Surface Presentation Panel

Abstract

A presentation panel includes base beams having spaced slots and multiple presentation members attached to the base beams. The presentation members are parallel and laterally spaced, and include laterally outer most members and multiple intermediate members. Each intermediate presentation member has a respective portion received by a respective slot of each base beam. A terminal portion of each base beam extends laterally beyond a first laterally outer most presentation member. An edge of a second laterally outer most presentation member extends laterally beyond ends of the base beams opposite the terminal portions thereof for engaging base beams of an adjacent presentation panel when said presentation panel and adjacent presentation panel are installed adjacently on a host structure.

Claims

1. A presentation panel for installation on a host structure with an adjacent presentation panel, the presentation panel comprising: a first base beam including a front surface having spaced slots; a second base beam including a front surface having spaced slots; and multiple presentation members each attached to each of the first base beam and second base beam, wherein: the presentation members are mutually parallel, extend longitudinally, and are laterally spaced; the presentation members comprise a first laterally outer most presentation member, a second laterally outer most presentation member opposite the first laterally outer most presentation member, and multiple intermediate presentation members; each intermediate presentation member has a respective portion received by a respective slot of the first base beam and a respective portion received by a respective slot of the second base beam; a terminal portion of the first base beam extends laterally beyond the first laterally outer most presentation member; a terminal portion of the second base beam extends laterally beyond the first laterally outer most presentation member; and an edge of the second laterally outer most presentation member extends laterally beyond ends of the base beams opposite the terminal portions thereof for engaging base beams of an adjacent presentation panel when said presentation panel and adjacent presentation panel are installed adjacently on a host structure.

2. The presentation panel of claim 1, wherein each said mounting slot has three planar sides in three-sided engagement with a respective portion of an intermediate presentation member.

3. The presentation panel of claim 1, wherein: the terminal portion of the first base beam comprises a two-sided first recess; and the terminal portion of the second base beam comprises a two-sided second recess.

4. The presentation panel of claim 3, wherein, when said presentation panel and adjacent presentation panel are installed adjacently on a host structure, the first recess and second recess receive respective portions of the edge of the of the second laterally outer most presentation member of the adjacent presentation panel.

5. The presentation panel of claim 3, wherein the first base beam comprises at least one pilot hole, and the second base beam comprises at least one pilot hole, for securing the presentation panel to a host structure.

6. The presentation panel of claim 5, wherein each said pilot hole is positioned between adjacent slots.

7. The presentation panel of claim 3, wherein: said terminal portion of each base beam is at a first end of the base beam; and each said base beam, at a second end thereof opposite the first end, has a two-sided recess in which the second laterally outer-most presentation member is partially received.

8. The presentation panel of claim 1, wherein each said base beam comprises a respective rectangular linear rail having two opposite sides, a back surface, and a front surface opposite the back surface, wherein the slots are defined in the front surface.

9. The presentation panel of claim 7, wherein: the presentation members are attached to the front surface of the base beams, within the slots, by respective fasteners; and the fasteners are countersunk at the back surfaces of the base beams.

10. The presentation panel of claim 7, wherein the presentation members are attached to the front surfaces of the base beams by adhesive within the slots.

11. The presentation panel of claim 1, wherein the slots are uniformly spaced along the base beams for uniform spacing of the presentation members.

12. The presentation panel of claim 12, wherein the presentation member have lateral widths, and the lateral widths of the presentation members are uniform.

13. The presentation panel of claim 1, wherein the presentation members extend, at each end thereof, longitudinally beyond the base beams.

14. The presentation panel of claim 13, wherein the presentation members have longitudinal lengths, and the longitudinal lengths of the presentation members are uniform.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The previous summary and the following detailed descriptions are to be read in view of the drawings, which illustrate particular exemplary embodiments and features as briefly described below. The summary and detailed descriptions, however, are not limited to only those embodiments and features explicitly illustrated.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal end view of a decorative panel according to the prior art.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal end view of the panel of FIG. 1 shown mounted on a host structure with an adjacent similar panel.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inventive surface presentation panel, according to at least one embodiment, showing the front presentation side.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal end view of the surface presentation panel of FIG. 3, shown ready for mounting to a host structure.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a plan view of an elongate inventive surface presentation panel according to another embodiment, showing the back mounting side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS

[0025] These descriptions are presented with sufficient details to provide an understanding of one or more particular embodiments of broader inventive subject matters. These descriptions expound upon and exemplify particular features of those particular embodiments without limiting the inventive subject matters to the explicitly described embodiments and features. Considerations in view of these descriptions will likely give rise to additional and similar embodiments and features without departing from the scope of the inventive subject matters. Although steps may be expressly described or implied relating to features of processes or methods, no implication is made of any particular order or sequence among such expressed or implied steps unless an order or sequence is explicitly stated.

[0026] Any dimensions expressed or implied in the drawings and these descriptions are provided for exemplary purposes. Thus, not all embodiments within the scope of the drawings and these descriptions are made according to such exemplary dimensions. The drawings are not made necessarily to scale. Thus, not all embodiments within the scope of the drawings and these descriptions are made according to the apparent scale of the drawings with regard to relative dimensions in the drawings. However, for each drawing, at least one embodiment is made according to the apparent relative scale of the drawing.

[0027] Like reference numbers used throughout the drawings depict like or similar elements. Unless described or implied as exclusive alternatives, features throughout the drawings and descriptions should be taken as cumulative, such that features expressly associated with some particular embodiments can be combined with other embodiments.

[0028] A decorative panel 10 of the prior art for mounting on a host structure 6 such as a ceiling using a hanging support 8 or other fastener is shown in FIGS. 1-2. The panel 10 includes mounting rails 12 and decorative slats 14 mounted on the rails 12. The slats 14 are typically attached to the rails 12 by staples only along their mutually abutting surfaces for a one-sided attachment, which may not be stable over time. The panel 10 can distort to out-of-square configurations, degrading its appearance and the security of its mounting to the host structure 6. End portions of the rails 12 have rabbets 16 for engaging the hanging support 8 or other fastener, with adjacent panels sharing supports or fasteners. Each panel 10 may be only peripherally supported.

[0029] An improved surface presentation panel 20, according to at least one embodiment, is illustrated in FIGS. 3-4. The panel 20 includes multiple slotted base beams 40 to which presentation members 70 are attached. When an assembled panel 20 is mounted on a host structure 5, represented in dashed line in FIG. 4, the base beams 40 are to be mounted on the host structure 5 to support the panel 20.

[0030] In various implementations and uses, the host structure 5 may be a ceiling, a wall, a drop-ceiling suspension piece or a portion of a hanging support assembly for a suspending-ceiling. Thus, the host structure generically represents may possible structures to which the panel 20 can be attached without being a part of the invention. The base beams 40 are expected to be generally rearward or background, and the presentation members 70 are expected to be generally forward or foreground from a viewer's perspective with reference to, for example, an occupant in room such as a living space, work space, or lobby.

[0031] The presentation members 70 are mutually parallel for aesthetic elegance. For convention in these descriptions, an axis to which the presentation members 70 are parallel is referenced as the longitudinal axis 72 (FIG. 3) of the panel 20. Similarly, an axis perpendicular to the presentation members 70 and longitudinal axis 72 is referenced as the lateral axis 42 to which the base beams 40 are mutually parallel. The presentation members 70 extend, at each end thereof, longitudinally beyond the base beams 40. The lengths of the presentation members 70 along the longitudinal axis 72 are uniform for aesthetic effect.

[0032] Each base beam 40 is illustrated as a generally rectangular linear rail have a front surface 44, an opposite back surface 46, and two sides 48. Multiple mounting slots 50 are defined in the front surface 44 between the two sides for receiving respective portions of the presentation members 70. The mounting slots 50 are perpendicular to the length axis of the base beam 40 in the illustrated embodiment.’

[0033] A particular one of the presentation members 70a is shown in dashed line in FIG. 4 for illustration of a representative mounting slot 50a. A respective portion of a presentation member 70 is received in each slot in the assembled panel 20. The mounting slots 50 are shown as dado slots having three planar sides defined by a sunken planar mounting face 52 flanked by two opposing inward facing planar sidewalls 54. Thus, the presentation members 70 are received in the mounting slots 50 in a three-sided engagement, which is advantageous of the one-sided engagement of the prior art (FIG. 1). By increasing areas of engagement relative to a simple one-sided engagement, the three-sided engagement of the base beams 40 and presentation members 70 at each mounting slot 50 strengthens the panel 20 and presentation members 70, and keeps the panel 20 in a preferred form, such as rectangular, without twisting or skewing.

[0034] In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting slots 50 are uniformly spaced along the base beams 40 for uniform spacing of the presentation members 70 along the lateral axis 42. In other embodiments, the mounting slots 50 can be staggered or pattern-spaced to maintain the presentation members 70 in other decorative spacing arrangements.

[0035] Pilot holes 56 are illustrated as formed through the base beams 40 for securing the panel 20 to a host structure 5 using mounting fasteners 60, a representative one of which is shown in FIG. 4 as a screw, the head of which may be countersunk into the front surface 44 of the base beam 40 at installation of the panel 20. The pilot holes 56, in the illustrated embodiment, are spaced midway between some adjacent pairs of the mounting slots 50. In other embodiments, the pilot holes 56 may be otherwise distributed, and may be provided for example between all adjacent pairs of the mounting slots 50 and associated presentation members 70. The pilot holes 56 can be pre-formed prior to installation of the panel 20 on a host structure to allow installers to pre-position screws in the pilot holes 56 and install solo rather than with another team member, thus saving money and time on the installation stage.

[0036] Additionally, mounting holes 62 are defined through the base beams 40 for securing the presentation members 70 to the base beams 40 using attachment fasteners 64. A representative attachment fastener 64 is shown in FIG. 4 as a screw extending through the corresponding mounting hole 62 and engaging the back surface 76 of the corresponding presentation member 70 within the corresponding mounting slot. Each mounting slot 50 is illustrated (FIG. 4) as having a centered mounting hole 62 extending from the sunken mounting face 52 to the back surface 46 of the base beam 40. The head of the attachment fastener 64 is illustrated as countersunk into the back surface 46 of the base beam 40 at assembly of the panel 20 prior to installation of the panel 20 on the host structure 5 to permit close contact of the base beam 40 with the host structure if preferred without an offset otherwise introduced by the head. Adhesive can be placed into each mounting slot 50 as well to increase strength and ensure a safer, stronger product. The mounting slot 50 keeps the adhesive from seeping out on the finished product. Secure attachment of each presentation member 70 along its length to multiple base beams 40 maintains the presentation members 70 as straight and mutually parallel for aesthetic appeal without bending, curling, twisting or other deformation.

[0037] The presentation members 70 are illustrated as generally four-sided rectangular slats, each having a back surface 76 for engaging the sunken mounting faces 52 of the base beams 40, a front surface 74 opposite the back surface 76 for presentation, and laterally-facing opposing sidewalls 78 having forward portions for presentation adjacent the front surface 74 and rearward portions that engage the sidewalls 54 of the mounting slots 50 of the base beams 40. The presentation members 70 can be slats, blades, baffles and other forms.

[0038] The presentation members 70 are shown as vertical slats in the illustrated embodiment, referring to their depth D (FIG. 4) extending from the planar mounting faces 52 of the base beams 40 being greater than their width W along the lateral axis 42. In other embodiments, the presentation members 70 may be configured as horizontal slats having greater width W than depth D. Many configurations for the presentation members 70 are within the scope of these descriptions. For example, while the illustrated presentation members 70 are both uniform in width W and uniform in depth D, other embodiments may be, for example, staggered in depth for a two-level effect in which lesser-depth presentation members 70 are flanked by adjacent greater-depth members in alternating fashion for aesthetic effect.

[0039] The spacing between the sidewalls 54 of each mounting slot 50 (FIG. 3) defines the width of the slot 50 and is selected to accommodate and engage the width W of a corresponding presentation member 70. In the illustrated embodiment, the widths of the slots 50 and the widths W of the presentation members 70 are each shown as uniform. In other embodiment, the widths of the slots and widths W may vary in matching correspondence. For example, at least one embodiment of the panel 20 has thick (greater W) and thin (lesser W) adjacent presentation members 70 in alternating fashion for aesthetic effect.

[0040] Various materials and modes of fabrication for panels 20, base beams 40, and presentation members 70, are within the scope of these descriptions. All particular examples thereof provided in these descriptions are non-limiting. In at least one advantageous and exemplary embodiment, the base beams 40 are machined out of rigid, black PVC material. This eliminates touch ups or painting when the product is cut or machined and eliminates unsightly, unfinished edges.

[0041] The mounting slots 50 can be machined as precision dados to keep the presentation members 70 straight and consistent. This reduces the chances of the blades twisting, turning, curling, etc., which are common problems with prior-art products such as that of FIG. 1. CNC generated/machined dado mounting slots 50 particularly allow for perfect placement of the presentation members 70 every time keeping consistent reveals and allowing for custom light placement, air diffuser placement, etc. These are issues that many architects want solved.

[0042] The mounting holes can be precisely placed and machined at each mounting slot 50 for easy assembly of the presentation members 70 to the base beams 40 for a product that is more secure than that using, for example staples as in some prior art panels 20. The use of removable fasteners such as screws also allows for the easy removal of presentation members 70 where needed for installation purposes, such as for light integration, air diffusers, product exchange, and warranty repair work, etc., and creates a safer, stronger, superior finished product.

[0043] The presentation members 70 vary in material and configuration in various embodiments. In at least one embodiment, the presentation members 70 have cores of engineered wood product, such as fiberboard, and are decoratively surfaced, for example with synthetic laminate. The decorative surfacing may be limited, for example, to the front surface 74 and sidewalls 78. The back surface 76 of the presentation members 70, in such an example, may be defined by the core material without decorative surfacing to save on costs given that the back surface faces the base beams 40 and host structure upon installation, out of sight from the perspective of a room occupant.

[0044] Further advantageous features of the surface presentation panel 20 relate to the mounting of multiple panels 20 in adjacent relation. In particular, the panel 20 has an asymmetry along its lateral sides in that each base beam 40 extends from a common side of the panel 20, whereas, along an opposite side of the panel 20, a lateral portion of a presentation member 70 extends laterally beyond ends of the base beams 40. This permits the extending portion of each base beam 40 to tuck under the lateral portion of the presentation member 70 of an adjacent panel 20 to visually hide the ends of the base beams 40 for a continuous aesthetic look upon installation. This is represented in FIG. 4.

[0045] As represented in FIG. 4, a terminal portion 26 at a first end 28 of each base beam 40 extends laterally beyond a first laterally outer most presentation member 70b along a first lateral side 22 of the panel 20. Along a second lateral side 24 of the panel 20 opposite the first side 22, there is a second laterally outer-most presentation member 70c opposite the first laterally outer most presentation member 70b. A laterally outward margin of the second laterally outer-most presentation member 70c extends beyond the second end 30 of the base beam 40 opposite the first end 28, defining an edge 80 for engaging the base beams 40 of the adjacent panel 20. The first and second laterally outer most presentation members are referenced respectively in the drawings as 70b and 70c for their unambiguous identification from intermediate presentation members 70 between them. Descriptions herein of the presentation members referenced as 70 apply as well to the outer most members referenced as 70b and 70c.

[0046] At the first ends 28 of the base beams 40, the terminal portion 26 has a two-sided first recess 34, which can be termed a rabbet, having a sunken planar mounting face and a laterally outward facing planar sidewall. Similarly, the second end 30 of each base beam 40 has a two-sided second recess 36, which can be termed a rabbet, having a sunken planar mounting face and a laterally outward facing planar sidewall. The second laterally outer-most presentation member 70c is received partially by the second recess 36 and is secured to the base beam 40 via fasteners and optionally adhesive.

[0047] In an installation of adjacent panels 20, the first recesses 34 of the terminal portions 26 of the base beams 40 along the first side 22 of one panel 20 receive the edge 80 along the outer-most presentation member 70c of an adjacent panel 20. In such engagement, the first recess 34 and second recess 36 cooperatively form a mounting slot for the second laterally outer-most presentation member 70c. Thus, adjacent panels 20 are registered in precise relative placement and their edges are visually occluded by the foreground laterally outer most presentation members 70c that overhang the rabbeted terminal portions 26 of the base beams 40 for a continuous and seamless aesthetic look upon installation.

[0048] As the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the surface presentation panel 20 described with reference to FIGS. 3-4 can be of any desired relative and absolute dimensions. For illustration of variations in, for example, the length L of a panel 20 along the longitudinal axis 72, another embodiment of a surface presentation panel 20b within the scope of these descriptions is shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, additional base beams 40 are utilized to stabilize longer presentation members 70. Seven central and intermediate base beams 40 are uniformly spaced in the panel 20b of FIG. 5, and additional longitudinally outermost base beams 40b are closer spaced in relation to the peripheral base beams 40 to further strengthen and stabilize longitudinal ends of the presentation members 70. The presentation members 70 extend, at each end thereof, longitudinally beyond the base beams 40. The lengths L of the presentation members 70 along the longitudinal axis 72 are uniform for aesthetic effect.

[0049] Particular embodiments and features have been described with reference to the drawings. It is to be understood that these descriptions are not limited to any single embodiment or any particular set of features, and that similar embodiments and features may arise or modifications and additions may be made without departing from the scope of these descriptions and the spirit of the appended claims.