초록 ▼

A portable, prefabricated panel adapted to be connected with a plurality of similar panels to form a wall or partition structure. The panel is electrically prewired and includes electrical power blocks disposed adjacent the opposite lower corners of the panel, which power blocks are connected by ele

A portable, prefabricated panel adapted to be connected with a plurality of similar panels to form a wall or partition structure. The panel is electrically prewired and includes electrical power blocks disposed adjacent the opposite lower corners of the panel, which power blocks are connected by electrical cables which extend internally of the panel. When two or more panels are connected together, electrical power is transmitted between each adjacent pair of panels by a flexible electrical connector which plugs into the power blocks of the adjacent panels. The panel also has electrical sockets integrally associated therewith, which sockets are preferably associated with the power blocks. The power blocks are symmetrical so that the same electrical connections can be made on either side of the panel. A channel-like raceway extends along the bottom edge of the panel for permitting the hidden storage of communication cables. The panel preferably has a rectangular frame formed from hollow channel-like members which define an interior path around the complete periphery of the panel to facilitate the feeding of cables and conduits along the vertical or horizontal edges of the panel.

대표청구항 ▼

In a substantially free-standing interior wall system for dividing a large office area into smaller working areas, said wall system including a plurality of portable prefabricated upright panels, at least some of said panels being horizontally connected together in series so that the vertical end ed

In a substantially free-standing interior wall system for dividing a large office area into smaller working areas, said wall system including a plurality of portable prefabricated upright panels, at least some of said panels being horizontally connected together in series so that the vertical end edges of said panels are positioned in close proximity to one another, and hinge means connected between the adjacent vertical end edges of adjacent panels for horizontally hingedly connecting said adjacent panels together to permit them to be horizontally angularly adjusted with respect to one another, the improvement comprising electrical power means formed as an integral part of said wall system for transmitting electrical energy to and between a group of said series-connected panels, said power means including: first and second electrical terminal means fixedly mounted on each said panel of said group approximately adjacent the opposite end edges thereof in the vicinity of the lower corners of said panel, said electrical terminal means being disposed substantially between a pair of substantially parallel vertical planes as defined by the opposite side surfaces of the respective panel; raceway means fixedly connected to each said panel of said plurality and extending horizontally across said panel adjacent the lower edge thereof, said first and second terminal means being positioned adjacent the opposite ends of said raceway means, said raceway means extending across and having a width which approximately corresponds to the width of said panel, said raceway means including wall means defining a substantially closed interior passageway which extends horizontally of said panel between said first and second electrical terminal means for permitting communication cables or the like to pass therethrough: cable means extending horizontally across each said panel, the opposite ends of said cable means being fixedly connected to said first and second electrical terminal means for permitting transmission of electrical energy therebetween; each said terminal means having a pair of multiconductor connection means integrally associated therewith, the pair of connection means on said first terminal means being identical to the pair of connection means on said second terminal means, each said connection means defining one-half of a separable electrical connection, said pair of connection means as associated with each said terminal means being sidewardly spaced apart in the widthwise dimension of the panel but spaced laterally inwardly from the exterior sidewalls of said raceway means, whereby one connection means of said pair is positioned more closely adjacent one of the side surfaces of the panel and the other connection means of said pair is positioned more closely adjacent the other side surface of the panel; flexible electrical connector means extending between and connected to the opposed pair of electrical terminal means as provided on first and second said panels which are disposed adjacent and horizontally series-connected for transmitting electrical energy between said first and second panels, said flexible electrical connector means including a pair of housing parts each having connecting means associated therewith and joined together by a center portion which permits said pair of housing parts to be horizontally angularly displaced relative to one another so as to accommodate the horizontal angular relationship between the series-connected first and second panels, each said connecting means being incompatible and not engageable with a conventional two- or three-conductor plug or socket, said flexible electrical connector means also including electrical conductor means extending through said center portion for electrically joining said pair of connecting means together, each of said connecting means defining one-half of said separable electrical connection and being slidably engageable with one of said connection means as associated with each electrical terminal means of said opposed pair, and said housing parts being disposed so as to not extend laterally outwardly of said raceway means when said connecting means and said connection means are joined together; said flexible connector means being disposed substantially between or flush with parallel vertical planes as defined by the opposed sides of said first and second panels, one of said connecting means being slidably engaged with the connection means disposed adjacent said one side of said wall system and as associated with the electrical terminal means mounted on said first panel in close proximity to said second panel, the other said connecting means being slidably engageable with the connection means as disposed more closely adjacent said one side of said wall system and as associated with the electrical terminal means of said second panel as disposed in close proximity to said first panel, whereby said first and second panels are electrically joined together; said flexible electrical connector means being electrically connectible between said opposed pair of terminal means by being alternatively releasably joined to either (1) the opposed pair of connection means as disposed more closely adjacent said one side of said wall system, or (2) the other opposed pair of connection means as disposed more closely adjacent the other side of said wall system, but not to both at the same time, whereby said flexible electrical connector means can be electrically connected between the opposed pair of electrical terminal means by being positioned adjacent either side of said wall system but not on both sides at the same time so as to permit any desired alignment or angularity between the series-connected panels; one said electrical terminal means as associated with each panel also including a further connection means associated therewith for defining one-half of a plug-in type separable electrical connection, said further connection means being positioned in close proximity to and approximately between said pair of first-mentioned connection means, and elongated electrical cable means projecting vertically downwardly through an interior passageway in one of said panels and terminating at its lower end in another connection means defining one-half of said last-mentioned electrical connection, said another connection means being slidably engageable with said further connection means.