PANEL HANGING SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus and method for simple and quick attachment and removal of a hanging panel to a panel holder. The apparatus comprises a panel holder and panel, interconnected on by a complimentary loop cache on one edge of each panel. The loop cache is an interlocking fastener that can be incorporated into the panel construction and may include hooks, loops, clips, clasps, zippers, or magnets. A tab lock that can facilitate engagement of complimentary loop cache surfaces on the panel to a panel holder. A tab lock holder incorporated into the panel holder and panel to function as a catchment for retaining the panel attached to the panel holder.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPPLICATION

Applicant claims the priority filing date of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/768196 filed on Feb. 22, 2013.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

Panels comprised of flexible or rigid material are used in a variety of settings where they are to be removed or exchanged at some future time. Examples where removable hanging panels are used include: shower and bathtub curtains; home decor; window treatments, and theatres. Panels, such as shower curtains and window treatments, are often hung from poles or rods using holes or loops in the panel.

Methods of hanging the panels include sliding the rod through each of the holes or loops in the panel or using rings through each hole and around the rod. However, each of these methods require significant effort to hang and remove the panel: with the earlier method, the rod must be removed from its mounting hardware each time the panel is attached or removed: with the later method, every ring must be connected and disconnected each time the panel is attached or removed. These methods of hanging a panel make cleaning or exchanging panels an inconvenient and complicated procedure.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a panel system that can provide the ability to simply and quickly attach and remove a hanging panel. The solution is found in the present invention, which comprises a panel holder and panel joined together by a loop cache. When the panel holder is hung or attached to a rod, a panel can be simply and quickly attached or removed using the loop cache

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a panel system that satisfies this need to facilitate simple and quick attachment and removal of a hanging panel. The apparatus comprises a panel holder and panel, interconnected on by a complimentary loop cache on one edge of each panel. The loop cache is an interlocking fastener that can be incorporated into the panel construction and may include hooks, loops, clips, clasps, zippers, or magnets.

The panel holder can be attached to a wall or ceiling using hardware typically used for hanging shower liners or curtains. Once the panel holder is attached, a panel can be quickly attached or removed and exchanged for another panel. The panel is attached to the panel holder by the loop cache. The loop cache is composed of an elongated two-part fastener, with one complimentary mating surface on the panel holder and panel mating edges.

Hanging panels that are simple and quick to attach and remove facilitate cleaning tasks by making them more efficient. Shower curtains could be frequently removed for cleaning, significantly improving sanitation and time spend cleaning. When applied to curtain panels, the style and materials of window treatments could be changed with ease, allowing for easy cleaning and the ability to alter decor as seasons and style preferences change. Used in theatre settings, backdrops could be quickly changed between scenes.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of an embodiment of shower curtain system embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front perspective view of an embodiment of window curtain system

FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of two panels embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

FIG. 4A-B illustrates a top plan view of various loop cache fasteners embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

FIG. 5A-B illustrates a top plan view of various loop cache tab locks embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

FIG. 6A-B illustrates perspective views of an alternative loop cache embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

FIG. 7A-B illustrates perspective views of an alternative loop cache tab lock embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

FIG. 8 illustrates a top plan view of an alternative loop cache membrane embodying features of the present invention for a panel hanging system.

DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-8, a panel hanging system comprises a panel holder 110 and at least one panel 130 joined together by a loop cache 120. The loop cache 120 may further include a tab lock 124 to facilitate joining the two complimentary fastening surfaces of the loop cache 120. A tab lock holder 116 may be incorporated into the tab lock 124 and loop cache 120 to prevent disengagement of the loop cache 120 and detachment of the panel 130 from the panel holder 110.

The panel holder 110, illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, provides a means for removably attaching a hanging panel without the need to remove any hardware normally used to hang a panel assembly. The panel holder 110 is shaped like a sheet with a top edge and bottom edge, and an outside and inside surface. The size of the Panel Holder 110 may vary depending on the intended use, but is generally rectangular in shape. The Panel Holder 110 can be hung from a rod or pole like those typically used for hanging a shower or window curtain. Holes 112 through the panel, near the top edge, facilitate connection of the Panel Holder 110 to a rod or pole by passing the rod through the holes in the Liner Curtain Holder 112. Holes 112 in the form of loops may also be formed on the Liner Curtain Holder 100 by folding and binding the panel over itself. Alternatively, rings 114 may be looped through the holes 112 and around a rod to facilitate connection. The loop cache 120 is located along the length of the bottom edge of the panel holder 110 and top edge of the panel 130.

The panel holder 110 may be constructed of natural or synthetic materials typically used for shower or window curtains, such as cotton, linen, polyester, plastic, or vinyl. Referring to FIG. 3, in an alternative embodiment, the bottom edge of the panel holder 110 may split to form two layers with two loop caches 120 for the attachment of two panels 130. Having an attachment place for more than one panel 130 allows for a waterproof and decorative liner to be used for a shower or several layers of curtain panels to be used as window treatments.

The panel 130, illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, is typical of panels used for shower curtains, liners, or window curtains with a generally square or rectangular shape and having a horizontal top edge, a horizontal bottom edge and two vertical side edges. The panel 130, may function to retain water with in a shower or bathtub as shown in FIG. 1, prevent light from entering a window as shown in FIG. 2, or as a decorative embellishment to windows. The panel 130 can be composed of a manmade or synthetic materials typically used for the aforementioned panel 130 functions, and may be flexible or rigid.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6A-B, the panel 130 may comprise a rod 132 along its top edge. The rod 132 functions to retain the shape of the panel 130 and to facilitate connection of the panel 130 to the panel holder 110 by incorporating the loop cache 120. The rod 130 may be made from any material that is semi-rigid or rigid, and can be formed from the same material as the panel 130 but as a thicker section.

The loop cache 120, best illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, 4A-4B and 6, joins the panel 130 with the panel holder 110 by incorporating a series of complimentary interlocking loops, clips, clasps, zippers, magnets. The complimentary interlocking loop cache 120 surfaces are capable of being removably attached to each other. The bottom edge of the panel holder 110 and top edge of the panel 130 each comprise one of the complimentary loop cache 120 surfaces. Alternatively, the loop cache 120 may incorporate a hook and loop fastener or adhesive membrane. In an alternate embodiment, the loop cache 120 may comprise an elongated trough with protrusions 133 along its length so that when the rod 132 on the liner 130 is pressed into the loop cache 120, by hand or using a tab lock 124, the two will become attached to each other.

The tab lock 124, best illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5 and 7, functions as a closure mechanism to join the loop caches 120 of the panel holder 110 with the liner 130. The tab lock 124 can slide across the width of the panels like the pull-tab of a zipper, compressing and joining the complimentary loop cache 120 surfaces together. A tab lock holder 116, as best illustrated in FIGS. 5A-B, functions as a catchment incorporated into the panel holder 110 and tab lock 124 where the loop cache 120 closure mechanism remains after attachment of the panel 130. The tab lock holder 116 prevents detachment of the loop cache 120 from the panel holder 110 by locking the loop cache closure in place. The catchment may utilize fastening methods such as a snap, tab, hook, loop, string, or hook and loop fastener.

To use the panel hanging system illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, the panel holder 110 is first affixed to a ceiling or wall using the holes 112 and optionally rings 114 in conjunction with a rod or pole. Once the panel holder 110 is attached, a panel can be hung from it by positively engaging the complimentary surface of the loop cache 120 together. Optionally, the tab lock 124 can be used to facilitate joining the loop cache 120 surfaces together by engaging the ends of the loop cache 120 together and then sliding the tab lock 124 across the panel holder 110. Next, the tab lock holder 116 of the tab lock 124 can be attached to the panel holder 110. To remove the panel, simply detach the tab lock holder 116 of the tab lock 124 from the panel holder 110, then slide the tab lock 124 across the panel holder 110 and panel 130 so that the two are free from each other. The panel 130 may now be exchanged for a different one and reattached using the aforementioned procedure.

All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claim, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

Claims

1. A panel holder system for removably attaching a hanging panel, said panel holder system comprising: at least one panel holder with at least one top edge and at least one bottom edge; at least one panel with a top edge and bottom edge to be hung from the panel holder; a loop cache along at least one edge of the panel holder and panel with complimentary interlocking surface; at least one tab lock that can travel across the loop cache to positively engage the complimentary interlocking surfaces of the loop cache

2. The panel holder system of claim 1, wherein the at least one panel holder comprises one top edge and two bottom edges, the two bottom edges each comprising a loop cache for attachment of a panel on each of the two bottom edges.

3. The panel holder system of claim 1, wherein the at least one panel comprises a semi-rigid rod along a top edge to retain the shape of the panel.

4. The panel holder system of claim 3, wherein the rod is formed from the same material as the panel.

5. The panel holder system of claim 3, wherein the rod embodies interlocking fasteners of the loop cache.

6. The panel holder system of claim 2, wherein the panel holder further comprises a tab lock, the tab lock being capable of sliding across the loop cache to positively engage the complimentary interlocking surfaces.

7. The panel holder system of claim 6, wherein the panel holder and tab lock further comprise a tab lock holder to prevent the tab lock from becoming disengaged from the panel holder.