Workspace panel system privacy door

Abstract

A privacy door assembly providing a sliding privacy door and supporting panel for selectively closing an entryway in an existing workspace panel system. The support panel includes a front face, top edge, side edge, and bezel opposite the side edge. The support panel attached facewise to a system panel of the workspace panel system form an enclosure for slideably supporting and concealingly receiving the privacy door. The support panel further includes adjustable floor glides for leveling and supporting the weight of the support panel and the attached privacy door. The privacy door may include a recessed pull handle for pulling the door from its concealed position and extending it across the opening to be closed or a spring loaded plunger for propelling the door slightly from the concealed position. A receiving post may be located adjacent to an additional component of the workspace panel system across the opening from the support panel. The receiving post receives a leading edge of the privacy door and can positively retain the receiving door with the use of magnets or a latching system. The privacy door is composed of fiberboard, polycarbonate, marker board, or other lightweight rigid material. The support panel may include a releasably attached aesthetic tile that provides an aesthetic match with the existing panel system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A workspace panel system, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels including at least a first panel and a second panel positioned to define an entryway therebetween;    a support panel attached facewise to said first panel, said support panel including at least one enclosed face positioned away from said first panel and defining an interior void, said support panel further including an edge adjacent and facing said entryway and between said first panel and said enclosed face, said edge defining a vertical opening in communication with said interior void; and    a privacy door slideably supported by said support panel, said privacy door having a retracted position in which said privacy door is received into said interior void, and an extended position in which said privacy door is partially extended through said vertical opening and extended across said entryway, said privacy door slideable between said retracted and said extended positions.    
     
     
         2 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , further comprising a slideable support mechanism coupled between said support panel and said privacy door along a top portion of said privacy door, said privacy door solely supported by said support panel.  
     
     
         3 . The workspace panel system of  claim 2 , wherein said slideable support system includes a bushing slideably supported on a shaft.  
     
     
         4 . The workspace panel system of  claim 3 , wherein said support panel includes a frame; said shaft is coupled to said support panel frame; and said bushing is coupled to said privacy door.  
     
     
         5 . The workspace panel system of  claim 4 , wherein said bushing includes a block having a bore defined therethrough and a linear bearing coupled to each end of said bore, said linear bearings sized to receive said shaft.  
     
     
         6 . The workspace panel system of  claim 4 , further comprising a carrier plate, said carrier plate coupled between said bushing and said privacy door.  
     
     
         7 . The workspace panel system of  claim 2 , further comprising a guide element on the inside bottom portion of said support panel, said guide element defining a channel in which a bottom edge of said privacy door is slideably received.  
     
     
         8 . The workspace panel system of  claim 2 , wherein said guide element further comprises a roller positioned within said channel and upon which a bottom edge of said privacy door may rest.  
     
     
         9 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said support panel is adapted to receive said privacy door such that in said retracted position a leading edge of said privacy door is substantially flush with said first panel edge and the remainder of said privacy door is concealed by said enclosed face.  
     
     
         10 . The workspace panel system of  claim 9 , further comprising a slideable support mechanism coupled between said support panel and said privacy door; wherein said slideable support mechanism is concealed by said enclosed face when said privacy door is in said extended position.  
     
     
         11 . The workspace panel system of  claim 9 , further comprising a means for providing an ejecting force between said privacy door and said support panel upon a user pressing said leading edge toward said interior void when said privacy door is in said retracted position, wherein said ejecting force slides said privacy door toward said extended position.  
     
     
         12 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said enclosed face includes at least one releasably attachable aesthetic tile providing an aesthetic match with said plurality of panels.  
     
     
         13 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one floor glide, said at least one floor glide coupled to said support panel and supporting the weight of said support panel and said privacy door on the floor.  
     
     
         14 . The workspace panel system of  claim 13 , further comprising a bracket coupled along a top portion of said support panel, said bracket having an engaging portion; and a receptacle portion defined along a top portion of said first panel; wherein said engaging portion is lockingly received by said receptacle portion, thereby retaining said support panel facewise to said first panel.  
     
     
         15 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said privacy door includes a flat panel comprising a lightweight substrate.  
     
     
         16 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vertically disposed receiver post adapted to be attached to said second panel and positioned on the axis of extension of said door, said receiver post having a surface for contacting a leading edge of said door when said door is extended from said support panel.  
     
     
         17 . The workspace panel system of  claim 1 , wherein said privacy door is supported by said support panel in a cantilevered fashion.  
     
     
         18 . A workspace panel system, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels including at least a first panel and a second panel positioned to define an entryway therebetween; a support panel attached facewise to said first panel, said support panel having a rectangular frame, said frame having a member in contact with the floor to support said support panel; and a privacy door slideably supported by said frame and having a retracted position in which said privacy door is positioned with said frame and an extended position in which said privacy door is at least partially extended from said frame and extended across said entryway, said privacy door slideable between said retracted and said extended positions.    
     
     
         19 . The workspace panel system of  claim 18 , further comprising a slideable support mechanism coupled between said support panel and said privacy door along a top portion of said privacy door, said privacy door solely supported by said support panel.  
     
     
         20 . The workspace panel system of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of faces coupled to said frame of said support panel, said faces enclose said support mechanism when said privacy door is in said extended and said retracted positions.  
     
     
         21 . The workspace panel system of  claim 20 , wherein said faces enclose all but a lead edge of said privacy door when said privacy door is in said retracted position.  
     
     
         22 . A workspace panel system, comprising: 
 a first panel and a second panel defining an entryway therebetween;    a first privacy door assembly supported by the floor and attached facewise to said first panel, said door assembly having a support panel and a door supported by and slideably extendable from an end of said support panel, said door extendable to at least half the distance defined by said entryway; and    a second privacy door assembly supported by the floor and attached facewise to said second panel, said door assembly having a support panel and door supported by and slideably extendable from an end of said support panel, said door extendable to meet said door of said first privacy door assembly.