Abstract:
A system for defining a plurality of work zones within an otherwise open area including a first work space configuration and a second work space configuration. The first work space configuration is formed from nonarchitectural rigid walls, and a ceiling. The first work space configuration having a substantially enclosed interior work area. The second work space configuration formed from a framework of spaced apart poles extending upward from a base surface and crossbeams interconnecting the poles. The framework capable of being arranged in a plurality of patterns and forming a substantially open noncovered work area.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to office furniture, and more particularly, to a work space management system.  
           [0002]    Work areas in an office area typically are used by a number of office workers that work together on a regular basis. Typically, each worker will have an individual working space located within the work area that provides simple and easy access to the work spaces of the other workers in the work area. Generally, the office workers are made up of workers with various levels of responsibility and correspondingly different needs for their individual working space. One common example is when staff workers and executives work together in a common work area.  
           [0003]    Staff workers typically need work spaces that are more open to provide ready access from several different directions. Usually, staff workers interact with many different workers on a constant basis. Thus, these work spaces should have large, easy to approach access areas. Because of the type of work that these workers do, less privacy is usually needed than is sometimes needed for other workers. In addition, these work spaces should be relatively easy to reorganize as the demands on the staff workers change.  
           [0004]    Executives, on the other hand, usually need a relatively enclosed work space because they conduct meetings that require a high level of privacy. In addition, executives usually desire more privacy to minimize the number of distractions that tend to interfere with the executives&#39; work. Thus, executive offices commonly have several high walls that enclose an interior space. The walls reduce the amount of ambient noise that enters the office and also prevent conversations that occur within the office from being heard outside the office. Typically, a door is also provided to fully enclose the office when so desired. Because of the greater need for privacy, executive offices are usually more expensive to build and less easy to reorganize than the work spaces of staff workers.  
           [0005]    Sometimes a work area has a combination of staff workers and executives who work together. As a result, a work area preferably includes work spaces for staff workers and executives. The work spaces should also be positioned and oriented within the work area to facilitate ready cooperation between the staff workers and the executives. In addition, aisleways are generally desired that extend between the work spaces and through the work area.  
           [0006]    Traditionally, work spaces and offices have been designed in square or rectangular shapes. This style is often chosen because the layout of the work area can be designed in an organized structure relatively easily. Thus, unobstructed aisleways and proximity between the work spaces and offices are relatively easy to achieve in a predefined work area.  
           [0007]    However, shapes other than the traditional square and rectangular shapes are sometimes desired. Sometimes work spaces and offices that are not rectangular are preferred because these styles add variety and distinctiveness to the work area. As a result, the office workers in these work areas tend to be more enthused about their work and more productive. Even more desirably, the arrangement of the work area can vary throughout the work area so that different parts of the work area have slightly different layouts. Yet, the general style of the work spaces and offices should be consistent throughout the work area. Another advantage of non-rectangular work spaces and offices is their improved ability to persuade prospective clients and employees. Therefore, prospective clients and employees are more likely to be impressed with a work area that is unique and different than traditional work area layouts.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0008]    There is a need for a work space management system that provides different work space configurations within a common work area that can readily accommodate the needs for both staff and executive worker in an efficient and unique manner.  
           [0009]    According to first aspect of the invention, a system for defining a plurality of work zones within an otherwise open area including a first work space configuration and a second work space configuration. The first work space configuration is formed from nonarchitectural rigid walls, and a ceiling. The first work space configuration having a substantially enclosed interior work area. The second work space configuration formed from a framework of spaced apart poles extending upward from a base surface and crossbeams interconnecting the poles. The framework capable of being arranged in a plurality of patterns and forming a substantially open noncovered work area.  
           [0010]    According to another aspect of the invention, a system for defining a plurality of work zones within an otherwise open area is provided. A first work space configuration forming an enclosed interior space is provided. The first work space configuration is formed from nonarchitectural rigid walls and a ceiling. At least two of the walls are interconnected at an angle substantially greater than 90°. A second work space configuration is formed from a framework of spaced apart poles and interconnecting crossbeams. The framework is capable of being arranged in a plurality of nonlinear patterns wherein at least two of the poles are interconnected at an angle substantially greater than 90°. The second work space configuration forms a generally open noncovered work area. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The invention, including its construction and method of operation, is illustrated in the following drawings, in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a first work space configuration;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a second work space configuration; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a plan view of an embodiment of a work area having first work space configurations and second work space configurations.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    Referring now to the drawings, an embodiment of a first work space configuration or office  10  is illustrated in FIG. 1. The first work space configuration  10  includes more than four walls  12 , making the shape of the first work space configuration  10  non-rectangular. Although a variety of shapes may be possible, the first work space configuration  10  preferably has six walls  12  formed in a hexagonal shape. Accordingly, the included angle between adjacent walls  12  is about 120°. However, it should be recognized that a variety of shapes other than hexagonal may be implemented with the present invention.  
         [0016]    The walls  12  of the first work space configuration  10  are non-architectural walls  12  and may be constructed with various office furniture panels that are known in the art. One particularly useful panel structure that may be used for the walls  12  can be purchased by the assignee of this invention, Herman Miller, Inc., under the Ethospace™ product line. The walls  12  of the first work space configurations  10  are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,835 which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0017]    The walls  12  of the first work space configuration  10  include a frame  14  with top  15 , bottom (not shown) and side  17  members. Tiles  18  are installed onto the frame  14  in order to enclose the interior of the first work space configuration. Preferably, the titles  18  are attached to the frame  14  by conventional attachment mechanisms that engage a series of openings in the side frame members  17 . The tiles  18  are also available in a variety of styles, as clear glass, opaque glass, fabric covered panels and colored solid panels. Therefore, the tiles  18  allow the office walls  12  to be individually configured to meet the needs of the particular executive using the first work space configuration  10 . A raceway  20  is provided under the bottom frame member for routing electrical circuits to the office  10 . The walls  12  rest on a base surface or floor with rest pads (not shown) being attached to the bottom of the raceways  20  to make contact with the base surface.  
         [0018]    The walls  12  of the first work space configuration  10  are connected together with a corner member  22  that defines the desired 120° angle between the walls  12 . The corner member  22  preferably matches the structural style of the walls  12 , and in one embodiment the corner members  22  have a glass surface to match the glass tiles  18  that are used for the walls  12 .  
         [0019]    In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a shared wall  24  exists between two first work space configurations  10 . This configuration of using shared walls  24  between the first work space configurations  10  can be repeated to connect together several first work space configuration  10  into an office group.  
         [0020]    Referring again to FIG. 1, each first work space configuration  10  also includes at least one door opening  26  for access into and out of the interior space of the first work space configuration  10 . The preferred embodiment of the door  28  is a sliding door. In the illustrated embodiment, tiles  18  like those previously described can be installed onto one half of the wall  12  that includes the door opening  26 . The door  28  can then be slid into a cavity between the outer tiles  18  and an inner wall surface when the door opening  26  is open. The door opening  26  is closed by sliding the door  28  out of the cavity until the door  28  abuts the side frame member  17 . Although the door opening  26  may be located at various positions, an especially useful position for the door opening  26  is adjacent the shared wall  24 . In addition, each office can be provided with two door openings  26 , with each door opening  26  being adjacent the shared wall  24 . This arrangement of the doors  28  is preferred because it provides an interior working space for the executive away from the doors  28  and provides access to opposite sides of an office group  58 .  
         [0021]    The doors  28  can also be provided with a conventional security system. In particular, a sensor  29  is mounted onto the side frame member  17  for sensing the presence of a coded card key. Because the raceway  20  does not extend below the door opening  26 , the electrical circuits for the security system are routed up the side frame member  17  and across the top frame member  15 . The electrical circuits can then be routed down another side frame member  17  and through the raceway  20 . Thus, when the executive passes a key card in front of the sensor  29 , the door  28  is unlocked to provide access into the first work space configuration  10 . The security system can also automatically turn on a light  40  within the first workspace configuration  10  to illuminate the interior space. Additionally, the security system can power up some of the electrical receptacles in the first workspace configuration.  
         [0022]    A ceiling  30  is also provided along the top of the first workspace configuration  10  to enclose the interior space. The ceiling  30  provides additional privacy for the executive and allows controlled lighting of the interior space. Moreover, the ceiling  30  employs a unique structural style. A fabric  32  material that can be purchased from the company Dazian Fabrics under the product name Trapeze™ may used to form the ceiling  30 . Other ceiling materials, however, may also be implemented. Furthermore, the fabric  32  may have a variety of different colors, but a white color is preferred because of its superior lighting characteristics.  
         [0023]    The fabric  32  is suspended above the walls  12  of the office  10  by six fiberglass rods  34  and a tubular steel ring or center hub  38 . The rods  34  are bent between a first end  35  that is attached to each corner member  22  and a second end  36  that is attached to the center hub  38 . The first ends  35  are connected to the corner members  22  by bracket assemblies that include a tubular receiver which the rod  34  is installed axially through. The second end  36  of each rod  34  is then installed into a radial hole in the center hub  38 . The radial holes extend through the outside wall of the tubular ring  38  but not through the inside wall of the ring  38 . Therefore, the second ends  36  of the rods  34  pass through the radial holes in the center hub  38  but are prevented from passing through the center hub  38  by abutting against the inside wall.  
         [0024]    The fabric  32  is attached to the ceiling  30  with lower and upper eyelets. Each of the lower eyelets is installed onto one of the first ends  35  of the rods  34 . Accordingly, the first end  35  of each rod  34  passes through one of the lower eyelets. A steel pin that is pressed perpendicular through the first end  35  of the rod  34  provides a stop that prevents the lower eyelets from sliding up the rods  34 . Similarly, the upper eyelets are installed onto the second ends  36  of the rods  34 . Thus, the second end  36  of each rod  34  passes through one of the upper eyelets, and a perpendicular pin pressed through the second end  36  prevents the upper eyelets from sliding down the rods  34 .  
         [0025]    As is now apparent, the suspended fabric  32  provides a unique castellated structure that adds to the aesthetics of the first work space configuration  10  while also providing an executive with additional privacy. The ceiling  30  can also be used to improve illumination of the interior space within the first work space configuration  10 . In most cases the desired privacy for the executive can be achieved with a relatively lightweight fabric  32 . Accordingly, the fabric  32  transmits ambient light into the interior space of the first work space configuration  10 . To increase illumination of the office  10  further, lights  40  are also attached to the inside of each of the corner members  22 . The lights  40  are then directed upward towards the ceiling  30  so that the light is radiated off of the interior surface of the ceiling  30  and throughout the first work space configuration  10 .  
         [0026]    As best seen in the plan view of an embodiment of an open work area  61  illustrated in FIG. 3, a variety of furniture units can be installed in and around the first workspace configurations  10 . For example, worksurfaces  42  may secure to the walls  12  in a conventional manner. A free standing work surface or desk  44  and storage cabinets  46  can also be located within the first work space configurations  10  together with other conventional work items.  
         [0027]    Turning now to FIG. 2, a second work space configuration  60  is provided that can be used cooperatively with the first work space configuration  10  in the open work area  61  illustrated in FIG. 3. Several different types of workspace configurations may be acceptable, but workspaces marked under the name RESOLVE™ by Herman Miller, Inc and disclosed and described in PCT Ser. No. US99/23793 filed in the name of Ayse Birsel et al. on Oct. 13, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference, are preferred. The second workspace configuration  60  can be easily modified into a variety of different configurations. However, it is preferred that the shapes of the second workspace configuration have a 120° angle between adjacent poles  62 .  
         [0028]    The second workspace configuration  60  includes poles  62  that extend upward from a base member  64  and form a framework for the configuration. A plurality of barrier members  66  extend between adjacent poles  62 . The barrier members  66  can perform various functions in addition to providing privacy such as sound adsorption. In particular, crossbeams  68  interconnect adjacent poles  62  and include a channel that receives a connection element attached to the top and bottom edges of the barrier member  66  as described in PCT Ser. No. US99/23793. The barrier members  66  and poles  62  can be combined in a number of configurations to achieve different workspace shapes. For example, some poles  62  may have as many as three barrier member  66  attached thereto at 120° angles. Other poles  62 , on the other hand, may have a single privacy member  66  attached to it when the pole  62  acts as an end member. In some cases a barrier member  66  may also be shared by two different second works space configurations  60 . The upper crossbeam  70  includes a trough through which utilities pass. One particular shape for the second workspace configuration that has been found to be useful includes four barrier members  66  attached to five poles  62  as illustrated in FIG. 2. This shape provides a well defined working space while also providing a large open area for easy access.  
         [0029]    A variety of furniture units (as seen in FIGS. 2 &amp; 3) can be installed in and around the second workspace configurations  60 . For example, work surfaces  80  and support surfaces for a computer monitor  82  can be located within the second work space configurations  60 . Freestanding storage cabinets  84  can also be located within and around the second work space configurations  60 . Rolling privacy members  88  can also be attached to the poles  62  for rearward privacy.  
         [0030]    Turning now to FIG. 3, the open area  61  is illustrated having first works space configurations  10  and a second workspace configurations  60 . The open work area  61  is typically used by both staff workers and executives who work together on a regular basis. Thus, by providing the first workspace configurations  10  and the second workspace configurations  60  in the same open work area  61 , staff workers and executives can interact more easily and work more productively.  
         [0031]    Because the first workspace configuration  10  and second workspace configuration  60  employ a similar hexagonal shape they can be oriented together in efficient arrangements. Moreover, the second workspace configuration  60  can be located in close proximity to the first workspace configuration  10  if certain staff workers are expected to interact more often with particular executives. The first workspace configuration  10  and second workspace configuration  60  can be positioned in a variety of arrangements to suits the needs of a particular office.  
         [0032]    The first workspace configurations  10  can be assembled into workspace groups  58  as illustrated in FIG. 3. The second workspace configurations can be assembled into the workspace groups  92 . Each workspace group  58  &amp;  92  includes a plurality of workspaces connected together. This arrangement provides additional flexibility by allowing certain workspace groups  58  to be positioned closer to particular workspace groups  92  as needed.  
         [0033]    Another advantage of the work area  61  is that aisleways can be designed through the workspace groups  92  to provide the staff workers and executives with efficient access to all parts of the work area  61 . Preferably, the workspaces groups  58  &amp;  92  are oriented together so that some of the walls  12  of the first workspace configurations  10  are parallel to some of the barrier members  66  of the second workspace configurations  60 .  
         [0034]    The arrangement of workspaces as provided by the present invention is expected to improve the morale and productivity of the staff workers and executives. Furthermore, prospective clients and employees are likely to be favorably persuaded by the variety, efficiency and pleasing aesthetics of the open work area  61 .  
         [0035]    While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it should be understood that the invention is not so limited, and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, and all devices that come within the meaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intended to be embraced therein.