COLLABORATIVE PANEL SYSTEM

• US 20110042541A1
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Consulting Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MAYA Design, Inc. (Boston Consulting Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crowley, John, Ballay, Joseph, MacDonald, Donald, Spencer, Stephen, Bishop, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,596,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/447.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/001 Wall mounting or suspension arrangements for blackboards or the like easels or stands A47B97/04
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/00 Repeatedly-usable boards or tablets for writing or drawing drawing-boards B43L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/04 Blackboards wall mounting or suspension arrangements for blackboards or the like A47B97/001; easels or stands for blackboards A47B97/04
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/10 Writing surfaces thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0883 by magnets
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0505 Pegs or pins
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0635 fastened over the edges of the sheets or plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A modular collaborative panel system intended for use on walls, frames and stands is disclosed. The system uses dry erase boards, chalk or black boards, or other panels having at least one writing surface. The panels have notches or cut-outs on each side so the panels can be mounted to a wall or a frame using pegs. The system combines panels in rows or columns, or both, to form a large, modular system for use at meetings, gatherings or other assemblies. The system allows a large number of users to contribute to a presentation, and also allows users to view the presentation.

Claims

1. A modular panel system to foster collaboration in a work setting, the system comprising:

a writing panel having a first edge and a second edge;

a smooth surface adapted for non-permanent writing on at least one side of the writing panel;

a cutout on each of the first edge and the second edge, a distance between centers of the cutouts substantially equivalent to a width of the writing panel; and

a first peg and a second peg adapted for horizontal placement in a wall or frame behind the writing panel, wherein the first and second pegs are adapted to partially fit within the cutouts to support the writing panel in place.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of writing panels arranged adjacent to one another in a row, and further comprising an additional peg for each additional writing panel, and wherein each additional peg supports two adjacent writing panels using the cutouts in the panels.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of writing panels arranged adjacent to one another in a column, and further comprising two additional pegs for each additional writing panel.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pegs are cylindrical, truncated cylindrical or conical, and wherein a radius of the cutouts substantially equals a radius of the pegs.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pegs have a substantially geometric shape, and wherein a radius of the cutouts substantially equals about half a distance across a width of the pegs.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cutouts are placed above a center of gravity of the panel.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional panel for stacking atop the writing panel, wherein the pegs are sufficiently long to support at least two panels.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the writing panel further comprises a surface adapted to accept light objects.

9. A modular panel system to foster collaboration in a work setting, the system comprising:

at least two writing panels, each panel having a first edge and a second edge, the at least two writing panels arranged adjacent to one another in at least one of a row and a column;

a smooth surface adapted for non-permanent writing on at least one side of the each of the writing panels; and

a cutout on each of the first edge and the second edge of each panel, a distance between centers of the cutouts substantially equivalent to a width of the writing panel,

wherein if the panels are arranged in a row, further comprising three pegs adapted for horizontal placement in a wall or frame behind the writing panel, wherein the pegs are adapted to partially fit within the cutouts to support the writing panels in place in a row, and further comprising an additional peg for each additional panel after the at least two writing panels; and

wherein if the panels are arranged in a column, further comprising four pegs adapted to partially fit within the cutouts to support the at least two writing panels in place in a column, and further comprising two additional pegs for each panel after the at least two writing panels.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a frame for mounting the at least two writing panels, the frame comprising mounts for the pegs.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a finger pull on each of the first edge and the second edge of each panel.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein at least one of the writing panels has a smooth surface for writing on a front side and on a back side of the at least one panel.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the smooth surface comprises a surface selected from the group consisting of a dry erase surface, a chalk board, and a plastic surface.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one writing panel has an attachment surface selected from the group consisting of a cork board, a tack board, a magnetic surface and a hook-and-loop attachment board.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the pegs has an aperture suitable for storing a writing instrument.

16. A method of mounting a modular panel system to foster collaboration, the method comprising:

furnishing at least two writing panels, each panel having a first edge and a second edge, the at least two writing panels arranged adjacent one to another in at least one of a row and a column, wherein each panel comprising a smooth surface adapted for non-permanent writing on at least one side of the each of the two writing panels and wherein each panel further comprises a cutout on each of the first edge and the second edge of each panel, a distance between centers of the cutouts substantially equivalent to a width of the writing panel;

placing pegs into a wall or frame behind the at least two writing panels, the pegs adapted to fit at least partially into the cutouts to support the at least two writing panels; and

supporting the at least two writing panels adjacent each other in place using the cutouts and the pegs.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the pegs have a substantially geometric shape, and wherein a radius of the cutouts substantially equals about half a distance across a width of the pegs.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising writing on the writing panels.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising furnishing an attachment panel and supporting the attachment panel adjacent at least one of the at least two writing panels using cutouts on the attachment panel and pegs.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising storing a writing instrument in a space within at least one of the pegs.