This application discloses a modular panel usable as a writing board or other display apparatus.
An embodiment of the modular display board can include at least one hollow panel that has a rear surface and a front surface. The hollow panel has a ridge, which includes a channel, along at least one of its edges. The ridge, through the channel, is interlockable with a ridge of another panel. The modular display board can be made hollow by various blow molding techniques.
When the modular display board is used as a writing board, a dry-erasable material, blackboard material, paper, or other writing surface can be added to the front surface; or the front panel can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. When the modular display board is used as a display board, without a writing surface, a tack surface such as cork, pressure sensitive adhesive, felt, or any other material to which foreign items can be attached, can be added to the front surface of the modular display board; or the front surface can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. Also, the writing surface can be used in conjunction with the tack surface.
Embodiments of the modular display board can also include a plurality of secondary panels. The hollow panel and at least one of the secondary panels can each comprise a separate corner section of the display board. For example, a modular board having four panels will be configured such that one of the corners of each of the four panels will be a corner of the assembled modular board. Embodiments of the modular display board having more than four panels will have inner sections made up of tertiary panels where four of the panels are configured such that one of the corners of each of the four panels is a corner of the assembled board and the tertiary panels are positioned between and inside each of the corner sections. For example, a modular display board having two rows and three columns will have four corner sections and two inner sections. The inner sections are the tertiary panels.
Edges of the hollow panel of this embodiment of the modular display board can have a rim that can be configured such that at least one part of the rim has a retaining lip for receiving a dry-erasable surface. Additionally, at least one part of the rim can include a recess adapted to be a handle for the display board. The part of the rim having the handle can be either the same part of the rim as that having the retaining lip or the part of the rim having the handle can be a part other than the part of the rim having the retaining lip.
The rear surface of the modular display board can be planar or can include at least one indentation. The indentation can be usable as a storage space, mounting recess, or a handle for holding the modular display board by the rear surface.
An additional embodiment of the modular display board includes a plurality of interlocking panels that are releasably attached to each other. Each of the interlocking panels should include a joint engaging member along at least one of its edges. The joint engaging member should be configured such that it helps to interlock its panel with another panel.
At least one of the panels of this embodiment of the modular display board can have three layers—a front layer and a rear layer sandwiching an inner air layer.
When this embodiment of the modular display board is used as a writing board, a dry-erasable material, blackboard material, paper, or other writing surface can be added to the front surface; or the front surface can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. When this embodiment of the modular display board is used as a display board, without a writing surface, a tack surface such as cork, pressure sensitive adhesive, felt, or any other material to which foreign items can be attached, can be attached to the front surface of the modular display board; or the front surface can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. Also, the writing surface can be used in conjunction with the tack surface.
The rear surface of this embodiment of the modular display board can be planar or can include a channeled cross section such that, when looked at from its edge, the cross-section includes peaks, valleys and even linear sections. The locations of the peaks, valleys, and linear sections in the cross-section can vary around the area of the rear surface. With this variance in locations of peaks, valleys, and linear sections, different indentations can be formed in the rear surface so that the channeled areas of the rear surface of this embodiment of the modular display board can be used as a storage space, mounting recess, or a handle for holding the modular display board by the rear surface.
Each of the interlocking panels of this embodiment of the modular display board can act as a separate corner section of the modular display board. For example, a modular board having four panels will be configured such that one of the corners of each of the four panels will be a corner of the assembled modular board; or a modular board having two panels will be configured such that two of the corners of one panel are two of the corners of the assembled board and two of the corners of the remaining panel are the other two corners of the assembled modular board. This embodiment of the modular display board can be used with edge sections and inner sections made up of additional interlocking panels. The edge sections can be placed between two end panels thereby creating an elongated modular display board; or the edge sections can be placed between four corner interlocking panels as edges. The interior sections of the modular display board can be placed inside the four corner sections and edge sections of the modular display board.
Edges of the interlocking panels of this embodiment of the modular display board can also be configured such that at least one edge has a retaining lip for receiving a dry-erasable surface. Additionally, at least one of the edges can include a recess adapted to be a handle for the display board. The edge having the handle can be either the same edge as the edge having the retaining lip or the edge having the handle can be an edge other than the edge having the retaining lip.
A further embodiment of the modular display board includes a first blow-molded panel having a ship-lapped groove on the panel's edge. The ship-lapped groove of the first blow-molded panel can be adapted to interlockingly connect with a ship-lapped groove of a second panel. The first blow-molded panel of this embodiment of the modular display board can have a front layer and an indented rear layer.
When this embodiment of the modular display board is used as a writing board, a dry-erasable material, blackboard material, paper, or other writing surface can be added to the front layer; or the front layer can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. When this embodiment of the modular display board is used as a display board, without a writing surface, a tack surface such as cork, pressure sensitive adhesive, felt, or any other material to which foreign items can be attached, can be attached to the front layer of the modular display board; or the front layer can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. Also, the writing surface can be used in conjunction with the tack surface.
The first blow-molded panel of this embodiment of the modular display board can act as a corner section of the modular display board. Additional blow-molded panels can be attached to the first blow-molded panel to create a multi-panel board. Some of the additional panels can be attached to the first blow-molded panel to serve as inner sections of this embodiment of the modular display board. For example, a modular board having four panels will be configured such that one of the corners of each of the four panels will be a corner of the assembled modular board; or a modular board having two panels will be configured such that two of the corners of one panel are two of the corners of the assembled board and two of the corners of the remaining panel are the other two corners of the assembled modular board. In this embodiment of the modular display board, edge sections can be placed between two end panels thereby creating an elongated modular display board; or the edge sections can be placed between four corner panels as display board edges. The interior sections of the modular display board can be placed inside the four corner sections and edge sections of the modular display board.
As with previous embodiments, edges of the first blow-molded panel of this further embodiment of the modular display board can also be configured such that at least one edge has a retaining lip for receiving a dry-erasable surface. Additionally, at least one of the edges can include a recess adapted to be a handle for the display board. The edge having the handle can be either the same edge as the edge having the retaining lip or the edge having the handle can be an edge other than the edge having the retaining lip.
An additional embodiment of the modular display board is one that includes a plurality of separable sections. Each of the separable sections can include an interlocking mechanism. The separable sections can also each have a face that can include a rail along at least one of the edges of the face.
When this embodiment of the modular display board is used as a writing board, a dry-erasable material, blackboard material, paper, or other writing surface can be attached to an attachment ridge. The attachment ridge is substantially near the edge of the face of at least one of the separable sections. The writing surface can be added to the face of at least one of the separable sections and held in place by the attachment ridge. Or, the face of at least one of the separable sections can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. Additionally, at least one of the edges of the separable sections can include a recess adapted to be a handle for the display board. The edge having the handle can be either the same edge as the edge substantially near the attachment ridge or the edge having the handle can be an edge other than the edge substantially near the retaining lip.
When this embodiment of the modular display board is used as a display board, without a writing surface, a tack surface such as cork, pressure sensitive adhesive, felt, or any other material to which foreign items can be attached, can be attached to the face of one of the separable sections of the modular display board; or the front layer can be made of any of these materials, singularly or in combination with each other. Also, the writing surface can be used in conjunction with the tack surface.
At least one of the separable sections of this embodiment of the modular display board can have three layers—a front layer and a rear layer sandwiching an inner air layer.
The rear layer of this embodiment of the modular display board can be planar or can include an irregular cross-section such that, when looked at from its edge, includes peaks, valleys and linear sections. The locations of the peaks, valleys, and linear sections in the cross-section can vary around the area of the rear layer. With this variance in locations of peaks, valleys, and linear sections, different indentations can be formed in the rear layer so that the irregular areas of the rear layer of this embodiment of the modular display board can be used as a storage space, mounting recess, or a handle for holding the modular display board by the rear layer.
At least one of the separable sections of this embodiment of the modular display board can act as a corner section of the modular display board. Other separable sections can be attached to the first separable section to create a multi-panel board. Yet additional separable sections can be attached to the first separable section to serve as inner sections of this embodiment of the modular display board. For example, a modular board having four separable sections will be configured such that one of the corners of each of the separable sections will be a corner of the assembled modular board; or a modular board having two separable sections will be configured such that two of the corners of one separable section are two of the corners of the assembled board and two of the corners of the remaining separable sections are the other two corners of the assembled modular board. In this embodiment of the modular display board, edge sections can be placed between two end separable sections thereby creating an elongated modular display board; or the edge sections can be placed between four corner separable sections as display board edges. The interior sections of the modular display board can be placed inside the four corner sections and edge sections of the modular display board.
a shows an embodiment of the modular display board;
b shows a rear surface of the modular display board of
a shows an exploded view of the writing board of
b shows an exploded view of the rear surface of the modular display board of
a-6b show a rear surface of the modular display board;
a shows a corner portion of a modular display board;
b shows an interior portion of a modular display board;
c shows the locking ridge of
a shows a modular display board having four corner panels;
b shows a modular display board having only two end panels; and
c shows a modular display board having two end panels and a plurality of interior panels.
An embodiment of the modular display board 2 is shown in
The hollow panel 4 and additional hollow panels 4′, 4″ and 4′″ can each constitute a separate corner section 14, 16, 18, or 20 of the modular display board 2. Also, the secondary panel 12 and additional secondary panels 12′, 12″, and 12′″ can be added to the hollow panels 4-4′″ to constitute edge sections 22, 24, 26 and 28 of the modular display board 2. In this type of configuration, one of the edges 34 and a second edge 36 of corner section 14, 16, 18, or 20, respectively, act as part of a first edge 32 and a second edge 38 of the modular display panel 2. And, one of the edges 30 of the edge sections 22, 24, 26 or 28 will each act as a part of one of the edges 32 of the modular display panel 2.
As shown in
With reference to
With further reference to
With reference to
Each panel has a panel body portion 102 or 102′ as seen, for example, in
It is not necessary that a panel have ridges on all of its sides. For example, a panel can have a ridge on none of its sides if the panel is not intended to be used with any other panels; or a panel can have a ridge on only one side for connection to only a single additional panel. When only a single edge is used for connection to a single additional panel, the additional panel can be the sole additional panel or a panel among a group of additional panels. Each ridge can connect to an identically shaped locking ridge of another panel or it can connect to an arbitrarily shaped locking ridge of another panel.
c shows a closer view of the locking ridge of the connection mechanism 104. In this figure, the connection mechanism 104 is joined to connection mechanism 104′ of an arbitrary panel. Panel 102 is connected to panel 102′ by locking ridges 8 and 8′. Each locking ridge should have at least one protrusion 110 and 110′ on a side of the ridge either adjacent the connection mechanism receiving recess 106 or opposite the connection mechanism receiving recess 106. The protrusion 110 helps to lock the ridge 8 inside the connection mechanism receiving recess 106. Additionally, the ridges can also include second protrusions 112 and 112′. Ridge protrusions 110, 110′, 112 and 112′ can have sharp corners like that depicted in
As shown in
Also, of particular visibility in this figure is a rear rim 214. Like the rest of the hollow panel 200, the rear rim 214 can be hollow. The rear rim 214 is generally located around an edge of the hollow panel 200 on the rear layer 204. The rear rim 214 can be generally configured such that a side layer 216 extends from an edge of the front layer 202 acting as a limit to the inner air layer 206 and extending beyond the rear layer 204. Rim rear surface 218 connects the side layer 216 with a rear rim return portion 220. The rear rim return portion 220 connects the rim rear surface 218 with the rear layer 204. The rear rim 214 can be used as a handle for carrying larger hollow panels. Or, the rear rim 214 can be used as a retaining wall if using the hollow panel as a storage compartment. For example, any of various materials can be placed on the rear surface 204 of the hollow panel 200 and prevented from falling off of the rear surface by rear rim 214.
With reference to
An assembled modular display board can have infinitely numerous shapes such as round, triangular, trapezoidal, rectangular, or any other shape that suits a user's desires. Also, an assembled modular display board can be configured three-dimensionally where each of the corner sections of the display board is molded to have a surface in each of three axes, which all come together at a common vertex. Thus, for example, the panels can be configured to form a cube, a pyramid, or any other three-dimensional structure.
It can be appreciated that the above described modular display board can be realized in a variety of embodiments and that those described hereinabove are merely examples.