Partition Assembly

Abstract

An office work system that comprises a beam assembly that includes a first horizontal frame member having an upper surface and an upwardly opening first channel that extends along a length of the first horizontal frame member, a work surface having an upper surface, and a work surface support assembly that engages the first channel and is positionable along a length of the beam, and adjustably supports the work surface at a plurality of vertical heights relative to the first horizontal frame member, wherein at least one of the plurality of vertical heights positions the upper surface of the work surface above the upper surface of the first horizontal frame member.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An office work system, comprising:
 a beam assembly including a first horizontal frame member having an upper surface and an upwardly opening first channel extending along a length of the first horizontal frame member;   a work surface having an upper surface; and   a work surface support assembly that engages the first channel and is positionable along a length of the beam, and adjustably supports the work surface at a plurality of vertical heights relative to the first horizontal frame member, wherein at least one of the plurality of vertical heights positions the upper surface of the work surface above the upper surface of the first horizontal frame member.   
     
     
         2 . The office work system of  claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal frame member includes a beam member. 
     
     
         3 . The office work system of  claim 1 , wherein the first channel includes an inverted T-shaped cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The office work system of  claim 1 , wherein the work surface support assembly comprises a guide member that engages the first channel, and a support member that is telescopingly received by the guide member and is vertically adjustable with respect to the guide member. 
     
     
         5 . The office work system of  claim 4 , wherein the support member includes a plurality of recesses spaced along a length of the support member, and wherein the recesses selectively receive an engagement member therein, thereby securing the support member at a vertical position with respect to the guide member. 
     
     
         6 . The office work system of  claim 6 , wherein the engagement member is threadably received by the guide member. 
     
     
         7 . The office work system of  claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal frame member includes a plurality of apertures located in a bottom surface and spaced along a length of the first horizontal frame member, and wherein the work surface support assembly engages at least one of the apertures, thereby securing the work surface support assembly along the length of the first horizontal frame member. 
     
     
         8 . The office work system of  claim 7 , wherein the work surface support assembly includes an elastically deformable clip member that engages at least one of the apertures. 
     
     
         9 . A partition system for subdividing a floor plan area, comprising:
 at least a pair of beam assemblies, each comprising:
 a horizontally extending beam member defining an uppermost edge of the beam assembly and including a first end, a second end and a pair of upwardly opening channels extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end, wherein the channels are open at least one of the first end and the second end, and wherein the channels are configured to cooperate with one another to support a work tool from the beam member; 
 at least one horizontally extending lower frame member located below the beam member; 
 a plurality of vertical frame members extending between and coupled with the beam member and the at least one lower frame member; 
   wherein the pair of beam assemblies are coupled in an end-to-end relationship such that the pair of channels of the beam members are uninterrupted between the pair of beam assemblies.   
     
     
         10 . The partition system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the slots have an inverted substantially T-shaped cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The partition system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the slots includes a downwardly extending neck portion having a first width, and a receiver portion located below the neck portion and in uninterrupted communication with the neck portion, the receiver portion having a second width that is greater than the first width. 
     
     
         12 . The partition system of  claim 11 , wherein the receiver portion includes a pair of downwardly angled bottom walls. 
     
     
         13 . The partition system of  claim 9 , wherein each beam member includes an alignment aperture located proximate one of the ends of the beam member and adapted to receive an alignment member therein for longitudinally aligning the pair of beam assemblies. 
     
     
         14 . The partition system of  claim 13 , wherein the alignment aperture is located within an interior beam member. 
     
     
         15 . The partition system of  claim 9 , wherein the beam member includes a plurality of apertures spaced along the length of the beam member that are adapted to receive a work tool mounting assembly therein. 
     
     
         16 . The partition system of  claim 15 , wherein the apertures are located in a bottom wall of the beam. 
     
     
         17 . The partition system of  claim 9 , wherein the beam member includes a plurality of apertures spaced along the length of the beam member and extending through a bottom wall of the beam member, and wherein the vertical members are received within the apertures. 
     
     
         18 . The partition system of  claim 9 , wherein the beam member includes a bottom wall having at least one aperture located substantially proximate at least one of the ends of the beam member, and further including:
 a pair of coupler assemblies each having at least one hook structure received within the at least one aperture of adjacent beam assemblies, respectively, and wherein the pair of coupler assemblies are adapted to couple with one another, thereby securing the adjacent pair of beam assemblies.   
     
     
         19 . The partition system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the coupler assemblies include apertures adapted to receive bolts therein, thereby securing the pair of beam assemblies with one another. 
     
     
         20 . The partition system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one hook includes a pair of hooks, and wherein each of the coupler assemblies includes at least one flexibly resilient bumper member that abuts the bottom wall of the beam member of the adjacent beam assembly. 
     
     
         21 . The partition system of  claim 9 , wherein the beam member includes a pair of outer sidewalls that define an outer width of the beam member and that partially define the pair of channels, respectively. 
     
     
         22 . The partition system of  claim 9 , further comprising the work tool, wherein the work tool is supported from the beam member by the pair of channels only. 
     
     
         23 . The partition system of  claim 22 , wherein the pair of channels between the at least pair of beam assemblies are configured such that the work tool remains supported by the channels as the work tool is repositioned between the at least pair of beam assemblies. 
     
     
         24 . A partition system for subdividing a floor plan area, comprising:
 at least a pair of beam assemblies, each comprising:
 a horizontally extending beam member defining an uppermost edge of the beam assembly and including a first end, a second end and one or more upwardly opening channels extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end, wherein the one or more channels are open at least one of the first end and the second end, and wherein the one or more channels are configured to support a work tool from the beam member; 
 wherein the beam member includes a bottom wall having at least one aperture located substantially proximate at least one of the ends of the beam member; 
 at least one horizontally extending lower frame member located below the beam member; and 
 a plurality of vertical frame members extending between and coupled with the beam member and the at least one lower frame member; and 
   a pair of coupler assemblies each having at least one hook structure received within the at least one aperture of adjacent beam assemblies, respectively, and wherein the pair of coupler assemblies are adapted to couple with one another, thereby securing the adjacent pair of beam assemblies; and   wherein the pair of beam assemblies are coupled in an end-to-end relationship such that the pair of channels of the beam members are uninterrupted between the pair of beam assemblies.