Partition assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10626600-B2
Application number	US-201715804642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2017
Priority date	May 27, 2008
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A partition assembly for subdividing a floor plan area that includes a beam assembly including a beam member including an upper wall, a pair of side walls, a bottom wall, first and second ends, and a pair of channels extending between the first and second ends, each of the channels positioned closer to one of the pair of side walls than to a longitudinally-extending center line of the beam member, a lower frame member located below the beam member, and vertical frame members extending between the beam member and the lower frame member, a work tool positioned above the beam assembly, and a connector assembly connecting the work tool to the beam assembly, where the connector assembly is coupled to the work tool and engages the pair of channels of the beam member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A partition assembly for subdividing a floor plan area, comprising:
a beam assembly, comprising:
a horizontally extending beam member including an upper wall, a pair of side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall, a bottom wall extending between the pair of sidewalls, a first end, a second end, and a pair of upwardly opening channels located in the upper wall and extending between the first end and the second end, wherein each of the channels of the pair of channels is positioned closer to one of the pair of side walls than to a longitudinally-extending center line of the beam member;
at least one horizontally extending lower frame member located below the beam member; and
a plurality of vertical frame members extending between the beam member and the at least one lower frame member;

a work tool positioned above the beam assembly, wherein the work tool includes at least one of a storage unit, a privacy screen, a shelving unit, a lighting fixture, and an acoustical buffer; and
a connector assembly connecting the work tool to the beam assembly, where the connector assembly is coupled to the work tool and simultaneously engages both of the channels of the pair of channels of the beam member.

2. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the channels has a substantially T-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

3. The partition system of claim 1 , wherein each of the channels includes a downwardly extending neck portion having a first width, and a receiver portion located below the neck portion and in uninterrupted communication with the neck portion, the receiver portion having a second width that is greater than the first width.

4. The partition system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the beam member includes a plurality of apertures spaced along the length thereof.

5. The partition system of claim 1 , wherein the connector assembly engages the beam member by the pair of channels only.

6. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein the beam assembly is one of a pair of beam assemblies, and wherein the pair of beam assemblies are coupled in an end-to-end relationship such that the pair of channels of the beam members are uninterrupted between the pair of beam assemblies allowing the work tool to be repositioned between the pair of beam assemblies while the work tool remains supported from the channels.

7. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein the beam member of the beam assembly is a single, integral piece.

8. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein the work tool includes the storage unit.

9. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one horizontally extending lower frame member includes a pair of horizontally extending lower frame members, and wherein at least one of the plurality of vertical frame members includes a first width and a second width that is less than the first width and that is positioned directly between the pair of lower frame members.

10. The beam assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of vertical frame members are coupled to the lower frame members via a mechanical fastener.

11. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of vertical frame members abuts a downwardly-facing surface of the beam member.

12. The beam assembly of claim 11 , wherein the upper wall of the beam member includes the downwardly-facing surface abutted by the at least one of the vertical frame members.

13. The partition assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the channels of the pair of channels is an outermost channel in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinally extending centerline of the beam member.

14. A partition assembly for subdividing a floor plan area, comprising:
a beam assembly, comprising:
a horizontally extending beam member including an upper wall, a pair of side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall, a bottom wall extending between the pair of sidewalls, a first end, a second end, and a pair of upwardly opening channels located in the upper wall and extending in a longitudinal direction between the first end and the second end, wherein each of the channels of the pair of channels is an outermost channel in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction;
at least one horizontally extending lower frame member located below the beam member; and
a plurality of vertical frame members extending between the beam member and the at least one lower frame member;

a work tool positioned above the beam assembly, wherein the work tool includes at least one of a storage unit, a privacy screen, a shelving unit, a lighting fixture, and an acoustical buffer; and
a connector assembly connecting the work tool to the beam assembly, where the connector assembly is coupled to the work tool and simultaneously engages both of the channels of the pair of channels of the beam member.

15. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein each of the channels has a substantially T-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

16. The partition system of claim 14 , wherein each of the channels includes a downwardly extending neck portion having a first width, and a receiver portion located below the neck portion and in uninterrupted communication with the neck portion, the receiver portion having a second width that is greater than the first width.

17. The partition system of claim 14 , wherein the bottom wall of the beam member includes a plurality of apertures spaced along the length thereof.

18. The partition system of claim 14 , wherein the connector assembly engages the beam member by the pair of channels only.

19. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein the beam assembly is one of a pair of beam assemblies, and wherein the pair of beam assemblies are coupled in an end-to-end relationship such that the pair of channels of the beam members are uninterrupted between the pair of beam assemblies allowing the work tool to be repositioned between the pair of beam assemblies while the work tool remains supported from the channels.

20. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein the beam member of the beam assembly is a single, integral piece.

21. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein the work tool includes the storage unit.

22. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein the each channel of the pair of channels is positioned closer to one of the pair of side walls than to a longitudinally extending center line of the beam member.

23. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one horizontally extending lower frame member includes a pair of horizontally extending lower frame members, and wherein at least one of the plurality of vertical frame members includes a first width and a second width that is less than the first width and that is positioned directly between the pair of lower frame members.

24. The beam assembly of claim 23 , wherein at plurality of vertical frame members are coupled to the lower frame members via a mechanical fastener.

25. The partition system of claim 14 , wherein the connected assembly engages the beam member by the pair of channels only.

26. The partition assembly of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of vertical frame members abuts a downwardly-facing surface of the beam member.

27. The beam assembly of claim 26 , wherein the upper wall of the beam member includes the downwardly-facing surface abutted by

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Feldpausch Michael J
• Knauf Marvin C
• Youngs Bradley D
• Slager Mark T
• Heidmann Kurt R
• Hamilton John R
• Geister Ryan
• Phillips Daniel

Classifications

• E04B2002/7483

  Details of furniture, e.g. tables or shelves, associated with the partitions · CPC title

• E04B2002/7462

  using resilient connectors, e.g. clips · CPC title

• E04C2/52

  with special adaptations for auxiliary purposes, e.g. serving for locating conduits (E04C2/54 takes precedence; block-shaped elements therefor E04C1/39; floor structures incorporating ducts E04B5/48) · CPC title

• E04B2002/749

  Partitions with screw-type jacks · CPC title

• E04B2002/7466

  using hooks · CPC title