Abstract:
A slatwall panel comprises a backboard and a slatwall channel attached to the backboard. The slatwall channel includes a longitudinal horizontal slot, and opposing longitudinal first and second grooves parallel to the slot. First and second substrates include edge portions disposed in the first and second grooves, respectively. The slot includes a rear wall, a bottom wall and a top wall forming a U-shaped groove. The bottom wall is slanted downwardly toward the rear wall; and the U-shaped groove is configured to receive a shelf wherein the top wall provides a stop to a top rear portion of the shelf and a front portion of the bottom wall provides support to a bottom rear portion of the shelf.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a display wall assembly for use in displaying merchandise. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Slatwall panels are generally manufactured by assembling a plurality of slatwall profiles generally made from extruded plastic material. These profiles are generally attached directly to an existing wall to make a slatwall panel. Examples of this type of slatwall panels are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,921,044; 4,752,010; and 5,655,674. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a slatwall panel, comprising a backboard and a slatwall channel attached to the backboard. The slatwall channel includes a longitudinal horizontal slot, and opposing longitudinal first and second grooves parallel to the slot. First and second substrates have edge portions disposed in the first and second grooves, respectively. The slot includes a rear wall, a bottom wall and a top wall forming a U-shaped groove. The bottom wall is slanted downwardly toward the rear wall; and the U-shaped groove is configured to receive a shelf wherein the top wall provides a stop to a top rear portion of the shelf and a front portion of the bottom wall provides support to a bottom rear portion of the shelf. 
     The present invention also provides a slatwall panel, comprising a backboard; and a slatwall channel attached to the backboard. The slatwall channel includes a longitudinal horizontal slot, and opposing longitudinal first and second grooves parallel to the slot. The first groove includes first rear wall and front wall. The second groove includes second rear wall and second front wall. First and second substrates with corresponding edge portions are disposed in the first and second grooves, respectively. Finish layer is disposed on exterior surfaces of the first and second substrates; and the finish layer overlaps the first and second front walls. 
     The present invention further provides a slatwall system, comprising first and second slat wall panels disposed side to side. The first slat wall panel includes a number of horizontal first slots. The second slat wall panel includes a number of horizontal second slots; and one of the first slots is not aligned with any one of the second slots. 
     The present invention also provides a slatwall channel for use in the assembly of a slatwall panel, comprising a body including a longitudinal horizontal slot, and opposing longitudinal first and second grooves parallel to the slot. The slot includes a rear wall, a bottom wall and a top wall forming a U-shaped groove. The bottom wall is slanted downwardly toward the rear wall; and the U-shaped groove is configured to receive a shelf wherein the top wall provides a stop to a top rear portion of the shelf and a front portion of the bottom wall provides support to a bottom rear portion of the shelf. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a slatwall panel embodying the present invention, with portions shown in cross-section. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 4 , showing a shelf being inserted into a slot. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an assembly of individual slatwall panels embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A slatwall panel  2  embodying the present invention is disclosed in  FIG. 1 . The panel includes a plurality of longitudinal horizontal slots  4 . Although shown with the slots  4  as being evenly spaced from one another, it should be understood that the slots  4  could be spaced at any desired distance, evenly or unevenly, from one another, depending on the application. It should also be understood that a slatwall  2  with one single slot  4  is also within the scope of the present invention. The slots  4  are used to hold standard hanging brackets  6  and a shelf  8 . A number of the shelf  8  may be used, although only one shelf is shown. The shelf  8  is preferably made of light-transmitting glass, plastic, or other suitable materials, opaque or light transmitting, designed to support a load. 
     The slatwall panel  4  comprises a backboard  10  and a plurality of bodies made of extruded slatwall channels  12  that provide the slots  4 . The backboard  10  may be part of an existing wall structure, or may be separate therefrom. Substrates  14  are attached to the slatwall channels  12  and the backboard  10 . A finish layer  16  is attached to the respective outer front surfaces of the substrates  14 . The slatwall channels  12  are preferably made of aluminum, but other suitable materials, such as plastic, may also be used. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a slatwall channel  12  is shown in detail. The slatwall channel  12  includes the slot  4  with an outside opening  17  and opposing longitudinal horizontal upper groove  18  and lower groove  20 . Edge portions of the respective substrates  14  are received in the respective grooves  18  and  20 . The upper groove  18  includes a back wall  22  and a front wall  24 . Similarly, the lower groove  20  includes a back wall  26  and a front wall  28 . The back walls  22  and  26  are attached to the backboard  10  by standard means, such as screws, nails, adhesives, etc. The substrates  14  are attached to the backboard  10  by standard means, such as screws, nails, adhesives, etc. The finish layer  16  is attached to the outer front surfaces of the respective substrates  14  by standard means, such as adhesives. Preferably, an edge portion  30  of the layer  16  overlaps the respective front walls  24  and  28  of the slatwall channel  12 . The finish layer  16  may be made of wood veneer, bamboo veneer, laminate, plastic, paint or some other suitable finish coverings. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the slot  4  includes a rear wall  32 , a bottom wall  34  and a top wall  36 , forming a U-shaped groove. The bottom wall  34  is slanted downwardly to the rear wall  32  to facilitate insertion of the shelf  8  into the slot  4 . The bottom wall  34  joins the back wall  26  and the front wall  28  of the lower groove  20 . The rear wall  32  has an inside height dimension larger than the thickness of the shelf  8  to provide space  37  (see  FIG. 4 ) to facilitate insertion of the shelf  8 . Similarly, the height of the opening  17  of the slot  4  is higher than the thickness of the shelf  8 , providing a gap or space  39  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a branch groove  38  is disposed above the slot  4  and communicates therewith. The groove  38  has a slanted portion  41  and a vertical portion  43 , providing a configuration to receive a hanging bracket  6 . The slanted portion  41  includes opposed inclined surfaces  40  and  42 . The vertical portion  43  includes opposed vertical surfaces  48  and  45 . The front wall  24  and the back wall  22  are joined by a horizontal top wall  44 . The front wall  24  includes a projection  46  disposed inside the branch groove  38 . The projection  46  includes the inclined surface  40  and the vertical surface  48  for engaging an end portion  50  of a Z-shaped member  52  of the bracket  6 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a front corner portion  54  of the bottom wall  34  and the front wall  28  provides support to a bottom rear portion  56  of the shelf  8 . The top wall  36  provides support to a top rear portion  58  of the shelf  8 . The shelf  8  is thus supported in a cantilever fashion without any visible supporting structure underneath, providing a clean uncluttered look. A light strip  60  may be attached to the top wall  44 . With the shelf  8  made of glass, light from the light strip  60  is directed by the inclined surfaces  40  and  42  to the glass, where it is absorbed and makes the entire shelf  8  luminous. 
     The top wall  36  and the inclined surface  42  define a triangular body  61  attached to a vertical wall  62 , which is attached to the top wall  44 . The triangular body  61  is offset inwardly into the slot  4  with the vertical wall  62  substantially centered over the top wall  36 , thereby distributing the load from the top rear portion of the shelf  8  to each side of the vertical wall  62 . This arrangement advantageously provides a stable structure for supporting the torque imposed by shelf  8  on the top wall  36 . The wall  62  is offset from the back walls  22  and  26  and the backboard  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the shelf  8  is inserted into the slot  8  by tilting the shelf  8  slightly upward to follow the incline of the bottom wall  34 . The bottom edge  64  of the front wall  24  is spaced apart from the top surface of the shelf  8 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , that makes the height of the opening  17  slightly larger than the thickness of the shelf  8  to allow convenient insertion of the shelf  8  while being slightly tilted upward. At the same time, the gap  37  provides space at the rear wall  32 . 
     It is preferable to recess the thickness of the front walls  24  and  28  into the substrates  14  to make the front exterior surfaces of the substrates  14  flush with the adjacent front surfaces of the front walls  24  and  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , to allow the finish layer  16  to lie flat as it overlies the substrates  14  and the front walls  24  and  28 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the slatwall panel  2  may be combined with other slatwall panels  2  to provide the desired height and width. The panels are arranged on a side-to-side manner to form one continuous wall. The outer surface of each panel is flush with the outer surface of the adjacent panel to form one continuous flat surface, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Similarly, the slots  4  may be configured on each slatwall panel  4  separately of the other slots  4  in the other slatwall panels  4  as desired. The slot in one panel may or may not line up with a slot in the adjacent panel, as desired. For example, the slots from one panel may line up with the slots in the other panels to form one continuous slot that extends across several panels, such as that shown generally at  66 , or they may be staggered from one panel to the next panel. Further, the slots in one panel may grouped into several groups where in each group the vertical spacing of the slots are the same, but different from the other groups, such as that shown in each panel in  FIG. 6 . A group may include one or more slots. 
     While this invention has been described as having preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modification, uses and/or adaptations following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.