Mobile partition wall

~ 212430~ ~ FIELD OF THE INVENTION The inven~ion relates to a mobile partition wall having separate wall elements that each hang from and may be moved along a support track mounted on the ceiling of a room, wherein each wall s element has at least one seal member for achieving a 3eal when the wall element is in a deployed posi~ion~ BACKGROUND INFORMATION '''' Mobile partition walls are generally known for dividing a room into separate spaces or configurations as desired. Separate wall 0 elements or panels hang from a support track, which is mounted on the ceiling of the room. Each panel is slidable along the support track to be moved into a deployed partition position or to be moved into a storage position in which the separate wall elements are stacked together into a small space.

In order to insure that the separate wall elements are easily ~lidable along the support track, it is necessary to provide clearance gaps between the lower edge of the wall element and the floor and between the upper edge of the wall element and the ceiling.

Because noise easily passes through the clearance gaps, typical mobi;le partition walls have the disadvantage of an unsatisfactory noise insulation or sound damping. Furthermore, air drafts, smoke, food odors, light, etc. also pass through the clearance gaps.

As a further disadvantage, the prior art wall elements are not 2s very stable when they are merely hanging from the ceiling-mounted 2 - 21243~ " support rail. For this reason, a floor track or floor groove is typically provided to guide and support the lower edge of each wall element as it is pushed along the guide track and al80 to provide the nece~sary vertical stability for each wall element s in its final deployed position.

As an attempt to reduce or avoid the above described disadvantages, it i8 already known to provide seal members ~uch a6 seal bar6 for the separate wall elements, wherein the seal bars are mechanically pres~ed and clamped into the seal position.

10 In 6uch a mechanical arrangement, it is inconvenient and complicated to engage and disengage the mechanically activated seal bars, e6pecially when the partition wall is frequently deployed and stored or reconfigured.

O~JECTS OF THE INVENTION In view o~ the above, it i8 the aim of the invention to achieve the following objects singly or in combination:

to provide a particular construction of a wall element for a mobile partition wall that achieves an improved noise insulation and an improved stability when the wall elements are fixed in a deployed po6ition;~ I to avoid the need of a floor guide track or groove for such a mobile partition wall;

-- 3 - 21~30~ ~ to provide the necessary ceiling and floor clearance gaps in Quch a mobile partition wall while the wall elements are sliding into position;

to provide a respective seal bar along a top edge and , . .

s along a bottom edge of each wall element to close the clearance gaps when the wall element is in the final deployed position;

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to provide a pneumatically activated mechanism in each wall element that automatically move~ the seal bars into the ~ . . ' sealed position when the wall element is placed in its final : ~ deployed po~ition; .;

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to provide such a wall element, wherein the sealing and . :

stabilizing function may be quickly and easily activated and deactivated as desired; and :::

to provide such a wall element, wherein the desired sealing and stabilizing function i8 achieved by the two seal bars independently of the weight and height of a wall element, and ' :

even, for example, for relatively heavy and tall wall elements.

" SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ' The above objects have been achieved in a mobile partition wall 20 having wall elements according to the present invention, wherein : each wall element has a lower seal bar and an upper seal bar.

Each respective seal bar is arranged to be height adjustable relative to the wall element, whereby the lower seal bar can be pressed outwardly from the wall element to seal against the floor .

2~2~30~ while the upper seal bar can be pre~sed outwardly from the wall element to seal against the ceiling-mounted guide track, ~or example. The two seal bars of each wall element are operatively connected to at least one vertically effective, pneumatically s actuatable stroke device.

A respective pneumatic coupling member is provided on each of the two vertical narrow sides of each wall element. The two coupling members are, for example, a male and a female member and are arranged to engage one another when adjacent wall elements are 10 pushed tightly against one another. At least one of the two coupling members on each wall element includes a poppet-type valve or nonreturn valve. Each of the coupling members is interconnected, for example; by pressure tubing, to provide a pneumatic interconnection among the valves and the pneumatic stroke device. Thus, when a plurality of wall elements is pushed together to form a partition wall, all of the coupling members and pneumatic stroke devices are pneumatically interconnected.

At one end of the partition wall, a source of compre~sed air is connected to one coupling member, while at the other end of the partition wall, a nonreturn or poppet-type valve prevent~ leaking o~ the compressed air.

With this arrangement according to the invention, it is easy to push or slide the separate wall elements along the support track to the final deployed position, and then to activate the pneumatic stroke devices arranged in the wall elements so as to extend the seal bars and achieve a good stability and a high level of noise insulation. Moreover, the pneumatic actuation of the stroke devicec may be ~imply and automatically carried out - 5 - 212430~ ~ in an effortless manner merely by pushing together the respective adjacent wall elements. It i~ a further advantage that all of the stroke devices of all of the wall elements are provided with : .... .

compressed air from a common compressed air source that can be ;~ s permanently arranged at a remote location within the building. ~ ~ ~ ", BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: - ~ :' Fig. l i6 a schematic front view of a wall element according to the invention, with a front panel removed to show the various internal elements;

,;,"~' Fig. 2 is a cross-section through a wall element according to the invention, for example, the wall 1~ element of Fig. l taken along section line II II, but with an alternative embodiment of a ~upport carriage;

Fig. 3 is a schematic, enlarged, det:ail view of a stroke device comprising a pnèumatic bellows; ! '" ~'.

~; 20 Fig. 4 is a view of a first pneumatic coupling member, shown partially in section; and '. :' ~ ,, , ~ ,.

2124305 . . .~ .

Fig. 5 is a view of a second pneumatic coupling member for engaging the coupling member shown in Fig. 4, also shown partially in section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION A complete partition wall is not shown, but is made up of several ~;

independent panel-shaped wall elements l, shown in Fig. l. The mobile partition wall system includes a support or guide track 2 mountet on the ceiling 2A of a room to be partitioned.

Alternatively, the track 2 may be recessed in a corresponding groove in the ceiling 2A. Each wall element l hangs from the ~upport or guide track 2. The guide track 2 is preferably a hollow sectional member having a C-shaped cross-section as shown in Fig. 2.

' '~ Each wall element l comprises preferably two 0upport carriages 3 which are movably arranged within the C-shaped track 2. Each support carriage 3 may~ for example, carry rolling balls such as b~ll bearings 3' as shown generally in Fig. l, or may carry .. ..

rolling wheels 3" as shown in Fig. 2. In either case, the rolIing balls 3' or~rolling wheels 3" easily roll along the inner ~ rails 2' of the track 2.

As a further alternative, the ~all 3' : .

or the wheel 3" may represent a fixed, low-friction gliding ; member such as a Teflon~ member, which easily glides on the rail~ 2' in a low friction manner.

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2124305 Each support carriage 3 is connected to ~he wall element l by a suspension member 4, such a~ a ~uspension strut 4, which i9 connected to a horizontal support member 5A that forms a part of the frame of the wall element l. The frame structure of the wall s element l further includes a lower horizontal frame member 5B and two vertical frame members lO, which are preferably sectional rail members lO, for example. The frame construction can be made of wood or metal, especially steel and/or aluminum. The frame structure may be further strengthened by a horizontal cross10 brace 5'.

Each wall element l further includes two panels 6, which are helda certain interspacing 7 apart from one another and carried by the vertical frame members lO, for example. The panels 6 are preferably also rigidly connected to the horizontal support members 5A and 5B. Each panel 6 can be made of particular materials to meet the requirements of the particular application.

For example, the panels 6 can be made of steel, aluminum, glass, plaster, wood, pla~tic or composite material~, such as ~iberglass. Furthermore, each panel 6 may have a sandwich structure of several different plies or layers. It is also possible to con~truct panels 6 with a steel frame and glazing in particular areas or over the entire panel to provide respective windows.

,' ''; ." In order to form a seal between adjacent wall elements l when 25 they are pushed together in the final deployed position, a buffer strip 15 is provided along the outer edge of each vertical frame member lO as shown in Fig. l and in further detail in Figs. 4 and 5. In order to seal the floor and ceiling clearance gaps and - 8 .

212~30~ to tightly prop or clamp the wall element into it8 deployedposition and thereby provide stability, a lower seal member or seal bar 9 is arranged at the bottom sf the wall element 1 between the two panels 6, and an upper seal member or seal bar s 8 is arranged at the top of the wall element 1 between the two panels 6.

Flexible seal strips 11 are arranged on the top of the upper seal bar 8 as shown particularly in Fig. 2. The seal strips 11 are arranged so as to be pressed against the support track 2 by the 10 seal bar 8. Corresponding flexible seal strips 12 are arranged on the lower seal bar 9 so that they can be pressed against the ~loor 14 by the seal bar 9.

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The two seal bars 8 and 9 are interconnected by a linkàge and actuator mechanism, including a stroke device 20, which is 15 preferably a pneumatic device 20, and two rods 16 and 16~ extending from the device 20 to the respective seal bars 8 and 9.

Respective compression springs 18 and 18~ are arranged on and around the rods 16, 16' at respective locations between the seal bar 9 and the pneumatic stroke device 20 and between the seal bar 20 8 and the pneumatic stroke device 20. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, a stop 19, 19~, which is preferably in the form of a washer or a crosswise pin oria~combination thereof, is ar!ranged on each rod 16, 16~. The respective compression spring 18, 18' presses against the respective ~top 19, 19~ on the one hand and~'~ 25 against the respective horizontal support member 5B, SA on the other hand. In a resting state, the two compression springs 18, 18' are slightly precompressed between the respective stop 19, 19' and the respective horizontal support member 5B, 5A, whereby _ g _ ' .

212430$ - ~ the springs 18, 18~ constantly push on the respective rod 16, 16' to pull the respective seal bar 9, 8 into a non-sealing, retracted state shown in Fig. 2.

A6 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pneumatically actuatable stroke s device 20 is arranged within the interspace 7 between the two panels 6 of each wall element 1.

The stroke device 20 is effective in a sub6tantially vertical direction and is arranged and adapted to appLy a vertically directed propping or expanding force to the two seal bars 8 and g.

The stroke device 20 i6 held or supported in the hollow interspace 7, for example by supports 21 as shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in detail in Fig. 3, the stroke device 20 preferably comprises a pneumatic bellows 22 with a vertical motion direction. A substantially cup-shaped housing 24 surround~ the bellows 22. A supporting disk or force disk 26 is movably supported within the housing 24 at one end of the bellows 22.

A U-~haped yoke 28 is connected to the lower rod 16, and the free ends of the yoke 28 contact or are connected to the force disk 26. A pressure hose or pipe 23 opens into the interior of zo the bellows 22, for example, through a corresponding fitting provided on the force plate 26.

When compressed air is provided through the pressure hose 23, the bellows expands and presses rod 16 in direction A and oppositely presses rod 16~ in direction B.

Thereby, rods 16 and 16' are pressed outwardly against the re~stive force of respective springs 18, 18' 80 as to press the respective seal bar 9, 8 with its seal strips 12, 11 against the floor 14 or the support track 2, respectively.

When air is allowed to vent from pressure hose 23, the compression springs -- 10 - 212~30~ . r~ 18, 18~ retract the rod6 16, 16~ and compress or collap6e the bellows 22.

As indicated schematically in Fig. 1, the pressure hose 23 ~Fig. 3) is part of a compressed air supply line 36 which is 5 connected to two pneumatic coupling members 30 and 32. The coupling members 30 and 32 are arranged opposite one another in the vertical narrow sides of the wall element 1, that is to say, they are arranged in the respective vertical frame members 10.

The coupling members 30 and 32 are arranged and configured to 0 cooperate or mate with one another, as will now be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring to Fig. 4, the first coupling member 30 includes a nonreturn or poppet-type valve, which i8 generally known as such.

The first coupling member 30 includes a protruding stem or pin 38, which cooperates with or is actuated by a protruding pin or bolt S8 of the other coupling member 32, which will be described below. In this manner, when the two coupling member6 30 and 32 are coupled or engaged, the poppet-type valve of coupling member 30 is open and allows compressed air to flow through. On the other hand, when the coupling members 30 and 32 are disengaged or decoupled, the poppet-type valve of member 30 closes and stop6 the flow of compressed air. I The first coupling member 30 i6 attached by bolts or screws 42 to a carrier rail 40 which in turn is attached to the vertical frame member 10. The coupling member 30 includes an air chamber body 53 with an air supply opening 52, which is connected to a pre6sure hose or pipe 36. The coupling member 30 further -- 11 - 212~30~ - ~ includes a valve body 46, which i9 radially ou~wardly ~urrounded by a seal cone 44 made of an elastic material, which i~ al~o secured to the carrier rail 40. A valve element 50 is linearly or axially movable within the valve body 46 and cooperates with the pin or bolt 58 of the other coupling member 32 to open the throughflow passage for the compres6ed air.

Referring to Fig. 5, the second coupling member 32 is arranged on a carrying rail 40' mounted on the vertical frame member 10.

A resilient or flexible sheath 56 preferably is made of an elastomer and has a substantially conical protruding shape corresponding to the conical shape of the seal cone 44 of the first coupling member 30.

The sheath 56 is attached to the .: :,, vertical frame member 10, for example.

The coupling member 32 further comprises an axially or centrally located pin or bolt 58 having an axially extending air flow passage 66 therethrough.

The bolt 58 i8 movably supported relative to the carrier rail 40' and is urged outward or upwards in Fig. 5 by the spring tension of a spring 62.

The spring 62 i9 held against a rigid fixed r ';~ support 64 and presses against an annular disk 68 connected to the bolt 58.

At the lower end of the bolt 58 in Fig. 5, the air flow p~ssage 66 opens into a pressure hose or pipe 36.

When two adjacent wall elements 1 are pushed against each other, the adjacent coupling members 30 and 32 cooperate 80 that the ; valve pin or bolt 58 presses onto the pin 38 and penetrates into2s the valve element 50, thereby achieving a tight seal and opening the valve to allow compressed air to flow into passage 66.

Thus, the compressed air flows from the air chamber body 53 through the valve body 46, through the hollow pin 38, and then through the - 12 212~30~ ~ air flow passage 66 of bolt 58 into the pressure hose 36, and finally to the pneumatic stroke device 20. In order to achieve a tight-fitting and resilient seal, the ~pring-loaded bolt 58 yields against the spring force of ~pring 62 when the coupling s memberR 30 and 32 are pushed together.

When two adjacent wall elements 1 are separated, the non-return or poppet-type valve of the first coupling member 30 interrupts the throughflow of compressed air. Thus, air will not leak out and the proper air pressure is maintained in the wall eléments 10 still connected as a partition wall to a source of compressed air. On the other hand, compressed air freely flows out of the air ~low pa6sage 66 of the coupling bolt 58 of the wall element being removed 80 as to vent the compressed air from that wall element.

A~ ~hown in Fig. 1, at least one of the wall elements 1 has a manually operable decompre~sion valve 34 that, when actuated, allows the compressed air to escape from the pneumatic stroke device 20. Due to this decompression, the two compression springs 18, 18' pull back the rods 16, 16' and thereby retract 20 the seal bars 9, 8 away from the floor 14 and the supporting track 2 respectively.

Fig. 5 shows another optional element for carrying out the decompression of the pneumatic stroke device 20 of a particular wall element 1 ~o that the wall element 1 can be removed from the 2s partition wall and moved away along the support track 2. Namely, a manually operable decoupling arm 70 i8 connected to the springloaded coupling bolt 58. The decoupling arm 70 extends radially - 13 212~30~ ~ outwardly from the bolt 58 in two directions and passes through a corresponding 810t 71 provided in each of the panels 6. By manually pulling back the decoupling arm 70, the bolt 58 i9 retracted against the spring force of spring 62, whereby the bolt s 58 di6engages from the valve element 50 so as to shut off the flow of air from the coupling member 30 and allow air to escape through the air flow passage 66 of bolt 58. In this manner, the pneumatic stroke device 20 of a wall element 1 is decompressed and the seal bars 8 and 9 are retracted so that the wall element 10 1 may be easily moved away from the adjacent wall element.

In order to provide compressed air to the wall elements to form a partition wall, a vertical wall of the room i5 provided with a wall connection jamb having a pneumatic tap valve. This pneumatic tap valve is connected to a compressed air source, , which is typically located in a fixed position in the building.

For example, an air compressor may be located in almost any de6ired location within the building, for example in a phy~ical plant room or in a ceiling niche. It is merely necessary to interconnect the air tap valve with the compressor by appropriate pressure hoses or pipes. In order to provide sufficient propping force to achieve good ~ound inRulation and stability according to the invention, the compressor should provide pressurized air at preferably three to six bar.

,, ~ he deployment of wall elements 1 to form a partition wall will 25 now be described. A first wall element is pushed along the ~upport track 2, for example toward the right in Fig. 1, until the vertical edge of the wall element 1 comes into contact with the wall connection jamb provided on the wall of the room.

- 14 212~3~ Thereby, the buffer strip8 15 of the wall element 1 form a tight seal against the wall connection jamb and the coupling member 32 engages the air tap valve provided in the wall connection jamb.

The air tap valve is configured as a non-return or poppet-type valve, for example having a structure similar to that of the ~ ~ first coupling member 30. ~ ;

When the coupling member 32 engages the air tap valve, the valve opens and compressed air flows in the direction of arrow C (Fig.

1) into the pressure line 36. Thereby, the pneumatic stroke device 20, preferably comprising a pneumatic bellows 22, is filled with pressurized air and pushes the rods 16, 16~ outwardly in opposite directions, namely directions A and B in Fig. 3. The rods 16, 16~ outwardly press the two seal bars 9, 8 into the propping and sealing position, in which they tightly pres~ 1S against the respective floor 14 and upper support track 2.

Thereby, the wall element 1 is securely propped between the floor and the ceiling and held in a fixed position.

Then, a next adjacent wall element is pushed along the support track 2 until it contacts the left vertical edge of the wall element 1 shown in Fig. 1. Thereby, the respective coupling : . . .

elements 32 and 30 engage one another so that compressed air flows further from the wall air tap valve through the pressurized air lines 36 of the first wall element 1 and into the air lines 36 of the second wall element 1.

The pressurized air expand6 the pneumatic stroke device 20 of the second or adjacent wall element 1 80 that the seal bars 9 and 8 of the second or adjacent wall element 1 are pushed outwardly to seal and prop the second wall element against the floor and ceiling respectively.

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- 15 212~305 i~ simple matter to push additional wall elements ~equentially one ~ ~against another 80 that the above described process i6 repeated for each wall element.

~ '': ' '"',~ In this manner, each wall element i substantially automatically s pressuri~ed and brought into a sealed and stabilized condition merely by pushing it against the adjacent wall element. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a mobile source of compressed air that is separately or individually attached to each wall element.

Because the entire partition wall, once assembled, forms a single 10 sealed pneumatic ~ystem, the individual wall elements are independent of a compressor or other source of compressed air.

When preCsure is lost from any individual wall element, the other wall element~ remain properly pressurized due to the non-return valve in the coupling member 30.

15 In order to disengage and retract the seal bars 8, 9, a decompre~sion valve 34 may be manually operated as described above, whereby a depressurization results in the stroke device 20. Thus, the seal bars 8, 9 are retracted and the wall element l can ea6ily be slid or rolled along the 6upport track 2.

20 Because both ~eal bars 8 and 9 are movable relative to the wall element 1 and are actuated to be pressed upwards and downwards respectively, it is not necessary to lift the entire wall element by means of the stroke device 20 pressing against the floor ~eal bar 9. Rather, it is possible to achieve an effective seal and 25 a propping effect with a relatively low pneumatic pressure. Most of the weight of the wall element 1 remains hanging on the carriages 3.

- 16 212~30 ' Many other specific embodiments are pos~ible according to the present invention. For example, the stroke device 20 may comprise a commonly available pneumatic piston cylinder device instead of the pneuma~ic bellows 22 for achieving a vertical s stroke motion of the seal bars 8, 9 by applying pressurized air.

Furthermore, it is possible to provide a separate bellows or piston cylinder device or other pneumatic device providing a vertical force for each of the two seal bars 8 and 9. In such an arrangement, each of the two pneumatic stroke devices i8 connected to a common pressure line 36, and the two-part linkage 16, 16' is unnecessary or can be simplified.

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According to another variant of the invention, it is possible to arrange each wall element 1 either separately or in groups in any desired position within a room, independently of the wall connection jamb. Thus, the wall elements can be propped in any desired po~ition in the room, for example, without adjoining a wall. In this case, it is simply necessary to connect a long pres~ure hose or a mobile compressed air source to a coupling valve member 32, for example.

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Although the invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be appreciated that it is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the . :,.~. .. .

scope of the appended claims.

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