초록 ▼

A snap-on attachment structure for attaching a side skin to an upright frame of a wall system. The attachment structure includes resilient attachment strips secured to the rear of the skin and extending along upright edges thereof. Each strip cooperates with a projection formed on an upright frame m

A snap-on attachment structure for attaching a side skin to an upright frame of a wall system. The attachment structure includes resilient attachment strips secured to the rear of the skin and extending along upright edges thereof. Each strip cooperates with a projection formed on an upright frame member and extending vertically therealong. The snap-on strip has a pair of cantilevered spring legs which protrude outwardly in angled relationship. The spring legs adjacent outer ends are provided with coil-shaped head parts which protrude inwardly toward one another. The head parts have hollow arcuate configurations and move into gripping engagement with shallow arcuate recesses formed on opposite sides of the projection.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An upright wall system, comprising: an upright frame structure including a plurality of elongate frame members interconnected to define one or more open areas which open horizontally through the frame structure, said plurality of frame members including a pair of upright fram

What is claimed is: 1. An upright wall system, comprising: an upright frame structure including a plurality of elongate frame members interconnected to define one or more open areas which open horizontally through the frame structure, said plurality of frame members including a pair of upright frame members which are disposed in sidewardly spaced and generally parallel relationship and which define said one open area therebetween, said upright frame members having opposite base walls which extend vertically and face sidewardly wherein said base wall on each respective side of said frame structure lies coplanar within a respective vertically-extending side plane, said upright frame members further including a channel wall structure displaced inwardly from a respective said base wall of each of said upright frame members wherein each said channel wall structure defines a vertically elongate channel having a channel mouth which opens sidewardly through said side plane; a large vertically-extending side skin positioned adjacent one side of said frame structure and extending horizontally between said pair of upright frame members for closing off said one open area, said side skin having an interior face defining a rear side and having vertically-extending edge portions which are respectively positioned in engaged relationship with a respective one of the upright frame members wherein said interior face is disposed closely adjacent to and substantially parallel to said side plane; and a snap-on attachment structure extending vertically along and creating a cooperative engagement between each said upright frame member and the respectively adjacent upright edge portion of said skin for fixedly attaching the side skin to the frame structure; said snap-on attachment structure including a vertically elongate attachment clip mounted on said rear side of said side skin adjacent an upright edge thereof, said attachment clip being cantilevered generally horizontally outwardly away from the rear side of said skin and projecting into said channel of the respective upright frame member inwardly of said side plane; said snap-on attachment structure also including an elongate attachment rib fixed to and extending lengthwise of said upright frame member within said channel and cantilevered horizontally outwardly from said channel wall structure in a direction toward the interior face of said skin and terminating in a free end disposed inwardly of said side plane; said attachment rib including an enlarged head part adjacent the free end thereof which terminates at said free end inwardly of said side plane, said enlarged head part having oppositely-facing side surfaces provided with a convex rounded profile, said side surfaces defining a first width therebetween which constitutes the maximum transverse width of the attachment rib; said attachment rib also including a bridge part which is disposed horizontally inwardly from the enlarged head part within said channel and which rigidly joins to an upright wall of said upright frame member, said bridge part being defined between oppositely facing side surfaces which are concavely smoothly rounded and which respectively merge into the convex rounded side surfaces of the enlarged head part, said bridge part having a minimal transverse width as defined between the concavely rounded side surfaces which is substantially smaller than the maximum width defined by said enlarged head part; and said attachment clip including a vertically-elongate wall base which is fixedly carried on said side skin adjacent the interior face thereof, and a pair of sidewardly-spaced vertically-elongate spring legs fixed to and cantilevered rearwardly from said wall base for sideward straddling engagement with the adjacent attachment rib, each said spring leg having thereon an enlarged head part defined by a coil-shaped sector which is integrally joined to the spring leg adjacent a free end thereof and which is coiled inwardly through an angular extent of at least approximately 270 degrees so as to be convexly rounded and project inwardly toward the enlarged head part fixed to the other spring leg, the enlarged head parts being positioned in sidewardly adjacent but sidewardly spaced relation to define a gap therebetween having a minimal width which is less than the minimal width of the bridge part when the spring clip is in a resiliently non-deflected condition, the coil-shaped head part associated with each spring leg being spaced outwardly a substantial distance away from the wall base, and said coil-shaped head parts having an exterior configuration which is compatible with and generally conforms to the shape of the concave rounded side surfaces defined on opposite sides of the bridge part for permitting the bridge part to be gripped between the coil-shaped head parts when the attachment clip is snappingly engaged over the attachment rib. 2. A wall system according to claim 1, wherein the spring legs when in a resiliently non-deflected condition are joined to and angle outwardly away from the wall base in non-perpendicular relationship therewith, with the pair of spring legs diverging with respect to one another as they project outwardly away from the wall base. 3. A wall system according to claim 2, wherein the attachment clip has a generally heart-shaped cross-section. 4. A wall system according to claim 1, wherein said pair of spring legs are integrally and monolithically joined to said wall base and protruding outwardly therefrom in sidewardly spaced relationship so as to be disposed on opposite sides of a center plane which perpendicularly intersects said wall base, said spring legs and the enlarged head parts associated therewith being identical but mirror images of one another as positioned symmetrically on opposite sides of said center plane. 5. A wall system according to claim 4, wherein each spring leg adjacent the free end thereof is integrally joined to the coil-shaped head part so that the spring leg and the integral head part are of substantially uniform thickness from the point of connection to the wall base to the free end of the enlarged head part. 6. A wall system according to claim 5, wherein the free end of the coil-shaped head end is oriented so as to point generally in a direction toward the wall base, the free end being transversely spaced from the wall base by a first distance, the spring leg with the enlarged head part thereon projecting transversely from the base wall by a second distance, and said second distance being at least approximately twice said first distance. 7. A wall system according to claim 1, wherein said attachment clip is a monolithic one-piece member formed of a stiff but resiliently deflectable plastics material. 8. A wall system according to claim 1, wherein said wall base directly overlies said interior face of said side skin and is fixedly attached thereto by a double-faced adhesive tape, and a plurality of fasteners extending through said wall base at spaced locations therealong for penetration into said side skin for fixedly attaching the attachment clip to the skin. 9. A wall system according to claim 1, wherein said wall base is substantially aligned with said channel such that said wall base projects at least partially into said channel mouth after engagement of said attachment clip and said rib. 10. A wall system according to claim 9, wherein said wall base is disposed on said interior face of said side skin wherein said spring legs and a portion of said wall base are insertable in said channel to position said interior face of said side skin closely adjacent said side plane. 11. A wall system according to claim 10, wherein said side skin has a vertically elongate mounting member fixed adjacent said rear side of said side skin and extending vertically adjacent a side edge thereof, said mounting member defining therein a vertically extending channel-like recess which opens rearwardly, and the wall base of said attachment clip being positioned within said channel-like recess and fixedly joined to said mounting member, said mounting member being at least partially insertable within said channel. 12. A wall system according to claim 11, wherein said wall base of said attachment clip has transverse projections formed thereon adjacent opposite lengthwise-extending free edges thereof, and said elongate mounting member has side flanges which lockingly engage with said projections to fixedly secure said wall base within the channel-shaped recess.