Patent Abstract:
A partition system includes a first pilaster and a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable from a closed position to an open position. The door is configurable in a first configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in a first direction and prevented from rotating in a second direction from the closed position, the second direction opposite the first direction. The door is further configurable in a second configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in the second direction and prevented from rotating in the first direction from the closed position. The door is coupled to the first pilaster to define a seam and prevents a line of sight from being established through the seam.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/167,042, filed Jul. 2, 2008, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/948,175, filed Jul. 5, 2007, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the field of partitions used in, for example, restrooms, to provide privacy for persons using the restroom. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a “no-sight” partition system that inhibits or prevents a line of sight from being established from one side of a partition to another side of a partition and may include universal construction. 
     Various types of establishments, such as office buildings, educational facilities, recreational facilities, shopping areas, etc. typically provide areas such as restrooms, showers, changing rooms, or any of a wide variety of other types of facilities where users normally require or desire some level of privacy. In order to provide such privacy, partitions or partition systems may be used to provide areas or stalls (e.g., a bathroom stall, a shower stall, etc., a changing room, etc.) for private, individual use. A partition system typically includes one or more walls/panels, doors, and pilasters. The partition system may include generally flat panels that are fastened in a suitable fashion and provided with locks to enable people to enter/exit the stalls and ensure that others do not enter or see into a particular stall when the stall is in use. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment, a partition system comprises a first pilaster and a door coupled to the first pilaster and rotatable from a closed position to an open position. The door is configurable in a first configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in a first direction and prevented from rotating in a second direction from the closed position, the second direction opposite the first direction. The door is further configurable in a second configuration wherein the door is rotatable from the closed position to the open position in the second direction and prevented from rotating in the first direction from the closed position. The door may be coupled to the first pilaster to define a seam and prevent a line of sight from being established through the seam. 
     According to another embodiment, a partition system comprises a pilaster comprising an extending portion having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a door configured to engage the extending portion when the door is in a closed position. The door is configurable in a first installed orientation where the door engages the first side when in the closed position. The door is further configurable in a second installed orientation where the door engages the second side when in the closed position. The door may engage the extending portion to define a seam and prevent a line of sight from being established through the seam. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a partition system comprises a first pilaster having a recess, a door, the door rotatably coupled to the first pilaster, a portion of the door configured to be received within the recess, and a second pilaster configured to engage the door when the door is in a closed position. The door is coupleable to the first pilaster in a first orientation such that the door rotates from the closed position to a first open position in a first direction. The door is further coupleable to the first pilaster in a second orientation such that the door rotates from the closed position to a second open position in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction. The door and the first and second pilasters are configured to prevent a line of sight from being established from a first side of the door to a second side of the door at the interface of the door and the first pilaster and at the interface of the door and the second pilaster. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a partition system comprises a door comprising a curved portion and a pilaster comprising a recess. The door is rotatably coupled to the pilaster such that at least a portion of the curved portion is received within the recess when the door is in a closed position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a facility including a number of partitioned areas or stalls according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a partition with a door in a closed position according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the partition of  FIG. 2  with the door in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the partition of  FIG. 2  with the door in a closed position according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the partition of  FIG. 2  with the door in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of the partition of  FIG. 3  with the door in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial exploded view of the partition of  FIG. 2  according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of a partition according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of a partition according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-section view of a partition according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-section view of a partition according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-section view of the partition of  FIG. 11  in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-section view of a partition according to an exemplary embodiment. 
       Before explaining a number of exemplary embodiments in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The subject matter is capable of other embodiments or being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     A partition system typically includes one or more walls/panels, doors, and pilasters. The partition system may include generally flat panels that are fastened in a suitable fashion and provided with locks to enable people to enter/exit the stalls and ensure that others do not enter or see into a particular stall when the stall is in use. One problem associated with the use of conventional partition system is that even though the door may be closed and securely locked, gaps may still exist between partition system members, and more particularly, at the “seams” between the door and the adjacent partition portions (i.e., the area where the door ends and the adjacent partition portion begins), where it may be possible to see into an individual stall from the outside area. This is particularly undesirable where privacy concerns are of high importance (e.g., with a bathroom stall). 
     Another problem associated with manufacturing, storing, and installing many conventional partition systems is that they have doors that open in only one direction and require separate component parts to provide a door that swings in the opposite direction (e.g., relative to the interior of a stall). 
     Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a no-sight partition system that prevents others from seeing into, for example, a bathroom stall, when the door is closed. Further, it would be advantageous to provide a universal no-sight partition system that may be configured (reconfigured, adapted, etc.) such that the door may be opened either toward or away from the interior of the stall, or with a left-handed or right-handed door swing, while minimizing the number of components for the partition. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment, a facility (e.g., a restroom, shower, changing room, etc.) shown as restroom  10  has a plurality of partitioned areas each shown as a stall  12  (e.g., a restroom stall, a changing room stall, a shower stall, etc.). Stall  12  is intended to provide security and privacy to users of stall  12  such that others may not enter or see into stall  12  when stall  12  is in use. While  FIG. 1  shows stall  12  as a restroom stall, it should be understood that according to various alternative embodiments, stall  12  may be used in any of a variety of applications (e.g., showers, dressing rooms, etc.), and the teachings herein extend to all such applications. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a number of stalls  12  may be provided adjacent one another with each stall having an interior  14 . Interior  14  is generally defined by one or more sidewalls  16  and a partition  18 . According to an exemplary embodiment, partition  18  includes one or more doors  20  that are provided between pilasters  22 ,  24  (e.g., faces, stiles, dividers, panels, wall members, etc.). For purposes of this disclosure, partition  18  will refer to door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24 . However, it should be understood that partition  18  may include a number of doors and/or pilasters. One or more stalls  12  may have one or more sidewalls in common (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 1 , several sidewalls act as a sidewall for two different stalls). Further, the walls of restroom  10  or other structures may provide at least one sidewall for stall  12 . 
     According to one embodiment, door  20  is attached via a hinge  26  to pilaster  22  such that door  20  may be rotated from a closed position (see  FIG. 2 ) to an open position (see  FIG. 3 ) such that persons may enter and exit stall  12 . Hinge  26  may be any suitable hinge assembly (e.g., a pin and socket, piano hinge, etc.). A handle and/or a lock or latch mechanism may also be provided such that users may lock door  20  in a closed position from interior area  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24  are shown in greater detail. According to one embodiment, when door  20  is in the closed position as shown in  FIG. 2 , a first seam  28  is created between pilaster  22  and door  20  and a second seam  30  is created between pilaster  24  and door  20 . According to an exemplary embodiment, door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24  are designed such that door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24  are substantially coplanar when door  20  is closed. As discussed in further detail below, a single door  20  may be installed such that it may open in either an “out-swing” fashion (e.g., such that the door swings away, or out, from interior  14  when opened, as shown in  FIG. 3 ) or in an “in-swing” fashion (e.g., such that the door swings in toward interior  14  when opened, as shown in  FIG. 5 ). This “universal design” is an advantage over many conventional partition systems that may be installed in only one of the out-swing or in-swing configurations, because the present design minimizes the number of parts needed to accommodate various different partition applications, thereby reducing material costs and simplifying the installation process. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4-12 , various interfaces between door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24  are shown in greater detail. Referring to  FIG. 4 , partition  18  is provided such that arrow A represents a line of sight from outside a stall (e.g., from the outside looking in). Partition  18  is a “no-sight” partition in that door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24  close at seams  28 ,  30  such that there is no line of sight through seams  28 ,  30  when door  20  is in the closed position. When a user fully closes door  20  and is within interior area  14 , no one from outside stall  12  may see into interior portion  14  through seams  28 ,  30 . This “no-sight” feature is an advantage over many conventional partitioning systems that leave gaps at the seams, thereby potentially compromising the privacy and security of users. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , door  20  may include a first member or lip  32  (e.g., a rail, extension, projection, etc.) that according to one embodiment, may extend along a portion or all of the length of door  20 . Lip  32  on door  20  may be configured to engage a corresponding second member or stop  34  (e.g., an extension, rail, etc.) provided on pilaster  24 . According to one embodiment, stop  34  may be formed by two grooves  36 ,  38  (see  FIG. 5 ) that are formed into pilaster  24  and may be generally symmetric about a mid-section of pilaster  24 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , when door  20  is closed, lip  32  overlaps with stop  34  along the length of seam  30  such that it is not possible to see “through” partition  18  (e.g., in the direction represented with arrow A in  FIGS. 4-6 , between adjoining or adjacent panels or members of the stall). 
     Furthermore, the overlap of lip  32  and stop  34  permit door  20  to be opened in only a single direction. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , door  20  is in the in-swing position, while as shown in  FIG. 6 , door  20  is in the out-swing position. Door  20  and pilaster  24  are universal in design and may be moved from the in-swing position to the out-swing position by removing door  20  from partition  18 , flipping door  20  over (e.g., such that the top edge becomes the bottom edge), and reinstalling door  20 . 
     Door  20  may further include a contoured portion  40  (e.g., a convex portion, a curved portion, etc.) that rotates relative and adjacent to a correspondingly contoured portion  42  (e.g., a concave portion, a curved portion, etc.) on pilaster  22 . Contoured portions  40 ,  42  are designed such that in contrast to right-angled door and pilaster members, where a gap may permit a line of sight through partition  18  at seam  28 , no line of sight may be established at seam  28  because of the corresponding contoured portions  40 ,  42  of door  20  and pilaster  22 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , contoured portions  40 ,  42  are universally designed such that they may be used in either the in-swing or out-swing positions. 
     According to another exemplary embodiment, partition  18  is configured to facilitate changing partition  18  from having a right-handed swinging door to having a left-handed swinging door. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , door  20  is in the left-handed position, such that it swings about hinge portion  26  along the left edge of door  20  (as viewed from outside a typical stall). Partition  18  may be reconfigured to provide a right-handed door by exchanging the positions of pilasters  22  and  24  and reinstalling door  20  in a rotated position (e.g., such that the left edge becomes the right edge as shown in  FIG. 3 ). This may be particularly advantageous in applications where flipping door  20  is not possible (e.g., in cases where the top and bottom edges of door  20  are unique from each other and are not functionally interchangeable). According to various exemplary embodiments, partition  18  may be assembled in a variety of in-swing/out-swing and left-handed/right-handed configurations to suit various applications. 
     While  FIGS. 4 and 5  show specific embodiments of partition  18  and the interfaces between door  20  and pilasters  22 ,  24 , it should be understood that a wide variety of configurations may be used to provide a no-sight partition such as partition  18 .  FIGS. 8-13  shows various alternative configurations for partition  18 . 
     For example, referring to  FIG. 8 , door  20  may include a generally triangular-shaped projection  44  intended to engaged one of two correspondingly shaped surfaces  46 ,  48 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , rather than contoured portion  40  having a smooth radius, a polygonal profile may be provided such as a portion  50  that maintains the no-sight and universal characteristics of partition  18  discussed in greater detail above.  FIG. 10  illustrates a door and pilaster configuration where door  20  may be installed in and operate in only one of the in-swing and out-swing positions. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , yet another embodiment of a partition  18  is illustrated. As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , a door  120  includes a contoured portion or lip  134  and a contoured portion  140 . Portions  134  and  140  are similarly shaped such that only a single pilaster configuration, such as a pilaster  126  having two contoured portions  142 , is required to engage both sides of door  120 . This further reduces the number of components involved in partition  18  and the associated material costs. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , another embodiment of partition  18  is illustrated according to another exemplary embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 13 , door  20  may include contoured portion  40  on both edges (e.g., left and right edges as facing door  20  in an installed position). Pilasters  22  and  24  may each include corresponding contoured portions  42  on one or both sides or edges. In this manner, both door  20  and pilaster  22 ,  24  may be generally symmetrical in shape. Furthermore, pilasters  22 ,  24  may be interchangeable and in some embodiments, may be identical. 
     According to various other alternative embodiments, other component configurations (e.g., shapes, sizes, etc.) may be used in forming partition  18 . Furthermore, the locations of the various interface portions (e.g., the lip, stop, contours, etc.) may be varied (e.g., reversed, etc.). For example, a single pilaster may be configured to have two stop portions, two hinge portions, one stop portion and one hinge portion, etc., depending on the particular application. 
     It should be understood that the FIGURES are not shown to scale and that the sizing (e.g., length, width, etc.) of the various components (e.g., the door, pilasters, etc.) may be varied to suit particular applications. Further, it is important to note that for purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” shall mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate member being attached to one another. Such joining may be permanent in nature or alternatively may be removable or releasable in nature. Such joining may also relate to mechanical, fluid, or electrical relationship between the two components. 
     It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the no-sight partition as shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. In the claims, any means-plus-function clause is intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and/or omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as expressed in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4