Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: PRIVACY SCREEN FOR OFFICE PANELLING SYSTEMS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to office panelling
systems and in particular relates to a privacy screen which
can be secured to the office panelling system, adjacent an
entryway between panels to allow selective closure of the
entryway.
The modern office continues to evolve and office
panelling systems provide a great deal of flexibility to
address the changing needs of the user over time. Office
panelling systems are commonly used for subdividing a large
open space into work stations and hallways. Normally the
work stations are defined by a group of office panels
defining an enclosure with an entryway from the work
station to a hallway. For many applications this work
station with an open entryway is sufficient and provides
the user with some privacy while still being part of an
open part of the office. An open entryway also has the
ability of providing a greater feeling of space as the work
station is opening on to a hallway or larger space.
In some applications it is desirable to be able to
close this entryway and in particular, to provide visual
privacy from anyone in the hallway outside of the work
station.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to
provide a simple method for closing of the entryway and in
particular, to provide a system which has wide application
and is easy to install.
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SUN~IARY OF T~i,E INVENTION
A system of office panels according to the present
invention, subdivide an open space into work stations and
at least some of the work stations have an entryway usable
by a person between a first panel and a spaced second panel
for entering or exiting the work station. A privacy screen
is supported by and to one side of the first panel and is
movable from a position overlapping and exterior to the
first panel, to leave the entryway open, to an extended
position closing the entryway. The privacy screen includes
an outer frame supporting a non-transparent sheet substrate
there within.
In one aspect of the invention, the privacy screen
is supported by at least one telescopic slide attached to
the first panel and located intermediate the privacy screen
and the first panel.
The invention also provides an privacy screen per
se. The privacy screen can be relatively light weight and
provides visual privacy to the work station when desired.
The privacy screen is in contrast to a lockable door which
would also provide security to the work station itself.
The purpose of the privacy screen is to allow the user to
restrict anyone in the hallway adjacent to the work station
from observing his work, if the privacy screen is in a
closed position. This type of application is particularly
desirable for computer programmers and software developers
who often have development work displayed on computer
monitors.
The privacy screen is mounted to the outer face of
the first panel and, to a limited extent, encroaches on the
hallway. This allows the privacy screen to be easily
retrofitted to existing panels defining the entryway.
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According to an aspect of the invention in which
the privacy screen is supported by telescopic slides, the
slides have at least three stages with at least 40~ overlap
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between adjacent stages when the privacy screen is in the
closed position.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the
privacy screen is only supported by telescopic slides
located at an upper and lower part of the privacy screen
from the first panel. V~hen the privacy screen is in the
closed position, it is supported in a cantilevered manner
from the first panel.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the
sheet substrate is preferably of a translucent plastic
material.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention,
the substrate is bowed outwardly away from the first panel
between vertical sides of the frame of the privacy screen
provided about the substrate.
The purpose of the substrate is to provide visual
privacy to the work station and therefore it need not be of
high structural integrity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in
the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of an office
panelling system having an entryway to a work station;
Figure 2 is a partial view of an office panelling
system of Figure 1 with a privacy screen used to close the
entryway;
Figure 3A is an exploded perspective view showing
one manner of mounting the upper telescopic slide and
curved privacy screen to the office panelling system;
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Figure 3B is an end view showing the interior of
the telescopic slide of Figure 3A;
Figure 4A is an exploded perspective view showing
one manner of mounting the upper telescopic slide and a
straight privacy screen to the office panelling system;
Figure 4B is a cross-section showing the securement
of the upper telescopic slide member of Figure 4A to the
office panelling system;
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the privacy screen in an
open and closed position respectively;
Figure 7 is a partial perspective view showing an
office panelling system with two privacy screens for
closing entryways into work stations; and
Figure 8 illustrates end caps used to close the end
of the telescopic slide and which form part of a stop
mechanism for the slide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The panelling system partially shown as 2 in
Figures 1 and 7, is used to define work stations 9, which
typically have an entryway 8 opening onto a hallway 11.
These panelling systems subdivide large office areas in a
convenient manner, also allow convenient reorganization,
and can be moved to a new location.
The privacy screen 10 is moveable from the open
position of Figure 1 to the closed position of Figure 2
where the workstation is isolated from the hallway.
The privacy screen 10 is supported from the first
panel 4, located to one side of the entryway 8, and
includes an upper telescopic slide 20 and a lower
telescopic slide 22. These telescopic slides preferably
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have at least three stages with substantial overlap there
between in an extended position to allow the privacy screen
to be supported in a cantilevered manner from the first
panel when the privacy screen is in the closed position of
Figure 2.
The privacy screen includes an outer peripheral
frame 12 with a sheet substrate 14 located within the frame
12. Preferably the sheet substrate is of a lightweight
translucent plastic (such as THERMOCLEAR LEXAN) to provide
visual privacy while still allowing some light into the
work station 9. The sheet substrate, shown in Figures 1
and 2, is bowed outwardly into the hallway 11 and is held
within the frame 12 in a low stressed state. This provides
additional structural integrity to the privacy screen and
avoids the requirement for intermediate support of the
sheet substrate.
Figure 3A illustrates securement of the privacy
screen 10 to the first panel 4. The first panel 4 includes
a structural frame 5 supporting upholstered elements 7.
Details of this type of frame are shown in our United
States Patent No. 4,535,577, which is incorporated herein
by reference. Brackets 30 are mechanically attached to the
U-shaped top channel 40 of the office panel frame 5. These
brackets serve to provide top support for the privacy
screen 10. In a similar manner, the lower telescopic slide
22 is mechanically attached by brackets to the structural
frame 5. The telescopic slides 20 and 22 are of a
reversible design to allow sliding in either direction.
The telescopic slides also provide a finished face to the
length of the telescopic slides including the workstation
faces of the slides, when the privacy screen is in the
closed position.
The privacy screen at an upper edge thereof
includes an L bracket 29 which is secured to the structural
cover 70 (Figure 3B). The structural cover 70 moves with
the privacy screen 10 and provides a finished face to the
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workstation side of the privacy screen, which is exposed
when the privacy screen closes the entryway. The
structural cover 70 has inner slide 56 fixed thereto.
Mounting brackets 30 have structural cover 72 attached
thereto and cover 72 has outer slide 60 fixed thereto.
Preferably, cover 70 and cover 72 are the same. Outer
slide 60 and inner slide 56 are interconnected by
intermediate slide 58. With this arrangement, L bracket 29
and cover 70 conceal the telescopic slides within the width
of the privacy screen 10 and cover 72 conceals the
telescopic slides in front of the first panel. The bowed
privacy screen 10 is in front of the telescopic slides and
the structural covers. Extrusions 47 forming part of the
frame of the privacy screen include a projecting handle
edge for opening and closing the screen. A horizontal
handle 49 strengthens the frame and provides an interior
handle.
Figures 4A and 4B show an alternate arrangement
used with a flat privacy screen 10a. The privacy screen
10a has a flat, lightweight substrate 14a to provide visual
privacy. The slide 22 includes a stationary structural
cover 52 attached at 54 to brackets 30. This cover is
exposed when the privacy screen closes the entryway 8.
Structural cover 52 defines a top opening channel between
the cover and the face of the panel. Outer slide 60 is
attached to cover 52 and is stationary therewith. Slide 60
receives and supports the intermediate slide 58 which
receives and supports inner slide 56. Inner slide 56 is
secured to and stationery with the privacy screen 10a which
hangs below the slide 20 to keep the privacy screen close
to the first panel 4. The lower telescopic slide is
positioned below the privacy screen, thereby keeping the
privacy screen close to the face of the panel.
The inner slide 56 is attached to the privacy
screen 10a by the two connected "C" shaped members 50 and
51 which basically enclose the slides 56, 58 and 60 in a
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concealed manner. These members include interior slots for
securement of the slides. A rearwardly opening gap 61
allows the "C" shaped members 50 and 51 to move without
interference from the brackets 30. Member 51 provides a
finished surface to the side of the privacy screen facing
the hallway and member 50 provides a finished surface to
the side of the privacy screen facing the workstation.
Both these members move with the privacy screen. The
actual mechanical part of the slides is similar to
telescopic slides used in filing cabinets.
Once the slides are secured, the privacy screen can
then be mounted on the slides. The direction of slide can
also be reversed to accommodate right or left hand opening
without removing the privacy screen from the panel, which
is described with reference to Figure 8.
Slide 22 is of a construction similar to slide 20
and conceals the mechanical components of the slide in the
same manner.
Slides 20 and 22 shown in Figures 3 and 4 provide
finished surfaces to both the interior and exterior of the
workstation covering the slide mechanism when the screen
closes the entryway 8 while still providing good structural
strength and ease of operation.
With this arrangement, the first slide 56, the
intermediate slide 58 and the outer slide 60, which are
interconnected by ball bearings and guides, remain hidden
from view by member 52 and members 50 and 51 in the flat
screen design and members 29, 70 and 72 in the curved
screen design.
Figure 5 shows the flat privacy screen 10a and how
the slide components 56, 58 and 60, all telescope within
each other and allow the privacy screen to overlap with the
panel 4 leaving the entryway 8 open. In Figure 6, the
first slide 56 has moved with the privacy screen 10 and as
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required drawn the intermediate slide 58 therewith.
Intermediate slide 58 has at least 40~ overlap with slide
56, and outer slide 60. Thus, there remains a very high
degree of overlap between the telescopic slide members and
this provides sufficient structural stability to support
the screen at any position. Slide 22 is mechanically
fastened by brackets 25 to the structural frame of the
office panel 4. If desired, the privacy screen can
releasably engage a support point on the second panel for
improved support.
Figure 8 illustrates how end caps 90 and 92 are
attached to the structural covers 70 and 72 of telescopic
slide 20 to close the ends of the slide and form a stop
mechanism. The slide itself can slide in either direction.
End cap 90 is inserted in the end of structural cover 72,
which is remote from the entryway. With this cap in place,
the slide can only extend in one direction. End cap 92 is
inserted in the opposite end of structural cover 72 and
moves with the privacy screen. These stop members provide
a finished surface at the ends of the telescopic slide.
The direction of the slide can be reversed by removing the
end caps, extending the slide in the other direction, and
reversing the ends of structural covers 70 and 72 to which
the end caps 90 and 92 are secured. It can be appreciated
from the above that end caps 90 and 92 each form a stop
mechanism and define the direction of extension.
End caps 90 and 92 are the same and can be secured
in any suitable manner. Set screws 94 can pass through
holes 96 or 98 in structural covers 70 or 72 and lock with
ports 99 in tabs 95 of the end caps.
It has been found that bowing of the substrate 14
within the rectangular frame 12 of the privacy screen
stiffens the substrate and frame and also provides a look
which is pleasing to the eye. Depending upon the material
being used as the substrate as well as the size of the
privacy screen 10, an intermediate support member can be
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provided at the back of the privacy screen. This support
opposes any tendency of the vertical members of the frame
12 to bow outwardly and also forms an interior handle for
sliding the privacy screen.
The sheet substrate when made of a translucent
plastic is lightweight, provides effective visual privacy
and also blends with the existing panel system making it
suitable for retrofit applications. The privacy screen can
be made in different heights to suit different panel sizes.
The most common panel heights are approximately 51 inches
and 66 inches. The mounting arrangement and positioning of
the slides to one side of the panel allows off module
connection and even mounting from across a junction between
two panels. With this arrangement there is no requirement
to have a panel of a specified width for a given privacy
screen. The privacy screen is preferably of a width of
about 36 inches.
Other lightweight substrates can also be used to
provide a desired look while providing the workstation with
visual privacy when desired. The privacy screen can also
function to reduce noise to or from the workstation.
The privacy screen is easily adapted to office
panel systems of different manufacturers by providing
appropriate mounting brackets 25 and 30. These office
panelling systems include panels having a rectangular frame
with top and bottom horizontal members to which the slides
can be secured.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described herein in detail, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
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