Internal system wall

Abstract: In an internal system wall consisting of a number of panel sections (2) releasably secured between profiled rails (27) rigidly secured to a load-bearing structure, preferably a skeleton of uprights or a permanent wall, the main novel feature is that the profiled rails (27) extend horizontally and mutually parallel and spaced along a substantial part of the circumference of the room or enclosure concerned, whereby said profiled rails (27) comprise a) a fixed rail part (10) secured to the load-bearing structure and adapted to support a panel section (2), and b) a profiled covering rail (20,27) adapted to be secured releasably in the fixed rail part (10) and to retain a panel section against overturning into said room or enclosure. According to the invention, a system wall is provided having mainly horizontally extending dividing lines, and in which erection, dismounting and replacement of covering panels (2) can be carried out at any desired horizontal level, making it pos-sible to build a functional wall surface being aesthetically adapted to other structural wall members and having a calm and harmonic appearance.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an internal system wall consisting of a number of panel sections releasably secured between profiled rails rigidly secured to a load-bearing structure, preferably a skeleton of uprights or a permanent wall. BACKGROUND ART The prior art comprises light movable system walls, in which pre-treated wall panels having a desired appearance are used for forming a outer wall surface, the panels being placed between vertically extending profiled rails. The panels are inserted between two parallel profiled rails and are retained by the latter, the gap between two panels being covered by a profiled rail or a covering rail placed in the latter. Such an internal wall system is known from FR-A-2,630,145. With this arrangement, vertical lines appear between the wall panels as such. In a number of applications, such vertical lines are undesired for aesthetic reasons. In additions to this, the uppermost parts of the panels protrude up above suspended ceilings in the structure, as it is often necessary to let the wall panels extend right up to existing ceilings for purposes of fire protection. Further, it is necessary all the way around in the room or enclosure concerned to compensate for any out-of-level parts in the floor structure when cutting the panels to size. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the invention to provide an internal system wall of the kind described in the opening paragraph, in which it is possible to replace panel sections with varying thicknesses individually without interfering with or intervening into any existing skirting or suspended ceiling structures. Further, it must be possible to compensate for possible out-of-level parts in floors and ceilings when installing the last panel sections in the wall. This object is achieved with a system wall of the kind referred to initially, according to the features of claim 1. By using horizontally installed profiled rails for securing the visible panel sections, it is possible to initiate the installation by securing a first profiled rail at a suitable height about the floor around and along the sides of the room or enclosure concerned. The remaining panels can then be installed with this as a datum line. At the floor and the ceiling, the panels are cut to size so as to adapt to any possible out-of-level parts in the floor and ceiling. Minor irregularities are hidden by skirting or cornices. The profiled covering rails can be shaped in such a manner that they can be pushed into the profiled supporting rail through a distance corresponding to the thickness of the panel sections. This makes it possible to use panels with varying thickness. The profiled supporting rail and the covering rail are attached to each other with such a force that the weight of the panels and normal virbrations from the remaining parts of the building will not cause the panels to come loose. Further advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following, an embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a conventionally constructed partition wall, the outside of which is provided with a system wall according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a part of a system wall built using elements according to the invention, Figure 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a profiled supporting rail and a profiled covering rail according to the invention, Figure 4 shows a profiled supporting rail and an alternative embodiment of the profiled covering rail, as well as an element according to the invention capable of being inserted in the covering rail, Figure 5 shows a supporting rail and a covering rail with a special element in the form of a shelf support secured in the covering rail, and Figure 6 shows a preferred embodiment of a profiled supporting rail and a profiled covering rail. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 shows a wall 1 consisting of a system wall according to the invention attached to a traditional partition wall. The partition wall is assembled about a skeleton consisting inter alia of a ceiling U-rail 5 of steel, secured to the ceiling 9 by means of screws 8 and sealed upwardly against the ceiling by means of a sealing strip 6. Vertical profiled rails (not shown) are secured with screws to this ceiling U-rail 5, and so is a wall-panel layer 4 by means of screws 8. This panel layer 4 consists of traditionally erected wall panels placed with their longest dimension vertically and otherwise secured in the conventional manner. Insulating material in the form of mineral wool 7 or the like can be inserted in the cavity between opposing wall panels 4, also in the conventional manner. Likewise, the means (not shown) for securing the wall to the floor and walls can be of the conventional kind, e.g. similar to the means for securing to the ceiling as described above. On the outside of this wall-panel layer 4, profiled supporting rails 10 according to the invention are secured, extending substantially horizontally. The supporting rails 10 can be secured by means of glue, screws etc., and they can be secured exclusively to the vertical skeleton posts or exclusively to the plaster board layer 4, or a combination of both, and they can possibly be secured to internal crossbars (not shown) or to some other permanent support. The wall panels are advantageously made for modular widths of 30, 40, 60 and 80 cm, i.e. the wall panels can have a width equal to the modular width minus the sum of the width occupied by the supporting rail 10 and a clearance. With this modular arrangement, it is possible to build a wall of any desired height, variations less than 10 cm being accommodated by the floor plinth and/or by covering rails 20, 27. On the the supporting rail 10, covering panels 2 are erected resting on the supporting surface of the supporting rail, in the example shown secured beneath the ceiling by means of screws 8. This method of securing is especially advantageous when the uppermost covering panel 2 is covered by a lowered ceiling and for this reason will not be subject to wear or required to exhibit any particular visual properties, but merely has to fulfil requirements with regard to fire resistance, insulation properties, etc. The upper covering panel 2 may, however, also be supported and held securely by a profiled supporting rail 10 and a profiled covering rail 20, 27 according to the invention, possibly being formed without the upwardly protruding legs as indicated with the dotted line A-A in Figure 6. The supporting rail 10 supports a covering plate 2 below it inwardly, and the covering rail 27 supports both the covering panels 2 outwardly, as will be explained below. As shown, the covering panels 2 can be provided with a facing layer 3, that can be prefabricated to constitute the final surface of the wall, or can be placed in position by the builder before or after erecting the wall. Further, at the left-hand covering rail in the drawing, a cover strip 50 is shown, by means of a bead 51 being inserted in a groove in the covering rail 27. This cover strip 50 can be inserted in order to hide the groove 29 in the covering rail 27, and it can e.g. be a coloured rubber strip extending along the full groove length of the covering rail. Figures 3-5 show one embodiment of the profiled supporting rail and various embodiments of the covering rail as well as various accessories. Figure 3 shows a profiled supporting rail 10 that is secured to a load-carrying support with its abutment face 13 in abutment against the latter. The supporting rail 10 comprises an upper supporting leg 11 provided with a ridge 14 on which a covering panel 2 stands in abutment. It is also possible to provide a number of ridges 14, e.g. extending along the supporting leg in a saw-tooth pattern. The purpose of the ridge 14 or the ridges is to support the covering panel 2 during its erection and after its installation, respectively, so as to prevent any tendency for the covering panel 2 to slide outwardly from the supporting leg. Downwardly, the supporting rail 10 is provided with a lower supporting leg 12, together with the supporting leg 11 forming a cavity, in which a projection on a cover strip can be inserted. In this example, the supporting rail 10 comprises outwardly protruding base flanges 15 supporting the covering panels 2 at the back. These base flanges 15 support the covering panels 2 at the rear and provide a certain clearance to the layer situated behind, so that minor irregularities in this layer will have no influence on the layer of covering panels 2. When these functions are not required, it is possible to use a supporting rail 10 without such base flanges 15, e.g. at the top. Projections on the covering rail are inserted in a snap-catch manner in the cavity in the profile supporting rail 10. In Figure 3, these projections are shown in the form of two legs 21, 22 capable of engaging elastically in the cavity between the two legs 11, 12 on the supporting rail 10, these latter legs also being springy. The spring effect between these legs provide the snap-catch effect. This snap-catch effect can be augmented additionally by means of ridges 24, 25, grooves etc., that can be formed in one or both of the surfaces abutting against each other. As further shown in Figure 6 in an advantageous embodiment, the snap-catch surfaces on the legs 11, 12 can comprise grooves 11a, 12a or ridges, one or both surfaces having grooves 11a, 12a comprise(s) a raised part in the central regions of the snap-catch surfaces. These grooves 11a, 12a cooperate with the ridges 24, 25 on the legs 21, 22 of the covering rail 20, 27, so that the ridges 24, 25 on the covering rail 20, 27, when the latter is pushed "loosely" through a short distance inwardly, will lie on an outward incline with grooves 11a, 12a, making it possible to remove the covering rail 20, 27 easily from the snap-catch engagement with the supporting rail 10. If the ridges 24, 25 are pushed passed the raised part into "secure" abutment against grooves 11a, 12a on an inward incline, a secure snap-catch engagement is provided between the profiled supporting rail 10 and the profiled covering rail 20, 27. If the lengths of the legs 11, 12 and 21, 22 on the supporting rail 10 and the covering rail 20, 27, respectively, is e.g. 11 mm, and the apex of the raised part lies centrally on the leg 11 and/or the leg 12, the distance between the roots of the legs will be (5,5+5,5+5,5 mm) = 16,5 mm, when the snap-catch engagement changes from "loose" to "secure" engagement, and the secure engagement will continue until the covering rail has been pushed all the way in, at which stage the distance between the roots of the legs will be 11 mm. In practice, the change-over point between "loose" and "secure" engagement will lie a little further inward due to the extent of the ridges and grooves, if the apex of the raised part is not moved outwardly. In the example referred to, it is possible to achieve a secure snap-catch engagement between the roots of the legs of panels with a thickness dimension in the interval 11-15,5 mm. The dimensions referred to should solely be taken as an example to illustrate that typically, the snap-catch arrangement can be used to secure panels with varying thickness from a dimension corresponding to the longest set of legs 11, 12 or 21, 22, respectively. If the "loose" engagement is not desired, the apex of the raised part can be placed at the edge of the leg 11, 12, making it possible to engage "securely" panels with a thickness of up to the total length of the set of legs minus the width of a groove/ridge. When a "loose" engagement is desired, the largest panel thickness capable of being engaged "securely" is typically a dimension corresponding to the length of the longest set of legs 11, 12 or 21, 22, respectively, plus one-half of the length of the shortest set of legs 21, 22 or 11, 12, respectively. This can, however, be altered by moving the apex of the raised part. In Figure 3, the profiled covering rail 20 is shown with a smooth profile and lying closely in abutment against the covering panels 2 with its outer flanges 23 via abutment pads 26a, 26b, so as to provide an additional elastic clamping of the covering panels 2, the latter at the marginal regions of the abutment pads 26 lying in close abutment against the facing layer 3 on the covering panels 2, so that variations in the latter's thickness are accommodated without problems. The posibility of accommodating panels 2 having different thicknesses is also enhanced by the telescope-like snap-catch engagement between the profiled supporting rail 10 and the profiled covering rail 20. An altered embodiment of the profiled covering rail 20 is shown in figure 4, in which the covering rail 27 is provided with a longitudinal groove 29, outwardly having a projection 29a separating the cavity in the groove 29 behind it from the front face of the covering rail 27. When installing the covering rail 27, it is placed with the projection 29a uppermost in the groove 29. This makes it possible to insert an engagement element 31 into the groove 29 and to secure this element in the groove. This will be explained with reference to the suspension element 30 shown in Figure 4. As shown, the suspension element 30 is secured in the groove 29, so that a downwardly directed pulling force is taken up by the lowermost wall in the groove 29, and the suspension element 30 is prevented from slipping out of the groove 29 by the abutment of the engagement element 31 against the projection 29a on the covering rail 27. In this manner, the suspension element 30 can function as a suspension element or a suspension hook, on which an object exerting a downward and horizontally directed pulling force can be suspended on a projecting element 32a, whilst an object mainly exerting a downwardly directed force can be suspended on a projecting element 33b. Now, if it is desired to extract the suspension element 30, the latter is rotated as shown by the arrow 34, so that the engagement element 31 is rotated from an upright position in abutment against the projection 29a on the covering rail 27 to a position, in which the engagement element 31 mainly points inwardly into the groove 29, after which the suspension element 30 can be removed from the groove 29 without hindrance. If the covering rail 27 has been inserted with a projection 29a at the lower edge of the groove, it is also possible to suspend objects by using hook elements grasping the projection 29a. The groove 29 can also comprise projections 29a on both sides of the opening, and the suspension element 30 can be adapted correspondingly in the form of a flat key, being inserted in a horizontal orientation with its engagement element 31 into the groove 29, and then turned into a vertical orientation as shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the projecting element 33b is advantageously situated below the groove 29 after this turning, so that when carrying a load, it will be self-centering in a locking position. Figure 5 shows another supporting element 40 for insertion in the groove and having an engagement element 41. In this example, the element 40 is shown having a shelf-supporting arrangement, comprising an abutment leg 42 extending downwardly from the engagement element 41 and being terminated by an abutment pad 46 abutting against the wall surface at a suitable distance adapted to the desired stability for the shelf 47 and a sufficiently low pressure or pressure distribution via the pad 46 onto the covering panel 2. Upwardly, the shelf support 40 is provided with an upper projection 43a and, spaced from the latter, a lower projection 43b, between which a shelf panel 46 can be inserted so that the shelf rests on the lower projection 43b and is prevented from pivoting outwardly by the upper projection 43a. As will be obvious for a person skilled in this art, there are countless posibilities for variations of elements to be inserted in the groove 29, and for what can be suspended by or placed upon these elements. Figure 2 shows a wall having been erected with the system wall according to the invention. The installation has e.g. been carried out by securing a profiled supporting rail 10,I to an underlying layer, e.g. by means of screws, normally extending horizontally and at a level adapted to particular characteristics of the wall, e.g. the lower boundary of a window embrasure 48. After this it is possible above the first supporting rail 10,I to install a supporting rail 10,II, the level of which is adapted either to characteristics of the wall or to a fixed modular width of the covering panel 2. If the window embrasure 41 is installed at the same time as the system wall, the modular size of the window embrasure and the covering panels will normally be adapted to each other. After this, covering panels 2 can be installed between these two supporting rails 10,I and 10,II, but it is also possible to install the remaining supporting rails before installing the covering panels. In the example shown, an additional supporting rail 10,III is installed about the second supporting rail 10,II at a level corresponding to the level of a suspended ceiling. Below the first supporting rail 10,I, fourth and fifth supporting rails 10,IV and 10,V, respectively, are secured with a spacing corresponding to a modular width of the covering panels 2. If so desired, a further supporting rail 10,VI can be installed as shown in the Figure, as well as a plinth 18 adapted to accommodate level differences from the horizontal between the wall surface and the floor 19. When the profiled supporting rails 10 have been installed, the installation of covering panels can begin at any desired level. In this example, special covering panels with a metal surface or heavy pads can be installed, e.g. MDF panels above the plinth 18 and up to the first supporting rail 10 so as to give the wall a greater strength in this region. In the supporting rail 10 at the upper boundary of these covering panels, a covering rail 20, possibly in sections, is inserted so as to loosely hold these covering panels in place. On top of this supporting rail 10 normal covering panels are installed, possibly having been pre-treated for a desired appearance, and the tops of the latter are held loosely against the supporting rail 10 by means of a covering rail 27 inserted part-way in the supporting rail 10, after which the lower covering rail can be hammered into secure abutment against the covering panels. Above the covering rail 27, desired covering panels are inserted, in the example shown in the form of normal covering-panel pieces, between which a magnetic notice board 49a is inserted, possibly also decorative panel pieces (not shown) to break the monotony of the wall surface. These covering panels also are likewise initially loosely secured with a profile covering rail 27. Above this are installed upper visible covering panels reaching up to a suspending ceiling 9, and these covering panels are held by a covering rail 20,27 or by special ceiling-adapted covering rails inserted in the supporting rail 10. The special ceiling-adapted covering rails can have the same shape as the covering rail 20, 27 but without the upper leg leading up to the abutment pad 26a, or else can this leg or flange or an additional flange have an outward inclination or extend at right angles from the plane of the covering rail in the manner indicated in figure 6 with the broken-line flange 27b, so that the joint between a suspended ceiling and the wall surface is covered. Upwardly, the wall can continue as shown in figure 1, or else be terminated with supporting rails 10 in a similar manner as in the remaining system wall. Figure 2 also shows a suspension element 30 inserted in the groove 29 in a covering rail 27 and supporting a picture 39. The Figure also shows a shelf 47 installed on a shelf support 40 in a corresponding groove 29 in a covering rail 27. These suspension or supporting elements 30, 40 make it possible to suspend or mount various objects, such as cupboards, shelves, bookcases etc. as desired without causing damage to the wall or making it necessary to repair it, if they are removed later. When the covering panels 2 are installed, they can be placed on the upper supporting leg 11 of the supporting rail 10, the ridges 14 retaining the panels 2 outwardly, and in the upper supporting rail 10 the panels 2 can be held outwardly by small covering-rail pieces 20, 27, until the final covering rail is inserted and pressed or hammered securely into place. When dismounting covering panels 2, the requisite covering rail or rails 20, 27 is/are pried out, and if necessary, the panels can be held in place temporarily by pieces of covering rail until they are taken down. Thus, with the system wall according to the invention, it is a simple and easy matter to adapt the wall to existing structural members, so that the wall elements and the existing elements co-exist in a natural harmonic layout. Special elements can be inserted and replaced in a relatively simple manner, and installation and dismounting of wall elements can be initiated from any desired level without affecting the erection of covering panels at other levels. In addition, the mainly horizontally extending supporting rails 10 and covering panels 2 increase the strength of the wall, because they cooperate with vertically extending skeleton and panel parts lying behind the covering panels to provide a "cross-bond" structure. Further, this wall structure is advantageous for providing curved wall surfaces about a vertical curvature axis, because the panels in the system wall according to the invention can be bent in their longitudinal direction, which requires less force and makes it possible to achieve a greater arc length without joints, and e.g. when using plaster board reduces the risk of damage to the panels - i addition to this the bent panels are supported in their full length by the covering rails 20, 27. In order to provide a desired arched shape it is possible to use supporting rails 10 and coverings rails 20, 27, e.g. in aluminium, that are rolled or extruded to the desired arched shape, and a number of layers can be installed in a staggered manner on supporting rails 10 having such a shape. As will be evident from the description, the system wall according to the invention provides a wall that is easy to erect, adapt to existing structural members and be given a desired individual appearance, in which the horizontal lines produce a calm and harmonic wall image, at the same time as it is a simple matter to replace or dismount the system wall or parts of it without damage being caused to the outer covering panels, thus ensuring a high degree of re-use.

Claims: Internal system wall consisting of a number of wall panel sections (2) releasably secured between profiled rails (27) rigidly secured to a load-bearing structure, preferably a skeleton of uprights or a permanent wall, whereby said profiled rails comprise a) a fixed rail part (10) secured to the load-bearing structure and adapted to support a panel section (2), and b) a profiled covering rail (20,27) adapted to be secured releasably in the fixed rail part and to retain a panel section against overturning into said room or enclosure, characterized in that the profiled rails (27) releasably securing said wall panel sections (2) extend, in use, horizontally and mutually parallel and spaced along a substantial part of the circumference of the room or enclosure concerned. System wall according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixed rail part (10) comprises an upper and mainly horizontally extending supporting leg (11) and extending parallel to the latter a lower supporting leg (12), said two legs being elastically resilient and adapted to in a snap-catch manner to receive a complementary projection (21,22) on the profiled covering rail (20,27). System wall according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by at least one ridge (14) protruding upwardly from the upper supporting leg (11) on the horizontal profiled supporting rail, said ridge being adapted to be pressed into the covering panel (2) resting on said leg (11). System wall according to claim 2, characterized in that the complementary projection (21,22) on the profiled covering rail (20,27) is formed by two engagement legs (21,22), said two legs being elastically resilient and adapted to in a snap-catch manner to be received by the complementarily shaped legs (11,12) on the profiled supporting rail (10). System wall according to claim 2 or 4, characterized by a recess (29) in the form of a longitudinal groove (29) formed between the two legs (21,22) in the projection on the profiled covering rail (20,27), said groove (29) being open outwardly at the front of the covering rail (27) and closed inwardly, at least one ridge edge (29a) being placed in the opening and protruding inwardly in the latter. System wall according to claim 5, characterized by an additional element (30,40) capable of being engaged or hooked into the groove (29) with an engagement element (31,41) and of being locked in the groove (29) by rotation about an axis extending either mainly parallel to or mainly at right angles to said groove. System wall according to claim 4, characterized in that said further element is adapted to support or suspend objects placed thereupon or suspended therefrom.

Inventors: JAHN FINN B, JAHN, FINN B.
Applicants: DEKO LOFT & VAEG AS, DEKO LOFT + VAEG A/S
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: E04B2