Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02590527 2007-05-30
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TITLE: INTERIOR WALL SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The
invention relates generally to interior wall systems for
buildings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002]
Interior wall systems are well known. Such systems are
commonly used, for example, to finish the open areas in office buildings. One
type of interior wall system is a modular partition wall system which is
composed of a number of wall panels in a side-by-side arrangement.
[0003] The
above interior wall systems constructed using glass wall
panels (whether transparent, translucent, or opaque) have become
increasingly popular due to their aesthetic qualities. Such wall systems are
commonly referred to as "glass walls". The present invention provides
improvements in the wall system of this type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004]
According to one aspect of the present invention, a leveling
assembly for an interior wall system is provided. The wall system is
composed of a plurality of wall panels configured for installation in a
building
having a ceiling and a floor. The assembly comprises:
a) at least one elongate floor channel operatively secured to the
floor;
b) a floor
rail longitudinally disposed within the at least one floor channel,
wherein the floor rail is adapted to support at least one of the plurality
of wall panels; and
c) a
plurality of levelers positioned along the at least one floor channel,
wherein the plurality of levelers are adapted to vertically space apart
the floor rail from the at least one floor channel, wherein the plurality of
levelers are adapted to substantially level the floor rail in relation to the
floor.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] In the accompanying drawings:
[0006] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a glass wall system
according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0007] Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the preferred
embodiment showing the ceiling retaining assembly and the floor leveling
assembly.
[0008] Figure 3 is a partial elevation view of the preferred
embodiment.
[0009] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ceiling retaining
assembly and the floor leveling assembly along line 4-4 of Figure 3.
[0010] Figure 5 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the floor
leveling
assembly of the preferred embodiment.
[0011] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling
assembly
along line 6-6 of Figure 3.
[0012] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the ceiling retaining
assembly and the floor leveling assembly along line 7-7 of Figure 3.
[0013] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling
assembly
along line 8-8 of Figure 3.
[0014] Figure 9 is a partial perspective view of the corner of the
glass
wall according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Figure 10 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the floor
leveling assembly according to a second embodiment.
[0016] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling
assembly
along line 11-11 of Figure 10.
[0017] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly
along line 12-12 of Figure 10.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Figure 1 shows an interior wall system 10 according to a first
embodiment of the present invention. The interior wall system 10 illustrated
in
Figure 1 includes three glass wall panels 12a, 12b, 12c. The upper edge of
each glass wall panel is preferably secured within a ceiling retaining
assembly
14 and the lower edge of each glass wall panel is secured within a floor
leveling assembly 16. The glass wall panels are joined to each other at their
vertical edges preferably by a transparent adhesive material 18, such as
transparent silicone double-sided tape commercially available from 3M
Corporation.
[0019] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is
not
essential that the wall panels be made of glass. The wall panels may be
made from any other suitable material, whether transparent, translucent, or
opaque.
[0020] Referring to Figure 2, the wall panels (for clarity, only panels 12b
and 12c are shown in Fig. 2) are secured at their upper edges 20 to a ceiling
retaining assembly 14.
[0021] Referring now to Figures 2 and 4, the ceiling retaining
assembly
14 includes a ceiling channel 24 secured to the ceiling 26 at any suitable
interval by a fastener 28. The type of fastener used depends on the type of
ceiling 26. Ceiling gaskets 30a, 30b may be provided between the ceiling
channel 24 and ceiling 26 for improved sound attenuation. For longer runs,
several ceiling channels 24 may be connected in series.
[0022] Continuing to refer to Figures 2 and 4, a ceiling rail 32 is
received within the ceiling channel 24. Ceiling rail 32 is secured to ceiling
channel 24 also by fasteners (not shown) at any suitable interval (which is
offset from the fasteners 28) for securing the ceiling channel 24 to ceiling
26.
Additional ceiling gaskets 30c, 30d may be positioned between the ceiling
channel 24 and the ceiling rail 32. Preferably, the ceiling gaskets 30a-d are
made of foam or any other suitable sound absorbing material.
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[0023] A slot 34 is provided in the ceiling rail 32 to receive the
upper
edge 20 of the panels 12a-c (only panel 12b is shown in Fig. 4).
[0024] Referring now to Figures 2, 3, 4, and 7, elbow brackets 40 are
located at the joints of adjacent glass panels, such as the joint between
panels 12b and 12c. Preferably, a pair of elbow brackets 40 are positioned
facing each other at each joint. Each elbow bracket 40 includes a vertical
portion 42 which abuts against the panels 12b, 12c and a horizontal portion
44 which is secured by fasteners 46 to the ceiling rail 32. The elbow brackets
40 assist with retaining the panels in the slot 34 and stabilizing the panels.
[0025] Referring now to Figures 2-4, clips 50 are also connected to the
ceiling rail 32 by fasteners 52 at predetermined intervals. Preferably, the
clips
50 are also positioned in facing pairs. Each of the clips 50 includes a
vertical
portion 54 to assist with retaining and stabilizing the panels 12b, 12c. Ribs
55
are preferably provided to add rigidity to the vertical portion 54 of the
clips 50.
Each of the clips include flexible lips 56a-c into which snaps a flexible
ridge 58
of a ceiling trim member 60. Accordingly, the clips 50 perform a dual function
of stabilizing the panels and securing the ceiling trim member 60. Trim
gaskets 62 are provided to improve sound attenuation.
[0026] The ceiling trim member 60 may be an aluminum extrusion
which provides an esthetically pleasing appearance and hides parts of ceiling
retaining assembly 14.
[0027] Referring to Figures 2-4 and 6, the floor leveling assembly 16
includes a preferably U-shaped elongate floor channel 74 which is preferably
secured to the floor 75 by fasteners 76 located at predetermined intervals. A
floor rail 78 is disposed within the floor channel 74. Preferably, the floor
rail
78 is an elongate tube having a rectangular cross section. A number of holes
are provided in the top and bottom surfaces of the floor rail 78, as described
in
more detail below.
[0028] The floor rail 78 is supported by levelers 80 positioned at
intervals along the floor channel 74. Each leveler 80 includes a base 82
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which rests on the floor channel 74. A threaded rod 84 projects upwardly
from the base 82. An axial opening 85 (shown in Fig. 6) is provided in
threaded rod 84 to permit turning of the threaded rod by an Allen key or the
like.
[0029] Nuts 86 are located in openings of the bottom surface of the
floor rail 78. The nuts have a circumferential outer groove 88 which engages
the edges of the opening in floor rail 78 to fixedly secure the nuts 86 to
floor
rail 78. The threaded inner surface of nut 86 engages the threaded rod 84,
which rotates to adjust the vertical distance between the floor channel 74 and
the floor rail 78.
[0030] Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 8, panel supports 90
are mounted
on the top surface of the floor rail 78. Each panel support 90 includes a
housing 92 located within an opening in the top surface of the floor rail 78.
The housing 92 includes a preferably hexagonal-shaped flange 93 which can
be turned with a wrench (not shown) or the like. The flange 93 of housing 92
sits on top of the floor rail 78 and is capable of rotating relative to floor
rail 78.
A threaded opening 94 is provided in the housing 92 which receives a bolt 96.
The bolt 96 includes a hat 98 with a channel 100 which engages the bottom
edge of the glass panel 12. The panel supports 90 are capable of providing a
fine leveling adjustment for the panels 12, as described in more detail below.
[0031] Referring to Figures 2-4 and 6-7, elbow brackets 40
and clips 50
are also provided in the floor leveling assembly 16 and are secured to the
floor rail 78 in a similar fashion as described for the ceiling retaining
assembly
14. A floor trim member 110 snaps into the clips 50 connected to the floor
rail
78. Like the ceiling trim member 60, the floor trim member 110 is preferably
an aluminum extrusion which hides the floor leveling assembly 16 and
provides an esthetically pleasing appearance.
[0032] Referring to Figure 4, trim gaskets 62 are also
provided between
the floor trim member 110 and the panels 12. A floor gasket 112 is secured to
the bottom of the floor trim member 110 and extends between the floor trim
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member and the floor channel 74. The floor gasket 112 also provides
improved sound attenuation.
[0033] Figure 9 shows a corner assembly 120, which includes a corner
bracket 122 which secures the floor rail 78 to a vertical frame member 124.
The vertical frame member 124 may also include the clips 50 to stabilize the
vertical edges of the panel 12a and to permit snapping connection to a trim
member (not shown in Fig. 9).
[0034] The operation of the first embodiment of the invention will
now
be described with reference to Figures 1-8.
[0035] Referring to Figure 4, the ceiling retaining assembly 14 and the
floor leveling assembly 16 are secured to their desired locations in the
ceiling
26 and floor 75, respectively. The ceiling channel 24 is secured to ceiling 26
by fasteners 28. The ceiling rail 32 is then secured to the ceiling channel 24
in the same manner.
[0036] The floor channel 74 is secured to the floor 75 by fasteners 76.
The levelers 80 are then located at intervals along the floor channel 74 such
that that the threaded rod is aligned with the position of the corresponding
nut
86 located in the floor rail 78. The floor rail 78 is then placed within the
floor
channel 74, and the vertical distance between the floor rail 78 and floor
channel 74 is adjusted by turning the threaded rod 84 in nuts 86 using an
Allen key (not shown). The floor rail 78 is adjusted such that it is level to
the
horizontal. Any suitable means, such as a conventional bubble or laser level
may be used to guide the leveling of the floor rail 78. An exemplary position
of the floor rail 78 relative to floor channel 74 is illustrated in Figure 5.
[0037] Referring to Figures 4 and 8, the panels 12a-c are then lifted
into the slot 34 of ceiling rail 32 and then dropped onto panel supports 90.
In
particular, the panels 12a-c are fitted in channel 100 of hat 98. If
necessary,
fine leveling adjustment may be provided by turning the flange 93 with a
wrench, which in turn, adjusts the height of the bolt 96.
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[0038] Referring now
to Figures 2 and 3, each panel 12a-c is further
secured by mounting the clips 50 in both the ceiling and floor assemblies 14,
16, respectively. As additional panels are installed in the same manner as
described above, elbow brackets 40 are mounted to the ceiling and floor
assemblies 14, 16 at the joint of adjacent panels. Also, the adhesive material
18 is applied along the adjacent vertical edges of the panels. Finally, the
ceiling trim member 60 and floor trim member 110 are snapped onto the clips
50.
[0039] Figures 10-12
show a second embodiment of the present
invention, which is particularly suited for floor surfaces with greater slope,
such that greater leveling is required. In this second embodiment, two or
more nested floor channels may be provided. For clarity, only two floor
channels 74a, 74b are illustrated, The uppermost floor channel 74b supports
the floor rail 78. Levelers 80 are provided between the floor channels 74a,
74b, and between the uppermost floor channel 74b and floor rail 78. In other
respects, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment.
[0040] The scope of
the claims should not be limited by the preferred
embodiments and examples, but should be given the broadest
interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
