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This invention relates in general to panel apparatus and in particular to
modular panel apparatus which can assume many selected sizes and
configurations.
The need frequently arises to temporarily enclose an area, whether
partially or completely, by erecting walls or similar structure which
surrounds the desired area. One such need is found in displays that are
frequently used in conjunction with conventions, expositions, and the
like, where suppliers of products and services will have booths with their
wares on display. Most displays of that sort are in rented space and will
remain at any given location for only a relatively short duration. For
that reason, the walls and other structural members which physically
enclose or define the display booths must be removed after the event is
concluded, typically to make way for some unrelated event.
One technique of erecting such display booths would be to construct booths
from scratch for each occasion, using the services of one or more
carpenters and starting with basic lumber, nails, and other building
supplies. The cost of such basic construction for display booths or other
structures which may have a lifetime of only a few days is clearly
prohibitive, however. The value of the lumber and the erection time would
be largely unrecoverable, moreover, since the display booths would
typically be torn down or otherwise demolished after their brief period of
use. Attempting to store the booths for reuse at a later time is
impractical in most instances, because of the costs associated with
storing and subsequently refurbishing used booths, and also because of the
practical difficulty in fitting a present customer's display requirements
within an existing booth.
Efforts have been made to overcome the foregoing problem by providing
modular panels which are made in certain predetermined sizes, and which
can be fitted together relatively rapidly to make up a display booth or
other structure. Such modular panel construction of the prior art has
typically taken the form of panel members equipped with built-in
connectors which can fasten that panel to other such panels or to related
hardware as necessary to erect and support a wall partition or the like.
Since the panel and its preassembled interconnecting hardware are integral
in the art, such hardware-equipped panels are generally manufactured at a
factory in several predetermined sizes which could be purchased for
subsequent use, disassembly, and possible reuse. While such modular panels
of the prior art are an imrovement over from-scratch construction methods
for many applications, the fact that such panels must be preassembled with
the necessary hardware greatly adds to the cost and weight of the panels.
Moreover, persons who are designing and constructing display booths from
such modular panels of the prior art are constrained to design booths
which can be pieced together from the limited number of standard-size
panels that are available from the manufacturer, since the size of
individual panels cannot be readily changed at the building site.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved modular panel apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide modular panel
apparatus which is readily assembled and disassembled, and which may
readily take an infinite number of standard or nonstandard sizes and
configurations.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide modular
panel apparatus which is relatively lightweight.
Stated in general terms, the modular panel apparatus of the present
invention comprises a frame which is rigidly and removably assembled in
the outline of a rectangle or another polygon having the size and
configuration of a desired panel member. A panel is provided which fits
within the frame, and means are provided to removably secure the panel
within the frame. Stated somewhat more particularly, the frame may be made
of tubular members that are joined together by a number of corner members
which rigidly engage and interlock the tubular members to form a rigid
frame of rectangular or other polygonal configuration. The panels may be
held in plce within the tubular frame by members which resiliently fit
over the tubular members to retain the panel. Except for the corner
members and inter-panel connections, the present modular panel apparatus
comprises components that can easily and inexpensively be cut from stock
to fit a number of nonstandard sizes and configurations, in addition to
being available from precut standard sizes.
The objects, advantages, and specific nature of the present invention will
become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred
embodiment, and from the drawing in which:
FIG. 1 shows a pictorial view of an assembled modular panel according to a
disclosed embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the panel shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical section view of one embodiment of corner member used
with the disclosed modular panel;
FIG. 3A is an end view showing one of the stems in the corner member of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 shows a panel interconnector used with the disclosed modular panel;
FIG. 5 shows an alternative disclosed embodiment of corner member according
to the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of panel interconnector according to
the present invention; and
FIG. 7 shows a fragmentary pictorial view of a retaining clip for securing
the panel in place on the tubular members.
Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown generally at 10 a panel module
constructed according to the present invention and having a rectangular
configuration. The panel module 10 is shown in exploded view at FIG. 2,
and it can be seen that this panel module has a rectangular frame which is
indicated generally at 11 and which surrounds and defines an interior
region 12 within the frame. The frame 11 is defined by tubular members
13a, 13b, and 13d which are detactably joined together by the four
separate corner members collectively indicated at 14.
Received within the region 12 defined by the frame 11 is a flat panel 18,
which also has a rectangular configuration in the disclosed embodiment so
as to fit closely within the region 12 without interfering with any of the
tubular members 13a-13d. The panel 18 is retained in place within the
frame 11 by means of the retainers 19a, 19b, 19c, and 19d which fit over
the corresponding tubular members 13a-13d to engage and retain the panel.
Each of the retainers 19a-19d, as best seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 7, has a
generally cylindrical hollow interior portion 20 which is configured to
fit snugly about the exterior of a tubular frame member, and also has a
relatively narrow open throat portion 21 whose width is preferably
slightly less than the thickness of the panel 18. The retainers 19 may be
molded or otherwise formed from a suitable resilient material such as
plastic or the like, so that the retainers are sufficiently resilient to
be manually forced over the tubular members 13a to 13b to assume the final
position shown in FIG. 1, for example, wherein the tube 13a is received
within the interior portion 20 of the retainer 19a and the upper edge of
the panel 18 is held between the throat portion 21 of the retainer. The
outer edges of the throat portion 21 are preferably flared outwardly as
shown at 22 in FIG. 7, to facilitate urging the resilient retainers over
the tubular members. Portions of the ends of each tubular member 19 may be
mitered at 45.degree. angles as shown at 23, in the case of a rectangular
frame 11, so as to provide a finished appearance to the overall panel
module 10.
The panel 18 may be fabricated from any suitable material which will
provide the desired wall or other panel construction. Since lightness of
weight may be an important consideration in many applications, the panel
18 may have a rigid foamed plastic core covered on either or both sides by
a fabric or other material which will protect the core and present a
pleasing appearance. Other materials from which panels 18 may be made will
be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The tubular members 13a-13d may be made of metal, plastic, or other tubing
having the desired diameter and structural characteristics, and it is
contemplated that these tubular members will usually be hollow along their
entire length. The tubular members may also be of arcuate or other
nonlinear shape, if desired. It is only necessary, however, that the ends
of the tubular members be hollow for a length sufficient to receive the
stems 25 which form part of each corner member 14.
Details of one disclosed embodiment of corner member 14 may best be seen in
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The corner member 14 has a central body 26 from which
extend a pair of stems 25 at right angles to each other. The outer
diameter of each stem 25 is selected so that the stems fit snugly within
the inner diameter of the hollow ends of each tubular member.
The outer end 27 of each stem 25 is split into several sectors, such as
four sectors in the disclosed embodiment, by means of the crosswise cuts
33 (FIG. 3A) which commence at the outer end 27 and extend longitudinally
back a distance along the length of each stem 25. The interior of each
stem 25 has a hollow passage 28 which joins with a corresponding passage
28' coaxially aligned within the body 26 of the corner member. The hollow
passage 28 within each stem 25 is seen to terminate at a location 29 which
is within the split-end region of the stem, but which stops short of the
outer end 27 of the stem. Each of the passages 28 internally is threaded
to receive a set screw 30.
The two hollow passages 28' within the body 26 terminate at openings 31 and
32 located on outer sides of the body opposite from the corresponding
stems 25, thereby providing access to the set screws 30 contained within
the passages 28 of the stems 25. It is apparent from FIG. 3 that at least
one of the hollow passages 28' within the body 26, such as the passage
which terminates at the opening 32, is enlarged relative to the connecting
passage 28' of the other stem 25. The purpose for this enlargement of the
body passage is explained below.
The manner of assemblying and disassembling the panel module as thus
described is now discussed. When a panel module 10 of certain overall
dimensions is desired, a frame 11 is first assembled from tubular members
13a-3d having the appropriate dimensions. It will be apparent that a
supply of tubular members precut to various standard lengths can be
provided, so that panel modules of standard or frequently-occurring sizes
can be assembled even more rapidly. The selected tubular members are
joined together by simply inserting the stems 25 of corner members 14 into
the hollow ends of the tubular members, after which the set screws 30 in
each tubular member are moved toward the ends 29 of the hollow passages 28
in the stems. The set screws 30 thus cause the split outer ends 27 of the
stems to spread apart so as to firmly engage the inner diameter of the
tubular members. A rigid frame 11 having the overall dimensions and the
configuration of the desired panel module is thus obtained.
A suitable panel 18 may now be disposed within the frame 11 as provided. As
with the case of the tubular members, it is apparent that a number of
panels 18 of standard configuraion may be precut to satisfy standard or
frequently-occurring dimensional requirements. It should also be apparent,
however, that panels 18 of nonstandard size can readily be cut from panel
stock, since the panel 18 contains no hardware or other fittings for
engagement with the surrounding frame 11, or with other panel modules.
The panel 18, once positioned within the frame 11, is engaged and retained
by slipping the retainers 19a-19d in place over the corresponding tubular
members 13a-13d. The throat portion 21 of each retainer securely holds an
outer edge of the panel 18, as exemplified in FIG. 7, so that there is
provided a panel module 10 which is relatively lightweight and easy to
handle, yet which is rigid and cannot inadvertently come apart.
The panel module 10 may be disassembled simply by reversing the foregoing
assembly steps. The corner members 14 may obviously be reused to assemble
subsequent panels, and other panel module components of standard dimension
may also be reused to assemble other panels.
Since display booths and other types of structures are frequently made up
of a number of panel modules and other elements such as doors, door
frames, and the like, it becomes necessary to provide some means for
interconnecting a panel module 10 with other such modules or with other
structural components. Such interconnection is provided by connectors such
as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, along with the enlarged passage 28' in the body
26 of the corner members 14.
FIG. 4 shows a single connector 36 having a central body 37 from opposite
sides of which extend a pair of coaxial stems 38a and 38b. The diameter of
each stem 38a and 38b is selected to provide a snug fit within the
corresponding diameter of the enlarged passage 28' within the body 26. The
outer end 39 of each connector stem 38a and 38b rest against the shoulder
40 defined by the inner end of the enlarged passage 28' within the body
26. Thus, one stem 38a of the connector 36 can fit within a corner member
14 of a first panel module, while the opposed stem 38b of the connector
fits within a corner member of an adjacent panel module. A separate set
screw (not shown in the drawings) can then be inserted through the opening
31 of the corner member and moved along the threaded passage 28' to engage
the surface of the connector stem which is received within the enlarged
passage of the body 26. In that manner, two or more panel modules can be
quickly and inexpensively interconnected to provide a wall of any desired
extent.
FIG. 6 shows a double connector 44 having a first pair of coaxially-aligned
stems 45a and 45b, laterally spaced apart from a second pair of stems 46a
and 46b. The double connector 44 is used, for example, for interconnecting
the four adjacent corner members of four panel modules.
It will be apparent that connectors of other configurations can be provided
within the scope of the present invention. For example, a four-way
connector can be provided in which four stems extend outwardly from a body
at mutual right angles to each other, so that panel modules can be
interconnected to occupy planes that are separated by a right angle.
Another embodiment of corner member is shown at 55 in FIG. 5. The corner
member 55 has stems 25' which extend outwardly from base members 56 having
a cylindrical configuration with an outer diameter which is substantially
the same as the outer diameter of the tubular members 13 with which the
corner member 55 will be used. The interconnection of each stem 25' with
the corresponding base member 56 defines a shoulder 57 against which an
end of a tubular member rests. The stems 25' of the corner member 55 have
split ends which are internally expanded by set screws for engaging the
tubular members, in the same manner as described above with respect to the
corner member 14 shown in FIG. 3.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that there has been described
modular panel apparatus from which panel modules of various standard or
nonstandard sizes and shapes can be readily assembled and disassembled,
without need of stocking any prepared panels with pre-attached hardware or
other fittings for interconnection. Panel modules according to the present
invention can be provided in polygonal shapes other than the disclosed
rectangular shape, by providing corner members with the appropriate
angular separation between stems. Moreover, it will be understood that the
modules panel apparatus of the present invention is not limited in
application to display booths or the like. It should also be understood
that the foregoing relates only to disclosed preferred embodiments of the
present invention, and that numerous changes and modifications may be made
therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention
as set forth in the following claims.
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