AU733572B1

AU733572B1 - A panel fixing system

Info

Publication number: AU733572B1
Application number: AU24211/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alexander Furman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-30
Filing date: 2000-03-30
Publication date: 2001-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-30
Also published as: AU733572C

Description

rVuuu I 2/5uY1 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: A PANEL FIXING SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- A PANEL FIXING SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for fixing panels.

BACKGROUND

Panels, such as those used to construct walls and fences, have been fixed to frames or supports by a variety of different mechanisms. Typically, these involve fixing the panels by nails, pins, screws, bolts, or glue. The known methods of fixing panels have the drawback that they can damage the panel, i.e. with a hole or with glue. Further, it can be difficult to remove the panel without damaging the panel, or without undoing screws or trying to remove nails. Screws or nails also leave holes in the panels that can be detrimental to the appearance of the panel.

Other disadvantages of known panels include: the panels are not moveable sideways once they have been mounted, the panels may not be adjusted easily once in position, the amount of time required to attach the panels; the difficulty in changing panels over.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for fixing panels that allows the panels to be removed without damage to the panels.

Another object of the invention is to allow a panel to be replaced easily and quickly. A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective method of fixing a panel in place.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a system including a panel removably mounted to a frame by a number of projections biased to an extended position situated in either the panel or the frame, and at least one corresponding receptacle in the other of the panel or the frame, adapted to receive the projections wherein the panel is supported within the frame solely by the projections and apertures, to allow removal of the panel without effecting the panel or the frame.

Preferably, the biasing means is a spring.

In one form, the receptacle may be a groove running the length of the panel or frame, and in another form, the receptacle may correspond to the approximate shape of the projection.

In one form, the projection is spherical in shape, and in another form is elongate in shape, such as a cylinder.

In another form the present invention is a fixing means including a projection held at least partially within a body, and biased to project out from the body to engage with a receptacle, wherein the biasing means is selectively lockable in position to prevent the projection from retracting into the body.

This provides the advantage that when used with the abovementioned panel fixing system, the projections can be locked into place wherein the panel will not be able to be removed from the frame.

In one form, the biasing means includes a spring, and the selective locking means adjusts the base position of the spring such that when the projection is in an extended position, the spring can be compressed. This prevents the projection from retreating fully into the body.

In another form the locking means is a rigid member situated in the body behind the projection in order to prevent the projection from retracting into the body. In another form, the locking means is adjusted via a screw thread to project into the body sufficiently to restrict the retraction of the projection. In another form, the locking means is an insertable rod that can be fixed in place to prevent the retraction of the projection. Thus, the rod may be simply removed when it is desired to remove the panel from the frame.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrams, wherein: Figure 1 is a cross sectional side view of a first embodiment of the fixing means of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a number of first embodiment fixing means of the present invention attached to a frame member; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a number of fixing means of the first embodiment of the present invention attached to a frame member; Figure 4 is a cross sectional side view of a second embodiment of the fixing means of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a panel of the type used with the present invention; Figure 6 is a side view of a third embodiment of the fixing means of the present invention; Figure 7is a perspective view of a number of fixing means of figure 6 attached to a frame member.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one type of panel member; Figure 9 is a schematic front elevation of a first embodiment of a frame and panel fixed together; Figure 10 is a schematic front elevation of a second embodiment of a frame and panel fixed together; Figure 11 is a partial cross section of a first embodiment of a frame member.

A fixing means 10 as shown in figure 1 includes a projection 12 and a biasing means 14. In the present case, the projection 12 is a spherical ball, and the biasing means 14 is a helical spring held in a body 15. The fixing means 10 is adapted to fit into an aperture in a frame member 16, as shown in figure 2. A panel 20, as shown in figures 5 and 9, includes a number of indentations 22 around the edge of the panel 20, which are located in positions that correspond to the position of the projections 12 when the panel is fixed to a frame. In the panel 20 shown in figure 5, the indentations 22 are in the form of grooves in the edges of the panels. The indentations may also be in other forms, for example hemispherical indentations adapted to more accurately fit spherical projections.

In use, where panels are required to be fixed, a frame is assembled having a number of fixing means projecting therefrom as shown in figure 9.

Examples of members of frames are shown in figures 2, 3 and 7. A panel may then be placed within the frame, for example frame 56 as shown in figure 9, wherein the projections 12 will be forced into the body of the fixing means, and when the panel is in place, the projections will be biased into the indentations in the panel such that the panel is held in place. The projections 12 are ideally spaced around the frame such that the panel is held securely but releasably in place, however the actual spacing and location of the fixing means will vary according to the purpose of the panel and the specific situation. In this way the panel can be completely removed and replaced without damaging the panel or releasing any attachment means such as screws or the like.

If it is desired to fixedly hold the panels in place, an alternative fixing means such as fixing means 30 shown in figure 4 may be employed.

Specifically, the fixing means shown in figure are adjustable so that the projections 36 may not retract far enough into a body 38 to allow the panel to be released from the frame. In one form, the fixing means 30, shown in figure 4 includes a threaded base 32, which compresses the spring 34 to a solid state such that it cannot be further compressed. This ensures that the projection 36 cannot be pushed into the body 38 to allow the panel to be released.

As the panel may be supported by the projection 12, the threaded base 32 allows the position of the panel in the frame to be adjusted by screwing in or out the threaded base 32. For example, the panel in frame could be raised in the frame by screwing in the base 32 of the fixing means 30 so that the panel was supported in the frame by the projection 12. As the panel 20 may be supported by a number of projections, it is possible to align or adjust the panel with respect to the frame.

In another form the fixing means 40 is shown in figure 6 having a rod 42 which prevents the projection 44 from retracting into the body 46 and releasing the panel. An adjustment mechanism 48 may be employed to selectively hold the projection 44 in place, or allow it to retract into the body 46. The fixing means can be used with frame member 50 shown in figure 7, as the adjustment mechanism 48 can be used to prevent the projection from retracting into the body 46, and thus prevent the unauthorised removal of the panel. The arrangement of the frame member 50 allows access to the adjustment mechanism 48, as shown in figure 7.

Alternative frame structures could also be used, and the adjustable fixing means 30 and 40 are suitable for use with the arrangements shown in figures 9 and This arrangement may be particularly useful in applications where the panel needs to be either fixedly attached to the frame, or attached in such a way so that the panels can bear loads. This system can also be used externally so that the panels cannot be removed by unauthorised persons.

An embodiment of a mounting arrangement of the panel 20 is shown in Figure 9, wherein the panels 20 have a groove 54 which surrounds the edge of each panel, (shown in figure 9 as a dashed line). A number of fixing means are mounted to the frame 56, such that the projections 12 project out from the frame 56. When the panels 20 are mounted in the frame 56, the projections 12 of the fixing means 10 are biased into the groove 54, thus holding the panels 20 in place.

Another embodiment of the mounting of panels 20 can be seen in figure wherein each panel 20 has the fixing means 10 attached thereto, and the frame 58 has a groove 60. The panels 20 can be mounted in the same way as the panel shown in figure 9, wherein the groove and projection interact to hold the panels in the frame.

In the embodiments shown in figures 9 and 10, the adjustable fixing means as shown in figure 4 or 6 can also be used to prevent the projections 12 from retracting into the body of the fixing means 10, thereby preventing the panels from being released until desired.

Figure 11 shows a cross section of the elongate groove that may be placed into the edge of the frame or alternatively into the edge of the panels.

Figure 3 shows a member 66 having a number of fixing means wherein the member 66 can be attached to the back of a panel in order to attach the panel to a frame in a way described herein.

The panels 20 as described herein, when mounted by spherical projections, can slide along the corresponding grooves which allows the panels to be positioned easily within the frame. Alternative projection shapes, such as cylindrical, would not facilitate this function, but may have other advantageous features such as the ability to provide a seal along the length of the panel. Such a cylindrical projection would be mounted by several biasing means to the body of the fixing means.

The panel and frame arrangement shown herein is designed to encompass arrangements wherein a single frame can locate a number of panels by having the panels arranged in a side by side arrangement.

The frame members may be erected in standard sizes to accommodate panels of a predetermined size, or may be made to any size. The frame members can be the supporting structure for a wall made from the panel members, or the frame members can attach to the supporting wall so that the panels can be mounted thereto. This allows the present invention to be used as a retrofit to existing houses.

A benefit of the present invention is that cavity walls can be easily accessed from behind the panels so that, for example, wiring and plumbing may be accessed without the need to repair panels avoiding lengthy periods where the wall is being pulled apart or reconstructed.

The term panel is meant to encompass a structure that may be used in construction of buildings, and some examples include: flyscreens, windows, mirrors, kitchen benches and items such as rangehoods; benches and table tops; cabinets; panels for walls; partitions; sound barriers along highways; and fences.

It is envisaged that the system and apparatus for fixing panels could be sed with concrete panels that form walls of buildings, or insulated panels that seduce the transmission of heat and/or noise.

Claims

1. A system including a panel removably mounted to a frame by a number of projections biased to an extended position situated in either the panel or the frame, and at least one corresponding receptacle in the other of the panel or the frame, adapted to receive the projections wherein the panel is supported within the frame solely by the projections and apertures, to allow removal of the panel without effecting the panel or the frame.

2. The system of claim 1wherein the projections may be selectively locked in place.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the biasing means is a helical spring

4. The system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the projection is selectively lockable in place by compressing the helical spring to reduce the travel of the projection into the body portion.

The system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the receptacle is an elongate groove.

6. The system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the projection is spherical in shape.

7. The system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the projection is cylindrical.

8. The system as defined in claim 1 and shown in Figure 9 and described in the specification.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 and shown in figure 10 and described in the specification. DATED this 31st day of August, 2000 ALEXANDER FURMAN WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA SKP:SJM:PCP PP1050AUOO