US20060230700A1

US20060230700A1 - Modular decorative plate combination

Info

Publication number: US20060230700A1
Application number: US10/989,830
Authority: US
Inventors: Chang Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-16
Filing date: 2004-11-16
Publication date: 2006-10-19

Abstract

A modular decorative plate device includes a number of plate members each having an anchoring flange on one end and a groove in the other end for allowing the plate members to be readily assembled together. The plate members have wood materials of about 50% by weight for forming wood like patterns on the surfaces of the plate members, the plate members each includes inclined surfaces formed in both ends and arranged to allow the inclined surfaces to be located close to each other and to prevent a coupling of the plate members from being seen by people. The plate members each includes two protrusions formed in one end and each defined by two third inclined surfaces, to allow the inclined surfaces to be formed as a W-shape.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular decorative plate device or combination, and more particularly to a modular decorative plate combination readily for being assembled by users, and suitable for ceilings, walls, floors, kick panels, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical modular building combinations or assemblies comprise a number of molded plates having projections and recesses formed therein for engaging with each other, and for allowing the molded plates to be easily assembled by the users.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,955 to Ou, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,594 to Giuseppe et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,735 to Bates disclose three of the typical modular building combinations or assemblies for attaching to walls, or for forming windows, doors, or the like, and also comprise a number of injection molded thermoplastic members having male and female projections that may also be engaged or assembled with each other, to allow the injection molded thermoplastic members to be easily assembled by the users.
In some of the typical modular building combinations, the injection molded thermoplastic members may be made of recycled wood powder materials, recycled plastic materials, or the like, for decreasing pollution problem to our environment.
However, normally, the injection molded thermoplastic members include a shiny outer surface that may not be painted with the required colors by the users. In addition, when the injection molded thermoplastic members are required to be assembled together and attached to particular portions or positions, such as attached the bottom portions of the walls as kick panels, the users may have to paint the injection molded thermoplastic members to dark colors, such as brown, black, or the like. It will be inconvenient for the users to paint the injection molded thermoplastic members by themselves.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional modular decorative plate combinations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a modular decorative plate combination readily for being assembled by users, and suitable for ceilings, walls, floors, kick panels, or the like.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a modular decorative plate combination comprising a number of molded plate members each including two opposite surfaces, and including a hollow space formed between the opposite surfaces, and including at least one rib disposed in the hollow space thereof and secured between the opposite surfaces, the plate members each includes a first end having an anchoring flange extended therefrom, and a second end having a groove formed therein for receiving the anchoring flanges of other plate members, and for allowing the plate members to be readily coupled and assembled together, the plate members are preferably made of synthetic materials, and wood materials having 50% by weight of the plate members, for forming wood vein patterns on the surfaces of the plate members, the plate members each includes a first inclined surface formed in the first end thereof, and each includes a second inclined surface formed in the second end thereof, and arranged to allow the first and the second inclined surfaces to be located close to each other and to prevent a coupling of the plate members from being seen by people.
The plate members each includes two protrusions oppositely provided in the first end thereof and each defined by two third inclined surfaces, and located between the first and the second inclined surfaces, to allow the first and the second and the third inclined surfaces to be formed as a W-shape. A first surface of the surfaces of each plate members includes a covering layer applied thereon.
The plate members each includes an intermediate portion having a depression formed in each of the surfaces thereof, and defined between two third inclined surfaces. The plate members each includes a projection extended into each of the depression thereof and defined by two fourth inclined surfaces, and arranged to allow the third and the fourth inclined surfaces to be formed as a W-shape. The plate members each includes a rib disposed between the projections.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a modular decorative plate combination in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of the modular decorative plate combination;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the modular decorative plate combination; and
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the modular decorative plate combination, illustrating one of the surfaces of the modular decorative plate combination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a modular decorative plate combination 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a number of injection molded plate members 10 that may be easily or readily assembled together and that may be attached to the required portions or positions, such as ceilings, walls, floors, kick panels, or the like.
Each of the injection molded plate members 10 includes two opposite surfaces 11, 12, such as inner and outer, or front and rear surfaces 11, 12, and includes a hollow space 13 formed therein, or formed between the opposite surfaces 11, 12, and includes one or more flanges or ribs 14 disposed in the hollow space 13 thereof and coupled or secured between the opposite surfaces 11, 12, for such as reinforcing purposes, and for allowing the plate members 10 to be made with decreased or economized materials.
It is preferable that the injection molded plate members 10 are made of plastic materials or synthetic materials, such as recycled plastic materials, and wood powder materials, such as recycled wood powder materials mixed together, for being formed into the plate members 10 with such as molding, molding injection processes, or the like. It is preferable that the wood powder materials include about 50% by weight of the mixed materials, for allowing the opposite surfaces 11, 12 of the plate members 10 to be formed into decorative wood vein patterns or rough or wood like surfaces, best shown in FIG. 4, which may include a rough outer contour, for allowing the users to selectively or optionally paint their favorite colors or patterns thereon.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one of the surfaces 12 of the plate members 10 may also be formed or applied or attached with a covering layer 30, such as painting or decorative layer having various colors or patterns thereon, by such as molding, molding injection processes, or the like, and having a shiny or smooth outer surface, for allowing the users to readily use the surfaces 12 as outer surfaces for the plate 10, without further painting or printing processes. For example, the surfaces 12 of some of the plate members 10 may include a covering layer 30 having dark colors, such as brown, black, or the like formed or applied thereon, for being readily attached bottom portions of walls as kick panels by the users without additional painting or printing processes.
The plate members 10 each includes one end 15 having an anchoring flange 16 extended therefrom, and a groove 17 formed in the other end 18 thereof, for receiving the anchoring flanges 16 of the other plate members 10, best shown in FIG. 2, and for allowing the plate members 10 to be easily and readily coupled and assembled together. The coupling portions of the anchoring flanges 16 into or with the grooves 17 of the other ends 18 of the plate members 10 may then be secured to the ceilings, the walls, or the floors with such as nailing tools (not shown).
The plate members 10 each includes an intermediate portion 19 having a depression 20 formed in each of the surfaces 11, 12 thereof, and defined between two inclined surfaces 21, and having a projection 22 extended into the depression 20 thereof and defined by two inclined surfaces 23, and arranged to allow the inclined surfaces 21, 23 to be formed as a W-shape. It is preferable that one of the ribs 14 is disposed and formed or coupled or secured between the opposite projections 22, for such as reinforcing purposes.
It is also preferable that the plate members 10 each further includes two protrusions 24 oppositely extended from the anchoring flanges 16 of the other plate members 10, or oppositely provided in the ends 15 of the plate members 10, and defined by two inclined surfaces 25, and further includes an inclined surface 26 formed in the end 15 of the plate members 10, and located beside the protrusions 24. Each plate member 10 further includes two further inclined surfaces 27 oppositely formed in the other end 18 thereof, and arranged to allow the protrusions 24 to be disposed between the inclined surfaces 26, 27 and thus arranged to allow the inclined surfaces 25, 26, 27 to be formed as a W-shape.
It is to be noted that the engagements of the protrusions 24 with the other ends 18 of the adjacent plate members 10 and the conjunction or abutment or engagement of the inclined surfaces 25, 27 with each other may form the W-shaped depressions 20, and may prevent the coupling of the adjacent plate members 10 and the engagements of the anchoring flanges 16 into or with the grooves 17 of the other ends 18 of the plate members 10 from being seen or noticed by people, such that the plate members 10 may be seen or taken as an integral one-piece structure.
In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anchoring flanges 16 of some of the plate members 10 may be easily and readily engaged into or with the grooves 17 of the other ends 18 of the other plate members 10, to allow the plate members 10 to be easily and readily assembled or attached to ceilings, walls, floors, kick panels, or the like by users themselves.
Either of the opposite surfaces 11, 12 of the plate members 10 may be arranged outwardly for allowing either the wood vein surface 11 or the smooth or shiny surface 12 of the plate members 10 to be exposed or seen by people. The formation of the W-shaped depressions 20 and/or the W-shaped arrangement of the inclined surfaces 25, 26, 27 may prevent the coupling of the adjacent plate members 10 from being seen or noticed by people.
Accordingly, the modular decorative plate combination is readily for being assembled by users, and suitable for ceilings, walls, floors, kick panels, or the like.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A modular decorative plate combination comprising:

a plurality of molded plate members each including two opposite surfaces, and including a hollow space formed between said opposite surfaces, and including at least one rib disposed in said hollow space thereof and secured between said opposite surfaces,

said plate members each including, a first end having an anchoring flange extended therefrom, and a second end having a groove formed therein for receiving said anchoring flanges of other plate members, and for allowing said plate members to be readily coupled and assembled together,

said plate members being made of synthetic materials and wood materials which are mixed together, for forming wood like surfaces,

said plate members each including a first inclined surface formed in said first end thereof, and each including a second inclined surface formed in said second end thereof, and arranged to allow said first and said second inclined surfaces to be located close to each other and to prevent a coupling of said plate members from being seen by people.

2. The modular decorative plate combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate members each includes two protrusions oppositely provided in said first end thereof and each defined by two third inclined surfaces, and located between said first and said second inclined surfaces, to allow said first and said second and said third inclined surfaces to be formed as a W-shape.

3. The modular decorative plate combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate members each includes an intermediate portion having a depression formed in each of said surfaces thereof, and defined between two third inclined surfaces.

4. The modular decorative plate combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein said plate members each includes a projection extended into each of said depression thereof and defined by two fourth inclined surfaces, and arranged to allow said third and said fourth inclined surfaces to be formed as a W-shape.

5. The modular decorative plate combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plate members each includes a rib disposed between said projections.

6. The modular decorative plate combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first surface of said surfaces of each plate members includes a covering layer applied thereon.