Mobile wall including an alignment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814839-B2
Application number	US-202017082963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2020
Priority date	Oct 28, 2020
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A mobile wall comprising an alignment pin moveably supported on a crossbar adjacent a vertical support. The alignment pin is selectively moveable between a retracted position, in which the alignment pin is retracted into a first aperture, and an extended position, in which at least a portion of the alignment pin extends outwardly from the first aperture. The alignment pin is selectively receivable in an aperture of another mobile wall while in the extended position to align the mobile wall with the another mobile wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile wall comprising:
a base including one or more ground engaging members configured for moving the base along a surface;
a first vertical support extending from the base, the first vertical support including a first aperture;
a second vertical support extending from the base and spaced apart from the first vertical support;
a crossbar extending between the first and second vertical supports; and
an alignment pin moveably supported on the crossbar adjacent the first vertical support, the alignment pin selectively moveable between a retracted position, in which the alignment pin is retracted into the first aperture, and an extended position, in which at least a portion of the alignment pin extends outwardly from the first aperture,
wherein the alignment pin is selectively receivable in an aperture of another mobile wall while in the extended position to align the mobile wall with the another mobile wall.

2. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the mobile wall is configured to be retained in nonlocking alignment with the another mobile wall while the alignment pin is in the extended position and received in the aperture of the another mobile wall.

3. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the alignment pin is moveable between the retracted and extended positions along a first direction, and wherein the mobile wall is separable from the another mobile wall along the first direction while the alignment pin is in the extended position and received in the aperture of the another mobile wall.

4. The mobile wall of claim 3 , wherein the mobile wall is constrained from moving relative the another mobile wall in a second direction that is normal to the first direction while the alignment pin is in the extended position and received in the aperture of the another mobile wall.

5. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the crossbar is one of a plurality of crossbars, wherein the plurality of crossbars extends between the first and second vertical supports, and wherein each of the plurality of crossbars is configured to support a wall accessory.

6. The mobile wall of claim 5 , wherein the wall accessory includes a cladding, a shelf, or both.

7. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the second vertical support includes a second aperture, wherein the alignment pin is a first alignment pin, and the mobile wall further comprising:
a second alignment pin moveably supported on the crossbar adjacent the second vertical support, the second alignment pin selectively moveable between a retracted position, in which the second alignment pin is retracted into the second aperture, and an extended position, in which at least a portion of the second alignment pin extends outwardly from the second aperture.

8. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical support includes an outer surface, and wherein the alignment pin is recessed relative to the outer surface while in the retracted position.

9. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the alignment pin includes an actuator configured to be engaged by a user to move the alignment pin between the retracted position and the extended position.

10. The mobile wall of claim 9 , wherein the actuator extends upwardly from an upper surface of the crossbar.

11. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the alignment pin is linearly slidable between the retracted position and the extended position.

12. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the base further includes a tray to hold a weight.

13. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the ground engaging members are caster wheels.

14. The mobile wall of claim 1 , wherein the base has a base length, a base width, and a base height, wherein the first vertical support, the second vertical support, and the crossbar form a frame structure having a wall length, a wall width, and a wall height, and wherein the base length is substantially equal to the wall length, the base width is greater than the wall width, and the base height is less than the wall height.

15. A mobile wall comprising:
a base including one or more ground engaging members configured for moving the base along a surface;
a vertical frame structure extending upwardly from the base, the vertical frame structure including an outer surface and an aperture formed in the outer surface; and
an alignment pin moveably supported by the vertical frame structure, the alignment pin having a distal end configured to engage another mobile wall to align the mobile wall with the another mobile wall,
wherein the alignment pin is extendable out of the aperture such that the distal end is spaced a first distance from the outer surface, wherein the alignment pin is retractable into the aperture such that the distal end is spaced a second distance from the outer surface that is equal to or greater than the first distance, wherein when the alignment pin is retracted into the aperture, the aperture is configured to selectively receive an alignment pin of the another mobile wall,
wherein the alignment pin includes an actuator configured to be engaged by a user to move the alignment pin relative to the vertical frame structure, and wherein the actuator extends upwardly from an upper surface of the vertical frame structure.

16. The mobile wall of claim 15 , wherein the vertical frame structure includes
a first vertical support extending upwardly from the base,
a second vertical support extending upwardly from the base and spaced apart from the first vertical support,
one or more crossbars extending between the first and second vertical supports, and
one or more wall accessories supported by the one or more crossbars.

Assignees

• Millerknoll Inc

Inventors

• Colin Kimberlee
• Corvatta Luca
• Hecht Samuel
• Matthai John

Classifications

• E04B2/7425 Primary

  Details of connection of panels (E04B2/7427 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47B47/027

  with frames only (A47B47/0058 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47B47/028

  with crossbars · CPC title

• A47B96/02

  Shelves (movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16) · CPC title

• A47F5/0062

  Terraced platforms on shelves or trays · CPC title