Granted Patent B2

US 12,723,404 · App. 18/766,606 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Michael Egan (Chicago, IL); Shawn M. Applegate (Streamwood, IL)

Assignee: FELLOWES, INC.

E04B2/7422E04B2002/7462

Abstract

Claims (69)

1 . A system for interconnecting modular wall vertical frame members meeting at a corner junction, the system comprising:

a first vertical frame member;

a second vertical frame member;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a mount for mounting a wall panel;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having lateral edges;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a pair of lateral legs at the lateral edges thereof;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a pair of interlocking members positioned inwardly of the mount, the pair of interlocking members each having a laterally extending leg defining a laterally extending latch receiving space;

a connector member having a body structure with a pair of legs with latches thereon extending therefrom, the pair of legs with the latches extending to form a general V-shape;

wherein the pair of legs with the latches are configured to be received in the latch receiving spaces of the first and second vertical frame members in a latching engagement to secure the first and second vertical frame members in a corner junction relationship;

wherein the body structure of the connector member includes a head configured to be received between portions of the first and second vertical frame members to support the corner junction relationship; and

wherein, in each of the first and second vertical frame members, the laterally extending legs of the pair of interlocking members are substantially parallel to the pair of lateral legs.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the first and second vertical frame members, the laterally extending leg of each of the interlocking members thereof is spaced from an inner wall of an associated one of the first and second vertical frame members to define the laterally extending latch receiving spaces thereof, and wherein the head of the connector member connects the pair of legs such that the pair of legs extend therefrom and the head is configured to be received between free ends of the inner walls as said portions of the first and second vertical frame members to support the corner junction relationship.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said head includes a support bridge extending between said legs with the latches of the connector member.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein said head has a generally triangular configuration.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein, for each of the first and second vertical frame members, the laterally extending legs are spaced from the inner walls of a respective one of the vertical frame members and are each connected thereto at one end thereof and each have an opposing end free for enabling insertion of the leg with the latch of the connector member into the latch receiving space of the respective one of the vertical frame members.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein, for each of the first and second vertical frame members, the inner walls share a common wall extending laterally with respect to the frame member that is part of said mount.

7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second vertical frame members has a pair of lateral legs at the lateral edges thereof and a pair of inner legs extending inwardly, the inner legs being spaced laterally away from the lateral edges;

wherein the head of the body structure of the connector member that connects the pair of legs is a central web, and the connector member further comprises an outer head extending therefrom opposite the pair of legs with the latches, and

wherein the outer head is configured to be received between the inner legs and lateral legs of the first and second vertical frame members as further said portions of the first and second vertical frame members to additionally support the corner junction relationship.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the mounts for mounting the wall panel comprises at least one channel configured to receive a glass panel wall section therein, and

wherein the at least one channel includes additional channels that are configured to receive a gasket to seal the glass panel wall section, the additional channels being smaller than the at least one channel configured to receive a glass panel wall section therein.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member includes a central section with the mount comprising a channel for mounting a single pane glass panel wall section as said wall panel, and

wherein the mount includes a gasket channel for receiving a gasket to seal the glass panel wall section.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member includes a central section with the mount comprising two channels, each of the two channels for mounting a respective glass panel wall section to provide a double pane glass wall panel as said wall panel, and

wherein the mount includes two gasket channels each for receiving a gasket to seal the glass panel wall sections.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member (a) is configured for a wall having an internal frame with a vertical frame member and (b) includes a main body with a member serving as the mount, and

wherein the main body includes a first supporting wall and a second supporting wall to support sections of the member, the first supporting wall being longer than the second supporting wall.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein, for each of the first and second vertical frame members, the laterally extending legs are spaced from the inner walls of the respective vertical frame member and are connected thereto at one end and have an opposing end free for enabling insertion of the leg with the latch of the connector member into the latch receiving space of the respective vertical frame member, and

wherein, for each of the first and second vertical frame members, each laterally extending leg of the pair of interlocking members is positioned inwardly of an adjacent one of the pair of inner legs so that the insertion of the leg with the latch of the connector member into the latch receiving space of the vertical frame member takes place without interference from the adjacent one of the pair of inner legs.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein, for each of the first and second vertical frame members, the inner walls share a common wall extending laterally with respect to the frame member that is part of said mount.

14 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the laterally extending legs includes at least one of the group consisting of an undulating portion, a detent, a snap-fit portion, a press fit features and an interference fit portion inside the latch receiving space of the vertical frame member.

15 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the pair of legs of the connector member each includes a resilient free leg with an outer surface matching an inner surface of the laterally extending leg of the interlocking member to create the latching engagement, and

wherein the latches of the legs of the connector member each includes undulating configuration features, detent features, snap-fit features, press fit features and/or interference fit features.

16 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the connector member is a molded integral piece including the body structure with the head and the outer head, and the pair of legs with the latches.

17 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the outer head of the connector member helps support the corner junction relationship by maintaining a predetermined distance between one of the pair of lateral legs of each of the first and second vertical frame members and one of the pair of opposing inner legs of the other of the first and second vertical frame members, which also helps prevent the lateral leg from being deformed inwardly in the event the lateral leg receives force after modular wall is erected.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the connector member consists of the body structure with the pair of legs with the latches and the head.

19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the mounts for mounting the wall panel comprises at least one channel configured to receive a glass panel wall section therein, and

wherein the at least one channel includes additional channels that are configured to receive a gasket to seal the glass panel wall section, the additional channels each being smaller than the at least one channel configured to receive a glass panel wall section therein.

20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member includes a central section with the mount comprising a channel for mounting a single pane glass panel wall section as said wall panel, and

wherein the mount includes a gasket channel for receiving a gasket to seal the glass panel wall section.

21 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member includes a central section with the mount comprising two channels, each of the two channels for mounting a respective glass panel wall section to provide a double pane glass wall panel as said wall panel, and

wherein the mount includes two gasket channels each for receiving a gasket to seal the glass panel wall sections.

22 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member (a) is configured for a wall having an internal frame with a vertical frame member and (b) includes a main body with a member serving as the mount, and

wherein the main body includes a first supporting wall and a second supporting wall to support sections of the member, the first supporting wall being longer than the second supporting wall.

23 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the laterally extending legs includes at least one of the group consisting of an undulating portion, a detent, a snap-fit portion, a press fit portion and an interference fit portion on the surface inside the latch receiving space of the vertical frame member.

24 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of legs of the connector member each includes a resilient free leg with an outer surface matching an inner surface of the laterally extending leg of the interlocking member to create the latching engagement, and

wherein the latches of the legs of the connector member each includes at least one of the group consisting of an undulating portion, a detent, a snap-fit portion, a press fit portion and an interference fit portion.

25 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the connector member is a molded integral piece including the body structure with the head and the pair of legs with the latches.

26 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second vertical frame members has a pair of lateral legs at the lateral edges thereof and a pair of inner legs extending inwardly, the inner legs being spaced laterally away from the lateral edges,

wherein the head of the body structure of the connector member is an outer head extending therefrom opposite the pair of legs with the latches, and

wherein the outer head is configured to be received between the inner legs and lateral legs of the first and second vertical frame members as said portions of said first and second vertical frame members to support the corner junction relationship.

27 . A system for interconnecting modular wall vertical frame members meeting at a corner junction, the system comprising:

a first vertical frame member;

a second vertical frame member;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a mount for mounting a wall panel;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a pair of interlocking members positioned inwardly of the mount, the pair of interlocking members each having a laterally extending leg defining a laterally extending latch receiving space;

a connector member having a body structure with a pair of legs with latches thereon extending therefrom, the pair of legs with the latches extending to form a general V-shape;

wherein the pair of legs with the latches are configured to be received in the latch receiving spaces of the first and second vertical frame members in a latching engagement to secure the first and second vertical frame members in a corner junction relationship;

wherein the body structure of the connector member includes a head configured to be received between portions of the first and second vertical frame members to support the corner junction relationship;

wherein in each of the first and second vertical frame members a lateral direction in which said pair of laterally extending legs thereof and said lateral extending latch receiving spaces thereof extends is also a direction of a thickness of the wall panel to be mounted to said mount thereof.

28 . A system for interconnecting modular wall vertical frame members meeting at a corner junction, the system comprising:

a first vertical frame member;

a second vertical frame member;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a mount for mounting a wall panel;

each of the first and second vertical frame members having a pair of interlocking members positioned inwardly of the mount, the pair of interlocking members each having a laterally extending leg defining a laterally extending latch receiving space;

a connector member having a body structure with a pair of legs with latches thereon extending therefrom, the pair of legs with the latches extending to form a general V-shape;

wherein the pair of legs with the latches are configured to be received in the latch receiving spaces of the first and second vertical frame members in a latching engagement to secure the first and second vertical frame members in a corner junction relationship;

wherein the body structure of the connector member includes a head configured to be received between portions of the first and second vertical frame members to support the corner junction relationship;

wherein in each of the first and second vertical frame members the pair of laterally extending legs thereof extend in opposing directions away from one another with said latch receiving spaces opening laterally in said opposing directions.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (117)