Bracket and method for supporting hanging components on a movable wall having horizontal mounting channels

Abstract

A bracket, system and method for supporting modular hanging components such as furniture, storage components and other objects on a movable wall having horizontal mounting channels is provided. The bracket has an upper latch portion and a lower portion with bracket openings that align with the mounting openings in a vertical wall strip to fasten the vertical wall strip to the bracket. The hanging components can be removably attached to the vertical wall strip by standard attachment hardware such as side and cantilever brackets. This arrangement permits modular hanging components using a vertical wall strip system to be supported by a horizontal mounting channel of a movable wall in a horizontal wall system without having to modify the movable wall, the modular hanging component and/or the attachment hardware and may reduce the number of horizontal mounting channels.

1 . A bracket for supporting at least one hanging component on a movable wall comprising:
 an upper latch portion adapted to be received in and engage a horizontal mounting channel of at least one wall module of the movable wall and a lower substantially planar portion having a plurality of vertically aligned bracket openings therethrough, wherein the upper latch portion has a width equal to a width of the lower substantially planar portion, at least two vertically aligned bracket openings adapted to align with at least two mounting openings in at least one vertical wall strip to receive at least one fastener for fastening the at least one vertical wall strip to the bracket to removably attach the at least one hanging component thereto for supporting the at least one hanging component on the movable wall.   
   
   
       2 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein said upper latch portion comprises a substantially P-shaped flange for receipt and engagement of the horizontal mounting channel. 
   
   
       3 . The bracket of  claim 2  wherein said substantially L-shaped flange comprises rearwardly and upwardly extending portions. 
   
   
       4 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of vertically aligned bracket openings comprises pre-threaded openings. 
   
   
       5 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the lower substantially planar portion is substantially rectangular. 
   
   
       6 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of vertically aligned bracket openings are disposed near one or both longitudinal edges of the bracket. 
   
   
       7 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the at least two vertically aligned bracket openings that are adapted to align with the at least two mounting openings in the at least one vertical wall strip are vertically spaced according to the vertical spacing between the plurality of mounting openings of the at least one vertical wall strip. 
   
   
       8 . A horizontal wall system for supporting at least one hanging component comprising:
 at least one wall module having at least one horizontal mounting channel;   at least one bracket comprising an upper latch portion adapted to be received in and engage the at least one horizontal mounting channel of the least one wall module and a lower substantially planar portion having a plurality of vertically aligned bracket openings therethrough, wherein the upper latch portion has a width equal to a width of the lower substantially planar portion;   at least one vertical wall strip adapted to be fastened to the at least one bracket; and   means for removably attaching the at least one hanging component to the at least one vertical wall strip.   
   
   
       9 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 8  wherein the vertical wall strip has a plurality of mounting openings and a plurality of vertical slots, at least two vertically aligned bracket openings adapted to align with at least two mounting openings to receive at least one fastener. 
   
   
       10 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 8  wherein the means for removably attaching the at least one hanging component to the vertical strip comprises attachment hardware received in at least one of the plurality of vertical slots. 
   
   
       11 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 8  wherein a plurality of brackets is arranged in substantial vertical alignment in two or more of the at least one horizontal mounting channel. 
   
   
       12 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 8  wherein a plurality of brackets is horizontally spaced along at least one horizontal mounting channel. 
   
   
       13 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 12  wherein a pair of vertical wall strips is fastened to the same bracket for supporting adjacent hanging components. 
   
   
       14 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 8  wherein one bracket spans two wall modules. 
   
   
       15 . The horizontal wall system of  claim 8  wherein the at least one hanging component is removably attached at any level along the height of the at least one vertical wall strip and at any position along the at least one mounting channel. 
   
   
       16 . A method of supporting at least one hanging component on a movable wall having at least one horizontal mounting channel comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one bracket having an upper latch portion and a lower substantially planar portion having a plurality of vertically aligned bracket openings therethrough, wherein the upper latch portion has a width equal to a width of the lower substantially planar portion;   engaging the upper latch portion of the at least one bracket in the at least one horizontal mounting channel,   fastening at least one vertical wall strip to each of the at least one bracket; and   removably attaching the at least one hanging component to the at least one vertical wall strip.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the upper latch portion comprises a substantially L-shaped flange having upwardly and rearwardly extending portions, the upwardly extending portion engaging behind a top front edge of the horizontal mounting channel before rotating the bracket downwardly toward the movable wall. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the at least one vertical wall strip has a plurality of mounting openings and fastening the at least one vertical wall strip to each of the at least one bracket comprises aligning at least one bracket opening with at least one mounting opening in the at least one vertical wall strip to define at least one aligned opening and inserting a fastener through the at least one aligned opening. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the at least one vertical wall strip further has a plurality of vertical slots and removably attaching the at least one hanging component to the at least one vertical wall strip comprises receiving attachment hardware for the at least one hanging component in at least one vertical slot of the at least one vertical wall strip. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the at least one hanging component is removably attached at any level along the height of the at least one vertical wall strip and at any position along the at least one horizontal mounting channel.