A set of parts, a panel fitting and use of a panel fitting

Abstract

A set of parts for mounting an accessory on a surface, wherein the set of parts comprises a slat wall panel (1) for being mounted on a surface of a building, and a panel fitting (10) for being attached to the slat wall panel (1), wherein the slat wall panel (1) comprises a plurality of slats arranged on a front surface of a support plate and the panel fitting (10) comprising an accessory carrier and an attachment body, the attachment body comprising at least one attachment projection, so that the panel fitting (10) is configured to be attached to the slat wall panel (1).

Description

[0001] Title

[0002] A set of parts, a panel fitting and use of a panel fitting.

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a set of parts for mounting an accessory on a surface, wherein the set of parts comprises a slat wall panel for being mounted on a surface of a building, and a panel fitting for being attached to the slat wall panel. Additionally, the disclosure relates to a panel fitting for being attached to the slat wall panel and use of the panel fitting.

[0005] Background Art

[0006] Decoration of walls is essential when furnishing a room. For this purpose, so-called slat wall panels have become popular due to their minimalistic appearance and acoustic features. A slat wall panel is an arrangement that can be installed on a wall or in a ceiling in a home, office or boutique, and it can help to break up the room by creating a feature wall or help to reduce sound reverberation in noisy areas of the room. The slat wall panel is decorative in itself, however it is also possible to decorate the slat wall panel with different items, such as pictures, mirrors, hangers, or the like. These items are usually installed on the slat wall panel by drilling a hole in the slat wall panel or by the use of nails or glue, which leaves a mark on the slat wall panel. For this reason, redecoration of the slat panel wall most likely results in uncovered holes or other damages to the slats, which is highly undesired. Fixing the damage to the slats is expensive, insufficient and / or inconvenient.

[0007] Summary

[0008] With this background, it is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a set of parts and a panel fitting that solves or at least alleviates these problems.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, this object is achieved by a set of parts for mounting an accessory on a surface, wherein the set of parts comprises a slat wall panel for being mounted on a surface of a building, and a panel fitting for being attached to the slat wall panel, wherein the slat wall panel comprises a plurality of slats connected to, such as arranged on, a front surface of a support plate including at least a first and a second slat, the first slat being arranged at a distance from the second slat along a width direction thereby forming an oblong spacing between the first and the second slats and the support plate, each slat having four slat surfaces including a slat back facing the support plate, a slat front opposite the slat back, and two slat sides extending between the slat back and the slat front, said slats and oblong spacing extending in parallel with each other and in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the width direction. The panel fitting comprises an accessory carrier and an attachment body, the attachment body comprising at least one attachment projection, so that the panel fitting is configured to be attached to the slat wall panel by inserting the attachment body in between the first and second slats and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel such that the attachment projection engages frictionally with a slat side of the first slat and a slat side of the second slat, the two slat sides being opposing, i.e. facing each other.

[0010] In an embodiment, the attachment body comprises at least two attachment projections. The attachment projections may partly or substantially cover the attachment body. The attachment projections may be spaced apart such that a part of the attachment body is exposed between them. The attachment body may comprise a top projection or a head which is spaced apart from the other two attachment projections. The top projection or head may or may not be configured to engage frictionally with the slat sides. The top projection or head may be T-shaped.

[0011] Alternatively or additionally, the attachment projection comprises an external threading on the attachment body.

[0012] The accessory carrier may comprise an accessory and / or an attachment element. The accessory carrier may be one of an attachment surface, opening, fastener, mounting element, adhesive, recess or track facilitating the attachment or connection to the accessory.

[0013] The attachment element may comprise or constitute a coating and / or an adhesive, such as adhesive tape. The adhesive may facilitate the adhesion of the fitting to the accessory. Alternatively, the accessory carrier may comprise the coating and / or adhesive. The adhesive may be provided by means of adhesive tape. This may improve the ease of attachment to the accessory as the adhesive tape may be provided in pre-applied state, where a covering strip or the like simply has to be removed from the adhesive tape, when the fitting is to be attached to the accessory.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, the attachment element may comprise or consist of cast-in clips, threaded studs, and / or an external profile in the longitudinal direction that is configured to fit into a corresponding track or profile in the accessory. Furthermore, the accessory may have a back side formed by or including an extruded aluminium profile, in which the rubber profiles or panel fittings can be mounted, so that they sit securely on the accessory. The rubber fittings may further comprise embedded magnetic strips, which would allow that, when the rubber fittings are pressed into the spacings, a magnetic surface is created on the wall, where magnetic accessories can be mounted onto.

[0015] The attachment element may comprise a threading in continuation of the threading comprised in the attachment projection.

[0016] The slat wall panel may comprise more than two slats, such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 , 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 , 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 slats. The slat wall panel may contain more than 50 slats.

[0017] The at least first and second slats may be arranged on and fixed to the support plate.

[0018] The slats may be arranged on the support plate without direct contact with each other.

[0019] The slats may be substantially identical to each other. The slats may have an elongated shape.

[0020] Potential advantages of the set of parts of the present disclosure, may include mounting of accessories on the slat wall panel of the set of parts without damaging the slats, the support plate, or the surface on which the slat panel is attached. Another advantage is that the set of parts provide a system, wherein a panel fitting can be easily mounted on the slat wall panel, allowing easy and accessible redecoration of the slat wall panel with limited effort.

[0021] Another advantage may be that the panel fitting can be mounted to or dismounted from the slat wall panel without the need of electrical tools such as screwdrivers and drills.

[0022] The slats may be made from a material such as wood, composite wood, a polymer such as PVC or acrylic a metal, or a combination thereof.

[0023] Preferably the slats are arranged on a front surface of the support plate. The front surface of the support plate is adapted to face away from the surface of the building on which the support plate is attached. The slat wall panel may preferably be attached to an interior surface of a building. When the slat wall panel is mounted on an interior wall, the front surface is adapted to face the room in which it is mounted.

[0024] The front surface of the support plate may be a substantially planar surface abutting a substantially planar slat back. Planar in this context is to be understood as in that the front surface is a flat surface without grooves, recesses or openings apart. In this context smaller irregularities in the material of the slat, such as those formed by the wood grains in a slat made from wood, are not considered as constituting grooves, recesses or openings.

[0025] In some embodiments, the at least first and second slats and the support plate are integrally formed. This may be understood as formed in one piece. In these embodiments, the slat wall panel may be formed from a plate. The first and second slats may be formed in the plate by milling. In these embodiments, the first and second slats extend from the support plate. In that case, spacings between the slats may be manufactured by cutting or milling the spacings in a plate of material to provide the support plate with the integrated slats separated by the spacings.

[0026] Generally, each slat is fastened to the support plate. The fastening may be by means of nails, rivets, screws, staples, and / or glue.

[0027] Preferably, each slat has a slat back fastened or fixed to the support plate.

[0028] The slat wall panel may comprise an adhesive such that the slat back is retained on the outer surface of the support plate by means of the adhesive. The adhesive may be selected from a list of adhesives such as glue, paste, film, strips, etc.

[0029] The slat wall panel may comprise a fastener such as a screw, the fastener retaining the slat to the support plate. The fastener may not extend through the slat. The slat wall panel may comprise an opening and / or an aperture. The opening may be adapted to receive a fastener. The opening may be a through hole.

[0030] Each slat may be partly fastened by being stapled to the support plate.

[0031] Each slat may be fastened to the support plate only by staples. By fastening each slat to the support plate only by staples a secure attachment is achieved which is also cheap and fast to produce.

[0032] At least one staple may be rotated relative to at least one other stable, such as being rotate in the range of 10 to 90 degrees relative to the at least one other staple. This has the potential advantage of providing a better attachment between the slat and the support plate.

[0033] Each slat may be stapled to the support plate with staples placed at a staple distance in the range of 5 to 30 cm, more preferably in the range of 10 to 15 cm.

[0034] The staple distance may vary along the length of each slat and / or between slats. Alternatively and / or additionally, the slat back is partially glued to the support plate.

[0035] The majority of the slat back of at least one of the slats may be glued to the support plate with a minority of the slat back not glued to the support plate. The slat back may alternatively be completely fixed to the support plate. In such embodiments, a track is comprised in at least one of the first and second slats, such that the panel fitting can be attached to the slat wall panel non-destruc- tively. Each slat generally comprises a slat front. The slat front is adapted to face away from the wall onto which the slat wall panel is mounted. In presently preferred embodiments the slat fronts have a width in the range of 1 to 4 cm, preferably in the range of 2 - 3 cm.

[0036] Staples attaching a slat to the support plate may be arranged along a substantially straight line, such as a straight line in the longitudinal direction. The staples may additionally and / or alternatively be arranged along a single row, or two rows, or three rows in the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, the stables may be arranged in a zigzag pattern along the longitudinal direction.

[0037] Arranging the staples in a zigzag pattern may provide an improved attachment to the support plate especially when the slats are arranged with the longitudinal direction extending horizontally.

[0038] Two neighbouring slats may each be fastened to the support plate with staples. The staples attaching the two neighbouring slats to the support plate may be arranged in a zigzag pattern in the longitudinal direction.

[0039] This has the potential advantage of providing more space for attaching panel fittings or similar items.

[0040] The distance between the slat back and the slat front defines a slat thickness. Generally, the at least two slats are of the same thickness. In presently preferred embodiments, the slat thickness is in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm, preferably in the range of 1 to 1 .5 cm.

[0041] Preferably, each slat further comprises two slat sides extending between the slat front and the slat back. Each slat side may extend substantially perpendicular to the slat front. Alternatively, at least one of the slat sides extends from the slat front at an acute angle or an obtuse angle. At least one of the slats may have a trapezoid cross section. At least one of the slat sides may be rounded. Alternatively and / or additionally, at least one of the slats may have a triangular cross section. In these alternative embodiments, the slat has three sides wherein one side forms the slat front facing away from the support plate, and the two remaining sides faces the support plate. In these embodiments, the slat thickness is defined as the distance between the slat front and a corner of the triangular cross section opposite the slat front.

[0042] Each of the slat front, the slat back, and the two slat sides provides a slat surface. The slat may comprise a veneer material, preferably on the slat front surface.

[0043] In an alternative embodiment, the support plate comprises or substantially consists of substantially plane material pieces connected at angles to form corrugations. The corrugations may comprise ridges, the ridges having a substantially square, rectangular, or trapezoidal cross-section.

[0044] In embodiments where the support plate is a weatherproof material such as for a slat wall panel for outside use, the support plate may be made of a material such as metal, wood, concrete, or brick. A support plate made of metal or wood may be a framing with the at least two slats fastened to the metal or wood frame. The support plate may comprise a plurality of beams extending on the surface of the building, such as beams extending transversely relative to the oblong opening.

[0045] In embodiments where the slat wall panel is configured to be mounted to an exterior surface of a building, the support plate comprises a thermal insulation material attached, adhered or abutting to an inner surface of the support plate. The thermal insulation material may comprise expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, polyurethane foam or phenolic foam, topped off with a reinforced cement based, mineral or synthetic finish and / or plaster. The thermal insulation may be attached to corrugations of the support plate. The thermal insulation material may provide an exterior thermal insulation for the walls of the buildings where the outdoor slat wall panel is intended to be mounted. The thermal insulation material may be deformable. The thermal insulation may alternatively be attached to an outer surface of the support plate, facing towards the exterior, such that the slats are attached onto a surface of the thermal insulation. The slat wall panel may comprise a waterproof coating on at least a surface of the slat wall panel configured to face the exterior.

[0046] The support plate may be made of a felt material. Having a support plate of felt may have the advantage of providing soundproofing effects and elastic or compressive properties. Thus, the slat wall panel may act as an acoustic panel. Alternatively and / or additionally, in embodiments where the support plate is a compliant material, the support plate may be made from a soft wood material. The support plate comprising or consisting of felt material may allow the stretchability and elastic deformation of the plate, such that the slat can be moved laterally and allow for insertion of accessories or fittings in the spacing between two slats, i.e. oblong spacing. This has the potential advantage that a panel fitting having a width slightly wider than the width of the oblong opening can be inserted in the oblong opening by slight rotation of one or both slats from their initial position with an external force, thereby widening the oblong opening. When the panel fitting has been inserted and the external force has been removed, the slats will seek towards the original position and provide a pressure on the panel fitting thereby providing an increased frictional engagement between the panel fitting and the slats.

[0047] The support plate is preferably made of a compliant, i.e. flexible and / or resilient, material.

[0048] The support plate may be made of textile fibres.

[0049] The support plate may be made of a felt material.

[0050] Having a support plate of felt may have the advantage of providing soundproofing effects. It further may have the advantage of being a compliant material in which the at least one attachment wing can non-destructively form a track. Alternatively and / or additionally, in embodiments where the support plate is a compliant material, the support plate may be made from a wood material, such as a soft wood material. The term “compliant” is in this sense to be understood as a compressible material, such as capable of being compressed in the range of 20% to 90% be means of manual compression.

[0051] When the support plate is made of a resilient material, the support plate may deform elastically when the at least one attachment wing forms the track.

[0052] The support plate may return substantially to the same shape and / or condition when the panel fitting is removed.

[0053] The slat wall panel may comprise slats partly fastened to the support plate and a support plate that can elastically deform.

[0054] The support plate may be elastically compressed in the range of 20% to 90% in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the slats.

[0055] The support plate may be 10% compressed with a pressure of 5 - 500 kPa.

[0056] The compressive strength of the support plate according to ASTM D575 may be less than 1 MPa, preferably less than 500 kPa. In this way, the support plate is easily compressed non-destructively when forming a track between the slat and the support plate. The support plate may have a hardness less than that of the slats, such that a track can be non-destructively formed.

[0057] The support plate may be made of a material with a Young’s modulus according to ASTM D636 of less than 1 GPa, preferably less than 0.8 GPa, more preferably less than 0.7 GPa. In preferred embodiments, the Young’s modulus of the support plate is smaller than the Young’s modulus of the slats.

[0058] The support plate may comprise and / or be made of a material with a shore 00 hardness according to ASTM D2240 within a range of 5 to 50.

[0059] In an embodiment, the slat side of the first slat and the slat side of the second slat which are configured to be frictionally engaged with the panel fitting comprise a friction enhancing material. The oblong spacing is formed between at least one side of the first slat and one side of the second slat, wherein the one side of the first slat and the one side of the second slat constitute the two opposing surfaces of the oblong spacing the attachment projection engages frictionally with. The slat sides may comprise a coating provided with friction enhancing properties, having a rough, textured or ribbed surface. The surface may further comprise protrusions allowing the engagement with the panel fitting. The rough surface may promote adhesion and / or have increased surface fractality , contact stiffness or static friction.

[0060] The friction enhancing material may be paper based.

[0061] In embodiments comprising a veneer material, the veneer material is preferably arranged on top of the friction enhancing material.

[0062] The panel fitting may comprise an upper or top part and a lower or bottom part. The panel fitting may further comprise sides connecting the top with the bottom part. Upon insertion into the spacing of the wall panel, the panel fitting may engage with the panel with its bottom part, and / or sides and / or top part. The panel fitting may engage frictionally with the slat sides of the slats laterally with its sides. The bottom part of the fitting may comprise a planar inner surface and / or annular sections. When the panel fitting is configured to engage with its bottom part with the panel, the inner surface may be provided with a coating and / or adhesive, such as Velcro tape or magnet and / or magnetic strip, to facilitate attachment with the panel. The top part of the panel fitting may comprise a planar outer surface. The sides of the fitting may comprise surfaces which are not levelled.

[0063] In an embodiment, the attachment projection comprises an elastomer or elastic deformable material, such as rubber, silicone, artificial gum, nylon or polyester, such that it can be deformed when pushed into the oblong spacing. Elastomers typically have the property of viscoelasticity, with low Young’s modulus and high yield strain. They recover to their previous shape after enduring deformations like compression and expansion.

[0064] The attachment projection may comprise a resilient member exhibiting elasticity, which is configured to be compressed in an inserted position into the oblong spacing without breaking or deteriorating. The panel fitting may be retained in the spacing between the slats by means of the friction. When noninserted, the attachment projection and / or resilient member may regain its original shape and size.

[0065] In an embodiment, the panel fitting has a first engagement surface configured to engage frictional ly with the slat side of the first slat and a second engagement surface configured to engage frictionally with the slat side of the second slat, the distance of the first and second engagement surfaces of the panel fitting in a non-inserted position is equal to or larger than the distance between the first slat and second slat. The distance of the first slat and second slat is defined as the distance between the slat side of the first slat and the opposing slat side of the second slat. The first engagement surface and / or the second engagement surface may be positioned on the attachment projection. Since the panel fitting is configured to frictionally engage with the slat side of the first slat and the slat side of the second slat, the panel fitting may have to be compressed to fit and attach into the wall panel in the spacing between the slats. This is particularly true when the distance of the first and second engagement surfaces of the panel fitting in a non-inserted position is larger than the distance between the first slat and second slat. In an embodiment where the two above distances are approximately equal to each other, no compression may be required to insert the panel fitting into the spacing between the slats.

[0066] In an embodiment, the panel fitting further comprises a straining element connected to the accessory carrier and configured to change a distance between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface upon insertion of the straining element into the panel fitting and / or slat wall panel.

[0067] The panel fitting may comprise one or more body elements. The straining element may either press two surfaces away from each other or pull the two surfaces towards each other. The straining element may rotate around an axis. The straining element may either press two body elements away from each other or pull the body elements towards each other. If pressing the first and second body elements away from each other, the first and second engagement surfaces will be moved away from each other and pressed against slat sides facing other. If pulling the first and second body elements towards each other, the first and second engagement surfaces will be pulled towards each other and pressed against slat sides facing away from each other. The slat sides against which the first and second engagement surfaces are pressed against do not need to belong to the same or neighbouring slats but may belong to slat arranged with one or more other slats between them.

[0068] The straining element may for example be chosen from the group consisting of: a spring, a block, a wedge, a threaded member, and combinations thereof.

[0069] In an embodiment where the panel fitting has an elongated shape, the panel fitting may comprise a cavity, opening or hole extending in the longitudinal direction. The cavity or hole may provide for increased elasticity and compressibility of the panel fitting and reduced weight. The cavity or hole may extend throughout the length of the panel fitting from one end of the panel fitting to the other. The cavity or hole may have different shapes, such as a rectangular, oval, ellipsoid or round cross- section. Furthermore, it may require minimal material use and allow for cost savings during manufacture. The panel fitting may have a U-shape, V-shape or similar.

[0070] Alternatively, the panel fitting may be solid, thereby constituting a uniform profile throughout its entire length, not comprising any opening or holes.

[0071] In an embodiment, the panel fitting has a substantially rectangular elongated shape, wherein the opening provides a substantially U-shaped panel fitting on the top part of the panel fitting, which may act as the accessory carrier being configured to allow engagement with the accessory. The opening has two lips configured to provide engagement with the accessory. Alternatively, the accessory carrier may be formed integrally with the straining element in the lower part of the accessory carrier. The straining element is then configured to be inserted in the opening or the cavity, leaving the accessory carrier on the top part exposed for engagement with the accessory. The accessory carrier has a screw-like structure with an exterior threading. The exterior threading is configured to engage with an internal thread in the accessory. Alternatively, the accessory comprises a track and / or wheels configured to engage with the lips of the panel fitting, such that the accessory can slide into the track of the panel fitting.

[0072] In this embodiment, the attachment body comprises a plurality of attachment projections extending longitudinally along the panel fitting. The projections may be formed integrally with the attachment body or as a two-piece. In this embodiment, the attachment projections form a series of ridges, having a triangular shape, running in parallel with each other.

[0073] The accessory carrier may comprise a first magnet or a magnetically attractable material. The accessory may comprise a second magnet, such that the accessory is magnetically attached to the accessory carrier comprised in the panel fitting.

[0074] When inserted into the slat wall panel, the panel fitting may be substantially flush with the slat or the slat front surface, such that a single smooth surface is formed, or alternatively, protrude from it. The panel fitting may cover part of the slat front surface. Further, the panel fitting may extend throughout the entire length of the slat or have a length smaller than the length of the slat.

[0075] In an alternative embodiment, the panel fitting has an elongated shape comprising annular portions and / or profile sections. The panel fitting may have an S-shape or may acquire an S-shape when heavily deformed. The attachment body comprises or consists of an elastic material, such as rubber. The attachment body comprises a cavity formed as a through hole extending longitudinally along the length of the panel fitting. The cavity has an ellipsoid cross-section. The attachment projections are formed as legs projecting from the attachment body. The attachment projections extend longitudinally along the panel fitting. The attachment projections may have different shape depending on how deep into the spacing they are configured to be engaged with the wall panel. In such embodiment, a first attachment projection has a triangular cross section located at the lower part of the panel fitting while a second attachment projection has a trapezoid cross-section. The first and / or second attachment projection has an inclined and / or annular surface facilitating insertion of the panel fitting. The first and / or the second attachment projection have a lip being configured to be deformed and engaged with the slat wall panel upon insertion of the panel fitting. The upper part of the panel fitting is configured to be attached to the accessory, in this case being a plate-shaped object such as a board. The attachment is made by means of an adhesive and / or fastener. The upper part comprises a surface constituting the accessory carrier. The attachment projections are mirrored on both sides of the panel fitting, such that the first projection in one side of the fitting has the same shape as the first projection in the other side of the fitting etc. Alternatively, the attachment projections may have a different profile on one side of the fitting than the other. A plurality of panel fittings are attached to the plate-shaped accessory. The panel fittings are positioned at a mutual distance from each other and extend in parallel with each other. The more panel fittings are attached to the plate, the better and safer mounting of the accessory onto the slat wall panel.

[0076] In another embodiment, the attachment projection is formed as a leg, ring or rib connected to the attachment body and protruding from it.

[0077] In an embodiment, the panel fitting has an annular shape. The panel fitting is formed as a knob. The attachment projections are formed as rings being connected peripherally to the attachment body and protruding from it. The attachment body comprises or consists of an elastic material, such as rubber. The first attachment projection has a substantially triangular cross-section, surrounding peripherally the attachment body. The second attachment projection has a substantially trapezoid cross-section, surrounding peripherally the attachment body. The first and / or second attachment projection has an inclined and / or annular surface facilitating insertion of the panel fitting. The upper part of the panel fitting is configured to be attached to the accessory. The attachment is made by means of an adhesive and / or fastener. The upper part comprises a surface constituting the accessory carrier. The accessory is formed like a rectangular plate, preferably having four panel fittings attached to it. One panel fitting is preferably attached to each corner of the plate.

[0078] Alternatively, the accessory may have another shape, such as a sign, being round or square shaped, with at least two panel fittings attached to it. In another embodiment, the accessory is a cube with preferably an open top and at least two panel fittings attached to a back surface of it. The accessory may comprise a light-weight material such as cork. It may further have a hexagonal shape and / or comprising a 'cushion' with fabric on it suitable for acoustic insulation and decoration.

[0079] In an embodiment, the set of parts comprises the accessory, the accessory further comprising a plate having a width extending in the width direction, a length extending in the length direction and a thickness lower than 5cm, at least one panel fitting being attached to the plate. The thickness may preferably be lower than 4cm, more preferably lower than 2 cm. In an embodiment where the accessory comprises a sound absorbing material, the thickness of the plate may be larger than 5 cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm, 9cm or 10 cm.

[0080] In an embodiment, the plate comprises two, three or more panel fittings in a row in equal distance with each other.

[0081] In an embodiment, the plate comprises panel fittings configured to be inserted in neighbouring, consecutive or adjacent oblong spacings. In an alternative embodiment, the plate comprises panel fittings configured to be inserted in not consecutive oblong spacings, leaving one or more spacings empty between them.

[0082] In an embodiment, the oblong spacing or the spacing between two slats has a rectangular or square cross section. In such embodiment, the distance between the two opposing sides of the first slat and the second slat remains the same independent of the measurement point, such that the oblong spacing has a constant width along the entire length of the panel fitting and does not become narrower or wider at certain points.

[0083] The oblong spacing may have an open end in at least one of the ends, preferably both ends.

[0084] The slat distance may be in the range of 0.5 to 4 cm, preferably in the range of 1 to 3 cm, more preferred in the range of 1 to 2 cm.

[0085] Each slat may have substantially the same cross-section along the longitudinal direction.

[0086] In an embodiment, the panel fitting is detachably attached to the slat wall panel and the panel fitting is fixedly attached to the plate.

[0087] The panel fitting may be easily attached to and detached from the wall panel without it or the wall panel being destructed.

[0088] According to a second aspect, a panel fitting is provided for being attached to a slat wall panel mounted on a surface of a building for mounting an accessory on the slat wall panel, the slat wall panel comprising a plurality of slats arranged on a front surface of a support plate including at least a first and a second slat, the first slat being arranged at a distance from the second slat along a width direction thereby forming an oblong spacing between the first and the second slats and the support plate, each slat having four slat surfaces including a slat back facing the support plate, a slat front opposite the slat back, and two slat sides extending between the slat back and the slat front, said slats and oblong spacing extending in parallel with each other and in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the width direction, wherein the panel fitting comprises:

[0089] - an accessory carrier,

[0090] - an attachment body,

[0091] - at least one attachment projection connected to and protruding from the attachment body, whereby the panel fitting is configured to be attached to the slat wall panel by inserting the attachment body in between the first and second slats and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel such that the attachment projection engages frictionally with a slat side of the first slat and a slat side of the second slat, the two slat sides being opposing.

[0092] In a third aspect, the use of a panel fitting for attaching an accessory to a slat wall panel is provided, wherein the panel fitting comprises:

[0093] - an accessory carrier and an attachment body, and

[0094] - at least one attachment projection connected to and protruding from the attachment body.

[0095] In a fourth aspect, a method of manufacture is provided, according to which the following steps are comprised:

[0096] - providing a panel fitting according to one of the above-described embodiments configured to be attached to a slat wall panel, the panel fitting comprising an accessory carrier and an attachment body, and at least one attachment projection connected to and protruding from the attachment body,

[0097] - preferably attaching the panel fitting to an accessory.

[0098] The panel fitting may be manufactured by extrusion. This is especially advantageous for panel fittings with an elongated shape.

[0099] The panel fitting may be manufactured by injection molding or 3D printing.

[0100] The panel fitting may comprise two materials, such as an elastically deformable material, such as a rubber or foam, and a harder material, such as wood, metal or a plastic polymer.

[0101] Panel fittings comprising at least two materials may be manufactured by co-extrusion.

[0102] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that any one or more of the above aspects of this disclosure and embodiments thereof may be combined with any one or more of the other aspects of the disclosure and embodiments thereof even if the combination is not explicitly described.

[0103] Brief Description of Drawings

[0104] In the following description embodiments will be described with reference to the schematic drawings, in which

[0105] Fig. 1A is a front and perspective view of a panel fitting in a deformed state according to an embodiment,

[0106] Fig. 1 B is a front and perspective view of a panel fitting according to the embodiment of Fig. 1A in an undeformed state,

[0107] Fig. 1 C is a perspective view of the panel fitting of Fig. 1 B attached to an accessory,

[0108] Fig. 1 D is a perspective view of another embodiment of the panel fitting similar to the one shown in Fig. 1 B,

[0109] Fig. 2A is a side view of a panel fitting according to a yet another embodiment,

[0110] Fig. 2B is a perspective view of the panel fitting of Fig. 2A attached to an accessory,

[0111] Fig. 2C is a perspective view of the panel fitting of Fig. 2A attached to a slat wall panel,

[0112] Fig. 2D is a perspective view of a cross-section of yet another embodiment of a panel fitting,

[0113] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a panel fitting according to a different embodiment,

[0114] Fig. 4 is is a perspective view of a panel fitting according to another embodiment,

[0115] Fig. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of the slat wall panel showing two slats in an unmounted position,

[0116] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the slat wall panel comprising a plurality of slats mounted vertically on a wall of a building,

[0117] Fig. 7 is a top view of an embodiment of the slat wall panel mounted vertically on a wall where a panel fitting is inserted between two slats, and

[0118] Fig. 8 is a perspective top view of the slat wall panel of Fig. 7, where a panel fitting is inserted between two slats.

[0119] Reference numerals refer to similar elements across various embodiments and figures described herein. Description of Embodiments

[0120] Referring initially to Figs 1A-1 C and Figs 5-6, different views of a set of parts comprising a panel fitting 10 for mounting an accessory 103 on the slat wall panel 1 (shown in Figs 5-6) are shown. The slat wall panel 1 is for being mounted on a surface of a building 200, as shown in Fig. 6. In Figs 1 A-1 C, the panel fitting 10 is not inserted or attached to the slat wall panel 1 but is shown as a separate part to be inserted between a first slat 3i and second slat 3ii of the slat wall panel 1 . The first and second slats 3i, 3ii are arranged at a mutual distance to form an oblong spacing 4 between the slats 3i, 3ii, thereby revealing a part of a support plate 2. The slat wall panel 1 may, however, comprise more slats as shown in Fig. 6.

[0121] The set of parts provided by the present disclosure comprises the slat wall panel 1 and the panel fitting 10 for being attached to the slat wall panel 1 . Referring to Figs 5 and 6, the slat wall panel 1 comprises a plurality of slats 3 arranged on a front surface of a support plate 2 including at least the first 3i and the second 3ii slats. The first slat 3i is arranged at a distance from the second slat 3ii along a width direction W. An oblong spacing 4 is formed between the first and the second slats 3i, 3ii and the support plate 2. The oblong spacing 4 has a constant rectangular cross-section. Each slat 3 has four slat surfaces including a slat back 31 facing the support plate 2, a slat front 32 opposite the slat back facing towards the room of the building, and two slat sides 33, 34 extending between the slat back and the slat front. The slats 3 and oblong spacing 4 extend in parallel with each other and in a longitudinal direction L perpendicular to the width direction.

[0122] Turning to Figs 1A-1 C, the panel fitting 10 comprises an accessory carrier 100 and an attachment body 11 . The attachment body 11 comprises at least one attachment projection 12. In this embodiment, a plurality of attachment projections 12 are comprised. The panel fitting 10 is configured to be attached to the slat wall panel 1 by inserting the attachment body 11 in between the first and second slats 3i, 3ii and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel 1 , such that the attachment projections 12 engage frictionally with a slat side of the first slat 3i and a slat side of the second slat 3ii. The two slat sides are opposing to each other. The slat sides comprise a friction enhancing material. In this embodiment, the attachment projections 12 comprise an elastic deformable material, such as rubber, which allows them to be deformed when pushed into the oblong spacing 4. The panel fitting 10 has a first engagement surface configured to engage frictionally with the slat side of the first slat and a second engagement surface configured to engage frictionally with the slat side of the second slat. The deformation of the projections 12 is required in this embodiment as the distance of the first and second engagement surfaces of the panel fitting in a non-inserted position is larger than the distance between the first slat and second slat. In an alternative embodiment, these two distances may be equal.

[0123] In Fig. 1 C, the attachment projections 12 are attached to the accessory 103, which is comprised in the set of parts. The accessory 103 comprises a plate 102, which has a width extending in the width direction W, a length extending in the length direction L and a thickness extending in the depth direction D. The thickness is defined as extending perpendicular to the length and width directions. In this embodiment, three panel fittings 10 are attached to the plate 102, being equally spaced from each other and extending in parallel with each other. Each of the panel fittings 10 is configured to engage frictionally with the slat sides of a slat 3. One panel fitting 10 may be inserted into one spacing 4 between two neighbouring slats or more slats may interfere between the fittings. That means that the distance between the panel fittings 10 may be approximately equal to the width of a slat or may be larger than the width of the slat.

[0124] The panel fittings 10 are detachably attached to the slat wall panel 1 , while the panel fittings are here fixedly attached to the plate 102 of the accessory 103 by means of an adhesive 104. As shown in Fig. 1 D, the accessory carrier 100 comprises a pre-applied adhesive tape 104 on a top surface of the panel fitting 10 and a covering strip 106, which is configured to be removed from the adhesive tape 104 before or when attaching to the accessory 103. The panel fittings 10 are therefore used for attaching the accessory 103 to the slat wall panel 1 .

[0125] In all embodiments shown in Figs 1A-1 D, the panel fitting 10 has an elongated shape comprising annular portions or profile sections. In Fig. 1 A, the panel fitting is bent, shown in a deformed state to indicate the flexibility of the material. Fig. 1 B shows the same embodiment of the panel fitting with Fig. 1A in an undeformed state. The attachment body 11 comprises an elastic material, such as rubber. The attachment body 11 further comprises a cavity 101 formed as a through hole extending longitudinally along the length of the panel fitting 10. The cavity 101 in this embodiment has an ellipsoid cross-section. The attachment projections 12 are formed as ribs or legs connected to the attachment body 11 and protruding from it, such that the outer side surfaces of the panel fitting 10 are not levelled. The attachment projections 12 extend longitudinally along the entire length of the panel fitting 10. The attachment projections may have different shape depending on how deep into the spacing they are configured to be engaged with the wall panel. In this embodiment, a first attachment projection 12i has a triangular cross section located at the lower part of the panel fitting 10, while a second attachment projection 12ii has a trapezoid cross-section located higher than the first. The lower part of the panel fitting 10 is configured to be positioned in closer proximity with the slat wall panel in an inserted position. The first 12i and / or second 12ii attachment projection has an inclined and / or annular surface facilitating insertion of the panel fitting. The first and / or the second attachment projection have a lip 108, which is configured to be deformed and engaged with the slat wall panel 1 upon insertion of the panel fitting. The first attachment projection 12i is here more narrow than the second projection 12ii, having a narrow engagement surface being the lip 108, so that upon insertion of the panel fitting 10 into the panel 1 , the first projections 12i that engage with the wall are a little narrower, so that insertion into the spacing is easier. Then, the second projections 12ii can follow and be more easily pressed into a better and more solid engagement with the panel. The attachment projections 12i, 12ii partly cover the attachment body 11 . The attachment projections are spaced apart such that a part of the attachment body 11 is revealed. The upper part of the panel fitting is configured to be attached to the accessory 103, in this case being a plate-shaped object such as a board 102. As mentioned above, the attachment is made by means of an adhesive and / or fastener such as a thread, magnet etc. The upper part of the fitting comprises a surface constituting the accessory carrier 100. The attachment body 11 here comprises a top projection or a head 107, which is spaced apart from the other two attachment projections 12i, 12ii. The top projection or head 107 may or may not be configured to engage fictionally with the slat sides. In this embodiment, the head 107 is T-shaped.

[0126] The attachment projections 12 are in this embodiment mirrored on both sides of the panel fitting 10, such that the first projection in one side of the fitting has the same shape as the first projection in the other side of the fitting etc. A plurality of panel fittings are attached to the plate-shaped accessory. The panel fittings 10 are positioned at a mutual distance from each other, forming rows onto the plate 102 and extend in parallel with each other. The panel fittings 10 have a smaller length than the length of the plate 102, such that the ends of the plate and its periphery are free from fittings. In this embodiment, the width of the head 107 of the fitting is 1 ,6 cm and the thickness of the head 107 is 0, 1 cm. The total thickness or height of the fitting 10 is 1 ,2 cm extending from the outer surface of the upper part to the inner surface of the lower part of the fitting.

[0127] Turning to the embodiment shown in Figs 2A-2B, the panel fitting 10 here has an annular shape and is formed as a knob. The attachment projections 12 are formed as rings being connected peripherally to the attachment body 11 and protruding from it. The attachment body 11 comprises or consists of an elastic material, such as rubber. The head of the fitting may comprise a metal, wood or polymer. The first attachment projection 12i has a substantially triangular cross-section, surrounding peripherally the attachment body 11. The second attachment projection 12ii has a substantially trapezoid cross-section, surrounding peripherally the attachment body 11 . The first and / or second attachment projection 12i, 12ii has an inclined and / or annular surface facilitating insertion of the panel fitting. The upper part of the panel fitting is configured to be attached to the accessory 103. The attachment is made by means of an adhesive and / or fastener. The upper part comprises a surface constituting the accessory carrier. The accessory is formed here like a rectangular plate, having four panel fittings attached to it. One panel fitting 10 is attached to each corner of the plate 102.

[0128] Fig. 2C shows the panel fitting 10 of Fig. 2A wherein the head 107 of panel fitting comprises the accessory carrier and the accessory 103.

[0129] Fig. 2D shows a cross section of the panel fitting of Fig. 2A. A rectangular accessory is attached to the head 107 of the panel fitting and for this accessory a single panel fitting is sufficient for supporting the weight of the accessory. The rectangular accessory may for example be a sign with a name or logo, which can easily be attached to the slat wall panel.

[0130] The panel fitting 10 in Fig. 2D comprises two materials. The attachment body 11 is made from an elastic material, such as rubber. The head 107 of the fitting is made from a material harder than the attachment body, such as a metal, wood or a plastic polymer.

[0131] Figs 3 and 4 show a different embodiment of the panel fitting 10, where it has a substantially rectangular elongated shape. The panel fitting 10 comprises a body 11 and a cavity or opening 101 extending in the longitudinal direction L. The opening 101 extends throughout the length of the panel fitting 10 from one end of the panel fitting to the other. The panel fitting 10 has here a II- shape. The opening 101 provides a substantially U-shaped panel fitting on the top or upper part of the panel fitting, which acts as the accessory carrier 100. The accessory carrier 100 is configured to allow engagement with an accessory 103 (not shown in Fig. 3). The opening 101 has two lips 105 configured to provide engagement with the accessory.

[0132] In Fig. 4, a slightly different embodiment of the fitting is shown, where the accessory carrier 100 is provided as a separate fastener 110. The panel fitting 10 further comprises a straining element 109 connected to the accessory carrier or fastener 110 and configured to change a distance between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface upon insertion of the straining element into the panel fitting 10 and / or slat wall panel 1. The accessory carrier 100 further comprises a threaded member, which is configured to be screwed into an internal thread of an accessory. The accessory carrier 100 is here formed integrally with the straining element 109 in the lower part of the accessory carrier 100. The straining element 109 is configured to be inserted in the opening 101 , leaving the accessory carrier 100 on the top part exposed for engagement with the accessory.

[0133] In this embodiment, the attachment body 11 comprises a plurality of attachment projections 12 extending longitudinally along the panel fitting. In this embodiment, the attachment projections 12 form a series of ridges, having a triangular shape, running in parallel with each other. The attachment projections 12 comprise an elastically deformable material.

[0134] The panel fitting 10 is shown inserted into the slat wall panel 1 in Figs 7 and 8. Specifically, Fig. 7 shows a panel fitting 10 attached to the slat wall panel 1 mounted on a surface 200 of a building. The slat wall panel 1 comprises a plurality of slats 3 (here only two of the slats shown complete) arranged on a front surface of the support plate 2 including the first and second slat 3i, 3ii. Each slat is fastened to the support plate 2 by means of staples 7. The slats 3i, 3ii are arranged at a distance from each other along the width direction W thereby forming the oblong spacing 4. The panel fitting 10 comprises the accessory carrier 100, the attachment body 11 , and attachment projections 12 connected to and protruding from the attachment body 11. The panel fitting 10 is attached to the slat wall panel 1 by inserting the attachment body 11 in between the first and second slats 3i, 3ii and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel 1 such that the attachment projections 12 engage frictionally with a slat side 35 of the first slat and a slat side 34 of the second slat. The two slat sides 34, 35 are opposing. Fig. 8 shows a perspective top view of the inserted panel fitting 10 in the spacing 4 between two neighbouring slats 3. In this embodiment, the panel fitting 1 does not extend throughout the entire length of the slats but its length and positioning into the wall panel may vary across different embodiments. The top surface of the fitting 10 constituting the accessory carries 100 abuts on the slat front surface 32 of the two neighbouring slats, such that part of the slat front surface 32 is covered by the accessory carrier 100.

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S1 . A set of parts for mounting an accessory on a surface, wherein the set of parts comprises a slat wall panel (1 ) for being mounted on a surface of a building, and a panel fitting (10) for being attached to the slat wall panel (1 ), wherein the slat wall panel (1 ) comprises a plurality of slats arranged on a front surface of a support plate (2) including at least a first and a second slat (3i, 3ii), the first slat (3i) being arranged at a distance from the second slat (3ii) along a width direction thereby forming an oblong spacing (4) between the first and the second slats (3i, 3ii) and the support plate (2), each slat having four slat surfaces including a slat back facing the support plate, a slat front opposite the slat back, and two slat sides extending between the slat back and the slat front, said slats and oblong spacing (4) extending in parallel with each other and in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the width direction, the panel fitting (10) comprising an accessory carrier and an attachment body, the attachment body comprising at least one attachment projection, so that the panel fitting (10) is configured to be attached to the slat wall panel (1 ) by inserting the attachment body in between the first and second slats (3i, 3ii) and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel such that the attachment projection engages frictionally with a slat side of the first slat and a slat side of the second slat, the two slat sides being opposing.

2. A set of parts according to claim 1 , wherein the slat side of the first slat and the slat side of the second slat being configured to be frictionally engaged with the panel fitting comprise a friction enhancing material.

3. A set of parts according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment projection comprises an elastic deformable material, such as rubber, such that it can be deformed when pushed into the oblong spacing.

4. A set of parts according to claim 1 , wherein the panel fitting has a first engagement surface configured to engage frictionally with the slat side of the first slat and a second engagement surface configured to engage frictionallywith the slat side of the second slat, the distance of the first and second engagement surfaces of the panel fitting in a non-inserted position is equal to or larger than the distance between the first slat and second slat.

5. A set of parts according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment projection is formed as a leg, ring or rib connected to the attachment body and protruding from it.

6. A set of parts according to claim 1 , wherein the set of parts comprises the accessory, the accessory further comprising a plate having a width extending in the width direction, a length extending in the length direction and a thickness extending perpendicular to the length and width directions, with at least one panel fitting being attached to the plate.

7. A set of parts according to claim 1 , wherein the oblong spacing has a rectangular or square cross section.

8. A set of parts according to claim 6, wherein the panel fitting is detachably attached to the slat wall panel and the panel fitting is fixedly attached to the plate of the accessory.

9. A panel fitting (10) for being attached to a slat wall panel (1 ) mounted on a surface of a building for mounting an accessory on the slat wall panel, the slat wall panel (1 ) comprising a plurality of slats arranged on a front surface of a support plate (2) including at least a first and a second slat (3i, 3ii), the first slat (3i) being arranged at a distance from the second slat (3ii) along a width direction thereby forming an oblong spacing (4) between the first and the second slats (3i, 3ii) and the support plate (2), each slat having four slat surfaces including a slat back facing the support plate, a slat front opposite the slat back, and two slat sides extending between the slat back and the slat front, said slats and oblong spacing (4) extending in parallel with each other and in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the width direction,wherein the panel fitting comprises:- an accessory carrier,- an attachment body,- at least one attachment projection connected to and protruding from the attachment body, whereby the panel fitting (10) is configured to be attached to the slat wall panel (1 ) by inserting the attachment body in between the first and second slats (3i, 3ii) and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel such that the attachment projection engages frictionally with a slat side of the first slat and a slat side of the second slat, the two slat sides being opposing.

10. Use of a panel fitting (10) for attaching an accessory to a slat wall panel (1 ), wherein the panel fitting (10) comprises:- an accessory carrier and an attachment body, and- at least one attachment projection connected to and protruding from the attachment body.

11. Use according to claim 10, wherein the slat wall panel (1 ) is mounted on a surface of a building and the slat wall panel (1 ) comprises a plurality of slats arranged on a front surface of a support plate (2) including at least a first and a second slat (3i, 3ii), the first slat (3i) being arranged at a distance from the second slat (3ii) along a width direction thereby forming an oblong spacing (4) between the first and the second slats (3i, 3ii) and the support plate (2), each slat having four slat surfaces including a slat back facing the support plate, a slat front opposite the slat back, and two slat sides extending between the slat back and the slat front, said slats and oblong spacing (4) extending in parallel with each other and in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the width direction, and the panel fitting is attached to the slat wall panel (1 ) by inserting the attachment body in between the first and second slats (3i, 3ii) and by exerting a force against the slat wall panel such that the attachment projection engages frictionally with a slat side of the first slat and a slat side of the second slat, thetwo slat sides being opposing.

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