Bracket assembly for partition panels

Abstract

A furniture system including a substantially planar partition panel, a furniture unit and a bracket assembly. The substantially planar partition panel extends in vertical and horizontal directions and has a framework. The framework has at least first and second attachment sites, with the first and second attachment sites being spaced apart. The bracket assembly includes a first member and a second member. The first member is detachably secured to the framework at the first attachment site and has a portion freely extending therefrom relative to the framework. The second member is detachably secured to the framework at the second attachment site and has a portion freely extending therefrom relative to the framework. The freely extending portion of the first member includes a load transferring body and a mounting feature supportingly secured to the furniture unit at a position vertically spaced from the first attachment site whereby a vertical support load imparted by the furniture unit is transferred by the first member to the framework through the load transferring body. The freely extending portion of the second member also has a bearing surface engageable with the first member and configured to resist horizontal displacement of the first member.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A bracket assembly for attaching a furniture unit to a structural framework, said bracket assembly comprising: 
 a first member having a longitudinally and freely extending load transferring body with a first attachment feature securable to the structural framework at a first attachment location on the structural framework, said first member including a mounting feature supportingly securable to the furniture unit whereby a vertical support load imparted by the furniture unit is transferable in the longitudinal direction to the structural framework by said first member; and    a second member having a second attachment feature securable to the structural framework at a second attachment location spaced from said first attachment location, said second member freely extending from said second attachment location and having at least one bearing surface engageable with said first member, said bearing surface oriented to resist movement of said first member in a direction which is in part transverse to said longitudinal direction.    
     
     
         2 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said bearing surface of said second member at least partially defines a slot in said second member and said mounting feature of said first bracket extends through said slot.  
     
     
         3 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second attachment locations are vertically aligned and said first attachment location is positioned below said second attachment location.  
     
     
         4 . The bracket assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said load transferring body of said first member includes a C-shaped channel section and said second member includes a C-shaped channel section which is overlappingly engageable with said load transferring body.  
     
     
         5 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second attachment features comprise a plurality of tabs selectively engageable with rows of horizontal slots.  
     
     
         6 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the vertical support load imparted by the furniture unit to the framework is transferred by said first member.  
     
     
         7 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said bearing surface is non-securably engageable with said first member.  
     
     
         8 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said second member includes a flexible lock member for securely engaging said second member with the structural framework.  
     
     
         9 . A furniture system comprising: 
 a substantially planar partition panel extending in vertical and horizontal directions and having a framework, said framework having at least first and second attachment sites, said first and second attachment sites being spaced apart;    a furniture unit; and    a bracket assembly including a first member and a second member; said first member being detachably secured to said framework at said first attachment site and having a portion freely extending therefrom relative to said framework, said second member being detachably secured to said framework at said second attachment site and having a portion freely extending therefrom relative to said framework; said freely extending portion of said first member including a load transferring body and a mounting feature supportingly secured to said furniture unit at a position vertically spaced from said first attachment site whereby a vertical support load imparted by said furniture unit is transferred by said first member to said framework through said load transferring body; said freely extending portion of said second member having a bearing surface engageable with said first member and configured to resist horizontal displacement of said first member.    
     
     
         10 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein said bearing surface of said second member at least partially defines a slot in said second member and said mounting feature of said first bracket extends through said slot.  
     
     
         11 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second attachment sites are vertically aligned and said first attachment site is positioned below said second attachment site.  
     
     
         12 . The furniture system of  claim 11 , wherein said load transferring body of said first member includes a C-shaped channel section and said second member includes a C-shaped channel section which is overlappingly engageable with said load transferring body.  
     
     
         13 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein said framework comprises at least two rows of vertically spaced horizontal slots defining said first and second attachment sites and said first and second members each further comprise a plurality of tabs selectively engageable with said horizontal slots.  
     
     
         14 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein substantially all of the vertical support load imparted by the furniture unit to the framework is transferred by said first member.  
     
     
         15 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein said bearing surface is non-securably engagable with said first member.  
     
     
         16 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein said furniture unit comprises an overhead storage bin and said framework comprises at least two horizontal structural members, each of said horizontal structural members including a row of horizontal slots.  
     
     
         17 . The furniture system of  claim 9 , wherein said second member includes a flexible lock member for securely engaging said second member with the structural framework.  
     
     
         18 . A method of assembling a furniture system comprising: 
 providing a substantially planar partition panel extending in vertical and horizontal directions and having a framework, said framework having at least first and second spaced apart attachment sites;    providing a bracket assembly including a first member and a second member;    engaging a bearing surface of said second member with said first member, said bearing surface configured to resist horizontal displacement of said first member;    detachably securing said first member to said framework at said first attachment site such that a portion of said first member freely extends relative to said framework, said portion of said first member including a load transferring body;    detachably securing said second member to said framework at said second attachment site such that a portion said second member freely extends relative to said framework;    supportingly securing a furniture unit on a mounting feature of said freely extending portion of said first member at a position vertically spaced from said first attachment site; and    transferring a vertical support load imparted by said furniture unit from said first member to said framework through said load transferring body.    
     
     
         19 . The method of assembling a furniture system of  claim 18 , further including extending said mounting feature of said first bracket through a slot in said bearing surface of said second member.  
     
     
         20 . The method of assembling a furniture system of  claim 18 , further including overlappingly engaging a C-shaped channel section of said load transferring body of said first member with and a C-shaped channel section of said second member.