US3814033A

US3814033A - C-frame structural module

Info

Publication number: US3814033A
Application number: US00285940A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Rudat; E Medler
Original assignee: Innovations Inc
Current assignee: Innovations Inc
Priority date: 1972-09-01
Filing date: 1972-09-01
Publication date: 1974-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-04

Abstract

A C-shaped core module constructed of metal skeletal elements, a number of which are embedded in rigid self-skinned polyurethane foam, assembled so that the polyurethane foam material provides both strength and a decorative finish, the module being adapted to accomodate and support sinks, shelves, cupboards, storage cabinets, drawers, hangers, electrical and lighting fixtures and plumbing arrangements useful in hospital pharmaceutical units, laboratories, and various mobile assemblies such as marketing displays.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Rudat et al.

C-FRAME STRUCTURAL MODULE Inventors: Emil A. Rudat, North Reading;

Edwin J. Medler, Millbury, both of Mass.

Innovations Incorporated, Worcester, Mass.

Filed: Sept. 1, 1972 Appl. No.: 285,940

Assignee:

us. on 108/108, 108/152, 312/107 Int. Cl A47b 9/00 Field of Search..... 248/127; 108/108; 312/107,

, References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cousino 52/710 Gingher et a1 Strom .1 312/111 Primary Examiner-Marion Parsons, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Thomas N. Tarrant 1 1 ABSTRACT A C-shaped core module constructed of metal skeletal elements, a number of which are embedded in rigid self-skinned polyurethane foam, assembled so that the polyurethane foam material provides both strength and a decorative finish, the module being adapted to accomodate and support sinks, shelves, cupboards, storage cabinets, drawers, hangers, electrical and lighting fixtures and plumbing arrangements useful in hospital pharmaceutical units, laboratories, and various mobile assemblies such as marketing displays.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 C-FRAME STRUCTURAL MODULE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to modular structural assemblies for supporting an assortment of useful subassemblies such as drawers, cupboard shelves, sinks, range top units, etc. and in particular to such an assembly constructed in a C-frame of a unique combination of foam plastic and structural metal elements.

2. Description of the Prior Art Pharmaceutical units and laboratories in hospitals have been going through a seige of growth and change agonies in recent years which have proved both costly and annoying due to the interference with normal operation during changes. One particular new demand is in the mounting number of .special Care facilities. These facilities are in a constant emergency status and have a need for laboratory and pharmaceutical facilities right at hand, the delay in using central facilities frequently being excessive.

Construction of laboratory and pharmaceutical installations has usually been by custom building. Available units are mostly restricted to limited applications and are not readily convertable or movable for facilitating change. The more common steel assemblies are readily damaged in moving and lack uniformity of strength to accomodate support of a wide variety of appended units from a similar wide variety of supporting points.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Now, in accordance with the present invention a C- frame structural unit is provided, highly resistant to damage and with provisions for appending heavy subassemblies from most desirable points. A back member and identical top and bottom members are made of rigid self-skinned foam plastic with structural metal members embedded. Two L-shaped structural metal side assemblies secure the back, top and bottom members together. Structural metal channel members embedded in the back member facilitate securing of various subassemblies and subcomponents.

Thusfit is an object of the invention to novel core module for clinical facilities.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel integration of foam plastic and structural steel to form core structures for miscellaneous facilities.

Further objects and features of the invention will beprovide a .come apparent upon reading the following description together with the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a C-frame module according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation in section taken along 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevation in section taken along 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the module of FIG. I with dust cover removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the present invention, a free standing general purpose supporting frame is made by molding top, bottom and back components and then assembling them togetherwith further structural metal elements.

The depicted embodiment utilizes top and bottom molded components that are identical for symmetry of form and economy of manufacture. Thus, referring to FIG. I, it will be seen top 11 is an inverted replica of bottom 12. Top 11 and bottom 12 are molded hollow, but in FIG. I, dust cover 14 covers the hollow of top 11 and the hollow of bottom 12 faces down. Back panel 15 is a flat molded panel depicted as molded in two identical pieces joined at junction 16. Back 15 can readily be molded in one piece, but the use of smaller molds facilitates manufacture and handling. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, back panel 15 is only a small part of the thickness of back component 17 and in FIG. 1, side 18 of back component 17 is covered by a decorative strip 20. Strip 20 is suitably a self-adhesive plastic laminate which is used on side 18 only when it is exposed to view.

Back panel 15 is molded of a rigid self-skinned foam plastic with structural

metal channel members

21 and 22 molded into the panel.

Members

21 and 22 are arranged in parallel spaced apart relationship so that they will lie vertically in an installed module.

Channel members

21 and 22 are molded into the plastic so that the channel openings 24 and 25 are flush with the front surface of panel 15.

Channels

21 and 22 are designed to permit insertion of fasteners for securing various accessory components to the module.

Polyurethanes are the most readily available plastics for self-skinned foam systems suitable for molding top 11, bottom 12 and back panel 15 in accordancewith the invention. v

Self-skinned polyurethane foam systems are available in many varieties. They are provided with two reactive components that are mixed, placed in a mold and blown with a gas such as carbon dioxide, freon. various haloginated hydrocarbons, etc. The mold limits expansion so that the molded density is commonly about twice that of free rise and can be, varied widely by choice. The resulting molded product has a solid dense outer skin with the surface textureof the mold and has a gradually coarsening cellular structure inwardly of the skin.

While a wide range of these foam materials would be suitable for the present module, one example that has been used is Stepanthane No. RM-4l, available from Stepan Chemical Company of Northfield, Illinois. Stepanthane RM-4l has been used in a density of approxi mately 20 pounds per cubic foot. Strength characteristics of the different materials are available from the suppliers and some systems require densities as high as 40 pounds per cubic foot for comparable strength.

The structural metal elements molded integrally with the plastic are positioned in the mold at the time of molding. Most of the polyurethane foam systems will form strong dense adherence to such inserted metal elements.

Now, referring to FIG. 2, back panel 15 is molded with a plurality of spacers 27

underlying channel members

21 and 22. Through spacers 27, each of

channels

21 and 22 are fastened to separate vertical standing structural

metal channel members

28 and 30. The configuration of

channel members

28 and 30 is illustrated by top end view in FIG. 4 of member 30. Member 28 can be seen from the inside in FIG. 2.

Channel member

21 and 22 are secured to channel

member

30 and 28 respectively by means of fastenings 31. Fastenings 31 are suitably flat headed machine screws passing through spacers 27 and screwed into threaded inserts 34

in'channel members

21 and 22. ln some cases it has been found preferable to reverse fastenings 31 using a truss head screw entering through

channel members

21 and 22. Nuts and lockwashers would then secure the screws through

channel members

30 and 28. This latter arrangement leaves more clearancefor other fasteningsin channel members 21 g and 22.

Two

further channel members

35 and 36 are secured to channel

members

30 and 28 respectively so that they are vertically positioned, spaced in back of

channel members

21 and 22.

Channel members

28 and 30 contain knock outs 37 facing the sides of the module to allow for entrance of pipes and electrical wiring. Heavy flat metal pieces 38 are positioned externally of

panel members

28 and 30 to provide additional strength. These flat metal pieces 38 are shown in top view, FIG. 4. Knock outs 37 are in members 38 as Well as

members

28 and 30. Members 38, as depicted in FIG. 4, extend to cover the side edge of back panel and'toward the back of the module to cover the edge of a rear cover 62 which encloses a space for plumbing and wiring. Flat metal members 38 are secured to channel

members

28 and 30 by spot welding or other fastening means. I

Bottom 12 contains

channel members

40 and 41 molded integral with the plastic similar to

channels

21 and 22.

Channel members

40 and 41 extend from front to back of bottom 12 with their

openings

42 and 44 opening downwardly inside bottom 12. Fastened into

channels

40 and 41 are separate

structural metal members

45 and 46 made of flat metal strips bent into upwardly reversing bends at each end.

Members

45 and 46 are secured to channel

members

40 and 41 by fastenings-at the reversing lips of the bent ends. Bottom 12 is molded with skirts 48 on both side and the front extending far enough to conceal

structural members

45 and 46. Bottom 12 is secured to back 17 by

fastenings

50 and 51 passing through

structural members

45 and 46 respectively, and secured by nuts in

channel members

21 and 22 respectively.

Bottom 12 is additionally secured to back component 17 by means'of two

bottom channel members

52 and 53 which are bolted to

members

45 and 46 by

fastenings

54 and 55 respectively'and to channel

members

35 and 36 by two corner brackets 56 of which only the right one is illustrated in FIG. 2. While

channel members

52 and 53 are depicted with their open sides facing down, it is frequently preferable to invert them to provide a flat solid surface for resting on the floor. The choice is made on the basis of whether further feet of some sort such as casters are to be added and which way the particular feet are most easily attached.

Corner brackets 56 have horizontal bottom legs suitably screwed into threaded fasteners 57 in

channel members

52 and 53. The upward bending legs of corner brackets 56 are suitably fastened by similar threaded fasteners into

channel members

35 and 36.

Top 11 has two

metal members

58 and 59 which are identical to

members

45 and 46 in bottom 12 and are fastened to back components 17 by fasteners 63 the same as 51 for bottom 12.

Skirts 60 for top 11 face upwardly and a dust cover 14 is secured to the top of top 11 by sheet metal screws 61 which thread into

members

58 and 59. Dust cover 14 extends to the rear of topll to cover back component 17. A back dust cover 62 suitably of .polyurethane is secured to the back of the module by means of sheet metal screws 64 which thread into

vertical members

30, 28, 35 and 36.

The modules are readily installed side by side in a plurality of units by bolting adjoining units together through bolt holes 65 shown in FIG. 2. The bottoms of adjoining units may also be secured together by bridging straps secured to channel

members

52 and 53. These bridging straps then become suitable for accepting leveling feet or rollers to facilitate moving.

While it has been found possible to support 400 lbs. from the outer edge of top 11, it is contemplated that support for accessory components will be provided entirely from

channel members

21 and 22. It is also contemplated that lighting units may be installed in top 11.

While the invention has been described in relation to a specific embodiment, various arrangements in the C- form of similar combinations of self-skinned foam plastics with structural metal reinforcement are contemplated as within the scope of the invention and in accordance with the following claims.

I claim:

1. A structural module for supporting shelves, cupboards, sinks and the like comprising:

a. Vertical supports comprising two spaced structural metal support members;

b. Lateral supports consisting of a bottom panel, a back panel and a top panel made of self-skinned rigid foam plastic;

c. Connecting elements comprising longitudinal channel metal integrally molded into each of said bottom panel, back panel and top panel proximate each side thereof, and

d. Fastening means for connecting said connecting elements to said vertical supports whereby said bottom panel, said back panel and said top panel are securely fastened together into a rigid selfsupporting structure having thegeneral shape in side aspect of a C."

2. A structural module according to claim 11 wherein said connecting elements in said back panel are channel members arranged vertically with the channel opening facing the front of the module and adapted to receive fastenings for securing various accessory components to said module.

3. A structural module according to claim 11 wherein said metal support members are vertical channel members having their channel openings facing each other, and said vertical supports each further comprise a vertical flat member and a horizontal channel member secured to each vertical channel member so that each said vertical channel member is secured together in an L-shape with a respective flat member and horizontal channel member and the vertical supports are held in spaced apart relationship by said bottom panel, said back panel and said top panel.

4. A structural module according to claim 11 wherein said top panel and said bottom panel are identical moldings.

5. A modular frame assembly for supporting shelves, cabinets, sinks and various miscellaneous facilities and accessories comprising:

a. Top, back and bottom assemblies of molded selfskinned rigid foam plastic with integral metal support members; and,

b. Vertical structural metal members secured to said integral metal support members holding said top, back and bottom assemblies together in a substantially C-shaped configuration.

6. A modular frame assembly according to claim 5 in which said metal support members integral in said back assembly are two vertical spaced apart channel members adapted to receive fasteners for supporting accessory units.

7. A modular frame assembly according to claim 5 in which said vertical structural metal members comprise two rear channel members, one on each side of said module and two flat stiffening members, one secured to each of said rear channel members and adapted for fastening a plurality of modules in side-by-side relationskirts molded into said top and bottom assemblies.

Claims

1. A structural module for supporting shelves, cupboards, sinks and the like comprising: a. Vertical supports comprising two spaced structural metal support members; b. Lateral supports consisting of a bottom panel, a back panel and a top panel made of self-skinned rigid foam plastic; c. Connecting elements comprising longitudinal channel metal integrally molded into each of said bottom panel, back panel and top panel proximate each side thereof, and d. Fastening means for connecting said connecting elements to said vertical supports whereby said bottom panel, said back panel and said top panel are securely fastened together into a rigid self-supporting structure having the general shape in side aspect of a ''''C.''''

5. A modular frame assembly for supporting shelves, cabinets, sinks and various miscellaneous facilities and accessories comprising: a. Top, back and bottom assemblies of molded self-skinned rigid foam plastic with integral metal support members; and, b. Vertical structural metal members secured to said integral metal support members holding said top, back and bottom assemblies together in a substantially C-shaped configuration.

7. A modular frame assembly according to claim 5 in which said vertical structural metal members comprise two rear channel members, one on each side of said module and two flat stiffening members, one secured to each of said rear channel members and adapted for fastening a plurality of modules in side-by-side relationship.

8. A modular frame assembly according to claim 5 wherein said molded foam plastic is a rigid self-skinned polyurethane foam having an average density in the range of 20 to 40 pounds per cubic foot.

9. A modular frame assembly according to claim 8 wherein said metal support members and said structural metal members are steel.

10. A modular frame assembly according to claim 5 wherein the metal support members for said top and bottom assemblies are concealed from view by plastic skirts molded into said top and bottom assemblies.