Modular board arrangement
View Patent ↗The invention provides a modular board arrangement that may be easily transported and assembled. The board arrangement comprises a plurality of boards and individual frame members that can be assembled in a variety of ways to provide a desired arrangement. The board arrangement may additionally comprise side frame members and/or a tray. The board arrangement is expandable to a desired length by adjacently adding additional board and frame units. Multiple board and frame units may be connected to one another by a transition piece. A connector may be provided for attaching an object such as the tray to the board arrangement. A removable faceplate may also be provided.
1. A modular board kit for constructing a board assembly of a desired length on a support structure on location, the kit comprising:
a plurality of boards, each of the boards comprising at least first and second horizontal edges, and at least first and second vertical edges;
a plurality of horizontal frame members for mounting to the support structure in a substantially horizontal manner, each horizontal frame member comprising a horizontal frame member receiving portion adapted to receive a respective one of the first and second horizontal edges of a single one of said boards to support the plurality of boards in series from a first board to a last board;
a pair of vertical frame members for mounting to the support structure in a substantially vertical manner, a first vertical frame member of the pair of vertical frame members adapted to be disposed adjacent a first vertical edge of the first board, and a second vertical frame member of the pair of vertical frame members adapted to be disposed adjacent a second vertical edge of the last board; and
at least one transition piece adapted to couple an adjacent two of the plurality of boards in series, the at least one transition piece comprising oppositely facing board receiving portions and oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions, such that when the at least one transition piece is positioned between the adjacent two of the plurality of boards in series, each oppositely facing board receiving portion is adapted to receive a respective vertical edge of one of the adjacent two of the plurality of boards in series, and each oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portion is adapted to receive a respective horizontal frame member;
whereby the plurality of boards, the at least one transition piece, and the vertical and horizontal frame members may be utilized to construct a board assembly of the desired length on the support structure on location.
2. The modular board kit of claim 1 wherein the length of each of the plurality of horizontal frame members and the length of each of the plurality of vertical frame members are less than twelve feet.
3. The modular board kit of claim 1 further comprising an accessory attachment portion.
4. The modular board kit of claim 3 wherein the accessory attachment portion comprises a channel having at least one detent disposed within the channel.
5. The modular board kit of claim 3 wherein the accessory attachment portion comprises a flange having at least one flexible elongated tooth extending from the flange.
6. The modular board kit of claim 1 further comprising an accessory adapted for attachment to at least one horizontal frame member or vertical frame member.
7. The modular board kit of claim 6 wherein the accessory comprises at least one of a tray, a map rail, and a flag holder.
8. The modular board kit of claim 1 further comprising at least one face plate adapted for mounting to at least one horizontal frame member or vertical frame member.
9. The modular board kit of claim 8 wherein the at least one horizontal frame member or vertical frame member to which the face plate is mounted further comprises a front side, and at least one extension member extending from the front side, the face plate being removably mountable to the at least one extension member.
10. The modular board kit of claim 8 , wherein the at least one horizontal frame member or vertical frame member to which the face plate is mounted further comprises a front side, the face plate being sized and configured to cover the entire front side, thereby concealing the at least one horizontal frame member or vertical frame member to which the face plate is mounted from view.
11. The modular board kit of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the horizontal frame members is disposed subjacent to at least a portion of at least one of the vertical frame members.
12. The modular board kit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transition piece further comprises tabs adapted to be positioned between the support structure and at least one of the adjacent two of the plurality of boards in series.
13. The modular board kit of claim 1 , further comprising a tray coupled with at least one of the horizontal frame members, and wherein the at least one transition piece further includes a tray receiving portion for receiving the tray.
14. A method of assembling a modular board assembly to a support structure on location, the method comprising:
attaching a first horizontal frame member and a second horizontal frame member to the support structure such that the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member are substantially parallel with one another, the first horizontal frame member having a first horizontal frame member receiving portion adapted to be disposed adjacent to a single board, the second horizontal frame member having a second horizontal frame member receiving portion adapted to be disposed adjacent to a single board;
disposing a first board between the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member such that the first board is disposed within the first horizontal frame member receiving portion and the second horizontal frame member receiving portion;
disposing a first vertical frame member adjacent to a first vertical edge of the first board such that the first vertical frame member is substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member;
disposing a transition piece adjacent to a second vertical edge of the first board such that the transition piece is substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member;
attaching a third horizontal frame member and a fourth horizontal frame member to the support structure such that the third horizontal frame member and the fourth horizontal frame member are substantially parallel with one another and substantially aligned with the first and second horizontal frame members, the third horizontal frame member having a third horizontal frame member receiving portion adapted to be disposed adjacent to a single board, the fourth horizontal frame member having a fourth horizontal frame member receiving portion adapted to be disposed adjacent to a single board;
disposing a second board between the third horizontal frame member and the fourth horizontal frame member such that the second board is disposed within the third horizontal frame member receiving portion and the fourth horizontal frame member receiving portion, and such that a first vertical edge of the second board is adjacent to the transition piece; and
disposing a second vertical frame member adjacent to a second vertical edge of the second board such that the second vertical frame member is substantially parallel to the first vertical frame member and the transition piece;
wherein the transition piece includes oppositely facing board receiving portions, upper oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions, and lower oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions, such that when the at least one transition piece is positioned between the first and second boards, a first one of the oppositely facing board receiving portions receives the second vertical edge of the first board and a second one of the oppositely facing board receiving portions receives the first vertical edge of the second board, a first one of the upper oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions receives the first horizontal frame member and a second one of the upper oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions receives the third horizontal frame member, and a first one of the lower oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions receives the second horizontal frame member and a second one of the lower oppositely facing horizontal frame member receiving portions receives the fourth horizontal frame member.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising attaching a face plate to at least one of the first horizontal frame member, the second horizontal frame member, the third horizontal frame member, the fourth horizontal frame member, the first vertical frame member, the second vertical frame member, and the transition piece.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a face plate is attached to each of the horizontal frame members such that once assembled, the face plates conceal the horizontal frame members from view when viewed from a direction normal to the support structure.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising attaching an accessory to at least one of the first horizontal frame member, the second horizontal frame member, the third horizontal frame member, the fourth horizontal frame member, the first vertical frame member, the second vertical frame member, and the transition piece.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the accessory comprises at least one of a tray, a map rail, and a flag holder.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of attaching an accessory comprises the step of elastically deforming a flexible tooth in a channel wherein the tooth is coupled to one of the accessory and a frame member and the channel is provided by the other of the accessory and the frame member.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the accessory is a first tray attached to the second horizontal frame member and a second tray attached to the fourth horizontal frame member, and wherein the transition piece further includes oppositely facing tray receiving portions such that when the at least one transition piece is positioned between the first and second boards, a first one of the oppositely facing tray receiving portions receives an end of the first tray and a second one of the oppositely facing tray receiving portions receives an end of the second tray.