Workspace dividing wall systems

Abstract

A system for dividing a workspace includes a wall designed to divide the workspace into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace. The wall includes a variety of features and may be at least partially formed from a construction element including a sheet of metal configured to be self supporting and a layer of cushioning material configured to encase the sheet of metal to form a composite construction element that is free of sharp edges. The composite construction element is configured to be mounted to a wall having a top, bottom, and two sides configured to divide an area into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace. Furthermore, the wall may be formed a meltable material that can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce an appearance of unsmooth portions within the wall and, when positioned proximate to another wall, can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce the appearance of seams between the wall and the another wall.

1 . A construction element comprising: 
 a sheet of metal configured to be self supporting;    a layer of cushioning material configured to encase the sheet of metal to form a composite construction element that is free of sharp edges; and    wherein the composite construction element is configured to be mounted to a wall having a top, bottom, and two sides configured to divide an area into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace.    
   
   
       2 . The construction element of  claim 1  wherein the layer of cushioning material includes felt.  
   
   
       3 . The construction element of  claim 1  wherein the wall is at least partially formed of a meltable material that can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce an appearance of unsmooth portions within the wall and, when positioned proximate to another wall, can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce the appearance of seams between the wall and the another wall.  
   
   
       4 . The construction element of  claim 1  wherein the composite construction element is configured to line the wall along the workspace.  
   
   
       5 . The construction element of  claim 1  wherein the composite construction element is configured to be mounted to at least one of the top and the bottom of the wall and extend into the workspace to form a visual shield to restrict views into the workspace from the area outside of the workspace.  
   
   
       6 . The construction element of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of walls arranged into one of a circle, a trapezoid, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, and an octagon and wherein the composite construction element is configured to be mounted to the plurality of walls along the workspace.  
   
   
       7 . The construction element of  claim 1  further comprising a seat back located in the workspace and positioned proximate to and spaced from the wall to form a space between the seat back and the wall configured to accommodate at least one of lights and display elements.  
   
   
       8 . The construction element of  claim 7  wherein the composite construction element forms a shield extending vertically from the top of the wall and horizontally into the workspace and wherein the display elements are configured to project a display onto the composite construction element.  
   
   
       9 . The construction element of  claim 8  wherein the display elements include projectors configured to project a display on the composite construction element.  
   
   
       10 . The construction element of  claim 7  wherein the composite construction element forms a visual shield extending from the top of the wall and wherein a relative juxtaposition of the wall and seat back allows a height of the wall to be less than an average standing height of an individual without the composite construction element interfering with individuals of average height standing under the composite construction element.  
   
   
       11 . The construction element of  claim 10  wherein the composite construction element is further configured to form a return shield extending below the seat back to mirror the composite construction element extending from the top of the wall.  
   
   
       12 . The construction element of  claim 11  wherein the return shield is configured to extend under a bench extending from the seat back into the workspace.  
   
   
       13 . The construction element of claim I further comprising: 
 a slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the wall at a level designed to provide individuals seated within the workspace with a constant view of the area outside of the workspace at both an immediate periphery of the wall as well as areas at a distance from the wall;    wherein the slit includes dimensions configured to provide individuals located in the area outside of the workspace with a view into the workspace when at a distance from the wall and restrict individuals located in the area outside of the workspace from views into the workspace when in close proximity to the wall; and    wherein the composite construction element is configured to be mounted to the wall on either side of the slit along the workspace.    
   
   
       14 . A workspace dividing system comprising: 
 a wall having a top, bottom, and two sides configured to divide an area into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace;    a visual shield extending from the top of the wall at an angle toward the workspace to provide visual privacy to individuals located within the workspace; and    wherein an overall height of the wall and visual shield is such that an individual outside of the workspace is able to see over the wall and visual shield but cannot see into the workspace.    
   
   
       15 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  at least one slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the wall at and at least partially covered with at least one of glass and plastic and arranged at a level designed to provide individuals seated within the workspace with a constant view of the area outside of the workspace at both an immediate periphery of the wall as well as areas at a distance from the wall  
   
   
       16 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  wherein the wall is at least partially formed of a meltable material that can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce an appearance of unsmooth portions within the wall and, when positioned proximate to another wall, can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce the appearance of seams between the wall and the another wall.  
   
   
       17 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  wherein the wall has a height of less than 4-½ feet and the visual shield includes a vertical rise of less than 2-½ feet.  
   
   
       18 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 17  wherein a combination of the height of the wall and vertical rise of the visual shield extending from the top of the wall provides visual privacy from a visual sight line extending from the area outside of the workspace at a height of above 6 feet.  
   
   
       19 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  wherein the visual shield comprises: 
 a sheet of metal configured to be self supporting; and    a layer of cushioning material configured to encase the sheet of metal to form a composite construction element that is free of sharp edges.    
   
   
       20 . The workspace of  claim 19  wherein the layer of cushioning material includes felt.  
   
   
       21 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  further comprising a seating bench extending from the wall into the workspace and supporting a seat back positioned proximate to and spaced from the wall to form a space between the seat back and the wall configured to accommodate at least one of lights and display elements.  
   
   
       22 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 21  wherein the display elements are configured to project a display onto the visual shield.  
   
   
       23 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 21  wherein a relative juxtaposition of the wall and seat back allows a height of the wall to be less than an average standing height of an individual without the visual shield interfering with individuals of average height standing under the visual shield.  
   
   
       24 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 21  further comprising a plurality of legs extending from the seating bench to support the seating bench, seat back, wall, and visual shield and further comprising a return shield extending below the seating bench to mirror the visual shield extending from the top of the wall.  
   
   
       25 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 24  wherein the return shield is configured to extend under the seating bench into the workspace.  
   
   
       26 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  further comprising a lining arranged against the wall within the workspace comprising a sheet of metal configured to be self supporting and a layer of cushioning material configured to encase the sheet of metal to form a composite construction element that is rigid, substantially thin, and soft along edges of the sheet of metal.  
   
   
       27 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the wall at a level designed to provide individuals seated within the workspace with a constant view of the area outside of the workspace at both an immediate periphery of the wall as well as areas at a distance from the wall; and    wherein the slit includes dimensions configured to provide individuals located in the area outside of the workspace with a view into the workspace when at a distance from the wall and restricts individuals located in the area outside of the workspace from views into the workspace when in close proximity to the wall.    
   
   
       28 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  wherein the wall is configured to engage another wall to at least partially enclose the workspace.  
   
   
       29 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 28  wherein the visual shields extending from the top of the wall and the another wall are configured to form a continuous visual shield spanning the wall and the another wall.  
   
   
       30 . The workspace dividing system of  claim 14  wherein the wall is configured to engage a plurality of walls to form at least one of a trapezoidal, a pentagonal, a hexagonal, a heptagonal, and an octagonal enclosure about the workspace.  
   
   
       31 . A system comprising: 
 a plurality of walls configured to divide an area into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace;    a bench extending from the plurality of walls into the workspace to focus individuals seated on the bench toward a common region within the workspace;    a plurality of legs extending from the bench to support the plurality of walls through the bench;    a first shield extending up from a top of the plurality of walls and inward into the workspace to provide visual privacy to the workspace; and    a second shield extending down from a bottom of the plurality of walls and inward under the bench to mirror an appearance of the first shield.    
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising a slit extending horizontally across each of the plurality of walls to provide individuals seated within the workspace with a constant view of the area outside of the workspace at both an immediate periphery of the plurality of walls as well as areas at a distance from the plurality of walls.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 31  wherein a first wall is at least partially formed of a meltable material that can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce an appearance of unsmooth portions within the wall and, when positioned proximate to a second wall, can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce the appearance of seams between the first wall and the second wall.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the slit includes dimensions are configured to provide individuals located in the area outside of the workspace with a view into the workspace when at a distance from the plurality of walls and restrict individuals located in the area outside of the workspace from views into the workspace when in close proximity to the plurality of walls.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the first shield, the second shield, and a lining extending along the plurality of walls within the workspace are formed of a sheet of metal configured to be self supporting and a layer of cushioning material configured to encase the sheet of metal to form a composite construction element that is rigid, substantially thin, and soft along edges of the sheet of metal.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising a seat back supported by the bench and separated from the plurality of walls to form a space configured to receive at least one of lights and display elements.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the display elements are configured to project displays at various display points on the first shield to be viewable by individuals seated opposite each display point on the bench.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the common region is a center point of the workspace between each of the plurality of walls.  
   
   
       39 . A system comprising: 
 a wall having a top, bottom, and two sides configured to divide an area into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace; and    wherein the wall is at least partially formed of a meltable material that can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce an appearance of unsmooth portions within the wall and, when positioned proximate to another wall, can be melted and smoothed to at least reduce the appearance of seams between the wall and the another wall.    
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the meltable material includes methyl methacrylate resin.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 39  further comprising a shield extending from the top of the wall to provide at least one of visual privacy and auditory privacy.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 39  further comprising a seat extending into the workspace form the wall and a plurality of legs extending from the seat to support the seat and wall.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 39  further comprising a seat back supported by the seat and extending proximate to the wall to focus individuals seated on the seat into the workspace.  
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 39  further comprising: 
 a slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the wall at a level designed to provide individuals seated within the workspace with a constant view of the area outside of the workspace at both an immediate periphery of the wall as well as areas at a distance from the wall; and    wherein the slit includes dimensions configured to provide individuals located in the area outside of the workspace with a view into the workspace when at a distance from the wall and restricts individuals located in the area outside of the workspace from views into the workspace when in close proximity to the wall.    
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 39  further comprising: 
 a sheet of metal configured to be self supporting;    a layer of cushioning material configured to encase the sheet of metal to form a composite construction element that is free of sharp edges; and    wherein the composite construction element is mounted to the wall.