The invention relates to a fastening device for releasable fastening of panels of a paneling system on a base according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as a replaceable paneling system built-up of panels according to the preamble of claim 8.

At many places, the appearance and interior design of premises within a building is of key importance. Thus for example at accommodations, in addition to the fulfilment of many other conditions, the appearance of the rooms or the communal areas for that matter, their adjustment to the fashions and trends ever and the atmosphere they project, may be most impor- tant. Nowadays, the relevant decisions will mostly have been taken by the time of the completion and equipment of the premises, and that determines their style: e.g. minimalist, with less inner coverings and upholstery, or modern or traditional, with more internal coverings and upholstery. Of course, the overall image of a room is influenced also by the style and appearance of the furniture. In most cases, the overall image, overall impression of the room can only be altered by conversion: the premises need to be emptied, after that the visible inner boundary surfaces, coverings be repainted or removed and replaced by new coverings. That is most time-, labour- and cost intensive, especially since the new design is again conducive to another quasi-permanent state, a permanent appearance and, for commercial accommodations, such conversions inevi- tably imply losses in the sale of the accommodation.

Of course, repainting or wallpaper replacement can be done in less time, but if that occurs too frequently, it will become visible in the appearance of the premises to the naked eye sooner or later and that is inacceptable above a certain quality level.

US 2015/027079 Al discloses a paneling system with magnetic locking elements fixed to the corners of the rectangular panel plates. Their magnetic features are such that their polarity provides for the stable, yet releasable fastening of the properly fitted other covering or cover plate, and the mechanical design of the fastening devices ensures the placement of cover plates in the same plane. This solution is meant to interconnect the individual elements of the system, but it cannot ensure the fastening of individual cover plates on the base to be covered, and it is not suitable for supporting several cover plates placed on top of each other either.

DE 199 58 225 Al discloses another proposed arrangement for the magnetic fastening of covering panels. In this solution, magnetically moveable expansion bolts are built into dowels that are perpendicular to the panel that is of relatively substantial thickness, and the dowels them- selves are connected to a base. The disadvantage of this theoretically good solution is that the expansion bolt tends to get stuck in locked position, and then it is not possible to return the jammed expansion bolt back to its free position, not even by external action.

A similar solution is proposed by US 2014/096467 Al, where connection between base and panel is ensured by magnetic locking means placed behind the replaceable covering. One of the main deficiencies of this solution is the complicated structure of the fastening device, comprising many elements, and the fact that pollution on the moving parts may render their operation uncertain.

The document CN 204225419 U proposes a covering lock based on a magnetic principle which essentially includes an adjustment device for aligning several panels to be placed next to/above/under each other relative to each other, providing mostly for manual fine-tuning besides magnetic locking. This solution does not make it possible either to place several panels on top of each other and to fix them there.

Consequently, a solution is needed to make it possible to alter the inner appearance of a room - whether residential premises, hotel room, communal area - in a much shorter time than so far, with less labour, and with identical results also in the long term, so as to keep quality at the original level even after several alterations.

It has been realised that the above conditions can be met if and when such panels are designed and used that can mediate specific styles in a concerted manner, and the panels con- cerned have such fastening devices and arrangement as will, on the one hand, make their fast removal and installation feasible and, on the other hand, provide for the storage of the inactive elements of the panels of the kit on the premises, hidden from the eyesight of those present there. A panel system like that is suitable for decorating walls and ceilings, but with appropriate professional grounding it can also be associated with the pieces of furniture in the room, and thus a new style, completely different from the previous one, can be developed over a very short time, in a targeted way or merely for a general business policy purpose.

This task has been solved by a device according to claim 1 and a replaceable paneling system according to claim 8. Several preferred embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of a device showing all essential features of the invention. In the drawing Fig. 1 is an exemplary schematic cross-sectional view of a retaining device and a wall panel assembly, resp. according to the in- vention.

The term 'base' refers primarily to a plane surface to be covered by one or more panels. Walls of a premise, e.g. a room, can be regarded as such base, but one could proceed analogously also in case of pieces of furniture, a cupboard, a bed, etc. As is well-know and obvious to a per- son skilled in the art, the material of the panels may be chosen in consideration of the purpose and field of use ever, and the dimensions of the panel will also influence it; the panel can be made of timber or processed timber, but also of appropriate plastic. The task is to fasten this panel to the base, and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this fastening is realised essentially by a fastening device comprising two main parts. One part is formed by the retaining means fixed to the base, holding the panels at their bottom and top. As can be seen in the schematic representation shown in Figure 1, retaining means 2 are fastened to a base 1, i.e. a wall. In the embodiment shown retaining means 2 are L-shaped metal profiles that can be fastened e.g. by screwing to the base 1, or they can be fastened to the floor or the ceiling in a way providing the same result; fastening can be done in any way offering an appropriate re- suit that is known to those skilled in the art. The retaining means 2 have a dimension for receiving one or more panels 4, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the base 1 that is equivalent to the dimension of a panel 4 in the same direction, that is, the thickness dimension of the panel 4, or in case of more than one panels 4 arranged close behind one another said dimension of the retaining means 2 is several times the thickness dimension of the panel 4, corre- sponding to the number of the panels 4. In the retaining means 2 mounting cavities 3, formed in the simplest case as a mere cutting, of a number sufficient for dedicated fastening of one panel 4 are made at appropriate places. Inside of a panel 4 locking means 5 of a number and arrangement depending on the size and scope of panel 4 are integrated. The locking means 5 are positioned regarding a thickness dimension of a panel 4 in the same way, ensuring cooper- ation between locking means 5 in the panels 4 and mounting cavities 3 in the retaining means 2 and in this way enabling simple and quick replacement of panels 4. Each locking means 5 has a rotatably embedded locking tongue 6. Locking means 5 are arranged in panels 4 so that in their integrated position, that is, in the locking operational position of the fastening device, the locking tongues 6 extend beyond an adjacent edge of panel 4 into the mounting cavities 3 formed in the retaining means 2. To remove a panel 4, the locking means 5 of the fastening device shall be operated so as to rotatably remove the locking tongues 6 from the cavities 3 - in this case they are rotated back inside the bounding outline of panel 4 - and the panel 4 can be separated from retaining means 2 without any hindrance. Rotating the locking tongue 6 of a locking means 5 requires moving influence. Several fastening modes are known where this is solved by making it possible to operate a locking means 5 that is arranged sunken into the panel 4 by e.g. a screwdriver, and the locking tongue 6 can be rotated by that into and out of, respectively, mounting cavity 3 of the retaining means 2. However, this is not a viable option especially in case of higher quality/aesthetic requirements. Therefore, contrary to the known arrangements, a solution had to be found to ensure reliable operation and also the fulfilment of the aesthetic requirements being set.

This task has been solved according to the invention so that the locking means 5 integrated into the panel 4 is made of strong, however non-magnetic material without affection on the magnetic field, while the locking tongue 6 of the locking means 5 is made of ferromagnetic material. A key 7 shown symbolically only in Figure 1 that is implemented in the known solutions exclusively by the mentioned screwdriver, is in the shown example a magnetic item that during the time period of operation can be brought into magnetic interaction with the locking tongue 6. Key 7 is basically and in default case a permanent magnet, but it can also be a small elec- tromagnetic means activated by a push-button exclusively for the period of movement of the locking tongue 6. The effect exerted by the key 7 on the locking tongue 6 is also indicated symbolically by dot-and-dash lines.

The main advantage of the solution shown is that the locking means 5 integrated into the panel 4 does not include any outwardly visible part, and the locking tongue 6 can be turned re- liably into/out of the mounting cavity 3 of the retaining means 2 by the magnet applied as key 7 by ensuring the hindrance-free movement of the locking tongue 6 manually, by slight pressing or adjustment. Rotatability may be promoted for example also by the shape of the locking tongue 6 influencing the direction of the magnetic field lines.

The number of locking means 5 being applied and their arrangement in the panels 4 is deter- mined basically by the size and shape of the panels 4. In a panel 4 of adequate solidity, two locking means 5, each at the bottom and at the top, respectively may be sufficient for fixing the panel 4 in the retaining means 2 fastened to the base 1 so that they would not be able to move or be separated from retaining means 2 even under the effect of minor physical force.

In a preferred embodiment, a flexible space filling layer 8, for example, a thin layer 8 of foam rubber, can be placed on the side of the panels 4 adjacent to and in contact with the base 1, for the sole purpose of attenuating acoustic noise, e.g. if the panel 4 is tapped on. The device according to the invention and shown by way of example provides also for meeting the aim of the invention to place not only one panel 4 but several panels 4 of identical size onto the base 1. It is to be ensured in such case that the receiving dimension of the retaining means 2 fastened to the base 1 perpendicular to the base 1 should not only be identical with the thickness of the panel 4, but actually be several times that size, depending on how many panels 4 are intended to be placed close behind one another. In this way a paneling system can be created, built-up of several panels 4 of identical structural design.

This has the advantage, among other things, of being able to store several panel 4 sets of different appearance without their occupying any extra space, on the given premises, and in case of any alteration, only the order of the panels 4 placed behind each other needs to be changed.

Depending on the material and dimensions of the panels 4, this solution is not restricted to wall coverings, but as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the design presented previously for walls is also feasible for pieces of furniture, e.g. cupboards, beds. To prevent having gaps at the adjoining panels 4 and bases 1 or making retaining means 2 visible, the edges of panels 4 adjacent to the base 1 may be provided with a respective cover plate 9 or with cover plate extensions, the appearance of which is expediently similar to that of panels 4, and so their use does not strike the eye.

If several panels 4 are placed one behind the other, it is possible to fasten the individual panels 4 in the retaining means 2 as shown in the previous example. However, it is also feasible to use the panel 4 that is the most distant from the base 1, i.e. the external one, to jam the other, stored panels 4, and hence it is not necessary to operate the locking means 5, more precisely, the locking tongues 6 in the other panels 4, but it is enough to operate the locking tongue 6 in the uttermost panel 4, and that locking is enough to fix all panels 4 securely in the retaining means 2.

List of reference signs:

1 base

2 retaining means

3 cavity

4 panel

5 locking means

6 locking tongue key layer cover plate