Abstract:
A leveling assembly for an interior wall system is disclosed. The wall system is composed of a number of wall panels configured for installation in a building having a ceiling and a floor. The assembly includes at least one elongate floor channel secured to the floor and a floor rail longitudinally disposed within the floor channel. The floor rail supports one or more of the wall panels. A number of levelers are positioned along the floor channel. The levelers permit the floor rail to be vertically spaced apart from the floor channel. The levelers are adjustable to level the floor rail in relation to the floor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to interior wall systems for buildings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     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. 
     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 
     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.   

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a glass wall system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the ceiling retaining assembly and the floor leveling assembly. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial elevation view of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the ceiling retaining assembly and the floor leveling assembly along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly of the preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the ceiling retaining assembly and the floor leveling assembly along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the corner of the glass wall according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the floor leveling assembly along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an interior wall system  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The interior wall system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes three glass wall panels  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c . 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. 
     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. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the wall panels (for clarity, only panels  12   b  and  12   c  are shown in  FIG. 2 ) are secured at their upper edges  20  to a ceiling retaining assembly  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 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  30   a ,  30   b  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. 
     Continuing to refer to  FIGS. 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  30   c ,  30   d  may be positioned between the ceiling channel  24  and the ceiling rail  32 . Preferably, the ceiling gaskets  30   a - d  are made of foam or any other suitable sound absorbing material. 
     A slot  34  is provided in the ceiling rail  32  to receive the upper edge  20  of the panels  12   a - c  (only panel  12   b  is shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 , and  7 , elbow brackets  40  are located at the joints of adjacent glass panels, such as the joint between panels  12   b  and  12   c . 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  12   b ,  12   c  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. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 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  12   b ,  12   c . Ribs  55  are preferably provided to add rigidity to the vertical portion  54  of the clips  50 . Each of the clips include flexible lips  56   a - 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. 
     The ceiling trim member  60  may be an aluminum extrusion which provides an esthetically pleasing appearance and hides parts of ceiling retaining assembly  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 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. 
     The floor rail  78  is supported by levelers  80  positioned at intervals along the floor channel  74 . Each leveler  80  includes a base  82  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. 
     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 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 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. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 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. 
     Referring to  FIG. 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 member and the floor channel  74 . The floor gasket  112  also provides improved sound attenuation. 
       FIG. 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  12   a  and to permit snapping connection to a trim member (not shown in  FIG. 9 ). 
     The operation of the first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-8 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 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. 
     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  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 8 , the panels  12   a - c  are then lifted into the slot  34  of ceiling rail  32  and then dropped onto panel supports  90 . In particular, the panels  12   a - 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 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each panel  12   a - 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 . 
       FIGS. 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  74   a ,  74   b  are illustrated. The uppermost floor channel  74   b  supports the floor rail  78 . Levelers  80  are provided between the floor channels  74   a ,  74   b , and between the uppermost floor channel  74   b  and floor rail  78 . In other respects, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. 
     While the present invention as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and thus, is representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it is to be encompassed by the present claims.