Reconfigurable system for subdividing building space and having minimal footprint

An apparatus for subdividing a building space, comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of panels interconnected and arranged to form offices, the panels including a partition panel having a horizontal frame member located about waist high between a top and a bottom of the partition panel;
• a datum shelf including a bracket for supporting the datum shelf on the partition panel, the bracket engaging the horizontal frame member and holding the datum shelf in a cantilevered position outwardly therefrom at a predetermined waist-high shelf height;
• a portable furniture unit having wheels configured for multidirectional movement and having a flat worksurface configured to support paperwork, the worksurface being positioned at a predetermined optimal worksurface height which is at most a few inches below the shelf height so that papers normally stored on the worksurface can be removed from the worksurface and moved to the datum shelf without sacrificing accessibility, the shelf height and the worksurface height being related so that the datum shelf is located vertically proximate the worksurface so that a worker can readily reach papers and other articles on the datum shelf with comfort and efficiency while working at the worksurface, the bracket characteristically having a relatively short vertical dimension such that the worksurface can be selectively positioned under and along the datum shelf substantially against the partition panel or spaced therefrom to optimize the available space on the worksurface and to simultaneously optimize the relation of the papers and other articles on the datum shelf to work being done on the worksurface;
• a lower storage unit located under the datum shelf, the lower storage unit having a top defining an open space with the datum shelf, the worksurface including a cantilevered marginal edge configured to extend under the datum shelf into the open space;
• and
• the furniture unit comprising a wheeled, kidney-shaped table having laterally extending feet that extend a horizontal distance short of a perimeter defined by the cantilevered marginal edge, the lower storage unit having a floor-adjacent recess for receiving the feet of the wheeled table.

An apparatus for subdividing a building space, comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of panels interconnected and arranged to form offices, the panels including a partition panel having a horizontal frame member located about waist high between a top and a bottom of the partition panel;
• a datum shelf including a bracket, the bracket extending only below the shelf for supporting the datum shelf on the partition panel, the bracket engaging the horizontal frame member and holding the datum shelf in a cantilevered position outwardly therefrom at a predetermined waist-high shelf height;
• and
• a portable furniture unit having wheels configured for multidirectional movement and having a flat worksurface configured to support paperwork, the worksurface being positioned at a predetermined optimal worksurface height which is at most a few inches below the shelf height so that papers normally stored on the worksurface can be removed from the worksurface and moved to the datum shelf without sacrificing accessibility, the shelf height and the worksurface height being related so that the datum shelf is located vertically proximate the worksurface so that a worker can readily reach papers and other articles on the datum shelf with comfort and efficiency while working at the worksurface, the bracket characteristically having a relatively short vertical dimension such that the worksurface can be selectively positioned under and along the datum shelf substantially against the partition panel or spaced therefrom to optimize the available space on the worksurface and to simultaneously optimize the relation of the papers and other articles on the datum shelf to work being done on the worksurface.

An apparatus for subdividing a building space, comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of panels interconnected and arranged to form offices, the panels including a partition panel having a horizontal frame member located about waist high between a top and bottom of the partition panel;
• a datum shelf including a bracket for supporting the datum shelf on the partition panel, the bracket engaging the horizontal frame member and holding the datum shelf in a cantilevered position outwardly therefrom at a predetermined waist-high shelf height;
• the partition panel including an internal frame incorporating the horizontal frame member, and further including skins attached to the internal frame and supported in part by the horizontal frame member;
• and
• a portable furniture unit having wheels configured for multidirectional movement and having a flat worksurface configured to support paperwork, the worksurface being positioned at a predetermined optimal worksurface height which is at most a few inches below the shelf height so that papers normally stored on the worksurface can be removed from the worksurface and moved to the datum shelf without sacrificing accessibility, the shelf height and the worksurface height being related so that the datum shelf is located vertically proximate the worksurface so that a worker can readily reach papers and other articles on the datum shelf with comfort and efficiency while working at the worksurface, the bracket characteristically having a relatively short vertical dimension such that the worksurface can be selectively positioned under and along the datum shelf substantially against the partition panel or spaced therefrom to optimize the available space on the worksurface and to simultaneously optimize the relation of the papers and other articles on the datum shelf to work being done on the worksurface.

An apparatus for subdividing a building space, comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of panels interconnected and arranged to form offices, the panels including a partition panel having a horizontal frame member located about waist high between a top and a bottom of the partition panel;
• a datum shelf including a bracket for supporting the datum shelf on the partition panel, the bracket engaging the horizontal frame member and holding the datum shelf in a cantilevered position outwardly therefrom at a predetermined waist-high shelf height, the bracket being elongated and being characterized by a narrow and triangularly-shaped profile;
• and
• a portable furniture unit having wheels configured for multidirectional movement and having a flat worksurface configured to support paperwork, the worksurface being positioned at a predetermined optimal worksurface height which is at most a few inches below the shelf height so that papers normally stored on the worksurface can be removed from the worksurface and moved to the datum shelf without sacrificing accessibility, the shelf height and the worksurface height being related so that the datum shelf is located vertically proximate the worksurface so that a worker can readily reach papers and other articles on the datum shelf with comfort and efficiency while working at the worksurface, the bracket characteristically having a relatively short vertical dimension such that the worksurface can be selectively positioned under and along the datum shelf substantially against the partition panel or spaced therefrom to optimize the available space on the worksurface and to simultaneously optimize the relation of the papers and other articles on the datum shelf to work being done on the worksurface.

An apparatus for subdividing a building space, comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of interconnected partition panels subdividing a building space into a plurality of work areas, at least one of the work areas having three walls defining a U-shaped arrangement with a floor space, the floor space being a maximum of 6 feet on each side;
• waist-high datum shelves attached to the three walls and arranged in a continuous U-shaped arrangement along and around the three walls;
• and
• a portable furniture unit moveable around the floor space and having wheels configured for multidirectional movement, the portable furniture unit including a flat worksurface having a worksurface height chosen for work efficiency of office work and paperwork, and the datum shelves having a shelf height that positions the datum shelves proximate but spaced above the worksurface and within a few inches thereof, so that the datum shelves are accessible by a worker sitting at and working on the worksurface, whereby the worksurface can be manipulated to an optimal depth and an optimal position along the datum shelves for work efficiency, and further whereby the position of the worksurface can be changed relative to the datum shelves as the work function changes to work with particular items stored on the datum shelves.

An apparatus for subdividing a building space, comprising:

• a partition panel adapted to subdivide a building space;
• a datum shelf supported on the partition panel slightly above a worksurface height at an easily reachable height for a seated person for supporting papers thereon, so that the seated person can access the papers while seated at a worksurface located under and partially in front of the datum shelf;
• a lower storage unit located adjacent the partition panel generally under the shelf and adapted to rest on a floor, the lower storage unit including a top defining an open and unobstructed space with the datum shelf;
• and
• a portable furniture unit including a worksurface having a cantilevered marginal edge section located at the worksurface height so that the marginal edge section projects into the space between the datum shelf and the lower storage unit when the portable furniture unit is adjusted to a location under the datum shelf, whereby the worksurface is positionable at an optimal position relative to the datum shelf for a particular work operation being performed and so that the seated person working on the worksurface can reach papers on the datum shelf without awkwardly stretching for the papers.

A method of subdividing a building space, comprising steps of:

• providing a space-dividing construction including a plurality of interconnected partition panels subdividing the building space into a plurality of work areas;
• attaching datum shelves to the partition panels at a predetermined shelf height;
• providing a portable furniture unit including a flat worksurface and wheels configured for multidirectional movement, the furniture unit being moveable around the work areas, the portable worksurface having a worksurface height chosen for work efficiency and the shelf height of the datum shelves positioning the datum shelves proximate but spaced above the worksurface and within a few inches thereof, so that the datum shelves are accessible by a worker sitting at and working on the portable worksurface;
• and
• manipulating the portable furniture unit to locate the worksurface at an optimal depth and an optimal position along the datum shelves for work efficiency to work with particular items stored on the datum shelves, the step of manipulating including rotating and translating the furniture unit under the datum shelves on at least two sides of a selected one of said work areas.

A method of subdividing a building space, comprising steps of:

• providing a space-dividing construction including a plurality of interconnected partition panels subdividing the building space into a plurality of work areas;
• attaching datum shelves to the partition panels at a predetermined shelf height;
• providing a portable furniture unit including a flat worksurface and wheels configured for multidirectional movement, the furniture unit being moveable around the work areas, the worksurface having a worksurface height chosen for work efficiency and the shelf height of the datum shelves positioning the datum shelves proximate but spaced above the worksurface and within a few inches thereof, so that the datum shelves are accessible by a worker sitting at and working on the portable worksurface, the worksurface having a cantilevered marginal edge;
• providing a lower storage unit attached to one of the partition panels, the lower storage unit having a top surface spaced below the datum shelves to define a gap therebetween;
• and
• manipulating the portable furniture unit to locate the worksurface at an optimal depth and an optimal position along the datum shelves for work efficiency to work with particular items stored on the datum shelves, the step of manipulating including positioning a portion of the cantilevered marginal edge in the gap for close access to one of the datum shelves while working at the worksurface.