GB2326587A

GB2326587A - Panel and method for producing the same

Info

Publication number: GB2326587A
Application number: GB9713429A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Roger Wilkinson
Original assignee: WILKINSON MARK FURNITURE Ltd
Current assignee: WILKINSON MARK FURNITURE Ltd
Priority date: 1997-06-25
Filing date: 1997-06-25
Publication date: 1998-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-25
Also published as: GB2326587B; GB9713429D0

Description

PANEL, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME The present invention relates to a panel and method for producing the same, particularly for use in furniture.

Panels for use in furniture are well known, and it may be desired that a panel has a construction such that the surface appears to be constructed from more than one material. Such surfaces have often been made in a "chequered" pattern, which consists of squares of alternating colour or finish extending in all directions.

Commonly, such a panel is produced by adhering separate squares of material on to a backing sheet. Such a method of construction has inevitable disadvantages, for example that it is difficult to align the squares, and an untidy end product is produced.

Therefore, the present invention aims to overcome these problems by providing a panel of a different construction, and a method of producing same.

The present invention proposes that a panel is made up of three types of interlocking elongate members. A first type of elongate member, of which there are at least two, has a plane face which defines a part of a first face of the panel. The second type of elongate member, of which there is at least one, and which lies perpendicularly to the first type of elongate member has at least one projection which extends between two elongate members of the first type, the face of the projection also forming part of the first face of the panel. The third type of elongate member, of which there is also at least one, and which lies parallel to the first type of elongate members, also has at least one projection which extends between the same two of the first type of elongate members as the projection of the second elongate member, and the face of this projection also forms part of the first face of the panel. The faces of the projections of the second and third types of elongate members, along with the first face of the first type of elongate members make up the complete plane face of the panel.

It is preferred that the second and third types of elongate members carry a plurality of projections respectively, and that there are a plurality of the second and third type of elongate members.

Thus, the present invention may provide a panel comprising a plurality of three types of interlocking members: the first type of elongate members having a plane face that defines part of a first face of the panel; the second type of elongate member lying perpendicularly to the first type of elongate member, and having a plurality of projections arranged such that a projection of each member extends between every pair of first type of elongate members, the face of the projections also forming part of the first face of the panel; and the third type of elongate member lying parallel to the first type of elongate member, one elongate member of the third type lying between every pair of the first type of elongate members, and having a plurality of projections which extend between the pair of the first type of elongate members and fill gaps left by the projections of the second type of elongate members, the faces of the projections also forming part of the first face of the panel; the first face of the panel being made up of the plane face of the first type of elongate members and the faces of the projections of the second and third type of elongate members. The first face of the panel is preferably planar, i.e. the plane face of the first type of elongate member, and the faces of the projections of the second and third type of elongate member all lie in the same plane. However, the face of the projections of the second and/or third type of elongate member may project beyond the plane defined by the plane face of the first type of elongate member, so that the first face of the panel is undulating.

The plurality of projections of the second and third elongate members may alternate in any one area between a pair of first elongate members, although this is not essential.

It is further preferred that the projections of the second and third elongate members are spaced at regular intervals, such that the second and third type of elongate members are castellated.

The projections may be square in projection, and the interval at which they are spaced may be the length of the edge of the square projection.

The projections on the second and third type of elongate members also serve the function of providing recesses in which the other elongate members of the panel can sit. For instance the projections carried by the third type of elongate member form recesses in which the second type of elongate member can sit. The projections carried by the second type of elongate member form recesses in which the first type of elongate member can sit.

The first type of elongate member may carry projections which face in the opposite direction from those of the second and third type of elongate member, i.e. away from the first face of the panel. These projections allow the first type of elongate member to engage the second type of elongate member, by being sized to fill gaps left between elongate members of the second type.

The opposite face of the panel to the first face, the second face, may be plane or undulating. A plane finish may be obtained in several ways, of which one requires the first and third type of elongate member to carry projections of the same height, facing in opposite directions, and the second type of elongate member carrying projections on both of its faces, the projections alternating from one face of the member to the other. An undulating finish can be obtained by the projections carried by the second and third members being the same height, the first elongate member having projections with twice the height of those on the second and third members.

The members of the panels may be fixed together by any conventional means, including glueing and nailing.

The members will often be made from wood, although other common furniture materials, such as MDF, may be used.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a panel by assembling the three types of elongate members described above to form a panel and fixing the elongate members together.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows another view the panel of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a view of a different embodiment of a panel according to the present invention.

A first embodiment of a panel according to the invention is illustrated in figures 1 and 2. The panel 1 comprises three types of elongate members 2, 3, and 4.

The elongate members 2 and 4 extend in a first direction and the other elongate members 3, extend perpendicularly to the members 2 and 4. Each of the members 2, 3, and 4 carry square projections 22, 32, and 42, and these form square recesses 21, 31, and 41 on the members 2, 3, and 4.

The first face 11 of the panel 1, which is planar, comprises the rear face 40 of the elongate member 4, and the faces of the projections 22 and 32 carried by the elongate members 2 and 3. Thus if the members are made from different materials or are finished or coloured differently, the panel 1 has a face 11 which is of a chequerboard-type.

The second face 12 of the panel 1 undulates, but could be plane, although this would require there to be projections on the rear face 30 of the member 3 opposite the recesses 31, and for the projections 42 to be 3 times their height as illustrated in figures 1 and 2.

As illustrated in figure 3, the panel of this other embodiment of the present invention has elongate members 5 replacing the elongate members 2 of the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2. The projections 52 of one of the elongate members 5, can be capped by a decorative top 54, surrounded by an inlay 53. Such a construction enables the panel to fulfill its decorative function, without the whole of the elongate member 5 being made out of the same material as the cap 54. This is advantageous when the cap 54 is made from an expensive material. The faces of the caps 54 may be flush with the faces 40 of the elongate members 40 of the elongate members 4 so that the first face is planar, or may be slightly proud of the faces 40 so that the first face undulates.

Claims

1. A panel comprising a plurality of three types of interlocking members: the first type of elongate member having a plane face that defines part of a first fact of the panel; the second type of elongate member lying perpendicularly to the first type of elongate member, and having a plurality of projections arranged such that a projection of each member extends between every pair of first type of elongate members, the face of the projections also forming part of the first face of the panel; and the third type of elongate member lying parallel to the first type of elongate member, one elongate member of the third type lying between every pair of the first type of elongate members, and having a plurality of projections which extend between the pair of the first type of elongate members and fill gaps left by the projections of the second type of elongate members, the faces of the projections also forming part of the first face of the panel; the first face of the panel being made up of the plane face of the first type of elongate members and the faces of the projections of the second and third type of elongate members.

2. A panel according to claim 1 in which the plane face of the first type of elongate member, and the faces of the projections of the second and third type of elongate member all lie in the same plane. However, the face of the projections of the second and/or third type of elongate member may project beyond the plane defined by the plane face of the first type of elongate member.

3. A panel according to claim 1 in which the face of the projections of the second and/or third type of elongate member project beyond the plane defined by the plane face of the first type of elongate member.

4. A panel according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 in which the projections of the second and third elongate members are spaced at regular intervals.

5. A panel according to claim 1 in which the projections may be square in projection, and the interval at which they are spaced is the length of the edge of the square projection.

6. A panel according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and third type of elongate member sandwich the second type of elongate member.

7. A panel according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first type of elongate member carry projections which face in the opposite direction from those of the second and third type of elongate member.

8. A panel according to claim 7 in which the second type of elongate member carried a second projection facing away from said face of the panel, the face of the second projection faces of the projection of the first type of elongate member being co-planar with a face of the third type of elongate member opposite the projections thereon.

9. A panel according to claim 7 in which the projections carried by the second and third types of elongate member are the same height, the first type of elongate member having projections with twice the height of those on the second and third type of elongate member.

10. A panel according to any one of the preceding claims in which the elongate members are secured together.

11. A method of manufacturing a panel according to any preceding claim, the method including assembling the three types of elongate members to form the panel and fixing the elongate members together.

12. A panel substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of manufacturing a panel substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.