Universal base

A universal base for modular wall panels of various thicknesses includes two spaced-apart members with a bracket rotatably disposed therebetween. The members are coupled to a pair of legs which support a threaded member for supporting a wall panel thereon. A wiring harness may be mounted to the rotatable brackets from either side of the wall panel. The vertical location of the support for the wall panel and the spaced-apart members and bracket may be varied independently of each other. Accordingly, the vertical location of the wall panel and the vertical location of the wiring harness may be varied independently of each other. The spaced-apart members further include an arrangement for attaching a cover plate thereto. The top portion of the cover plate is flexible and inwardly biased so as to accommodate wall panels of varying thicknesses.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to modular wall panels and more particularly 
to an improved method for supporting a modular wall panel and equipping it 
with a wiring harness. 
Modern offices often use free standing partitions or wall panels to form 
individual office cubicles in the open office environment. These cubicles 
provide a proper working environment while maintaining versatility and 
mobility for unrestricted office organization and expansion. As a matter 
of course, a modular wall panel may be provided with a base sufficient to 
support it. Various wall panel bases are possible. For example, legs or 
similar support members may be permanently attached to the lower edge 
surface of the wall panel. Similarly, the panel may rest against the floor 
surface and be attached thereto by use of brackets or similar devices. 
Whatever the method of supporting the panel, it may be desirable to have a 
base that is reusable and may be utilized with wall panels of different 
thicknesses. Such a base could be removed from a damaged wall panel and 
utilized in conjunction with a different panel. Similarly, one base could 
be provided to a customer who could then use that base in conjunction with 
various size wall panels. 
In addition to providing proper support for the panel, it may be desirable 
to provide a base that can accommodate telephone wires, computer cables, 
electrical receptacles and similar components utilized to provide power to 
various office equipment. Such power is usually provided by means of a 
wiring harness, which electrically couples adjacent wall panels. Because a 
large office may utilize a great many modular wall panels, it is further 
desirable to utilize a wall panel base that provides flexibility in 
mounting wiring harnesses. More particularly, it is desirable that the 
base provide a mechanism for allowing the wiring harness to be mounted 
from either side of the panel, thus allowing greater ease of installation. 
Additionally, to provide greater flexibility in setting up the office 
environment, it may be further desired that the height of the wall panel 
and the vertical position of the wiring harness be adjustable. Such 
features would allow for more precise alignment of adjacent panels and 
wiring harnesses. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
improved base for supporting a modular wall panel. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular wall panel 
base that may be removed from one wall panel and utilized with another. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a wall panel 
base that may be utilized with panels of various thicknesses. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a base for a wall 
panel that permits a wiring harness to be mounted from either side of the 
wall panel. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wall panel base 
that allows the height of the panel to be adjusted independently of the 
location of the wiring harness and allows the vertical location of the 
wiring harness to be adjusted independently of the height of the panel. 
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the 
provision of a base for a modular wall panel including legs contacting the 
surface on which the panel is to be supported and support means for 
supporting the panel on the legs. The base further includes mounting means 
coupled to the legs for mounting a wiring harness to the base. A portion 
of the mounting means is rotatable so as to allow mounting of the wiring 
harness from either side of the panel. 
In one embodiment of the invention, the support means for supporting the 
panel is vertically adjustable independently of the mounting means. The 
location of the wiring harness may also be varied independently of the 
location of the wall panel by varying the location of the mounting means. 
In another embodiment, the support means for supporting the panel comprises 
a generally cylindrical member with a ledge disposed thereon. The 
cylindrical member and ledge include a bore for receiving the legs. The 
legs and cylindrical member engage a blind nut embedded in the bottom of 
the wall panel. The lower edge of the panel is supported by the legs, 
cylindrical member and ledge. 
In one embodiment of the invention, the mounting means comprises two 
vertically spaced-apart members with rotatable brackets disposed between 
them. The wiring harness is attached to the rotatable brackets. The 
mounting means and wiring harness are coupled to the legs by inserting the 
legs in slots cut into the ends of the spaced-apart members and clamping 
one of the members between a retainer nut and a thrust nut threaded onto 
each of the legs. 
In another embodiment, cover plates are attached to the vertically 
spaced-apart members to shield the members, brackets, legs, and wiring 
harness from view. The cover plates have holes cut therein to provide 
access to the receptacle assemblies mounted on the wiring harness. The 
cover plates further include a flexible inwardly biased top portion which 
contacts the surface of the wall panel. Because the top portion is 
flexible and inwardly biased, the cover plates, and hence the base, can 
accommodate wall panels of varying thicknesses. 
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will 
become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred 
embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of 
a modular wall panel equipped with a universal base according to the 
present invention. The fully equipped wall panel assembly includes panel 
10, universal base 20, wiring harness 120 and electrical receptacle 
assemblies 130. Wall panel 10 comprises two generally planar opposing 
sides 12 defined by edge surfaces 13, 14, 15, and 16. Lower edge surface 
14 further includes two blind nuts 100, embedded and secured in bored 
holes 17. Universal base 20 includes top member 30, bottom member 40, 
brackets 50, threaded legs 60, thrust nuts 70, washers 80, retainer nuts 
90, blind nuts 100, and cover plate 110. Wiring harness 120 comprises a 
generally flat channel 122 having end assemblies 124 including connecting 
ports 126 and receptacle ports 128. Channel 122 includes mounting holes 
129 therein. Receptacle assemblies 130 include body portions 132, coupling 
portions 134, and mounting holes 136. 
Top member 30 of universal base 20 includes upturned edges 32 running the 
length thereof. Each edge 32 supports a cover plate 110 as described 
below. Top member 30 also includes two slots 34 for receiving legs 60. Top 
member 30 further includes mounting holes 36 for attaching brackets 50 
thereto. Similarly, bottom member 40 includes upturned edges 42, slots 44, 
and mounting holes 46. 
Brackets 50 include top surface 51 and bottom surface 52 joined by bight 
53. Edge 54 of top surface 51 is bent downward toward bottom surface 52, 
and edge 55 of bottom surface 52 is bent upward toward top surface 51. Top 
surface 51 and bottom surface 52 include mounting holes 59 which are used 
in conjunction with mounting holes 36 of top member 30 and mounting holes 
46 of bottom member 40 to secure brackets 50 between top member 30 and 
bottom member 40 as described below. Bight 53 includes a first set of 
holes 58 for attaching wiring harness 120 thereto and a second set of 
holes 57 for securing a receptacle assembly 130 thereto. Edges 54 and 55 
also include mounting holes 56 for attaching a receptacle assembly 130 
thereto. 
Each blind nut 100 comprises a generally cylindrical member 102 with a 
ledge 104 disposed thereon. Threaded bore 106 runs through cylindrical 
member 102 and ledge 104. 
Cover plate 110 includes hooks 112 on the inside surface thereof, which 
assist in mounting cover plate 110 to the interior components of universal 
base 20 as described below. Cover plate 110 further includes an inwardly 
biased top portion 114 and openings 116 through which receptacle 
assemblies 130 extend when base 20 is fully assembled. 
To assemble the interior components of universal base 20, brackets 50 are 
secured between top member 30 and bottom member 40 by inserting rivets or 
similar fasteners (not shown) through a pair of holes 36 and 59 and a pair 
of holes 46 and 59. Brackets 50 are secured between top member 30 and 
bottom member 40 so as to be rotatable about their vertical axes, as 
indicated by arrows A in FIG. 1. A thrust nut 70 is threaded onto each leg 
60. Washer 80 is positioned over the outer threads of the thrust nut 70, 
and retainer nut 90 is threaded onto the outer threads of thrust nut 70. 
Each leg 60 is then positioned in a pair of slots 34 and 44 such that the 
foot of leg 60 is below bottom member 40 and top member 30 is between the 
support face of thrust nut 70 and washer 80. Retainer nut 90 is then 
tightened onto thrust nut 70 so as to clamp top member 30 between them. In 
this position, top member 30, bottom member 40 and brackets 50 are 
suspended on legs 60 as a single unit. FIG. 2 shows the assembled interior 
components of base 20. 
FIG. 3 shows the assembled interior components of base 20 with wiring 
harness 120 attached thereto. As can be seen, wiring harness 120 is 
attached to brackets 50 by means of screws, rivets or other fasteners 140 
inserted through holes 129 in channel 122 and holes 58 in brackets 50. 
FIG. 3 also shows a receptacle assembly 130 attached to one end of base 20 
by insertion in receptacle port 128 on wiring harness 120 and fastening 
with screws or other fasteners 150 to bracket 50. This attachment may be 
better seen in FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line 
4--4 in FIG. 3. Rivets 160 used to attach brackets 50 to top member 30 and 
bottom member 40 can also be seen in FIG. 4. 
As previously noted, brackets 50 are attached to top member 30 and bottom 
member 40 so as to be rotatable about their vertical axes. Accordingly, 
wiring harness 120 may be attached to brackets 50 from either side of wall 
panel 10 by simply rotating brackets 50 such that downturned edge 54 and 
upturned edge 55 face the side from which harness 120 is to be mounted. 
Furthermore, the vertical location of wiring harness 120 on legs 60 may be 
varied by changing the location of brackets 50. This is accomplished by 
changing the location of thrust nut 70 on legs 60. Because top member 30 
is clamped between thrust nut 70 and retainer nut 90, the location of top 
member 30 changes with the location of thrust nut 70. Furthermore, because 
brackets 50 and bottom member 40 are tied to top member 30, the location 
of brackets 50 and bottom member 40 change with the location of top member 
30. Accordingly, the vertical location of wiring harness 120 may be varied 
as desired. 
To support panel 10 on base 20, leg 60 is threaded into blind nut 100 which 
is embedded and secured in bored hole 17 in lower edge 14 of panel 10 
(FIG. 5). The vertical location of panel 10 may be varied by threading leg 
60 into or out of blind nut 100. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the location of 
panel 10 on leg 60 may be varied independently of the location of wiring 
harness 120. Similarly, the vertical location of wiring harness 120 may be 
varied along leg 60 independently of the location of wall panel 10. Also, 
the location of legs 60 may be varied to correspond to the location of 
bored holes 17 by positioning legs 60 as needed within slots 34 and 44. 
FIG. 5 further shows how base 20 may be utilized with wall panels of 
varying thicknesses. After wiring harness 120 and receptacle assemblies 
130 have been attached to brackets 50 as previously described, cover 
plates 110 are positioned such that receptacles 130 extend through holes 
116 and hooks 112 engage edges 32 and 42 of top member 30 and bottom 
member 40, respectively. In this manner, wiring harness 120 and the 
interior components of base unit 20 are shielded from view. Also, top 
portion 114 of each cover plate 100 contacts a surface 12 of wall panel 
10. Because top portion 114 is initially biased inward and is flexible, it 
will maintain contact with surface 12 regardless of the thickness of panel 
10. For example, if the panel thickness is as indicated by dimension A (as 
shown on the right side of FIG. 5), top portion 114 of cover plate 110 
will bend inward to contact surface 12. If, however, the panel thickness 
is as indicated by dimension B shown on the left side of FIG. 5), top 
portion 114 of cover plate 110 will flex outward to accommodate the 
thicker panel while still maintaining contact with surface 12. 
Accordingly, base unit 20 may be utilized with panels of varying 
thicknesses. 
It is anticipated that bored hole 17 would normally be located on the 
center line of surface 14 of panel 10. FIG. 5 shows bored hole 17 dividing 
panel 10 into unequal sections merely for purposes of illustrating how 
base unit 20 accommodates wall panels of varying thicknesses. However, as 
FIG. 5 shows, bored hole 17 does not have to be positioned down the center 
of edge 14; cover plate 110 will adjust to contact a surface 12 even if 
bored hole 17 is off center. 
Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is 
to be understood that the same is intended by way of illustration only and 
is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the 
invention are be limited only by the claims appended hereto.