U.S. patent application number 10/459857 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-13 for free-standing panel wall system.
Invention is credited to Corden, David A..
Application Number | 20030208973 10/459857 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34810313 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030208973 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Corden, David A. |
November 13, 2003 |
Free-standing panel wall system
Abstract
An improved structural combination for a free-standing panel
wall system and comprises first and second pluralities of elongated
channel members which meet one another at various locations along
the length of the channel members to define an intersection, and a
cap member overlying or underlying the intersections of the channel
members, and means for anchoring the cap member to the intersecting
portions of the channel members at their intersection. Preferably,
the materials of construction of the channel member and the cap
members are noncombustible.
Inventors: |
Corden, David A.;
(Knoxville, TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PITTS AND BRITTIAN P C
P O BOX 51295
KNOXVILLE
TN
37950-1295
US
|
Family ID: |
34810313 |
Appl. No.: |
10/459857 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10459857 |
Jun 12, 2003 |
|
|
|
10001110 |
Nov 2, 2001 |
|
|
|
6601349 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/241 ;
52/481.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2002/7466 20130101;
E04B 2002/7487 20130101; E04B 2/7453 20130101; E04B 2002/749
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/241 ;
52/481.2 |
International
Class: |
E04H 001/00; E04H
003/00; E04H 005/00; E04H 006/00; E04H 014/00 |
Claims
Having thus described the aforementioned invention, we claim:
1. In a free-standing panel wall system having front and rear
faces, the improvement comprising the combination of a first
plurality of elongated channel members having first and second
opposite ends and being disposed horizontally at spaced apart
vertical locations within a substantially vertical plane and, a
second plurality of elongated channel members having first and
second opposite ends and being disposed horizontally at spaced
apart vertical locations within a substantially vertical plane,
each of said first and second pluralities of channel members being
of a generally "U" shaped cross section having a substantially
planar base portion having first and second opposite side edges and
first and second leg portions, one leg portion being an extension
of one of said first and second side edges and one leg being an
extension of the other of said first and second side edges, one of
said first ends of each of said first plurality of channel members
being disposed contiguous to a portion of one of said second
plurality of elongated channel members to define an intersection
therebetween, a cap member having at least first and second leg
members and being of a generally "U" shaped cross section having a
substantially planar base portion having first and second opposite
side edges and first and second leg portions, one leg portion being
an extension of one of said first and second side edges and one leg
being an extension of the other of said first and second side
edges, said first leg member of said cap member overlying or
underlying that end of said one of said first ends of said first
plurality of channel members which is disposed contiguous to said
one of said second plurality of elongated channel members at said
intersection, said second leg member of said cap member overlying
or underlying that end of said one of said portion of said one of
said second plurality of elongated channel members at said
intersection, said leg portions of said cap member being alongside
and in register with a respective leg portion of said first end of
said first plurality of channel members and a respective leg
portion of said portion of said one of said second plurality of
elongated channel members at said intersection, means joining said
first leg of said cap member to said end of said one of said first
ends of said one of said first plurality of elongated channel
members and joining said second leg of said cap member to said
portion of said second one of said second plurality of elongated
channel members.
2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said base portion of each of
said first and second pluralities of elongated channel members is
disposed in a horizontal plane.
3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said base portion of each of
said cap members is oriented in a horizontal plane which is
substantially parallel to said horizontal plane containing said
base portion of said base portions of said first and second
pluralities of elongated channel members.
4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said ones of said first and
second pluralities of elongated channel members intersect at a
substantially right angle.
5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said one end of said one of
said first plurality of elongated channel members intersects an end
of said one of said second plurality of elongated channel
members.
6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the distance between the
first and second leg portions of said cap member is in excess of
the distance between said first and second side members of a
respective one of said first and said second pluralities of
elongated channel members.
7. The improvement wherein each of said leg members of said cap
member and of said intersecting first and second elongated channel
members include throughbores at spaced apart locations along each
of said leg members.
8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said overlying base portions
of said cap member and said elongated channel members are anchored
to one another.
9. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first end of said one of
said first pluralities of elongated channel members intersects said
one of said second pluralities of elongated channel members at a
location disposed between and spaced from the opposite ends of said
one of said second pluralities of elongated channel members and
said cap member includes first, second and third leg members, one
of said first, second and third leg members of said cap member
being disposed in overlying or underlying relationship to
respective portions of said intersecting channel members contiguous
to said intersection.
10. In a free-standing panel wall system having front and rear
faces, at least one of said faces being defined in part by a
plurality of upright standards, the improvement comprising the
combination of at least one first elongated channel member having
first and second ends, and at least one second elongated channel
member having first and second ends, each of said first and second
channel members being anchored to at least one of the upright
standards, at least one end of one of said first and second channel
members intersecting another of said first and second channel
members at a location along the length of said another of said
first and second channel members, and a cap member disposed at said
intersection in either underlying or overlying relationship to said
first and second channel members, and means anchoring said cap
member to said first and second channel members at said
intersection thereof.
11. The improvement of claim 10 wherein each of said channel
members is of a "U"-shaped cross section.
12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said cap member is of like
"U"-shaped cross section as said channel members.
13. The improvement of claim 11 wherein each of the components
thereof is formed from a non-combustible material.
14. The improvement of claim 13 wherein said non-combustible
material comprises cold-rolled steel or extruded aluminum.
15. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the only force stabilizing
the free-standing panel wall system against racking are the
interconnections of said channel members with said upright
standards and said caps disposed at the intersections of said first
and second channel members.
16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein said interconnected upright
standards, said channel members and said caps provide sufficient
lateral stability to the free-standing panel wall system as
precludes the need for anchoring of the panel wall system to any
object other than a horizontal supporting surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of copending
application Ser. No. 10/001,110, filed Nov. 2, 2001.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to removable panel wall systems of
the type commonly employed for the display of merchandise in retail
establishments or as "temporary" enclosures (at times referred to
as "cubicles") which are located interiorly of a permanent building
for occupancy by personnel or for storage purposes.
[0004] Commonly, panel wall systems comprise horizontal stringers
or channels which are secured to the interior wall of a retail
establishment, vertical standards which are secured to the
stringers, and planar panels which are secured to the standards.
This structure provides the background for the display of
merchandise which is exhibited on shelves that are supported by
brackets that are mounted on, and which project outwardly from, the
panel wall system.
[0005] It is frequently desired that a panel wall system be
freestanding, that is, the system is not anchored to either the
ceiling or the wall of the retail establishment so that the system
may be relocated within the establishment without reference to the
permanent walls of the establishment. Thus, in free-standing panel
wall systems, the system rests on the floor of the establishment.
In certain prior art instances, the system is retained against
tipping by the structural design of the system, such as through the
means of horizontal legs that are attached to the bottom of the
panel wall system and which project laterally from the wall system
to provide lateral "anti-tipping" support to the wall system. Such
structural members present obstacles to the flow of customer or
worker traffic, including the possibility of customers or workers
tripping over the lateral projections. In other instances, the
panel wall system may be stabilized against tipping over by
embedding relatively large and strong posts in the floor of the
establishment such that these posts extend upwardly from the floor
and serve to anchor the wall system to the floor. This concept is
frequently employed when the floor of the establishment comprises
concrete. This concept for stabilizing the wall system against
tipping requires destructive modification of the floor, is
expensive to install and otherwise tends to inhibit relocation of
the wall system, a most undesired result.
[0006] In one embodiment, free-standing panel wall systems
desirably provide for the display of merchandise on shelves which
are provided on both the front and rear sides of the wall system.
This desired feature of the wall system requires that the panel
wall system provide for the support of shelving on both the front
and rear upright faces of the system. This desirable feature
imposes upon a free-standing wall system the need for enhanced
strength to provide stable support of merchandise that rests on
shelves that are cantilevered from the opposite surfaces of the
wall system. Notably, the overall weight of the merchandise
displayed on the shelves on the front surface of the wall system
may not be, and frequently is not, of the same or nearly the same,
overall weight as the merchandise displayed on the shelves on the
rear surface of the wall system. Thus, this factor imposes an even
more demanding requirement relative to the strength and stability
of a free-standing panel wall system. In another embodiment,
removable free-standing panel wall systems comprise enclosures
(cubicles) for housing personnel or for storage, all disposed
within a permanent building, but being independent of the fixed
walls of the building. These panel wall systems desirably are to be
readily constructed in situ and readily removable, both at minimum
expense and damage to the permanent building.
[0007] Further, known prior art free-standing panel wall systems
are constructed of materials which are not fireproof or
fire-resistant, partly due to the difficulty of initially
installing and subsequent dismantling of the system for movement to
a new location within the establishment and again installing the
system at its new location.
[0008] These and other requirements of a free-standing panel wall
system are met, and/or exceeded, by the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention comprises an improved structural
combination for a free-standing panel wall system and comprises
first and second pluralities of elongated channel members which
intersect one another at various locations along the length of the
channel members, and a cap member overlying or underlying the
intersections of the channel members, and means for anchoring the
cap member to the intersecting portions of the channel members at
their intersection.
[0010] Preferably, the materials of construction of the channel
member and the cap members are non-combustible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a representation of one embodiment of a
freestanding panel wall embodying various of the features of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a representation of a portion of a panel wall
system embodying cap members mountable at various intersections of
various channel members in one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a representation of a portion of an elongated
channel member suitable for use in the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the channel member
depicted in FIG. 3 and taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG.
3;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a representation of a 135 degree, 2-way, angled
cap member useful in the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a representation of a 90 degree, 3-way, angled cap
member useful in the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a representation of a 90 degree, 4-way, angled cap
member useful in the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a representation of a 120 degree, 3-way, angled
cap member useful in the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a representation of a curved cap member useful in
the present invention; and,
[0020] FIG. 10 is a representation of one embodiment of a standard
useful in the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Referring initially to FIGS. 1, 2 and 10, in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a
freestanding panel wall system 12 which is both strong and stable.
A main section 10 of the present wall system comprises at least one
substantially rigid and generally U-shaped (in cross section) floor
rail 14, the face web 16 of which lies flat on, and, as needed, may
be anchored to, the floor 18 of an establishment with its opposite
side webs 20, 22 projecting upwardly from the floor. The width of
the face web of the floor rail is chosen to provide for the
placement of floor anchors spaced apart laterally on the face web
to provide laterally spaced apart points of anchoring of the floor
rail to the floor. In other embodiments of the present panel wall
system, no anchoring of the wall system to the floor is
required.
[0022] At spaced apart locations along the length of the floor
rail, there are received the bottom ends 26 of a plurality of rigid
wall standards 28, (FIGS. 2 and 10) each being of a generally
U-shaped cross section, and including generally planar wings 30, 32
which extend laterally from the distal edges 34, 36 of each of the
side webs 38, 40 of the standard and provided with holes 50 through
the thickness thereof and spaced uniformly and equally spaced apart
along the length of each wing. The opposite lateral wings 30, 32 of
each standard are disposed externally of the floor rail and are
disposed alongside and substantially parallel to the plane of their
respective one of the upstanding side webs 20, 22 of the floor
rail. These bottom ends 26 of the standards are releasably anchored
to respective ones of side webs 20, 22 of the floor rail as by
screws or other suitable removable fastener 51 which pass through
registered ones of the holes 50 in the wings of the standard and
like holes through the thickness of the side webs of the floor
rail. The top ends 42 of the standards 28 are likewise disposed
externally of the side webs 44, 46 of a top rail 48 which is
generally U-shaped in cross section with opposite side webs like
the floor rail, but with its side webs projecting downwardly of the
wall system. The top ends 42 the standards 28 are releasably
anchored to a side web of the top rail as by screws, bolts or other
suitable releaseable fasteners. In one embodiment of the present
invention there is provided on the front face 60 of the main wall
section 10 a plurality of standards 28 which comprise a first set
62 of standards. A second set 64 of like standards made up of
standards 28' is provided on the rear face 66 of the main wall
section.
[0023] At locations intermediate the floor and top rails, the
present wall system includes a plurality of horizontal channel
members 52, each of which is substantially rigid and of a generally
U-shaped cross section, which may be, but need not be,
substantially the same in shape and size as the cross section of
the floor rail 14. Each channel member includes legs 54, 56 which
are oriented either upwardly or downwardly from the face web 58 of
the channel member. As depicted, each leg of each channel member is
planar and in the nature of a web. In the embodiment depicted in
FIG. 2, each channel member is interposed between the first set of
standards 28 on the front face 60 of the wall system and the second
set of standards 28' on the rear face of the wall system, the
standards preferably being disposed directly across the wall system
from one another. Each leg 54, 56 of each channel member 52 is
disposed in substantially planar relationship to the planar wings
of its associated front and rear standards, and each is releaseably
anchored to at least one, and preferably both, of the planar wings
of each of these standards.
[0024] By reason of the U-shaped cross section of each channel
member, at least two of these channel members may be combined as by
nesting or by inverting one channel member and overlapping it onto
a further channel member, as desired to enhance the horizontal
support strength of the wall system, to permit greater separation
distances between adjacent standards and/or to enhance the
resistance of the channel member to torque forces. This combined
channel members may be fastened to one another and/or to the
standards. Still further, the telescopically combined channel
members may be extended or shortened to shorten or lengthen the
wall section without full disassembly of the wall section.
[0025] For purposes of establishing modularity and ease of
installation, in the present invention each of the planar wings 30,
32 of each standard and each of the side webs of each of the floor
rail, the top rail and the channel members is provided with holes
41, 82 and 84 (typical) through their respective thickness at
equally and uniformly spaced apart locations along the length of
each such member. For example, holes may be provided one inch on
centers along the length of each of the floor rail, top rail,
horizontal standard and like-spaced holes may be provided in each
of the planar wings 30, 32 of each standard 28. When a hole in or
near the bottom end of a standard is in register with a hole in the
side web of a floor rail, for example, a screw or bolt or other
suitable releaseable fastener may be threaded through the
registered holes to interconnect the bottom end of the standard to
the floor rail. In like manner the intersections 100 (typical) of
the channel members may be interconnected employing a removable
fastener 101 that is disposed within registering holes in the
standards and channel members. Obviously the top rail of the
present wall system can be interconnected to the top ends of the
standards of the system in like manner.
[0026] Whereas the panel wall system of the present invention may
reside in a single plane, i.e, there are no supporting lateral
projections therefrom, in one embodiment, the so-constructed main
section 10 of the wall system of the present invention may include
one or more laterally extending sections 70, 72. (FIG. 1) For
example, a section of the wall system may extend laterally from the
main wall section at substantially any location along the length of
the main section, and/or from one or both the front and rear faces
of the main wall section. That is, one or more lateral sections may
be provided at either or both ends of the main section and/or at
one or more locations intermediate the opposite ends of the main
section.
[0027] At those locations along the main section of the present
wall system where a lateral section is to be placed, the lateral
section may be made up in the form of a "main" section as described
hereinabove, and thereafter attached to the main section employing
cap members 102.
[0028] A suitable channel member 52 of the present invention
preferably comprises a length of extruded aluminum having a
generally "U"-shaped cross section. The channel member thus
includes a face web 16 and first and second opposite legs 20, 22,
each leg being in the form of a planar web which extends along the
length of the channel member and projects substantially
perpendicularly from opposite side margins of the face web. Each of
the legs is provided with holes 82 extending through the thickness
of the leg and preferably spaced apart equidistantly along the
length of the leg. The location of and spacing between these holes
of each leg preferably is the same for each leg and chosen to
provide for registration of these holes with like holes through the
legs of a cap member when a cap member is associated with one or
more channel members in the formation of a wall system employing
the present channel members and cap members.
[0029] A cap member 102 of the present invention (FIGS. 2 and 5,
for example), when viewed in a top or bottom plan view, exhibits a
unitary overall face web 104 and at least two lateral extensions 95
and 99 (FIG. 2) and 95', 97' of FIG. 5, emanating from a central
location 103 of the cap member. The cap member depicted in FIG. 2
includes a third extension 99. As depicted in FIG. 2, each of these
extensions is of a generally "U"-shaped cross section and includes
a portion 104' of the unitary face web 104 which extends over the
entire face of the cap connector, including the lateral extensions
of the cap member. Referring to the embodiment of a cap member 102
as depicted in FIG. 2 each of the lateral extensions of the cap
member includes opposite legs 106, 107, 108, 109 and 109' which
project substantially perpendicularly from each of the side margins
111, 113, 115, 117 and 117", respectively, of the cap member, each
leg comprising a planar web having a plurality of holes through the
thickness thereof at equally and uniformly spaced apart locations
along each leg in like manner as a channel member 52. As depicted
in FIG. 1, this cap member is fitted over and about the
intersection 110 of the top rail 48 of a main section of the
present wall system and the abutting portion 112 of the top rail
48' of a lateral section 72 of the present wall system. As depicted
in FIG. 2, a cap member also is fitted over and about the
intersection 120 of an end 122 of a horizontal channel member 52 of
the main wall section with a central portion 124 of a horizontal
channel member 52' of a lateral wall section. Specifically, in a
typical cap member connected intersection between a first channel
member of one wall section with a second channel member of a
further wall section, the end 122 of the first channel member is
received within the leg extension 99 of the cap member and the
central portion 124 of the second channel member is received within
the leg extensions 95 and 97. This placement of the cap member in
covering relationship to an intersection provides for registration
of holes in the side webs of the cap member with holes in the side
webs of the first and second channel members. As noted, each cap
member is secured to the first and second channel members as by
removable fasteners 128, such as screws or bolts threaded through
the registering holes to provide for removable interconnection and
rigid securement of a lateral section of the wall system to the
main section of the wall system. For removably securing lateral
sections of the wall system to the main section of the wall system
at angles of other than ninety degrees, angled cap members of other
geometries, such as 135-degree angled 115 (or other degree of
angle) (See FIGS. 5 and 8), Y-shaped 111 (FIG. 8), or curved 113
(FIG. 9), etc. may be employed as needed. Other suitable cap member
configurations will be recognized by one skilled in the art such as
a 90 degree, 4-way cap member 117 as depicted in FIG. 7. It will be
noted that these angled cap members provide material rigidity to
the present wall system in multiple directions and enhance the
resistance of the channel members to rotate about their respective
longitudinal axes, 130, 132 (FIG. 2) thereby materially
contributing to the lack of need in the present wall system for
anchoring of the present wall system to either the floor, ceiling
or a wall of the establishment. This same desirable effect is
obtained when employing the present cap members to attach a lateral
wall section to the main wall section at a location at or
intermediate the opposite ends of the main wall section. Further,
it is noted that a panel wall system constructed employing the
channel members and cap members of the present invention is readily
erected and dismantled as needed. Moreover, the combination of the
channel members and associated cap members has been found to
provide exceptional rigidity to a wall panel system, and
particularly imparts an unexpected degree of resistance to those
forces which normally tend to twist the wall out of its desired
upright planar attitude. Such forces are commonly encountered when
mounting shelves and the like to one or more of the main and/or
lateral sections of the wall.
[0030] Whereas the present invention has been described in specific
terms and elements, it will be understood by one skilled in the art
that equivalent elements, geometrical configurations, and other
obvious modifications may be made without departing from the scope
of the invention. For example, it will be recognized by one skilled
in the art that any of several possible modes of releasably
fastening the various components of the present wall system may be
employed. Further, whereas aluminum is preferably employed as the
material of construction for the channel member and cap members of
the present invention, other suitable, preferably non-combustible,
materials may be employed. Accordingly, it is intended that the
present invention be limited only as set forth in the claims
appended hereto.
[0031] As desired, the top ends of the standards and/or the top
rail may be covered with an elongated cap 190 of generally U-shaped
cross section such that the side webs 192, 194 thereof depend
alongside, and cover, the top ends of the standards on either or
both faces of a wall section. In similar manner the distal ends 196
of the horizontal connector rails 52' may be covered with a cap
198.
* * * * *