Patent Application
20050242047
The present invention generally relates to storage and organizational systems, and more particularly to structures used to mount storage and organizational systems onto vertical surfaces.
Storage and organizational systems of the type in which a composition board with a plurality of holes is mounted vertically on a surface are well known in the art. These systems, known as pegboards, are often adapted to receive support devices, e.g., hook and peg members, which extend into the holes so that articles may be supported from the forwardly projecting portions of the support device.
Mounting a pegboard in a home typically requires securing the pegboard on a wall of the house. Typical walls in a home are often constructed of either plaster or gypsum board, and do not have sufficient structural strength alone to support a pegboard or the loads caused by items mounted on the pegboard. Installation thus usually involves locating the wall studs located behind the plaster or gypsum board, and fastening a framework through the plaster or gypsum board to one or more studs. The pegboard is then mounted on the framework by placing fasteners, e.g. screws, through several holes disbursed throughout the pegboard, and then driving each fastener into the frame, or through the frame and into a stud. Frames are often necessary to provide sufficient space between the back surface of the pegboard and the wall of the home so as to accommodate engagement portions of the support devices, e.g., hook and peg members, which extend into the holes so that articles may be supported from forwardly projecting portions of the support device.
This arrangement is not only aesthetically undesirable, but also requires mounting holes be provided solely for securing the pegboard to the vertical surface in the pegboard, which could otherwise receive additional support devices. Also, since loads will often be cantilevered to the front surface of the pegboard, the pegboard will be subject to torques which can deteriorate the strength and the stability of the pegboard as well as its connection to the supporting wall. The fact that a frame is often used is also disadvantageous in that additional time and materials beyond the purchase and installation of the pegboard itself must be expended. This situation is further exacerbated when pegboards of the type taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,788, are employed.
More particularly, in pegboard systems such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,788, a perforated panel is provided in the form of a planer sheet of material, preferably formed of a metal or polymer, and having a plurality of regularly shaped perforations, disposed in a regular pattern throughout the panel. The perforations are each preferably formed so as to be defined by a circumferential edge, often forming a rectangular or square opening in the panel. The perforated panel is typically about one quarter to one half of an inch thick, with the perforations being arranged in a regular pattern through panel. Hooks having cantilevered latches are releasably snap-fit into these perforations to provide the same storage function as support devices on traditional pegboard systems.
These newer perforated pegboards need to be formed with a perceptible thickness in order to accommodate the cantilevered latches. This need creates difficulty when conventional mounting holes are provided in the board for mounting to vertical surfaces. Either a counter-sunk hole is required, or longer fasteners are needed to overcome the added thickness of these boards. This need results in the foregoing aesthetic issues and general difficulty in mounting the pegboard.
The present invention provides a pegboard panel having a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of perforations. A plurality of box-anchor receptacles project outwardly from the rear surface. Each box-anchor receptacle communicates with one of the plurality of perforations and includes a back wall that is spaced from the rear surface and that defines a through opening arranged in substantially coaxial relation with the perforation.
A storage system is also provided that includes the foregoing pegboard panel into which a fastener is positioned within the through opening. A portion of the fastener engages the back wall so as to secure the pegboard panel to a structure, e.g., a wall, thereby forming an interface between the fastener, the back wall, and the structure. A support device engages a portion of one of the plurality of box-anchor receptacles so as to be positioned on the front surface of the pegboard panel so that loads supported by the support device act directly upon the fastener-wall-structure interface.
Significantly, not only does this structural arrangement provide an improved aesthetic appearance to the pegboard panel, but it also allows for the positioning of the load-bearing parts, e.g., hooks, pegs, shelves, directly over the fastener holding the pegboard panel. In this way, substantially all of the bending and shear loads that are applied to the pegboard panel as a result of supporting loads on the support devices, act directly upon the fastener-wall-interface, thus preventing unwanted and damaging torque loads from being applied to the pegboard panel. Moreover, the perforations allow a support device to be secured to the pegboard panel so that there is no need for a frame when mounting the pegboard panel to a wall.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which are to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:
This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, if used, are intended to cover the structures described, suggested, or rendered obvious by the written description or drawings for performing the recited function, including not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.
Referring to
Referring to
Pegboard panel 2 is often arranged on the interior or exterior wall A of a room or shop area so that a plurality of support devices 40 may be positioned on front surface 4 (
More particularly, pegboard panel 2 is mounted upon a wall A in the following manner. Pegboard panel 2 is arranged so that rear surface 6 is positioned in confronting parallel relation to a front surface of wall A. Once in this position, pegboard panel 2 is moved towards wall A until annular peripheral wall 8 engages wall A. In this position, pegboard panel 2 sits flush on the outer surface of wall A such that back surface 44 of back wall 24 of plurality of box-anchor receptacles 12 engages at least a portion of wall A. Once in this position, a fastener such as wood screw 32 is arranged in confronting coaxial relation with both a perforation 10 and opening 30 of a selected box-anchor receptacle 12. Once in this position, wood screw 32 is moved toward wall A until its pointed tip 47 travels through opening 30 and engages the surface of wall A. Once wood screw 32 is then rotated so as to be driven into wall A. As the shaft and threads of wood screw 32 moves into wall A, head 50 of wood screw 32 draws toward the inner surface of back wall 24. Head 50 engages back wall 24 and secures it in contacting engagement with the portion of wall A that is adjacent to it.
This procedure can be repeated in as many perforations 10 as is necessary to provide secure fixed engagement of pegboard panel 2 to wall A. It should be noted that as a result of this construction, structural members 36 act in cooperation with the structure of box-anchor 12 to provide frame-like support at each position in which a wood screw 32 has been driven into wall A. Advantageously, head 50 of wood screw 32 is not readily obvious upon viewing front surface 4 of pegboard panel 2. Additionally, if a stud underlying wall A is not engaged by any one or more wood screws 32, it is only necessary to move to adjacent perforations 10 in an attempt to drive a wood screw 32 into a stud.
Significantly, not only does this structural arrangement provide an improved aesthetic appearance to pegboard panel 2, but it also allows for the positioning of the load-bearing parts, e.g., hooks, pegs, shelves, directly over wood screw 32 holding pegboard panel 2. In this way, substantially all of the bending and shear loads, that are applied to pegboard panel 2 as a result of supporting loads on those hooks and shelves, act directly upon the screw-wall-surface interface, i.e., orthogonally with the screw-wall surface interface, thus preventing unwanted and damaging torque loads from being applied to pegboard panel 2.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/565,967, filed Apr. 28, 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60565967 | Apr 2004 | US |
