Partition system and accessories for use therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9380867-B2
Application number	US-201314011359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2013
Priority date	Aug 27, 2012
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A partition system includes various accessories that may be associated with a wall or base element. The accessories include without limitation a power strip, an adjustable shelf, various backdrops and a worksurface assembly. The wall element may be curved or linear in various embodiments. The wall element may include an upstanding wall or a channel, either or both of which are engaged by one or more accessories. In some embodiments, the accessories may be co-located at a single location, with one or more accessories accommodating the others with an expansion device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A furniture assembly comprising:
a base comprising a plurality of walls each having an upper edge with a different height, the plurality of walls spaced horizontally from each other and arranged front to back to define one or more channels therebetween;
a claw defining a downwardly opening claw channel, wherein one of said upper edges is received in said claw channel;
a support member coupled to said claw and extending laterally from said plurality of walls;
a vertically adjustable leg supporting said support member at a location laterally spaced from said base; and
a worksurface supported by said support member,
wherein said claw is adapted to engage any of said plurality of walls, and wherein said leg is adjustable to a plurality of heights so as to maintain said worksurface in a substantially horizontal configuration regardless of which of said upper edges is engaged by said claw.

2. The furniture assembly of claim 1 comprising a second claw, wherein the claw and the second claw define a pair of claws, and wherein said support member comprises at least a pair of support arms respectively coupled to said pair of claws.

3. The furniture assembly of claim 2 wherein said support arms comprise distal end portions joined to a housing, wherein said housing is coupled to said leg.

4. The furniture assembly of claim 2 wherein said pair of claws are slideably coupled to respective proximal end portions of said support arms opposite distal end portions.

5. The furniture assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of walls are curved.

6. The furniture assembly of claim 5 wherein said worksurface has a sector shape.

7. The furniture assembly of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary furniture component disposed in one of said one or more channels behind a rear edge of said worksurface.

8. The furniture assembly of claim 7 wherein said auxiliary furniture component comprises one of a backdrop or power strip.

9. The furniture assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of walls are linear.

10. A furniture assembly comprising:
a base comprising a plurality of walls having support surfaces arranged at a plurality of different heights, wherein said plurality of walls are horizontally spaced from each other and arranged front to back in a stepped configuration;
a support member adapted to be supported by any one of said support surfaces, said support member extending laterally from said base;
a worksurface supported by said support member; and
a vertically adjustable leg positioned at a location laterally spaced from said base, wherein said vertically adjustable leg supports said worksurface and is adjustable to a plurality of heights so as to maintain said worksurface in a substantially horizontal configuration regardless of which of said support surfaces is supporting said support member.

11. The furniture assembly of claim 10 further comprising a claw engaging one of said support surfaces, wherein said support member is coupled to said claw, wherein said claw defines a downwardly opening channel, and said plurality of walls each defining one of said support surfaces, wherein one of said plurality of walls is received in said channel.

12. The furniture assembly of claim 11 comprising a second claw, wherein the claw and the second claw define a pair of claws, and wherein said support member comprises at least a pair of support arms coupled to said pair of claws.

13. The furniture assembly of claim 12 wherein said support arms comprise distal end portions joined to a housing, wherein said housing is coupled to said leg.

14. The furniture assembly of claim 13 wherein one of said housing and a mounting portion of said leg comprises a circular flange configured to be slideably received in a groove.

15. The furniture assembly of claim 12 wherein said pair of claws are slideably coupled to end portions of said support arms.

16. The furniture assembly of claim 11 wherein each of said plurality of walls comprises opposite sidewalls and wherein said base comprises at least one channel formed adjacent one of said plurality of walls, said at least one channel defined in part by one of said opposite sidewalls, and further comprising an auxiliary furniture component disposed in said at least one channel behind a rear edge of said worksurface.

17. The furniture assembly of claim 16 wherein said auxiliary furniture component comprises one of a backdrop or power strip.

18. The furniture assembly of claim 10 wherein said base is curved.

19. The furniture assembly of claim 18 wherein said worksurface has a sector shape.

20. The furniture assembly of claim 10 wherein said vertically adjustable leg is coupled to said support member.

21. The furniture assembly of claim 10 wherein said base is linear.

Assignees

• Miller Herman Inc

Inventors

• Plikat Claudia
• Schmitz Johann Burkhard
• Zwick Carola Eva Marianne
• Zwick Roland Rolf Otto
• Maidl Janja

Classifications

• H02G3/386

  in walls · CPC title

• E04B2002/7418

  Accessories supported on the free upper edge, e.g. auxiliary panels, noise abatement devices · CPC title

• A47B21/02

  with vertical adjustable parts · CPC title

• H02G3/286

  in walls · CPC title

• A47B9/00 Primary

  Tables with tops of variable height ({lecterns with variable height A47B19/06; school forms or desks with variable height A47B39/02, A47B41/02}; seats with variable height A47C3/20) · CPC title