JPH03140539A - Work space control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate construction of a wall by dividing one space into a plurality of working regions, joining together a plurality of rigid. rectangular frames rigidly by their edges, and forming a rigid framework partitioning at least one working region. CONSTITUTION: An office is formed from a single work station 12 and multiple work station 14. Each work station is bounded by a wall 16 of a height standing, a middle wall 17, and low wall 18. A working surface 20 is attached to the wall 16 on cantilever system, and a suspended cabinet 22 and shelf 24 are supported. The wall is formed from a straight tile 30 and bent tile 32, and a waist-high wire management assembly 28 is installed in the middle of the wall. This enables rearrangement of the positions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a workspace management system. In its embodiment, the invention facilitates the construction of walls;
Modular, reconfigurable and functional modular wall tiles and work equipment that are easily reconfigurable, replaceable and repositionable without affecting the rigid frame structure hidden within the system. It is related to a work space management system that makes it possible.

According to the present invention, a work space management system divides a space into individual work areas, and this system includes a plurality of rigid rectangular frames rigidly connected at their edges.
It comprises a rigid framework formed to define at least one work area. Each of the frames has an outer surface and receiving means.

Independent mounting of a number of replaceable tiles (the significance of which will be explained below) having relatively uniform module dimensions and a common height, each of which has means for cooperating with receiving means in the frame, is preferred. Tiles can be easily attached to and removed from the frame without using any tools. The tile is mounted in parallel relation to the exterior surface of each side of the frame, the width of the tile being substantially equal to the width of the frame to which it is mounted;
The height shall be such that at least two tiles can be attached vertically to each frame.

Sets of tiles shall have decorative surfaces and other sets shall be structures that perform non-decorative functions in the work area. In this way, decorative tiles and functional tiles can be placed on the same frame.
or easily and quickly interchangeable on different frames.

Furthermore, independent mounting means that each tile can be randomly installed and replaced independently of neighboring tiles.

The functional tile preferably consists of a cabinet inserted into an open space inside the frame. - In an embodiment, the cabinet is open at the front, having a back wall, side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, and a door is attached to the open front. The door is pivotally mounted to the top wall of the cabinet for vertical swing. The leading edges of the side walls may slope downwardly and outwardly to allow the door to be mounted at an angle to the vertical. A support ridge is attached to the bottom of the door, allowing the door to serve as a display shelf.

In other embodiments, the cabinet is open at both ends to define a passageway through the frame.

The cabinet can also be provided with vertical partitions.

Preferably the rigid framework has an open central portion. The frame is
It is of the type that has a column of slots near the edge of its face for receiving bracket hooks to allow functional components and functional tiles to be suspended from the frame 11. At least some of the tiles have a width slightly less than the width of the frame so that tiles attached to the frame terminate near the slot columns to expose the slots and permit suspension of functional components. The cabinet tiles are preferably attached to the frame by one of the longitudinal slots.

Other functional tiles include shelf tiles, in which the shelf is pivoted within the housing so that it can move between a vertical position in the same plane as an adjacent tile and a horizontal position in which it is perpendicular to the plane of the frame. It is something that exists.

Another functional tile is a heater tile.
This is a tile in which the heating element is embedded. Airflow and cooling can also be built into the tiles.

Other functional tiles include display shelf tiles that project downwardly and outwardly and have a lip at the bottom for supporting display items.

The present invention provides a space division system that integrates functional tools and components with visible components into a panel system.

Functional tools and parts can be easily installed, repositioned and replaced with each other and with decorative parts. Replacements can be made easily and quickly without tools or skilled labor. Removable modular tiles allow workspaces to be easily managed according to specifications, design and arrangement. This system enables three-dimensional and two-dimensional layering in the design of work spaces. The functional components of the present invention enable acoustical, optical transmission, visual communication, and material process flow applications not possible with conventional open plan systems. Moreover, the integrity of the open plan is maintained.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, an office environment with a single workstation 12 and multiple workstations 14 is shown. Standing height wall 1
6, an intermediate wall 17 and a low wall I8 delimit a single workstation. Standing height wall 16 is typically approximately 70 inches (178 cm)
, the middle wall is about 54 inches (137 cm) and the lower wall 18 is typically just at the height of the work surface, or about 38 inches (97 cm) high. A work surface 20 is cantilevered to the wall 16.

Hanging cabinets 22 and shelves 24 are also supported by wall I6. This wall is formed by straight tiles 3o and curved tiles 32. Base wire management assembly 2
6 is provided at the base of each wall and a WB height (waistline) wire management assembly 28 is provided at a selected location at the midpoint of the wall. A diagonal panel 29 with acoustic control material is provided as an extension of a portion of the wall 16. The tile 30a can be a hard surface such as a marker or chalk board. Tile 30b is a translucent panel with a light source (not shown) placed behind it to provide illumination to the tile.

The tile 30c can have a wood veneer surface.

Tile 30g can have embedded heating elements (not shown) for localized heating.

The multi-workstation 14 has similar characteristics,
It is formed by joining together a high wall 16, an intermediate wall 17, and a low wall 18. Work surfaces 20, hanging cabinets 22 and shelves 24 are also provided on these walls. Additionally, a base wire management assembly 26 and a raised wire management assembly 28 are provided at selected locations. The table 34 is partially supported from the wall and has an outer end support at its free end.

90° joints 35, 120° joints 36 and T-shaped wall joints 37 are formed between the various panels as desired.

Furthermore, a straight wall joint 39 is formed between the straight wall section and the curved rewall section.

2 and 3, a frame 40 is shown comprising a pair of identical vertical members 42 welded to horizontal members 44 and 46. The hidden frame need not have a furniture-grade finish and can be formed by rolling or other suitable metalworking techniques. A large number of equal-sized tiles 30 form a frame 40
It is removably fixed to.

In the present invention, the term "tile" refers to a removable panel module that is hung on the outer surface of the frame 40, leaving its interior open. Each of the tiles 30 is of the same height and shape, but can have varying widths to match the width of the frame on which it is hung. Tiles can also have a variety of exterior surfaces and may have acoustic treatments inside. For example, the outer surface of the tile 30 may be covered with cloth 30e or vinyl or veneer (30c).

Tile 30 may be formed by folding the edges of a metal plate inward and optionally coating or painting. If desired, an insulator 3°F may be provided inside the metal plate as shown in FIG. Typically the tile 30 is approximately 16 inches (40,6c)
Frame 40 with a height of m) and a width varying between standard dimensions
substantially equal to the width of . The height of the frame 40 is an integer multiple of the height of the tiles plus the height of the base wire management assembly 26 so that the tiles trace a regular, uniform pattern on the frame. Thus, the two tiles and the base wire management assembly 26 provide a height of 38 inches (86.5 cm) for sitting with an open field of vision, telephone calls, and business transactions. Another height is 54 inches (137 cm) formed by the three tiles and assembly 26, which provides seating privacy and/or visual contact and/or Enabling environmental perspective. Another dimension is 70 inches (70 inches) formed by four tiles and assembly 26.
At a height of 178 cm), this allows standing privacy, visual contact and/or Q-line visibility depending on the tile selected. Finally, the frame dimensions are such that the module can be extended to the ceiling as a full-height wall. The modularity of the tiles, particularly the height modularity, gives wall arrays containing such tiles a strong horizontal visual pattern as shown in FIG.

Tiles 30 also provide functional support for the work area. For example, a window tile 30d as shown in FIG. 2 provides visibility and light transmission to this space. Thus window tile 30
d acts as a window between the workstations on either side of frame 4o. As shown, the window tile 30d has an outer case 38 that supports a glass or plastic light transmissive panel 38a and a frame vertical member 4.
Cover the sides of 2.

Alternatively, a border piece may be attached to the inner steel frame to allow a passage from one glass surface to the other. If desired, transparent glass or plastic plates may be inserted between the border pieces to create a window.

The light-transmitting plate 38a may be transparent or semi-transparent, or may be visible from one direction as a half mirror, and reflect incoming light from nearby. Alternatively, the glass plate 38a may be a perfect mirror, providing perfect reflection on both sides or either side of the wall.

Alternatively, the glass plate 38a may be shaped so as to be able to adjust the transmission of light, thereby limiting the amount of light passing therethrough.

A vertical row of slots 50 are formed at the outer edge of each vertical member 42 to receive standard brackets 48 with hooks for supporting work surfaces 20, hanging cabinets 22, and shelves 24. A plurality of pairs of threaded holes 54,56 (FIG. 3) are provided at intervals along the height of vertical member 42. A keyhole slot 5 is provided on one side of the vertical member 42.
8 is provided, and a square hole 60 is provided above and apart from this. A rectangular hole 62 is provided on the opposite side of the vertical member 42 to overlap the keyhole slot 58. A square hole 60 is also provided above the rectangular hole 62. A weld nut (not shown) is fixed to the horizontal member 44 (FIG. 4) on the lower side of the frame, and an adjustment foot 66 (FIG. 3) is screwed into this nut to adjust the height of the side of the panel. .

In FIG. 3.4, a square bracket 70 is fixed to the top of the horizontal member 44 by a rivet or bolt 80. As shown in FIG. The elongated clamping frame 72 connects the shaped bracket 70 and the horizontal member 4.
Sandwiched between 4. Clamping frame 72 extends outwardly across the top of horizontal member 44 and down each side, with hinge tube 74 at the outer end.
is formed. The hinge tube 74 extends laterally to overlap the vertical member 42 to form a mounting flange 76 (FIG. 3) with holes formed therein that overlap with threaded holes (not shown) in the frame.

A screw 78 passes through the flange 76 and is threaded into a threaded hole in the frame to secure the end of the hinge tube 74 to the frame 40.

Hinged cover 82 (FIG. 4) has a socket-shaped flange 84 at its bottom that receives hinged tube 74 to pivotally attach hinged cover 82 to clamping frame 72. An inwardly directed flange 86 at the top of the hinged cover 82 fits under the tile 30 and extends toward the vertical member 42. A cover retainer 88 (FIG. 3) extends laterally from the jamb 72 and has an upwardly extending end flange 90 having a spring retainer 92 at the top. Screws 94 are inserted through the holes in end flange 90 and threaded holes 54 to secure end flange 90 to vertical member 42 . The downward protrusion 86a (FIG. 4) of the inward flange 86 is snap-fitted into the spring retainer 92 to hold the hinged cover 82 in place at the front end of the clamping frame 72. Alternatively, the cover 82 may be provided with a protrusion (not shown) having an upward lip on its side. Frame 40 may include a horizontal slot (not shown) in vertical member 42 that mates with this projection to hold the cover in a releasably closed position.

Communication wires 96, including telephone and computer lines, are routed within the jamb 72 behind the hinged cover 82. A flat electrical cable 98 passes over the top of the clamp 72 and connects to the power distribution block 00 via a connector 104. A convenient plug 102 is inserted into block 100. As seen in FIG. 4, the plug 102 is exposed through an opening in the hinged cover 82 and provides a direct electrical outlet.

Referring to FIG. 3.5, the equipment frame 106 at waist height has a lower section 107 and an upper section 112.

A bracket 108 secured to both ends of the lower section 107 has a six-cover retaining flange 119 secured to the midpoint of the frame with screws 110 extending upwardly from the bracket 108 to form an outwardly bent spring retainer 119a at its upper end. are doing. Upper section 112 is secured to lower section 107 with crimp flange 114. In the U-shaped installation, a bracket 116 is fixed to the lower section 107 with screws 117, and the two-sided power distribution block 100 is attached with screws (not shown). The upper and lower sections of the raised equipment frame 106 form a U-shaped channel that is open on one side to provide a channel above the work surface for communication wires. A flat electrical cable 98 is disposed below the raised equipment frame 106 and connects to the power distribution block 1oo (FIG. 5) via a connector 104. Similar to the base power distribution system, plugs 102 can be inserted into each side of the power distribution block 100. As seen in FIG. 5, the height equipment frames 1.06 are sufficiently thin so that two can be installed back to back. However, it is not a requirement that the high equipment frames be placed back to back, and typically only one side is required. In such a case, the power distribution block 100 may be made a little thinner and the opposite side of the frame may be fitted with tiles in place of the high wire management assembly 28.

In FIG. 5, cover 118 has a flat outer surface and plug 1
It has an opening aligned with 02. This cover is curved inward at the top and bottom. U-shaped retaining clip 1
18a is located inside the upper part of the cover 118 and has a spring holder 119a.
Installed in accordance with. A hook clip 118b is attached to the lower inside of the cover 118 to connect one frame vertical member 4.
2 keyhole slot 58 and the opposite vertical member 4
It is installed in alignment with the square hole 60 of No. 2. The hinge cover 118 is attached to the frame vertical member by a hook clip 118b at the bottom and by a retaining clip 118a at the top. 2 hook clips 118b
One keyhole slot 5 on one side of the frame 40
8 and the other is attached to a rectangular hole 62 on the other side of the frame 40 (see FIG. 2), forming a pivot point for rotation of the cover 118 with respect to the frame 40.

The frame 40 has half tiles 128 below the waist-height wire management assembly 28 and above the full size tiles 30.
is installed. Half tile 128 typically has the same finish as cover 118 and may be attached to the frame in the same manner as tile 30. Half tile 1.28 and cover 118 together have a height equal to full size tile 30.

The method of removably securing tile 30 to frame 40 is illustrated in FIG. 4, which shows vertical member 42 and a portion of tile 30 cut away. Each tile 30 has a pair of spaced hook clips 68 secured to its bottom. Clip 68 projects rearwardly from tile 30 and is positioned to align with keyhole slot 58 and rectangular hole 62. The tile 30 further has a pair of rearwardly projecting spring clips 69 which are spaced to match the square holes 60 in the vertical member 42 on the back side of the tile. The spring clip 69 is vertically resilient and, when pushed into the square hole 60, seats behind the edge of the six 60 as shown in FIG. In this way, slot 58
The tile 30 is easily attached to the frame 40 by inserting the hook clip 68 into the keyhole slot 58 and the rectangular hole 62 while folding the tile 30 outward at an acute angle to the vertical so that the tile 30 and the hexagon 62 are exposed. The tile is then rotated around the horizontal axis towards the frame 40 and the spring clip 6
9 passes through the square hole 60 and fits behind it. Tile 30 can be easily removed by reversing this procedure.

A novel method of attaching tiles 30 to frame 40 is
To enable tiles to be independently removed without removing adjacent or upper and lower tiles and without using tools.

Additionally, clips 68 and keyhole slots 58 maintain precise spacing between all panels.

The structure for attaching the tiles 30 to the frame 40 also includes marker (chalk) board tiles 30a, light tiles 30b.
, veneer tile 30c, transparent tile 30d and curved tile 32 to frame 40. All of these tiles have rearwardly projecting hook-shaped clips 68 and spring clips 69 to facilitate the installation and removal of these tiles in any desired row. The ease of attaching and removing functional and decorative tiles from the frame 40 makes it easy to construct, reconfigure, and reconfigure workspaces.
This makes redesign much easier. The arrangement and rearrangement of these tiles does not require special high labor force;
It can be done by a number of people working in the work space.

Construction of each wall begins by selecting a frame 40 of the desired height and width for the finished wall. Several frames 40 are then rigidly joined.

Once the wire management functionality is determined, the appropriate wire management module is secured to the frame. Specific functional and decorative tiles are then selected to suit the work space and exterior wall requirements. The tiles are then attached to the desired locations on the frame. The frame height changes only by units of tile height. That is, the base wire management cover 82
(hinged cover), the height of the frame is 3 tiles
It is an integer multiple of the height of 0, that is, 2.3, 4.5, or 6 heights.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the monument 120 has an outlet 121 into which one end of a flexible cable 122 containing wires 123 enters for power connection, and the other end is connected to a power block 124. Ru. The power block 124 is located behind the opening in the access cover 95 of the hinged cover 82 and the filter 126 closes this opening.

Referring to FIG. 7, a ceiling grid 130 supporting a ceiling panel 132 is shown. Panel 132 is provided with an opening 134 through which a power pole 142 extends down the corner of wall 16. Electrical conduit 136 provides electrical power to junction box 138 . A flexible conduit 142 passes the electrical wire through the electrical ball 142 to the lower waist-height equipment frame 1.
Carry it under 06. Electrical wires connect to power distribution block 100 below equipment frame 106.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a schematic cross-section of a U-shaped wall section at its base. The cross section at the waist height position is also the same as 1'. Electrical cable 98 is shown running around frame vertical member 42 but behind cover 82 at the edge of the panel. The electrical cable also passes around the inside corner and is covered by a corner cover member 146.

A flexible cover 148 is located between the equipment frames and covers the wires therein. The cover 148 is U-shaped, and the cover 82 (
and the cover 118) at the waist-high position by snap-fitting and fixing, and are on the same surface. These covers 148 are also shown in FIG.

The frames are rigidly connected to each other to form a straight or curved shape. Any suitable frame joining technique may be used.

An example of a suitable technique is Propesto et al., U.S. Patent Section 3,430.
, No. 997 (March 40, 1969), No. 3,425゜1
No. 71 (February 4, 1969), and Defoe U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,907 (February 5, 1986).
has been disclosed.

A rail tile 150 for mounting fixtures is shown in FIGS. 2 and 9. The tile has a number of spaced laterally extending rails 154 for carrying work equipment such as trays 154.
60 is attached by a downward hook 168. As shown in FIG. 9, the rail tile 150 has a back wall 152 and a front wall formed by multiple rails 154 spaced apart from the back wall 152.

Side walls 156 join back wall 152 to horizontal rail 154. The tray 160 is in conventional form, with a bottom wall 162, a side wall 1
64, back wall 166 and downward hook 16 integral with the back wall
It has 8. The tray 160 is easily positioned by inserting the hook into the gap between the rails 154 and lowering the tray to engage the rail 154 and the hook. The back wall 166 of the tray abuts several rules 154 to maintain stability.

The rails of tiles 150 can take on a variety of shapes.

A preferred form of rail tile is disclosed in U.S. Patent Section 4,618,19.
No. 2 (October 21, 1986).

Removable tiles can perform a variety of different functions. For example, instead of a transparent tile, a translucent panel and a light source placed behind the panel can be used as a lighting tile. Alternatively, you can attach the lighting source to the tile itself. Alternatively, the tiles can be formed by suitable techniques as screens for displaying internal information. Tiles can also be used as electronic chalkboards. The tiles may be painted or covered with plywood, cloth, vinyl, etc. The tiles may be made of markerboard or chalkboard material. Tiles can also be used to support paper. All of these different tile surfaces are easy to fabricate and relatively inexpensive. These give individual users complete freedom to design a unique workstation that suits their job and suits their personality. These options can be selected without special ordering.

Additionally, when a person moves from one department to another, tiles can be easily transferred to the new department, and the old department can be easily modified to suit the new person's personality and work. Walls can also be easily relocated, but in any case tiles can be replaced by individuals or relatively unskilled labor.

Since all tiles have basic (modular) dimensions,
They are interchangeable and do not require special dimensions.

Additionally, the hidden frame does not require any manipulation during tile replacement.

Since the wire management body and the tile 30 are on the same surface,
Gives the appearance of a clean surface. Additionally, the flexibility of the wire management body makes it very easy and simple to install and remove it at waist level.

FIG. 10.11 shows a wall 16 with an open tile 170 located adjacent to the tile 30. The open tile 170 is made up of a pair of vertical side supports 172 and a pair of horizontal pieces 174 fixedly spaced apart from each other.

Horizontal pieces 174 fit above and below side posts 172 positioned relative to vertical members 42 of frame 40 . 11th
As shown in the figure, the side struts 172 have a U-shaped cross section when hollow. In addition, the side struts 172 are somewhat flexible so that the spacing between the legs of the U can be changed by pushing or pushing the legs apart.

A shock absorber 178 is mounted within the C-shaped flange 180 of the side strut 172. Cushioning material 178 tightly engages the sides of vertical members 42 of frame 40 to secure open tiles 17
0 is held in place relative to frame 40.

One horizontal piece 174 is located between the upper and lower side struts 172 and below the surface insert 176 (FIG. 10), above and below the side struts 172.
Mate in the same manner as shown for 4. Intermediate horizontal piece 174 is shown in FIG. 11 without surface insert 176. Work surface 20 is adjacent to insert 176 and is secured to frame 4 by bracket 48 as described above with respect to FIG.
Attached to 0 and 9, - constitutes a surface passing through from m to the other side. Another work surface 20 may be attached to the open tile 170 on the opposite side of the wall 16. Tiles 170 are open, allowing workers on opposite sides of wall 16 to talk and exchange work without having to go around the wall.

The open tiles 170 thus provide line-of-sight and allow air and light to pass through the walls. Open tiles also allow machine sharing and continuous work flow.

A display tile 184 is shown in FIG. 12.13.

It is solid and triangular in cross section, with a back wall 186,
A pair of side walls 188, a sloped front wall 190 and a bottom wall 192
Consists of. These walls are all integrally formed. A horizontal branch 194 is attached across the bottom portion of the front wall 190.

As shown in FIG. 13, display tile 184 is supported to frame 40 by clips 196 that extend into slots 50 in vertical members 42 of frame 40. As shown in FIG.

The clip thus has a hook identical to that shown for bracket 48 in FIG.
to attach the tile 184 to the vertical member 42. One leg of the L-shaped clip 196 extends along the back wall 186 of the tile and is secured by screws 198 (only one shown).

Display tiles 184 can be easily attached to frame 40 and removed from vertical members 42 via clips 196. To remove display tile 184 from the war, simply lift tile 184 and pull outward. An anti-removal device (not shown) may be used on the clip to prevent the display tile 184 and other similar tiles from being accidentally removed from the wall 16.

A mail tile 200 is shown in FIGS. 14-16. This is a square box structure with a top wall 202, a bottom wall 204, and a side wall 206.
, and a square passageway 208 extending through the front section 210 and the rear section 212. A relatively thin-walled square frame 214 is positioned within the passageway 208. The passageway 208 includes a central horizontal shelf 2 extending between the vertical side members 218 of the square frame 214.
16 and a number of wire partitions 220 mounted on the shelves 216 and on the bottom member 222.

The mail tile 200 has a thickness greater than the wall 1G and is mounted on the wall in such a way that a part of the mail tile lies in the work area on the wall side and the opposite side faces towards a corridor formed, for example, by a number of walls 16. It will be done. A person in the hallway puts the sorted mail into a booth in the aisle 208, and a worker in the work area receives it on the opposite side of the wall 1G.

Referring to FIG. 16, mail tiles 200 are supported on frame 40 in the same manner that display tiles are supported on frames as shown in FIG. That is, clips 196 are attached to tiles 200 and set in alignment with slots 50 in vertical members 42 of frame 40.

A shared storage tile 224 is shown in FIG. Similar to mail tile 200, when shared storage tile 224 is attached to wall 16, half of it is on one side of wall 16 and the other half is on the opposite side. This tile 224
consists of a top side 226, a bottom side 228, lateral sides 230 and a pair of open longitudinal sides 232. Tile 22 by these
4 interior 234 is formed. Each longitudinal side 232 is a horizontal side 2
It is closed by a pair of doors 236 pivoted to 30. Door 236 is movable laterally on a slider (not shown) slidably received in a groove (not shown) on lateral side 230. When open, door 236 is tile 2
24 so that the door does not protrude into the work area on either side of the wall 16. Tile 224
Access to the interior 234 of the tile is provided from both sides of the longitudinal side 232 so that workers on either side of the wall can reach the interior of the tile. obtain.

Figures 18-19 show wall 16 with pull-down shelf tiles 238 attached. The tile consists of a solid rectangular member 240 having a rectangular recess 242 formed in its front face 244. A rectangular shelf 246 of substantially the same dimensions as the rectangular recess 242 is pivotally attached to the bottom 248 of the solid rectangular member 240 within the recess. Shelves 246 can be placed in the open position shown in FIG. 19 (horizontal, serving as a work surface for various accessories) and in the closed position seen in FIG. the front surface 244). The shelf 246 has an upper part 25
There is a square thickened section 250 across 2 that acts as a handle to facilitate opening and closing of the shelf. Tile 238 also has relatively short horizontal thickened sections 254 on either side of recess 242 that are flush with rectangular thickened sections 250 when shelf 246 is closed. Thus, when shelf 246 is closed, 250 and 254 form a decorative horizontal lip on tile front surface 244. shelf tile 238
may be attached to frame 40 in the same manner as display tiles 184.

FIG. 20 shows wall 16 incorporating trophy tiles 256. This tile consists of a rectangular frame 258 made up of a horizontal frame 260 and a vertical frame 262. A pair of rectangular mounting brackets 264 are attached to the central portion of the vertical frame 262. The bracket is provided with a number of horizontal channels 268 into which shelves 270 are adjustably slid. The shelf 270 is suitable for displaying trophies (not shown) and the like. The trophy tile 256 has a glass plate 27 attached to its front surface 272.
Partially surrounded by 1. The glass plate 271 allows the person on the front side of the tile to see the display, and also functions as a soundproof wall between both sides of the wall 16. The rear surface 274 of the tile is open to allow access to the shelves and items above.

Next, FIG. 21 shows a storage display tile 276. This is substantially similar to the display tile 184 described above, but with a back wall 278, a front wall 280, a bottom wall 282 and a side wall 284.
The difference is that they are not all integrally formed.

These are separate walls mounted together.

The front wall 280 is also hinged to the back wall 278 at its top 286. The interior of the tile 276 is thus accessible and serves as a storage area for work supplies. This tile 276 is the display tile 184
It is attached to the frame 40 in the same way.

The back wall of the tile 276 may be inserted into an open portion of the frame 40 or may lie against the exterior surface of the frame 40.

FIG. 22 shows in detail the structure of the window tile 30d described above with respect to FIG. The case 38 consists of a pair of stile 288, an upper rail 290 and a lower rail 292. Each stile 288 is approximately L-shaped in cross-section and has an inwardly facing leg 294, a forwardly facing leg 296, and a channel 298 extending the entire length at the junction of the legs. Glass (
The side edges 300 of (or plastic) 38a are aligned with the channels 298 to provide a secure attachment. Stile 288 further includes a pair of slots 302 at an upper end 304 and a lower end 306 to accommodate rails 290. as described below.
2.92 is fixed.

The stile 288 may be provided with means to prevent lateral movement and squeaking of the glass 38a within the channel 298. For example, a strip of foam can be placed inside the channel and the glass 3
The side edges 300 of 8a may be pressed against it to prevent lateral displacement and squeaking.

Glass 38a is positioned in front of the inwardly directed legs 294 of the stile. With this design, when the window 30d is attached to the frame 40, the five legs 294 are in an overlapping relationship with the vertical members 42 of the frame so that the vertical members 42 are not visible through the transparent or translucent glass 38a. Thus, functional but relatively unsightly features of vertical member 42, such as keyhole slot 58, are no longer visible from the position in front of the tile.

Upper rail 290 and lower rail 292 have grooves 310 on opposing surfaces 308 extending substantially their entire length. The longitudinal edge 312 of the glass 38a is formed in this groove 310.
Go inside and install the glass rails 290 and 292. Similar to stile 288, upper and lower rails 2
90.292 can also be provided with a means for preventing the edge 312 of the glass 38a from being laterally displaced with respect to the groove 310 and causing damage. That is, the grooves in these rails may be filled with foam strips or pressure sensitive adhesive (not shown) may be placed in the grooves to prevent lateral shifting and squeaking of the glass 38a.

Additionally, the rails 290, 292 have a pair of openings 314 at opposite ends of the rails aligned with the slots 302 in the stile 288. A bolt 318 is inserted into the aligned aperture 314 and slot 302 to secure them together, and the glass 38
A rigid frame or case 38 (FIG. 2) is formed.

As shown in FIG.
An apron 320 extending downwardly from 8 may be formed by bonding or molding. Glass 38a is apron 3
Placed before 20. Apron 320 is window tile 3
Used when attaching 0d as the top tile of the frame. That is, apron 320 extends in front of horizontal frame member 44 to conceal it from view.

When installing window tile 30d further down, frame 40
Since there are no horizontal members 44 and 46, the apron 320 is not used.

In order to easily attach and detach the window tile 30d to the frame 40,
As described above, a pair of hook-shaped clips 68 and spring clips 69 are provided that project rearward. A hook-shaped clip 68 is set in alignment with the keyhole slot 58 and rectangular hole 62 of the vertical member 42, and a clip 69 is inserted in alignment with a pair of square holes 60. Specifically, a hook-shaped clip 68 is secured to the bottom end of the rear face 324 of the stile. Preferably, the hook-shaped clip 68 is integrally formed with a lower wedge 326 glued to the bottom end of the stile. Alternatively, the hook-shaped clip 68 may be formed integrally with the stile. Spring clip 69 is preferably attached by screw 328 to upper wedge 330 which is glued to upper end 332. The clip 69 may be screwed to a boss (not shown) formed integrally with the stile.

A method of removably attaching window tile 30d to frame 40 is shown in FIG. Fray 1 with tile 30
140, as generally discussed above,
The lower hook-shaped clip 68 of tile 30d is first aligned with the slot 58 and rectangular hole 62 while tilting the tile 30d outward so that the slot 58 and rectangular hole 62 are visible throughout the operation. Tile 30d is then rotated toward frame 40 so that spring clip 69 fits into square hole 60. By reversing this procedure, tile 30d can be easily removed.

The fact that all decorative and functional tiles are easily attached to and removed from the frame 40 by performing the installation and removal procedures described above makes them suitable for workers of different sizes and for different work area organizations. It is possible to reconfigure the tiles mounted on the frame to create a style. The characteristics of this tile reconfiguration are shown in FIGS. 24-26.

Although the frame 40 is shown as having six decorative and functional tiles attached thereto, the six tiles are different in each figure. for example,
The frame 40 shown in FIG. 24 has three window tiles 30d stacked vertically on one side, and a pull-down shelf tile 238 is attached to the center of the frame on the other side, and solid tiles are placed above and below the frame 40. Opaque decorative tiles 30 are installed. The frame 40 of FIG. 25 has a pair of window tiles 30d attached to its top, a pair of solid opaque decorative tiles 30 attached to its bottom, and a pull-down shelf tile 238 and a mail tile 200 attached to the center of the frame. There is. The frame 40 in FIG. 26 has a pair of solid opaque tiles 30 on the upper and lower diagonals, a pair of window tiles 30d on the opposite diagonal, and a display tile 184 and a trophy tile 256 in the center. have.

Figure 27 then shows how the wall height defined by the module tiles is related to the various tasks performed within the workspace. The low wall 18 is formed by a base wire management body 26 and two vertical tiles 30, and constitutes a partial enclosure, but has the ability to sit and talk to people outside the wall 18, and to store supplies or work. allow the flow of The intermediate wall 17 is formed by the wire management body 26 and three vertical tiles 30, and constitutes a partial enclosure for privacy when sitting. The standing height wall 16 is formed by a wire management body 26 and four vertical tiles 30 to protect privacy in a standing position. Total height wall 336. That is, the floor-to-ceiling wall is formed of wire management 26 and six or more tiles 30, providing complete enclosure and complete privacy. This figure illustrates the functional modularity of the stacked wall of the workspace management system according to the invention.

Figure 28 shows window tiles 30 at various wall heights.
d shows how visibility and light transmission are imparted to the wall, providing visibility to workers without compromising the structural or functional integrity of the wall.

A worker 338 is sitting on the work surface 20 in front of the intermediate wall 17 with window tiles 30d. This worker uses wall 1 to maintain line of sight with the area outside wall 17.
7 window tile 30d. Nevertheless, the window tile 30d does not compromise the functional or structural integrity of the wall 17.

Similarly, a worker 340 is standing in front of a tall wall 16 with window tiles 30d at the top. This worker can see through the window tile 30d of the wall 16 and has a clear view outside the wall 16. Furthermore, worker 34
0 above the top of intermediate wall 17 as well as wall 1
It is possible to see through the window 30d of No.7. The window tile 30d thus provides visibility and light transmission to the wall without interfering with the structural or acoustic integrity of the wall.

The idea of hanging decorative and functional tiles on a frame allows the wall system to have the same appearance and thickness as a structural wall, i.e. a wall built on studs using conventional construction methods, even though the wall system can be manufactured at low cost. It is something. Furthermore, the thickness of the walls and tiles allows the wire to be passed around the frame from wall section to wall section without having to penetrate the frame.

This wiring capability is important for quickly and easily installing and changing communication and electrical wires by relatively unskilled labor.

As described above, the workspace management system of the present invention provides an easy means for connecting a wide variety of office workers to electronic equipment and databases. The freedom of wire management at the base and optionally at the waist level, retractability and wiring around the frame provides this capability. As previously mentioned, the retractability provides ease of installation and adaptation with minimal effort, and allows communication wires to be located at a convenient location, i.e., at a working height.

The ease of removability of tiles, as well as their modularity and versatility in functionality, provides control over the use, design and placement of office space. The versatility and modularity of the tiles and the ease with which they can be attached to and removed from the rigid frame provides a solution that meets individual needs within the work area and the balance between privacy and interaction. The present invention allows modern workstations equipped with VDTs to be easily tailored to the physical and psychological needs of individual workers, providing a buffer between individuals and less flexible computer hardware. It provides:

The present invention provides a method by which each workstation can be standardized to individual needs on a convenient and economical basis. Tiles provide functional as well as decorative support, are relatively inexpensive to construct and order, and are easily modified to suit changing functions or tastes.

Additionally, the present invention provides a system for achieving a desired degree of visibility in an open plan wall system. Window tiles and open tiles provide permeability to the wall at the desired degree of openness without compromising other functional needs of the workplace.

It goes without saying that what has been described and illustrated above can be reasonably modified and modified within the framework defined by the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an office environment showing a wall panel system according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a wall panel assembly; and FIG. 3 is a portion of a single frame with electrical and communication equipment wires. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cutaway elevation view.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the bottom of the panel showing the electrical installation into the panel through the monument; Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the introduction of the electrical installation through the ceiling and electric pole; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the horizontal section at waist height of the wall panel showing how electricity and cables pass from panel to panel; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 in Figure 2; Figure 10 is the feed-through surface. A perspective view of a wall panel system according to the present invention showing an open tile with
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wall panel of the present invention showing a display tile according to the present invention. Figure 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13-13 in Figure 12.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the wall panel system of the present invention showing mail tiles, Figure 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-1.5 in Figure 14, and Figure 16 is a sectional view taken along line 16-16 in Figure 14. . FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the wall panel system of the present invention showing the shared storage tiles of the present invention, FIG. FIG. 20 is a partial perspective view similar to that shown in the figure but with the shelves at right angles; FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the wall panel system of the present invention showing the trophy tile of the present invention; FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the wall panel system of the present invention showing the preservation and display tiles of the present invention. FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of the wall panel system of the present invention showing the window tile of the present invention; FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram of the frame and window tile showing ease of installation and removal of the window tile from the frame 71 member; Illustration. FIGS. 24, 25, and 26 are perspective views of the wall system of the present invention, respectively, illustrating the compatibility of functional tiles and decorative tiles according to the present invention. Figure 27 is a schematic elevational view of the wall system of the present invention showing the relationship between walls of various heights and the various tasks performed by people working within the space defined by the walls; 1 is a schematic elevational view of the wall system of the present invention showing the visibility and light transmission achieved; FIG. [Main code] 12...Single workstation 14...Multi workstation 16...Standing height wall 17...Middle wall 18...Low wall 20...Work surface 22...・Cabinet 2
4...Shelf 26...Base wire management assembly 28...Waist height position wire management assembly 30...(straight line) tile 30d...Window tile 3
2... Curved tile 40... Frame 42... Vertical members 44, 46... Horizontal member 48... Bracket 50... Keyhole slot 60... Square hole 62... Rectangular hole 68... ...Hook-shaped clip 69 170...Oven tile 184...Display tile 200...Mail tile 224...Common preservation tile 238...Shelf tile 256...Trophy tile 276...Preservation display tile

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A workspace management system for dividing a certain space into individual work areas, comprising: at least one work area formed by rigidly connecting a plurality of rigid structural frames at their edges; comprising a rigid structural framework for forming a region, at least one of said frames having a substantially open central portion, each of said frames having an outer surface on opposite sides thereof and receiving means on said opposite sides; , further comprising substantially uniform modules of relatively uniform dimensions removably attached to said frame, each comprising attachment means cooperating with receiving means of said frame to facilitate attachment to and removal from said frame. consisting of a number of interchangeable tiles having a common height, said tiles being mounted in overlapping parallel relation to each external surface of said frame, the width of said tile being equal to the width of the frame to which it is mounted; substantially equal and of a height such that at least two tiles are mounted perpendicularly on each of said frames, one of said tiles having a decorative surface and at least one of the other tiles having a decorative surface; consisting of a cabinet inserted into at least one frame having a substantially open central part, so that tiles, whether decorative tiles or cabinet tiles, are installed in the same frame or different frames within one system. A workspace management system characterized by being able to selectively and easily and quickly replace tiles installed in the workspace. 2. The work space management system according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet has a back wall, both side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, has an open front, and has a door attached to the open front. 3. The top wall slopes downwardly and outwardly at its leading edge so that the door swings perpendicularly to the cabinet top wall, so that the door is mounted at an acute angle to the vertical;
3. The workspace management system according to claim 2, wherein the door has a ridge at the bottom so that the door functions as a display shelf. 4. The workspace management system according to claim 2, wherein the cabinet is open at both ends to provide a through hole through the frame. 5. The workspace management system according to claim 4, wherein the cabinet has a vertical partition. 6. said frame having a column of slots for receiving bracket hooks near the edge of its face, slightly short of the column of slots so as to leave said slot exposed when said decorative tile is attached to the frame; 2. The cabinet having a width slightly less than the frame for extending the tile, and wherein the cabinet has bracket means with hooks attached thereto, and the cabinet is attached to the frame through the bracket means and the slot in the face of the frame. 1. The work space management system according to 1. 7. The cabinet includes a housing, a shelf forming means,
The work of claim 1, comprising means for pivotally mounting the shelf-forming means to the housing so that the shelf-forming means can pivot between a vertical position in which the shelf-forming means is flush with adjacent tiles and a horizontal position in which it provides a supporting surface. Space management system. 8. The workspace management system of claim 1, wherein said cabinet has a horizontal shelf extending through said frame and mounted within said frame for display purposes. 9. The workspace management system of claim 1, further comprising a display shelf tile comprising a display shelf extending downwardly and outwardly and having a lip at the bottom thereof for supporting items to be displayed. 10. A workspace management system for dividing a certain space into individual work areas, the system comprising at least one work area formed by rigidly connecting a plurality of rigid structural frames at their edges. comprising a rigid structural framework, each of said frames having an exterior surface on opposite sides thereof and receiving means on said opposite sides, and further comprising mounting means cooperating with said frame receiving means to facilitate attachment to and removal from said frame. comprising a plurality of replaceable tiles having relatively uniform module dimensions and a substantially common height, each with means removably attached to said frame, said tiles extending from an exterior surface on opposite sides of said frame; the width of said tiles being substantially equal to the width of the frame to which they are mounted, and the height of said tiles being such that at least two tiles are mounted perpendicularly on each of said frames; some of the tiles have a decorative surface and at least one of the other tiles has a lip extending downwardly and outwardly for supporting an article to be displayed at the bottom thereof. consisting of display shelves so that either decorative tiles or display shelf tiles can be selectively and easily and quickly replaced with tiles mounted on the same frame or tiles mounted on different frames within one system. A work space management system characterized by: 11. A workspace management system for dividing a certain space into individual work areas, the system comprising at least one work area formed by rigidly connecting a plurality of rigid structural frames at their edges. comprising a rigid structural framework, at least one of said frames having a substantially open central portion, each of said frames having an outer surface on opposite sides thereof and receiving means on said opposite sides; having relatively uniform dimensions and a substantially common height, each module being removably attached to said frame, each comprising attachment means cooperating with a receiving means of said frame to facilitate attachment and removal of said frame; consisting of a number of replaceable tiles having a width substantially equal to the width of the frame to which it is mounted, said tiles being mounted in mutually overlapping parallel relationship on the exterior surfaces of opposite sides of said frame, said tiles having a width substantially equal to the width of the frame to which they are mounted; the height is such that at least two tiles are mounted perpendicularly on each of said frames, one of said tiles having a decorative surface and at least one of the other tiles having a housing and a shelf-forming means; and means for pivoting said shelf-forming means to said housing between a vertical position in the same plane as an adjacent tile and a horizontal position in which it is a supporting surface, thus forming a decorative tile. A work space management system characterized in that shelf tiles can be easily and quickly replaced selectively with tiles attached to the same frame or tiles attached to different frames within one system.