Abstract:
A wall panel support base for a wall panel support structure is disclosed having leveling apparatus, a floating seal, and a covered wire enclosure. The floating seal includes a floor seal engaging the floor and an outer seal slidably engaging the floor seal so that the outer seal engages the floor seal regardless of the adjustment of the leveling aparatus. The wire enclosure is located between the outer seal and the wall panel support structure and is covered by hinged covers extending between the outer seal and the wall panel support structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a base construction for a wall panel assembly, and more specifically to a base construction having both (1) a seal between the wall panel support and the floor and (2) an accessible wire raceway contained therein. 
     II. Background of the Invention 
     Modular wall panels and furniture systems have recently gained widespread popularity due to their efficient and relatively inexpensive provision of office space. The modular construction provides a relatively high concentration of work stations within a given area. 
     As evidenced by the scope of the prior art, a need currently exists for a wall panel base construction which would both seal the wall panel against the floor and provide an easily accessible wire raceway so that electrical wiring could be run through the base. 
     One prior artisan has constructed a base support having a skirt so that as the wall panel support assembly is moved upwardly or downwardly relative to the base, the skirt hides some of the adjustable leg structure. This structure as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,559 has several drawbacks, however. First, the rigid foot members 138 are visible and a space between them and the bottom edge of skirt 130 can be seen through. As a result, there really is no seal between the panel and the floor. Second, no provision is made for accessing the space between guide walls 132 so that this could be used as an accessible wire raceway. Even if one were to install wires within this space, servicing the wires would be nearly impossible without taking the entire wall assembly apart. Furthermore, because the leveling mechanism is operated by turning the fastener, the adjustment cannot be accomplished while the panel construction is in place. 
     Oppositely threaded screw membes have long been used in the prior art as leveling devices. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,471 and U.S. Pat. No. 622,028. However, access to such leveling mechanisms while the panel construction is in place is generally quite limited. No means of access at all is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,471 while U.S. Pat. No. 622,802 provides an access door on only one side of the leg limiting adjustment of the screw to one-quarter turn at a time. Consequently, adjustment of these prior art leveling screws is quite difficult. 
     Hinged covers concealing wire enclosures are also known in the prior art, although to may knowledge such covers have not previously been used on a wall panel support base. Examples of hinged covers on baseboard raceways are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,688; 3,786,171; and 3,676,974. 
     It is extremely important that provision be made in the wall panel assembly for running wiring, both electrical and telephone, through both the support base and the panel support assembly. This permits electrical outlets and telephone jacks to be located within each work station of the modular assembly. Furthermore, because the configuration of the modular assembly may be changed after its initial installation, any wiring should be easily accessible so that modifications can be made. 
     In recognition of the drawbacks and problems of the prior art, I have conceived that a wall panel support base should include both (1) a sealing construction for sealing the support structure against an uneven and/or unlevel floor and (2) an easily accessible wire enclosure through which both electrical lines and telephone wiring may be run. Furthermore, an easily accessible leveling mechanism should be included so that the wall panel assembly may be easily leveled after the entire structure has been assembled and is in place. The floor sealing means should eliminate any space which would allow one to see between the wall panel and the floor and also generally conform to the contour of the floor. The seal should be constructed of a sound-absorbing material so that one located in one work station will hear little of the noise produced at an adjacent work station. Furthermore, the floor seal should conform to even relatively rough or otherwise uneven floors. 
     The accessible wire enclosure should be accessible from any point along either side base. Furthermore, the adjusting means on the leveling mechanism should be easily accessible, possibly by locating same in the wire enclosure, so that leveling can be performed either before or after the modular system has been assembled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art drawbacks and problems are solved by the present invention in which a wall panel support base adapted to be mounted on a wall panel support structure has a plurality of feet, a floating seal to seal the wall panel support structure against the floor, and a wire enclosure constructed in conjunction with the floating seal so that both the wire and adjustment means for the floating seal is covered by hinged covers incorporated into the structure. In one aspect of the invention, the floating seal comprises a foam block engaging the floor between the feet and slidably mounted in a recess at the bottom of the panel construction with covers hingedly mounted over the wire enclosure and the adjustment means for the seal. In another aspect of the invention, a leveling apparatus including a screw member, externally threaded in opposite directions at its opposite ends, is mounted in the enclosure of the wall panel support structure whereby the adjustment for leveling the feet is accessible through the hinged covers. 
     The floating seal of the present invention eliminates all spaces between the support structure and the floor providing a visual seal therebetween. Furthermore, the seal provides an audible barrier between work areas adjacent either side of the support base. Finally, the foam block portion of the floating seal readily conforms to even a rough or otherwise uneven floor. 
     The covers which run the full length of the panels provide wide-open access to the wire enclosure contained within the floating seal. Consequently, installation and later modification of wiring within the modular assembly is easily accomplished through these access areas. Furthermore, because the leveling screws are located within this accessible wire enclosure, leveling of the modular structure may be performed after assembly and when the panel is in place. 
     These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the written specification and appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front plan view of the wall panel support base of the present invention with a support structure and wall panel installed thereon; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along II--II in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the support base along as shown in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV--IV in FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2, the panel assembly of the present invention includes the tubular frame 1 on each side of which are mounted the panels 11 and 12. Frame 1 is made up of a plurality of horizontal and vertical tubes connected together as disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 205,734, filed Nov. 10, 1980, entitled PANEL CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM WITH TUBULAR SUPPORT MEANS. FIG. 3 discloses one of the cylindrical tubes 10 mounted at the bottom of the frame 1 and to which the base structure 2 is attached. Panel support tube 10 (shown in all of the figures) is constructed of steel and is circular in cross section for optimum strength. Wall panels 11 and 12 are mounted on either side of panel support tube 10 so as to lie substantially adjacent the wall panel support assembly (not shown). This is most clearly shown in FIG. 2. 
     The base construction 2, comprising member 50, adjustment subassembly 60, foot subassembly 21, and the enclosure subassembly 30, is connected to and supports the frame 1 through the upper support member 50 and the adjustment subassembly 60 which includes upper insert 14, lower insert 18, and bolt 20 threaded at both ends into inserts 14 and 18, respectively. 
     Insert 14 is mounted within panel support tube 10 (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4), preferably by welding, and insert 18 is mounted on top of each foot 16, preferably by welding. Both inserts are constructed of steel and have internally threaded diameters, the directions of threading being opposite. 
     Adjusting bolt 20 is an elongated cylindrical member having a hex portion 22 located approximately at the mid-portion thereof. It is externally threaded in opposite directions at its opposite ends so that same can be threaded into both upper and lower inserts 14 and 18. The spacing between panel support tube 10 and feet 16 may be adjusted by rotating adjusting bolt 20 with a wrench which engages hex portion 22. Thus, by turning adjusting bolt 20 in one direction, adjusting bolt 20 will cause inserts 14 and 18 to be separated thereby raising the panel support tube and the entire panel. By rotating adjusting bolt 20 in the opposite direction, upper and lower inserts 14 and 18 will be drawn toward each other thereby lowering panel support 10. 
     The foot assembly 21 comprises feet 16 and seal 24 which is an elongated member generally rectangular in cross section that encapsulates feet 16 and extends therebetween. A relatively soft material, such as a foam plastic, is used to fabricate floor seal 24 so that it may easily conform to a rough or uneven floor when pressed downwardly thereagainst. By encapsulating feet 16, floor seal 24 provides a continuous one-piece floor engaging member which is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Floor seal 24 is functional because it prevents both light and sound from passing between the floor and the base support, and is aesthetically pleasing because it provides a one-piece floor contact member hiding feet 16 and making irregularities in the floor less noticeable. Retaining plate 26 is mounted, preferably by welding, upon and between lower cylinders 18 so as to exert downward pressure upon floor seal 24. This downward pressure aids in sealing floor seal 24 against the floor. Retaining plate 26 is constructed of steel and is generally the same length and width as floor seal 24. 
     The enclosure subassembly 30 is constructed of member 31 and covers 38 pivotally mounted on member 31. Member 31 is located below and maintained in spaced relationship to tube 10 by spacer 13 and screw 15. It is generally hat-shaped in cross section, having a recess 28 formed by substantially parallel sealing plate, or legs, 32 joined at their respective upper edges to member 31. Member 31 preferably is a plastic extrusion. The internal distance between legs 32 forming the recess 28 for receiving floor seal 24 is substantially the same as the width of floor seal 24 so that seal 24 may be slidably received therein. Member 31 includes the apertures 33 through which adjusting screws 20 extend. 
     When the floor seal 24 is operably received in the recess 28 of member 31, it may be slid between its lowermost position so that member 31 rests on retaining plate 26 (as shown in FIG. 3) or to its uppermost position (as shown in FIG. 4). Because legs 32 engage either side of floor seal 24, neither light nor sound can pass between these members. Hinge flanges 34 are generally L-shaped in cross section and extend outwardly and then downwardly from legs 32. U-shaped inner hinge portions 36 run along the terminal edge of hinge flanges 34 and extend inwardly and upwardly therefrom and are generally U-shaped in cross section. Hinge support ridges 37 extend outwardly and slightly upwardly from the lower edges of legs 32 so that hinge support ridges 37 extend generally towards inner hinge portions 36 but leaving a space therebetween. 
     Covers 38 are elongated and extend substantially the entire length of member 31. They may be fabricated either as a plastic extrusion or from roll-formed steel. The plastic material provides a relatively inexpensive cover, while the roll-formed steel, especially if chromed, has a classier look. The lower edge of covers 38 curves inwardly and then upwardly forming an upwardly opening outer hinge flange 40 which is generally U-shaped in cross section. Outer hinge flange 40 is inserted between inner hinge portion 36 and hinge support ridge 37 so that outer hinge flange 40 may pivot about inner hinge portion 36. Cover 38 may consequently pivot through a wide range from the fully upright position (shown in FIG. 2) downwardly past a horizontal position so that the upper edge of cover 38 contacts the floor. When pivoted fully downwardly, both wire enclosure 62 and side enclosures 64 are fully accessible. Cam flange 44 extends inwardly from covers 38 and terminates in a downwardly extended cam lock 46 running along the inside edge of cam flange 44. 
     Member 50 is a plastic extrusion and is substantially the same length as covers 38. It includes an elongated securing portion 51 which is generally arc-shaped in cross section and two generally parallel legs 52 extending downwardly from either edge of securing portion 51. Member 50 is secured to the underside of panel support tube 10 by fastening securing portion 51 to panel support tube 10 using rivets 58. Reinforcement members 54 are included to add increased rigidity to member 50. They extend from securing portion 51 to the lower edges of legs 52. Cam ridges 56 having generally arc-shaped cross sections extend outwardly and upwardly from the lower edges of legs 52. Cover 38 is closed in its upright position by pivoting same upwardly and snapping cam lock 46 behind cam ridge 56. Spacing flanges 61 comprise extensions on both sides of positioning plate 31 to engage and provide backing for covers 38 when tney are in fully upright or closed positions. 
     Because hex portion 22 is always located within wire enclosure 62, it is easily accessible by pivoting either of covers 38 downwardly. Wires, either electric or telephone, may be placed in any of the voids existing between closed covers 38. The preferable position for the wires is within wire enclosure 62 located directly above member 31. Alternatively, side enclosures 64 located between spacing flanges 60 and hinge flanges 34 may also be used. In any of these three locations, the wires and associated connections may be easily installed and accessed by merely rotating one or both of covers 38 downwardly to expose the enclosures. This facilitates both installation of the wiring and later modification if such becomes necessary. 
     Of course, it is understood that the above is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that various changes and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.