Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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PANEL RIGIDIZER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to space dividing wall
panel systems of the type employed in "open plan" offices
and is more particularly directed to an improved panel
rigidizer which may be used to span the intersection of
pairs of space dividing wall panels and which is particu-
larly useful when a series of space dividing wall panels
are linearly aligned as for example in forming a corridor
wall.
A successful space dividing wall panel system is
disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,762,116 to William C.
Anderson, et al. for Spacer Divider System and Connector
Assembly Therefore. In this system space dividing wall
panels are connected together and supported by cylindrical
posts which provide great versatility with respect to
developing an office system wherein the wall panels may be
disposed in a plurality of angular relationships with
respect to each other. Since there is no fixed points of
attachment of the wall panels to the cylindrical posts,
linear alignment of a long run of space dividing wall
panels can acquire a slight wave affect if the panels on
each side of the intermediate support posts are not pre-
cisely aligned. Additionally, jostling of a wall panel can
cause a slight departure from the original precise align-
ment and again create the appearance of a wave affect. Not
only is linear alignment of adjacent wall panels desirable,
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but it is also important that right angle relationships
between adjacent wall panels be as precise as possible in
some cases and the flexibility of the ang~lar relationships
provided by the above-describecl system sometimes introduces
a problem when precise right angle relationships need to be
maintained between adjacent wall panels.
The panel rigidizer disclosed in U.S. Patent
4,424,654 issued January 10, 1984 to W. C. Anderson, et al.
discloses a system for maintaining rigid alignment of
adjacent space dividing wall panels interconnected by a
cylindrical support post. One drawback to this invention
is the installation time required in the field when it is
determined that a rigidizer should be added to the wall
panel system at specific post connections. More specifi-
cally, holes must be drilled in the panel frame and aplurality of screws need to be inserted through apertures
in the rigidizer to secure the rigidizer to adjacent
panels. If panels can be successfully rigidized through
the support posts without the use of expensive manual
labor, set up time for an office can be significantly
reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The panel rigidizer system of this invention
provides for precise linear alignment of an elongated
series of linearly aligned space dividing wall panels as
well as the rigidized right angle interconnection of
adjacent space dividing wall panels without detracting from
the appearance of the rigidized connections with respect to
the connections in the wall panel system which need not be
rigidized. Additionally, the extremely quick and simple
disassembly and assembly of rigidized connections are
possible when it is desired to reassemble the space divid-
ing wall panels into a different office configuration. In
accordance with the present invention an improved panel
rigidizing system is provided for maintaining alignment
between two or more space dividing wall panels in a system
which includes two or more space dividing wall panels
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interconnected by a cylindrical support post and wherein
the space dividing wall panels have at least an upper frame
member including a pair of parallel grooves in the outer
surface thereof and a pair of end connector means on each
end of the panels which interconnect with the cylindrical
support post. The cylindrical support post further in-
cludes a threaded aperture in the top end thereof. In
combination with the foregoing, rigidizer means is provided
which includes a hub portion having a tapered aperture
therethrough and at least a pair of leg portions extending
outwardly of the hub portion with each of the leg portions
having a pair of parallel elongated rib members extending
along the under side thereof constructed and arranged to
engage the parallel grooves in the frame member. A post
cap or hub screw having a complementary tapered portion and
a threaded portion extends through the tapered aperture of
the hub portion of the rigidizing means and is threadably
secured into the threaded aperture in the cylindrical post
thereby retaining said elongated ribs firmly seated in the
grooves in the panel frame member. Each of the leg por-
tions of the rigidizing means include a plurality of
detents extending laterally therefrom and a panel top trim
member overlies the leg portion and is releasably retained
on the top edge of the panel by the detents.
Two, three or four leg portions may extend from
the hub portion of the rigidizer and can be in configura-
tions of two linearly aligned leg portions, two leg por-
tions extending at right angles to each other, three leg
portions, two of which extend linearly while the third
extends at right angles to the other two leg portions or
four leg portions each extending at 90 one from the other.
BRIEF_DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many of the intended advantages of the present
invention will become more readily apparent and better
understood as the following detailed description is consid-
ered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
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Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rigidized
wall panel system in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the
rigidized wall panel system of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the panel
rigidizer of one embodiment of the panel rigidizer illus
trated in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 5 is a bottom plan view thereof;
Figure 6 is an end elevation view thereof; and
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views of
alternative embodiments of the panel rigidizer of this
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein
like reference characters represent like parts throughout
the several views there is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 a
rigidized space dividing wall panel system which includes a
pair of space dividing wall panels 10 interconnected and
supported by a cylindrical support post 12. The space
dividinq wall panels 10 include a tubular frame member 14
which generally surrounds, for example, a plywood or the
like panel septum 16 having on each side thereof fiberglass
batting 18 covered by fabric 20 or alternatively, in some
cases, a decorative plastic laminate. The panel frame in
accordance with the present invention includes a pair of
spaced parallel grooves 22 at laast in the top edge thereof
and preferably, the grooves extend completely around the
periphery of the panel and serve not only in connection
with the panel rigidizer of this invention but may be
employed to secure therein the fabric covering 20 by means
of a plastic spline (not shown).
The wall panels 10 have secured to their lateral
edges slotted standard members 24 which have associated
therewith hook shape connectors, and as can be best seen in
Figure 2, the hook shaped connectors 26 on the side edges
of the wall panels interact with the upper end 28 of the
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tubular post 12, which is in the form of an annular ring,
to interconnect and support the space dividing wall panels.
Obviously, similar hook shaped connectors are employed at
the base of the panel adjacent the bottom end Gf the post
S to connect the wall panels to the cylindrical posts in the
manner disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patent 3,762,116.
Where desired, a post cover 30 of the type disclosed in
United States Patent No. 4,601,146 issued July 1986 for Post
Cover For A Space Dividing Wall Panel System, may also be
employed to shield the cylindrical post 12 from view.
The panel rigidizer, generally designated 32
includes a central hub portion 34 and a pair of laterally
extending leg portions 36. The hub portion 34 has a tapered
aperture 38 therethrough which is constructed and arranged
to overlie a threaded aperture 40 in the top of the cylindri-
cal post 12. On the underside of each of the leg portions
36 are a pair of spaced parallel elongated ribs 42 which
extend for a little more than half of the length of the leg
portion 36. Each of the leg portions 36 also include along
the side edges thereof detents 44 which serve to retain the
panel top trim or edge cover 46. A threaded post cap or
hub screw 48 includes a threaded shank portion 50 and a
tapered head portion 52 which is complementary to the tapered
aperture 38 in the rigidizer. The post cap or hub screw 48
further includes a tool receiving aperture 54 in the upper
end thereof to facilitate securing the rigidizer 32 to the
post and panel.
As will be apparent from the foregoing the panel
rigidizer of this invention may be quickly and simply
attached to a space dividing wall panel system to rigidize
and strengthen the interconnection between two adjacent
space dividing wall panels. In attaching the rigidizer to
the wall panel system the hub portion 38 is placed over the
cylindrical post 12 and the ribs 42 are received in the
parallel grooves 22 in the panel frame member 14. The post
cap or hub screw 48 is inserted through the aperture 38 in
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the hub portion of the rigidizer and threaded into the
threaded aperture 40 in the upper end of the post 12 to
quickly secure the adjacent space dividing wall panels in a
rigid relationship. The panel top trim or edge covers 46
are simply snapped over the leg portions 36 and retained
thereon by detents 44 to provide an aesthetically pleasing
appearance to the wall panel system employing the rigid-
izer. At panel connections of a system where the rigidizer
is not employed simple conventional panel clips are em-
ployed to retain the panel top cover 46 to give a uniformappearance to the wall panel system that employs both
rigidized and nonrigidized connections.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 illustrate alternate embodi-
ments for the rigidizer 32 of this invention and it will be
apparent from those illustrations that the rigidizer of
this invention can be employed as illustrated in Figure 7,
to interconnect four panels at right angles through a
single post or two panels at right angles (Figure 8) or as
illustrated in Figure 9 two linearly aligned panels with a
third panel extending at right angles thereto.
The panel rigidizer of this invention is prefera-
bly manufactured from die cast aluminum or annealed invest-
ment cast steel and as illustrated in Figure 5 may be
hollowed out and provided with structural ribs 56 in order
to reduce the weight of the panel rigidizer without de-
tracting from its intended purpose.
As will be apparent from the foregoing, the panel
rigidizer of this invention provides for the quick and
simple installation of panel rigidizers to space dividing
wall panels of various geometric relationships by simply
placing the ribs 42 of the panel rigidizer into slots in
the panel frames and quickly securing the ribs therein with
the threaded post cap or hub screw 48. This simplistic and
easy operation significantly reduces the time required to
rigidize a space dividing wall panel system since the
requirement for inserting a plurality of screw members or
the like has been eliminated.
