Abstract:
A perforated panel having a grid of perforations or holes formed at least partially therethrough for disposing hangers for holding objects thereon and having at least a black color pattern disposed on a surface thereof for camouflaging the perforations and for reducing the appearance of damage and/or stains occurring through use is provided. It is desired to have a base finish formed on the panel and a first color pattern and the black color pattern formed by spattering of paint on the panel, screen printing, or attaching a lamina having the first color pattern and the black color pattern thereon.

Description:
This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to provisional application No. 60/168,657 filed on Dec. 2, 1999. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to panels for supporting hangers for holding objects and more particularly to panels having perforations for supporting hangers which are camouflaged to disguise the nature of the panel. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Heretofore, perforated panels (peg boards) have been constructed of material such as particle board, reconstituted wood panel, hardboard, or a rigid paper board having a plurality of perforations formed at least partially through the panel in rows and columns. These perforations provide a means for placing hangers upon which objects such as tools and the like may be hung. These panels are unfinished and unattractive limiting their use primarily in work shops, garages and the like. Further, these panels typically become damaged from use and stained by material such as grease, oil, paint, and other material when objects are being hung or removed from the panel. 
     It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a perforated panel which camouflages the perforations to provide a more attractive appearing perforated panel applicable for use within public access areas such as in a home or retail store. It would be a further benefit to have a perforated panel which camouflages damage and stains which may result from the placing on or removal of objects from the perforated panel. 
     GENERAL DESCRIPTION 
     It is thus an object of the invention to provide a perforated panel which camouflages the perforations. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a perforated panel which camouflages stains and/or damage resulting through use of the panel. 
     Accordingly, a perforated panel having a grid of perforations or holes formed at least partially therethrough for disposing hangers for holding objects thereon and having at least a dark (e.g., black) pattern (e.g., a pigmented material created using paint or ink) thereon for camouflaging the perforations. The panel may have a first pattern of a first pigment and a black pigmented pattern formed thereon. 
     The perforated panel may be formed of any material such as, but not limited to, reconstituted wood panel, hardboard, rigid paper board or particle board which is capable of supporting hangers and objects which are desired to be stored on the hangers. A base finish, such as a matte finish may be applied to the surface of the panel upon which the objects will be disposed. The base finish may be applied by means of a brush, roller, or spray device. The base finish may consist of one or more colors. 
     A secondary finish, lighter and/or darker than the base finish, may be spattered onto the base finish. This secondary finish may consist of two or more colors, one of which is matte black so as to camouflage the perforations. The secondary finish may be applied and spattered on the base finish by hitting a flat side of the ferrule of the brush against the hand causing small specks of paint to release from the brush and adhere to the panel. By spattering the secondary finish in this manner from the proper distance, spots are produced in shape and size which aide in the hiding of the perforations. 
     Additionally, a camouflaged perforated panel of the present invention may be formed by creating a lamina which may be adhered to a panel constructed of a material capable of supporting objects. The panel and lamina are then perforated for disposing and holding of hangers. In this embodiment, the lamina may be constructed of material such as, but not limited to, paper, vinyl or other substantially flexible material. One method of creating the pattern and lamina is by means of offset lithography whereby the image is transferred from an inked plate to an intermediate surface, usually a rubber covered cylinder, that transfers the image onto the desired lamina. The pattern for the “camouflage” may be created in the same manner as described above, or may be computer generated, or hand drawn. 
     Another method of forming the panel of the present invention is via screen painting. A camouflage pattern is created by spattering each color of the random pattern onto an individual solid substrate. A screen printing stencil is then created photochemically on a fine mesh material such as, but not limited to, nylon, polyester, or metal. One stencil is created for each color pattern. Each screen may then be placed on a surface of the panel and the designated matte finish color is forced through the stencil. It is desired that the matte black finish be applied last. Once the camouflage pattern is applied the perforations or holes may be formed if not already formed by the panel. 
     The foregoing has outlined the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of the camouflaged perforated panel of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a panel having perforations. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a panel having a hook attached thereto. 
     FIG. 4 is an illustration of a method of spattering paint on a panel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the camouflaged perforated panel of the present invention generally designated by the numeral  10 . Camouflaged perforated panel  10  includes a panel  12 , holes or perforations  14  formed at least partially through said panel  12 , a base finish  16 , spatter color  18 , and black spattered finish  20 . Perforations  14  may be formed in panel  12  before or after the camouflage is applied. 
     Panel  12  includes a plurality of perforations formed in a pattern for disposing hangers  24  (FIG.  3 ). In one embodiment, a base matte finish is applied to surface  22  (FIG.  2 ). Holes  14  are opened to surface  22 . Base finish  16  may comprise one or more colors. Spatter coat  18  is applied atop base finish  16  in a manner such as to form substantially circular spots on panel  12 . Spatter coat  18  includes one or more colors of a matte or flat finish. A final application of black spatter  20  is applied. Black spatter  20  is a black matte paint, or some other pigmented medium, such as ink. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a panel  12  having perforations  14  formed through a surface  22  at least a portion of panel  12 . As shown in FIG. 2, panel  12  may be constructed of any material capable of supporting objects and adapted for incorporation in a structure or attachment such as to a wall or other braced members of a home or store. As shown, panel  12  may be a typical construction of reconstituted hardboard or particle board having pre-drilled perforations  14 . Although, application of the present invention may be utilized with panels  12  which do not have pre-drilled holes  14 , incorporating drilling holes  14  before or after the application of base finish  16 , and spatter colors  18  and  20 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, holes  14  are positioned in a pattern so as to allow for the placement and attachment of hangers  24  which may be formed in many configurations. Hangers  24  are positioned within holes  14  for the purpose of holding objects (not shown) such as hand tools and products for display or storage. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a method of spattering paint  18  and/or  20 . As shown, paint  18  and/or  20  is applied to a brush  26 . Brush  26  may be impacted against a hand  28  of a user so as to transport paint from brush  26  onto surface  22  of panel  12  in a manner forming a random pattern of spattered paint which aide in camouflaging holes  14 . In addition, spatter  18  and/or  20  aide in camouflaging stains or damage incurred by panel  12  in use. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 through 4, a method of forming a camouflaged perforated panel  10  of the present invention is disclosed. A first coat of paint is applied to surface  22  of panel  12  which has open holes  14  or through which holes  14  will be formed. It is desired that the first coat of paint be a matte (flat) finish. The base finish  16  may be created with one or more colors. A spatter pattern  18  is applied atop base finish  16  with a flat finish. Spatter pattern  18  may include more than one color applied in combination or in steps, the colors being lighter or darker than base finish  16 . Spatter pattern  18  is formed by applying paint to a bristle brush  26  and contacting a portion of brush  26  against a user&#39;s hand  28  in a manner such that paint is released from brush  26  and is deposited on panel  12 . One method of spattering the paint is by hitting the flat side of the ferrule of brush  26  against the heel of the thumb of hand  28  causing specks of the paint to release and fly from brush  26  onto panel surface  22  in a random pattern. It is desirable for panel  12  to be in a horizontal position when spatter patterns are being applied. A final flat (matte) black spatter pattern  20  is applied in the same manner as described above after the first spatter  18  application is allowed to dry. 
     Another method of forming a camouflaged perforated panel  10  of the present invention is by forming a camouflage pattern lamina to be applied to panel  12  and perforations  14  formed through the lamina and panel  12 . The lamina is created by offset lithography. Spatter pattern  18  and  20  are created as described above on a solid substrate and transferred to printing plates by a photochemical process. There is generally one color per plate, and the black (dark) plate is printed with a matte finish. The pattern  18  and  20  is then transferred from an inked plate to an intermediate surface, usually a rubber cylinder, that transfers the camouflaged pattern onto the desired lamina. The lamina may be a material such as but not limited to paper, vinyl, or some other thin, substantially flexible material depending on the desired final product. The lamina may have a base tint  16 . The lamina may then be applied to panel  12  in any suitable manner and perforations  14  are formed through the lamina and into panel  12 . This method of construction provides for mass production of camouflaged perforated panel  10 . 
     Another method of constructing the camouflaged perforated panel  10  of the present invention is by screen printing. The spatter pattern  18  and  20  is created by spattering each of the desired colors of the random pattern onto a solid substrate as described above. A screen printing stencil is then developed photochemically from this pattern on a strong fine mesh material such as but not limited to nylon, polyester or metal. One stencil is created for each color pattern. Each screen may then be placed on the surface of a panel  12  to which base finish  16  has been applied and a matte finish color is forced through the stencil. The step is repeated for each color desired to be applied with the last step being the application of the black matte pattern  20 . Once patterns  18  and  20  are applied, holes  14  may be formed if not already formed in panel  12 . 
     Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.