A display or cladding panel

Abstract

 A display or cladding panel, comprising a planar front surface (17) of mild steel to which are attached, by welding or bonding, a vertical series of horizontal strips (18) each comprising a backing plate (19) with forwardly projecting portions (20) at its upper and lower edges and upwardly extending portions (21) from their forward edges such that each horizontal strip forms a pair of vertically spaced hook-like formations, and a number of such strips spaced uniformly throughout the height of the panel provides a vertical series of hook-like formations to which, for example, a bracket (30) may be attached for the display of merchandise. The panel is of rigid construction but relatively inexpensive being assembled without extrusion or rolling.

Description

[0001] THIS INVENTION concerns panelling of the kind which may be used against a wall to form a decorative cladding or to display merchandise, and which consists essentially of one or more panels of planar form having means for attachment thereof permanently or removably to a wall surface, either directly or by means of upright and/or horizontal battens or slotted strips.

[0002] Many such panels are known and present either a plain uninterrupted surface, or a regular series of apertures such as the kind known as "peg board" and which may be used, for example, for the display of merchandise using hooks or other brackets attachable to the panels, from which the merchandise may be suspended or supported.

[0003] As an alternative to the plain or apertured surface, there may be provided a vertical series of horizontally extending hook-like formations thus to give the panel a "ribbed" appearance, the hook like formations serving also to mount brackets or other members upon which items such as merchandise may be suspended.

[0004] Ribbed panels of this kind have been proposed in which the panel has been formed of a thin deformable sheet material which is cold-formed or rolled to provide the hook-like formations, or alternatively they may be formed by extrusion in a material such as aluminium, each panel being comprised by a vertical series of strip-like panel members formed in this way and mounted on a rigid backing member, or alternatively having hook-like formations at its side edges which engage within a vertical series of slots in a plurality of horizontally spaced upright members, or battens.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a display or cladding panel having the ribbed formation referred to above, but wherein unitary panel sections may be of greater dimensions and produced from, for example, rigid mild steel, and these panels may be replaced by, or stand alongside, plain or apertured panels of similar dimensions in an overall varied display.

[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a display or cladding panel comprising a planar front surface to which are attached, by welding or bonding, a vertical series of horizontal strips of hook-like formation each having a first portion extending forwardly from the front surface and a second portion extending upwardly from the first portion to lie substantially parallel to the front surface.

[0007] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a number of display or cladding panels including panels of a conventional design, with the lowermost panel illustrated being of a form made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of the bottom panel;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a similar panel made in accordance with a second embodiment;

Figs. 4a to 4c are plan views each of a pair of panels interlocked at adjacent edge regions.

[0008] Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1 there is illustrated a typical panelling system including one of a series of spaced vertical supporting member 10 having a pair of vertical rows of mounting slots 11 adapted to receive similar vertical rows of hook-like members 12 at the side edges of one or more panels to be supported upon the members 10. The upper of three panels illustrated in Fig. 1 is a conventional "peg board" panel 13 having apertures 14 for the attachment of hooks or the like from which may be suspended items for display or storage.

[0009] Illustrated beneath panel 13 is a plain back panel 15 of a type which may be used simply for decorative cladding, and the lowermost panel 16 is made in accordance with the invention.

[0010] Panel 16 comprises a planar front surface 17 of mild steel or the like to which is attached, preferably by welding or bonding, a vertical series of horizontal strips generally indicated at 18. Each strip comprises a backing member 19 for attachment to the surface 17, and a pair of vertically spaced forwardly extending horizontal portions 20 from the outer edge of which extends upwardly a pair of vertical portions 21. Each strip 18 may be constructed from mild steel or the like and formed into the shape illustrated by a simple pressing. The strips 18 are attached to the surface 17 at a uniform vertical spacing such that the upper edges of portions 21 are equally spaced vertically throughout the height of the panel.

[0011] Constructed in mild steel or the like, the entire panel may be electrostatically spray painted to provide any desired decorative appearance, and once the panel is mounted in a vertical disposition, for example, against a wall, either directly or via upright members 10 brackets of a kind for example illustrated at 30 in Fig. 2 may be mounted by attachment to the hook-like strips 18, for the purpose of storing or displaying items such as merchandise.

[0012] The panel 16 is simple to manufacture, relatively inexpensive when compared with ribbed panels produced by extrusion, and more rigid and self-supporting than such panels produced by rolling. Since it is readily adapted to any attachment means, the panel may be installed alongside or in place of existing plain or peg board panels, whilst the strips 18 afford considerably increased rigidity to the panel which may thus be employed to support much heavier items and panels of the kind illustrated at 13 and 15 and with an extremely low weight to strength ratio.

[0013] Referring now to Fig. 3, in another embodiment, it will be seen that the strips 18 may be affixed to a box-like panel member 22. Such panels may be joined together at their ends by inter-engaging channel members 23 and 24 as illustrated in Fig. 4a. Such members are afforded a degree of lateral adjustment so the gaps between adjacent panels may be varied slightly to facilitate installation on site.

[0014] Figs. 4b and 4c illustrate two further alternatives for front edge configuration of the panel members.

[0015] By joining panels together along their vertical edges as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4a to 4c the need for vertical or horizontal supports or battens is considerably reduced or avoided.

[0016] It is not intended to limit the invention to the above details, many variations being possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0017] For example, whilst each hook-like strip 18 is shown as comprising a single backing member 19 with hooks at its upper and lower edges, as an alternative each hook may have its own separate backing plate extending upwardly or downwardly therefrom, and the backing plates may be of sufficient depth to be in abutting relationship in vertical succession.

Claims

1. A display or cladding panel comprising a planar front surface to which are attached, by welding or bonding, a vertical series of horizontal strips of hook-like formation each having a first portion extending forwardly from the front surface and a second portion extending upwardly from the first portion to lie substantially parallel to the front surface.

2. A display or cladding panel according to Claim 1, wherein each horizontal strip comprises a backing member for attachment to the front surface, and a pair of vertically spaced forwardly extending horizontal portions from the outer edges of which extend upwardly a pair of vertical portions thus to provide a pair of hook-like formations.

3. A display or cladding panel according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said horizontal strips are attached to the front surface at a uniform vertical spacing such that the upper edges of said second portions are equally spaced vertically throughout the height of the panel.

4. A display or cladding panel according to any preceding claim, constructed in mild steel or the like such that the entire panel may be electrostatically spray painted to provide any desired decorative appearance.

5. A display or cladding panel according to any preceding claim, including at its vertical edges a plurality of hooks for attachment of the panel to a supporting structure having corresponding slots to receive said hooks.

6. A display or cladding panel according to any preceding claim, wherein said planar front surface forms part of a box-like panel member having respective interengaging channel members along their opposed vertical edges whereby several panels may be joined together by interengagement of their respective channel members.

7. A display or cladding panel according to Claim 6, wherein said interengaging channel members are adapted to afford a degree of lateral adjustment of the gaps between adjacent panels when assembled.

8. A display or cladding panel according to Claim 1, wherein each horizontal strip comprises a backing plate extending upwardly or downwardly from said first portion.

9. A display or cladding panel according to Claim 8, wherein said backing plates are of sufficient depth to be in abutting relationship in vertical succession on said planar front surface.

10. A display or cladding panel, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4a or Fig. 4b or Fig. 4c of the accompanying drawings.

Drawing