CA2032745A1 - Office space dividing panel and method for constructing same - Google Patents

Abstract

56,231 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An office space dividing panel, and method of assembling same, wherein first and second rectangular fabric pieces are applied to first and second major flat faces, respectively, of a rectangular frame. The rectan-gular frame has a perimetrical edge which defines first and second peripheral grooves. Outer edges of the first and second fabric pieces are firmly held in the first and second peripheral grooves by a pressure sensitive ad-hesive, which in a preferred embodiment of the invention is applied to the grooves in a foamed, heated state. Each fabric piece is tensioned in the directions of the length and width of the fabric piece while the fabric is pressed into an adhesive coated peripheral groove, with sufficient pressure being applied during the pressing step to immediately set the adhesive and bond the fabric piece to the frame while retaining the applied tension in the fabric piece.

Description

2f~ 3 1 56,231 AN OFFICE SPACE DIVIDING PANEL AND METHOD
FOR CONSTRUCTING SAME
.. . . .

TECHNICA~ PIELD
The invention relates in yeneral to open office ~pace dividing systems, and more ~pecifically ko an of~ice space dividing panel and method for construc~ing same.
BACKGROUND ART
Office ~pace dividing systems are constructed of a plurality of oPfice space dividing panel~, which may be directly connected together in desired configurations, or interconnec~ed via posts or o~her ~uitable conneckors.
lo U.S. Patent 3,762~116, which is a~signed to the same assignee as the present application, is an example of an office space dividing system which utilizes posts to support vertical edges o~ space dividing panels.
It is common to cover first and second major opposed flat sides of a rec~angular space dividing panel with rectangular fabric pieces for sound absorption and esthetics. Each space dividing panel has an outer - perimetrical edge whi~h defines first and second substan-tially continuous p~ripheral spline grooYes. During assemb~y of a space dividing panel, each fabric piece i6 manually placed on a major ~ace o~ a space dividing panel and the edges of the fabric piece are held in the spline grooves by spline beads, ~imilar to the attachment of a sareen to a screen door. Appli¢ation Serial No.
07/523,772, filed May 15, 1990, entitled "Office Space Dividing System~, which application i6 assigned to the same assignee as the present application, is an example of ' , ,J ,!~
~ 56,~31 a space dividing panel which includes spline groovQ~ and splins beads ~or holding ~abric pieces on the outer sur~aces of a substrate.
It take~ a considerable amount o~ ~ime and 5 assembly skill on the part of an assembler to manually stretch a fabric piece and place a spline head in a substantially continuous spline groove which extends about all four edges of a support ~rame, while maintaining desired tensions in X Y frame and fabria directions, ie., in the directions o~ the width and length (height) of the panel. Thus, the quality and appearance of the resulting panel depends upon the skill of the assembler, and the manufacturing cost of the panel includes manual fabric attachment time. It would be desirable, and it is an object of th~ present invention, to provide a new and improved space dividing panel, and new ~nd improved methods for assembling space dividing panels, which enables fabric pieces to be automatically attached to a substrate or frameO
SUMM~RY OF THE INVEI~TION
Briefly, the pr~sent ir.vention includes a new and improved method of attaching fabric pieces to a substrate during the assembly of a ~pace dividing panel.
The ne~ and improved method includes the step of providing a rectangular frame having first and second major flat sides which define predetermined length and width dimen-sions, an outer perimetrical edge extending between the first and second sides, and a substantially ¢ontinuous peripheral groove in the outer edge for each fabric piece to be applied to the frame. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame is on a conveyor and the length and width dimension~ are automatically measured. This length and width information is then used by other automatic processes of the method.
A next step of the method includes providing a rectangular fabric piece which has length and width dimensions which exceed the length and width dimensions, respectively, o~ the rectangular frame. Since the size of ~ 56,231 the next frame coming along a conveyor is known from the frame measuring step of a preferred embodlment, the fabric piece may be automatically cut to size from a roll of fabric. Once the dimensiona of the next ~rame to be processed are k~own, the dimensions o~ a rectangular ~abric piece required to provide a desired uniform overlap of the ~abric past the perimekrical edye of the frame can be determined.
While a frame is approaching a ~tation where a fabric piece is to be applied, the step of placing a pressure sensitive a~hesive in a peripheral groove of the frame is per~ormed, ie., in a peripheral groove which is associated with the side of the ~rame to be covered with the fabric piece. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure sensitive glue is sprayed into the groove by a robot holding an adhesive gun which moves about the perimeter of the frame.
In order to obtain a "soft" layer or bead of adhesive in the groove, economical usage of the adhesive, and the dçsired spraying consistency, the adhesive is heated and foamed with an inert ga~ prior to the spraying step. The l'soft" bead of adhesive enables the ~abric to be more easily pressed into the peripheral groove.
The method further includes the step of tension-ing the fabric piece in the directions of the length andwidth of the fabric piece. It was found that an effer-tive way of holding and tensioning the ~abric wa~ to insert a plurality of closely ~paced, slanted needles into the four edges of the fabric piece, with needle bars employed to hold the needles being movable, such as via air or hydraulically operated cylinders, to simultaneously stretch and tension the ~abric in both the lengkh and width directions of the fabric piece.
The method then includes the step of automatic-ally wrapping the tensioned ~abric piece over the ~rameedges, while covering th~a ~ir~t major side o~ the frame with tha fabric piece. ~hil2 the ten~ioned fabric piece is so held, a step o~ pressing the tensioned fabric piece ~ ~3 ~
~ 56,23~

into the ~ubstantially continuous peripheral groove i5 automatlcaIly performed by movable tucking bar~ which, for example, ~ay be attached to air or hydraulic cylinders.
The tucking bars advance towards the edges o~ the frame to press the fabric into the peripheral groove and agalnst the layer or bPad of adhesive. The resulting pressure af the fabric and tucking bar against the adhesive during this pressing step causes the preesure ~ensitive adhesive to immediately set, which results in the ~abric being ~irmly bonded to and held in the peripheral groova notwiths~anding the ~uick retraction of the tucking bars from the peripheral groove.
The frame is then manually or automatically turned over, and the hereinbefore recited method steps are repeated to apply a fabric piece to the remaining major side or face of the frame.
The method results in a new and improved space dividing panel, as the fabric pieces are consistently highly tensio~ed in both the length ~nd width directions of the fabric piece, improving the appearance o~ the space dividing panel. The panel i8 further devoid of spline beads, which can di~lodge from a spline groove and release the tension in the fabric. Tha adhesive consistently and continuously holds the fabric pieces in tension with no chance of mechanical dislodgement o~ the fabric pieces from the associated spline groove.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF_THE DRAMINGS
The invention will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings which are shown by way of example only, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view o~ a spac~
dividing panel which may be con~tructed according to the teachings o~ the invention;
Figure 2 is a view ~imilar to Figure 1, except illustrating a perspective viaw of only a panel ~rame with fabric pieces attached thereto, eliminating a raceway illustrated in Figure 1, which is attached to the lower - ~ ~ 3 2 ;~ ~ r~
56,231 edge of the ~ramP, as well as eliminating ~lotted stan-dards and post connec~or hook~ shown in Figur4 1 which are attached to v~rtical edges of the panel;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the panel frame and fabric asse~bly shown in Figure 2, taken between and in the direction of arrows III - III, illustrating the attachment of fabric pieces to tha frame, along a frame stile;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of Figure 3, except it illustrates the frame before fabric pieces are attached thereto;
Figure 5 is a block diagram which illustrates method steps of applying fabric pieces to a rectangular frame, according to the teachings of the invention;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4, illustrating a method step of applying an adhesive to a groove defined by the perimetrical edge of the ~rame; and Figure 7 ls a ~ragmentary vlew similar ~o Figure 6, illustraking a method ~tep of wrapping a fabric piece over the perimetrical edge of the frame, as well a~
illustrating a tucking bar which performs a method step of pressing tensioned fabric into the peripheral groove to set the adhesive and hold the fabric firmly in the peripheral groove after the fabria piece is released by needle bars shown in Figure 7.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERR}~D EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawing~, and to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, there is shown in Figure 1 a space dividing panel 10 which may be constructed according to the teachings of the invention. Space dividing panel 10 includes a frame-fabric assembly 12, which is more clearly shown in Figure 2. Remaining with Figure 2, frame-fabric assembly 12 includes a rectangular frame 14 con~tructed of interconnected metallia rails and stile~, such as first and second vertical stiles 16 and 18 and upper and lower rails 20 and 22. One or more rein~orcing aro~ rail~ (not shown) may be provided, as required by the dimensions of frame 14. The upper rail 20 may be at the top of the 2~

6 56,231 assembly 12, or, as illustrated, a wiring trouyh 24 may be mounted on the upper rail 2~. In a pre~Qrred embodiment of the invention, the metallic ~rame 14 has a solid core 26, such as a solid ~ypsum core which has been ~oamed in place within the rails and stiles oP the ~rame~ U.S.
Patent Application Serial No. 06/872,053, f~led June 6, 1986, entitled ~Space Dividing Wall Panel~, which is assigned to the ~ame assignee a~ the pre~ent application describes space divider panels wlth ~oamed-in-place gypsum cores. However, o~her ~uitable ~rame-core arrangements may be used. .
Raturning to Figure 1, the space dividing panel 10 is completed by fastening a raceway 28 to the lower rail 22, fastening slotted standards 30 and 32 to the first and second stiles 16 and 18~ and attaching first and second ~abric pieces 34 and 36, shown in Figures 1 and 3, to the fra~e 14.
Frame 14, as shown in Figure 2, has horizontal width W and vertical length L (height) dimensions, with tha width dimension W, which is measured from the outer edge o~ stile 16 the outer edge of stile 18, normally being selected from a range of about 10 to 60 inchesy and with tha length dimension L,, which is measured from the lower edge of bottom rail 22 to the top edge of the wiring trough 24, normally being selected from a range of about 36 to 76 inches. Frame 14 has a constant depth or thickness dimension D regardless of the width and length dimensions W and h, such as a thickness dimension in a range of about 1.5 to 3 inches.
Frame 14 has first and second flat major opposed sides, faces or sur~aces 38 and 40, best shown in Figure 4j which are respectively covered by fabric pieces 34 and 36, as best shown in Figure 3. Frame 14 has an outer perimetrical edge 42 which includes the horizontally oriented edge~ de~ined by wiring trough 24 and lower rail 22 and the vertically oriented edges defined by tha ~irst and second stiles 16 and 18.

7~ g 7 5~,231 Figure 3 i~ a cros~ sectional view o~ ~rame 14, taken between and in the direction o~ arrows III III in Figure 2, illustrating the ~lrst stile 16. Plgure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, except illustrating ~rame 14 prior ko application o~ ~abric piecea 3~ and 3~. The outer facing side o~ skile 16, which i8 the side which ~orms part o~ the perimetri.cal edge 42 o~ ~rame 14, is formed into a c~nfiyuratlon which includes ~irst and second grooves 44 and 46 immediately adjacent to the flat major side~ 3~ and 40, respectively, o~-~rame 14. An intermediate or bridging portion 48 i~ integrally joined to the sides of grooves 44 and 46. All of the rails and stiles have a like configuration. If a wiring trough 24 is used, the top o~ the wiring trough would al~o have two spaced grooves similar to grooves 44 and 46. In order to provide wlre lay~in capability, the wiring ~rough 2~ would not have an interconnecting or bridging portlon 48 between th~ groove~ 44 and 46, as shown for stile 16. Thus, the outer perimetrical edge 42 o~ frame 14 has ~irst and second substantially continuous peripheral grooves 44 and 46, which extend about frame 14 closely adjacent to sides 38 and 40, respectively.
Figure 5 is a block diagram which illustrates a method of applying and attaching fabric pieces 34 and 36 to frame 14 according to the teachings of the invention.
A source 50 o~ ~rames 14 provides one frame after another to the process, such as via a powered roller conveyor which serially ~rings frames 14 to the various stations which perform the steps of the method. When the frames 14 are constructed according to the teachings of th~ herein-be~ore mentioned Application Serial No. 06/872,053, for example, the frames leaving ~he process which provides the foamed-in-place gypsum core may be the ~rame source 50.
Since the width and length dimensions W and L o~
the ~rame 14 may vary widely, such as in the hereinbafore stated dimen~ional ranges, in a pre~erred embodimPnt o~
the invention each ~rame 14 1B automatically measured to ~ ~6,231 obtain its width and length dimensions W and L ~o that khe size o~ the ~rame 1~ will be known hy proce6sing station~
to which the ~rame will advancP. In one embodiment o~ khe measuring step, one of the ~rame dimensions, such as the width dimension W o~ ~rame 14, i5 detected as th~ ~ram~
moves along the conveyor. Conveyor speed and the time required for the ~rame to pass a ~ensor provid~s inputs required for a computer to calculate the width dimension W. Then, frame 14 is stopped at a ~rame measurement station, indicated at 52 in Figure S. At this station, a sensor whesl is moved along the length dimension of frame 14 by a drive motor. Revolutions of the sensor drive motor are counted and provided as an input to a process computer. The process computer then cal~ulates the length dimension L from the known diameter of the sensor wheel.
After the measuring step 52, frame 14 advances to a station 54 where an adhesive is applied to the surface of one o~ the peripheral grooves 44 or 46. As illustrated in Figure 6, in a preferred embodiment of the invention a robot 56 supports an adhesive gun 58 and the robot 56 traverses the perimeter of frame 14, praying an adhesive 60 into a selected one of the peripheral grooves, such as peripheral groove 4~. The travel path o~ robot 5 6 is automatically programmed using th~ frame size informa-25 tion obtained from the frame measuring step 52~
The adhesive 60 is a pressure sensitive adhesiveselected such that it will bead and stand at room tempera-ture for hours without setting, requiring pressure to activate the setting process. An adhesive or glue having the required characteristics is commercially available from the H.B. Fuller Company with their designation ~L-1108.
Adhesive XL-1108 is a hot melt glue which is ; heated to a temperature of ~bout 375 to 400 degrees F
prior to spraying. Al~o, in a pre~erred embodiment of the invention/ the adhesive 60 i~ ~oamed with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, ju~t prior to spraying. The ~oaming o~
the adhesive 60 provides the advantages o~ providing a 9 56,231 "softer" strip or bead of adhesive, enabling ~abric piec~
34 to be more easily pressed into ~he peripheral groove 46. The ~oaming of ~he adhe~ive also enables the amoun~
o~ adhesive applied ~o each ~ram~ 14 to be ~educed, ie., it provides increased adhesive mileag~. Suitable hot melt processors which mix an inert gas with a hot adhesi~e, as well as suitable adhesive guns, are commercially available from Nordson corporation, Norcroes, GA. A suitable hot melt-foam processor is Nordson corporationls 150 Series Processor, and a suitable adhesive gun is Nordson corpora-tion's H-201 Zero Cavity.&un.
Fabric piece 34 is provided to the process by a fabric source 62. Fabric source 62, for example, may be a roll of fabric which i~ manually or automatically cut, using the ~ize information ob~ained ~rom the panel measuring step 52. Fabric piece 34 is cut into a rectan-gular con~iguration and sized such that it will completely cover ma~or side 38 of frame 14 while uni~ormly overlapp-ing all four sides o~ frame 14 by a pred2termined dimen~
sion. ~he predetermined dimension is selected to provide sufficiant fabric such that the ~abric will enter the requisite peripheral groove and extend outwardly there~rom by a dimension su~ficient for fabric pick-up apparatus to ~irmly hold the fabric piece 34 throughout fabric applica-tion steps indicated generally at 64. In a preferredembodiment o~ the invention, a laminated fabric having a resilient ~oam backing is used, such as a closed cell polyurethane foam, but other fabrics may be used.
Suitable fabrics, including foam backed fabrics, are commercially available from Miliken Company, Guil~ord Company, and Burlington Company. A~ter the fabric piece 34 is cut it is placed at a loading station associated with fabric source 62.
The next skeps of the method, shown generally at 64, include a step o~ applylng ~abric piece 34 to ~rame 14. Fabric piece 34 ig picked up at the loading station, on all ~our sides thereo~, by a ~ixture or assembly 65 which al~o has four sides, automatically adju~table to the 2~Y,~ /J
~,231 siæe of the frame 14 being processed. Assembly 65 includes a plurality o~ slanted needles 66 mounted on bars 68. The needles 66 engage fabric piece 34 close ko the edges thereof. The needle bars 68 are mounted ~or rectilinear movement, such as by air or hydraulic cylin-ders ~0. A~ter khe ass~mbly 65 and needle bars 68 move - down and engage fabric piecs 34 on all four sides~ needle bars 68 retract to stretch and tension ~abric piece 34 in the directions of its width and length.
The tensioned ~abric piece 34 is then moved over frame 14 and downwardly to khe position shown in Figure 7, wrapping fabric piece 34 downwardly over the ~our perimat-rical edges of frame 14. Assembly 65 fur~her includes tucking bars 72 disposed on all ~our sides o~ assembly 65, with the tucking bars 72 being mounted Por rectllinear movement, such as via air or hydraulic cylinders 74.
After fabric piace 34 has been wrapped sver the edge of frame 14, cylinders 74 advance the tucking bars 72 to press the fabric piece 34 firmly i~to peripheral groove 46 and against the pressure sensitive adhesive 60. The pressure sensitiv~ adhesive 60 instantly sets in responss to the pressure applied thereto, bonding a~d holdlng the fabric piece 34 tightly and uniformly in the desired position covering the flat major side 38 of frame 14, The pressing step performed by tucking bars 72 adds to the tension in the ~ahric piece 34, providing a tightly tensioned fabric covering over the frame face 38 which provides a pleasing appearance. The adhesive 60 maintains its holding strength indefinitely, and unliXe the prior art use of spline beads, there is no danger of accidental local detachment of a spline bead and fabric~ from the frame, which detachment relaxes the tension in the ~abric and creates wrinkles, or otherwise detracts from the appearance o~ a ~inished panel 10.
At this point o~ the process, excess fabric may be manually or automatically trimmed from the ~abric piece 34, or the trimming step may be per~ormed after both fabric pieces 34 and 36 have been applied, as desired.

.

2 ~ t'~ t'j~

11 56,231 After fabric piece 3~ has been applied and securely bonded to ~rame 14, step 76 invert~ or turns ~rame 14 over, and the hereinbefore described process is repeated to apply fabric piece 3~ to cover ~la~ major side 5 40 of frame 14. Step 78 applies hot, fo~med pressure sensitive adhesive 60 to peripheral groove 44, ~tep 30 cuts ~abric piece 36 to the proper rectangular con~igura-tion and dimensions, step 82 applies and bonds fabric piece 36 to side 40 o~ ~rame 14, and etep B4 trims excess fabric from both pieces 3~ and 36, if piece 34 had not been prqviously ~rimmed, or only ~rom piece 36 if piece 34 had been previously trimmed. Figure 3 illustrates panel 10 after both fabric pieces 34 and 36 have bsen applied to frame 14 and trimmed~
In summary, there has been disclosed a new and improved method of applying fabric pieces 34 and 36 to a frame 14 during the assembly of a space dividing panel 10 for use in office space dividing furniture systems. The method eliminates manual attachment of fabric pieces to a frame via ~pline beads, and it provides a superior of~ice space dividing panel 10 without reliance upon ~he skill o~
an assembler. The fabric pieces 34 and 36 are more highly tensioned than fabric pieces applied ma~ually, and ~he fabric pieees 34 and 36 are pe~manently bonded to the metallic frame, eliminating accidental local di~lodgement of a spline bead and fabric edges from spline grooves formed in the perimetrical edge of the frame.

Claims (13)

1. A method of applying fabric to a substrate during the assembly of an office space dividing panel, comprising the steps of:
providing a rectangular frame having first and second major flat sides which define predetermined length and width dimensions, an outer perimetrical edge extending between the first and second sides, at least one substan-tially continuous peripheral groove in the outer edge, providing a rectangular fabric piece which has length and width dimensions which exceed the length and width dimensions, respectively, of the rectangular frame, placing a pressure sensitive adhesive in the at least one peripheral groove, tensioning the fabric piece in the directions of its length and width, wrapping the tensioned fabric piece over the edges of the frame, while covering the first major side of the frame with the fabric piece, and pressing the tensioned fabric piece into the substantially continuous peripheral groove with sufficient pressure to set the adhesive.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive in the peripheral groove includes the step of spraying the adhesive into the groove.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive in the peripheral groove includes the steps of heating the adhesive, and spraying the heated adhesive into the groove.

13 56,231

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive in the peripheral groove includes the steps of heating the adhesive, forming the heated adhesive with a gas, and spraying the heated, foamed adhesive into the groove.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a rectangular fabric piece includes the steps of measuring the frame to obtain the length and width dimensions of the frame, and cutting a fabric to provide the rectangular fabric piece, using the length and width dimensions from the frame measuring step to determine the length and width dimensions of the fabric piece.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a rectangular frame provides a frame having the at least one substantially continuous peripheral groove in the perimetrical outer edge adjacent to the first major flat side, and including a second substantially continuous peripheral groove in the perimetrical outer edge adjacent to the second major flat side, and including the steps of:
providing a second rectangular fabric piece which has length and width dimensions which exceed the length and width dimensions, respectively, of the rectan-gular frame, placing a pressure sensitive adhesive in the second peripheral groove, tensioning the second fabric piece in the directions of its length and width, wrapping the tensioned second fabric piece over the edges of the frame, while covering the second major side of the frame with the second fabric piece, and pressing the tensioned second fabric piece into the second substantially continuous peripheral groove with sufficient pressure to set the adhesive.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive in the second peripheral groove includes the step of spraying the adhesive into the second groove.

14 56,231

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive in the second peripheral groove includes the steps of heating the adhesive, and spraying the heated adhesive into the second peripheral groove.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive in the second peripheral groove includes the steps of heating the adhesive, foaming the heated adhesive with a gas, and spraying the heated, foamed adhesive into the second peripheral groove.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of providing the rectangular fabric pieces includes the steps of measuring the frame to obtain the length and width dimensions of the frame, and cutting a fabric to provide the rectangular fabric pieces, using the length and width dimensions from the frame measuring step to determine the length and width dimensions of the fabric pieces.

11. An office space dividing panel comprising:
a rectangular frame having first and second major flat sides which define predetermined length and width dimensions, an outer perimetrical edge extending between the first and second sides, and at least one substantially continuous peripheral groove in the outer edge, a rectangular fabric piece having length and width dimensions which exceed the length and width dimensions, respectively, of the rectangular frame, and a pressure sensitive adhesive in the at least one peripheral groove, said fabric piece covering the first major side of the frame, and extending over the outer edge of the frame, said fabric piece being under tension in the directions of the length and width of the fabric, said fabric piece extending into the substan-tially continuous peripheral groove and being firmly held therein by the pressure sensitive adhesive.

56,231

12. The office space dividing panel of claim 11 wherein the at least one substantially continuous per-ipheral groove is adjacent to the first major flat side, and including a second substantially continuous peripheral groove in the outer edge adjacent to the second major flat side, a second rectangular fabric piece which has length and width dimensions which exceed the length and width dimensions, respectively, of the rectangular frame, a pressure sensitive adhesive in the second per-ipheral groove, said second fabric piece covering the second major side of the frame, and extending over the outer edge of the frame, said second fabric piece being under tension in the directions of the length and width of the fabric, said second fabric piece extending into the second substantially continuous peripheral groove and being firmly held therein by the pressure sensitive adhesive.

13. The office space dividing panel of claim 11 wherein the rectangular frame includes metallic stiles and rails and a solid core of foamed gypsum.