Patent Publication Number: US-2006019232-A1

Title: Modular bulletin board

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to a display panel and an associated method. More particularly, this invention relates to a bulletin board and to an associated display method.  
      Display panels such as bulletin board generally come in fixed sizes that may or may not be suitable for the needs of the particular user. Boards that are too small do not adequately accommodate the user&#39;s needs as to the number and sizes of items that are to be posted on the boards. Boards that are too large cannot be fit into the space allotted.  
      Therefore, the need exists for a display board of a type that is easily adaptable to requirements of size.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide an improved display panel.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a display panel having a size that can be varied in accordance with need or usefulness.  
      A further object of the present invention is to provide a display panel of modular construction.  
      An additional object of the present invention is to provide a display panel that may be mounted to a variety of different surfaces.  
      It is another object of the present invention to provide a display panel of simple and inexpensive construction.  
      It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a display method that is simple to use and readily adaptable to different applications and use requirements.  
      These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and descriptions herein. Although every object of the invention is believed to be attained by at least one embodiment of the invention, there is not necessarily any one embodiment that achieves all of the objects of the invention.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A modular bulletin board comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of planar panels each having a plurality of edges. Each of the panels is provided along at least one edge with interleaved or alternating projections and recesses that interlock with recesses and projections on an adjacent panel. At least one connector element such as a magnet or an adhesive strip is provided for attaching a rear side of the panels to a surface.  
      Preferably, at least one of the panels is provided along at least two contiguous edges with interleaved or alternating projections and recesses that interlock with recesses and projections on adjacent panels. More preferably, at least one of the panels is rectangular or square and is provided along four edges with interleaved or alternating projections and recesses that interlock with recesses and projections on adjacent panels.  
      Preferably, but not necessarily, the panels each have a layer made of cork or glossy paperboard. The cork or paperboard layer may be a front layer, each of the panels having a backing layer made of another material such as a polymeric foam material. The connector element is attachable then to the backing layer.  
      Generally, it is contemplated that the panels are adhered to a vertical surface such as a wall, door, partition, mirror, or window, etc. The vertical surface may be made of any of a variety of materials, including wallboard, wood, sheet metal, plastic, glass, etc. The panels may be alternatively adhered to a horizontal surface such as a table or desk top.  
      In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, where at least one of the panels is rectangular, with four edges each provided with projections and recesses that interlock with recesses and projections on an adjacent panel, it is contemplated that a plurality of the panels are provided with a single straight edge, whereas other panels (generally four in number) may be provided that have two contiguous straight edges and two contiguous edges provided with the interlocking projections and recesses. The latter panels serve as comer panels in an array of the panels assembled on or attached to a mounting surface.  
      In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, separate edge pieces may be provided. Each such edge piece has a straight edge on one side and a series of projections and recesses on an opposite side.  
      Preferably, the interlocking projections and recesses are dovetail-type projections and recesses.  
      Preferably, the connector elements are dual-sided adhesive strips.  
      A display method in accordance with the present invention utilizes a plurality of modular planar display panels each having a plurality of edges, each of the display panels being provided along at least one edge with interleaved or alternating projections and recesses. The panels are placed adjacent to and coupled with one another in part by interlocking projections and recesses on adjacent panels. In addition, the panels are attached to a mounting surface. A plurality of items are attached to a side of the coupled panels opposite the mounting surface.  
      The mounting surface is usually vertical and the items are attached to the interlocked display panels preferably by tacking the items to the panels. The tacking may be accomplished by using thumbtacks or staples. In this case the panels are made at least in part of a puncture-friendly material such as cork, styrofoam, paperboard, or rubber. Alternatively, particularly where the front faces of the panels are made of a hard material such as plastic or sheet metal, the items may be attached to the panels by adhesive, for instance, adhesive tape.  
      Where at least one of the panels is rectangular and has four edges, the coupling of the panels to one another may include coupling the one panel to at least four adjacent panels.  
      The coupling of the panels to one another may be executed at least in part prior to the adhering of the panels to the surface. Alternatively, a first panel may be adhered to the mounting surface prior to the coupling of any of the other panels to that first panel.  
      Typically, all of the panels are provided on the reverse sides with a connector element such as an adhesive strip. However, in some applications, depending in part on the panel size and the anticipated load, connector elements may be omitted from the rear sides of one or more of the panels.  
      The adhering of the panels to the surface may include attaching dual-sided adhesive strips to the panels and the surface. In that case, the dual-sided adhesive strips may be provided on at least one side with a releasable protective cover that is removed prior to adherence of the associated panel to the mounting surface.  
      A modular display panel assembly in accordance with the present invention provides a display panel with a size that can be varied in accordance with need or usefulness. This adaptability of the present display panel assembly and associated display method arises from the modular construction of the panels.  
      A display panel in accordance with the present invention may be mounted to a variety of different surface and is simple and inexpensive. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic top plan view of a display panel piece of a modular display board assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a dual-sided adhesive strip utilizable to attach the panel of  FIG. 1  to a mounting surface.  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic top plan view of another display panel piece of a modular display board assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic top plan view of yet another display panel piece of a modular display board assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic top plan view of an assembled modular display board in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a partial top plan view of another assembled modular display board in accordance with the present invention, showing linear edge strips. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT  
      A modular bulletin board comprises at least one planar panel  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Panel  10  has four contiguous edges  12  each provided with a plurality of interleaved or alternating dovetail-type projections  14  and recesses  15  that interlock with recesses and projections on an adjacent panel (see  FIG. 5 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , panel  10  may be provided on a rear surface  16  with at least one adhesive strip  18  for attaching the panel to a mounting surface such as a wall or door.  
      Panel  10  may be packaged for sale with adhesive strip  18  attached thereto. In that case, adhesive strip  18  is provided on an outer surface with a protective release strip  20  that is removed from strip  18  prior to the attachment of panel  10  to a mounting surface. Alternatively, panel  10  may be packaged for sale together with at least one dual-sided adhesive strip  22 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , having opposite sides covered by protective release strips  24  and  26 .  
       FIG. 4  depicts another planar panel  28  that may be sold together with or separately from panel  10  for cooperating therewith to form a display board having a straight edge. To that end, panel  28  has a single straight edge  30  and three contiguous crenulated edges  32 . Edges  32  are each provided with a plurality of interleaved or alternating dovetail-type projections  34  and recesses  35  that interlock with recesses and projections on an adjacent panel ( FIG. 5 ). As discussed above with reference to panel  10  and  FIG. 2 , panel  28  may be provided on a rear surface with at least one adhesive strip  18  for attaching the panel to a mounting surface such as a wall or door.  
       FIG. 5  depicts yet another planar display panel  36  that may be sold together with or separately from panels  10  and  28  for cooperating therewith to form a display board having a corner with straight edges. To that end, panel  36  has a pair of contiguous straight edges  38  and a pair of contiguous crenulated edges  40 . Edges  40  are each provided with a plurality of interleaved or alternating dovetail-type projections  42  and recesses  43  that interlock with recesses and projections on an adjacent panel ( FIG. 5 ). As discussed above with reference to panel  10  and  FIG. 2 , panel  36  may be provided on a rear surface with at least one adhesive strip  18  for attaching the panel to a mounting surface such as a wall or door.  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , panels  10 ,  28  and  36  each have a front layer  44  made of cork or glossy paperboard and a backing layer  46  made of another material such as a polymeric foam material. Adhesive strip  18  or  22  is attachable then to a rear face of backing layer  46 .  
      In use, a plurality of panels  10 ,  28 , and  36  are placed adjacent to and coupled with one another in part by interlocking projections  14 ,  34 ,  42  and recesses  15 ,  35 ,  43  on adjacent panels.  FIG. 6  depicts an illustrative configuration of panels  10 ,  28 , and  36 . It is to be understood, that different numbers of panels  10 ,  28 , and  36  may be combined and connected in many alternative configurations that need not be rectangular. For example, display board having cross shapes (not shown) or step shapes are possible.  
      Panels  10 ,  28 , and  36  may be assembled on a vertical or horizontal mounting surface (not shown) by first attaching one panel  10 ,  28 , or  36  via an adhesive strip  18  or  22  to the mounting surface and subsequently coupling other panels  10 ,  28 , and/or  36  in succession to the initial panel by sliding the respective dovetail projections  14 ,  34 ,  42  into respective recesses  15 ,  35 ,  43  to form an interlocked coupling. Prior to this sliding, the subsequently attached panels are preferably, but not necessarily, provided on their rear faces with respective adhesive strips  18  or  22  from which the protective cover strips  20 ,  24 ,  26  have been removed.  
      After a selected plurality of panels  10 ,  28 ,  36  are coupled to one another in a desired array on the mounting surface, various items are attached to the front faces of the coupled panels items for instance, by tacks or staples (not shown). Where the front layer  44  is made of glossy paperboard, a user may also be inclined to write on the front layer with an erasable (water-based) marker.  
      It is contemplated that the subsequently attached panels are coupled to the first panel on different occasions, so that the modular display board is incrementally increased in size and optionally in shape, depending on the needs and desires of the user. Thus, it is possible to market panels  10 ,  28 ,  36  separately, for instance, as additions to existing panel displays.  
      In an alternative method of building a display board, the coupling of panels  10 ,  28 ,  36  to one another may be executed at least in part prior to the adhering of any of the panels to the mounting surface.  
      Typically, all of the panels making up a display board are provided on the reverse sides with at least one adhesive strip  18  or  22 . However, in some applications, depending in part on the panel size and the anticipated load, adhesive strips  18 ,  22  may be omitted from the rear sides of one or more panels  10 ,  28 .  36 .  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a modular display panel assembly utilizing a number of main panels  10  may optionally include a plurality of edge strips  48  and corner strips  50 . Edge strips  48  and corner strips  50  are elongate or narrow panels. Edge strips  48  are provided along one side with a straight edge  52  and on an opposing side with a crenellated edge comprising a plurality of interleaved projections  54  and recesses  56 . Corner strips  50  are likewise provided along one side with a straight edge  58  and on an opposing side with a crenellated edge comprising a plurality of interleaved projections  60  and recesses  62 . Corner strips  50  are each provided on at least one end with a corner formation  64  that generates a smooth corner profile for an assembled modular display panel.  
      The word “rectangular” as used herein denotes a quadrilateral with 90° angles between adjacent edges.  
      The term “dual-sided adhesive strip” is used herein to denote a planar piece of material provided along opposing major surface with adhesive layers.  
      The word “tack” or “tacking” is used herein to denote the insertion of one or more sharp connector elements through an item into a perforatable surface. The connector elements may take the form of tacks, staples, nails, pins, etc. The perforatable surface may be made of cork, cardboard, polymeric material, rubber, etc.  
      Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. For example, the panels of a modular display board in accordance with the present invention may have a shape other than rectangular, such as triangular or hexagonal. Although polygonal shapes are preferred, non-polygonal shapes are possible, including shapes with curved edges.  
      Panels  28  and  36  may be omitted where crenellated edges are acceptable. Thus, a display board may use only panels  10 . Alternatively, where smooth edges are desired, panels  28  and  36  may be replaced by elongate edge strips each provided on one side with a straight edge and on an opposing side with a crenellated edge having interleaved projections and recesses.  
      Adhesive strips  18  and  22  may be replaced with other forms of connector elements such as planar magnets.  
      Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.