NZ545124A - Modular panelling system - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for the installation of wall panelling and shelving includes panelling consisting of at least one upper panel member 1 and at least one lower panel member 2, and shelving supported by a support member. The support member features a vertical support plate, which is adapted to hang from the upper edge of said lower panel member 2, and one or more cantilever support projections 9, which are adapted to support shelves, drawer- boxes or the like, and which extend outward from the support plate. In a fully installed state, the support member is secured in position by way of being sandwiched between a lower surface of said upper panel member 1 and the upper surface of said lower panel member 2. The support member extends substantially long the entire width of, and forms the connection between, said upper and lower panel members 1,2.

Description

PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Patents Act 1953 Priority Details: No. 2005900515 Date: February 4,2005 9 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Modular Panelling System WE, Joe Gattelari, an Australian citizen of 205 Carrolls Road, MENANGLE, NSW, 2568, Australia and Gary Bebbington, an Australian citizen of 7 Cabarita Place, CARINGBAH, NSW, 2229, Australia hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 MODULAR PANELLING SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a modular panelling and shelving system. In particular, the invention relates to an improved system which allows faster and more cost effective installation of panelling and shelving, and to a shelf support member adapted for use therein.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 10 Modern home and office environments require a high degree of flexibility as regards the "fit-out", i.e. the permanently or semi-permanently fitted furniture items, including shelves, draws, cabinets, benches etc which are attached to the walls of the home or office. In particular, space constraints, or the wish to maximise the open space in rooms, dictates that as much of this furniture as 15 possible should be permanently affixed to walls, rather than provided by free standing furniture items.

For this reason, various "modular" fit-out systems have been developed and put into effect with varying degrees of success. The modular concept is generally designed to provide a relatively cost-effective way to install such fit-20 outs. The use of standard, mass-reduced components can reduce both the manufacturing costs, as well as the time taken to install them.

One such system which is in use in Australia is based upon the suspension from various steel uprights of a cantilevered horizontal support, upon which may be hung shelves, drawer-boxes and the like. The cantilever members 25 have an anchor portion which is adapted to be received by one of multiple, evenly spaced, orifices in steel uprights. The steel uprights are secured by a relatively heavy steel backing structure which is affixed to the inner wall of the room.

However, this system features a number of disadvantages. The weight and relative complexity of the steel support structure adds to both the material and 30 installation costs. Also, the need to provide multiple orifices in the vertical supports can lead to relatively undesirable appearance of various unused orifices. This is true of various systems of similar type. Also, the relative complexity of the structure adds to the level of skill required by the installer, and thereby to the level of expense which is required to install such a system.

INTELLECTUAL OFFICE OF M.Z.

RECEIVED Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to devise a modular shelving fit-out system which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for the installation of wall panelling and shelving, said panelling consisting of at least one relatively upper panel member and at least one relatively lower panel member; said shelving being supported by a support member which features: a vertical support plate which is adapted to hang from the upper edge of 10 said lower panel member; and one or more cantilever support projections, adapted to support shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, which extend outward from said support plate; wherein, in a fully installed state, said support member is secured in position by way of being sandwiched between a lower surface of said upper panel 15 member and the upper surface of said lower panel member; and wherein said member extends substantially long the entire width of, and forms the connection between, said upper and lower panel members.

Preferably, the upper edges of all of the panels matches that of the lower panel described above, and the lower edges of all of the panels match that of the 20 upper panel described above, thereby allowing an entire vertical segment of wall panelling to be constructed as a repeating sequence of the system described above. The invention allows all of the installed panels and shelf supports to sit flush with one another, thereby removing the need to have a series of exposed, yet unused, orifices, as compared with the prior art.

Another advantage of the above described system is that the relative simplicity it entails allows relatively rapid installation, reducing the cost of installing the system. Also, its simplicity makes it suitable for installation by nonqualified persons, eg 'do-it-yourself enthusiasts, while still providing a superior appearance.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present system is eminently suited to retro-fitting to existing walls. It is not necessary to construct the wall in such a manner to receive the system. This greatly increases the flexibility and usefulness of the system, in that it can be applied to installations 3 where prior art systems may not be used. It also allows the wall panelling to be dismantled with relative ease and leaving relatively few signs of it being present.

Preferably, the upper edge of said vertical support plate is formed, in 5 profile, as a hook adapted to fit over the upper edge of said lower panel member. This provides a particularly secure anchoring of the vertical support plate.

Advantageously, one or more securing pins is provided to secure said upper and lower panels together, said pins being received in corresponding cavities provided in said lower edge of said upper panel and said upper edge of 10 said lower panel, and passing through corresponding holes in said vertical support plate. This improves the lateral stability of the panels and shelf supports.

More preferably, shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, which are to be mounted on to said cantilever support projections, feature rear-facing cavities which are adapted to receive said cantilever support projections in a manner 15 which allows said shelves, drawer-boxes or the like to be slid on to said projections.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, said shelves, drawer-boxes or the like are prevented from pivoting on said projections by the provision of a complementary lug and cavity system on the rear edge of said shelf and the front 20 face of said support member, wherein when the shelf is in an installed position, said lug is received in said cavity thereby to prevent vertical movement of the rear of said shelf.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a support member adapted for use in the system described above, said support member 25 including: a vertical support plate which is adapted to hang from the upper edge of said lower panel member; and one or more cantilever support projections, adapted to support shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, which extend outward from, and are removably affixed 30 to, said support plate; wherein said vertical support plate is formed from a metal extrusion having an 'inverted-J' profile, wherein said profile is adapted to allow said plate to hook over the upper edge of said lower panel member and hang therefrom.

An advantage of the above described support member is that the formation of the support plate from a length of continuously extruded profile is that support members of varying widths can be manufactured relatively simply, by cutting the extrusion to the desired length and affixing the support projection(s) at 5 the desired point(s) along the length of the extrusion. This allows considerable flexibility and economy in the manufacturing process, and provides a support plate of superior strength.

A further advantage of the above construction of the support member is that as the cantilever support projections are removably attached to the support 10 plate, they can be detached and flat-packed for transport, leading to considerable space efficiencies.

Preferably, the support plate is formed from a three-piece construction having the following components: an upper hook member formed from an aluminium extrusion having an 15 'inverted-J'profile; and two or more vertical plates which extend downward from each end of said hook member; wherein said cantilever support projections are adapted to be removably attached to both the hook member and an individual vertical plate in a bridging 20 manner.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a wall panelling and shelving installation, wherein wall panelling and shelf support structures are provided according to that described above.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a cantilever 25 support projections, adapted to support shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, according to that described above.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a wall panel member according to that described above.

Now will be described, by way of a specific, non-limiting example, a 30 preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a side view of a drawer box support assembly according to the invention.

Figure 1a shows an enclosed view a detail from figure 1.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the assembly shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the assembly of figure 1.

Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in 5 figure 3.

Figure 5 shows an exploded side view of a panelling and shelving installation according to the invention, featuring a drawer box support and three shelves.

Figure 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the installation shown in 10 figure 5.

Figure 7 shows an assembled side view of the installation of figure 5.

Figure 8 shows an exploded perspective view of a panel and drawer box installation according to the invention.

Figure 9 shows an assembled perspective view of the installation of figure 8.

Figure 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a shelf and coat rack installation according to the invention.

Figure 11 shows an assembled perspective view of the installation shown in figure 10.

Figure 12 shows a partially installed panelling and shelving system according to the invention, in particular showing a particular stud wall fixing details.

Figure 13 shows a partially installed panelling and shelving system according to the invention, and in particular showing a typical brick wall fixing 25 details.

Figure 14 shows a perspective view of an upper part of a panelling installation according to the invention, in particular showing the adjustable scribe used to provide a visually flush seal at the upper end of the installation.

Figure 15 shows a perspective view of a lower part of a panelling 30 installation according to the invention, in particular showing the floor-engaging support arrangement and the adjustable scribe used to provide a visually flush seal at the foot of the installation.

Figure 16 shows a perspective view of a panelling installation according to the invention, wherein alternative panels have been installed which feature apertures suitable for running cabling into a cavity behind said panels. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 5 The present invention is concerned with a modular system for installation of internal wall panelling, with supports for shelves, drawer boxes and other wall furniture items. Reduced to its simplest form, the invention resides in providing a system of components which are adapted to fit together in a predetermined configuration, whilst being made up of a repeating and interchangeable number of 10 components.

For the purposes of the present application, the following description, with reference to the figures, details a preferred physical manner in which the inventive system may be embodied.

Turning first to figure 1, there will be seen an upper wall panel member 1, a 15 lower wall panel member 2 and drawer box cantilever support 3. It will be noted that the upper edge 4 of the lower wall panel 2 approximately abuts the lower edge 5 of the upper wall panel 1. It will be further noted that both the upper and lower edges of the both upper and lower panels are adapted to receive a connecting pin 6, preferably a section of 8mm diameter wooden doweling. It will 20 further be noted that immediately adjacent the upper edge of both of the wall panels is a recessed notch 7 which preferably runs along the entire width of the wood panel members.

The drawer box cantilever support 3 features a back plate 8, a cantilever member 9 and a bracing support 10. The upper edge 11 of the back plate 8 is 25 formed, in profile, into a "hook". The hook is adapted to fit over the upper edge 4 of the lower wall panel 2 in a manner which effectively allows the back plate 8 to "hang" from the upper edge 4 of the lower wall panel 2. The notch 7 provided at the rear of the wall panel allows the rearmost portion 12 of the hook to be accommodated in such a manner that it effectively fits flush with the rear surface 30 of the wall panels.

At intervals along the upper part of the hook are provided holes which are arranged to be collocated with the dowel-receiving recesses 6 in the wall panels, and are adapted to allow the dowels to pass therethrough. In figure 1 a suitable approximate location of the dowels 6 is shown.

This arrangement allows the cantilever support member 3 to be securely fastened to the wall panels, in both in vertical and horizontal directions, whilst 5 nevertheless being extremely simple to install. This simplicity reduces the amount of time and specialist skill required to install such supports, thereby reducing the overall cost of system installation.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will also be noted that the drawer box support 3 is shown fitting flush with the wall panel 2, and that no gaps or 10 cantilever insertion holes are apparent, as in the case with the prior art. Further, it will be noted that the drawer box support 3 is constructed from an upper hook plate 3a, two lower support plates (3b, 3c) located at each end of said hook plate and extending downward therefrom, and two cantilever arm members (3d, 3e) which extend outward from both the hook member 3a and the support plates (3b, 15 3c), and which are bolted thereto across the join between the hook member 3a and the support plates (3b, 3c) in a bridging manner.

Said hook member 3a is constructed from a continuously extruded aluminium 'inverted-J' profile. This mode of construction provides superior strength, economy of manufacture and a simple ability to provide support 20 members of widely varying widths to suit any particular application. Being able to detach the cantilever arms (3d, 3e) also allows the support member 3 to be disassembled and packed flat for shipping.

Turning to figure 4, the exploded view of the arrangement of figure 1 shows the simplicity of the system: in order to install the drawer box cantilever 25 support 3 it is simply necessary to: affix the lower wall member 2 in place; place the drawer box cantilever support back plate 8 over the top of the lower wall panel 2 such that the hook 11 engages with the upper edge 4 of said wall panel and wherein the dowel holes 6 in the hook line up with the corresponding holes 6a in the lower panel; insert the dowels 12 through the hole 6 in the hook and into the 30 dowel receiving holes 6a in the lower panel 2; then simply fit the upper panel 1 over the top of the hook 11 such that the protruding length of dowel 12 is inserted into the receiving cavities in the lower edge of the upper panel (not shown). 8 The whole system is based on this simple connecting mechanism. This means that relative vertical positions of shelves, drawer boxes etc can be selected by choosing an appropriate length of wall panel and forming a "stack" of wall panels and cantilever support members which are held together according to 5 the connecting mechanism described above.

The height of the individual wall panels may be varied to suit any application. In one example, these will be provided in heights of approximately 300mm and/or multiples thereof.

For example, figures 5 and 6 show one example of such an arrangement 10 which includes three shelves and a drawer box, to be installed at a particular point on a wall. It is apparent that the cantilever drawer box support 20 will be fitted over the footing panel 21. On top of the drawer box support 20 is placed a first wall panel 22. Onto the first wall panel 22 is placed a first shelf cantilever support 23 which has the same hook mechanism and allowance for dowel 15 connecters (not shown) as was described above in relation to the drawer box cantilever support. Above this is affixed a second wall panel 24 at a second cantilever shelf support 25, as described below. On top of this second cantilever shelf support 25 is placed a third wall panel member 26 and a third cantilever shelf support 27 in the same manner. On top of the third cantilever support 27 is 20 placed a header wall panel 28, which features an adjustable scribe 29.

In figure 6 the shelf cantilever supports 30 are depicted as two parallel tynes extending horizontally outward from the wall panels. The shelves which complement this system feature recesses in the form of cavities or channels which are adapted to slide onto these tynes 30. The above described system is 25 further shown in an assembled state, with the position of the dowel pieces shown, in figure 7.

Turning to figure 8, there is shown an exploded view of a drawer box and support mechanism according to the invention. It will be noted that there is provided a horizontal base unit 31 which is located in front of a footer wall panel 30 32. The drawer box cantilever support 33 is hung over the top of the footer panel 32 and an upper wall panel 34 is fitted over the top of the hook 35 of the drawer box cantilever support 33 in the manner described above. Then the drawer box 36, which features cavities (not shown) which are adapted to receive the cantilever arms 37 of the drawer box support 33, simply slides onto said supports and is held in position by a screw through the rear of the drawer box. In this particular embodiment, the rear wall of the drawer box 36 features apertures which are adapted to receive bolts or other suitable fasteners (not shown). The 5 drawer box arrangement in a fully installed state is shown in figure 9.

By way of a further example, there is depicted in figures 10 and 11 an arrangement for installation of a wardrobe coat rail via the present inventive system. In this case a relatively tall wall panel 40 is placed behind a horizontal footer plate 41, and attached to said footer plate via a base angle 42, which may 10 be affixed via screws or installed via the same type of dowel pins as described above. On top of said wall panel is placed a cantilever shelf support 43 according to that described above in figure 6 at item 23. A coat rail shelf 44 is slid on to the tynes 45 of said cantilever support 43.

It will be noted that a metal plate 46 is provided in the centre of the back 15 plate 47 of said cantilever support, and that the coat rail shelf features a small orifice 50 at its rear edge which is adapted to receive this plate 46. Once the plate 46 is received inside the coat rail shelf 44 the shelf is prevented from tilting using suitable means; equally, suitable provision is made to prevent the shelf sliding outwards and away from the wall panels unintentionally.

Also shown are a floor support beam 54 which rests on the floor and supports the horizontal footer plate 41 at the front, and a kick plate fascia 52 which is recessed into a groove in the underside of said footer plate 41.

A further advantageous feature is the optional recess 48 adapted to receive a steel shelf-connector. Where two shelves of this type 44 are installed 25 side-by side, it is desired that the recesses 48 line up with one another, thereby allowing a steel connector to be bolted or screwed into said recesses (in a surface flush manner), thereby connecting the shelves and substantially strengthening the shelf arrangement.

Figures 10 and 11 also feature a pair of rear fixing rails 53 onto which the 30 wall panels are fixed. This may be done by bolts, screws or other fastening devices well known in the art. The fixing rails 53 themselves may be formed from any suitable material, including steel, plastic or particle board. Preferred materials for the fixing rails are HD3 board or plywood of suitable thickness. It is particularly preferred that they are provided at all panel junctions. The cantilever support members are preferred to be aluminium.

Referring to figure 12, there is shown a typical arrangement by which a wall panelling system according to the present invention can be affixed to an 5 existing wooden or plasterboard wall. Firstly, a series of horizontal fixing rails 60 are attached at regular intervals to the plasterboard wall 61. It is preferred that these are screwed into the wall, preferably at points which correspond to the position of the timber studs 62 which support the plasterboard wall 61.

Across these horizontal supports is placed a lattice of vertical supports 63, 10 which are spaced to match the width of the wall panelling components. In this way, it is not necessary to match the width of the wall panelling units to the interval between the wall studs 62, as may be the case with prior art systems.

Having installed the vertical supports 63, the wall panels 64 are then affixed to the said supports 63 via screws or other fastening devices. It is 15 particularly preferred that the screws are located such that they pass through both the back plate of the cantilever supports 65 as well as the wall panels 64 themselves.

Turning to figure 13, an alternate arrangement for installing the wall panelling system of the present invention on a brick wall is depicted. In this case, 20 it is not necessary to provide the series of horizontal fixing rails, but simply to fix the vertical fixing rails 63 directly into the brick 66, through the plaster 67 or the plaster board wall facing.

It will be apparent from the above that the present system is suited to retrofitting to existing walls. It is not necessary to construct the wall in such a manner 25 to receive the system. This greatly increases the flexibility and usefulness of the system, in that it can be applied to installations where prior art systems may not be used. It also allows the wall panelling to be dismantled with relative ease and leaving relatively few signs of it being present. Typically it would simply be necessary to fill in the holes left where the screws affixing the fixing rails to the 30 wall were located.

Turning to figure 14, there is shown a further feature of the system which is provided to allow the aesthetic appeal of the system to be maximised. It will be observed that a 50mm deep trench 70 is provided in the upper edge 71 of the 11 upper most or header panel 72. Into this trench is inserted an adjustable scribe member 73, which may be made from any visually suitable material such as timber, glass or metal. Preferably, the overall width of the scribe 73 is about 75mm to allow for sufficient adjustment in its height.

Once the upper wall panel is installed, the scribe 73 is lifted upward to form a visual seal with the ceiling (not shown), whilst screws are inserted in countersunk, pre-drilled holes 74 at either end of the panel 72, as shown, to fix the scribe 73 in place. A particular advantage of this system is that where the roof-line may be slightly uneven, it is possible to achieve a visual seal right across the width of 10 the wall to which the inventive panelling system has been applied, as each individual width of panelling can be individually adjusted to the ceiling height at that point.

Turning to figure 15, there is shown a view of the footing arrangement of the installation shown in figure 11. In particular, there is shown in part a horizontal 15 footer plate 75, being supported primarily by a floor support beam 78. However, for added strength and level adjustability, there is also added a screw-adjustable foot 79, which is attached by an L-bracket to said beam 78 and affixed to said footer plate 75 by a bolt 76.

Also shown is an adjustable fascia plate scribe 77, which operates in a 20 manner very similar to that described above with reference to figure 14.

Turning to figure 16, there is shown a panelling arrangement which may be employed where it is desired to run cabling to electrical goods sitting on the shelf from a cavity behind the panels. In particular, there is provided a cabling orifice 80 located centrally at the lower edge of said panel. Accordingly, cabling or the like 25 may pass through this orifice 80 from behind the panel to electrical equipment on the shelf.

It will also be noted that the orifice 80 has a recessed surround. This allows the flush fitting of either a blind plate 81 when the orifice 80 is not being used, or a surrounding protective frame 82, which protects the panel edges at the 30 orifice 80 from damage, as well as providing an improved aesthetic in both cases.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art the above-described embodiments are merely a sample of the ways in which the inventive system may be configured. Variations may be made to that described above which, while they 12 may be visually different, would nevertheless fall within the scope of the invention. For example, it may be possible to provide other shapes of cantilever members, as well as shelves and drawer boxes. Likewise, the features of the various connecting parts, including the dowel pins, cantilever support hooks and 5 wall panel upper and lower edges, may be varied to suit particular applications.

Claims (11)

13 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A system for the installation of wall panelling and shelving, said panelling consisting of at least one upper panel member and at least one lower panel member; said shelving being supported by a support member which features: 5 a vertical support plate which is adapted to hang from the upper edge of said lower panel member; and one or more cantilever support projections, adapted to support shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, which extend outward from said support plate; wherein, in a fully installed state, said support member is secured in position by 10 way of being sandwiched between a lower surface of said upper panel member and the upper surface of said lower panel member; and wherein said member extends substantially long the entire width of, and forms the connection between, said upper and lower panel members; and wherein the upper edge of said vertical support plate is formed, in profile, as a 15 hook adapted to fit over the upper edge of said lower panel member and extend downward partially along a rear face of said lower panel member.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said hook is embodied by a length of extruded metal, including but not limited to aluminium, which is formed in profile into a continuous functional hook adapted to make engaging contact with said 20 upper edge of said lower panel member.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein one or more securing pins is provided to secure said upper and lower panels together, said pins being received in corresponding cavities provided in said lower edge of said upper panel and said upper edge of said lower panel, and passing through corresponding holes in said 25 vertical support plate. IPONZ ' 0 APR 2006 14

4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, which are to be mounted on to said cantilever support projections, feature rear-facing cavities which are adapted to receive said cantilever support projections in a manner which allows said shelves, drawer-boxes or the like to be 5 slid on to said projections.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said shelves, drawer-boxes or the like are prevented from pivoting on said projections by the provision of a complementary lug and cavity system on the rear edge of said shelf and the front face of said support member, wherein when said shelves, drawer boxes or the like, are in an 10 installed position, said lug is received in said cavity thereby to prevent vertical movement of the rear of said shelf.

6. A support member adapted for use in the system of any preceding claim, said support member including: a vertical support plate which is adapted to hang from the upper edge of said 15 lower panel member; and one or more cantilever support projections, adapted to support shelves, drawer-boxes or the like, which extend outward from, and are removably affixed to, said support plate; wherein said vertical support plate is formed from a metal extrusion having an 20 'inverted-J' profile, wherein said profile is adapted to allow said plate to hook over the upper edge of said lower panel member and hang therefrom.

7. The support member of claim 6, wherein the support plate is formed from a three-piece construction having the following components: an upper hook member formed from an aluminium extrusion having an 'inverted-25 J' profile; and IPONZ '0 APR 2036 15 two or more vertical plates which extend downward from each end of said hook member; wherein said cantilever support projections are adapted to be removably attached to both the hook member and an individual vertical plate in a bridging manner.

8. A wall panelling and shelving installation, wherein wall panelling and shelf support structures are provided in accordance with the system defined in any preceding claim.

9. A system for the installation of wall panelling and shelving substantially as herein described, with reference to the drawings.

10. A support member adapted for use in the system of any one of claims 1 to 5, substantially as herein described, with reference to the drawings.

11. A wall panelling and shelving installation substantially as herein described, with reference to the drawings. DATED this 3rd day of April 2006 JOE GATTELARI AND GARY BEBBINGTON WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS BUILDING 1 BINARY CENTRE RIVERSIDE CORPORATE PARK 3 RICHARDSON PLACE NORTH RYDE NSW 2113 AUSTRALIA P25146AU00 CJS/ALH IPONz '0 M$