GB2612732A

GB2612732A - Partitions

Info

Publication number: GB2612732A
Application number: GB2301892.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Bryan Matthew; Leonard Heppell Geoffrey; Boyd Seagrave Stuart
Original assignee: Space Division Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Space Division Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2020-07-15
Filing date: 2021-07-14
Publication date: 2023-05-10
Also published as: GB202010930D0; WO2022013320A1; GB202301892D0

Abstract

A partition apparatus for attachment to a supporting structure (1) to partition a space, comprising a panel part (3) for providing the partition and an interface part (4) for attachment to the supporting structure to form an interface joining the panel part to the supporting structure. One of the panel part and the interface part comprises a groove (12) and the other of the panel part and the interface part comprises a tongue (4) dimensioned for insertion into the groove in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the groove. When the tongue is inserted into the groove, the tongue and the groove are pivotable relative to each other through an angle exceeding 10 degrees thereby to form a tongue-and-groove joint pivotingly joining the panel part to the supporting structure.

Claims

Claims:

1 . A partition apparatus for attachment to a supporting structure to partition a space, comprising: a panel part for providing said partition; an interface part for attachment to the supporting structure to form an interface joining the panel part to the supporting structure; wherein one of the panel part and the interface part comprises a groove and the other of the panel part and the interface part comprises a tongue dimensioned for insertion into the groove in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the groove to be pivotable therein through an angle exceeding 10 degrees thereby to form a tongue-and-groove joint pivotingly joining the panel part to the supporting structure.
2. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim including a bracket part for attachment to the supporting structure, the bracket part being dimensioned to receive an edge of the panel part for attaching the received edge to the supporting structure.
3. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the height of the tongue is dimensioned relative to the depth of the groove such that the tongue is reversibly insertable into the groove to abut the base of the groove.
4. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the external surface of the tongue is shaped to form a sliding interface fit with opposing surfaces of the groove when inserted therein.
5. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the external surface of the tongue is shaped relative to the groove so as to abut the groove at groove walls located at opposite side surfaces of the tongue when the tongue is inserted into the groove.
6. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said angle is between 10 degrees and 60 degrees.
7. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the tongue comprises a convexly curved outer surface at its terminal end for sliding abutment against opposing surfaces of the groove when tongue is inserted into the groove.
8. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the tongue comprises a convexly curved head section located upon a neck section wherein the head section defines the terminal end of the tongue, and the width of the tongue at its head section exceeds the width of tongue at its neck section.
9. A partition apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the width of the head section of the tongue exceeds the width of the neck section of the tongue by at least about 50% in relative terms.
10. A partition apparatus according to any of claims 8 and 9 wherein the width of the groove exceeds the width of the head section of the tongue by no more than about 10% in relative terms, or by no more than about 2% in relative terms.
11 . A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the height of the tongue exceeds the depth of the groove by at least about 75% in relative terms.
12. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the tongue comprises an elongated extrusion of substantially uniform cross-sectional profile transverse to the axis of elongation.
13. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the groove comprises an elongated channel of substantially uniform cross-sectional profile transverse to the axis of elongation.
14. A partition apparatus according to claims 12 and 13 wherein the tongue is slidingly moveable along the channel of the groove in a direction substantially parallel to said axes of elongation.
15. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the panel part comprises said groove and the interface part comprises said tongue and further comprises a mounting part for mounting the tongue to the supporting structure, wherein the height of the tongue extending between the mounting part and the terminal end of the tongue does not exceed about 55mm.
16. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the panel part comprises a laminate structure including two outer sub-panels between which is sandwiched a sound-attenuating material.
17. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the panel comprises a doorway and/or a door cassette, and/or a window and/or a hatch.
18. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the panel comprises any one or more of: a sensor configured to sense one or more of the following properties of at least a part of the partitioned space: temperature; motion; humidity; one or more electrical components; electrical wiring; electrical power points or sockets; telecommunications connection points or sockets; one or more plumbing components; one or more plastic pipes or copper pipes; one or more plumbing connectors.
19. A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the panel comprises said groove located at a peripheral edge of the panel.
20. A partition apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said peripheral edge is a first peripheral edge of the panel, and the panel comprises a further groove located along a second peripheral edge of the panel other than the first peripheral edge, and a batten dimensioned for insertion into the further groove such that a part of the batten protrudes from the further groove when so inserted thereby to define a protruding further tongue for insertion into a groove of an adjacent panel to form a tongue-in- groove joint therewith.
21 . A partition apparatus according to any preceding claim when attached to the supporting structure, wherein said interface part is attached to the supporting structure to form an interface joining the panel part to the supporting structure whereby said panel part provides a said partition.
22. A kit of parts comprising a partition apparatus according to any preceding claim.
23. A kit of parts comprising a partition apparatus for attachment to a supporting structure to partition a space, the kit comprising: a panel part for providing said partition; an interface part for attachment to the supporting structure to form an interface joining the panel part to the supporting structure; wherein one of the panel part and the interface part comprises a groove and the other of the panel part and the interface part comprises a tongue dimensioned for insertion into the groove in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the groove to be pivotable therein through an angle exceeding 10 degrees thereby to form a tongue-and-groove joint pivotingly joining the panel part to the supporting structure.
24. A kit of parts according to claim 23 including a bracket part for attachment to the supporting structure, the bracket part being dimensioned to receive an edge of the panel part for attaching the received edge to the supporting structure.
25. A kit of parts according to claim 23 or claim 24 wherein the panel comprises said groove located at a first peripheral edge of the panel and the panel comprises a further groove located along a second peripheral edge of the panel other than the first peripheral edge; wherein the kit comprises a batten dimensioned for insertion into the further groove such that a part of the batten protrudes from the further groove when so inserted thereby to define a protruding further tongue for insertion into a groove of an adjacent panel to form a tongue-in-groove joint therewith.
26. A partition comprising the partition apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 21.
27. A method of attaching a partitioning apparatus to a supporting structure to partition a space, the method comprising: providing a panel part for said partition; providing an interface part for attachment to the supporting structure to form an interface for joining the panel part to the supporting structure; wherein one of the panel part and the interface part comprises a groove and the other of the panel part and the interface part comprises a tongue; inserting the tongue into the groove in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the groove and pivoting the panel part through an angle exceeding 10 degrees thereby to form a tongue-and- groove joint pivotingly joining the panel part to the supporting structure.