Floating constant contact seal for operable partitions

Claim 2

A seal arrangement for use with panels of operable panel type partitions in which the panels thereof each have a frame member that extends horizontally when the panel is in its upright operative position and that is formed with an outwardly facing recess extending longitudinally thereof that faces vertically in said position of the panel, said seal arrangement comprising: an elongate seal strip defining a sealing wall structure that is generally arced in transverse cross-sectional configuration and defines protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, with said seal edge portions and the portions of said frame member on either side of its recess being formed with interengaging means for mounting said strip on the member to extend longitudinally of and arc over said recess, said strip including a pair of guide strip portions extending longitudinally thereof and engaging either side of said recess and projecting into same from along the midportion of said seal strip, whereby said strip sealing wall structure is disposed in overlying relation to the frame member recess for engagement of said wall structure with a surface to be sealingly engaged while permitting adjustment of said wall structure in the plane of the panel to accommodate variations in the surface to be sealingly engaged.

Claim 3

A seal arrangement for panels of operable panel type partitions in which the panels have a frame member that extends horizontally when the panel is in its upright operative position, said seal arrangement comprising: an elongate seal strip defining protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, said frame member being in the form of a generally channel shaped member defining a pair of upright spaced apart flange portions extending longitudinally of said frame member, with said flange portions each defining a projecting edge portion formed with a recess extending longitudinally of said member, said seal strip having its respective edge portions secured in the respective flange portion recesses, said seal strip being proportioned to arc over the space between said flange portions when said edge portions thereof are secured in the respective flange portion recesses, said seal strip including a pair of guide strip portions extending longitudinally thereof and slidably engaging the respective frame member flange portions, whereby said strip intermediate its said edge portions is adjustable in the plane of the panel in guided relation to said channel shaped member.

Claim 4

A seal arrangement for panels of operable panel type partitions in which the panels have a frame member that extends horizontally when the panel is in its upright operative position, said seal arrangement comprising: an elongate seal strip defining protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, said frame member being in the form of a generally channel shaped member defining a pair of upright spaced apart flange portions extending longitudinally of said frame member, with said flange portions each defining a projecting edge portion formed with a recess extending longitudinally of said member, said seal strip having its respective edge portions secured in the respective flange portion recesses, said seal strip being proportioned to arc over the space between said flange portions when said edge portions thereof are secured in the respective flange portion recesses, said seal strip including a pair of guide strip portions extending longitudinally thereof and slidably engaging the respective frame member flange portions, whereby said strip intermediate its said edge portions is adjustable in the plane of the panel in guided relation to said channel shaped member.

Claim 5

A seal arrangement for a panel of operable panel type partitions in which the panel has a frame member that extends horizontally when the panel is in its upright operative position, said seal arrangement comprising: an elongate seal strip formed from a flexible material and defining protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, said frame member being in the form of a generally channel shaped member defining a pair of upright spaced apart flange portions extending longitudinally of said frame member, with said flange portions each defining a projecting edge portion formed with a recess extending longitudinally of said member, said seal strip having its respective edge portions received in interfitting relation in and with the respective flange portion recesses for securing said strip to said member, said seal strip being proportioned to arc over the space between said flange portions when said edge portions thereof are secured in the respective flange portion recesses whereby said strip defines a flexing portion extending longitudinally thereof and intermediate its said edge portions, said seal strip including a pair of guide flaps extending longitudinally thereof and along said flexible portion thereof, said flaps respectively slidably engaging the respective frame member flange portions adjacent same, whereby said strip intermediate its said edge portions is adjustable in the plane of the panel in guided relation to said channel shaped member.

Claim 6

A seal arrangement for a panel of operable panel type partitions in which the panel has a frame member that extends horizontally when the panel is in its upright operative position, said seal arrangement comprising: an elongate seal strip formed from a flexible material and defining protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, said frame member being in the form of a generally channel shaped member defining a pair of upright spaced apart flange portions extending longitudinally of said frame member, with said flange portions each defining a projecting edge portion formed with a recess extending longitudinally of said member, said seal strip having its respective edge portions received in interfitting relation in and with the respective flange portion recesses for securing said strip to said member, said seal strip being proportioned to arc over the space between said flange portions when said edge portions thereof are secured in the respective flange portion recesses whereby said strip defines a flexing portion extending longitudinally thereof and intermediate its said edge portions, said seal strip including a pair of guide flaps extending longitudinally thereof and along said flexible portion thereof, said flaps respectively slidably engaging the respective frame member flange portions adjacent same, whereby said strip intermediate its said edge portions is adjustable in the plane of the panel in guided relation to said channel shaped member.

Claim 7

The seal arrangement set forth in claim 3 wherein: said guide flaps diverge from substantial abutting relation along said strip flexing portion into resilient engagement with the respective frame member flange portions along the respective side surfaces of said flaps that face the respective frame member flange portions.

Claim 8

The seal arrangement set forth in claim 3 wherein: said strip edge portions and said frame member recesses are formed within interfitting slots and ridges extending in parallel planes that are substantially at right angles with respect to the plane of panel.

Claim 9

The seal arrangement set forth in claim 3 in combination with the panel, said frame member being the bottom frame member of said panel, said panel including a like frame member equipped with a like seal strip and forming the top frame member of the panel.

Claim 10

In an operable panel type partition of the type including a panel having opposed faces and adapted to be supported by roller means from an overhead track, the improvement wherein said panel comprises: frame top and bottom members, and spaced side frame members secured between the respective ends of said top and bottom frame members, said top and bottom members being of generally channel shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration, with said top and bottom frame members each defining in transverse section a web portion having spaced flange portions projecting laterally thereof from the longitudinally extending edges of said web portion, and outwardly of said frame in the plane thereof, said top and bottom members each having a seal strip applied to same and spanning the space between said flange portions thereof, said seal strip each comprising: an elongate seal strip formed from resiliently flexible material and defining protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, with said flange portions of said top and bottom members each defining a projecting edge portion formed with a recess extending longitudinally thereof, said seal strips each having their respective edge portions secured in the respective flange portion recesses of the respective top and bottom members, said seal strips being proportioned to arc over the space between said flange portions of the respective top and bottom members when said edge portions thereof are respectively secured in the respective flange portion recesses, said seal strips each including a pair of guide flaps extending longitudinally thereof and slidably engaging the respective frame member flange portions, between which they are mounted, whereby said strips intermediate their said edge portions are adjustable in the plane of the panel in guided relation with respect to the respective top and bottom members.

Claim 11

In an operable panel type partition of the type including a panel having opposed faces and adapted to be supported by roller means from an overhead track, the improvement wherein said panel comprises: frame top and bottom members, and spaced side frame members secured between the respective ends of said top and bottom frame members, said top and bottom members being of generally channel shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration, with said top and bottom frame members each defining in transverse section a web portion having spaced flange portions projecting laterally thereof from the longitudinally extending edges of said web portion, and outwardly of said frame in the plane thereof, said top and bottom members each having a seal strip applied to same and spanning the space between said flange portions thereof, said seal strip each comprising: an elongate seal strip formed from resiliently flexible material and defining protuberant edge portions extending along opposed longitudinally extending side edges of same, with said flange portions of said top and bottom members each defining a projecting edge portion formed with a recess extending longitudinally thereof, said seal strips each having their respective edge portions secured in the respective flange portion recesses of the respective top and bottom members, said seal strips being proportioned to arc over the space between said flange portions of the respective top and bottom members when said edge portions thereof are respectively secured in the respective flange portion recesses, said seal strips each including a pair of guide flaps extending longitudinally thereof and slidably engaging the respective frame member flange portions, between which they are mounted, whereby said strips intermediate their said edge portions are adjustable in the plane of the panel in guided relation with respect to the respective top and bottom members.

Claim 12

The improvement set forth in claim 7 wherein: said seal strips are outwardly of the respective top and bottom members to which they are respectively secured, said flange portion of said top and bottom members respectively defining a way in which said flaps of the respective seal strip travel for automatic adjustment of said seal strips relative said panel when said seal strips are respectively in sealing engagement with ceiling and floor surfaces to be sealed.