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:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 07, 2000
Robert E. Reuter, East Setauket, NY (US);
Wallace C. Bullwinkle, Gilbertsville, PA (US);
Ronald A. Snyder, Allentown, PA (US);
Knoll, Inc., East Greenville, PA (US);
Abstract
A stackable panel system having a versatile corner supporting arrangement for addition onto existing wall systems for a modular office system. The corners of the stackable panel include a sliding engagement scheme, wherein a mast assembly is secured to a top portion of the wall system by a mast base and slidably engages a central open area of a corner support on the stackable panel by means of a vertically oriented mast upright. Additional panels can be added to the stackable panels by means of intermediate connectors. On the upper portion of the top panel, a corner trim piece covers over the central open area of the top corners. A top connector helps to rigidly secure adjacent stackable panels, either with a T-shaped, L-shaped or X-shaped connection. A perimeter framing system utilizing the corner support arrangement for the stackable panels is also provided. Each of the frame members includes a semi-circular section and a flat section. The frame members are secured to the corner connectors having a matching cross section by means of screws which are threadingly engaged with the flat portions and pass into the semi-circular areas such that the open area of the frame does not have the frame securing elements projecting therein. In a further embodiment, a floor mounted mast assembly is provided for using the stackable panels of the present invention as a room space divider. In addition, the corner supports can be attached to existing panels so that they may be used with prior art systems to convert them into stackable panels of the present invention having a sliding engagement mechanism.