Patent Publication Number: US-2013239856-A1

Title: Extensible partition and table using the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 20-2012-0002177 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 19, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     (a) Field 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to an extensible partition and a table using the same. 
     (b) Description of the Related Art 
     In general, partitions are frequently used to divide space in an office, have quadrangular shapes with a height and width, and are continuously connected with each other. Such partitions are only used for partitioning indoor spaces, such as a work area or a desk area, and therefore have a limited purpose. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of embodiments of the invention, and therefore may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide an extensible partition for partitioning a space, such as a work space or desk space, in various manners, and for improving or maximizing utility of a display area of the extensible partition. 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a table using the extensible partition. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an extensible partition including a partition including a display area for displaying an image and configured to be rolled, and a roller for rolling the partition, the roller being coupled with a first end of the partition. 
     The roller support area may be configured to enable the roller of the extensible partition to rotate with respect to the table top plate. 
     The table top plate may be coupled to at least one support bar combiner configured to be coupled to the support bar of the extensible partition. 
     The display area may include an organic light emitting diode. 
     The display area may include two sides, and may be configured to display one or more images on at least one of the two sides. 
     The roller may be configured to provide an elastic force in a direction in which the partition is configured to be rolled. 
     The extensible partition may further include a support bar coupled to a second end of the partition. 
     The support bar may be configured to fix the partition in an unrolled state. 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a table including the extensible partition, a table top plate coupled to a roller support area for being coupled to the roller of the extensible partition, and legs for supporting the table top plate. 
     According to embodiments of the present invention, the extensible partition can freely partition the space as desired, and can increase or maximize usage of the space including the display area. 
     Also, the extensible partition of embodiments of the present invention can be easily rolled and removed when it is not used. 
     Further, the table can increase or maximize the utility of the space by using the extensible partition. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an extensible partition and a table using the same, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an extensible partition of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6  show operations of an extensible partition of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
     The drawings are schematic, and are not necessarily proportionally scaled down. Relative scales and ratios in the drawings may be enlarged or reduced for the purpose of accuracy and/or convenience, and the scales may be random, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, like reference numerals designate like structures, elements, or parts throughout the specification. Furthermore, it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on another element, or one or more intervening elements may be present therebetween. 
     The drawings represent exemplary embodiments of the present invention schematically in detail. As a result, various modifications of the drawings are expected. Accordingly, exemplary embodiments are not limited to the specific shapes of shown areas, and, for example, may also include modifications of the shapes shown as a result of manufacturing processes. 
     An extensible partition  101  and a table  501  using the same, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the extensible partition  101  of the present embodiment includes a partition (e.g., a flexible partition)  100  and a roller  200 . The extensible partition  101  further includes a support bar  300  coupled to an end of the partition  100  opposite the roller  200 . 
     The partition  100  can be rolled or unrolled using the roller  200 . That is, the partition  100  can be easily unrolled by a user to partition, or divide, a space (e.g., a desk space or a work space), or the partition  100  can be rolled, and can be removed from the space. 
     The partition  100  of the present embodiment includes a display area (DA). In the present embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the partition  100  is formed (e.g., unrolled) to be the display area (DA), although the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto. That is, a part of the partition  100 , or the entire partition  100  can be the display area (DA). 
     The display area (DA) of the partition  100  can include one or more organic light emitting diodes. That is, the display area (DA) of the partition  100  can be a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. Various types of organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays that are known to a person skilled in the art can be used for the flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display that forms the display area (DA) of the partition  100 . 
     The display area (DA) of the partition  100  can display an image on one side, or can display an image on both sides. Furthermore, different display areas (DA) can be used to display different images on each of the two sides of the partition  100 . 
     The roller  200  is combined with (e.g., coupled to) a first end of the partition  100 , and may be used to roll or unroll the partition  100 . The roller  200  can provide an elastic force in a direction for rolling the partition  100 . The elastic force can be provided by using a known method or device such as, for example, a spring. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the roller  200  of the present embodiment uses an inner roller for rolling the partition  100  inside the roller  200  (e.g., the roller  200  includes a housing, or case, for housing the roller  200 , and the partition  100  is able to pass through an opening extending a length of the housing/case, enabling the partition  100  to be wound about the roller  200  within the housing/case), although the present invention is not limited thereto. Therefore, the roller  200  of other embodiments can use an outer roller for rolling the partition  100  on an outer side. 
     The support bar  300  is combined to (e.g., coupled with) a second end of the partition  100 , the second end of the partition  100  of the present embodiment being opposite the first end of the partition  100 . The support bar  300  can be used as a grip when the partition  100  is unrolled or rolled, and can be used to fix, or hold, the partition  100  while the partition  100  is unrolled. 
     By the above-described configuration, the extensible partition  101  can freely partition the space as desired by the user, and can increase or maximize utility of the space including the display area (DA). In addition, the extensible partition  101  can be easily rolled up and removed when not being used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the table  501  includes an extensible partition  101 , a table top plate  510 , and legs  550  that support the table top plate  510 . 
     The table top plate  510  includes a roller support area  511  for supporting the roller  200  of the extensible partition  101  (e.g., the roller support area  511  may be coupled to the roller  200  to hold the roller  200  in place with respect to the table top plate  510 ). In the present embodiment, the roller  200  of the extensible partition  101  is supported on the table top plate  510  in a rotatable manner. The table top plate  510  of the present embodiment includes at least one support bar combiner  512  to which the support bar  300  of the extensible partition  101  can be combined or coupled. When the table top plate  510  includes a plurality of support bar combiners  512 , the extensible partition  101  can be selectively unrolled in one of several directions as desired by the user to easily partition the space. The display area (DA) of the partition  100  can be oriented in a direction desired by the user. 
     According to the above-described configuration, the table  501  can improve or maximize the use of the space (e.g., the work space of the table  501 ) by using the extensible partition  101 . 
     An operation of the extensible partition  101  of the present embodiment provided on a table will now be described with reference to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 . 
     The partition  100  partitioning the space on the table  510 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , can be rolled by the roller  200 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The roller  200  may be rotated, as shown in  FIG. 5 , and the rolled partition  100  may then be unrolled in another direction to partition another space, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Further, the display area (DA) of the partition  100  can be freely oriented at desired positions according to the above-described operation. 
     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and their equivalents.