Panel connector for office partition panels

Abstract: The invention relates to a panel connector for office partitions panels (26, 28, 30, 31) having rectangular panel frames (60) at the side edges thereof, a connector assembly (38, 40, 41) for rigidly connecting the rectangular panel frames (60) together at the side edges thereof, said connector assembly (38, 40, 41) including upper and lower wedge blocks (70, 130) on the panel side edges and draw block assemblies (90, 110, 120) adapted to grip the wedge blocks (70, 130) and draw the wedge blocks (70, 130) of adjacent frames together. Adjacent panels of different height have a height change assembly (170) attached to a taller panel at a mid portion thereof in register with at least one of said upper wedge blocks (70). The height change assembly (170) includes a lower draw surface (192) and an adjustable fastener (90), the lower draw surface (192) is shaped to react with an upper wedge surface (80) of an upper wedge block (70) of the adjacent shorter panel to draw the height change assembly (170) tightly against the upper wedge block (70) and to draw the different height panels together as the fastener (90) is adjustably tightened.

Description: This invention relates to a connector system for office panels wherein two panels of different height can be connected together. Office panels in open plan configuration are in common use. These panels are typically connected together through rigid connectors. Wedge and draw block connectors used in systems sold by Herman Miller, Inc. are disclosed and claimed in US-A 3 517 467. Ninety degree configurations, and three- and four-panel joints are made with rectangular spacer tubes in this system. A change of height between panels is accomplished also with the spacer tube. In such cases of change of height, special blocks are mounted to the spacer tube at the height of the shorter panel. Different tubes are required for each different configuration of panel connections. Whereas this system is technically effective, it requires a multitude of parts. The problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a panel connector which requires a smaller number of parts for the connection of two panels of different height. The invention solves this problem by the features of the independent claim. Advantageous further developments are defined in the dependent claims. According to the invention, a panel connector for two adjacent panels of different height has a height change assembly attached to the taller panel at a mid-portion thereof in registry with at least one upper wedge block. The change-of-height assembly comprises a clip having a pair of downwardly extending hanging flanges, the frame has a hanger attached to side edges thereof, the hanger having flange receiving openings that receive hanging flanges and the clip is mounted to the flange through the hanging flanges which are mounted in the hanger frame receiving openings. The clip is preferably U-shaped in configuration and is mounted to a block. The block has a lower wedge surface adapted to complement and cooperate with an upper wedge surface on an upper wedge block on an adjacent structure to draw the adjacent panels together as the height change assembly and the upper wedge blocks are adjusted vertically toward each other. Preferably, the block has a vertical opening therethrough and a change of height assembly further comprises a draw rod which extends through the opening in the block. The draw rod has a threaded end which is threaded into the lower draw block beneath the change of height assembly. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of an open plan office furniture system incorporating panel connector systems; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a panel connector system; FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the panel connector system shown in FIG. 2, partially broken away; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the panel connector system shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, partially broken away; FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a change of height panel connector according to the invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the change of height connector shown in FIG. 5 fastened to a panel and partially broken away; and FIG. 7 is a front elevation view in partial section of the change of height connector shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Referring now to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown an open plan office furniture system 20 which is formed by multiple work stations 22. The work stations 22 are comprised of office walls 24, which are formed by connecting together at side edges thereof, in various combinations, full sized panels 26, glazed panels 28, mid height panels 30, and waist height panels 31. Cabinets 32, shelves 34, and work surfaces 36 are attached to the full sized panels 26, mid size panels 30, and waist height panels 31 in cantilevered fashion. The different panels can be connected in a 90° two-way corner 38, a three-way corner 40, and a four-way corner (not shown), by means of a tube connecting system 41 which includes a connecting post 42. Electricity is provided to the panels by a lower horizontal electrical raceway 44, a vertical electrical channel 46, and an upper wire management channel 48. The panels 26 are connected to each other and to the glazed panels 28 through a linear wall panel connecting system 50. The full sized panels 26 are connected to the mid height panels 30 and to the waist height panels 31, and the mid height panels 30 are connected a waist height panels 31 through a change of height connector system 170. Likewise, the change of height connector system 170 connects a full size panel 26 to a waist height tube connector system 41'. Referring now to FIG. 2, the linear wall panel connection system 50 for two panels of equal height is comprised of: upper wedge blocks 70, lower wedge blocks 130, upper draw block 110, lower draw block 120, draw rod 90, hanger frame 150, and wall panels 52, 54. The upper draw block 110, lower draw block 120 and draw rod 90 comprise a draw block assembly. The upper wedge block 70 has a base 88 from which extend channel legs 72, a wedge surface 80, and a shaft guide extension 82. The channel legs 72 are formed by stop flanges 74 and channel flanges 76. A U-shaped channel 86 is formed by a base 88 and the channel flanges 76. Screw holes 84 pass through the base 88. A semi-annular shaft guide 78 is formed in the wedge surface 80, base 88, and shaft guide extension 82. The lower wedge block 130 has a base 142 with stop flanges 132, wedge surface 136, and shaft guide extension 140 extending therefrom. Through hole 138 passes through the base 142. A half-cylindrical shaft guide 134 is formed in the wedge surface 136, the base 142, and the rod guide extension 140. The upper draw block 110 has two draw surfaces 114 and an opening 112. The draw surfaces 114 are complementary to the wedge surface 80 of the upper wedge block 70. The lower draw block 120 is similar to the upper draw block 110 in that they both have draw surfaces 122 and 114. However, the lower draw block has an annular receiver 124 with a threaded bore instead of an opening 112. The draw rod 90 is comprised of a shaft 96 which is threaded at the lower end 98, and has a hex wrench head 94 at the upper end. The frame hanger 150 is W-shaped in cross section and has a channel 156 formed between the two front surfaces 160. End slots 152 are spaced along the front surfaces 160. Side flanges 162 extend outwardly and backwardly from the front surfaces 160. Accessory slots 154 are spaced along the side flanges 162. Screw holes 158 are spaced along the back of the channel 156. The panels 52, 54 are comprised of a frame 60 at the edges of the panel, rectangular side faces 58, wire management channel 56, and a lower electrical raceway 64. The panel side faces 58 extend beyond the panel frame 60 to form an end channel 62. The upper wedge block 70, the frame hanger 150, and the lower wedge block 130, are inserted into the end channel 62 and fastened by screws 100. The frame 60 is formed from vertical stiles 61 and horizontal connectors 63, the latter of which forms the wire management channel 56. FIGS. 3 and 4 disclose how the panels 52, 54 are connected by the panel connecting system 50. An upper wedge block 70 is pressed into the end channel 62 of the panels 52 and 54. The stop flanges 74 keep the upper wedge block 70 parallel to the panel side faces 58. Further the flanges 74 and 76 form with the side faces an elongated fabric channel 77 into which fabric which covers the faces 58 can be tucked and accumulated. The corners of the panels are a location where fabric is gathered. The channel 77 provides an area into which the gathered fabric can be tucked, accumulated and held. The channel flanges 76 create an extension of the wire management channel 56. Screws 100 pass through the screw holes 84 and fasten the upper wedge block 70 to the frame 60 of panels 52 and 54. The lower wedge block 130 is mounted in a manner similar to the upper wedge block 70. A lower wedge block 130 is pressed into the end channel 62 of the panels 52 and 54. The stop flanges 132 hold the lower wedge block parallel to the panel sides 58. Screws 100 pass through the screw holes 138 and fasten the lower wedge block 130 to the frame 60 of panels 52 and 54. The frame hanger 150 is placed into the end channel 62 and fastened to the frame 60 by screws 101. The faces of stop flanges 74, 132, for both the upper and lower wedge blocks 70, 130, lie in the same plane as the faces 160 of the frame hanger 150. The panels 52, 54 are then brought together. The faces of the stop flanges 74, 132 and the hanger frame 160 lie flush with the respective faces of the other panel 54. A shaft channel 102 is formed interior to the two panels by the semi-annular shaft guides 78, 134 and the channel 156 and their corresponding parts on the other panel 54. The shaft 96 of the draw rod 90 is inserted through the opening 112 of the upper draw block 110. The shaft 96 is then inserted into the shaft channel 102. The threaded annular receiver 124 of the lower draw block 130 is inserted from the bottom up through the half-cylindrical openings 134 where it makes contact with the threaded lower end 98 of the shaft 96. The hex wrench head 94 is turned, screwing the lower threaded end 98 into the threaded bore of the threaded annular receiver 124. This action draws the draw surfaces 114, 122 of the upper and lower draw blocks 110, 120 into contact with the complementary wedge surfaces 78, 136. As the draw rod 90 is fully tightened, the draw surfaces 114, 122 force the panels 52, 54 tightly together under compression at the side edges thereof. After the panels 52, 54 are drawn together, the alignment flanges 76 form a channel 86 which extends the wire management channel 56 between the panels 52, 54. This channel extension hides from view the wires passing through the wire management channel 56. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the change of height connector system 170. This system is comprised of a modified draw block 180, clip 172, frame hanger 150, and an upper wedge block 70. The modified draw block 180 has an arcuate extension 182 which forms the outer wall of the annular opening 184. The upper base 194 and the lower base 196 form a receiving channel 190 into which the ribs 188 extend. The draw surface 192 forms the back side of the lower base 196. The positioning flanges 186 and the upper base extensions 198 position the modified draw block 180. The U-shaped fastening clip 172 has two hanging flanges 174. The change of height connector system 170 also uses the frame hanger 150, the draw rod 90, upper wedge block 70, and lower wedge block 130 as previously described in the linear, equal height panel connector. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the operation of the change of height connector. The fastening clip 172 is pressed over the ribs 188 and into the receiving channel 190 of the modified draw block 180. The arcuate extension 182 is placed into the channel 156 of the frame hanger 150. The hanging flanges 174 are then inserted into the end slots 152 on the frame hanger faces 160. This connection fastens the change of height connector 170 to the frame hanger 150 of the taller panel 64. The two panels 52, 64 are brought together and the change of height connector 170 is guided into the channel 86 of the upper wedge block 70, which is affixed to the shorter panel 52. The positioning flanges 186 and the upper base sides 198 keep the change of height connector 170 within the channel 86 of the upper wedge block 70. The draw surface 192 contacts the complementary wedge surface 80 of the upper wedge block 70. The shaft 96 of the draw rod 90 is inserted through the annular opening 184 of the modified draw block 180. The threaded lower end 98 of the draw rod 90 is screwed into the threaded annular receiver 124 of the lower draw block 120 as previously described. As the draw rod is tightened, the lower and upper draw surfaces 192, 122 draw the panels 52, 64 together under compression.

Claims: A panel connector for two office partition panels (26, 28, 30, 31) having rectangular panel frames (60) at the side edges thereof, a connector assembly (38, 40, 41) for rigidly connecting the rectangular panel frames (60) together at the side edges thereof, said connector assembly (38, 40, 41) including upper and lower wedge blocks (70, 130) on the panel side edges and draw block assemblies (90, 110, 120) adapted to grip the wedge blocks (70, 130) and draw the wedge blocks (70, 130) of adjacent frames together; characterized in that the adjacent panels are of different height and the connector assembly further includes a height change assembly (170 attached to a taller panel at a mid portion thereof in register with at least one of said upper wedge blocks (70), said height change assembly (170) including a lower draw surface (192) and an adjustable fastener (90), the lower draw surface (192) is shaped to react with an upper wedge surface (80) of an upper wedge block (70) of the adjacent shorter panel to draw the height change assembly (170) tightly against the upper wedge block (70) and to draw the different height panels together as the fastener (90) is adjustably tightened. A panel connector according to claim 1 where the height change assembly (170) comprises: a clip (172) having a pair of downwardly extending hanging flanges (174); the frame (60) has a hanger (150) attached to side edges thereof; the hanger (150) has flange receiving openings (152) that receive the hanging flanges (174); and the clip (172) is mounted to the frame (60) through the hanging flanges (174) which are mounted in the hanger receiving openings (152). A panel connector according to claim 2, wherein the clip (172) is U-shaped in configuration. A panel connector according to claim 3, wherein the height change assembly has a block (180) mounted to the clip; and the block (180) has a lower draw surface (192) adapted to complement and cooperate with an upper wedge surface (80) on said at least one upper wedge block (70) to draw adjacent panels together as the height change assembly (170) and the upper wedge block (70) are adjusted vertically toward each other. A panel connector according to claim 4, wherein the block (180) has a vertical opening (184) therethrough and the change of height assembly (170) further comprises a draw rod (96) which extends through the opening (184) in the block (180); the draw rod (96) has a threaded end (98) which is threaded into a lower draw block (120) beneath the change of height assembly (170).

Inventors: LOOMAN JAMES A, SCHUELKE DAVID J, LOOMAN, JAMES A., SCHUELKE, DAVID J.
Applicants: MILLER HERMAN INC, HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: E04B2