Bracket mechanism for pre-fabricated office enclosure beams and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10405657-B2
Application number	US-201815979921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A bracket mechanism is configured to facilitate connection of multiple rail elements to form an elongated element to span over a work space and/or to help support a continuous integral element spanning over a work space. The bracket mechanism can be configured to help ensure the rigidity of the elongated element positioned over the work space so that the elongated element does not sag or bow downwards as it extends over the work space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a bracket mechanism comprising:
providing a first reinforcing member that is resiliently moveable from a curved orientation at which the first reinforcing member is curved along a length of the first reinforcing member to a linear orientation at which the first reinforcing member extends linearly and is no longer curved;
positioning the first reinforcing member in at least one of (i) a first opening of a first beam member and (ii) a first opening of a second beam member while the first reinforcing member is in the curved orientation; and
fastening the first reinforcing member to at least one of the first beam member and the second beam member so that the first reinforcing member is in the linear orientation while also being fastened to at least one of the first beam member and the second beam member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcing member is positioned in the first opening of the first beam member and the first opening of the second beam member.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising:
abutting a first end of the first beam member to a first end of the second beam member; and
wherein the positioning of the first reinforcing member in the first opening of the first beam member and the first opening of the second beam member occurs while the first end of the first beam member abuts the first end of the second beam member.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
positioning clamping devices to engage the first reinforcing member when the first reinforcing member is positioned in the first opening of the first beam member and the first opening of the second beam member; and
moving the first reinforcing member from the curved orientation into the linear orientation via the clamping devices prior to the fastening of the first reinforcing member to the first beam member and the second beam member.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first reinforcing member is positioned so that the first reinforcing member extends between the first beam member and the second beam member when the first reinforcing member is moved into the linear orientation via the clamping devices.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein an elongated element is formed via the fastening of the first reinforcing member to the first beam member and the second beam member, the method also comprising:
attaching the elongated element to different wall elements that are spaced apart from each other and at least partially define a workspace so that a portion of the elongated element is positioned above the workspace.

7. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
moving the first reinforcing member from the curved orientation into the linear orientation prior to the fastening of the first reinforcing member to the first beam member and the second beam member so that the first reinforcing member is maintained in the linear orientation while being fastened to the first beam member and the second beam member.

8. The method of claim 3 , comprising:
positioning a first bracket rail in the first beam member and the second beam member such that a first end of the first bracket rail is positioned in a first bracket rail opening of the first beam member and a second end of the first bracket rail is positioned in a first bracket rail opening of the second beam member; and
positioning a second bracket rail in the first beam member and the second beam member such that a first end of the second bracket rail is positioned in a second bracket rail opening of the first beam member and a second end of the second bracket rail is positioned in a second bracket rail opening of the second beam member.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first bracket rail opening of the first beam member is spaced apart from the second bracket rail opening of the first beam member and the first opening of the first beam member is positioned between the first bracket rail opening of the first beam member and the second bracket rail opening of the first beam member; and
the first bracket rail opening of the second beam member is spaced apart from the second bracket rail opening of the second beam member and the first opening of the second beam member is positioned between the first bracket rail opening of the second beam member and the second bracket rail opening of the second beam member.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first bracket rail extends from adjacent the first end of the first beam member to adjacent the first end of the second beam member and the second bracket rail extends from adjacent the first end of the first beam remember to adjacent the first end of the second beam member.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first reinforcing member is a first bracket rail and the method also comprises:
providing a second reinforcing member that is resiliently moveable from a curved orientation at which the second reinforcing member is curved along a length of the second reinforcing member to a linear orientation,
positioning the second reinforcing member in a second opening of the first beam member and a second opening of a second beam member;
fastening the second reinforcing member to the first beam member and the second beam member so that the second reinforcing member is in the linear orientation while also being fastened to the first beam member and the second beam member; and
wherein the second reinforcing member is a second bracket rail.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first bracket rail is spaced apart from the second bracket rail via a third opening of the first beam member and a third opening of the second beam member;
the first bracket rail being positioned so that the first bracket rail extends from adjacent the first end of the first beam member to adjacent to the first end of the second beam member when the first bracket rail is moved into the linear orientation; and
the second bracket rail being positioned so that the second bracket rail extends from adjacent the first end of the first beam member to adjacent to the first end of the second beam member when the second bracket rail is moved into the linear orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third opening of the first beam member is at least partially defined by a sidewall of the first beam member that defines the first opening of the first beam member and a sidewall of the first beam member that defines the second opening of the first beam member; and
the third opening of the second beam member is at least partially defined by a sidewall of the second beam member that defines the first opening of the second beam member and a sidewall of the second beam member that defines the second opening of the second beam member.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first reinforcing member is positioned in the first opening of the first beam member at a middle portion of the first beam member and the first reinforcing member is fastened to the first beam member so that the first reinforcing member is in the linear orientation while also being fastened to the first beam member while the first reinforcing member extends along a central section of the first beam member.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the length of the first reinforcing member, when the first reinforcing member is moved into the linear orientation, is 40%-60% of a length of the first beam member; and
wherein a first end of the first reinforcing member is spaced apart from a first end of the first beam member and a second end of the first reinforcing member is spaced apart from a second end of the first beam member.

16. The method of claim 15

Assignees

• Knoll Inc

Inventors

• Mckenzie James Harrison
• Eldon James
• Mcclanahan David
• Bender Christopher

Classifications

• E04B9/10

  Connections between parallel members of the supporting construction (E04B9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04B2001/2457

  Beam to beam connections · CPC title

• E04B2/7433

  with panels and support posts · CPC title

• E04B2/7818

  of substantially rectangular form · CPC title

• A47B21/06

  characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables · CPC title