FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to mountable panels. More specifically but not exclusively, the invention is related to a mountable panel having an integral structure.

2. Description of Related Art

The construction of interior walls from pre -fabricated gypsum panels has been known for a long time. In this construction technique, wallboard panels are connected to metal framing by regular or self-tapping screws. The metal framing itself comprises a plurality of interconnected metal studs and it is connected to the wall/s and/or floor and/or ceiling of the interior space.

The most common type of wallboard used for interior wall construction in buildings is a gypsum board. Gypsum wallboard comprises a sheet of gypsum with a paper facing and paper backing.

Millions of new homes are constructed every year, most of which employ gypsum drywall in their construction. The gypsum drywall is used for the interior walls, ceilings, and partitions. In many cases, additional mountable structures such as light sconces, shelves and mirrors are attached to the drywall after its construction. Attaching such structures is time consuming and requires some skill or guidance. In addition, the attached structures are sometimes made by craftsmen making them relatively expensive, and also gives rise to inconsistency in shape from one structure to another, which makes it difficult to maintain symmetry when attaching few of such attached structures nearby.

U.S. patent No.6913369 to Chadwick discloses a method for manufacturing a mountable device and a wallboard panel as a single item from gypsum. The wallboard panel comprises a molded structure having the form of a mountable device, which has an exterior flat rim projecting outward from the structure! the rim has an outside edge of predetermined shape for mounting in a wall opening of corresponding shape and size.

However, manufacturing wallboard panels from gypsum has a drawback. While gypsum is a useful and ubiquitous material in building construction, gypsum panels having integral structures are difficult to work with. The gypsum makes the integral structures unwieldy and difficult to manipulate. In addition, the fragile gypsum panel cannot support the weight of a large or extended integral structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a drywall or ceiling mountable device is provided. The mountable device comprises a body of predetermined shape for forming a wall or ceiling structure, the body has a perimeter line and a flange projecting outward from the perimeter line of the body, the flange may include a recessed edge of predetermined shape for mounting in a wall or ceiling opening of corresponding shape and dimensions, such that the body can be attached to the wall with the flange flush with the surrounding wall, whereby the body appears to be an integral part of the wall. The mountable device may be manufactured formed as a single unit either from composite plastic material, or fiber-reinforced polymer, or thermoplastic material.

The panel according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a structure having the form of a mountable device or feature! the structure has a perimeter line and a surface projecting outward from the perimeter line of the structure, the surface has a recessed edge of generally rectangular (or other predetermined) shape for mounting in a drywall or ceiling opening of corresponding shape and dimensions. The panel can be attached to a drywall or ceiling with the surface flush with the surrounding drywall or ceiling, such that the structure appears to be formed as an integral part of the drywall or ceiling.

According to another aspect of the invention, the panel and the structure having the form of a mountable device are manufactured as one unit from a reinforced plastic material. The reinforced plastic material can be a fiber- reinforced polymer or any other composite plastic material. The fiber- reinforced polymer can be based on polymeric gypsum which is especially compatible to the original panels of a gypsum wall. The panel and the structure of the present invention are preferably manufactured by lamination technique from a composite plastic material, thus creating a lightweight, thin, strong and durable product.

In another, alternative embodiment of the present invention, the panel and the structure may be manufactured partly from a composite plastic material and partly from a non-composite plastic material. In this case, one or more areas of the panel and/or structure will comprise composite plastic material and the rest will comprise a non-composite plastic material, thus creating a panel with different physical properties at each area. In yet another, alternative embodiment of the present invention, the panel and the structure may be manufactured from thermoplastic material by thermoforming technique or by injection molding.

One of the advantages of the present invention is the ability to create a wall structure with integral three-dimensional interior design items or features, such as shelves in shapes and sizes that would otherwise could not be reliably supported. Moreover, this unique property of the present invention allows to save time and labor as there is no need for additional work for installing the structure after the drywall in installed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the front of a drywall with a panel incorporating a shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the back of a drywall with a panel incorporating a shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a panel incorporating a wall niche according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a panel incorporating shelves according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a joint between a wallboard and a panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented for the purpose of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention. From the description taken together with the drawings it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. Moreover, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention hereof.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of the drawings illustrate a drywall 103, constructed on a floor surface 201. The drywall 103 comprises several wallboards 100 that are connected by screws to a metal framing 200. The metal framing 200 is firmly connected to the floor surface 201 by suitable connectors. The drywall 103 includes a panel 102 with an integral structure having a form of a shelf 108. The panel dimensions are such that a surface 106 extends around an entire perimeter line 104 of the shelf 108.

The panel 102 is mounted between wallboards 100 and connected by a recessed edge 105 to the metal framing 200 by screws 107.

The outer dimensions of the panel will be dependent on the dimensions and peripheral shape of the structure incorporated in the panel. It will be understood that FIG. 1 illustrates one possible shelf, and that other shapes and dimensions may be used in other examples, with suitable adjustment of the panel dimensions.

FIG. 3 illustrates alternative panel 300 incorporating a wall niche 303 in which a mirror or other decorative items may be mounted. The niche 303 may be of any desired shape, and it comprises a surface 302 and a recessed edge 301 by which, the panel 300 is secured to a wireframe, in the same manner as in previous embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates another alternative panel 400 incorporating shelve structure 403 and comprising a surface 402 and a recessed edge 401 by which, the panel 400 is connected to a wireframe in the same manner as in previous embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a connection joint 503 between a wallboard panel 501 and a panel 502 of the present invention. The connection joint 503 is formed when the panel 502 is attached, by the recessed edge 503, to the recessed edge 504 of the wallboard panel 501 and both of them are connected by screws to a metal wireframe.

Next, the joint 503 and the recessed edges 503 and 504 are covered with a tape 506 and plaster 507. The excess plaster material is then removed by sandpaper or another abrasive material.

Although some exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described above by way of example only, it will be understood by those skilled in the field that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.