Partition panel covering attachment assembly

Abstract

A partition panel system comprises a frame assembly that includes a plurality of spaced vertical frame members, and a plurality of horizontal frame members extending between and coupled with the vertical frame members, wherein at least the vertical frame members or the horizontal frame members include spaced panel hanging apertures. The partition assembly also includes a panel assembly coupled with the frame assembly and including a panel member and at least one panel frame member coupled to an inner surface of the panel member proximate a peripheral edge thereof. The panel assembly further includes at least one clip member including an engagement portion that engages the hanger apertures of the frame assembly, and that is coupled with the panel frame member such that the clip member is slidable with respect to the panel member when the panel assembly is operably coupled with the frame assembly, thereby allowing for expansion and contraction of the panel member.

1 . A partition system comprising: 
 a frame assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced vertical frame members; and  
 a plurality of horizontal frame members extending between and operably coupled with the vertical frame members, wherein at least a select one of a group consisting of the plurality of vertical frame members and the plurality of horizontal frame members includes a plurality of spaced panel hanging apertures; and  
   a panel assembly operably coupled with the frame assembly and comprising: 
 a panel member having an outer exposed surface, an inner surface and a peripheral edge;  
 at least one panel frame member coupled to the inner surface of the panel member proximate the peripheral edge of the panel member; and  
 at least one clip member including an engagement portion that engages at least one of the hanger apertures of the frame assembly, and that is operably coupled with the at least one panel frame member such that the at least one clip member is slidable with respect to the panel member when the panel assembly is operably coupled with the frame assembly, thereby allowing for expansion and contraction of the panel member.  
   
     
     
         2 . The partition system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one clip is slidably received between the at least one panel frame member and the panel member.  
     
     
         3 . The partition system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a pair of panel frame members juxtaposed across the panel member from one another, and wherein one of the at least one clip members is slidably received between each one of the pair of panel frame members and the panel member.  
     
     
         4 . The partition system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one clip member is spring biased in a direction biasing the engagement portion of the at least one clip into engagement with an edge of at least one of the apertures of the vertical frame member.  
     
     
         5 . The partition system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one clip member is spring biased by a spring member abutting the at least one clip and the at least one panel frame member.  
     
     
         6 . The partition system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a longitudinally-extending channel, and wherein the spring member is disposed within the channel.  
     
     
         7 . The partition system of  claim 5 , wherein the spring member comprises an arcuately-shaped spring rod.  
     
     
         8 . The partition system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes an aperture through which the engagement portion of the at least one clip member extends.  
     
     
         9 . The partition system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a body portion abutting the inner surface of the panel member, and an edge portion extending longitudinally along and substantially orthogonally from the body portion that abuts the peripheral edge of the panel member.  
     
     
         10 . The partition system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one clip member includes first tab member that engages the at least one panel frame member at a first point and a second tab that engages the at least one panel frame member at a second point offset from the first point, thereby coupling the at least one clip member to the at least one panel frame member.  
     
     
         11 . The partition system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel member comprises a material that expands and contracts under differing climate conditions.  
     
     
         12 . The partition system of  claim 11 , wherein the panel member comprises wood.  
     
     
         13 . A partition panel assembly for covering open spans within a partition system that includes a frame assembly including a plurality of spaced structural frame members each including a plurality of forwardly-exposed spaced apertures, the panel assembly comprising: 
 a panel member having an outer exposed surface, an inner surface and a peripheral edge;    at least one panel frame member coupled to the inner surface of the panel member proximate the peripheral edge of the panel member; and    at least one clip member slidably received between the panel member and the at least one panel frame member, and including an engagement portion adapted to engage at least one aperture of a structural frame member of a partition frame assembly, and that is operably coupled with the at least one panel frame member such that the at least one clip member is adapted to slide with respect to the panel member when the partition panel assembly is operably coupled with a partition frame assembly, thereby allowing for expansion and contraction of the panel member.    
     
     
         14 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a pair of panel frame members juxtaposed across the panel member from one another, and wherein one of the at least one clip member is slidably received between each of the pair of panel frame members and the panel member.  
     
     
         15 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one clip member is spring biased in a direction adapted to bias the engagement portion of the at least one clip into engagement with an edge of an aperture of a vertical frame member of a partition frame assembly.  
     
     
         16 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one clip member is spring biased by a spring member abutting the at least one clip and the at least one panel frame member.  
     
     
         17 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a longitudinally-extending channel, and wherein the spring member is disposed within the channel.  
     
     
         18 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the spring member comprises an arcuately-shaped spring rod.  
     
     
         19 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes an aperture through which the engagement portion of the at least one clip member extends.  
     
     
         20 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a body portion abutting the inner surface of the panel member, and a longitudinally-extending edge portion abutting the peripheral edge of the panel member.  
     
     
         21 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one clip member includes first tab member that engages the at least one panel frame member at a first point and a second tab that engages the at least one panel frame member at a second point offset from the first point, thereby coupling the at least one clip member to the at least one panel frame member.  
     
     
         22 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the panel member comprises a material that expands and contracts under differing climate conditions.  
     
     
         23 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the panel member comprises wood.  
     
     
         24 . A partition panel assembly for covering open spans within a partition system that includes a frame assembly including a plurality of spaced structural frame members each including a plurality of forwardly-exposed spaced apertures, the partition panel assembly comprising: 
 a panel member having an outer exposed surface, an inner surface and a peripheral edge;    at least one panel frame member coupled to the inner surface of the panel member proximate the peripheral edge of the panel member; and    at least one clip member including an engagement portion adapted to engage at least one aperture of a structural frame member of a partition frame assembly, and that is operably coupled with the at least one panel frame member such that a majority of the at least one clip member is positioned between the panel member and the at least one panel frame member, thereby securely coupling the at least one clip member with the panel member and the at least one panel frame member.    
     
     
         25 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one clip member is adapted to slide with respect to the panel member when the partition panel assembly is operably coupled with a partition frame assembly.  
     
     
         26 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a pair of frame members juxtapositioned across the panel member from one another, and wherein one of the at least one clip members is slidably received between each of the pair of panel frame members and the panel member.  
     
     
         27 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one clip member is spring biased in a direction adapted to bias the engagement portion of the at least one clip into engagement with an edge of an aperture of a vertical frame member of a partition frame assembly.  
     
     
         28 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one clip member is spring biased by a spring member abutting the at least one clip and the at least one panel frame member.  
     
     
         29 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a longitudinally-extending channel, and wherein the spring member is disposed within the channel.  
     
     
         30 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the spring member comprises an arcuately-shaped spring rod.  
     
     
         31 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes an aperture through which the engagement portion of the at least one clip member extends.  
     
     
         32 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one panel frame member includes a body portion abutting the inner surface of the panel member, and a longitudinally-extending edge portion abutting the peripheral edge of the panel member.  
     
     
         33 . The partition panel assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one clip member includes a first tab member that engages the at least one panel frame member at a first point and a second tab that engages the at least one panel frame member at a second point offset from the first point, thereby coupling the at least one clip member to the at least one panel frame member.