a modular use of space. One advantage of this technology is removing the storage of the non-deployed wall or panels from the floor and side of the room into an overhead storage space.
In an office environment, a conference room could be divided into temporary offices for visiting executives or an interview room with an adjacent observation room. The system could be installed in a large, open, office space where smaller offices, half-walled cubicles, conference rooms, interview rooms, and break rooms could be added and removed as needed. In a law-enforcement office with limited space, a temporary interrogation room with attached observation room could be formed from a room that is normally used as a briefing or conference room by deploying a set of panels where an upper panel is made from a one-way mirror material. In case of modular living and work space, the panels could be kept in the ceiling during the work day and lowered to enclose individual rooms for occupancy at night in conjunction with other modular means of changing the furniture in the room automatically.
Another commercial application would be in hotels, hostels, or other lodgings. With this technology, rooms could be made larger and smaller as desired by the guest.
In a domestic environment, this could be used to create a temporary office, room, closet, or bedroom that the home only needs sporadically. This could be used in a micro-home to create smaller, multi-use spaces out of a main living space.
Now referring to the Figures,
At 100, first and second track followers 10 are attached to a top and a bottom portion of a first panel 12, respectively. A third track follower 11 is attached to panel 14. At 100, the first panel 12 and the second panel 14 are in a non-deployed state, stored in an overhead space 30 above a ceiling 32 and below upper limit 38. Tracks and track followers have corresponding, mirrored parts on the opposite side of panel 12 and panel 14 that are not visible. The first and second track followers 10 are mounted in a first track 20 and the third track follower 11 is mounted in a second track 22. The first panel 12 and the second panel 14 are capable of dividing space 36 above the floor 34. A gap 35 in the floor 34 corresponds to a tab 16 on the bottom of panel 14. This embodiment might be used in an office space to create small offices as needed.
At 101, the second panel 14 is lowered from its position at 100, the third track follower 11 following the path set by the second track 22 until the second panel 14 reaches the floor 34, where the tab 16 mates with the gap 35, securing panel 14 and preventing panel 14 from swinging on track follower 11 and its corresponding track follower on the opposite side of panel 14. Here, panel 14 is shown as a half-wall divider, as panel 12 is in the ceiling. This is accomplished by lowering only panel 14. This might be used to create half-walled cubicles in an office environment.
At 102, the first panel 12 is lowered from its position at 101 to form a fully deployed divider. This divider has divided the space 36 from floor 34 to ceiling 32. In an alternate embodiment, the first panel 12 can be lowered first with the second panel 14 lowered second, swinging into place. Either option allows the bottom edge of panel 12 and the top edge of panel 14 to touch while being fully deployed, preventing a gap in the wall. In other variations the lower edge of panel 12 and the upper edge of panel 14 have complimentary angled surfaces so that even if panel 12 is deployed first, it will not block panel 14 from fully deploying.
At 500, first and second track followers 10 are attached to a top and a bottom portion of a first panel 12, respectively. A third track follower 11 is attached adjacent to the top of panel 14. A smaller track follower 13 is attached adjacent to the bottom and left portion of panel 14. The first panel 12 and the second panel 14 are in a non-deployed state and are being stored in an overhead space 30 above a ceiling 32 and below upper limit 38. Tracks and track followers have corresponding, mirrored parts on the opposite side of panel 12 and panel 14 that are not visible. The first and second track followers 10 are mounted in a first track 20 and the third track follower 11 and fourth track follower 13 are mounted in a second track 22. When panel 14 descends, track follower 13 will follow into sub-track 82. The first panel 12 and the second panel 14 are capable of dividing space 36 above the floor 34. Panel 12 and panel 14 are raised and lowered by means of winches 84 and braided cables 86. Braided cables are attached to the upper track follower 10 on panel 12 and track follower 11 on panel 14. Braided cables 86 move along pulleys 80 to translate the direction of the pull of the winches 84 from horizontal to vertical.
At 501, panel 12 and panel 14 are lowered from their position at 500 to form a fully deployed divider. This divider has divided the space 36 from floor 34 to ceiling 32. A method of reaching the fully deployed state is to start lowering panel 14 down, before starting panel 12, early enough that it will be in place before panel 12 reaches a fully lowered position and blocking panel 14 from reaching a fully lowered state. This allows the bottom edge of panel 12 and the top edge of panel 14 to touch while being fully deployed, preventing a gap in the divider. Track follower 13 travels along sub-track 82 to maintain the vertical orientation of panel 14 while panel 14 is being deployed, while deployed, and while panel 14 is retracting. Winches 84 pull and release braided cables 86 to, respectively, raise and lower panel 12 and panel 14 into and out of position. Having separate winches 84 for panel 12 and panel 14 allows for independent movement of said panels. Independent movement of panel 12 and panel 14 allows for panel 14 to be lowered separately to form a half-wall divider.
At 700, an isometric view of the system in
At 701, panel 14 is lowered from its position at 700, track followers 11 following the path set by the tracks 22. When panel 14 reaches the floor 34, where the unseen tab mates with gap 35, visible in
At 702, panel 12 is lowered from its position at 701, track followers 10 following the path set by the tracks 20, until the bottom edge of panel 12 touches the top edge of panel 14. Panel 12 and panel 14 form a divider from floor 34 to ceiling 32, leaving overhead space 30 empty. The fully deployed divider could be the wall of a temporary office in an open office.
The invention has been described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques. Nevertheless, it is understood that many variations and modifications may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20200399895 A1 | Dec 2020 | US |