The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 10, 1998
Filed:
May. 25, 1995
Paul T Cornell, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Robert J Luchetti, Cambridge, MA (US);
Gregg R Draudt, Cambridge, MA (US);
Kurt S Bodden, Boston, MA (US);
Linda K Zimmer, Eugene, OR (US);
Steelcase Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Abstract
A furniture system is particularly adapted to support group activities in open plans, and the like. A plurality of columns support an overhead framework on the floor of a building in a freestanding fashion at a predetermined elevation, generally above average user height. A plurality of individual panels are provided, wherein each panel is constructed to permit easy, manual, bodily translation of the same by an adult user. A hanger arrangement is associated with the overhead framework, and cooperates with connectors on the panels to detachably suspend the panels at various locations along the overhead framework. The panels are manually reconfigurable between many different arrangements to efficiently and effectively support different group activities. Preferably, the panels are capable of providing a partitioning function to visually divide at least a portion of the workspace, and/or a display function to facilitate group communications.