Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
  • E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
  • E04B2/74—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge
  • E04B2/7401—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge assembled using panels without a frame or supporting posts, with or without upper or lower edge locating rails
  • E04B2/7405—Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge assembled using panels without a frame or supporting posts, with or without upper or lower edge locating rails with free upper edge, e.g. for use as office space dividers

Definitions

• the invention relates to panel structures formed of interconnected panels. Examples of the use of such panel structures are in providing screens for dividing exhibition or open-plan office areas. It has been the practice for some time to provide free-standing screens on exhibition stands , largely for the support of printed posters , photographs and other publicity material. For convenience , such screens are built to incorporate panels which may typically be one metre or so square. Hitherto, such screens have generally included a metal frame-work into which the panels fit. An example of such an arrangement is shown in British patent specification No. 2142058. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the frame members render the screen surface discontinuous and severely restrict the size, shape and disposition of material which can be mounted on the screen.
• a panel structure comprising a plurality of panels each with channel-section regions at the ends of a top edge of the panel; a socket in the base of each channel- section region; and a set of connectors each having at least two elongate portions each of which fits closely in a respective channel-section region and at least two pins which lodge in respective sockets , the connectors being effective to hold abutted panels together, the pins providing registration of the connectors with respect to the panels and thus registration of the panels with respect to each other, and the elongate portions lying within the channel- section regions and co-operating with the edges thereof to prevent twisting of the panels with respect to each other.
• each channel-section region is defined by a reinforcement member which is inset in the respective end of the edge of a panel, the reinforcement member having a hole in its base which constitutes the mouth of the socket.
• the lower edges of the panels may also be provided with' channel regions and sockets, which sockets receive upstanding pins from the connectors.
• an 'H'-shaped connector can be used to link four panels in abutting fashion while being totally concealed.
• the body portions of the connectors may be straight for in-line panels , or bent at a predetermined angle for allowing adjacent panels to be set at an angle with respect to each other .
• the channel regions may be discrete and set apart from each other at the ends of the respective edges-.
• each upper and perhaps lower edge of each panel may be channelled along its length.
• a panel channelled at all four edges may readily be covered with fabric which is received and fixed in the channels.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a panel structure embodying the present invention
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of a panel and a connector of the structure of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of four panels together
• Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the connection of two panels at right-angles
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of a top connection of two panel at right-angles
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a top connection of two panels end-to-end;
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of two panels at the end of the panel structure
• Figure 8 is a set of diagrams of connectors
• Figure 9 is a pair of diagrams of corner - connectors
• Figure 10 is a diagram of a reinforcement member
• Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating. an alternative form of connector member
• Figure 12 is a perspective view of a corner of a panel with an alternative form of reinforcement member
• Figure 13 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of four panels together having the kind of reinforcement member of Figure 12;
• Figure 14 is a perspective view of a top connection of two panels at right-angles using the kind of reinforcement members of Figures 12 and 13;
• Figure 15 is a diagram of a 135° corner connector
• Figure 16 is a set of diagrams of right-angle corner connectors.
• Figure 17 is a set of diagrams of corresponding corner reinforcement members .
• a free ⁇ standing screen composed of a structure of panels A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
• a corner of the screen has a channel piece H which may be used to house an electrical lead for lighting purposes, for example.
• the end of the structure has an end channel J which similarly may conceal an electrical lead.
• the structure shown is useful as a screen for an exhibition stand or as an office partitioning for example.
• the panels in this example are covered with fabric which not only has a decorative and sound- deadening function but which also allows photographs , advertising material etc. to be fixed easily. It is to be noted that the panels fit flush with each other and there are no frame members to interfere with the surface, which is virtually continuous.
• the structure is assembled with the use of connectors which are totally concealed and which nevertheless offer ease of assembly and good structural stability.
• FIG 2 there is shown a panel A which has a cut-out at the end of a top edge.
• a reinforcement member 2 which may be of metal or moulded plastics , is set into the corner by being screwed by screw 1.
• the top of the reinforcement member defines a channel region 3 at the base of which is a hole 4. The hole leads to a socket in the panel.
• a metal connector 5 has a body 6 and two pairs of pins 7. Each pin fits into a respective socket in a panel.
• Figure 3 shows four panels A, B, C, and K being coupled by the connector 5. Abutting corners of the four panels are equipped with reinforcement members and the arrangement is such that the pins 7 locate the panels together so that they abut to present a flush surface for the panel structure.
• the body of the connector is wholly concealed in the channel portions defined in this embodiment by the reinforcement members at the corners of the panels.
• the connector 5 is an intermediate connector and each channel region 3 is slightly deeper than half the height of the body 6.
• Figure 4 shows an arrangement whereby two panels B and E are coupled at right-angles to each other by a right-angled connector 10 having pins 11 which are located in corresponding sockets in the panels.
• Figures 5 and 6 show the top edge of the panel structure at a corner and at an end-to-end abutment respectively. It will be seen that at the top the connectors have no upstanding pins. Also, the depth of the body 6 is half the depth of the body of the intermediate connector, so that the body is wholly concealed in the channel portions. Similar half- height connectors are used in the bottom edges of the panel structure at floor level.
• Figure 7 shows detail of the end of the panel structure.
• a connector 5 has two pins.
• the channel piece J is a springy u-section member which fits the end of the panel and is retained resiliently.
• the fabric covering 12 for the panels is stretched over the panel surface and tucked into a slot 13 formed in each panel edge.
• the corners of the fabric are retained beneath the reinforcement members. Glue is used also. Referring now to figure 8 there is shown at
• Figure 9 shows at (a) and (b) an intermediate corner piece and a top or bottom corner piece respectively;
• Figure 10 shows a reinforcement member in plan at (a); in end elevation from one end at (b); in end elevation from the other end at (c); in side elevation at (d); and from beneath in (e)
• Figure 11 shows an alternative form of connector.
• the pins 7a are rectangular and the connector member is of uniform depth.
• the hole 4a is modified to be square in shape. Modifications can be made to this kind of connector to correspond with the various forms of connectors described above - namely corner pieces and top and bottom pieces.
• Figure 12 shows an alternative form of reinforcement member.
• the reinforcement member is in this example an aluminium corner piece 14 with a socket 15.
• the straight connectors 5 are the same as described above.
• Figure 13 shows the junction of four panels A1 ; B1 ; C1 and K1 with these corner pieces.
• Figure 14 shows a corner junction between panels C1 and D1.
• the corner differs from that described with reference to Figure 5 since the end of one panel (C1) abuts the face of the other (D1). A cut-out is therefore necessary in the side of the channel of piece 14a of panel D1 to accommodate the corner connector 16.
• Figure 16(a) shows plan and elevation views of a left-hand connector
• Figure 16(b) shows similar view of a right-hand connector; both for top or bottom
• Figure 16(c) shows similar views for a right-hand intermediate connector.
• Figure 17 shows at (a) plan and elevation views for a left-hand reinforcement member; at (b) for a right-hand reinforcement member and at (c ) for a straight reinforcement member. The cut-outs are shown at 17. '
• the connectors described above are made of steel, and the reinforcement members of plastics or aluminium. However, other suitable rigid materials may be used , such as other metals , ceramics , wood, glass-fibre etc.
• the panels may be made of various materials .
• a rectangular structure of wooden battens may be filled with a cardboard honeycomb and covered with a hard-board skin.
• the panels may be moulded of plastics with perhaps a plastics foamed filling. In this case the sockets would be moulded.
• Other combinations of plastics, metals and wood may be used.
• Connectors may be provided for any required connection angle.
• a range of fixed connectors of different angles may be provided.
• a hinged connector may be provided to accommodate any required angle. Possibly such a hinged connector may be lockable in the required position.
• Special connectors may be used for mounting the panel structure by way of feet or castors at the base and for supporting lamps at the top.
• the invention may be used in assembling panel structures to make furniture such as desks or wardrobes. Suitable panel structures may also be used in conjunction with the invention to fabricate huts and other panel-type buildings. Various toys of modular panel construction may employ the invention.

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• 1985
  • 1985-12-02 GB GB858529644A patent/GB8529644D0/en active Pending
• 1986
  • 1986-12-02 EP EP19860906906 patent/EP0247129A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1986-12-02 WO PCT/GB1986/000734 patent/WO1987003321A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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