Abstract:
Disclosed is a panel support including a block and a slide. The block has an aperture therein into which the slide can be inserted and the slide has a flange at or adjacent its distal end. A locking unit is provided actuable to substantially lock the slide in a desired position relative to the block so as to clamp a planar member between the slide and the block. Also described is a mounting system utilizing a plurality of panel supports carrying a planar member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a Panel Support and/or a Panel Mounting System. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    A problem with existing methods of supporting panels to display graphic images, posters and other sheets of material is that frequently it is desired to display a poster and the mounting structure requires that holes are made through the graphic image, poster or other sheet of material. This is often undesirable. This need is even more so when the article to be mounted is for example a work of art in an art gallery, museum or similar. 
       PRIOR REFERENCES 
       [0003]    All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications may be referred to, herein; this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country. 
       DEFINITIONS 
       [0004]    It is acknowledged that the term ‘comprise’ may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term ‘comprise’ shall have an inclusive meaning—i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term ‘comprised’ or ‘comprising’ is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the invention to provide a panel support that ameliorates some of the disadvantages and limitations of the known art or at least provide the public with a useful choice. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    In a first aspect the invention resides in a panel support comprising a block and a slide; the block having an aperture therein into which the slide can be inserted; the slide having a flange at or adjacent the distal end; and locking means being provided actuable to substantially lock the slide in a desired position relative to the block. 
         [0007]    Preferably the slide is able to be secured in at least a number of selected positions relative to the block. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the slide is substantially “L” shaped having a stem and the flange extending outwardly from the stem, the stem being bifurcated over at least a substantial length thereof. 
         [0009]    Preferably the locking means comprises a further aperture in the block crossing the aperture that receives the slide, at least the inner parts of the further aperture being shaped to receive a locking member passing into the further aperture and through the slot formed by the bifurcation so that the locking member engages the slide to substantially lock the slide relative to the block. 
         [0010]    Preferably a second locking means is provided to receive a second fixing device to the block. 
         [0011]    Preferably the second fixing device comprises a screw or bolt engageable into the block. 
         [0012]    In other aspects herein described the invention resides in one or more panel supports according to any one of the preceding paragraphs with the edge of a panel held between the block and the slide. 
         [0013]    In a further aspect the invention resides in one or more panel supports according to any one of the preceding paragraph with a first panel abutting the slide and a second panel held between the first panel and the block. 
         [0014]    Preferably the second panel has a pair of apertures through one of which the slide can pass and through the other of which the second fixing device can pass. 
         [0015]    In a still further aspect the invention consists in a panel mounting system comprising a plurality of panel supports according to the preceding paragraphs and a panel able to be engaged with the panel supports. 
         [0016]    Preferably the panel mounting system can include two panels held face to face between the slide and the block of each panel support. 
         [0017]    Preferably the panel mounting system has more than two panels supported between the slide and the block. 
         [0018]    Preferably the panel mounting system has at least two panels supported between the slide and the block with a planar member between the two panels or between two of the panels. 
     
    
     
         [0019]    The invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of a panel support in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the panel support of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a view as in  FIG. 2  but with the slide in a closed position, 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a view as in  FIG. 2  but without the panel, 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a view as in  FIG. 1  of an alternative panel support able to support two panels, 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a view as in  FIG. 2  but of the panel support of  FIG. 5 , 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a view as in  FIG. 3  but of the panel support of  FIG. 5 , 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a view as in  FIG. 4  but of the panel support of  FIG. 5 , 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a view as in  FIG. 1  but showing a flat shouldered fixing screw, and 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a view as in  FIG. 9  of a further alternative construction showing three elements, being two panels placed on a panel support with a sheet of material therebetween. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0030]    The following description will describe the invention in relation to preferred embodiments of the invention, namely a panel support and/or a panel mounting system. The invention is in no way limited to these preferred embodiments as they are purely to exemplify the invention only and that possible variations and modifications would be readily apparent without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 1 to 4  show a panel support  1 , which is formed by a block  2  and a slide  3 . The block  2  is able to be mounted on a supporting structure such as a wall  8  and this can be achieved by including a bore  4  in the block  2  which is of reduced diameter at the end  5 . Thus a screw, fixing bolt or the like  9  can be inserted into the bore  4  from end  6  and screwed into the supporting structure  8  where the head of the screw or bolt will engage the material  7  around the edges of the aperture at end  5  to hold the block  2  in place on the supporting structure  8 . 
         [0032]    The block  2  also has an aperture  10  into which the slide  3  can be inserted. In the figures the aperture  10  has a rectangular cross-section as does the slide  3 , but the aperture  10  could have other cross-sections to match the cross-section of the slide but it is believed that a rectangular cross-section is likely to be the preferred cross-section. 
         [0033]    A further aperture  13  is provided in the block  2  which aperture  13  crosses the aperture  10  as can be seen, for example, in  FIG. 1 . The aperture  13  between the aperture  10  and towards the bore  4  is shaped to hold a screw  14 , for example, and preferably by being threaded. 
         [0034]    The aperture  13  between the aperture  10  and the face  15  of the block from which aperture  13  extends is preferably not threaded and is at least a little larger in diameter than the head of the screw  14 . The head of the screw  14  which may have flat shoulders as seen in  FIG. 9 . Alternatively the head of the screw  14  may have sloped shoulders, as can be seen for example in  FIG. 1 , for the purpose hereinafter described. The flat shoulders are preferred as a better fit or greater contact area of the inner face of the head of the screw  14  with the slide is achieved. 
         [0035]    The slide  3  has a stem  20  and a flange, upstand or rib  21  extending substantially at right angles to the length of the stem  20 . The stem  20  is bifurcated to form two arms  20   a  and  20   b  (see  FIG. 2 ) with a slot  23  between the two arms  20   a  and  20   b.  Thus the stem  20  of the slide  3  can be inserted into the aperture  10 . Fixing means are provided to substantially lock or hold the slide  3  in the aperture  10  and the fixing means are provided by the interaction of screw  14  and the arms  20   a  and  20   b.  The width of the slot  23  is such that the threaded part of the screw  14  will pass between the arms  20   a  and  20   b  but the head of the screw  14  will not and the flat or sloped head of the screw  14  will bear against the arms  20   a  and  20   b  and desirably deflects the arms  20   a  and  20   b  a little against the wall of the aperture  10  opposite the head of screw  14  so as to clamp the slide between the head of screw  14  and the opposite wall of the aperture  10 . 
         [0036]    The block and slide can be formed of any suitable material such as a tough plastics material or metal. 
         [0037]    The use of the panel support as described in  FIGS. 1 to 4  is as follows. The block  2  is mounted on a supporting surface such as a wall. In practical terms more than one block would be mounted on the wall, the actual number depending on the size of panel  30  to be supported on the wall. Thus for a smaller panel two blocks may be sufficient but for larger panels three, four or more blocks may be needed. The blocks are mounted by passing fixing devices such as screws into the bores  4  and through the apertures  5  as above described. The slides  3  can then be partially inserted in the apertures  10  and the edge of the panel  30  brought into contact with the stem  20  of the slide  3 . Once the panel  30  engages all stems  20  in use for that panel  30  the stems can be pushed further into the aperture  10  and fixing screws  14  tightened onto the arms  20   a  and  20   b  to hold the slide  3  in place. To remove the panel  30  the reverse procedure can be employed. The panels can be any article having a somewhat planar form, such as panels of flat usually rigid material such as MDF or HDMDF, ACM, posters, art works, slim line televisions, or other similar articles. 
         [0038]    The construction of  FIGS. 5 to 8  is somewhat similar save that it able to be used to support two panels  30  and  31  and this can be achieved as follows. 
         [0039]    The bore  4  is threaded at or adjacent the end  6  thereof. A screw or bolt  34  is provided which engages the threads in the bore  4  and which has a relatively thin head  35 . The panel  31  is provided with an aperture  36  through which the screw or bolt  34  can pass but not the head  35  and a further aperture  37  must be provided through which the arms  20   a  and  20   b  can pass. Generally only panel  31  would include apertures  36  and  37  but it will be apparent that more than one panel could be provided with such apertures and be mounted as for panel  31 . 
         [0040]    As a further alternative mounts at the bottom of the panels and some or all mounts at the side of panel  31  could be as for panel  31  in  FIG. 6  but mounting at the, or the remaining, side, and the top edge of the panel could be as shown in  FIGS. 1, 10 and 11 . 
         [0041]    The screw or bolt  34  can be screwed into the bore  4  where the head  35  of the screw or bolt  34 , having a diameter larger than the diameter of the bore  4 , will hold the panel  31  against the block  2  as seen in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . Thus in use the slide  3  can then be partially inserted in the aperture  10  after passing partially through the aperture  37 . The panel  30  can then be mounted as described in relation to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . Again several blocks may be needed to hold the panels  30  and  31  securely. 
         [0042]    A feature of this construction is that the panel  30  can be transparent or at least translucent and sheets of graphic images and/or other promotional material such as posters held between the panels  30  and  31  without damage to the graphic images, posters or other sheets of material. 
         [0043]    As the head  35  is relatively thin there is little or no distortion of the panel  30  during use and yet the graphic images, posters, or other sheets of material can be securely held. Thus, for example, the head may be between substantially 0.5 mm thick and 0.75 mm thick. 
         [0044]      FIG. 10  shows a construction which provides a transparent or at least translucent panel  40  and a backing panel  41  which may be transparent, translucent or opaque. Between the panels  40  and  41  is positioned a substantially planar member  42  which could be, for example, an art work, graphic image, or promotional material, or otherwise as desired. In this construction it would usually require that there be either two or more panel supports  1  at the bottom edge of the panels  40  and  41  or one or more panel supports  1  at each side edge of the panels  40  and  41 , or indeed and desirably the panels  40  and  41  would be supported at the bottom edge in use by two or more panel supports  1  and by at least one panel support at each side edge of the panels  40  and  41  in use. One or more panel supports  1  could also be provided at the top edge in use of panels  40  and  41 . 
         [0045]    Of course in some instances more than one intermediate panel  42  can be positioned between the panels  40  and  41  or more than one panel  40  can be provided.  FIG. 11  shows a first front panel  40   a  and further front panels  40   b  to n, where n is a selected number. The number n might typically be between 2 and 5 a practical upper limit for n may be about  10 . 
         [0046]    This embodiment of the invention does not require the provision of apertures in the panels  40 ,  41 , and  42  for the slide to pass through as the panels  40 ,  41 , and  42  sit on the slide or slides at the bottom edge of the panels  40  and  41 . 
         [0047]    However it will be apparent that at least panel  41  may be a panel constructed as for panel  31  in  FIG. 6  with apertures as for apertures  36  and  37  in  FIG. 6 . Thus this panel or panels would be mounted as for panel  31  in  FIG. 6  but the remaining panel or panels could sit on or be positioned against slide  20  as for  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
       Advantages 
       [0048]    A panel support is provided which can mount a panel on a supporting surface by gripping an edge of the panel. The panel support is simple to use yet effective and can be erected and dismantled quickly and easily. Furthermore if it is desired to change the panel, the changes can be effected from the front only. All that is required is to undo a screw on each panel support and then slide the panel out. An alternative panel can then be inserted and the screws re-tightened. 
       Variations 
       [0049]    It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as claimed.