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Soffit assembly for moveable wall system and removal tool therefor

a technology for moving walls and soffits, which is applied in the direction of walls, doors/window fittings, wing accessories, etc., can solve the problems of time-consuming installation and removal of screws and bolts, negating the primary purpose of soffits, and unappealing to the eye, so as to achieve quick and easy installation and assembly. the effect of easy assembly

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-11-09
MODERNFOLD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] An advantage of the present invention is that the soffit may be quickly and easily installed without any screws or bolts being visible.
[0011] Another advantage is that the soffit may be formed of a material that is less expensive than the steel material of which soffits have conventionally been made.
[0012] Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the soffit may be adapted to have some freedom of movement relative to the soffit bracket in a latitudinal direction. Thus, the soffit clip and the soffit bracket do not need to be formed with tight tolerances, and may be easily assembled together due to the play therebetween.
[0013] Still another advantage is that a single tool may be used to remove either of the two embodiments of a soffit that are disclosed herein.

Problems solved by technology

However, such screws and bolts may themselves be unappealing to the eye, thus negating the primary purpose of the soffit.
Another problem is that the installation and removal of the screws and bolts are time consuming processes.
Yet another problem is that the screws and bolts are subject to loosening and falling out of their holes and thus becoming lost or allowing the soffit to fall.

Method used

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  • Soffit assembly for moveable wall system and removal tool therefor
  • Soffit assembly for moveable wall system and removal tool therefor
  • Soffit assembly for moveable wall system and removal tool therefor

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

first embodiment

[0026] With reference now to FIGS. 2-4, one configuration of the track, trolley and a soffit assembly of the present invention is further described. Track 16 is of a known design and is made of hardened cold-rolled steel in a generally square tubed shape including a top wall 22, vertical side walls 24 and 25, and bottom wall portions 27 and 28. Track 16 may be mounted to the ceiling support structure by any means known in the art, such as by hanger brackets 26, one of which is shown in FIG. 2. Hanger brackets 26 may be positioned at spaced intervals along the length of the track. For example, in one embodiment, hanger brackets 26 are each approximately 5 inches long in a direction into the page of FIG. 2 and are provided at 24 inch intervals along the length of track 16.

[0027] The upper surfaces of bottom wall portions 27 and 28 are the surfaces along which the wheels of trolley 18 roll when the wall panel is moved. The inward facing edges of bottom wall portions 27 and 28 are horiz...

second embodiment

[0038] Referring now to FIG. 5A, there is shown a soffit assembly 152 of a movable wall system of the present invention. Track 116 may be part of an arcuate switch section of a movable wall system rather than a linear track section as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2. Because the track may curve in the switch section, and a curving square tube track may be difficult to manufacture, track 116 may not have a square tube design. Rather, track 116 may be planar with flat track sections 127, 128. The trolley is not shown in FIG. 5A, but trolley 18 may be suitable for use in the embodiment of FIG. 5A. Track 116 may be mounted to the ceiling support structure by bolts 120. Bolts 120 also mount soffit assemblies 152, 154 to track sections 127, 128.

[0039] Soffit assembly 152 includes a soffit attachment device 153 and a soffit 160. Soffit attachment device 153 includes a first portion in the form of a U-shaped soffit bracket 156 and a second portion in the form of a soffit clip 158.

[004...

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Abstract

A soffit assembly is for use with a movable wall system having a track. The soffit assembly includes a soffit attachment device having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is attachable to the track. A soffit snaps onto the second portion of the soffit attachment device such that the soffit at least partially conceals the track.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention pertains to operable walls movable to partition large rooms into smaller rooms, and, in particular, to the overhead track for the operable wall. [0002] Operable walls or partitions, also known as movable wall panel systems, find useful application in a variety of venues, such as classrooms, offices, convention facilities and hospitals. In these venues, the operable wall panels can be moved along tracks from which they are suspended to efficiently compartmentalize a larger room of interior space into a multitude of separate, smaller rooms. In particular, the operable wall panels are typically connected to trolleys that roll within an overhead track. The track is suspended from structural supports so as to be installed at a height of, or typically slightly above, the ceiling of the room being compartmentalized. [0003] One shortcoming of existing tracks of operable walls is that many people consider their appearance to detract fr...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): E04H3/00E04H5/00E04H6/00
CPCE04B2/827E05Y2900/142E05Y2600/41E05D15/0652
Inventor OWENS, N. DOUGLAS
Owner MODERNFOLD
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