Free standing partition

Abstract

A free standing mobile partition set is configured to either temporarily or permanently partition open floor areas to create an enclosed or semi-enclosed area that is more suitable for smaller assemblies of people for meetings, instruction, etc. The partition set comprises two panels pivotally connected to each other, a mechanical constraint between the panels to limit the minimum and maximum dihedral angles of pivotal rotation between the panels, a plurality of swivel casters on the bottom edges of said panels, jackscrews on the bottom of said panels for anchoring the partition set in a desired location and preferably one or more doors and windows in each partition set. One or more partition sets can be combined or use separately to provide practical and flexible use of a larger open floor space as short term and long term needs arise.

1 . A free standing partition set comprising:
 a first panel;   a second panel pivotally connected on one end to an end of said first panel;   a constraint between said first and second panels to limit the minimum and maximum dihedral angles of pivotal rotation between said panels;   movable means on the bottom of said panels for moving the partition set from one position to another; and   anchor means on the bottom of said panels for anchoring the partition set in a desired location.   
   
   
       2 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  wherein said movable means comprises a plurality of swivel casters mounted to a bottom edge of each said panel. 
   
   
       3 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  wherein said movable means comprises at least one air bearing fixture on the bottom of each said panel. 
   
   
       4 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  wherein said anchor means comprises a plurality of jackscrews mounted to a bottom edge of each said panel. 
   
   
       5 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  wherein said constraint comprises a strut mounted to one of said first and second panels and a chain connected between said first and second panels. 
   
   
       6 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  further comprising a removable tie rod connecting said first panel to said second panel at a dihedral angle less than 90 degrees. 
   
   
       7 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one door in at least one of said panels. 
   
   
       8 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one window in at least one of said panels. 
   
   
       9 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  further comprising an acoustic seal on bottom edges of said first and second panels. 
   
   
       10 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 1  further comprising an acoustic seal on top edges of said first and second panels. 
   
   
       11 . A free standing partition as in  claim 1 , further comprising non-structural acoustic material facing on said first and second panels. 
   
   
       12 . A flexible partition system comprising a plurality of partition sets according to  claim 1  configurable to form one or more rooms. 
   
   
       13 . A free standing partition set comprising:
 a first panel;   a second panel pivotally connected on one end to an end of said first panel;   a mechanical constraint between said first and second panels to limit the minimum and maximum dihedral angles of pivotal rotation between said panels;   a plurality of swivel casters on bottom edges of said panels;   jackscrews on the bottoms of said panels for anchoring the partition set in a desired location; and   at least one door in at least one of said panels.   
   
   
       14 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 13  further comprising a removable tie rod connecting said first panel to said second panel at a dihedral angle less than 90 degrees. 
   
   
       15 . A free standing partition set as in  claim 13  further comprising at least one window in at least one of said panels. 
   
   
       16 . A flexible partition system comprising
 a plurality of partition sets each partition set including
 a first panel, 
 a second panel pivotally connected on one end to an end of said first panel, 
 a mechanical constraint between said first and second panels to limit the minimum and maximum dihedral angles of pivotal rotation between said panels, 
 a plurality of swivel casters on bottom edges of said panels, and 
 a removable tie rod connecting said first panel to said second panel at a dihedral angle less than 90 degrees; 
   at least one door in at least of said partition sets;   at least one window in at least one of said partition sets; and   said plural partition sets being configurable with each other or separable from each other in multiple arrangements.   
   
   
       17 . A flexible partition system as in  claim 16  further comprising one or more jackscrews on the bottoms of each of said partition sets for anchoring said partition sets in a desired location. 
   
   
       18 . A flexible partition system as in  claim 16  further comprising means for connecting two or more of said partition sets together to form a room.