IL44012A - Panel-shaped furnishing components hinged by fastener tapes - Google Patents

Abstract

1451780 Pinless hinges FORMFAC INTERNATIONAL AB 27 Dec 1973 [17 Jan 1973] 59758/73 Heading E2F In a panel wall comprising two juxtaposed interconnectedly hinged panels 10, the hinged connection is in the form of two complementary burr fastener tapes 11, 12 connected to the end edges of the respective panels. The burr fastener tapes are each affixed to an arcuate frame element 13 attached to its respective panel 10. As shown in Figure 2 the tape 11 is of the closed loop type and the tape 12 is of the cut loop type.

Description

44012/2 Panel-shaped furnishing components hinged by fastener tapes . mn ·>οιοα O^ IIBB tn~ns ·*"Β Eminno nT? misa oirrn ·»2·*3ΐα y In modern open-plan offices and industrial workshops, panels for sound-damping and other purposes are often used to divide up the open-plan office or industrial workshop into smaller units. These panels or other furnishing components are often interconnected by means of various fittings which, however, permit only certain predetermined angles of position between abutting furnishing components. These connecting devices display disadvantages, not only concerning the limited choice of positional angles but also concerning cost, because the various fittings are relatively expensive and require careful mounting on the furnishing components, so that they fit each other.

In an attempt to create freedom of choice concerning the angles of position between abutting furnishing panels? in this case folding door elements; it has been suggested, in the British patent specification 921,647, to use gear segments which are mounted along the vertical edges of the door elements.

A longitudinal clamp member serves to hold the door elements in engagement and to maintain the gear segments in mesh.

This construction is, however, not only expensive but also disadvantageous when used in connection with furnishing components such as sound-damping panels, which are often moved around, according to the required rearrangement of the furnishing in the open-plan office, or, according to the placing of machinery in the industrial workshop.

An object of the present invention is to provide a PK/RB/an connecting device, serving as a hinge, for preferably panel- shaped furnishing components, thereby to obviate the disadvantages in the prior art devices serving similar purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an imporived and cheaper connecting device, for preferably panel-shaped furnishing components, which can serve as a hinge means between the furnishing components, despite the fact that it permits simple separation of them.

Indeed, the U.S. patent specification 3,114,951 discloses a connecting device of so-called VELCRO (trade mark) tape (hook and loop type fastener tape) , but these Velcro tapes are used for the connection of preferably flexible elements. The patent specification does not, however, make any statements which indicate that such Velcro tape could be used to obviate the disadvantages in the aforementioned connecting devices for panel-shaped furnishing components.

Thus, the present invention relates to a panel wall, comprising juxtaposed interconnected panel elements, preferably provided with legs, the said legs being of the same height as the panel wall in its entirety, characterised in that the opposing vertical edges of the juxtaposed panel elements are curved and covered with complementary hook and loop type fastener tapes to form a hinge connection permitting the panel elements to be pivoted in relation to each other.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which some embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of two sound-damping panels which have been interconnected by means of a hinge device according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a section on the line II-II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a section corresponding to Fig, 2 but illustrates a sound-damping panel connected to a bookcase.

In Fig. 1 are shown two sound-damping panels 10 which are interconnected by means of a hinge device according to the invention. This hinge device consists of two complementary Velcro tapes 11, 12 which are mounted on their respective semi-cylindrical frame elements, these being, in turn, affixed to the edges of the sound-damping panels 10.

The opposite edges of the sound-damping panels 10 in Fig. 1 have each been fitted with their respective types of Velcro tape. One Velcro tape, for example, Velcro tape 11, is of the closed loop type, while the other Velcro tape 12 is of the cut loop type in which the loops form small hooks for engagement with the loops on the other complementary Velcro tape 11.

Fig. 2 shows a method of designing the semi-circular frame elements or profiles which are arranged at the edges of the sound-damping panels. Thus, each frame element 13 is in the form of an extruded channel-shaped profile with a semi- r circular arch 14 which terminates in inwardly directed limbs 15 which merge into their respective outwardly directed flanges 16 at their mutually facing edges. Each flange has a barb-like thickened portion 17 at its outer end. The thickened portions 17 clasp inwardly bent edge portions 18 on a substantially U-shaped profile 19 which is either affixed (for example, by pop-riveting) to the supporting frame 20 of the soundproofing panel, or itself forms the supporting frame of the sound-proofing panel (this latter embodiment is not shown) .

The thickened portions 17 and the inwardly bent edge portions 18 will function as a snap-action catch because of the yielding-ness of the semi-circular arch 14.

In order to leave room for the Velcro tape, the inwardly directed limbs 15 have preferably been joggled at 21.

As is apparent from Fig. 3 it is possible to glue two strips of Velcro tape 12 (or 11, or alternatively 11 and 12 in the same line) to the end edges of, for example, bookcases 22, so that the sound-damping panels may be directly attached to the bookcase units 22.

Another possible variation (now shown) is that one of the types of Velcro tape, for example, the Velcro tape with the cut loops, is glued or otherwise anchored round a rod which is then placed as the connecting and hinging element between two sound-damping screens or other furnishing components to be interconnected in an optional angular position and fitted with the other type of Velcro tape.

A great advantage inherent in, for example, the semi-cylindrical frame element 13 is that more than two furnishing components can be connected to each other at the same pivot point. Thus, for example, two furnishing components fitted with the Velcro tape 11 on their frame elements 13 can be connected to one and the same frame element 13, fitted with the Velcro tape 12, on another furnishing component.

Experiments have shown that the hinge device according to the invention is very strong and resists in particular shearing forces, for which reason there is very little risk that two or more interconnected furnishing components will be detached from each other by shearing at right angles to the hinge axis. This powerful resistance of the hinge and connecting device ensures that, for example, sound-damping panels, as shown in Fig. 1, can be fitted with straight legs 23 without outwardly extending support feet, while still avoiding the risk of the panels falling over.

Claims (2)

44012/2 WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A panel wall comprising juxtaposed interconnected panel elements, preferably provided with legs, the said legs being of the same height as the panel wall in its entirety, characterised¼jn that the opposing vertical edges of the juxtaposed panel elements are curved and covered with complementary b*MM? fastener tapes to form a hinge connection permitting the panel elements to be pivoted in relation to each other.

2. A panel wall as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the burr fastener tapes are affixed to an arcuate, preferably semi-cylindrical frame element attached to its pertinent panel element. ttorneys or pp cant