Patent ID: 7386960

Claim:
A modular supporting structure for supporting at least one panel so as to form a sectional partition wall adapted to subdivide and define a space to be used as an office into independent working zones, comprising: intermediate cross members; upright spacers; and joining elements, each of said joining elements having (i) a first threaded end portion, (ii) a second threaded end portion, (iii) a flange-forming enlargement between said first and second threaded end portions, and (iv) a head portion, at an end of said first threaded end portion, constructed and arranged to be engaged by a torque-applying tool, wherein adjacent ones of said intermediate cross members are interconnected by two of said upright spacers so as to form a framework of at least one elementary cell intended to frame at least one panel, with each of said intermediate cross members at each end thereof being connected to upper and lower ones of said upright spacers via only one of said joining elements.