Display panels

Abstract

 A display panel 10 is injection moulded of plastics material and provided with integral brackets 12 across the front and mounting lugs 14 at the rear. The upper and lower edges are provided with a groove 16 and a tongue 18 for interlocking with adjacent panels 10. In another embodiment, the top and bottom of the panel have half-brackets for combining with an adjacent panel to make up a whole bracket. The lugs 14 may be of dove-tail section. The panels 10 are suitable for the display and/or storage of merchandise in stores and light industrial use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to display panels suitable for example for merchandise in stores, utensils in kitchens, and light industrial use.

Background Art

[0002] Panels of this kind have in the past been made by bending and folding metal as described in US 3 698 565 (Weber) , and more recently by extruding plastics material as described in GB 1 260 087 (Standard Telephones) and GB 1 482 232 (Prestige). Extrusions are necessarily of constant cross-section and so require separate means for attachment to an upright such as a wall.

The Invention

[0003] A display panel according to the invention comprises an injection moulded sheet of plastics material having integral therewith elongate brackets across the front of the sheet and lugs for mounting on the rear of the sheet. The upper and lower edges of the sheet are preferably provided with a groove and tongue respectively, or vice versa, for interlocking with adjacent panels.

[0004] The panel is also preferably provided with a rim along each edge projecting rearward a distance greater than the lugs for concealing the mounting. The upper and lower rims are preferably provided with knock--outs thinner than the remainder of the rims. By removing the knock-outs, a number of similar panels can be mounted one above another and in contact with each other on common mounting strips which are concealed by the panels. The wall-mounting strips may have key-hole slots for receiving the lugs on the panels, and may themselves be screwed or otherwise connected to a wall.

[0005] In another embodiment, the mounting lugs are of dove-tail section and provided on a thinner portion at each side of the panel. The top and bottom of the panel may be provided with a half-bracket for combination with a similar half-bracket on an adjacent panel above or below.

[0006] Panels according to the invention may for example be of polypropylene, high impact polystyrene, PVC, or ABS plastics naterials. Injection moulding gives a better surface than extrusion, and makes it possible to obtain pleasing visual effects by putting a textured, grain or matt finish on some parts such as the fronts of the brackets, and a high polish on other parts. Various colours may similarly be applied.

[0007] Accessories such as shelves, trays, bins, baskets and spigots can be supported on the brackets for holding articles for display and/or storage. Generally speaking, the accessory is provided with a lip at an upper part for engaging the bracket, and contacts the sheet with a lower part.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0008] 

Figure 1 is a perspective view (part cut-away) of a panel according to the invention mounted on a wall;

Figure 2 is a section on the cut-away portion of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective rear view of the panel of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front view of a modified panel according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the panel of Figure 4;

Figures 6 and 7 are sections respectively' on "AA" and "BB" in Figure 4; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are each a cross-secticn through an upright support for mounting the panel shown in Figures 4 to 7 on a wall.

Best Mode

[0009] With particular reference to Figure 1, a panel 10 comprises an injection moulded sheet of plastics material. The panel 10 has integral therewith elongate brackets 12 across the front of the sheet, and lugs 14 (Figures 2 and 3) for mounting on the rear. The upper edge of the sheet is provided with a groove 16, and the lower edge with a tongue 18 for interlocking with adjacent panels.

[0010] The panel 10 has a rim 20 along each edge projecting rearward a distance greater than the lugs 14 for concealing wall-mounting strips 30. The upper and lower rims 20 have knock-outs 22 (Figure 3) thinner than the remainder. By removing the knock-outs 22, the mounting strips 30 can fit in the space remaining and so support a number of panels 10 one above another, in contact, and concealing the strips 30.

[0011] The mounting strips 30 have screw holes 32 whereby they may be secured to a wall, and key-hole shaped slots 34 cut therein for receiving the lugs 14. The lugs 14 comprise a base portion 26 for contacting a front face of a strip 30 and guiding the lug 14 into a slot 34 (which base portion may be extended to each side of the lug itself) and recesses 28 for receiving and holding the thickness of the strip 30. The rear of the panel 10 (Figure 2) is provided with upright strengthening ribs 40 moulded integrally therewith.

[0012] The strips 30 may be integrated with racks, trolleys or like constructions.

[0013] In Figures 4 to 9, the same reference numerals as above have been used with the same significations as far as possible so as to keep the description brief. The panel 10 has three full brackets 12 with projections both upward and down. At the top and bottom, the panel 10 has two half-brackets 13 (best seen in Figures 6 and 7) for combination with a similar half-bracket on an adjacent panel above or below. The upper and lower edges are provided with a groove 16 and a tongue 18, and the panel 10 is surrounded by a rim 20.

[0014] At each side, the panel 10 has a thinner portion provided on the rear with a dovetail lug 14 for engagement in a correspondingly shaped recess 34 in a free-standing support 30 (Figure 8) which provides four way entry. The rear face of the panel 10 is also provided with two upright strengthening ribs 40 which appear in Figure 4 in broken lines.

[0015] Figure 9 shows an alternative wall-mounting strip 50 with dove-tail recesses 34. By providing two such recesses 34 on a single face of a support 30 or strip 50, it is possible to reduce the total number of uprights used to support a given number of panels side by side eg three supports (not four) for two such panels.

Claims

1. A display panel (10) comprising a sheet of plastics material having integral therewith elongate brackets (12) across the front of the sheet, characterised in that the sheet is injection moulded and provided on the rear with mounting lugs (14).

2. A display panel according to claim 1 which is provided with a rim 20 along each edge projecting rearward a distance greater than the lugs (14).

3. A display panel according to claim 2 in which the upper and lower rims (20) are provided with knock-outs (22) thinner than the remainder of the rims (20).

4. A display panel according to claim 1 in which the mounting lugs (14) are of dove-tail section and provided on a thinner portion at each side of the panel (10).

5. A display panel according to claim 1 which is provided at the top and bottom with a half-bracket (13) for combination with a similar half-bracket on an adjacent panel above or below.

6. A display panel according to claim 4 in combination with a support having two longitudinal dove-tail recesses (34) for receiving lugs (14) of adjacent panels.

Drawing