Connector arrangement for a wall panel system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9816269-B2
Application number	US-201514933304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 6, 2006
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A connector arrangement for a wall panel system is provided which includes connector blocks that join serially-adjacent wall panel frames together in proper alignment with each other. These corner blocks also are matable with a system of spacer strips, light block strips, single-side trim covers and multi-side trim covers which enclose the connector blocks and connector structure. A corner spline arrangement is also provided between adjacent trim covers which spline extends vertically and defines a closed corner, right-angled corner between the interconnected trim covers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wall panel system comprising:
a plurality of wall panels each having an inner frame having opposite sidewalls and opposite ends defining a width between said sidewalls and having at least one side cover having lateral ends and an outer surface attached to and covering at least one of said sidewalls of said frame and defining a planar panel face of said wall panels;
at least one corner block having a plurality of block sides, at least two of said block sides adapted to connect one of said ends of one of said frames thereto and permitting the interconnection of said ends of at least two of said frames together;
wherein said corner block includes four angled block corners which are each defined between an adjacent pair of said block sides, said block corners having a width extending between adjacent block sides, each block corner including a light block slot arrangement;
an elongate light block having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said light block mounted to said light block slot arrangement and disposed between said lateral ends of adjacent side covers such that said exterior surface of said light block is disposed interior of said outer surfaces of adjacent side covers, and said interior surface of said light block abuts said angled block corner; and
at least one fastener connecting said at least one corner block to said at least two frames.

2. The wall panel system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of block sides permit the interconnection of adjacent said frame ends of at least two of said panel frames together in serially-adjacent relation to define a multi-way connection wherein said frames are mountable on opposite said block sides in an inline configuration and mountable on adjacent said block sides in an angled configuration, any unused block sides of said block sides which remain unused defining a space between the adjacent panel faces of said panels.

3. The wall panel system of claim 2 including at least one trim cover adapted to mount to said corner block on any of said unused block sides which are unused after the connection of said plurality of said frames, said trim cover having an outer trim face.

4. The wall panel system of claim 3 , wherein said light block is a vertically elongate strip having a length extending along the vertical height of at least one of said panels and a width spanning said width of said block corner.

5. The wall panel system of claim 4 including at least one spacer disposed between each of said block sides and said frame ends connected thereto, said spacer including opposing surfaces, said block sides and said frame ends being spaced apart from each other across the entirety of said frame end width such that said frame ends and said corner block are each in contact with one of said opposing surfaces of said spacer but not in direct contact with each other.

6. The wall panel system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one corner block includes at least two slots in each of said block sides and said slots are adapted to mount at least a pair of spacers to each said block side to space a respective said panel frame from said block side.

7. The wall panel system of claim 6 wherein said pair of spacers includes a spacer arrangement that includes a first spacer pairing between said corner block and one of said frame ends and a second spacer pairing between said corner block and another of said frame ends.

8. The wall panel system of claim 7 wherein said at least one corner block includes first and second vertically spaced apart corner blocks.

9. A wall panel system comprising:
first and second wall panels each including a frame having opposing sidewalls and end portions defining a width between said sidewalls;
a plurality of cover panels having lateral ends and outer surfaces, each of said sidewalls having at least one of said cover panels attached thereto;
a corner block connectable to said first and second wall panels in an angled configuration wherein said first wall panel is arranged at an angle with respect to said second wall panel, said corner block including a first corner block sidewall facing said first wall panel end portion, a second corner block sidewall facing the second wall panel end portion, and an angled block corner having a width extending between said first corner block sidewall and said second corner block sidewall at an angle with respect to said first corner block sidewall and said second corner block sidewall;
an elongate light block having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said light block mounted to said angled block corner, said elongate light block spanning said width of said angled block corner and disposed between said lateral ends of adjacent cover panels such that said exterior surface of said light block is disposed interior of said outer surfaces of adjacent cover panels, and said interior surface of said light block abuts said angled block corner; and
at least one fastener connecting said at least one corner block to said first and second wall panel end portions,
wherein interior corners are defined at a joint between said first and second wall panels in said angled configuration, said elongate light block mounted to said angled block corner interiorly of said joint at said interior corner.

10. The wall panel system of claim 9 wherein said corner block is a first corner block and further including a second corner block interposed between the first and second wall panels.

11. The wall panel system of claim 10 wherein said first corner block and said second corner block are vertically spaced apart from one another.

12. The wall panel system of claim 11 wherein said elongate light block vertically spans at least said first corner block and said second corner block.

13. The wall panel system of claim 12 wherein said angled block corner defines a slot, a portion of said elongate light block extending into said slot for mounting said light block on said angled block corner.

14. The wall panel system of claim 13 further including a trim cover mountable to a corner block sidewall that is not connected to one of said frame end portions.

15. A wall panel system comprising:
a wall panel including a frame having opposing sidewalls and lateral end portions defining a width between said sidewalls, each of said lateral end portions defining a vertical centerline at the midpoint between the sidewalls, the wall panel including at least one cover panel having lateral ends and an outer surface, the wall panel attached to and covering at least one of the sidewalls of the frame;
a corner block connectable to the wall panel, the corner block including a first sidewall facing the wall panel end portion, the first sidewall including a recessed portion and thicker portions, the recessed portion disposed between the thicker portions, the recessed portion spaced from the wall panel end portion and defining at least one fastener hole, the corner block including a second one of the sidewalls adjacent the first sidewall, and an angled corner section disposed between the first and second sidewalls;
at least one elongate light block having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the light block attached to the angled corner section of the corner block, the elongate light block disposed between the lateral ends of adjacent cover panels such that the exterior surface of the light block is disposed interior of the outer surfaces of adjacent cover panels, and the interior surface of the light block abuts the angled corner section;
at least one spacer disposed between the corner block first or second sidewall

Assignees

• Haworth Inc

Inventors

• Glick Kristen
• Deweerd Jason
• Wayner Robert Clare

Classifications

• E04B2/76

  with framework or posts of metal {(details of connections, thresholds or skirtings E04B2/82)} · CPC title

• E04C2/34

  composed of two or more spaced sheet-like parts (E04C2/32 takes precedence; spacers for cavity walls E04B2/44) · CPC title

• E04B2/56

  {Load-bearing} walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members (E04B2/74, E04B2/88 take precedence; pillars E04C3/30) · CPC title

• E04B2002/742

  Details of panel top cap · CPC title

• E04B2002/749

  Partitions with screw-type jacks · CPC title