Workspace dividing system with integrated viewing portal

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 such as a slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the wall at a level designed to provide individuals seated within the interior 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. Furthermore, the slit includes dimensions configured to provide individuals located in the area outside of the workspace with a view into the interior workspace when at a distance from the wall and restrict individuals located in the area outside of the workspace from views into the interior workspace when in close proximity to the wall. Also, the wall may include other feature such as a visual shield extending thereabove and a lining formed by a composite construction element.

1 . A system for defining a workspace comprising: 
 a wall configured to define an at least partially enclosed workspace;    at least one slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the wall and configured to provide individuals seated within the workspace with a constant view of an area outside the workspace at both an immediate periphery of the wall as well as areas at a distance from the wall; and    wherein the at least one slit is dimensioned 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.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a visual shield extending from a top of the wall at an angle away from the wall to provide visual privacy to individuals located within the workspace.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the visual shield is further configured to angle into the workspace.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the visual shield is further configured to focus sound generated within the workspace about the workspace, restrict sound generated within the area outside of the workspace from entering the workspace, and restrict sound generated within the workspace from exiting the workspace.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the wall has a height of less than 4½ feet and the visual shield includes a vertical rise of less than 2½ feet.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein a combination of the height of the wall and the vertical rise of the visual shield extending from the top of the wall provide visual privacy from a visual sight line extending from the area outside of the workspace at a height of above 6 feet.  
     
     
         7 . The system 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 system of  claim 7  further comprising a shield extending vertically from a top of the wall and horizontally into the workspace and wherein the display elements are configured to project a display onto the shield.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a visual shield extending from a 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 visual shield interfering with individuals of average height standing under the visual shield.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising a return shield extending below the seat back to mirror the visual shield extending from the top of the wall.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the return shield is configured to extend under a bench extending from the seat back into the workspace.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a plurality of legs extending from the bench and wherein the legs are configured to support the wall through the bench.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of legs is arranged so as to require the wall to abut an adjacent wall in order to remain upright.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a seat back extending into the workspace and positioned proximate to and extending substantially parallel to the wall to focus individuals toward a common point within the workspace.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the wall includes vertical wall portions and angled shield portions; and 
 wherein the vertical wall portions and angled shield portions are dimensioned so that a person of average height, located in the area outside of the workspace, cannot see into the workspace but can see over the wall.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  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.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the layer of cushioning material includes felt.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one slit includes a plurality of slits having a vertical height of greater than 1 inch and less than 4 inches and horizontal length at least equal to the vertical height and wherein the plurality of vertical slits are arranged about the wall along a common horizontal axis to form a horizontally extending viewing line.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the wall is rounded along at least a horizontal axis and configured to engage another wall rounded along at least a horizontal axis to form the workspace into a round area.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the wall and another wall include exteriors that are formed of a material that becomes malleable upon being subjected to extended durations of increased heat to form a smoothed junction between the wall and the another wall.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the wall is configured to engage another wall to form the workspace into at least one of a trapezoid, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, and an octagon.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the wall and another wall include exteriors that are formed of a material that becomes malleable upon being subjected to extended durations of increased heat to form a smoothed junction between the wall and the another wall.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the workspace forms a conference room.  
     
     
         24 . A system comprising: 
 a wall including vertical wall portions and angled shield portions configured to divide an area into a workspace and an area outside of the workspace;    a plurality of coaxially aligned apertures formed in the wall to provide a viewing portal from the workspace into the area outside of the workspace; and    wherein the vertical wall portions and angled shield portions are dimensioned so that a person of average height, located in the area outside of the workspace, cannot see into the workspace but can see over the wall.    
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the vertical wall portions have a vertical height of approximately 5 feet and the angled shield portions have a vertical height of approximately 1 foot and an angle of approximately 45 degrees from horizontal extending from the vertical wall portions.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the angled shield portions include 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 system of  claim 26  wherein the layer of cushioning material includes felt.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the vertical wall portions have a vertical height of approximately 5 feet and the angled shield portions have a vertical height of approximately 1 foot.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28  further comprising: 
 a slit extending horizontally across at least a portion of the vertical wall portions 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 vertical wall portions as well as areas at a distance from the vertical wall portions; 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 vertical wall portions and restricts individuals located in the area outside of the workspace from views into the workspace when in close proximity to the vertical wall portions.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the slit extends horizontally across at least a portion of the vertical wall portions at a vertical height of approximately 4 feet in the vertical wall portions.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the slit has a height of greater than 1 inch and less than 4 inches at a vertical height of approximately 4 feet in the vertical wall portions.