Privacy screen apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348358-A1
Application number	US-201615166420-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A privacy screen apparatus can include a body having a plurality of elongated recesses and between elongated pillow regions. The pillow regions can have a larger width than the recesses. In some embodiments, the body can be configured to bend about the elongated recesses to different configurations. A plurality of stand elements can be connected to the bottom of the body to permit the body to be free standing. In other embodiments, a plurality of connectors can be connected to the body for connecting the body to an article of furniture, such as a tabletop or a desktop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A privacy screen apparatus comprising:
a first body that is configured to be attached to an article of furniture adjacent to a work surface or to be free standing on a floor or work surface, the first body having a plurality of spaced apart pillow regions and a plurality of spaced apart recess regions, each recess region spacing apart immediately adjacent pillow regions, the pillow regions having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the recess regions.

2 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a plurality of stand elements connected to a lower portion of the first body so that the first body is free standing on the floor or the work surface.

3 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each stand element has at least one slot sized to receive a portion of the lower portion of the first body.

4 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot of each stand element comprises a first slot that is transverse to a second slot, the second slot being in communication with the first slot and having a width that is greater than the width of the first slot such that the second slot is configured to retain a portion of the first body and a portion of a second body.

5 . The privacy screen of claim 4 , wherein the second body has a plurality of spaced apart pillow regions and a plurality of spaced apart recess regions, each recess region spacing apart immediately adjacent pillow regions, the pillow regions having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the recess regions.

6 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first body is comprised of an elastomeric material and is formed to have a non-woven appearance.

7 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first body is formed by a plurality of elongated elastomeric fibers being bonded together to provide the non-woven appearance.

8 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of connectors attached to a lower portion of the first body to attach the first body adjacent to a work surface.

9 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each of the connectors has a bracket, at least one first member extending from a first side of the bracket, and at least one second member extending from a second side of the bracket that is opposite the first side of the bracket, a vertically extending portion of each first member extending vertically parallel to a vertically extending portion of a corresponding second member to define an opening for receiving a portion of the lower portion of the first body.

10 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vertically extending portion of the first member is configured to move away from the vertically extending portion of the corresponding second member to receive the first body and is configured to be resilient for being biased to move toward the vertically extending portion of the corresponding second member to grasp the portion of the lower portion of the first body received in the opening.

11 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , comprising: a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors configured to attach the body adjacent to an edge of a work surface.

12 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the connectors comprises:
a J-shaped member having a first upper end that is positionable adjacent an outer face of the first body to contact the first body and a second end opposite the first upper end that is positionable within a lower opening of a bracket assembly for attachment to the work surface.

13 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the connectors comprises:
an elongated member that is configured to extend linearly from adjacent the edge of the work surface to adjacent a top edge of the first body, an upper end of the elongated member having an opening that is in communication with a slit to receive and retain the top edge of the first body within the opening such that a portion of the first body extends downwardly from the opening and through the slit.

14 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first body is configurable to multiple different orientations via bending or flexing of the first body along at least some of the recess regions, the pillow regions being stiffer than the recess regions; and
wherein the orientations of the first body comprise at least two of: a linearly extending orientation, a generally “U” shaped orientation, a generally “V” shaped orientation, a generally “C” shaped orientation, a generally “S” shaped orientation, a generally “O” shaped orientation, and a generally “L” shaped orientation.

15 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the orientations of the first body comprise at least all of: the linearly extending orientation, the generally “U” shaped orientation, the generally “V” shaped orientation, the generally “C” shaped orientation, the generally “S” shaped orientation, the generally “O” shaped orientation, and the generally “L” shaped orientation.

16 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first body is formed by a plurality of elongated elastomeric fibers being bonded together such that the first body has a density of material of between 0.055 grams/cm 3 and 0.090 grams/cm 3 .

17 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first body is formed by a plurality of elongated elastomeric fibers being bonded together such that diameters of the elongated elastomeric fibers are between 0.40 mm and 0.70 mm.

18 . The privacy screen apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first body is formed by a plurality of elongated elastomeric fibers being bonded together such that diameters of the elongated elastomeric fibers are between 0.40 mm and 0.70 mm.

19 . A method of making a privacy screen apparatus comprising:
forming elongated fibers from an elastomeric material such that diameters of the elongated elastomeric fibers are between 0.40 mm and 0.70 mm; randomly laying the formed elongated fibers on top of each other; bonding the elongated fibers that are randomly laid on top of each other; forming a first body from the bonded elongated fibers such that the first body has a density of material of between 0.055 grams/cm 3 and 0.090 grams/cm 3 , the first body being formed to have a plurality of spaced apart pillow regions and a plurality of spaced apart recess regions, each recess region spacing apart immediately adjacent pillow regions, the pillow regions having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the recess regions; and providing stand elements or connectors that are sized and configured to be attached to lower portions of the first body.

20 . The method of claim 19 , comprising:
attaching the first body to an article of furniture adjacent to a work surface via the connectors or positioning the first body in the stand elements to support the first body on a floor or work surface.

Assignees

• Knoll Inc

Inventors

• Udagawa Masamichi
• Moeslinger Sigrid
• Deliso Joseph A
• Deskevich Adam
• Mckenzie James Harrison

Classifications

• E04B2/7405 Primary

  with free upper edge, e.g. for use as office space dividers · CPC title

• A47G5/00

  Screens (shutters closing an opening E06B9/02; fly-screens E06B9/52); Draught-deflectors · CPC title

• A47B2200/12

  Vanity or modesty panels · CPC title

• E04H15/62

  Pegs, stakes or the like · CPC title

• E04H1/1272

  Exhibition stands · CPC title