Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02556762 2006-08-22
SLATWALL ADAPTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to slatwall panel display assemblies, and in
particular to an adapter for assembling slatwall panels into a display
assembly.
Description of the Related Art
Temporary display assemblies are ubiquitous for commercial and retail use.
Such
assemblies are used for displaying goods for sale to a customer, and may
include signage.
A typical assembly may comprise a pair of spaced uprights attached to a base
with a
panel extending between and supported by the uprights. The panel may be
accessible
from both sides. Goods are displayed on the panel for selection and purchase
by a
customer. The assembly can be readily assembled and disassembled as needed.
The panel may comprise pegboard, solid wood panels, plastic panels, and the
like.
The panel can be readily painted or embossed with desired colors, signage, and
the like.
Hangers can be a readily attached to the panel for the display of goods, and
can be
attached to the panel at selected locations depending upon the size and
desired display
configuration for the goods. Pegboard is a particularly desirable display
medium.
The uprights are frequently specially configured to accommodate a pegboard or
solid panel. For example, the uprights may include an inwardly facing slot
extending the
length of the upright into which the edge of the panel is inserted. The slot
will have a
width to accommodate the thickness of the panel while minimizing movement of
the
panel in the slot. Since pegboard and solid panels used in such an assembly
frequently
come in 1/4" thicknesses, the width of the slot will typically be slightly
greater than 1/4"
but no larger to enable the panel to be readily inserted and removed.
It is frequently desirable to display goods on a slatwall panel rather than a
pegboard, or solid wood or plastic, panel. An example of a slatwall panel is
described
and illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 6,763,957 to Muellerleile. It is also
desirable to utilize
the same base assembly for both a slatwall panel and a pegboard or solid
panel.
However, the thickness of a slatwall panel may be two to five times greater
than the
CA 02556762 2006-08-22
thickness of a pegboard or solid panel. Consequently, the slatwall panel
cannot be
inserted into the slot configured for a thinner panel. The only alternatives
are to 1) use
separate base assemblies for a slatwall panel and a pegboard or solid panel,
2) modify the
width of the slot, such as by cutting away a portion of the upright, in order
to
accommodate the slatwall panel, 3) cut a rabbet into the slatwall panel to
enable the panel
edge to be inserted into the slot, or 4) run the slatwall panel between the
uprights but not
into the slots by attaching the slatwall panel to the uprights, such as by
tacking or
welding. The first alternative is very costly, the second alternative is
difficult to
accomplish without ending up with an unsightly configuration and will require
another
base assembly to again utilize a pegboard or solid panel, the third
alternative is costly and
potentially unsightly, and the fourth alternative may be unsatisfactory from a
performance and appearance standpoint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A display panel assembly comprises a display panel, a base for supporting the
display panel, and a pair of spaced panel supports coupled with the base, each
panel
support having a slot. An adapter for the display panel assembly comprises a
panel
support portion comprising a channelway defined by a pair of spaced flanges
and an
interconnecting web, and an insert portion comprising an insert flange
extending from the
web and terminating in a spacer extending generally parallel to the web. The
spacer is
adapted for receipt in a panel support slot and the channelway is adapted for
receipt of an
edge of a panel therein, the channelway having a width different than the
width of the
slot. Panels having a first thickness can be supported by the panel support
slots and
panels having a second thickness can be supported by the adapter inserted into
the panel
support slots.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display panel assembly comprising a first
embodiment of a slatwall adapter according to the invention.
2
CA 02556762 2006-08-22
Figured lA is a sectional view of a portion of the display panel assembly
illustrated in Figure 1 taken along view line 1A-lA.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the first embodiment of the slatwall
adapter illustrated in Figure 1A.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a base assembly comprising a portion of a
display panel assembly with a pair of slatwall adapters for receipt of a
slatwall panel.
Figure 3A is a sectional view of a portion of the display panel assembly
illustrated
in figure 3 taken along view line 3A-3A.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the base assembly illustrated in Figure 3
showing the assembly of slatwall panels into a display panel assembly.
Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a second
embodiment
of a slatwall adapter according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises an adapter for a display panel assembly which can be
attached to a display panel support adapted for support of a display panel
having a first
thickness so that a display panel having a second thickness different than the
first
thickness can be supported by the display panel support. Referring now to the
drawings,
and in particular to Figure 1, a slatwall assembly 10 according to a first
embodiment of
the invention is illustrated comprising a base 12 upon which is supported a
display panel
assembly 14. The display panel assembly 14 comprises a slatwall panel 16
supported by
and extending between a pair of upright panel supports 18. A slatwall adapter
20
according to the invention is attached to the panel supports 18 for support of
the slatwall
panel 16.
Referring also to Figure lA, the panel supports 18 comprise elongated members
having a generally rectilinear cross-sectional configuration, and having a
generally
rectilinear panel slot 22 extending the length of the support 18. The supports
18 are
attached to the base 12 so that the panel slots 22 are oriented toward one
another for
support of a panel therebetween. The slatwall adapter 20 comprises a panel
support
3
CA 02556762 2006-08-22
portion 24 and an insert portion 26 adapted so that the insert portion 26 can
be inserted
into the panel slot 22. Preferably, the slatwall adapter 20 has a length
approximately
equal to the length of each support 18.
Figure 2 illustrates the cross-sectional configuration of the slatwall adapter
20.
The slatwall adapter 20 comprises a web 30 having a panel face 42 and an
opposed insert
face 44. The web 30 transitions at a first end to a half flange 32, and at a
second end to a
full flange 34. The half flange 32 and the full flange 34 extend generally
orthogonally to
the web 30 in parallel, spaced-apart disposition. A first portion of the full
flange 34
comprises a panel flange 36, which with the web 30 and the half flange 32
defines the
panel support portion 24. The panel flange 36, web 30, and half flange 32
define an
elongated, channel-like panel slot 46 extending the length of the slatwall
adapter 20. A
semi-cylindrical, rail-like spacer 48 extends into the panel slot 46 from the
panel face 42
intermediate the panel flange 36 and the half flange 32.
A second portion of the full flange 34 comprises an insert flange 38,
extending
orthogonally away from the insert face 44 of the web 30. The insert flange 38
transitions
away from the web 30 to a stabilizer flange 40. The stabilizer flange 40
extends
orthogonally to the insert flange 38 parallel to the web 30. The stabilizer
flange 40
extends generally the length of the slatwall adapter 20 and has a length
orthogonal to the
length of the slatwall adapter 20 adapted for generally slidable insertion of
the insert
portion 26 into the panel slot 22 as illustrated in Figure 1A.
The slatwall adapter 20 fabricated of a material having suitable strength and
rigidity for the purposes described herein. Such materials can include
aluminum, steel,
plastic, and the like. The slatwall adapter 20 can be an aluminum or plastic
extrusion, or
a formed or roll-formed steel or aluminum.
Figure 3 illustrates the use of the slatwall adapter 20 for support of a
slatwall
panel in a display panel assembly configured to support a thin display panel
(not shown),
such as pegboard, a solid wood or plastic panel, or tack board. After the thin
display
panel has been removed, a slatwall adapter 20 is installed to each panel
support 18 by
inserting the insert portion 26 in the panel slot 22 so that the insert face
44 of the web 30
4
CA 02556762 2006-08-22
is in contact with or immediately adjacent to the panel support 18. As
illustrated in
Figure 4, 1 or more slatwall panels 16, such as described and illustrated in
U.S. Patent
No. 6,763,957 to Muellerleile, can be slidably inserted into the panel slots
46 in each
slatwall adapter 20 to create a display panel extending the height of the
panel supports 18
(Figure 1).
The spacer 48 will control the depth to which the panels 16 can be inserted
into
the panel slot 46. A preferred means of fabricating the slatwall adapter 20 is
through a
well-known extrusion process. The extrusion process will result in a radius
corner where
the flanges 32, 36 join the web 30. If the slatwall panel 16 is inserted too
far into the
panel slot 46, the edge of the panel 16 can bind in the radius corner, thereby
making
installation and removal of the panel 16 difficult. The spacer 48 prevents
this binding
from occurring.
If desired, the slatwall panels 16 can be removed, followed by removal of the
slatwall adapters 20, and a thin display panel can again be installed in the
display panel
assembly by inserting the edges of the thin display panel in the panel slots
22. Thus, a
single display panel assembly can be utilized for both thin display panels and
slatwall
display panels.
Figure 5 illustrates a second embodiment of a slatwall adapter 60 comprising a
panel support portion 80 and an insert portion 82. The panel support portion
80
comprises a web 62 and a pair of flanges 64, 66 extending orthogonally from
both ends
of a panel face 68 of the web 62. The flanges 64, 66 and a web 62 define a
panel slot 72
adapted for receipt of a slatwall panel (not shown) therein. A semi-
cylindrical, rail-like
spacer 74 extends away from the panel face 68 longitudinally along a midline
of the web
62. The insert portion 82 comprises an insert flange 78 extending orthogonally
away
from an insert face 70 of the web 62 opposite the panel slot 72. The insert
web 76
terminates in an insert flange 78 extending orthogonal thereto, generally
parallel to the
web 62.
The slatwall adapter 60 is assembled to the panel support 80 by inserting the
insert portion 82 into the panel slot 22 of the panel support 18 so that the
insert face 70 of
CA 02556762 2006-08-22
the web 62 is in contact with or adjacent to the panel support 18. The
slatwall panels 16
can then be slidably inserted into the panel slots 72 to form the slatwall
assembly 10, as
previously described herein. The slatwall adapter 60 is utilized to center the
slatwall
panels 16 with respect to the panel supports 18, which may be desirable with
panel
supports 18 that extend from a midline of the base 12 rather than an edge of
the base 12
as illustrated in Figure 1.
Alternatively, the slat wall adapter 20, 60 can be fabricated as an integral
part of
the slatwall panel 16 or adapted to be fixedly attachable to the slatwall
panel 16, such as
by a friction or interference fit, to provide a panel/adapter assembly which
can be
engaged with the panel supports 18 as a single, integrated unit.
In another embodiment, the slatwall adapter can be configured to support a
thin
panel, such as '/4-inch plywood, in a panel slot along a panel support that is
sized to
receive a slatwall panel. Thus, the adapter enables the support of a thin
panel in a slot
that is configured for a thicker panel.
While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain
specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of
illustration and
not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within
the scope of
the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the
invention
which is defined in the appended claims.
6
