Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1156017
This inventiorl relates to walls and partitions in
general and to free-standing wall systems in par-ticular.
B~CKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Free-standing wall or partition systems are well known,
as exemplified by Canadian Patent No.926~593 issued May 22, 1973
to Nimmo and by Canadian Patent No. 1,039,916 issued October 10,
1978 to Kepac Limited. The sys-tems illustrated in such patents
can be used as dividing walls in an o~fice environment or
they can be used as free-standing displays for adverti~ing or
exhibition purposes. Such sys-tems utilize panels, which
represent the dividing or display portion, and appropriate
structure to connect the panels together. Usually a post or
pole separates adjacent panels, with -the panels carrying clips
which snap on to, or otherwise engage, the poles whereby the
poles carry or support the panels. In the Nimmo patent referred
to a~ove an aluminum alloy clip is carried by the panel and
snaps on to a cylindrical pole member for support. Adjacent
lengths of pole material may be joined ~ogether by a connector
which has a non-circular outer periphery, preferably oval, and
i~ receivable in a corresponding internal "bore" in the pole.
Adjacent poles having a connector therein can be twisted or
rotated relative to each other so that they are locked togethe~.
A similar clip construction is used in the Kepac structure to
secure the panels to the poles~ Neither Q~ these patents shows
a m~chanism ~or dlrectly joinin~ one panel to another panel
wl~hout the use o~ an ln-tervenlng polq. Also the clips, connectors
and means ~or assembling said items to the panels and or poles
are cumbersome and, in many instances, ine~icien-t~
pc/
SUMMA~Y OF T~IE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved wall, screen
or partition system which improves on -the ind:ividual items o
the prior ar-t~ achieving an attractive, yet economical and
efficient system. In the present invention the clips ~or
attaching the panels to -the poles are adapted to slide in a
channel provided in a frame member of the panel and any number
of clips and any positioning o~ the clips may be used. The clips
are sprung against the restraining edges of the channels and
lQ such springiness tends to lock the clips in the desired position
although they can be easily moved by squeezing the gripping legs
together and sliding the ~clip along the channel. The channel
can also accommodate clips which are designed to interlock
together so t~at a panel may be secured to an adjacent panel
without using a support pole therebetween. ~Such clips come as
male and ~emale pairs~and are dimensioned so that there is very
little, if any, gap ~etween adjacent panels when they are secured
together.
The invention aLso provides an improvement in joininy
adjacent pole sections together so as to achieve support poles ~ ;
o~ different heights. Each pole section has a cylindrical
cxoss-section with a circular hollow interior. Adjacent each
end the pole section is provided with a pair o~ radially inwardly
d~re~d and ~x~ally aLi~ned ~implq~. ~he dimples ax~ ~ceiv~b:le
in a l~ngi~udlnal ~XOOv~ in ~hq Qut~r ~rip~exy o~ ~ c~nnqç~r
mem~r and wh~n ~w~ adjaaqnk pol~ ~ec~ions Wi~ a conn~a~ox
m~m~qX t~qrebqtw~n ar~ ~wlsted r~ ivq to ~ach o~har ~he
dimpl~ w~ riction~Lly en0a0e ~he sides o~ ~h~ gxooye t9 Loak
~ 2
c~
,
:~ 1 5 ~
each pole sectiorl to the connec~lncJ member. Bo-th dimples of one
pole section may engage the yroove of -the connecting member or,
alterrlative.lyth~ dimple farthest from the end of the pole section
may be ejther deeper tharl the other or circumferentially offset
~rom the other to act as a stop to prevent over-inser~ion of the
connector member into the pole section. If the fit between the
connector member and the adjacent pole sections is fairly tight,
then it may not be necessary to twist~lock the adjacent pole
sections t.o the connec-tor member although a s~ronger connection
will result ~rom -thQ locking step.
Broadly speak:ing now, the present invent.ion provides,
a ~ree-standing wall or partition assembly comprising: a plurality
of generall~ rectangular panel members having corner-abutting
frame members along the periphery thereof, each frame member
having an outer, longitudinally extending channel therein defined
by side walls of the frame member and reentrant opposing flanges
extending inwardly from the free edges o~ the side walls; a
plurality of cylindrical support pole means to which the panel
members may be connécted to ~orm the assembly; and means for
2Q connecting the panel member to the suppor-t pole means, the
connecting means including a plurality of unitary clips, each
clip being ~ormed from a resilient spring material and having a
base portion for sliding recep~ion in ~he channel, a gripping
por~ion for re~ilien~ly snapping over and engaging the suppoxt
pole means and a connea-~ion portion interconnec-~ing the base
portl~n and the gxipping portion, -the connection porkion being
resil.i~ntly hiasecl into engagement wi.th the reentrant ~langes to
preven~ undesired slicling movement o~ the clip in the ahannel and
-- 3 --
pc/
11 5B0~ 7
bciny moveable out o~ engacJement with the Elanges -to permit
sliding reposi~ionlllg oE the clip within the outer channel.
BRIEF DI~SC~IPTION OF T~113 DI~ INGS
Figure l shows in side eleva-tion a pair of panels
joined to a support pole in accordanc~ with the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a section of a panel, frame, clip and
pole in operative condition taken on -the line 2-2 o~ Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end view of a clip as used in the
present i`nvention.
lQ Figure 4 is an enlarged partial view of a corrier o~ a
panel showing the manner in which the frame members are connected
together.
Figure 5 is a top view of a frame member to show an
insertion opening ~or a clip.
~ igure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 o~ Figure 1
showing how~the pole sections may be connected together.
Figure 7 is an exploded view of a connectox member and
a pole section.
` Fi~ure 8 is a perspective view oP a pair of mating panel-to-
panel clips.
- DETAILED DESCRIPITION OF THE INVENTION
.. .. .. _ . .. _ .. _ ..
Figure l shows the basic con~iguration o~ a ~ree-
standing wal~, par-tition or display sys-tem utilizing the present
inven~ion~ ~h~ baslc syætem includes a plurali-ty o~ panels 10,
m~ans- such as a suppor-k pole 12 for supporting the panels in the
,desixed arientation, and me~ns such as clips 14 eor connec-ting
t~e panels -to the poles. ~he panels 10 may be oP any appropriate
conætruc-ti~on, such as wood, aluminum or, as contemplatecl herein,
-- 4 --
P~/
1 1 56~1 7
a honeycomh cardboard pallel havinc3 cl decorative, coloured,
covcring thereover. While a pre.ferred :Eorm ~or -the panel has
been :indicated it is important to note that the panel construc-tion
per se does not form a part of the invention.
With reference now to Figures 1 and 2 it is seen that
each panel 10 is provicded around its periphery with a plurality
of frame members 16. As seen in Figure 2, each frame member 16
has a pair of opposed sides 18 joined by a transverse web 20.
The sides 18 and web 20 define a first longitudinally extending
inner channel 22 on one side of the web 20, the channel ~2 heiny
o~ a w;dth to smoothly receive the panel 10. On the other side
of the web 20 it is seen that flanges 24 project inwardly from
the free edges of sides 18, the flanges defining therebetween a
longitudinally extending slot or opening 26 and also defining,
with web 20 and sides 18 a second longitudinally extendin~ outer
channel 28 on the other side of web 20, facing away from channel
22. ~hannel 28 is accessible by way of slot or opening 26.
As seen in Figures 1 and 4 each frame member 16 abuts
an adjoining frame member 16 at a corner of a panel by way of
mitered ends 29. When assembling the ~rame members to the panel
10 the ~rame members for t~opposing sides are first of all placed
in position along the panel edge with the panel edge being
received in ~h~ channel 22 of each ~rame member. ~he fxame
members fox ~he ~-ther two o~posing sides axe each provided with
an ~sh~ped lockincJ m~mber 30, one leg o~ each such.member being
slid int~ -the channel 28 ~rom ~he ends o~ khe fxame membex 16.
Each. lockinc~ member 30 has a width essentially e~ual to tha~ o~
chanr~el ~8 and a ~hickness less than the heic~ht o~ channel ~8
pc,~' '
lls6al7
Also ~ach leg oE the memher 30 has a pa;r of alignecl threaded
bores, e~ch recc:ivincJ a set-screw 32, access to which is provided
by the slot or opening 26. With the~ members 30 loosely positioned
one at each end of the remaining frame members 16, those frame
members are assembled to -the panel 10 in such a manner that the
other leg of each locking member 30 enters the channel 28 of the
adjacent~ already positioned frame member 16. All of the set-
screws 32 are then tightened, the effec-t being to lift each leg
o~ each locking member 30 away from i-ts adjacent portion of the
web 20 and to force the opposite surface of each leg into tight
enyagement with the underside of the Elanges 24 opposite the
web 20. The members 3Q are thus locked into their corner positions
and the frame members are prevented from inadvertant removal
~rom the panel 10. The members 30 also reinforce the corner
areas of panel 10, making the corner areas stronger and less
susceptible to damage in the event a panel is dropped on a corner.
The clip 14 will he described with reference to
Fi~ures 1,-2 and 3. It is seen first of all that the clip 14 is
unitary in nature, being formed from sheet material such as .025"
2Q sprincJ steel. The clip includes a base por-tion 34 which has a
width and height suf~icient for a smooth, but not loose, reception
in channel 28. The base portion is defined by the generally
~lat ~loor portion 35, the lower sides 36 rising from the floor
por-~ion 35 and t~e r@ent~ant flanges 38. CQnverging sicle por-tions
40 extend away ~rom the ~xqe end of ~langes 38 and terminate in
outw~rdl~ curved 0ripping portion3 42~ ~ach grippiny portion
~2 terminatq~ in an outturned end portion 44, -~he two end
portlons ~4 defin:in~ -therebetween an entrancq ~uiaeway ~or the
pc~/
,
0 ~ 7
~upport ~ol~ :l.2 during assembl.y of -the clip thereto.
Wh.il~ the rad:i~ls of cllrvature o,E each gripping portion
42 is essentially the same as the outs:lde di,ameter of the support
pole 12 to which it will be attached it is seen that in Figure 3 r
in the relaxed~ unassemblccl state, the wides-t distance between
the gripping portions 42 is considerably less than -the operative
separat~on distance when assembled to the support pole 12, as
seen in Figure 2. This is achievecl during the for}niny stage of
the clip by having the side portions 40 converge as seen in Figure
3. When the clip is assembled to a support pole the end portions
44 will initially engage the side wall of the support pole and wqth
continued pressure towards the pole the gripping portio.ns will
spread against the gripping forces provided by the converging
side portions 40 and the spring-like base portion 34. Once the
end portions 44 pass the widest part of the support pole the
clip will actually by drawn onto the pole by the spring forces
generated within the clip as it is spread for the assem~ly
operation. Additional gripping pressure is generated due to the
resistance to spreading of the gripping portions 42 by abutting
2Q engayement, during the spreading phase, between each side portion
40 and the edge of adjacent flange 24,
When the clip 14 is positioned in the channel 28~ as
in Fi~ure ~, p.rior to assembly to a support polq, it is possiblq
-to ~lide the clip -to any desired location along the channql
bq-tween thq locking members 30~ It is
clesirable Por the side por-kions 40 to he ini~ially formed so -that
when the clip is positioned in khe channel 23 the side portions
wi~.l exert a slight, outwardly directed pr~sure against the
,l?C~
1 1 5601 7
ed(Jes o.~ tl~e fklnges 24. In this con:Eiguration, if it is
necessary to sl.;de a clip along the channel 28, -the gripping
porti.ons 42 ar.e squeezed tocJether to release the pressure exerted
by the side portions 40 and the clip may then be slid to i:-ts new
location. Release of -the squee~ing pressure will permit the
side portions to spread back into a frictional locking engagement
with the edges o~ ~langes 24. In this manner a clip may be
located anywhere along the channel 28 without Eear that it will
move Prom its desired location even when the channeL is in a
vertical orientation.
Clips may be assembled to a channel 28 before the frame
member 16 is assembled to a panel 10 merely by sliding them into
the open end of the channel before a locking member is secured
therein. Thi.s may not be convenient at a later point in time
when a wall conEiguration is to be changed and it is necessary
to repositi.on clips from one frame member to another frame
member or to merel~ remove unnecessary clips from a part.icular
frame member. In order to remove, or insert, clips ~rom, or
~nto, a channel 28 one flange 24 of each frame member is modified
as in Fi~ure 5. There it is seen that a section oP one flange
24 has been cut back as at 46 for a distance slightly greater
than the length of a clip 14. The distance "D" between.the base
Qf the cut out 46 and the edge o:E the opposi-te P:lange ~4 is jus-t
sligh~ly greater ~han the dlstance "d'l (Flgure 3) between the
~utside "B" of one lowe.r side 36 and -the outside "A" oP the
opposite side pOr~iQn 40~ When inserting a clip into a channel
2~ at -the inse.rtlon zone de~ined by the aut out ~6 the area "~"
o~ t~le clip is ~rough-t agains-t -the edge "E" oP ~he Plan~e 24
P~
6a~7
with the ad jaccnt reerltr~rlt E].an~e 38 and sicle 36 positioned
uncler the ElancJc 24. Tllo clip is then rotated towards the web
~0 so that the sicle "~" of the clip passes the ed~e "F" o~ the
cut out 46 until the floor portion 36 of the cl.ip rests on the
web 20. The clip may then be sli.d along the channel 28 .-to its
desired location.
Turning now to Figures 1, 6 and 7 the support pole 12
and struoture ~or conncct.ing acljacent poles to~ether will be
described. Fi~ure 1 shows a pair oE suppor-t poles 12 in axi.al
~lignment with the upper pole carryiny a sui-table decorative cap
48 which is secured -to the upper pole in any convenient and well
known manner, In order that the wall system of the present
in~ention may be as versatile as possible, however, it should
be poss;ble to construct walls of any desired height and thus,
~hen using support poles of specific, standard lengths, it may
~ecome necessary to assemble several pole sections together to
achieve the desired heiyht. Since considerable transverse force
is exerted on a support pole when one or more panel clips is
attached thereto the joint between adjacent pole sections should
be as strong as possible to avoid a loss of alignment when a panel
is attached to an assembled pole~
As seen in Fi~ures 6 and 7.the pole 12 is o~ cylindrical
~or~ ~nd ÇroSs-~ection. The pole 12 is desixably a seamless
ex~ruded section oP aluminum kubin~. Adjacent each end -thereo~
p~ir: c3.~ ~ially ali~ned, radially inwardly directqd, generally
~pheriaal climples 5~ are ~ormed in the sic1e wall of thq pole
.sec~ioll, Axially inwaxdl~ o~ the inner.~mosk dimple ~0, and prefer-
ably circumerenkially o~fset th~refrom, is a third dlmple 52
which is lar~er and deepcr than the okher dimples 50.
~3c~
1 15601 7
~ I}lcn formin-J t~le dimples 50 and 52 in aluminum tubing
it ls not sufEici~nt to merely apply pressure -through a forming
tool on~o the ou~r surface of the tubing since this tends to
cause sharp ~tress crclcks and rough edges on the formed dimple
surface within the tubing, which rough edges and surfaces can
damage anything slid into the tubing that is of alumlnum or a
so~ter material. In or~er to avoid such a problem the present
invention contemplates a dimple forming process which results
in a smoothly formed dimple. In the process the tubing is
supported internally on a mandrel held in a vise below a
rotatable Eorming tool held in an appropriate machine such as
a drill press. The forming tool has a non-cutting conical
end which will form the dimple in the tubing, Under the
effect of high rotational speeds and downwardly-directed
pressure the material of the tubing in the vicinity of the
tool end is heated and softened sufficiently that it will flow
and deform to the shape of the tool end. Since the tubing
material is thus subiected to plastic deformation there will
be no stress cracks or rough edges on the other side of the
dimple within the tubing. The tubing surface subjected to the
action of the forming tool may have burrs thereon but it is
a simple process to debur the material after the dimple-forming
process.
A joining pi~ce 54~ ~ormed from appropriate material,
s-lch as ex~ruded ~luminum, is used ~ join acljacen-t lengths of
pole sec~ions 12.-together. ~ch joininy piece 5~ is about 8
inches long and i5 essentially circular in cross-section for
smooth, almost tight recep~,ion wlthin the pole section 12
-9~- ~
`ll56017
(~ic3~lrc 6). rile joinlng ~iecc 54 h.ls, however, an axially
~nd r~d~ ].y di.rected grooVe 56 in l:he wa]l thereof, which
~JL'OOVC iS size~cl to receive the dimp]es 50 bu-t not the dimple
52. There :i5 a smoothl~ curved transi-tion area 60 from
the cylindrlcal wall oE the joining piece 54 to the side wall
62 of the yroove 56.
When joining two lengths of pole sections 12 together
a joining piece 54 is first of all fitted into the open end oE
one section with the groove 56 receiving, or mating with the
dimples 50. The dep-th of inscrtion of the joining piece into
the pole seckion 12 is controlled by the dimple 52 which cannot
be received in the groove 56, due to being o~fset therefrom,
and thus acts as a limit stop to prevent any further insertion
of the joining piece. A second polc section 12 is then slid
over the exposed length of the joining piece with the dimples
50 aligned with the groove 56 until the two pole sections abut
each other. The pole sections 12 may then be twisted relative
to each other on the joining piece 54 to force the dimples 50
of one pole section 12 into frictional locking engagement with
the transition area 60 along one side of the groove 56 while
the dimples 50 of the other pole sec-tion are forced into
frictional locking engagement with the transition area 60
along the other side of the groove 56~ In this manner both
pole sec-tions are securely locked to -khe joining piece 5~ and
a solid suppor-t pole resul-ts. ~he smooth na-ture of -the dimples
prevents any damage -to the joining piece 5~.
sd ~ -10-
1156017
~ rhe nun~b~r of dim~les 50 is not restricted -to -two and,
in fact, ;f the outer di~meter of the joining piece 54 and the
inner cliamet~r o~ the pole SeCtionS L2 can be controlled during
manufacture to ensure a close, tigh-t, almost interference fit
there~etween, it might be possible to eliminate the dimples 50
and the groove 56 altogether. The dimple 52 would still be used
to limit inward movement of the joining piece 54 although it
could be of less depth than before.
The final aspect oE the present invention to the
described herein is the panel-to-panel clip structure as shown
in Figure 8. This structurc is used when it is desired to
assemble panels together wlthout the benefit of an intervening
support pole. The clip structure of Figure 8 includes a male
clip 64 and a female clip 66 each of which is adapted for insertion
and positioning in the channel 28 of a frame member 16 in the
same manner as a clip 14. Both clips 64 and 66 are preferably
~ormed from spring steel.
The male clip 64 has an enlarged, almost teardrop
shaped curved nose piece 68 which has converging side walls 70.
The side walls 70then diverge into opposi-tely directed feet 72 which
in turn lead in~o legs 74 and reentrant flan~es 76. The feet
72, legs 74 and flanges 76 define a base which is receivable in
a channel 28 in the same manner as -the hase 34 of a clip 14.
B~ ~c~xmlncJ the clip 64 ~xom spring steel the properties of the
materlal are usqd to lc)~k the cl:ip in posi-tion in a channel 28.
F~r example it is necessary -to squeeze the two side walls 70
tc~c~ethqr in c~rcler to insex-t a clip 64 into a channel 28 by way oE
au-tc~lt 46.
~ 11 ~
pc~
1156~17
The f~male cl:ip 66 has a ~ase portlon 78 Pormed li]c~
b.lse 3~ of cl:ip 14, with a ~loor portion 80 and side portions 82.
~ach side portion 82 leads into an inward].y curving gripping
porti.on 84 which t~rminates in an outwardly curving and reentrant
C-shaped guide wall. ~he female clip 66 may be inserted into a
channe]. 28 in the same manner as a clip 14, the spring nature
of thc material serving -to hold i-t in position.
When two panels are to be joined together without a
support pole, a plurality of male clips 64 are positioned in the
lQ channel 28 o~ a frame member 16 on one panel and a corresponding
plurality of ~emale clips 66 are positioned in the channel 28 of
the opposing Erame member 16 on the other panel. The panels are
brought to~ether so that the nose pieces 68 of the male clips
are aligned with. and introduced into the converging mouths o~
the female clips 66 as defined by the curving guide walls 86.
Further ~orce causes the nose pieces 68 to spread the walls 84
of the female clips 66 until the area of maximum width of the
nose pieces 68 pass the area oE minimum width between the walls
84 and the walls 84 then clvse in on the nose pieces 68 to
~0 lock them.in place. To separa-te adjacent panels it is only
necessary to ~orce them apart so as to e~fect disengagement
be.tween the male and female clips.
It is not necessary to have male clips only on one
panel and ~em~le clips only on the o-ther panel~ Male and f~male
allps may be in-term.ixed on any on~ panel as long ~s correspondin~
~emale and male clips ara provided on thq oppo~itq panel.
It is un~ersto~d that -the Pore~oin~ descr:Lba5 the
prq~exred ~orm o~ -the prqsqnt inverltiorl but :lt is al80 undcrs-tvod
- 12 -
pc~
~lS~017
that variatlc)rls therc.in could also be achieved by a person
ski:lled in the art without departi.nc3 from the spirit of the
invention. Ilence the protection to be afforded the invention is
to be dctermined ~rom the claims appended hereto.
-` 1~ ~
pcf
