Furniture system

• Main Authors: BODDEN KURT S, LUCHETTI ROBERT J, DRAUDT GREGG R, ZIMMER LINDA K, CORNELL PAUL T
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.10.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ADVERTISING; BUILDING; BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; CEILINGS; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; DISPLAYING; DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; EDUCATION; FENCING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES,FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS,BLINDS, GATES; FLOORS; GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; LADDERS; MASTS; PHYSICS; ROOFS; SEALS; SIGNS; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS

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.