Patent Application
20220364359
The present invention relates generally to systems, methods, and apparatus for forming, assembling, and installing modular wall systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to leveling apparatus and floor interfacing component for modular wall systems.
Office space can be relatively expensive, not only due to the basic costs of the location and size of the office space, but also due to any construction needed to configure the office space in a particular way. Furthermore, as an organization's needs change, it is often necessary to have a convenient and efficient means to reconfigure the existing office space rather than having to move to a new office space. Many organizations address their configuration and reconfiguration issues by dividing large, open office spaces into individual work areas using modular wall systems.
Modular wall systems are relatively easy to configure, less expensive to set up, and reconfigured more easily than more permanently constructed office dividers. Manufacturers or designers typically design such modular walls and partitions to include a series of individual wall panels that can be assembled together to form a range of different configurations. These wall panels are usually connected to one or more structural components that form a frame-type structure of the modular wall.
Leveling modular wall systems, including individual panels thereof, can be difficult. When a modular wall system is installed within a room that includes floors or ceilings that are not perfectly level, the modular wall panels must be adjusted accordingly. When certain panels are adjusted to compensate for uneven floors or ceilings, various panels may separate, leaving unsightly gaps between panels, or there may not be sufficient room to install panels at the top and bottom of the modular system.
Accordingly, there are a number of problems in the prior art that need to be addressed.
Embodiments of the present disclosure extend to systems, methods, and apparatus for forming, assembling, and installing modular wall systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to leveling apparatus and floor interface components for modular wall systems. For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a modular wall system includes a wall module, a leveler disposed within an interior space of the wall module, and a floor interfacing member secured to the leveler.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a modular wall system includes a wall panel and a leveler disposed within an interior space of the wall module. The leveler includes a base. The modular wall system also includes a floor interfacing member secured to the base of the leveler.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of installing a modular wall system includes first securing a leveler within a wall module of a modular wall system. The method also includes adjusting the height of the wall module via a leveler and securing a floor interfacing member to the leveler.
Additional features and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary embodiments. The features and advantages of such embodiments may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary embodiments as set forth hereinafter.
In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
Embodiments of the present disclosure extend to systems, methods, and apparatus for forming, assembling, and installing modular wall systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to leveling apparatus and floor interface components for modular wall systems. For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a modular wall system includes a wall module, a leveler disposed within an interior space of the wall module, and a floor interfacing member secured to the leveler.
The embodiments of leveling apparatus and floor interfacing components and systems for modular wall systems described herein solve a number of problems in the art noted above. For example, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure include floor interfacing members that are separately connected to the base of the levelers such that regardless of the adjustment of the wall modules of the wall system, the floor interfacing members maintain an aesthetically pleasing transition from the wall modules to the floor. Even as the wall modules of the system are adjusted toward or away from the floor, the floor interfacing members extend all the way to the floor and can be conveniently trimmed before installation to form a consistent gap between the floor interfacing members and the adjusted wall modules.
Turning now to the Figures,
The wall system 100 may include one or more modules disposed above and/or below one another, such as the various sections of wall modules 104a, 104b illustrated. For example, one upper wall module 104b may be disposed above another lower wall module 104a and joined together via a horizontal connection component.
In addition, at least one embodiment of the modular wall system 100 includes one or more floor interfacing components 106. Each floor interfacing component 106 may comprise a horizontally disposed elongate member extending along the bottom of one or more of the lower wall modules 104a or wall modules 102. In at least one embodiment, each wall module 102, 104 of the wall system 100 can include one individual floor interfacing component 106. In at least one embodiment, a floor interfacing component 106 of the wall system 100 spans two or more wall modules 102, 104. Each floor interfacing component 106 may provide an aesthetically pleasing transition or connection between the modular wall system 100 and a floor.
In most cases, as noted above, floors on which modular wall systems 100 are installed are not perfectly level. As such, at least one embodiment of the modular wall system 100 includes leveling components that support the various wall modules 102, 104 from below and allow installers to level the wall modules 102, 104 across uneven surfaces and floors.
In
Also, as shown in
In at least one embodiment, the leveler 108 includes a male threaded member 118 extending vertically from the base 114. A female threaded sleeve 120 engages with the male threaded member 118. The female threaded sleeve 120 is secured to the vertical member 110 of the wall module 102 via a bracket 122. In at least one embodiment, the bracket 122 may include a shelf 124 that supports the vertical member 110 from the lower end thereof.
In at least one embodiment, the male threaded member 118 is rotatably secured to the base 114 such that the male threaded member 118 can rotate relative to the base. The male threaded member 118 may have a nut 126 securely mounted thereon. Alternatively, the male threaded member 118 may include one or more flats thereon. The nut 126 or flats may be engaged and rotated. Rotation of the nut 126 or flats causes the male threaded member 118 to rotate. The rotation of the male threaded member 118 in turn causes the sleeve 120 to travel up or down relative to the male threaded member 118, thus causing the vertical member 110 and corresponding wall module 102 to travel up and down as needed for leveling during installation.
As seen from the end view and cross-sectional view of the modular wall system 100 in
The leveler 108 shown and described herein may be considered a two stage leveler as a result of the two components (the male threaded member 118 and the sleeve 120) that can move relative to one another. It will be appreciated that such a leveler is merely exemplary. For instance, other types of levelers may be used with embodiments disclosed herein. For instance, a multi-stage telescopic leveler may be employed. Such levelers may include one or more male threaded members and one or more threaded sleeves. For instance, a three-stage leveler may include a male threaded member (similar to threaded member 118), a first sleeve, and a second sleeve. The first sleeve may include a female thread therein that mates with the male threaded member. The first sleeve may also include an external thread. The second sleeve may include a female thread therein that is configured to mate with the external thread of the first sleeve. The male threaded member and the first sleeve may be configured to move axially relative to one another and the first sleeve and the second sleeve may be configured to axially relative to one another. The movement of the male threaded member, the first sleeve, and the second sleeve may be used to adjust the height of a wall module in a similar manner as discussed herein relative to leveler 108.
The floor interfacing components 106a, 106b are secured to the base 114 of the leveler 108 so that the floor interfacing components 106a, 106b may be trimmed to fit consistently close to the floor 130 after height adjustments are made to the wall module 102 via the leveler 108. In at least one embodiment, each floor interfacing component 106a, 106b is removably secured to the base 114 of the leveler 108 via a clip extrusion 132. In at least one embodiment, the floor interfacing component 106 is rigidly secured to the clip extrusion 132. Additionally, the clip extrusion 132 may include a channel 134 that receives a beaded protrusion 136 extending from the base 114 of the leveler 108. In this way, each floor interfacing component 106a, 106b may be removably secured to the leveler and remain consistently near or at the floor 130 after adjustments of the leveler 108 and height of the wall module 102.
The clip extrusions 132 may be configured to maintain the floor interfacing component 106a, 106b in a generally vertical orientation. For instance, each clip extrusion 132 may include a vertical wall 133 that connects to a rear or inner surface of the floor interfacing components 106a, 106b. Additionally, each clip extrusion 132 may also include a leg 135 that extends at least partially under the associated floor interfacing component. As can be seen in
As noted above, the wall module 102 may include internal frame components, such as the opposing frame components 138a, 138b shown in
A gap 140 may be formed between the floor interfacing members 106a, 106b and the panels 128a, 128b. Ideally, for aesthetic purposes, the gap 140 may be minimized and/or made consistent across the wall module 102 after the wall module 102 is adjusted via the levelers during installation. In at least one embodiment, a taller-than-necessary floor interfacing member 106 can be provided to an installer. After the height of the wall module 102 is adjusted as necessary via the leveler 108, the installer can trim the bottom edge and/or top edge of the floor interfacing member 106 so that the gap 140 is consistent horizontally across the wall module 102 and the floor interfacing members 106 extend all or substantially all the way to the floor. This can be done even when a floor 130 is not level, and so one end of a panel 106 may be shorter and the other end taller to provide a consistently close fit of a floor interfacing panel 106 to the unlevel floor. Preferably, the installer trims the bottom edge so that exposed material of the floor interfacing member 106 due to the cut faces down and out of sight.
In addition, an installer can trim the floor interfacing members 106 such that the bevel at the top, inner edge of the floor interfacing member 106, as shown in
Accordingly, as seen in
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/946,106, filed Dec. 10, 2019, and entitled WALL LEVELER AND FLOOR INTERFACING COMPONENT SYSTEM, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2020/064073 | 12/9/2020 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62946106 | Dec 2019 | US |
