U.S. patent application number 10/027809 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-25 for wall element.
Invention is credited to Auer, Karl-Heinz, Miller, Rudolf.
Application Number | 20020095902 10/027809 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26008094 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020095902 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miller, Rudolf ; et
al. |
July 25, 2002 |
Wall element
Abstract
In a wall element (1, 2) for a mobile dividing wall with a wall
member (3) and a border profile (4), the said profile comprises a
base member (G), which is firmly joined to the wall member (3), and
a revolving element (10, 10') mounted therein to turn around its
axis (15). The base member (G) comprises two lips (18) bearing
substantially against the revolving element (10, 10'). The
revolving element (10, 10') is coated on part of its surface with
burr material (16) and is otherwise provided with at least one
further surface structure. Depending on the angular position of the
revolving element, the burr material (16) or alternatively the
different surface structure or one of the different surface
structures is exposed externally between the two lips (18).
Inventors: |
Miller, Rudolf;
(Feuchtwangen, DE) ; Auer, Karl-Heinz; (Burk,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KATTEN MUCHIN ZAVIS ROSENMAN
575 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10022-2585
US
|
Family ID: |
26008094 |
Appl. No.: |
10/027809 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/578 ;
52/64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2/7425 20130101;
E04B 2/7427 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/578 ;
52/64 |
International
Class: |
E04B 001/346; E04C
003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 23, 2000 |
DE |
10065073.2 |
Feb 10, 2001 |
DE |
10106237.0 |
Claims
1. A wall element (1, 2) for a mobile dividing wall, comprising a
wall member (3) and at least one border profile (4) disposed
peripherally thereon and provided with a joining element of burr
material (16), with the following features: the border profile (4)
comprises a base member (G) and a revolving element (10, 10'); the
base member (G) is firmly joined to the wall member (3); the base
member (G) comprises two lips (18) bearing substantially against
the revolving element (10, 10'); the region of the revolving
element (10, 10') that is exposed externally between the two lips
(18) amounts to less than 50% of the surface of the revolving
element; the revolving element (10, 10') is coated on part of its
surface with burr material (16) and is otherwise provided with at
least one further surface structure, the region coated with burr
material (16) being at most as large as the region of the revolving
element (10, 10') that is concealed internally between the two lips
(18); the revolving element (10, 10') is mounted to turn around its
axis (15) in the base member (G) in such a way that the burr
material (16) or alternatively the different surface structure or
one of the different surface structures is exposed externally
between the two lips (18).
2. A wall element according to claim 1, characterized in that the
lips (18) are elastically compliant.
3. A wall element according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in
that the wall element (10, 10') is of circular cylindrical
construction.
4. A wall element according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in
that the border profile forms a substantially semicircular
cylindrical closure, the revolving element (10) having a cross
section composed of at least two arcuate segments and the partial
faces of the revolving element having substantially the same
curvature as the end regions 25 of the lips 18.
5. A wall element according to claim 4, characterized in that the
cross section of the revolving element (10) is composed of three
arcuate segments.
6. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized
in that the revolving element (10, 10') has a velour covering (17)
on part of its surface.
7. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized
in that the revolving element (10') has a cloth covering (23) on
part of its surface.
8. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized
in that the revolving element (10') has a powdered or anodized
aluminum coating (24) on part of its surface.
9. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized
in that the revolving element (10') has on its surface axial
grooves (22) which define the different surface regions.
10. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized
in that the angular position of the revolving element (10, 10') in
the base member (G) can be fixed by means of an immobilizing
device.
11. A wall element according to claim 10, characterized in that the
immobilizing device is designed as a clamping device.
12. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 11,
characterized in that the base member (G) has a multi-piece
structure.
13. A wall element according to claim 12, characterized in that the
base member (G) has a two-piece structure, in that it comprises a
frame part (5) and a mushroom-shaped profile (6).
14. A wall element according to claim 13, characterized in that the
mushroom-shaped profile (6) is slipped onto the frame part (5).
15. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 14,
characterized in that a border profile (4) is provided on each of
two mutually facing edges of the wall member (3), the two border
profiles having identical structure and being equipped with
revolving elements (10, 10') of identical design.
16. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 15,
characterized in that the revolving element (10, 10') is divided
into at least two portions in its longitudinal direction, the at
least two portions of the revolving element being turnable
independently of one another.
17. A wall element according to one of claims 1 to 16,
characterized in that the revolving element (10, 10') can be turned
to such an intermediate position that two different surface
structures are externally exposed between the two lips (18).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a wall element for a mobile
dividing wall, comprising a wall member and at least one border
profile disposed peripherally thereon and provided with a joining
element of burr material.
[0002] Mobile dividing walls, which are joined together from wall
elements of the type cited hereinabove, are used in particular for
flexible subdivision of large office rooms. Further typical
applications exist, for example, in the area of exhibitions and
trade fairs. Wall elements of the class in question typically have
a border profile curved in cylindrically convex shape on each of
two mutually facing edges, one being coated with burr material and
the other with velour. Such wall elements are known, for example,
from French Patent 2570408 A1, German Patent 4207644 A1, Swiss
Patent 632034 A5 and International Patent 98/00613 A1. Depending on
the specific actual layout, two or possibly more of such wall
elements are placed directly together or are adjoined to a
pillar.
[0003] Wall elements of the type mentioned in the introduction are
extremely popular, especially because the wall element can be
joined to the neighboring building member in technically simple
manner, by means of a pair comprising burr material and velour, to
obtain an attractive esthetic layout of high durability combined
with a high degree of flexibility. One disadvantage, however, is
that the burr material at the free end of a dividing wall is
capable of damaging articles of clothing (woolen sweaters, jackets,
neckties and the like), because threads of the corresponding
fabric, single-thread knitted article or multiple-thread knitted
article become caught in the hooks of the burr material. It is not
only at the free edges of an installed mobile dividing wall that
this can happen; to the contrary, it is also possible in particular
during the handling of individual wall elements, whether at the
factory during manufacture and packing or in the user's facilities,
for example during assembly, disassembly, transportation and/or
storage of individual wall elements.
[0004] Heretofore this problem has been solved by working with a
separate covering tape, which has a velour-like surface and on
which the burr material is placed and pressed thereagainst. A
disadvantage of this solution is that such covering tape is often
lost in practice and, when needed again for reconfiguring the
dividing wall, for example, is no longer available. Incidentally,
it is not an entirely simple matter to attach the covering tape,
and so, in practice, if attached by untrained personnel, the tape
often becomes wrinkled or leads in some other way to an
esthetically unsatisfactory situation.
[0005] Furthermore, it has already been proposed that the burr
material be attached to an oval tube, which can be axially inserted
into and withdrawn from a corresponding base member of the border
profile. This oval tube is coated with burr material only on half
of its surface. If the burr material is (temporarily) not needed in
the region of the border profile in question, for example because
the edge in question of the corresponding wall element is the end
edge of a dividing wall, the tube is inserted into the base member
of the border profile in such a way that it is not the burr
material, but instead a different surface coating of the oval tube
(such as velour), that is exposed. This also does not represent a
practical proposal for solving the problem cited hereinabove since,
if an existing dividing wall is to be modified, for example by
adding a further wall element onto a previously free end, the
existing dividing wall must be dismantled partly at first--at least
in the case of low room heights and high dividing walls--in order
that the originally outermost wall element can be moved in order to
withdraw the oval tube from the base member of the border profile
in this position and then reinserted into the base member of the
border profile in the position with the burr material facing
outward. Thereafter the wall element in question is realigned and
reassembled. It is only then that the wall element to be newly
added can be attached.
[0006] Against the background of the disadvantages of the prior art
explained hereinabove, the object of the present invention is to
provide a wall element of the type mentioned in the introduction
that can be handled comfortably with great flexibility as regards
layout of the dividing wall while precluding, with minimum effort,
the risk that textiles can be damaged by contact with the burr
material.
[0007] The object cited in the foregoing is achieved by a wall
element of the type mentioned in the introduction that is
characterized by the features specified in the following:
[0008] the border profile comprises a base member and a revolving
element;
[0009] the base member is firmly joined to the wall member;
[0010] the base member comprises two lips bearing substantially
against the revolving element;
[0011] the region of the revolving element that is exposed
externally between the two lips amounts to less than 50% of the
surface of the revolving element;
[0012] the revolving element is coated on part of its surface with
burr material and is otherwise provided with at least one different
surface structure, the region coated with burr material being at
most as large as the region of the revolving element that is
concealed internally between the two lips;
[0013] the revolving element is mounted to turn around its axis in
the base member in such a way that the burr material or
alternatively the at least one different surface structure of the
revolving element is externally exposed between the two lips.
[0014] It is therefore of major importance for the inventive wall
element that the border profile comprises a revolving element which
is disposed to turn around its axis in the base member joined
firmly to the wall member, the revolving element being coated with
burr material only on part of its surface. In this way, if the burr
material is not needed to establish a joint with an adjacent
building member (a further wall element or a pillar), the revolving
element can be turned such that it is directed into the internally
concealed region disposed between the two lips of the base member
of the border profile; in this angular position of the revolving
element, the different surface structure or one of the different
surface structures is exposed externally between the two lips. If a
further wall element is to be attached to such a border profile
during reconfiguration of the dividing wall, the revolving element
can be turned with minimal effort such that the burr material faces
outward between the two lips of the base member of the wall
element. The existing dividing wall does not have to be dismantled
in any way for this purpose. Moreover, the potential loss of
covering tapes or other loose parts is no longer a problem.
[0015] A first preferred improvement of the invention is
characterized in that the lips are elastically compliant. It is not
merely with regard to the closest possible contact between the lips
and the revolving element, even in the case of different surface
structures or surface coatings (see hereinafter), that this is
particularly favorable. Such an elastically compliant form of the
lips is also advantageous from the viewpoint that the revolving
element provided according to the invention in no way absolutely
has to be of circular cylindrical construction. To the contrary,
revolving elements with noncircular cross section, such as oval,
elliptical, polygonal or analogous cross section can be used where
desired within the scope of the present invention. In the case of
such noncircular cross sections of the revolving element, contact
between the lips of the base member and the revolving element even
in different angular positions can be favored by the elastically
flexible design of the lips.
[0016] Whereas the revolving element according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention can be of circular cylindrical
shape or at least of substantially circular cylindrical shape for
many applications, a further preferred improvement of the inventive
wall element is characterized in that the revolving element has a
cross section composed of at least two, particularly preferably of
three arcuate segments, the individual partial faces of the
revolving element having substantially the same curvature as the
end regions of the lips. In this way the border profile forms a
substantially semicircular cylindrical closure of the wall element.
This makes it possible, for example, to link together wall elements
designed according to the invention with such of conventional
type.
[0017] Another preferred improvement of the invention is
characterized in that the revolving element has a velour covering
on part of its surface. This is particularly favorable from the
viewpoint of flexibility of the configuration of the dividing wall
since, by turning the revolving element, it is possible, for the
border profile in question, to turn the burr material or
alternatively the velour covering into the region that is exposed
externally between the two lips of the base member of the border
profile. In this way the wall element in question, together with
the associated border profile, can be attached to another wall
element or alternatively to a pillar regardless of whether the
corresponding joining element there is made of burr material or of
velour. If three wall elements meet at one joining point, the
present improvement of the invention even permits a particularly
firm structure, in that the revolving member in one of the three
wall elements is turned to such an intermediate position that
partly the burr material and otherwise the velour covering is
visible in the region that is exposed externally between the two
lips. By means of the burr material, a joint is established with
that one of the two further wall elements directly joined to one
another in which the velour covering between the lips is exposed
externally, whereas, by means of the velour covering, a joint is
established with the other of the two further wall elements in
which the burr material is exposed externally between the lips.
[0018] Furthermore, it can be provided according to yet another
preferred embodiment of the invention that the revolving element
has on part of its surface a cloth covering and/or a powdered or
anodized aluminum coating. In this way a particularly attractive
esthetic layout of a mobile dividing wall can be achieved without
any additional expense for the outer borders of a mobile dividing
wall and without hereby restricting the possible uses for the wall
elements in question.
[0019] If the revolving element of the border profile has two,
three or even four regions with different surface structure within
the meaning described hereinabove, it is provided on its surface,
according to a further preferred improvement of the present
invention, with axial grooves which define and limit the different
surface regions. Those axial grooves are suitable in particular for
accommodating the borders of the covering comprising burr material,
velour and/or cloth, whereby a particularly neat transition from
one surface structure to the neighboring surface structure is
obtained and, moreover, excellent protection against detachment of
the respective strip-like covering is achieved. These axial grooves
are matched in width and depth to the respective covering being
used (burr material, velour, cloth) in such a way that the free
borders of the covering in question are reliably clamped durably in
the axial groove.
[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the angular position
of the revolving member of the border profile can be fixed with an
immobilizing device in the associated base member. Such an
immobilizing device can be designed in particular as a clamping
device. In this sense, the revolving element, for example, can be
braced relative to the associated holders in which it is mounted to
turn. It is also conceivable, for example, to provide a clamping or
bracing device which acts on the lips of the base member in order
to fix the angular position of the revolving member in the base
member. Regardless of how the immobilizing device is actually
designed from the technical and structural viewpoint, the
fixability of the angular position of the revolving member always
provides the advantage that inadvertent maladjustment is prevented,
and so, in particular--given fixed angular position of the
revolving member--it is also more difficult for the configuration
of the mobile dividing wall to be inadvertently changed.
[0021] Within the scope of the present invention, the base member
of the border profile preferably has a multi-piece structure. In
this sense the base member can in particular have two-piece
structure, in that it comprises a frame part and a mushroom-shaped
profile, the mushroom-shaped profile being slipped onto the frame
part. This frame part is firmly joined to the wall member,
especially by bolting. Under these circumstances, it is possible in
particular to attach, to the frame part, holders for the turnable
bearing system of the revolving member. The mushroom-shaped profile
with its two lips, which bear against the surface of the revolving
element when the border profile is assembled, can then be clipped
onto the frame part after it has been assembled.
[0022] Although not absolutely necessary, each wall element is
preferably provided, in the scope of the present invention, with at
least two border profiles of matching shape, which are disposed on
two facing edges of the wall member. In this way a particularly
high degree of flexibility is obtained with regard to the
possibilities for layout of the dividing wall.
[0023] Finally, a further preferred improvement of the invention is
characterized in that the revolving element is divided into at
least two portions, the at least two portions of the revolving
element being turnable independently of one another. This form of
the inventive wall element proves to be particularly advantageous
when wall elements of different heights are to be linked to one
another as part of a dividing wall. In this case it is possible,
for example, to adjust the lower portion of the revolving element
to the higher of the two wall elements to be joined to one another
such that the burr material faces outward, while the upper portion
of the revolving element is adjusted such that a cloth covering
faces outward.
[0024] It has already been explained hereinabove that the revolving
element in no case absolutely has to have circular cylindrical
shape but, to the contrary--depending on requirements--that
different cross sections can be considered for the revolving
element. Among the related possibilities it must also be understood
that the revolving element in no way absolutely has to have a
surface that is always closed. To the contrary, the revolving
element can also have, for example, within this meaning, an opening
that extends over a considerable part of the circumference, by the
fact that, for example, a wedge-like opening extending over
120.degree. is provided. Such an opening can be suitable, if
necessary, for accommodation of any desired inserts suitable for
the respective application. On the remaining 240.degree. of the
revolving element, there could be provided, for example, equal
proportions of a burr covering and a velour covering.
[0025] The present invention will be explained in more detail
hereinafter on the basis of four preferred practical examples
illustrated in the attached drawing, wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a horizontal section through the border regions
of two wall elements linked to one another,
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a horizontal section through a revolving
element that is used particularly preferably,
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a horizontal section through the border region
of a further preferred practical example of a wall element
according to the present invention, and
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a horizontal section through the border region
of yet another preferred practical example of a wall element
according to the present invention.
[0030] In the dividing wall illustrated as a partial section in
FIG. 1, two wall elements 1 and 2 are linked to one another in
line. These two wall elements are of matching construction. Each of
the wall elements 1 and 2 comprises a wall member 3 and two border
profiles 4 disposed on facing edges thereof. Each border profile 4
comprises a base member G in the form of a frame part 5 bolted
firmly to the associated wall member 3 and a mushroom-shaped
profile 6 that can be clamped thereon. In this case the cloth
upholstery 7 of wall member 3 extends beyond the outside faces of
frame part 5, which are flush with the outside faces of wall member
3, to clamping edges 8 of frame part 5.
[0031] Two holders 9, between which revolving element 10 is mounted
to turn around its axis 15, are firmly joined to frame part 5. This
axis 15 extends parallel to the edge in question of wall member 3.
These holders 9 are respectively fastened to frame part 5 in
question by a sole plate 11, which is inserted in a corresponding
seat 12 of frame part 5 and secured in position by a bolt 13.
[0032] Revolving element 10 comprises a circular cylindrical round
tube 14, which in the region of its axis 15 is mounted to turn in
holders 9. The surface of round tube 14 has substantially equal
proportions of two different surface structures in the form of a
burr material 16 on the one hand and a velour covering 17 on the
other hand applied on round tube 14.
[0033] Mushroom-shaped profile 6 comprises two lips 18, which are
of elastically compliant construction and bear with an appropriate
bias load on the outside surface of revolving element 10, as well
as two clamping arms 19, whose latching projections 20 engage with
clamping edges 8 of frame part 5 from behind when mushroom-shaped
profile 6 is assembled.
[0034] Whereas both covering 16 of burr material and velour
covering 17 of revolving element 10 each extend by 180.degree.
around the circumference of round tube 14, the region of revolving
element 10 that is exposed externally between the two lips 18 of
mushroom-shaped profile 6 amount to less than 50% of the surface
thereof, or in the present case about 150.degree.. Hereby it is
ensured that, when revolving element 10 is in suitable angular
position, either only burr material 16 or only velour covering 17
is visible in the region that is exposed externally between the two
lips 18 of mushroom-shaped profile 6. The joint between the two
wall elements 1 and 2 is obviously established by adjusting
revolving element 10 of wall element 1 such that covering 16 of
burr material faces outward, while in wall element 2 velour
covering 17 faces outward between the two lips 18 of
mushroom-shaped profile 6.
[0035] A third wall element could be adjoined particularly firmly
to the joint region of the two wall elements joined to one another
as illustrated in FIG. 1, by turning the revolving element of the
third wall element to an intermediate position in which partly burr
material and partly velour is externally exposed between the
lips.
[0036] In the embodiment of revolving element 10' illustrated in
FIG. 2, a support tube 21 has four axial grooves 22. These axial
grooves 22 define and limit four surface regions of support tube
21. A covering 16 of burr material is applied on a first region. A
further region is surfaced with a velour covering 17. A further
region has a cloth covering 23; and the fourth region has a
powdered or anodized aluminum coating 24. The edges of the covering
of burr material 16, velour 17 and cloth 23 are each pressed into
the axial grooves 22 in question, whereby a well-defined, precise
transition from one surface structure to the next is obtained. This
also counteracts the tendencies of the corresponding covering to
become loosened. Axial grooves 22 adjacent to the surface region
provided with a powdered or anodized aluminum coating 24 are
narrower than the two facing axial grooves 22, since only one layer
of covering has to be accommodated here. In addition, the surface
region of support tube 21 provided with a powdered or anodized
aluminum coating 24 is raised somewhat compared with the other
three regions, in order to ensure that revolving element 10' has a
substantially circular cylindrical external shape despite the
different thickness of powdered or anodized aluminum coating 24
compared with the covering materials. It is self-evident that, for
use of revolving element 10' illustrated in FIG. 2, the base member
of the frame profile illustrated in FIG. 1 must be adapted by
making the region that is exposed externally between the two lips
18 correspondingly narrower.
[0037] Wall element 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 is characterized in
that revolving element 10 has a cross section composed of three
identical arcuate segments. The curvature of these arcuate segments
corresponds to the curvature of end regions 25 of lips 18, so that
the wall element is closed in the form of a semicircular cylinder
in the region of border profile 4, the semicircular cylindrical
surface of border profile 4 being composed of curved end regions 25
of lips 18 and of the convex partial face of revolving element 10
that faces outward between free edges 26 of the two lips 18. By
analogy with the explanation for FIG. 2, revolving element 10 is
provided on its three partial faces with three different covering
materials, which specifically are firstly a burr material 16,
secondly a velour covering 17 and finally a powdered or anodized
aluminum coating 24. Here also grooves can in turn be provided in
the region of the three longitudinal edges of the revolving
element, between each two partial faces, as explained in connection
with FIG. 2.
[0038] The embodiment according to FIG. 4 is based substantially on
the same principle as the embodiment according to FIG. 3. In this
case, however, the three partial faces of revolving element 10 are
planar, and so the cross section of the revolving element
corresponds to an equilateral triangle. This embodiment of the wall
element is suitable in particular for binding to a pillar with a
polygonal cross section, such as an octagonal cross section.
* * * * *