Abstract:
Non-architectural posts and beams of the kind used as cubicle backbone structures are now used to support open racks as skeletons for hanging diverse user-selected panels. The open racks have upright standards joined by spaced-apart transverse rails. A pair of brackets join an open rack to a beam. Each bracket has a beam gripping face and a rack gripping face. The rack gripping face has clefts that engage spaced-apart rails and have mass relief for light weight. Panels are freely hung on the rails and may be selected from whiteboards, bulletin boards, shelving, book cases and window panels for user personalization.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to modular furniture and, more particularly to space dividing partitions and panels for use in forming non-architectural walls, such as in cubicles and room partitions. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    In many corporations, particularly electronics, software and related high technology companies, office cubicles form the landscape of the work environment. Becoming popular in the past 40 years, cubicles are used by all levels of office workers, with modularity allowing clustering of people in space-saving layouts. Although occupying only a small amount of space, a cubicle seeks to give privacy and a high degree of functionality by means of variable configurations, with desk-like work surfaces, book cases, shelving, white boards and the like. 
         [0003]    Variability in cubicle design has been recognized in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,955 to Ball et al. shows space-dividing rectangular frames having openings that may be left open or closed in varying degrees with a wide variety of fill options that may be changed to create a desired degree of privacy. The space dividing components are a full height partition system with doors and open plan panels. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,567 to DeRuiter et al. shows wall panels with horizontal panels supported by opposed vertical members. A connector bracket with multiple inserts supports furniture components. 
         [0005]    One of the problems faced by major organizations is that a large number of cubicles appear to have a degree of monotony, depending on numbers. Workers and visitors can become lost in maze of streets and alleys formed by cubicles. Sounds from unknown locations become an irritant. Productivity declines have been associated with cubicle architecture where monotony isolation and random noise is seen as part of the work environment. 
         [0006]    To offset such trends, user customization is offered by walls that allow personal expression. Shelves, bulletin boards, white boards, electrical strips for lamps or appliances, insulation panels have been incorporated as options to cubicle wall structures. 
         [0007]    An object of the invention is to further enhance personal expression in cubicle design by improved partition and wall panel construction. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The above object has been achieved by a cubicle design that relies upon known upright posts and fixed beams as backbone elements. From these backbone elements novel open racks are supported by sturdy brackets that allow variable height removable positioning of racks in an upright position forming a wall portion. In turn, the racks support user selected panels that partially divide space defined by the rack structure. 
         [0009]    Each rack has spaced-apart upright standards at opposed sides. A series of transverse, spaced-apart parallel rails join the standards and define a wall skeleton structure that can be filled by user-selectable panels that close partitions of the space between parallel rails. Racks, i.e., the wall skeleton structures, are rectangular tubular structures that are sufficiently light weight that they can easily be moved and positioned by an office worker using novel brackets. Each bracket has a beam gripping face or side and a rack gripping face or side. The rack gripping face has at least one cleft receiving a rack member while the beam gripping face has a tab engaging a slot in the beam. Racks vary in size, both height and width, with typical heights ranging between 2 to 3 feet for shorter racks to 3 to 5 feet for larger racks. The panels are hung freely or otherwise supported by the rails and may provide insulation, privacy, windows, storage while simultaneously allowing functionality as whiteboards, shelving, bulletin boards, slatwall panels, etc. An advantage of this invention is that installation and modifications can be done by hand, without the use of tools. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cubicle having open racks and removable panels mounted on a post and beam backbone in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a cubicle with open racks as in  FIG. 1 , i.e., without removable panels. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a bracket for supporting the open racks of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are side views of the brackets of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are front and back views of the brackets of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are open racks shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIGS. 8-10  are diverse exemplary removable panels for use with the open racks shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a cubicle  11  is shown having spacial dimensions which are mostly defined in areawise extent by the upright posts  13 ,  15 , and  17 , supported by floor  19 . The upright posts are joined by transverse beams  21  and  23  which are secured to the upright posts. Upright posts and transverse beams are known cubicle backbone structures of the prior art and sold commercially for forming office cubicles. It is typical that the transverse beams will have transverse slots, such as a top slot  22  and a lateral slot  24 . Typically, such slots are used for attaching or guiding members that will be supported by the upright posts and transverse beams. It is preferable, although not essential, that posts and beams contain all necessary utilities, such as electricity and signal cables, not shown but contained within the structure. 
         [0018]    The present invention deals with separation partitions between cubicles. Such separation partitions form portions of cubicle walls that can be personalized in a manner described herein. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the separation partitions are formed by the first open rack  25  supported by transverse beam  21  and a second open rack  27  supported by transverse beam  23 . Each open rack will be described in greater detail subsequently. The first open rack  25  carries the first and second panels  31  and  33  which close portions of the open rack, thereby forming a partial solid wall. A first panel  31  has transverse slots  32  that can be used for attaching personal articles. The second panel  33  may be a whiteboard or a bulletin board. The second open rack  27  has a third panel  35  and a fourth panel  37 . The third panel  35  has storage shelves  36  while the fourth panel  37  may be the same as, or compliment, the second panel  33 . 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the first open rack  45  is seen to be connected to the transverse beam  21  by means of the first and second brackets  41  and  43 . Both brackets  41  and  43  are attached to transverse beam  21  by engaging a top slot  22  and lateral slot  24  in the transverse beam. The first open rack  45  is seen to have  5  rails, i.e., cross members between upright standards. Two of the rails, namely rails  42  and  44  both engage the first and second brackets  41  and  43  in a manner described below. The open rack  45  may be lowered by placing alternate pairs of rails within clefts of the bracket so long as clearance with floor  19  exists. The second open rack  47  has four rails and so does not stand as high as the first open rack  45 . The number of rails is not critical and may range between 3 to 7 or more, but 4 or 5 is preferred. The transverse beam  21  is seen to support back-to-back open racks including the first open rack  45  and the third open rack  55  immediately behind the first open rack  45 . Back-to-back open racks allow formation of mutually adjoining cubicles with each cubicle user being allowed to personalize a rack on the user&#39;s side of a transverse beam. Open rack  47  is supported by third bracket  46  and fourth bracket  49  which engage the rails  52  and  54  which form the cross members of the second open rack. 
         [0020]    Cubicle users can select open racks of a desired size, such as a four rail rack or a five rail rack, or some other configuration so long as rails fit in clefts of the support brackets. The construction and weight of open racks allow individual workers to install, move, re-configure and disassemble racks by hand without assistance of tools or special equipment. A company may keep an assortment of racks in a storage area and allow users to change racks as desired. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , transverse beam  21  is seen to support first bracket  41  on a first side of the beam and second bracket  43  on a back side of the beam and hence, it only partly seen. The first bracket  41  has a head portion  71  and a first jaw  53  which together define an intermediate first cleft  51 . A second cleft  81  is defined by a second jaw  83  at the bottom of body portion  75  that is below head portion  71 . Each bracket is preferably a unitary member although this is not important. Brackets may be cast from aluminum with a plurality of mass relief holes  79  to make the brackets lighter weight. First rail  65  and second rail  85 , both associated with upright standard  67  may be seen to fit respectively into first cleft  51  and second cleft  81 , respectively, to be supported by first jaw  53  and second jaw  83 . Thus, a pair of spaced-apart similar brackets provide stable support for an open rack from a post and beam backbone. It may be seen that a second bracket  43  has a head portion  73  which is opposite head portion  71  of first bracket  41 . Both brackets have a tab which fits into slot  22  at the top of transverse beam  21 . Second bracket  43  has a body portion  77  below head portion  73  and a second jaw  87  below the body  77 . Rail  86  is seen to be supported by the second jaw  87 . Rail  86  partially supports upright standard  69  of an open rack, together with a first jaw on the back side of transverse beam  21 , not seen in  FIG. 3 . Back-to-back placement of brackets increases the stability of back-to-back wall partitions, although back-to-back placement of brackets is not essential. Brackets allow a selected vertical positioning of racks. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a bracket  41  having head portion  73  and first jaw  53  creating first cleft  51  which is sufficiently open for entry of rails of an open rack. Similarly, the second cleft  81  defined by jaw  83  is also sufficiently open for entry of another rail. Body portion  75  is seen to have the mass relief holes  79  as well as a first tab  91  which rides in a top slot of a transverse beam. A smaller second tab  93  is also on the back side of bracket  41  and rides in the lateral slot of a transverse beam. 
         [0023]    In  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the tabs  91  and  93  are seen to have fasteners  95  and  97  securing the tabs in place. Alternatively, the tabs may be unitary with a bracket forming a one piece member. The tabs allow brackets to be easily attached and removed from a transverse beam so that cubicle walls may be rapidly put up, taken down, or moved. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 6 , a first open rack  25  is a skeleton formed by parallel transverse rails  105 ,  107 ,  109 , and  111  supported between first and second upright standards  101  and  103 , respectively. Both the rails and the standards are made of aluminum tubing approximately 1.25 inches in diameter. Transverse rails may be brazed or welded to the upright standards, although other construction methods may be used. The rails are approximately 12 inches apart and aligned in parallel manner. 
         [0025]    A similar situation exists in  FIG. 7 , except that five rails are used instead of four. The rails  205 ,  207 ,  209 ,  211 , and  213  are supported between upright standards  201  and  203 . A similar construction for the standards and rails is used as in  FIG. 6 . The open rack of  FIG. 7  could potentially form a wall one foot higher than the rack of  FIG. 6  assuming that the open rack was closed by panels. It is important that the tubes that form the rails and upright standards be hollow tubes for weight reduction. It is not necessary that the tubes be formed from aluminum. Other materials such as thin steel or carbon or plastic tubes may be used. Tubes are separated by approximately 12 inches, center-to-center. Upright standards are separated by approximately 54 to 72 inches. The four rail design of  FIG. 3  is approximately 3 feet tall while the five rail design of  FIG. 7  is approximately 4 feet tall. Both are approximately 54 to 72 inches wide. 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , a first panel  31  is shown having a hook portion  32  which freely first hangs on a transverse rail remains in place by gravity. The panel engages a transverse rail with a hook portion. Side edges  34  contain slats  38 . Slats  38  may be adapted to freely hold user personalized items, such as fabric, pictures, or the like. 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 9 , the second panel  133  has a hook portion  132  adapted to freely hang on a transverse rail. The second panel has a tack board  136  between opposed side edges  134 . The panel may have a central opening  138 , between 12 inches and 20 inches in various shapes, such as circular, for allowing viewing, like a window, except without glass. Such windows or viewing ports are intended to avoid isolation of users and promote communication yet easily maintaining privacy by allowing a user to drop a cardboard closure between the side edges  134 , if desired. 
         [0028]      FIG. 10  shows a third panel  333  which is positioned by hook portion  332  sized to fit over and hang on a transverse rail. The third panel has book shelves  336  with opposed book end portions  338 , forming a book case. Side walls  334  support the shelves. A backing member  342  is optional and is shown as a tack board. Other boards could be used. 
         [0029]    The four panels described above are exemplary other panels involving video displays, photo display boards, or art work displays may be substituted. The idea is to allow a user to customize the users cubicle with whatever panels are deemed appropriate with selected amounts of openness. The height of racks may be adjusted with the brackets or by the size of the rack itself as seen by the choices between the racks of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Trained furniture installers or technicians are not needed to install or modify the partitions of the present invention.