EXTRUDED PANEL

Abstract: An integrally extruded longitudinally extending panel which can be connected to other such panels to provide an upright display surface having channels (9, 39) therein comprises a planar panel portion (3), channel means (9) at an upper side of the panel portion and comprising first connecting means (17), and second connecting means (16) at the lower side of the panel portion; the first and second connecting means of adjacent panels being interconnectable to provide a display surface. The channel has an overhanging lip (10) for retaining the foot (21) of a display means (20) such as a bracket, shelf, hanger, light fitting, etc. The lower edge of an upper panel overlaps the overhanging lip of a lower panel so as to conceal the join between the panels.

Description: The present invention relates to an extruded panel which can be connected to other such panels to provide an upright display surface having longitudinally extending channels therein. Each channel is provided with an overhanging lip for allowing display means, such as brackets, shelves, hangers and light fittings, to be hooked into the channel. This provides a display surface of great versatility capable of displaying a wide range of articles, for example in a shop or warehouse. A display system of the same general type is disclosed in Australian patent specification 43225/85 which describes a wooden panel which has been routed to provide a series of longitudinal channels of T-shaped cross-section. The edges of the channels tend to be prone to breakage under the weight of the displayed articles. Australian patent specification 58077/86 discloses an aluminium extrusion of complementary cross-section to the channel, which fits inside the channel thereby strengthening the channel and improving its visual appearance. The present invention relates to a development of this general concept whereby the display surface can be built up from a number of extruded panels and where the join between adjacent panels is concealed within the channel, and where the fixing of a panel to the wall is preferably also concealed by an adjacent panel. British patent specification 2 160 003 discloses an extrusion which can be used to build up a display surface. However since the join between adjacent panels is in the channel itself, the join is not necessarily concealed and moreover the weight of displayed articles may tend to force the panels apart and distort them. The present invention provides a longitudinally extending extruded panel for assembling an upright display surface having longitudinally extending channel therein, which comprises a substantially planar panel portion; longitudinally extending channel means provided at an upper edge of the panel portion and extending rearwardly thereof such that the mouth of the channel means is adjacent thereto, the channel means comprising first longitudinally extending connecting means, and the channel means having an overhanging lip at an upper edge for retaining in the channel means a foot of a display means in a manner whereby a toe of the foot is hooked behind the lip and a heel of the foot abuts a lower edge of the channel means; second longitudinally extending connecting means provided at the lower edge of the panel portion and being arranged to hook over said first connecting means of another such extruded panel so as to provide said upright display surface having a longitudinally extending channel therein and such that the lower edge of the panel portion overlaps the overhanging lip of said other panel as to hide the join between the panels; and the relative widths of the panel portion and the mouth of the channel means being such that in the assembled display surface the panel portions constitute the majority of the surface area. In the completed display surface, the substantially planar panel portion (including any flange portions as described hereafter) will constitute the majority of the surface area. As such, it may be provided with any known decorative surface treatment. The panel portion may also be provided with longitudinally extending portions for allowing a decorative infill sheet, for example of a plastics sheet material, mirror or sign to be slid or snapped onto the front of the panel portion. In such a case, the panel portion may be punched to provide apertures at regular intervals to allow access to cabling concealed behind the panel. The panel portion will be substantially planar but could be slightly curved or ribbed across its lateral extent. Moreover, the panel after extrusion could be rolled to provide a panel which was slightly curved along its longitudinal extent, so as to provide a display surface for use against a curved wall. If required, a further channel could be provided within the planar panel portion. The panel will normally be extruded from aluminium or a plastics material. Preferably, a spacer will extend rearwardly from the planar panel portion to space the panel portion away from a wall, and so to provide an enclosed space for trunking cables or other utilities. It also adds to the strength of the panel. The channel means may be C-shaped in cross-section (i.e. with an upper and lower overhanging lip) or may simply have an upper overhanging lip. In one preferred embodiment, the extruded panel comprises a T-section portion, one arm of the T providing said overhanging lip, whilst the other arm provides said first connecting means for interconnecting the panels. In a preferred embodiment, the extruded panel comprises a flange portion through which screws, nails or rivets can be driven for attaching the panel to a wall. This is usually concealed behind the first and second connecting means when the display surface has been assembled. The base of the channel may be provided with nibs for retaining a further decorative sheet, if desired. Embodiments of the present invention, will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of interconnected extruded panels and showing part of a display means for insertion into a channel; Figure 2 is a cross-section to an enlarged scale of the channel between two adjacent panels; and Figure 3 is a cross-section of another embodiment having an additional channel provided in the panel portion. Figure 1 shows part of a first extruded panel 1 connected to a second extruded panel 2. Each extruded panel comprises a panel portion 3 provided with a punched aperture 4 through which cabling 5 may be passed. At its upper and lower edges the panel portion comprises overhanging flanges 6, 7 for holding a decorative sheet, for example of a plastics laminate material, onto the panel portion and thereby concealing the apertures 4. A spacer 8 extends rearwardly from the panel portion 3 for spacing the panel portion away from a wall. At an upper side, the extruded panel comprises a channel 9 having an overhanging lip 10. As shown in Figure 2, a pair of nibs 11, 12 are provided in the base of the channel 9 so as to allow a decorative plastics laminate 13 to be slid into the base of the channel. The base of the channel is extended to form a fixing flange 14 having a groove 15 through which screws or nails may be driven for fixing the extruded panel to a substrate. At a lower side, the extruded panel is provided with a hook portion 16 adapted to hook over an upwardly extending portion 17 extending from the overhanging lip 10. The extruded panel may be used as follows. In order to provide a display surface over a wall, a lowermost extruded panel is screwed onto the wall through the fixing flange 14. Spacer 8 spaces the panel portion 3 away from the wall thereby providing a conduit through which cables may be passed. A second extruded panel is then connected to the first by hooking hook portion 16 over extension 17 so that the second extruded panel is held in place by gravity. The second extruded panel is then screwed to the wall in the same way as the first. The join between the two extruded panels is hidden, since the lower side of the second panel overlaps the overhanging lip 10 of the first panel. This procedure is repeated until the complete display surface has been assembled. Either before or after installation of the extruded panels, decorative plastics laminates are slid or clipped onto the front of the panel portion 3 and into the base of the channel 9, if desired. For display of goods, a display means 20 (only partially shown) is hooked into the channel 9 so that a toe 23 of foot 21 of the display means is hooked behind the overhanging lip 10 thereby retaining it in position. An arm 22 depends from the display means and carries a shelf, bracket or similar arrangement for displaying goods. The display system is very versatile as the display means can be inserted at any point along the length of a channel and a wide variety of different display means can be used depending on the goods being displayed. Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention which is identical to the first embodiment except that a further channel 39 is provided centrally in the planar panel portion 33, and replaces spacer 8.

Claims: 1. A longitudinally extending extruded panel for assembling an upright display surface having a longitudinally extending channel therein, which comprises a substantially planar portion (3); longitudinally extending channel means (9) provided at an upper edge of the panel portion and extending rearwardly thereof such that the mouth of the channel means is adjacent thereto, the channel means comprising first longitudinally extending connecting means (17), and the channel means having an overhanging lip (10) at an upper edge for retaining in the channel means a foot of a display means (20); secondly longitudinally extending connecting means (16) provided at the lower edge of the panel portion and being arranged to hook over said first connecting means of another such extruded panel so as to provide said upright display surface having a longitudinally extending channel therein and such that the lower edge of the panel portion overlaps the overhanging lip of said other panel as to hide the join between the panels; and the relative widths of the panel portion and the mouth of the channel means being such that in the assembled display surface the panel portions constitute the majority of the surface area. 2. An extruded panel according to claim 1 which further comprises longitudinally extending flange portions (6, 7) provided along opposed edges of the panel portion, the flange portion being provided with inwardly directed free edges extending towards one another so as to allow a decorative infill sheet to be overlaid and retained on the front of the panel portion. 3. An extruded panel according to claim 2 wherein regularly spaced apertures (4) are provided in the panel portion to allow access to utilities (5) concealed behind the panel, the apertures being hidden when said decorative infill sheet overlies the front of the panel portion. 4. An extruded panel according to any preceding claim wherein a further longitudinally extending channel (39) provided with an overhanging lip at an upper side for retaining in the channel a foot of a display means is integrally extruded along a central location of the panel portion. 5. An extruded panel according to any preceding claim which further comprises a rearwardly extending longitudinally spacer limb (8) depending from the rear of the panel portion, for abutting a wall so as to space the panel portion away from a wall and to provide an enclosed space for trunking utilities, the limb extending rearwardly to an extent such that the panel portion is mounted substantially parallel to the wall. 6. An extruded panel according to any preceding claim wherein said overhanging lip of the channel is of substantially T-section; whereby one arm of the T provides the overhanging lip, and the other arm of the T provides an upwardly extending portion which constitutes said first connecting means for interconnecting the panels. 7. An extruded panel according to claim 6 wherein the second connecting means is arranged to be hooked or clipped over the first connecting means, and which comprises a longitudinally extending portion (16) which is hook-shaped in cross-section and which depends rearwardly from a lower portion of the rear of the panel portion. 8. An extruded panel according to any preceding claim which further comprises an integrally extruded fixing flange (14) extending upwardly from the panel for abutting a wall as to allow the panel to be fixed to the wall, the fixing flange extending upwardly beyond the adjacent connecting means such that the fixing flange is concealed by the connection of said another such extruded panel. 9. A display assembly which comprises a plurality of interconnected panels, each according to claim 1; and a display means (20) having a foot (21) capable of being retained in said channel with a toe (23) of said foot being hooked behind the overhanging lip, and a heel of said foot abutting a lower edge of the channel means.

Inventors: BARON, PETER
Applicants: AUSTRALIAN SLATWALL INDUSTRIES PTY. LTD., ENROBEAR LIMITED
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G09F15
IPC codes: A47F5, G09F7, G09F15