Abstract:
The mounting bracket has a flange which reaches in between portions of the open office structure and releasably engages in the slots in the post of the open office structure. The releasable engagement comprises tee-shaped hooks, configured so that they engage reversibly in the slots in either of the posts on the left or right side of the office entryway opening. A web on the flange carries an identification plate.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   In modern office spaces, privacy is provided to each occupant in the open office structure by providing low walls to divide office spaces. These walls are formed of commercially available sections. Posts are mounted on the floor and they extend upward. Panels usually are provided with pressure clips which attach to the posts along the post edges to create an attached structure. Suitable posts and panels create the individual spaces of the open office. It is helpful and necessary to mark individual open office spaces. Such identification is common and is usually applied by adhesive or penetrating fasteners to the wall panels. Such attachment of identification devices unavoidably marks the panels and prevents clean removal and replacement of identification devices when changes are needed or desired. There is need for an identification mounting apparatus which can be attached to the open office structure on the left or right side of the office entryway opening in such a way that it is reversible, detachable, and does not deteriorate the panel. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a reversible mounting bracket for open office identification. The bracket includes a web which is sized to reach around the edge of a panel. The posts have upright slots therein. The web has hooks thereon for engaging in slots in the upright posts in either left or right orientation with respect to the entryway. The bracket has structure thereon for mounting an identification plate. 
   It is thus the purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a reversible mounting bracket for open office identification, wherein the bracket has a web which reaches past the panel and into the upright post to engage the slots in the upright post for releasable mounting. 
   Another purpose and advantage of this invention is to provide a reversible structure wherein the bracket can be inserted in at least two different orientations of left or right side of the office entryway opening and reach in past the panel to engage into an upright post in an open office structure so that the identification mounting bracket can be installed in alternate positions. 
   It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide a reversible mounting bracket for open office identification wherein the bracket is economic so it can be widely used and easy to install and remove so that it can be positioned and reused as desired. 
   Another purpose and advantage of this invention is to provide a mounting bracket which is configured to accept different sizes and styles of identification plates so that the same bracket can be used with plates of different colors and/or shapes, for further identification. 
   The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the following description and the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be understood best by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the following drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the reversible mounting bracket for open office identification in accordance with this invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a similar view with the identification panel exploded from the bracket and the bracket exploded from the upright post. 
       FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , in the assembled position, but with part of the upright post broken away to show the inter-engagement with the upright post. 
       FIG. 4  is a similar view showing the reversible mounting bracket engaged in the upright post. 
       FIG. 5  is a similar view but showing the open office panel and finish strip mounted on the post with the reversible mounting bracket in place. 
       FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 4  but showing the reversible mounting bracket mounted on the post in opposite orientation. 
       FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 5  but showing the reversible mounting bracket mounted on the post in opposite orientation. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Open office systems are created by using upright posts upon which are mounted modular panels to divide off individual office spaces. The upright posts can be square tubes, channels, or angles. In the present illustrated case, the post is shown as an upright angle bar  10  having two flanges  12  and  14  at right angles to each other. The flange  12  has a plurality of upright oriented inline rectangular slots. Slots  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  are identified in  FIG. 2 . To enclose an open office space with this system, panel  26  (see  FIG. 5 ) is engaged onto the post  10 . The panel  26  may have pressure clips (not shown) to attach to the post at, for example, flange  12 . To create an entryway opening to provide access into one of the open office spaces, trim strip  28  can be attached to the flange  14 . This is purely for decorative purposes and to protect the occupant against the possible sharp edges of the post. The configuration is such that, with either a trim strip  28  or a similar panel  26  continuing along to define an elongated wall, sufficient space (see  FIG. 5 ) is provided between these structural elements to permit access to the longitudinally aligned slots on the post. The present reversible mounting bracket of this invention takes advantage of this access. 
   The reversible mounting bracket of this invention is generally indicated at  30  in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . As seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the mounting bracket  30  has a flange  32  and a web  34 . The flange and web are substantially planar structures of substantially uniform thickness and are formed at substantially a right angle with respect to each other. The flange  32  has a rearward face  36 , which has tee hooks  38 ,  40  and  42  extending rearwardly therefrom. The tee hooks are spaced, sized, and configured so that, when the face  36  lies against the front of flange  12  of the post  10 , the tee hooks extend through the adjacent slots. For example, tee hooks  38 ,  40  and  42  extend into and through the slots  18 ,  20  and  22  in  FIG. 2 . 
   As seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the slots under the tee hooks, which separate the shanks of tee hooks from the face  36 , are not of uniform thickness but they are more narrow toward the shank of the tee. The narrowest part of the slot under the tee is approximately the thickness of the flange  12 . The larger openings at the ends of the tee, away from the shank of the tee, permit ease of engagement. As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , only one side of the tee hook is used as engagement by sliding down into the slot. The utilization of the other side of the tee will be described below. 
   The back of the web  34  is spaced from the face  36  at least as much as the thickness of the panel  26 , or slightly more for convenient installation. The web  34  extends to the side and provides structure by which the identification plate  44  can be attached. In the specific illustration, which is a preferred embodiment, the identification plate is a sheet of polymer material. It may be colored, it may be translucent or transparent. It is suitable for engraving therein or attaching thereto such identification data as the name of the occupant of the open office, the room number or other space identification in the open office, the department to which the open office function is attached, or a description of the function performed in this particular open office. 
   The identification plate  44  is shown as elliptical. It has a screw opening  46  therethrough. Screw  48  has a head which engages on the front face of the identification plate. The screw extends through the screw opening  46  and engages in a threaded screw hole  50  in the web  34 . A recess  52  is provided on the front of the web. This recess is substantially the thickness of the identification plate  44  and is of the same configuration so that the end of the identification plate can lie in the recess. This position is seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . The recess  52  and identification plate  44  are configured so that they inter-engage, as by non-circular edges, to prevent the identification plate from rotating around the screw  48 , thus providing a fixed position for it. It is seen that the mounting bracket  30  can have its flange  32  inserted into the space  29  and engaged in slots in the post. The mounting bracket is thus securely retained in place, but can be removed should the need occur. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7  show a post  54  which is identical to the post  10 , except that flange  56  with the series of slots  58  is pointed to the right, rather than to the left, as seen in  FIG. 4 . The same post may be used, but it is installed the other way to define the entryway opening to the left of the post, rather than to the right of the post as in  FIG. 5 . Panel  60  and trim strip  62  are attached to the post  54  to define a personnel opening to the left of the post. Again, a space  64  is present. In this kind of arrangement in the open office system, the mounting bracket is installed with its flange  32  entering into the space  64  and its tee hooks  38 ,  40  and  42  engaging in appropriate slots in the series of slots  58 . In this utilization, the other side of the tee hook is engaged so that the mounting bracket and its identification plate are also securely held in position in this orientation. The mounting bracket can be easily detached for reuse. It may be detached for reinstallation of the new identification plate and reinstalled in the same location. 
   This invention has been described in its presently contemplated best mode and it is clear that it is susceptible to numerous modifications, modes, and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.