Patent Publication Number: US-2005126114-A1

Title: Cubicle jack

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to jacks and more particularly to jack used to raise and lower cubicles, cubicle walls and cubicle clusters.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Portable offices, known as cubicles have long been available to and thoroughly used by many businesses. Cubicles are generally constructed of a variety of panels that are hooked together in any size or pattern the user desires. The versatility of design has allowed combining or chaining multiple cubicles together such that they have shared walls. These groups are referred to as cubicle clusters. Cubicles have the advantage of allowing a business to add or remove “offices” as the company needs such changes. Sometimes such adjusting requires movement of several clusters closer together or further apart to provide an even appearance to the office as a whole.  
      Without a cubicle mover, the clusters must be totally disassembled, including movement of all books, paper, electronics, computers, office supplies, personal items and other such materials found within each cubicle. All the shelves need to be taken apart and down. Then the walls are all separated. The process of construction is essentially the reverse of the foregoing. Such efforts are required even if the cubicle or cubicle cluster only needs to be move two feet.  
      Some designs have been developed for picking up the cubicle or cluster as a whole. Clamps are placed on the walls and the cluster is moved as a whole. These designs have a couple of flaws. First, the clamps are generally held in place by a winch and pulley after a user joins a connector to the cubicle. Between the time when the connector is joined and the cable is drawn taut, the connector can dislodge causing serious damage or injury.  
      Another problem relates to the fact that a plurality of jacks are generally operated independent of each other when lifting a cubicle cluster. Operators have to slowly raise one just a little bit, then move on to the next one until they have raised each jack slightly. Then they repeat the process, keeping the cubicle cluster level. Failure to do so allows twisting of the cubicle walls, resulting in permanent damage. Such a process is both time consuming and places the structural integrity of the cubicle cluster at risk.  
      What is needed is a jack for lifting cubicles and cubicle clusters that positively secures to the cubicle or cluster even when the cable is not taut. Further, the jack should smoothly and uniformly lift the cubicle and cluster with a minimum number of operators and effort.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present cubicle jack is provided with a base, a vertical member, and a connector. The vertical member is joined to the base and a winch and a pulley may be joined to the vertical member. A cable may communicate between the winch and pulley. The connector is joined to the cable, with the connector having hooks adapted to secure to a cubicle wall. Mechanism is provide for elevating the connector relative to a cubicle wall.  
      The cubicle and jack combination is provided with a plurality of cubicle walls joined to make a cubicle. A plurality of jacks may be disposed about and joined to the cubicle walls. The jacks have a winch for raising and lowering the walls. Mechanism is provide for simultaneous remote operation of the jacks such that the jacks are adapted to lift and lower the walls at a uniform rate.  
      Advantageously, the present invention holds the connector to the cubicle walls when slack is in the cable.  
      Also advantageously, the present invention provides secure locking of the connector to the cubicle wall, preventing slippage and partial or complete dislodgement when the cable is not applying pressure to the connector.  
      As still yet another advantage, the jack is provided with mechanism for remote operation such that a plurality of jacks may simultaneously be used without distorting, twisting and mangling the panels forming a cubicle cluster.  
      These and other advantages will become clear from reading the below description with reference to the figures. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the jack of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the base of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the vertical member joined to the receptacle;  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the jack of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the connector of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a partial side view of a cubicle wall;  
       FIG. 7  is a top view of a cubicle cluster with a plurality of interconnected cubicles;  
       FIG. 8  is a top partial view of a cubical cluster, showing a clamp positioned to secure the walls for movement; and  
       FIG. 9  is a top view of a sliding board. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The present jack  10  may include a base  12 , a vertical member  50 , a connector  80 , a cubical cluster  100 , a clamp  120  and a sliding board  130 . The jack  10  is arranged and interacts to lift cubical walls  104  and clusters  100  such that they may be moved, lifted for work underneath the walls, e.g., carpeting, etc. Each component will be discussed in serial fashion.  
      The base  12  primarily provides support for the vertical member  50  while avoiding spacial conflict with the cubicle walls  104 . Desirably, the base  12  includes a mode for movement such that the jack  10  can be used to reposition a cubical cluster  100 . Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the preferred base  12  has a cross bar  14  and a back bar  26 . The cross bar  14  may have a right end  16 , a left end  20  and a midpoint  24 . The midpoint  24  is located between the right end  16  and left end  20  and may or may not be centered between the two ends  16 ,  20 . A right castor  18 , or other mechanism for allowing movement of the base  12 , may be joined adjacent the right end  16 . A left castor  22  may be joined adjacent the left end  20 .  
      The back bar  26  may have a back end  28  and a connective end  32 . A back castor  30  preferably is joined adjacent the back end  28 . The connective end  32  is desirably joined to the cross bar  14  at the midpoint  24 . In this manner, the base  12  is generally in the form of a “T” as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      The base  12  is joined to the vertical member  50 . Such attachment may be permanent, such as with a weld ( FIG. 1 ), or selective, such as shown in  FIG. 3 . A selective connection allows for compacting of the jack  10 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a receptacle  34  may be joined to the base  12 , preferably to the cross bar  14 . Ideally, the receptacle  34  is joined at the midpoint  24 . Positioning the receptacle forward on the jack  10  allows the base  12  to not spatially interfere with the cubical cluster  100 , while opposing jacks  10  provide stability. The receptacle  34  may have receptacle walls  36 , defining a vertical bore  38  and a horizontal bore  40 . The vertical bore  38  is sized to snugly receive the vertical member  50  therein.  
      Vertical member  50  may have a bottom end  52  and a top end  54 . The bottom end  52  may be welded or otherwise joined to the base  12 . If the base  12  includes a receptacle  34 , the bottom end  52  may define a horizontal bore  56 , which is alignable with the horizontal bore  40  of the receptacle  34 . With the bottom end  52  positioned in the receptacle  34 , a cotter pin  60 , or other fastener, may be positioned through the horizontal bore  40  in the receptacle  34  and the horizontal bore  56  in the vertical member  50 . A cotter key  58  is shown securing the cotter pin  60 . The vertical member  50  may also include a rest  68  joined to the vertical member  50  adjacent the bottom end  52  thereof. The rest  68  is adapted to support a cubicle wall  104  thereon when the cable  66  is not taut.  
      A winch  62  desirably is joined to the vertical member  50  between the bottom end  52  and the top end  54 . Such winch  62  may be manual or electronic. Generally when lifting a cubical cluster  100  one will use several jacks  10 . These jacks should generally be raised simultaneously to avoid being or damaging the cubical walls  104 . Manual winches  62  may be used. If so the jacks  10  are desirably operate by several people. If there is less than one operator per jack  10 , the jacks  10  may be raised a small amount, perhaps ½ inch and the jacks  10  that did not have an operator are raised. This can be tedious and time consuming. Electronic jacks  10  may be remotely controlled such that all the jacks  10  are operational at the same time and speed. A sensor  70  may be used to electronically observe the change in height of the cubical walls  104  and electronically control the jacks  10  if one or more jacks  10  need to speed up or slow down.  
      A pulley  64  may be joined to the vertical member  50  adjacent the top end  54 . Essentially, the pulley  64  becomes the point the cubical walls  104  are drawn toward. Thus, the pulley may be positioned sufficiently high above the connector  80  that the connector  80  has room to rise and lift the cubical wall  104 . A cable  66  may communicate between the winch  62  and pulley  64 .  
      Connector  80  may be joined to the cable  66 , such connector selectively joining the cable  66  to a cubical wall  104 . A suitable connector, shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , may include hooks  82  suitable for reception within hook openings  106  in the cubical wall  104 . When the connector  80  is first joined to a wall  104 , the connector  80  may partially or completely slide out of the hook openings  106 . At such time the winch has not been operated to draw the cable  66  tight, leaving slack in the cable  66  and an opportunity for such slippage. Poorly joined connectors  80  can become dislodged during lifting and allow the cubical cluster  100  to fall. Accordingly, mechanism  84  for elevating the connector  80  may provide a lifting force on the connector  80  during the time that the connector  80  is joined to the wall  104  and when the cable  66  is drawn taut. Further, a reverse hook  92  joined to the connector  80  may maintain connection to the wall  104 , hooking the wall  104  within a hook opening  106  if the connector  80  slips too low.  
      A suitable mechanism  84  for elevating the connector  80  relative to a cubicle wall  104  is a spring  86 . Spring  86  includes a connector end  88  securely joined to the connect  80  with such joinder optionally being permanent. Spring  86  also includes a hook end  90  suitable for selectively joining the spring  86  to the cubical wall  104 . The hook end  90  may be inserted into a hook opening  106  above the connector  80 , stretching the spring  86  in the process.  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a cubical cluster  100  may include a plurality of cubical walls  104 . Such walls  104  define a plurality of interconnected cubicles  105 . Cubicle walls  104  further define hook openings  106  along the vertical edges, thereof suitable for interconnection with connectors  80 , and adjustable feet  110 . Each wall  104  generally has a removable panel  107  along a bottom edge on either side of the wall  104 . The wall  104  and panels  107  define an electrical wire-way  108  therebetween.  
      One jack  10  may not be of sufficient size to lift an entire cubicle cluster  100  alone. Accordingly, a plurality of jack attachment points may be found about the cubicle cluster  100  such that several jacks  10  can cooperatively lift the cluster  100 . As described above, the jacks  10  should be simultaneously moved to keep the cubicle level during the lifting process, either manually with a level or tape measure or through the use of a sensor in operable communication with an electronic winch  62 .  
      Turning to  FIGS. 6 and 8 , a clamp  120  may secure the walls relative to each other prior to movement of the cluster  100 . The panels  107  are removed from adjacent walls  104 , exposing the electrical wire-way  108 . A clamp  120  of most any suitable and commercially available variety available on the market may be inserted through the adjacent electrical wire-ways  108  and tightened. Suitable clamps generally have a strap or a piece of chain in combination with a handle capable of tightening the chain or strap. If other equipment is unavailable, a tie-down strap will also work. The clamp  120  should be tight whenever the cluster  100  is being moved to hold the walls  104  secure relative to each other.  
      A sliding board  130  is shown in  FIG. 9 , defining at least one and preferably a plurality of dimples  132 . Dimples  132  are sized to receive feet  110  of the cubical wall  104  an spaced to engage feet  110  of adjacent cubical walls  104  whether aligned linearly or at right angles. The sliding board  130  may have a smooth lower surface with a low friction coefficient or alternatively may have wheels similar to a skateboard or furniture dolly. The dimples should be of a sufficient depth to preclude unintentional sliding of the feet  110  along the upper surface  134  of the sliding board  130 .  
      In operation a connector  80  is joined to a cubical wall  104  through use of hooks  82  and hook openings  106 . A mechanism  84  for elevating the connector  80 , such as spring  86  holds the connector  80  in place. A winch  62  is operated, drawing cable  66  over a pulley  64 , drawing the connector  80  and cubicle wall  104  upward. The cubicle cluster  100  is drawn upward evenly across its entire span so as to not bend or otherwise mangle the walls  104 .  
      Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.