Wall panel system

A decorative wall system is provided that includes a number of panels that can be secured to an underlying wall and to one another in an overlapping configuration to provide a multi-layer, three-dimensional appearance to the wall. In one embodiment of the wall system, the system includes individual panels that include a decorative front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface includes undercuts along each side of the rear surface that can be positioned over the side edges of the front surface of an adjacent wall panel. The panels may each include an adhesive layer including compressible strings therein that assist the adhesive in holding the panel on a surface by forming a vacuum between the panel and the surface to which the panel is attached.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to coverings for walls, and more specifically to a system of panels for use as a wall covering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to cover existing wall structures to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance, many different types of panels have been developed. While the outer surfaces of the panels can have various shapes, configurations an textures in order to provide the desired appearance to the walls over which the panels are positioned, prior art panels are ach formed with a flat rearward surface in order to enable the panel to be positioned flush with the wall surface.

Further, in order to enable adjacent panels to be positioned in an abutting relationship with regard to each other, and thus provide a relatively seamless appearance to the panels when placed on the wall, the panels include various attachment components or structures on the panels that are engageable with one another to secure the panels to each other in this configuration.

In many embodiments, the panels are placed in abutment with one another and are affixed to the wall in a suitable manner, such as by a mechanical fastener engaged through the panel and into the underlying wall. In other embodiments, the engagement structure takes the form of overlapping side portions on one panel that are engaged in a suitable manner with an aligned underlapping portion on the side of an adjacent panel. In this configuration, the panels are secured to one another along their adjacent sides, such that the panels form a secure and relatively seamless structure over the wall on which they are positioned.

However, with these prior art wall panel structures, because the panels are secured to the wall and/or to one another, the prior art panels are limited to having a single exposed surface formed by the panels on the wall. While the single exposed surface can have multiple configurations or textures, the placement of the prior art panels on the wall in the abutting configuration limits them to a single exposed surface across each of the panels.

As a result, it is desirable to develop a decorative wall panel system that enables the individual panels to be secured to the underlying wall in a manner that allows the panels to provide multiple exposed surfaces or a multi-layer configuration on the wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a decorative wall system is provided that includes a number of panels that can be secured to an underlying wall and to one another in an overlapping configuration to provide a multi-layer, three-dimensional appearance to the wall. In one embodiment of the wall system, the system includes individual panels that include a decorative front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface includes undercuts along each side of the rear surface that can be positioned over the side edges of the front surface of an adjacent wall panel. Between the undercuts, the rear surface includes an adhesive for securing the rear surface of the panel to the wall or to another panel to form the decorative wall system.

According to another exemplary embodiment for the invention, the adhesive include compressible strings positioned therein that are thicker than the adhesive and form channels between the strings where no adhesive is present. The adhesive is present over the strings such that the strings are adhered to the wall or other surface by the adhesive, but the channels formed between the strings creates a vacuum or suction force between the adhesive and the surface to which the panel is secured that assists the adhesive in holding the panel on the surface.

Numerous other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a wall panel for use in a wall panel system is illustrated generally at10inFIG. 1. The all panel10can be formed of any desired material, such as a wood material, a ceramic material a metal material, a laminate material, or any combination thereof. Each panel10includes a body12having a front surface14and a rear surface16, each of the front surface14and the rear surface16bounded by a pair of opposed end edges18,20and a pair of side edges22,24.

Referring now toFIG. 2, in the exemplary embodiment the front surface14includes a decorative layer, treatment or other material26thereon in order to provide the desired appearance for the wall panel10. The decorative layer26extends over the side edges22,24in order to completely cover the exposed areas of the wall panel10.

The rear surface16of the panel10includes a pair of recessed portions or cutouts28located along the side edges22,24of the panel10. In the exemplary illustrated embodiment, though other lengths are also contemplated as being within the scope of the invention, the cutouts28extend along the entire length of the panel10and extend into the panel10from the rear surface16towards the front surface14a distance D less than the thickness T of the panel10, such that the cutouts28do not affect the decorative layer26. In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the cutout28is approximately equal to the thickness of the front surface14positioned over the cutouts28. The cutouts28also extend into the body12of the panel10a width W.

The cutouts28define a central portion30of the rear surface16that includes an attachment layer32thereon. The attachment layer32can be formed in any suitable manner and of any suitable material in order to secure the central portion30of the rear surface16to a wall34, and in an exemplary embodiment is formed of an adhesive layer36. The adhesive layer36can be covered by a suitable release liner38to prevent premature adherence of the panel10to and adjacent panel10, the wall34or other surface.

Looking now atFIGS. 3-4, to assemble the wall panels10into a wall panel system40, initially a first panel10is disposed on the wall34by removing the release liner38from the adhesive36on the central portion30and pressing the adhesive36against the wall34. A second panel10′ is subsequently placed on the wall34with the side edge24spaced from the side edge22of the first panel10a distance approximate to the width of the central portion30of the panels10. A third panel10″ can then be placed between the first panel10and the second panel10′ with the central portion30of the third panel10″ positioned between the side edges22and24of the first panel10and second panel10′. Also, the cutouts28of the third panel10rest against the side edges22and24of the first panel10and second panel10′, in order to provide a stacked, two layer and three-dimensional appearance to the wall panel system40. Further, in other exemplary embodiments, the cutouts28can also include an attachment layer43, such as an adhesive44, that contacts the front surface14of the first and second panels10to secure the cutouts28of the third panel10″ to the first panel10and second panel10′.

To assist in adhering the rear surface16to the wall34and/or another panel10, in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 5, the attachment surfaces or layers32,43can have ridges or lines48formed therein. The ridges48extend the length of the rear surface16and/or the cutouts28and form channels50along the attachment layers32,43, with the adhesive36,44disposed within the channels50and over the ridges48. The ridges48can be formed in any suitable manner on the panel10, such as by integrally forming the rear surface16and/or cutouts28with the ridges48, or by placing a material52, such as a string54along the surface of the attachment layer32,43to form the ridges48. In this exemplary embodiment, the strings54can be placed on the rear surface16and/or cutouts28with the adhesive36,44subsequently placed over the strings54, or the strings54can be placed within an adhesive layer36,44already present on the rear surface16/cutout28to form the ridges48. The strings54have a thickness greater than the thickness of the adhesive layer36,44, such that the strings54protrude outwardly from the adhesive layer54, but retain an amount of the adhesive36,44over the strings54for engagement with the wall surface34of the adjacent panels10.

In any exemplary embodiment, to assist in attaching the panel10, when pressed against the wall34or other panel10, the ridges48contact and press the adhesive36,44onto the wall34or panel10to engage the adhesive36,44with the wall and/or panel10. In addition, the channels50formed by the ridges48create suction or a localized vacuum between the adhesive36,44within the channels50and the wall34or panel10which assists in holding the panels10in position. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, this suction is believed to be created in the channels50between the panel10and the wall32by the compression of the strings54against the wall32. This compression effectively seals off the channels50from the one another and from the periphery of the panel10, as the adhesive36,44placed along the periphery of the panel10securely engages the wall32and/or adjacent panel10to prevent material from being disposed between the panel10and the wall32other than the adhesive36,44and the strings54. As such, the air within the channels50upon initial pressing of the panel10against the wall32and/or another panel10can be pressed out of the channels50past the adhesive36,44as the strings54are compressed against the panel10and/or wall10. As the strings54are compressed further during pressing of the panel10against the adjacent panel10and/or wall32, the air becomes exhausted from within the channels50as the adhesive36,44along the periphery of the panel10is engaged with the adjacent panel10and/or wall32. Subsequently, when pressure on the panel10is released the strings54expand concurrently enlarging the channels50between the strings54. However, due to the lack of air within the channels50as air cannot be reintroduced into the channels50through the adhesive36,44engaged with the adjacent panel10and/or wall32, the expansion of the strings54enlarging the channels50creates a vacuum in the channels50which acts to provide suction between the panels10and the adjacent panel10and/or wall32, thereby assisting the adhesive36,44in holding the panel10in secure engagement with the adjacent panel10and/or wall32.

In other alternative exemplary embodiments, as shown inFIG. 4, a fourth panel10′″ can be placed over the opposite side edge24of the first panel10, to define a space42over the first panel10between the third panel10″ and fourth panel10′″. In this embodiment, the space42corresponds to the size of the central portion30of each of the panels10, such that a fifth panel10″″ can be positioned within the space42between the third panel10″ and fourth panel10′″. The fifth panel10″″ can also be configured to have a length shorter than other panels10,10′,10″,10′″ in the system40, such that the fifth panel10″″ allows a portion of the first panel10to be seen, thus forming a stacked, three layer and three-dimensional configuration for the wall system40.

Various alternative embodiments are also contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims, particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.